Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[booder]

. You have to remember, the stuff that goes wrong is just as important as the stuff that goes right when it comes to making an an adventure memorable.

Absolutely.  Great write up as always Tom.

[bobAlike]

. You have to remember, the stuff that goes wrong is just as important as the stuff that goes right when it comes to making an an adventure memorable.

Absolutely.  Great write up as always Tom.

This

[Graham C]

Enjoying the trip report, looks like you had a great time.

[celtic]

Enjoying the trip report, looks like you had a great time.

[tikay]

Cracking story that, Tom, and beautifully written.

[RED-DOG]

My brother John drops his bike for a second time at low speed on gravel. After an air crash stylee investigation we conclude that big ego + little legs = pilot error.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

We leave our attic hovel early. Today we have planned a long haul ride over the Pyrenees to Andorra via the spectacular N266.

We anticipate 8 or 9 hours of riding. Throw in about 3 more hours for food/toilet/fuel/gaping at scenery breaks and were looking at a probable 12 hour day.

We are on the road by 8am and already the horizon is distorted by the shimmer of heat haze. It's going to be a scorcher. We message our air B&B host to let him know that our ETA will be around 8pm.

As soon as we are rolling I notice an out of place sound coming from my bike. It doesn't sound drastic, just a soft tinkling, but as anyone who does their own maintenance and relies on the machine they maintain will tell you, any unusual sounds are worrying and like a mother who detects a change in the breathing pattern of her sleeping baby my senses are immediately tuned to maximum sensitivity.

Click to see full-size image.

 

[RED-DOG]

Fortunately both my companions are excellent mechanics, so I ask them to sit by the roadside on a on a quiet stretch and listen to my bike as I ride slowly past.

"Brake pads" they declare on unison. I too thought it sounded like brake pads scraping but I dismissed the idea because I had fitted new ones immediately prior to the trip.

They were adamant though, so I bowed to their grater knowledge and googled the nearest Suzuki agent, which turned out to be around 40 miles away in the wrong direction.

We rode to the Suzuki shop, (thank God for Google maps) and purchased a set of brake pads. They cost an outrageous €65, but we got them on a sale or return basis do that if, when we got the caliper off we discovered that the diagnosis was wrong we would be able to return them.

Removing the caliper meant first removing the exhaust, so we retired to the nearest bistro to wait for it to cool down.

Using our enforced downtime wisely, we made wifi calls to home and ate a three course brunch.

I had chicken liver pate, steak egg and chips and crembrule for desert.

It's just a  matter of survival really. I mean, when you're roughing it in the mountains, who knows where your next meal is coming from?

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

After brunch we removed the exhaust and the brake caliper and found that the pads, fitted new by me less than a month ago were worn down to the metal. I think it was a combination of the mountain roads and the interior quality of the pattern parts. Lesson learned. Only genuine Suzuki bits from now on.

We started out for Andorra again, this time from forty miles further away and four hours later than planned.

Click to see full-size image.

[typhoon13]

After brunch we removed the exhaust and the brake caliper and found that the pads, fitted new by me less than a month ago were worn down to the metal. I think it was a combination of the mountain roads and the interior quality of the pattern parts. Lesson learned. Only genuine Suzuki bits from now on.

We started out for Andorra again, this time from forty miles further away and four hours later than planned.

Click to see full-size image.

"lesson learned"...i don't think so!! we all try and get away with doing things cheaper

Keep the reports coming lurrrrrrrv em

[RED-DOG]

After brunch we removed the exhaust and the brake caliper and found that the pads, fitted new by me less than a month ago were worn down to the metal. I think it was a combination of the mountain roads and the interior quality of the pattern parts. Lesson learned. Only genuine Suzuki bits from now on.

We started out for Andorra again, this time from forty miles further away and four hours later than planned.

Click to see full-size image.

"lesson learned"...i don't think so!! we all try and get away with doing things cheaper

Keep the reports coming lurrrrrrrv em

True dat Trev.

Sometimes pattern parts are great quality and a huge saving.

A pattern drive belt for my bike costs ~ £50. A genuine OEM (That's Original Equipment Manufacturer for the uninitiated) one costs £185.

[RED-DOG]

It's impossible to show on a photograph, but our first glimpse of Andorra was breathtaking. Vast areas of tree covered mountains rising up into the clouds.

It reminded me of the backdrop to those war films set in Vietnam or Cambodia. Although I've never been to a rain forest, this is what I imagine it must look like,which is appropriate really, because minutes after this picture was taken the heavens opened, unleashing a storm of biblical proportions.

Click to see full-size image.

[Mohican]

I'd be inclined to think that the calliper was sticking a little rather than the pads wearing out through poor quality.

[RED-DOG]

I'd be inclined to think that the calliper was sticking a little rather than the pads wearing out through poor quality.

Yes, you would think, but I made sure the pistons in the slave cylinder were free and fully retracted. the wheel was turning freely and there was no undue heat in the brake disc. I checked it several times, as is my want after replacing shoes or pads.

That wasn't always the case, but ever since a sticking brake shoe set fire to my Transit pick up while going over the Snake Pass I've been a bit paranoid.

I suppose it is possible that the pads started sticking mid journey but I didn't notice anything. Don't forget that by the time the pads wore out we had done something like 2k on very steep and curvy mountain passes with fully laden bikes.

Nice to know your taking notice though, and I appreciate the feedback.

[Mohican]

I'd be inclined to think that the calliper was sticking a little rather than the pads wearing out through poor quality.

Yes, you would think, but I made sure the pistons in the slave cylinder were free and fully retracted. the wheel was turning freely and there was no undue heat in the brake disc. I checked it several times, as is my want after replacing shoes or pads.

That wasn't always the case, but ever since a sticking brake shoe set fire to my Transit pick up while going over the Snake Pass I've been a bit paranoid.

I suppose it is possible that the pads started sticking mid journey but I didn't notice anything. Don't forget that by the time the pads wore out we had done something like 2k on very steep and curvy mountain passes with fully laden bikes.

Nice to know your taking notice though, and I appreciate the feedback.

You may have freed them up whilst replacing the pads. I'd deffo be servicing the caliper now you're back in Blighty. Trip looked awesome BTW.
I've have added to my collection of bikes. I'll post a pic or two when I get back home. (School run what)