The wire of the left hand shift levers broke yesterday to switch the front derailleur on the crankset. From then onward I was only able to shift chain on the rear derailleur. Luckily the chain was fixed on the lower chainring with 34 teeth. In other words, I could go slow and uphill on low gear but not high speed on higher gears.
My research on Shimano Ultegra R8020 group set – this is the model we have installed on the bike – concluded, it is somewhat practise to replace the wire after around 10’000km as a matter of potentially being a design glitch and not common. After checking my statistics, I have done around 17’000km in four years since I have the bike.
A bit annoying I went to the nearest bike shop today and got the wire replaced for less than 12 Euro! Excellent customer service at ADNbikes in Noia.
It then turned into a sugar ride on the way back absorbing more of this beautiful part of Galicia’s landscape.
Unfortunately the reasons and arguments to buy a new bike with wireless gear shift disappeared again.
Today, exactly two month ago, we did throw the lines in Kappeln/Schlei. You can read about it here. A lot has happened since then and we have moved substantially on our journey.
Getting to A Coruña was the hardest bit but probably more for me mentally than from a boat and skipper’s perspective. It was less the point to finally throw the lines in Kappeln – that mindset was irrevocably set for a while at that point in time – but getting out into the new space on my own – North Sea, English Channel, Tides, etc. kept my mind spinning. Luckily we teamed up with SY Collete and SY malwieder from Cuxhaven onwards to manage this stretch together.
Passing Cape Finisterre has become a game changer. Winds are more predictable and in this part of Galicia there are nice Rías with plenty of good marinas and safe anchor spots. This will change again South of Vigo.
Overall, I enjoyed the last two month. It has been very intense so far in many aspects, therefore left plenty of moments in memories within a constantly changing nature. Biking shall move a bit more into my focus with the target to cycle as many miles as we clock on the boats’ log.
Susan is going to join again shortly and we plan another fantastic time together onboard following the directions of the wind.
Fair winds…
It all started very well this morning, some gravel coming up after a while is normal on my trips as I prefer to go away from the main traffic roads really into the countryside. The gravel was getting rougher and rougher but also here, pushing or carrying the bike a few meters is something I don‘t mind as long as it stays within limits. A tyre breakthrough is new to me. I am prepared and equipped for punctures to be fixed on the spot but a Kevlar structure to tear apart gives me some food for thought. I was not geared up for that and in the middle of nowhere.
No option than to push/carry the bike about 1.5km back to civilization. I was about half distance between Portosin and Santiago de Compostela but going back was not an option, so I figured out how to keep moving towards my weekend destination.
Waiting at a busstop for two hours in this heat was not very attractive although two passing mates on bikes offered me water and power-bars, very nice! I managed to stop a courier truck driver to give me and my bike a lift and spontaneously he said: sure, no problem…whatever that means in spanish terms. We delivered two more parcels together and then he dropped my at the hotel in Santiago de Compostela.
In the meantime I have walked through the town, purchased two new tyres and the bike is ready to rock n’ roll again.😄
