The Lemon Fool

scotia wrote:The 7-piece rod is contained in a hard tube of about 55cm in length

Was it a Hardy Smuggler by any chance? I only ask because I use one, and it's a really excellent rod.

And you omitted to mention the most important aspect of your trip - did you catch anything (apart from pneumonia!)

Once upon a time, when I had both bike and motorbike, I learned about winter riding. The exercise of cycling makes all the difference between regular gloves and fleece being adequate, vs freezing even in much more expensive specialist gear on the motorbike.

Clitheroekid wrote:Was it a Hardy Smuggler by any chance? I only ask because I use one, and it's a really excellent rod.
And you omitted to mention the most important aspect of your trip - did you catch anything (apart from pneumonia!)

I'm afraid I work my way through light multi-section rods, due to impatiently pulling snagged casts out of heather. I remember once, having trekked into the depths of Assynt, I continued (with some success ) after breaking (and discarding) the top section. So its usually Daiwa or Shakespeare rods - whichever seems to be priced reasonably at Glasgow Anglers.
And no - I didn't catch anything - apart from the cold. We are predominantly a Brown Trout Loch - stocking annually with 2000 Brown Trout around the 1lb mark. But in high summer when the Brownies tend to sulk, we add about 500 Rainbow Trout. Until recently we only allowed fishing during the Brown Trout Season, but we now permit winter fishing for Rainbow Trout - only from the bank, and only with de-barbed hooks. Very few member take up this offer, but I was keen to try out the equipment (including the e-bike) that I plan to use on a visit to Assynt in June. I should have waited for a warmer day!

UncleEbenezer wrote:Once upon a time, when I had both bike and motorbike, I learned about winter riding. The exercise of cycling makes all the difference between regular gloves and fleece being adequate, vs freezing even in much more expensive specialist gear on the motorbike.

I added to my discomfort by freezing my toes in the waders, before putting my cycling shoes back on, and by getting my gloves damp. In normal cycling I can usually keep my toes in a reasonable state by ensuring they get flexed. My thumbs are the main problem - when wrapped round the handlebar, the circulation is restricted - so I end up placing the full hand on top of the grips when cruising on the straight sections - but, of course, I need to re-orient my hands when braking is required or the track is badly rutted and/or twisty.
I can remember freezing when travelling as a pillion passenger on a motorbike in my youth!

UncleEbenezer wrote:Once upon a time, when I had both bike and motorbike, I learned about winter riding. The exercise of cycling makes all the difference between regular gloves and fleece being adequate, vs freezing even in much more expensive specialist gear on the motorbike.

I've done both fairly extensively (have commuted by 2 wheels all year round for most of the last 20 years, though exclusively pedal-powered for the last 10). You can definitely get away with a lot less insulation on the bike due to the amount of heat you're generating. The only times I've really struggled with cold on my commute were heavy rain/sleet at just above freezing. Snow is fine as it doesn't really penetrate, but rain will eventually get into even the best gloves, and then if it's freezing as well you've got problems.

Cycling in big hills/mountains is a whole different matter, a long descent where you're not having to pedal (so not generating any body heat) combined with the winds when descending at speed, can take all the warmth out of you very quickly. Lived in Geneva for a while and used to cycle up into the local Jura mountains. Quickly learned that the layers I needed to get me up were wholly inadequate for getting down again!

An update - I'm still enjoying outings on my e-bike. Yesterday there was a strong east wind, and I met another cyclist (without electrical assistance) who had toiled against it on the outward leg, and who said that he was really looking forward to the return . I sympathised with him, but never confessed that the headwind didn't really bother me since I had electrical assistance. From the canal tow-path I saw three Herons in stalking mode, and many swans and ducks. Most of last year's cygnets have now parted from their parents, but the odd one is still hanging on. I'm also discovering paths and quiet lanes that I never knew existed. But the Jury is out on weight loss. Cycling makes me hungry.

scotia wrote:I have stopped dithering - and purchased the Carrera Cross City Electric Bike from Halfords (delivery next week). I think it should be OK for the modest off-roading I may indulge in. The Electric Mountain Bikes seemed way over the top for my wants.
Its a fairly sturdy (and heavy) affair. I have tried it (folded) in the boot of my car (Skoda Fabia Estate). I can lift it in and out - but there is not much floor space left in the boot.

OK - a progress report on its off-road capabilities. My plan was to use it on my annual week's holiday fishing in Assynt. There are many lochs well into the interior which I haven't previously fished, because the walk in and out severely restricts any fishing time - not to mention the effect on a 75 year old's legs. So this year I took my folding e-bike - surrounded by all of my fishing gear in the boot of my car. All other clothes etc for myself and spouse travelled in the back seat area. On the 6th June I set off along the Stoer Peat road (NC 0401 2950) to Loch na h-Uidhe Doimhne (NC 0707 2903). At the start there was a smooth surface - but that soon came to an end at the turn-off to the Water Treatment Works. Thereafter it was the original Peat road - OK for a tractor or an off-road vehicle. The most difficult sections were those where the underlying sharp rocks protruded all across the track. A bone rattling experience, which in my youth would almost certainly resulted in a burst tyre - but these modern tyres coped well. I also experience some wet sections where I had doubts as to how deep they may prove to be - but I didn't fully submerge as per Danny Macaskill! So all in all - it worked well. The only severe disappointment was the lack of brown trout in the targeted lochs. So next year, will I take the bike?

scotia wrote:A bone rattling experience, which in my youth would almost certainly resulted in a burst tyre - but these modern tyres coped well.

Indeed, I'd expect the tyres to cope.
But that the rims and the rest of bike coped is much more impressive. A mountain bike or a tourer should be fine, but you said a folding bike. My experience with a folder was that it was at least as fragile (probably more) than a highly-tuned, narrow-tyred road bike and would tend to fall apart rather rapidly if taken on anything you might describe as bone-rattling.

UncleEbenezer wrote:But that the rims and the rest of bike coped is much more impressive. A mountain bike or a tourer should be fine, but you said a folding bike.

The main cross member is a substantial box containing the battery, deeper in the vertical than the horizontal - so I would not have expected it to have problems. As to the rims - I didn't observe any problems, but I'll have a closer look when I get round to cleaning the bike tomorrow. Its not a lightweight bike that you would normally carry around - but it does fold, allowing it to fit into my boot. Its a bit of a handful folding it, getting it into its bag, then lifting it into the car. A second pair of hands is helpful. I feared that with 20 inch wheels the derailleur mechanism might have had problems striking uneven ground - but most of the peat road was rock hard with only a few deeply rutted sections (when I went through the pools of water), so I experienced no problems with the mechanism. Its called a Cross City bike - but it seems adequate for a fair bit of Cross Country cycling as well.