Cycling Thunderbolts Way | Three Day Cycle Tour | Kona Sutra 2021 touring bike
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- čas přidán 25. 11. 2021
- Bicycle touring on my Kona Sutra 2021 bike from Uralla on the New England Plateau down to Gloucester via Thunderbolts Way. Filmed over four days with camping in Walcha and Bretti Reserve.
Frederick Ward (Captain Thunderbolt) was the son of convict transported to Australia from England in 1815. Born in 1835 Ward was the youngest of 10 children. He was a great horseman however, he became mixed up with his nephew John Garbutt and they started a large horse and cattle rustling operation. Caught and sentenced to 10 years, Ward spent time imprisoned in Sydney eventually escaping in 1863. He then headed back to New England where he crowned himself "Captain Thunderbolt" and the legend began.
This video begins in Uralla near his favourite hangout "Thunderbolt's Rock" and follows Thunderbolts way through Walcha and down to Nowendoc and then on Bretti Reserve not far from Gloucester.
Thanks for watching
Mike Coles
mike-coles.com
EQUIPMENT CYCLING/CAMPING
Kona Sutra 2021
XTR Touring Pedals/SPD Cleats
Ortlieb 3.1 Back Roller Bags (Rear)
Ortlieb 2.1 Sport Roller Bags (Front)
Vango Pulsar Pro 200 Tent
Trangia 25
EQUIPMENT VIDEO
GoPro Hero 8 Black
Fuji XH-1/Rode Video Mirco
iPhone 12
DJI Mini 2 - Sport
Hills and wind. Constant companions when riding the Northern Tablelands!
I was genuinely surprised how of both (hills and wind) there was. Beautiful country was the reward.
Lovely video. Thanks for making the effort to record this. It's great to see people out there touring who are like me and not super young, slim as a rail and in Tour de France shape💪🫀. You do what you can and enjoy what you see and leave the rest of it for another day. Subscribed!👍
Nice tour and love the bike 👍
Those flies would have done me in.
Yes, they were pretty annoying when you’re going slow. Once I packed the camera away and got moving, they can’t keep up!
Looked like a great ride, sounds like your gear is holding up, and downhill all the way.
Thanks for the video - a bit of a heads-up for me. All those "Ways" that go down the NSW highlands are on my to-do list. My appetite for these rides has been thoroughly whetted.
Thanks for the comment. I enjoyed the trip, but was genuinely surprised how much “up” there was on a fundamentally downhill route. I think I carried too much stuff too. If I were doing it again (and I will) I’d scale-down the baggage a lot!
Hi again Michael, another well done video. I like your style, I am also older and carrying a bit of extra weight. I note you carry a chair, what sort? I have a fold up stool, but often wish for something more comfy! How did you get back home from finish, did someone collect you?
I’m not sure which chair I have, but there are many similar ultra-compact ones on the market. And yes, I had someone drop me and collect me for this trip! Luxury!
Thanks for the video.
Just wondering about the gearing. Would you recommend lowering your granny gear size to 24T or 22T (from 26T factory gear). Likewise your large front one comes with a 48T. Do you think there might an idea to change to 42T or is it fine the way it is? I'm asking as you have first hand experience with climbing and descending with a fully loaded bike.
I have changed my 26 to a 24, which really helps with climbing. I wouldn’t bother increasing the big chain ring; I’d rarely hit 48 on front and the smallest gear on the back.
@@mike-coles Thanks for that feedback!
It's so interesting to see the Sutra kitted out differently! I also ride this bike. Did you replace the saddle, or did it come in black? I also use the Trangia stove. :) A great adventure, lots of climbing - but a 6KM descent! Wow!
Thanks Agnieszka. My Sutra came with a brown saddle, but I had just purchased a black one, so I used that as I was already fitting it. I'm still finding my way with bags, accessories and how I want it all packed, but I'm finding the Ortlieb bags are very durable and easy to use.
@@mike-coles I think the black saddle looks a lot better on the bike. I wish this was the colour that came stock. Many, many people use Ortlieb bags, you're in good company.
@@WheelsonaBike My gripe is the bar-end gear changers. I'm not a fan because where I live is quite hilly and I need frequent gear changes. I'd much prefer a changer integrated with the brake levers or a rapid-fire changer like you see on mountain bikes. But, it's really a small thing at the end of the day. I love the comfort and size of the bike. I like that I can add so many bags and haul myself off to remote places.
@@mike-coles That's interesting. I bought the bike BECAUSE of the bar end shifters. My forearms get really sore when I shift with integrated shifters, so had to make the switch and now all's good.
@@mike-coles The beauty with the Bar-end shifters are that you can change a whole range of gears in one swoop rather than constant clicking of the indexed system. Even though the right gear changer is a clicky one, it is still regarded as friction shift and if you want to lift up the lever to change down, then just quickly flick it to the lowest gear. By the time you click through an indexed system, you could lose a lot of momentum up a hill.