http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Cycling to the South Pole en Sat, 13 Jun 2026 12:49:19 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-55687 Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:35:53 +0000 Roibeard 55687@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>BBC2 / CBBC are showing a nine part series on this event, probably combining some bits that were broadcast prior to the attempt as some are marked as a repeat in the schedules.</p> <p>The kids are watching it just now, but I'd expect it to appear on iPlayer too.</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-54204 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:08:21 +0000 ruggtomcat 54204@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>*applause* </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-54119 Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:15:56 +0000 amir 54119@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/uk-16670463" rel="nofollow">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/uk-16670463</a></p> <p>"Blue Peter's Helen Skelton reaches South Pole" </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51944 Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:31:50 +0000 Min 51944@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16345232">How do you cycle to the South Pole?</a></p> <p>Article from the BBC. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51657 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:02:15 +0000 Roibeard 51657@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Apparently the bike isn't working out - too slow!</p> <p>They've lost a lot of time, so need to make it up, and the kite (when the wind is favourable) or simply skiing with a pulk is quicker.</p> <p>I'm surprised that cycling should be fundamentally slower than cross country skiing, so perhaps our armchair designers were correct!</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51656 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:28:54 +0000 Roibeard 51656@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>BBC 1 Breakfast this morning is trailing an interview with Helen Skelton - no idea yet if it will be interesting, but perhaps worth looking out for, either live or on iPlayer.</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51056 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:03:33 +0000 kaputnik 51056@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Arctic televisual celebrities like to do the trick where you throw a pan of boiling water into the air and it instantly turns to ice crystals. Peeing on your hub to defrost it in those conditions, well, there's a phrase involving a four letter word starting with P and ending in S that springs to mind... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51055 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:01:26 +0000 wingpig 51055@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Urea also works as a melting agent by itself, though only down to -10°C. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51051 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:51:17 +0000 cb 51051@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Hub gears may be fine, but only for men,"</p> <p>Never hear of a she-wee?</p> <p>Actually I'd be worried that I'd end up with, not only a frozen hub, but a frozen hub encased in a layer of frozen urine. Lovely. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51044 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:30:55 +0000 kaputnik 51044@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>How do you grit tramlines anyway?</p> <p>In Edinburgh Corporation Tramways days, they had old trams that were converted for plowing / gritting duties. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51041 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:23:02 +0000 chdot 51041@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>But, but, it's an iconic 'destination'. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51039 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:21:21 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 51039@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That's why the antarctic needs trams... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51033 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:10:22 +0000 Smudge 51033@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sorry, it's not a priority route, no cooncilors living there ;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51029 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:02:48 +0000 chdot 51029@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It depends whether the gritters get there first. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51027 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:01:34 +0000 kaputnik 51027@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Anyone else thinking that perhaps skis and dogs and sleighs are more suited to antarctic transport than bikes? :O </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51022 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:04:43 +0000 crowriver 51022@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I particularly enjoyed this snippet from the Siberian expedition:</p> <p><em>Tell us about a moment where you thought ‘This is ridiculous. I’m not doing this anymore.’<br /> Taking 2 hours to fix every puncture because we had to heat the wheel in the fire of our stove to warm the tyre enough to get it off! Nightmare!</em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-51015 Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:15:26 +0000 Roibeard 51015@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><strong>Those of a nervous disposition, look away now!</strong></p> <p>Hub gears may be fine, but only for men, and only if you are prepared to risk frostbite to places that shouldn't be bitten...</p> <p><em>"The pawls can freeze in your bike’s freehub too, so they won’t engage; you’ll pedal only air. Again, heat is the answer. If you’re stuck and don’t have anything else available, men can – discreetly! - use a bladder full of their body’s own water on the hub to free it."<br /> </em></p> <p><a href="http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/community/how-to/cycling-in-winter" rel="nofollow">http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/community/how-to/cycling-in-winter</a></p> <p>You were warned...</p> <p>Robert </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-50978 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:05:36 +0000 crowriver 50978@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>People often scoff at the Russian technology</em></p> <p>As indeed the Germans did during WW2. Until the Russian winter struck, and suddenly their finely engineered panzers and artillery no longer functioned. Soviet tanks may have been cruder, but worked just fine, as they were designed for the temperature extremes.</p> <p>Similarly I think the Ladas, though not exactly refined motoring, are fairly solid and can survive sometimes atrocious road conditions. The engines can be hand cranked too if need be with the lever provided with each car. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777&page=2#post-50977 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:46:21 +0000 LaidBack 50977@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Wierdest bike I've ever seen!</em></p> <p>Surely not...;-) ? LB must need to try harder!</p> <p>As Smudge says Russians can get things working - maybe not always neat. They do have the only working manned space launchers at moment! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777#post-50972 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:59:38 +0000 Smudge 50972@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Googled it and the figure generally quoted for petrol gelling is around -60 deg so perfectly possible with wind chill added.<br /> Still very much Brrrr though!</p> <p>People often scoff at the Russian technology, but just because it is made to what we view as poor tolerances does not necessarily make it bad design. Their engineers have their problems to work around but they are not fools. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777#post-50969 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:47:44 +0000 kaputnik 50969@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Russians still seem attached to their Lada 1200s it seems. Someone should drive one of them to the South Pole. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777#post-50964 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:22:13 +0000 Smudge 50964@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Crowriver, Some friends used to play around on old russian made sidecar outfits (think of the German ones in the Great Escape and you'll have the right idea). Now although the build quality was often pretty diabolical, they were built to be maintained in the middle of nowhere in the middle of a siberian winter if required, hence aparently one manual they found which described ways to avoid/recover from petrol freezing in the fuel tank... whether this is possible*, or just an effect of cr*p fuel with contaminants I don't know, but brrrrr! nonetheless!</p> <p>*(Not had experience of petrol but I certainly have seen a mix of 50% Kerosene and 50% good modern (winter!) diesel turn into a slush puppy due to the cold, all our diesel was freezing overnight so we mixed it with kero to help it stay liquid until at 50% we couldn't realistically risk more kero in trucks and Landrovers. Was dashed chilly lol) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777#post-50961 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:10:19 +0000 chdot 50961@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>So, you want pictures of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chdot/183625499/">bike in snow</a>(?) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777#post-50959 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:53:17 +0000 crowriver 50959@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>More insanity: winter cycling in Greenland.</p> <p><em>Of course the bike material had to be of best quality, since there was no help out on the ice. When the cable housings simply break without reason, the grease becomes solid, the fuel for the cooker precipitates, and rum in the bottle freezes, then it is really cold. In such situations one has to rely completely on the right material - it may be important for survival. We were unable to test most of the material at home, since cold rooms only reach -30°C. So, we had to find out there what's good... And: our bike chain Rohloff S-L-T-99 was perfect!</em></p> <p><a href="http://www.mountainbike-expedition-team.de/Greenland/greenland.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.mountainbike-expedition-team.de/Greenland/greenland.html</a></p> <p><img src="http://www.mountainbike-expedition-team.de/Greenland/large/Gronland17.jpg"> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777#post-50957 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:47:13 +0000 crowriver 50957@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And finally, a cautionary note:</p> <p><em>What would you say to other cyclists, tempted by the idea of cycling in a Siberian winter?<br /> It is hard. Very hard. Do not underestimate it. But it is also a hell of an adventure! And you will earn my respect if you do it.</em></p> <p>From <a href="http://travellingtwo.com/resources/10questions/siberia" rel="nofollow">http://travellingtwo.com/resources/10questions/siberia</a></p> <p>So, Antarctica will be a doddle then for a TV presenter with limited MTB riding experience! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777#post-50956 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:44:47 +0000 crowriver 50956@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Wait! She can have 10 speed Campy race if she wants, as long as she uses "Lubriplate Mag-1" as her bearing grease.</p> <p>Or so it seems:</p> <p><em>Winterizing Freehubs<br /> By Simon Rakower<br /> at ICEBIKE, Home of the Winter Cyclist And Other Crazy People.</em></p> <p><a href="http://www.icebike.org/Equipment/freehub.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.icebike.org/Equipment/freehub.htm</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777#post-50955 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:41:25 +0000 cb 50955@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retro-direct">Retro direct</a> would be fairly snow and ice proof. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777#post-50954 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:39:20 +0000 kaputnik 50954@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Surely they have the relevant parts in the undoubtedly EPIC baggage train that will be following close behind... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777#post-50953 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:36:43 +0000 crowriver 50953@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Right then, that's the case solved. ;-) Who's going to forward this thread to Blue Peter in order to avert gear change disaster in Antarctica?</p> <p>(Do they have bike shops down there for picking up that cassette converter kit I wonder?) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=4777#post-50952 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:25:20 +0000 kaputnik 50952@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Agree with Crow. Surely it's going to do a speed of between slow walking speed and slower walking speed and carrying only rider's weight. No idea what gears are actually for. </p>