Having recently attempted my own first 400K, I give you a lot of respect for attempting such a difficult route (literally twice the climbing i did). I find it a challenge to eat and drink enough for such long rides (100+ miles) the later in the ride you are. It also fun to note the progression in the ride from what time clothing comes off and then goes back on again as the ride progresses.
Two randonneurs have their adventures. They ride it well, They tell it well, And save us the expenditures. Just kidding. No, both of you do really inspire, To be like you I surely aspire. You all are the most awesome.
I love how you can just keep riding and riding. Calories in, calories out, one pedal stroke at a time. Also, thanks for showing us that view of Stewart's Point. Brought back good memories of touring the coast.
"I feel like I'm all pains and no brains right now :-)" I did not expect that from Ms. Cools as she has a lot of brains ha, ha, ha. Caught me so off guard! Be well...
really enjoyed this. I was lucky enough to do a few of these roads on a big ride at the very end of June, but in the opposite direction and different time of day (I did Orr Springs in the evening and Old Toll Rd/Highland Springs in the middle of the night)! Cool to see them from a different perspective! And thanks for pointing me towards more roads to check out up there.
That was quite an effort! The distance, the elevation and the heat. I suppose it was the format of the video, with very little footage of simple riding and the view, but it made me realise that your videos almost always have beautiful musical soundtracks.
Henry and Ms. Cools - epic ride ! I really appreciated your review of the route with map and all the inside tips - also thanks for the link to RideWith GPS :-)
I admire you for even trying it as a couple effort ! Congrats, this is the way to go, pushing yourselves and going together through the hardship. A very inspiring example you're setting here, congrats again.
Like many here, super inspired by you two. I'm training for a 150-mile ride across the state that will likely take me 11-12 hours. You ride helps me put things in perspective. Thanks for sharing the route in such detail!
Sweet! It sounds like a fun adventure and I wish I could join you. Will your route be mostly paved roads or are you going for a mixed terrain ride? Let us know if you post the route or share it online?
Most people upon seeing a 100 degree forecast: Let's stay inside or go to the pool. HWB and Ms. Cools: Let's go ride a hilly 400k! You did take precautions to minimize the heat, but still, congrats and major respect to you too!
We were taking about putting it on hold, but with the impending fire season we figured our window was shrinking fast. I'm glad we got up early, but we could have gotten an even early start. 12:00 PM would have bought us another hour of cool temps, but I was having troubling falling asleep the night before and needed what I could get. We are both thrilled it all worked out in the end.
What a fantastic adventure and beautifully filmed and narrated. A ride to remember for many decades to come. I bet the bikes could do with a good cleaning after an odyssey like that.
Thank you, Amboro! A good cleaning, and I think it will be time to service the BB too. I noticed it has developed a creak😢 We won't forget this one for a very long time! Have a nice day!
@@Henrywildeberry I did here a creaking noise in the film so thought it could be the BB. I remember in one of your adventures a few years ago you put a new BB in, something like a sealed cartridge unit. Have you tried, any number of cup and cone or cartridge BBs from the 80s? I believe they last much longer than anything made today.
@@amboroverdecillo8101 Yes, I swapped the BB in the Ms. Cools 'winter training' camp video where we rode up to the Sierras and Yosemite park. That was in 2019 if I remember correctly. The BB I purchased for that trip is a sealed unit and comes with a 10 year warranty. I'll have to see if the bearings are shot or if the cups just need to be tightened? I've put a lot of miles on the bike since then including a lot of wet and dirty conditions. I have tried a loose bearing BB in the past on a vintage bicycle I rode at Eroica. They're very easy to service, whereas these sealed units require basically replacement or pressing on new bearings. I've given some thought to trying out a newer version of the loose bearing BB, but I'll probably try replacing the sealed bearings on this unit first to see how difficult the task really is. Do you use loose bearing BB's and if so what brand do you recommend?
@@HenrywildeberryHi Henry, I remember all of your amazing films. And the BB swap at Omar's shop with the 10 yr guarantee BB. I am biased to 80s hardware because it, like most things was just simply made better back then. Still you can find NOS Suntour, Shimano and more rarely Phil Wood - on ebay. Assuming you use square tapered cranks/ BB. Suntour: you could look at Suntour XC line with Grease Guard. This BB has hollow crank bolts that lets you inject grease from time to time into the sealed unit. In 1985 I put a Suntour sealed cartridge BB on my then new 1985 Miyata 1000. It is still there and perfect. Shimano: Mostly available in cup and cone with ball bearing races in the 80s, Shimano made very fine and long lasting BBs - cup and cone BBs. In the mid 80s thats all they made Cup and Cone. If you wanted a sealed Japanese BB in 1985 you looked to Suntour. I would look for the Shimano Dura Ace BB7400 Cup and cone BB. It is exquisite. This came out in 1985 and was the top end of Shimano components back then. Years earlier in 1983 I put a 1983 "New 600 EX" BB, in my 82 Peugeot. It is still there and perfect. I overhauled it recently just to change the grease. Shimano 600 up to Dura Ace has floating seals which sit in machined grooves in the cups. Campagnolo: these BB from the 80s are made to also last maybe forever. I would definitely look at the Nuovo Record BB. All Campy BBs from the 80s are cup and cone and have a very unique design to prevent dirt ingress: the BB cups have machined rifling (helical grooves) which work to prevent water and dirt getting through where the spindle fits through the cup. Nothing like that is made today. Phil Wood: Phil components BB and hubs all had user replaceable sealed cartridge bearings and were truly made to last forever. Still you can find them but it's a little harder than the other brands. Even in the 80s Phil Wood components were sort of hard to find. But worth the search. As for compatibility when looking for a new BB, obviously the cup threading and spindle length. The TA type cranks compatibility, it should work checking the spindle length of the existing BB. But I've never used TA type cranks yet as much as I do like them though! Hope you find something interesting in this rambling text. Tony
Did Ms. Cools do the ride in flat shoes?!! That’s like Ginger Rogers keeping pace with Fred Astaire only backwards and in heels! Congratulations on a great ride. The talk after was very nice, as I enjoy watching your videos for ideas where to adventure beyond the East Bay.
henrywildeberry liked this video! The format was a greatest hits compilation of previous content you've had on channel, enjoyed this much. Entertaining and instructive to consume. Congratulations to Ms. Cools and yourself on the 400k.
Road trip. Paris Brest Paris only 2 year away and you are essentially part way through the qualifiers if you do more formal event !I had friends do it in the 1980's. Been on my bucket list as I return to serious cycling after being away for more than 30 years. The two of you are "legends" as the Brits would say!
Whew! Looking at the distance and the amount of climbing (not to mention the heat) that was a brutal ride! I suppose it was somewhat tempered by the scenery and company however 😊. Congrats to both of you for knocking it out and not looking totally exhausted at the end.
We can finally put that one behind us. It was a brutal challenge, the climbing accumulates beyond imagination, but the coastal views in the evening make it feel like multiple different rides. I'm really excited to have completed the distance, something I never thought I was capable of riding. Having a good riding partner makes all the difference. Thanks Walt!
Thanks Ken! It went a lot smoother this time. When I attempted this ride over the winter the early sunset and cold weather made it a lot harder than I realized. This time, it was hot, but the longer daylight hours and very early start helped. Plus I brought all the food I needed for the whole ride, so I didn't need to waste as much time searching around in the store. All I needed to buy was water and other beverages.
@@Henrywildeberry i think your friend Peter would be very happy to see that you have 10k followers. You have piqued interest of so many, in something he believed in so strongly. Ms Cools is the most impressive randonneuse!
I feel wearing a very thin arm sleeve actually helps me stay cool in hot weather, also avoid getting sunburn. I admire you and Ms. Cools, 400k with gravel section is tough.
Thank you! I was being very cautious and layered on sunscreen multiple times. The downside I have found to certain sunscreen products is how it can block the pores in your skin and ends up making it feel even hotter. I've been experimenting lately on shorter rides with a very thin, loosely fitting, long sleeve shirt. It works! Sun sleeves are another option I need to experiment with too.
Ya know what Henry, you could write a cyclist's guide to west-central California rides. I hope that people looking to tour in your area can find this video in the future.
Me too! I hope there's an interest in cycling this area, but with the goal of finding the roads less traveled. The traffic patterns are so variable here that it would be good to have a plan, but then be flexible to changes to maximize the enjoyment. This route is just an example of what's possible, and to help people get started building their own routes. Every time I see the map I find a new side road or little town that might be fun to see. I do like mixing in dirt roads when possible and finding the "key hole" to a place that I thought was only accessible by a major road. Car free is care free!
100F = 37C ? Blimey, that's impressive. Up here in Finland it's been 28C for several weeks and we all start cycling in the night. And 400k as in 400 km? I'm full of admiration.
We tried our best to get through the tougher parts before the afternoon heat set in. However, we still got stuck on one exposed climb in the heat, and needed to stop once to stand under a tree for a few minutes. Our early start paid off otherwise. I think the 400k is Randonneuring terminology to mean 400km. They have what is called a series, where you ride either 200km, 300km, 400km, 600km, 1000km or 1200km rides. Each length of ride has a set time limit in which you need to finish. They are meant to be challenging, but generous enough to allow the rider to be completely self-supported. We modeled this ride as a randonneuring event.
Congrats on the route and thanks for going over it in such detail. Definitely looks like an appealing touring loop. What time of year would be best to do it, that's warm but not too hot?
Isn't there a heat dome along the west coast, when you were doing this? How can you ride in the heat with a hat under your helmet? It looked like you were wearing a overgarment along with your jersey. I saw you brought frozen burritos for energy, how did that work? What did you do for electrolytes? I think you should consider a turing vacation in Nova Scotia. The average relative humidity ranges in the +60% with daily highs around 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Yes, we did. We let them thaw before we left for the ride and ate them after they had been inside our handlebar bags for most of the ride getting cooked by the sun. They stayed pretty intact, a little mushy, but it was fine.
Julian Hutchings. There is no gravel. My comment on reasons for not buying a gravel bike! Sugar sand or pavement. Your choice! Funny guy who can spin a good yarn and present alternative history and trivia. Maybe he'll send you the socks we voted on once he completes Lejog. Or send them to Spindatt to top the joking admonitions at the end of every video! Subscribe or I'll replace your Dura Ace groupset with SRAM Rival!
You’re wearing my T-shirt! Chapeau and to the ride!
Nobody Cares...?
Never leave home without your cliff bar 😊
Having recently attempted my own first 400K, I give you a lot of respect for attempting such a difficult route (literally twice the climbing i did). I find it a challenge to eat and drink enough for such long rides (100+ miles) the later in the ride you are. It also fun to note the progression in the ride from what time clothing comes off and then goes back on again as the ride progresses.
Two randonneurs have their adventures.
They ride it well,
They tell it well,
And save us the expenditures.
Just kidding.
No, both of you do really inspire,
To be like you I surely aspire.
You all are the most awesome.
I love how you can just keep riding and riding. Calories in, calories out, one pedal stroke at a time. Also, thanks for showing us that view of Stewart's Point. Brought back good memories of touring the coast.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the ride! Stewart's Point is a real gem on the coast.
"I feel like I'm all pains and no brains right now :-)" I did not expect that from Ms. Cools as she has a lot of brains ha, ha, ha. Caught me so off guard! Be well...
What an epic ride! Congrats on completing it!
All pains no brains! Yeah got to remember that one, been there quite a bit lately.
Always exciting to see your cycling milestones. Keep it up you both!
Awesome route, almost 7k meters climbing, respect! Greetings from germany! I will do my first 600k in a few weeks =)
Right on! Good luck on your 600k! Thank you.
really enjoyed this. I was lucky enough to do a few of these roads on a big ride at the very end of June, but in the opposite direction and different time of day (I did Orr Springs in the evening and Old Toll Rd/Highland Springs in the middle of the night)! Cool to see them from a different perspective! And thanks for pointing me towards more roads to check out up there.
That was quite an effort! The distance, the elevation and the heat. I suppose it was the format of the video, with very little footage of simple riding and the view, but it made me realise that your videos almost always have beautiful musical soundtracks.
I was sad to see you get new gloves earlier this year. Glad you still find time to wear those great pirate gloves!
Henry and Ms. Cools - epic ride ! I really appreciated your review of the route with map and all the inside tips - also thanks for the link to RideWith GPS :-)
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it. I wanted to save the route details until the end so those who might be interested could check it out. Thanks!
I admire you for even trying it as a couple effort ! Congrats, this is the way to go, pushing yourselves and going together through the hardship. A very inspiring example you're setting here, congrats again.
Like many here, super inspired by you two. I'm training for a 150-mile ride across the state that will likely take me 11-12 hours. You ride helps me put things in perspective. Thanks for sharing the route in such detail!
Sweet! It sounds like a fun adventure and I wish I could join you. Will your route be mostly paved roads or are you going for a mixed terrain ride? Let us know if you post the route or share it online?
Congratulations Y’all!
Excellent content as always Henry. I really appreciate the map rundown at the end. I am in SF so this is perfect for me. 👏👏👏
Awesome effort! Some of those areas look so much like the part of Australia I live in.
Congratulations too yo both.🏅🏅
Congrats Henry and Ms. Cools! That’s a Great thumbnail for this video!
Thanks David!
Awesome ride thank you both.
Congratulations on the successful 400k!
Most people upon seeing a 100 degree forecast: Let's stay inside or go to the pool. HWB and Ms. Cools: Let's go ride a hilly 400k! You did take precautions to minimize the heat, but still, congrats and major respect to you too!
We were taking about putting it on hold, but with the impending fire season we figured our window was shrinking fast. I'm glad we got up early, but we could have gotten an even early start. 12:00 PM would have bought us another hour of cool temps, but I was having troubling falling asleep the night before and needed what I could get. We are both thrilled it all worked out in the end.
What a fantastic adventure and beautifully filmed and narrated. A ride to remember for many decades to come. I bet the bikes could do with a good cleaning after an odyssey like that.
Thank you, Amboro! A good cleaning, and I think it will be time to service the BB too. I noticed it has developed a creak😢 We won't forget this one for a very long time! Have a nice day!
@@Henrywildeberry I did here a creaking noise in the film so thought it could be the BB. I remember in one of your adventures a few years ago you put a new BB in, something like a sealed cartridge unit. Have you tried, any number of cup and cone or cartridge BBs from the 80s? I believe they last much longer than anything made today.
@@amboroverdecillo8101 Yes, I swapped the BB in the Ms. Cools 'winter training' camp video where we rode up to the Sierras and Yosemite park. That was in 2019 if I remember correctly. The BB I purchased for that trip is a sealed unit and comes with a 10 year warranty. I'll have to see if the bearings are shot or if the cups just need to be tightened? I've put a lot of miles on the bike since then including a lot of wet and dirty conditions. I have tried a loose bearing BB in the past on a vintage bicycle I rode at Eroica. They're very easy to service, whereas these sealed units require basically replacement or pressing on new bearings. I've given some thought to trying out a newer version of the loose bearing BB, but I'll probably try replacing the sealed bearings on this unit first to see how difficult the task really is. Do you use loose bearing BB's and if so what brand do you recommend?
@@HenrywildeberryHi Henry, I remember all of your amazing films. And the BB swap at Omar's shop with the 10 yr guarantee BB. I am biased to 80s hardware because it, like most things was just simply made better back then. Still you can find NOS Suntour, Shimano and more rarely Phil Wood - on ebay. Assuming you use square tapered cranks/ BB. Suntour: you could look at Suntour XC line with Grease Guard. This BB has hollow crank bolts that lets you inject grease from time to time into the sealed unit.
In 1985 I put a Suntour sealed cartridge BB on my then new 1985 Miyata 1000. It is still there and perfect.
Shimano: Mostly available in cup and cone with ball bearing races in the 80s, Shimano made very fine and long lasting BBs - cup and cone BBs. In the mid 80s thats all they made Cup and Cone. If you wanted a sealed Japanese BB in 1985 you looked to Suntour. I would look for the Shimano Dura Ace BB7400 Cup and cone BB. It is exquisite. This came out in 1985 and was the top end of Shimano components back then. Years earlier in 1983 I put a 1983 "New 600 EX" BB, in my 82 Peugeot. It is still there and perfect. I overhauled it recently just to change the grease. Shimano 600 up to Dura Ace has floating seals which sit in machined grooves in the cups.
Campagnolo: these BB from the 80s are made to also last maybe forever. I would definitely look at the Nuovo Record BB. All Campy BBs from the 80s are cup and cone and have a very unique design to prevent dirt ingress: the BB cups have machined rifling (helical grooves) which work to prevent water and dirt getting through where the spindle fits through the cup. Nothing like that is made today.
Phil Wood: Phil components BB and hubs all had user replaceable sealed cartridge bearings and were truly made to last forever. Still you can find them but it's a little harder than the other brands. Even in the 80s Phil Wood components were sort of hard to find. But worth the search.
As for compatibility when looking for a new BB, obviously the cup threading and spindle length. The TA type cranks compatibility, it should work checking the spindle length of the existing BB. But I've never used TA type cranks yet as much as I do like them though! Hope you find something interesting in this rambling text.
Tony
Did Ms. Cools do the ride in flat shoes?!! That’s like Ginger Rogers keeping pace with Fred Astaire only backwards and in heels!
Congratulations on a great ride. The talk after was very nice, as I enjoy watching your videos for ideas where to adventure beyond the East Bay.
Yes, Ms. Cools did it flat pedal and Vans! Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for the comment!
henrywildeberry liked this video! The format was a greatest hits compilation of previous content you've had on channel, enjoyed this much. Entertaining and instructive to consume. Congratulations to Ms. Cools and yourself on the 400k.
Thanks Coby! I was hoping the format of this video would work out. Have a nice day!
Road trip. Paris Brest Paris only 2 year away and you are essentially part way through the qualifiers if you do more formal event !I had friends do it in the 1980's. Been on my bucket list as I return to serious cycling after being away for more than 30 years.
The two of you are "legends" as the Brits would say!
Whew! Looking at the distance and the amount of climbing (not to mention the heat) that was a brutal ride! I suppose it was somewhat tempered by the scenery and company however 😊. Congrats to both of you for knocking it out and not looking totally exhausted at the end.
We can finally put that one behind us. It was a brutal challenge, the climbing accumulates beyond imagination, but the coastal views in the evening make it feel like multiple different rides. I'm really excited to have completed the distance, something I never thought I was capable of riding. Having a good riding partner makes all the difference. Thanks Walt!
Wow ! Great ride , and congrats to your epic ride, I know you could do it and you had great support (Ms. Cools).
Thanks Ken! It went a lot smoother this time. When I attempted this ride over the winter the early sunset and cold weather made it a lot harder than I realized. This time, it was hot, but the longer daylight hours and very early start helped. Plus I brought all the food I needed for the whole ride, so I didn't need to waste as much time searching around in the store. All I needed to buy was water and other beverages.
@@Henrywildeberry yep, great planning .
Epic! Congrats for the 400K + 10k subs. 🤙🤙🤙
Thank you! It seems surreal to be honest. 🙏🙏🤙
@@Henrywildeberry i think your friend Peter would be very happy to see that you have 10k followers. You have piqued interest of so many, in something he believed in so strongly. Ms Cools is the most impressive randonneuse!
Thanks for the route overview!
I feel wearing a very thin arm sleeve actually helps me stay cool in hot weather, also avoid getting sunburn. I admire you and Ms. Cools, 400k with gravel section is tough.
Thank you! I was being very cautious and layered on sunscreen multiple times. The downside I have found to certain sunscreen products is how it can block the pores in your skin and ends up making it feel even hotter. I've been experimenting lately on shorter rides with a very thin, loosely fitting, long sleeve shirt. It works! Sun sleeves are another option I need to experiment with too.
@@Henrywildeberry Linen is your friend in that regard!
Ya know what Henry, you could write a cyclist's guide to west-central California rides. I hope that people looking to tour in your area can find this video in the future.
Me too! I hope there's an interest in cycling this area, but with the goal of finding the roads less traveled. The traffic patterns are so variable here that it would be good to have a plan, but then be flexible to changes to maximize the enjoyment. This route is just an example of what's possible, and to help people get started building their own routes. Every time I see the map I find a new side road or little town that might be fun to see. I do like mixing in dirt roads when possible and finding the "key hole" to a place that I thought was only accessible by a major road. Car free is care free!
Nice video and awesome ride.
Thanks for the route info
100F = 37C ? Blimey, that's impressive. Up here in Finland it's been 28C for several weeks and we all start cycling in the night. And 400k as in 400 km? I'm full of admiration.
We tried our best to get through the tougher parts before the afternoon heat set in. However, we still got stuck on one exposed climb in the heat, and needed to stop once to stand under a tree for a few minutes. Our early start paid off otherwise. I think the 400k is Randonneuring terminology to mean 400km. They have what is called a series, where you ride either 200km, 300km, 400km, 600km, 1000km or 1200km rides. Each length of ride has a set time limit in which you need to finish. They are meant to be challenging, but generous enough to allow the rider to be completely self-supported. We modeled this ride as a randonneuring event.
Good for you two❗️💪Thanks for fun vid.
Your first 400k and you put 20k ft of climbing in it 😬 Amazing.
Congrats...never say die.
Congratulations for completing your ride. I’m amazed anyone that’s not a professional can do those miles at that average speed and time
Thank you, I'm sure the pro's could do this loop much faster, but we were happy to be able to finish it.
As a map nerd and obsessive route planner I LOVED this episode! More like it, please!
Thanks Steve! Maps are fun! Once I start looking at them I imagine all the various routes that are possible.
Congrats on the route and thanks for going over it in such detail. Definitely looks like an appealing touring loop. What time of year would be best to do it, that's warm but not too hot?
Thank you. Early spring would be ideal.
Isn't there a heat dome along the west coast, when you were doing this? How can you ride in the heat with a hat under your helmet? It looked like you were wearing a overgarment along with your jersey. I saw you brought frozen burritos for energy, how did that work? What did you do for electrolytes? I think you should consider a turing vacation in Nova Scotia. The average relative humidity ranges in the +60% with daily highs around 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Did you eat those Amy's burritos uncooked? Did they turn to mush in your bag?
Yes, we did. We let them thaw before we left for the ride and ate them after they had been inside our handlebar bags for most of the ride getting cooked by the sun. They stayed pretty intact, a little mushy, but it was fine.
Julian Hutchings. There is no gravel. My comment on reasons for not buying a gravel bike! Sugar sand or pavement. Your choice! Funny guy who can spin a good yarn and present alternative history and trivia. Maybe he'll send you the socks we voted on once he completes Lejog. Or send them to Spindatt to top the joking admonitions at the end of every video! Subscribe or I'll replace your Dura Ace groupset with SRAM Rival!
where did you get the cap!
Boring night ride