Cycling ideas, routes and stories.

[Marble-eye]

Bought a bicycle about 8 years ago from a cycle shop, cost 13,000ish baht. The best money I've ever spent as it has become invaluable for hanging my washing on etc. But with age comes rust and the sun fades everything. My wife had the same bike bought at the same time but she was quite happy to retain hers as long as I bought her a Shimano gear change mechanism, the plastic sight glass had faded and she didn't have a clue what gear she was in.

However saw some bikes at HomePro at a fraction of the price and much better quality to boot, so bought one 5,575 baht.

Of course the next step was finding a nice cycle route to get the cobwebs out of the old lungs. Those members from Pattaya will have heard of the Mabprachan Lake (reservoir), the government have kindly spent millions on putting a cycle path and a path for walkers all the way around it. It is about 10kms to do the round, no riding on a road is involved and we only saw 3 dogs who showed no interest in us all the way around. It is a route for beginners I suppose, there is a little ascent and descent on the route. Estimated time is 1 hour, unless you are a quality rider and you should do it in 40 minutes or less, it took us 2 hours, but hey, it was our Everest, we can only improve.

Now Chonburi Provence is now a blue sector and I thought that after the ride there would be nothing better than a nice cold beer, but alas the restaurant by law could not sell alcohol, I guess after looking on the net it mustn't be SHA registered. But still a very enjoyable day out.

Any recommendations of any other routes or stories.

 

 

[King Cotton]

19 hours ago, Marble-eye said:

Those members from Pattaya will have heard of the Mabprachan Lake (reservoir), the government have kindly spent millions on putting a cycle path and a path for walkers all the way around it. It is about 10kms to do the round, no riding on a road is involved and we only saw 3 dogs who showed no interest in us all the way around

Hi, @Marble-eye! Very surprised to be the first respondent to your cycling topic and being a daily cycler myself, I know exactly where you're coming from in your request for alternative biking routes. Not knowing Pattaya or its environs at all, I can't advise re alternative routes but, from what you've said about the reservoir circuit, that sounds pretty near perfect . . . few inclines, lovely scenery and few dogs . . . sounds perfect!

I'm lucky, out here in the sticks of rural Isan, with rides varying from 10km to 30km and more (depending only on where we decide to turn around!), hardly any traffic, few dogs and an excellent ice-cream shop, if we turn around after 12km !

As for your lake ride, if you were to do it daily or, let's say, at least 3 times a week, you'd soon get to the fitness level where you'd be reeling the 10kms off in about 30 mins, equating to around 12mph which, on a level track should be easy-peasy . . . for someone from 'mountainous' Keighley!

Let me know ow you get on . . . and off, too !

[Marble-eye]

Thanks KC being the first responder and with the look of it you might be the only one, I didn't think there would be many replies, maybe we are a bit thin on the ground for cyclists on Thaiger.

I said it took my wife and self 2 hours but that included me having to wait for her on the inclines, without having to wait for her I could have easily have knocked 3 minutes off my time.

The route is not exactly on our doorstep as it takes about 30 minutes to drive to get there, and I thought Lazada might have the Lycra clothing but apparently it is not produced in XXXL.  

I was fortunate to live in the beautiful village of Pately Bridge in Nidderdale for about 8 years of my working life and every year they organised a race called 'The Milk Stout Race' what a great day out that was, I believe I entered it on year but it would not have been the full route to the best of my recollection anyway.

Anyway keep those pedals turning and thanks again.

 

 

 

[King Cotton]

35 minutes ago, Marble-eye said:

I was fortunate to live in the beautiful village of Pately Bridge in Nidderdale for about 8 years of my working life and every year they organised a race called 'The Milk Stout Race' what a great day out that was, I believe I entered it on year but it would not have been the full route to the best of my recollection anyway.

Pateley Bridge has many happy mems for me, Upper Nidderdale, with its Scar House and Angram reservoirs and up onto Great Whernside being one of my favourite walking spots. And two great pubs, both called The Crown, at Lofthouse and Middlesmoor . . . superb ale and quirky landlords serving it!

Looks like the Milk Stout Race went past the impressive Brimham Rocks outcrop, a popular rock-climbing spot where my eldest son went a few times to improve his technique. He could climb things that made my knees wobble just to look at them! Great country, though!

Cheers!

KC

 

[Shade_Wilder]

 

Afternoon gentlemen!

I really do not have any suggestions as to 'where', but I will give a shout out to 'when'.

I have been cycling in various part of the country for many years, and I get underway sometime between 4:30 AM and 5:00 AM. Okay, I know what you are thinking, but it is a glorious time of day. And, it seems to be in a sweet spot; those who drink too much have either made it home or aren't going to, dogs seem to be in the last bit of their REM sleep and don't wake, the roads are essentially empty and you can hear anything coming from a long way off, the sun isn't yet out to overheat you and there is that certain 'crispness' of early morning air.

I do this 7 days a week (if/as possible) and now have legs of steel.

My one 'beef' is doing my ride on the weekend as inevitably there are some young Thais out who are perfectly coiffed, dressed in bike helmets, bike glasses, bike shirts, bike shorts, bike underwear, bike socks and bike shoes. And, the wankers drink bike water, whatever that is. I, on the other hand, wear an old bathing suit, a ratty t-shirt and beaten-up trainers. Hmm... there is one great benefit though; I have been at it for so many years that I live and die by one rule; no one, I mean NO ONE passes me. Instead, I blow by young Thai guys half my age with a maniacal shout of "Eat My Dust, Loser!". Okay, that'd be rude, but I do think it very loudly.

If you are going to cycle, light up your ride like a Christmas tree and try the early AM; you'll learn the ninety-nine names of GOD.

Happy Trails

 

[Marble-eye]

9 minutes ago, King Cotton said:

Pateley Bridge has many happy mems for me, Upper Nidderdale, with its Scar House and Angram reservoirs and up onto Great Whernside being one of my favourite walking spots. And two great pubs, both called The Crown, at Lofthouse and Middlesmoor . . . superb ale and quirky landlords serving it!

Looks like the Milk Stout Race went past the impressive Brimham Rocks outcrop, a popular rock-climbing spot where my eldest son went a few times to improve his technique. He could climb things that made my knees wobble just to look at them! Great country, though!

Cheers!

KC

The guy that had the upper Crown at Middlesmoor was called John, not sure as to his second name, but he had it a while. But here is where it gets interesting, one Saturday we were in the bar and the pub featured on the Dave Lee Travis quiz show and the upper Crown was a team that week. Of course we all engaged in the quiz and the very next day I played cricket for the lower Crown against the upper Crown. What a weekend that was.

Of course Pateley had its own Crown too where Vinny Jones would stay and he would go grouse shooting on Middlesmoor.

Walked up there many a time up past Dead Man's Hill en route to Kettlewell, apparently it used to be an old drovers trail where a drover was murdered many moons ago.

Small world.

[Marble-eye]

41 minutes ago, Shade_Wilder said:

Afternoon gentlemen!

I really do not have any suggestions as to 'where', but I will give a shout out to 'when'.

I have been cycling in various part of the country for many years, and I get underway sometime between 4:30 AM and 5:00 AM. Okay, I know what you are thinking, but it is a glorious time of day. And, it seems to be in a sweet spot; those who drink too much have either made it home or aren't going to, dogs seem to be in the last bit of their REM sleep and don't wake, the roads are essentially empty and you can hear anything coming from a long way off, the sun isn't yet out to overheat you and there is that certain 'crispness' of early morning air.

I do this 7 days a week (if/as possible) and now have legs of steel.

My one 'beef' is doing my ride on the weekend as inevitably there are some young Thais out who are perfectly coiffed, dressed in bike helmets, bike glasses, bike shirts, bike shorts, bike underwear, bike socks and bike shoes. And, the wankers drink bike water, whatever that is. I, on the other hand, wear an old bathing suit, a ratty t-shirt and beaten-up trainers. Hmm... there is one great benefit though; I have been at it for so many years that I live and die by one rule; no one, I mean NO ONE passes me. Instead, I blow by young Thai guys half my age with a maniacal shout of "Eat My Dust, Loser!". Okay, that'd be rude, but I do think it very loudly.

If you are going to cycle, light up your ride like a Christmas tree and try the early AM; you'll learn the ninety-nine names of GOD.

Happy Trails

Thanks for the reply but that is some serious riding Shade. My body would not let me get out of bed at such an unearthly hour, I have tried before, it just won't.

I did have the same problem when walking, nobody passed me and if somebody is in front of me, I have to pass him/her. The amount of times I lost my wife going up hill, she never did understand the reason but would usually end the day by saying "it's the last time I'm going walking with you" She did suffer much when out walking with me.

I am guessing I may be a little older than you and I have to admit to myself that I'll never be a Lance Armstrong, but if I take the drugs he was on it may help of course, if only to an earlier grave.

 

 

[King Cotton]

17 minutes ago, Marble-eye said:

Small world.

Indeed it is!

What were the 8 yrs you were at Pateley B? I moved to live at Lofthouse after my wife died in 2011 and was only there for 18mths before getting the Thai urge to 'start over' and distance myself from divorce and, less than 10yrs later, widowhood. The Middlesmoor Crown landlord, then, was Malcolm Whitaker (he had a son called Jon) and the Lofthouse Crown had the inimitable Clive Newcombe, both pubs having 'house' and guest ales and always in perfect nick!

I learned to play full-size billiards, as a welcome addition to snooker, at the Middlesmoor village hall and was in both B & S teams for the best part of two seasons . . . happy days, in trying times, for sure.

The world's getting smaller . . . !

[Marble-eye]

1 minute ago, King Cotton said:

Indeed it is!

What were the 8 yrs you were at Pateley B? I moved to live at Lofthouse after my wife died in 2011 and was only there for 18mths before getting the Thai urge to 'start over' and distance myself from divorce and, less than 10yrs later, widowhood. The Middlesmoor Crown landlord, then, was Malcolm Whitaker (he had a son called Jon) and the Lofthouse Crown had the inimitable Clive Newcombe, both pubs having 'house' and guest ales and always in perfect nick!

I learned to play full-size billiards, as a welcome addition to snooker, at the Middlesmoor village hall and was in both B & S teams for the best part of two seasons . . . happy days, in trying times, for sure.

The world's getting smaller . . . !

I was there till 2003 when I met another lady and we moved into Knaresborough.

Thanks for reminding me of Clive, wasn't he one of the longest serving landlords about anywhere, the thing about Clive I seem to remember that he was always very strict with his opening and closing hours. 

The locals were very wary of 'offcumdems' you could live there 20 years and you would still be referred to as an offcumdem, but I was always made very welcome. 

[King Cotton]

5 minutes ago, Marble-eye said:

Thanks for reminding me of Clive, wasn't he one of the longest serving landlords about anywhere, the thing about Clive I seem to remember that he was always very strict with his opening and closing hours.

Re Clive, one of those travel sites says he and Trish have been there for over 1/4 century! Great food, generously served and on cold winter evenings - just Mondays! - free cheese on toast that Clive made, using fork and fire and still getting glowing testimonials.

And yes, he did keep to legal hours, too, but always in his typical, gentlemanly way . . . just a towel on the handles and you knew that was it . . . perhaps just as well!

[Shade_Wilder]

11 hours ago, Marble-eye said:

Thanks for the reply but that is some serious riding Shade. My body would not let me get out of bed at such an unearthly hour, I have tried before, it just won't.

I did have the same problem when walking, nobody passed me and if somebody is in front of me, I have to pass him/her. The amount of times I lost my wife going up hill, she never did understand the reason but would usually end the day by saying "it's the last time I'm going walking with you" She did suffer much when out walking with me.

I am guessing I may be a little older than you and I have to admit to myself that I'll never be a Lance Armstrong, but if I take the drugs he was on it may help of course, if only to an earlier grave.

 

Morning ME

Yup, just back from my morning 25KM and I feel wonderful!

I wouldn't worry about our respective schedules; were a poll taken, I am certain that 100% of people would agree with your staying in bed, and 100% of people would consider me to be an abomination. What to say? I enjoy it and that is what matters.

Actually, beyond basic enjoyment, there are two very good reasons for my daily routine.

Motivation. if you can get out of bed in the early AM, get your gear on and go for a long cycle, then anything/everything is both possible and easier for the rest of the day as you have started it with a 'Win' and an accomplishment. 

The second reason is physical; I have grown to love the burst of Endorphins in the morning and they see me through the rest of the day. Yes, the proverbial "Runner's High" (it should be 'Cyclists' High, but that doesn't have the same ring to it) is a real thing, and on the rare days that I don't cycle, I am a wee bit lethargic and 'ass-dragging' until I do cycle again. 

ME, if you get on your bike and have an enjoyable ride a couple of times a week, that is only a good thing. Have fun!

PS Mods, have you noticed that in the "Sports & Fitness" section of the Forum, pretty much every thread outside of this one seems to be guys sitting about at home talking about sports they see on television or guys sitting about in their local talking about sports they see on television? I don't really have a point; I just find it amusing.

 

[Marble-eye]

2 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

Morning ME

Yup, just back from my morning 25KM and I feel wonderful!

I wouldn't worry about our respective schedules; were a poll taken, I am certain that 100% of people would agree with your staying in bed, and 100% of people would consider me to be an abomination. What to say? I enjoy it and that is what matters.

Actually, beyond basic enjoyment, there are two very good reasons for my daily routine.

Motivation. if you can get out of bed in the early AM, get your gear on and go for a long cycle, then anything/everything is both possible and easier for the rest of the day as you have started it with a 'Win' and an accomplishment. 

The second reason is physical; I have grown to love the burst of Endorphins in the morning and they see me through the rest of the day. Yes, the proverbial "Runner's High" (it should be 'Cyclists' High, but that doesn't have the same ring to it) is a real thing, and on the rare days that I don't cycle, I am a wee bit lethargic and 'ass-dragging' until I do cycle again. 

ME, if you get on your bike and have an enjoyable ride a couple of times a week, that is only a good thing. Have fun!

PS Mods, have you noticed that in the "Sports & Fitness" section of the Forum, pretty much every thread outside of this one seems to be guys sitting about at home talking about sports they see on television or guys sitting about in their local talking about sports they see on television? I don't really have a point; I just find it amusing.

Respect! 

When I read this I was still in bed contemplating whether to have bacon and egg or egg and bacon for my breakfast, with lashings of home made French Batard and really salty butter.

What puts me off cycling when it is cool is the proliferation of the wild dogs, they tend to find somewhere cooler to hide when the sun comes out. Now don't get me wrong, I am not in the least scared of dogs, but on a bike you tend to be very vulnerable to these pests, I have even thought of putting a lollipop stick between the forks and the spokes to scare them away, but knowing my ideas it would probably have the adverse affect.

But after brecky may venture out on to the roads around our estate.

Well done you.

[JustAnotherExpat]

Third time I've done this - I buy a relatively cheap bike (this time a Trinx M600, ~7000 baht), then upgrade the parts as needed. I've replaced the entire front gears/bottom bracket and front derailleur. Along with parts and extras I already had, I'm into it for under 12k baht and I'm VERY pleased with the result.

I'm faithful to doing at least 35 km/day 6 days a week and can do 50 km without crippling myself. From my condo in Na Jomtien, this makes Lake Mabprachan a regular place to visit as well as Khao Chee Chan (Buddha Mountain). The greatest thing is this bike has off road tires. I wish I'd gotten them years ago. The paved section of road that parallels the railroad ends at Hua Yai. However, an unpaved gravel road continues south. It's bumpy, so the proper tires are needed. I traveled as far as Legend Siam, and there is almost no other traffic.

[Marble-eye]

4 minutes ago, JustAnotherExpat said:

Third time I've done this - I buy a relatively cheap bike (this time a Trinx M600, ~7000 baht), then upgrade the parts as needed. I've replaced the entire front gears/bottom bracket and front derailleur. Along with parts and extras I already had, I'm into it for under 12k baht and I'm VERY pleased with the result.

I'm faithful to doing at least 35 km/day 6 days a week and can do 50 km without crippling myself. From my condo in Na Jomtien, this makes Lake Mabprachan a regular place to visit as well as Khao Chee Chan (Buddha Mountain). The greatest thing is this bike has off road tires. I wish I'd gotten them years ago. The paved section of road that parallels the railroad ends at Hua Yai. However, an unpaved gravel road continues south. It's bumpy, so the proper tires are needed. I traveled as far as Legend Siam, and there is almost no other traffic.

All you proper bikers are beginning to make me feel inadequate, I am trying to get out with the bike everyday but the distances you chaps are doing I can only dream of.

Did you upgrade your handlebars, they look like cowhorns we had as kids. Lazada delivered my wife's front and back Shimano gear controls this morning, fitted them and just waiting for her to road test it, bike is just too small for me to test them myself, that's my excuse anyway.

Lazada also delivered a set of detachable pedals, the idea being when I put the bike on the carrier the original pedals didn't scratch the rear of the pick-up. But I have found that no matter how much I fit the carrier it always falls down, so have given up with that idea and just strap them in the back of the pick-up, but still have replaced the original pedals, they look kinda cool anyway.

The bike lane up to Buddha Mountain especially from the 331 looks mighty steep and am not sure if my body is ready for such a shock.

Just checked my bike, it is also a Trinx.

I will try to aspire to some you guys on here, I can always dream anyway.

[JustAnotherExpat]

56 minutes ago, Marble-eye said:

All you proper bikers are beginning to make me feel inadequate, I am trying to get out with the bike everyday but the distances you chaps are doing I can only dream of.

Did you upgrade your handlebars, they look like cowhorns we had as kids. Lazada delivered my wife's front and back Shimano gear controls this morning, fitted them and just waiting for her to road test it, bike is just too small for me to test them myself, that's my excuse anyway.

Lazada also delivered a set of detachable pedals, the idea being when I put the bike on the carrier the original pedals didn't scratch the rear of the pick-up. But I have found that no matter how much I fit the carrier it always falls down, so have given up with that idea and just strap them in the back of the pick-up, but still have replaced the original pedals, they look kinda cool anyway.

The bike lane up to Buddha Mountain especially from the 331 looks mighty steep and am not sure if my body is ready for such a shock.

Just checked my bike, it is also a Trinx.

I will try to aspire to some you guys on here, I can always dream anyway.

I brought those handlebars in from the states. They are not available anywhere I am aware of in Thailand. Lord knows I've tried!

Though I am relatively fit for a round guy who is not young any more, the hill going to Buddha Mountain is still a challenge. The last few hundred meters I have to drop down to the lowest gear and going at a steady pace.

[Marble-eye]

So got the wife to road test her new Shimano gear control mechanism, and baring in mind she has had this bicycle for about 8 years, we had barely gone 100 yards and she stops the bike and is looking somewhat perplexed. I say what's the matter and she said what does this do, meaning the 3 gear lever, I tried to explain but she still hasn't worked out the complexity of bicycle gearing. So to sum up she's had this bike for 8 years and never used the 3 speed gearing control.

But in all fairness I sometimes wonder how near the gear ratios are to each other, if I could get a bike with the lowest of low cog and the highest of the high cog with 5 gears separating them I think I could manage quite easily.

[Shade_Wilder]

4 minutes ago, Marble-eye said:

So got the wife to road test her new Shimano gear control mechanism, and baring in mind she has had this bicycle for about 8 years, we had barely gone 100 yards and she stops the bike and is looking somewhat perplexed. I say what's the matter and she said what does this do, meaning the 3 gear lever, I tried to explain but she still hasn't worked out the complexity of bicycle gearing. So to sum up she's had this bike for 8 years and never used the 3 speed gearing control.

But in all fairness I sometimes wonder how near the gear ratios are to each other, if I could get a bike with the lowest of low cog and the highest of the high cog with 5 gears separating them I think I could manage quite easily.

Hi ME

I can top that!

My current route is flat-ish, and thus I don't change gears, ever. I bought my current bike about 2 years ago, immediately put it into the highest possible gear (of 15), and haven't changed it since. The bonus is when I need to change parts, I only need to replace one... er... thingmabob.

Welcome @JustAnotherExpat! Your sentence above...

"Though I am relatively fit for a round guy who is not young any more..."

...describes me better than anything that I have ever come up with. Are we twins secretly separated at birth? 

Happy Cycling!

[Marble-eye]

13 minutes ago, Shade_Wilder said:

Hi ME

I can top that!

My current route is flat-ish, and thus I don't change gears, ever. I bought my current bike about 2 years ago, immediately put it into the highest possible gear (of 15), and haven't changed it since. The bonus is when I need to change parts, I only need to replace one... er... thingmabob.

Welcome @JustAnotherExpat! Your sentence above...

"Though I am relatively fit for a round guy who is not young any more..."

...describes me better than anything that I have ever come up with. Are we twins secretly separated at birth? 

Happy Cycling!

Maybe we could be triplets, I am known in the cycling fraternity as Bradley Biggins.

[Marble-eye]

18 hours ago, JustAnotherExpat said:

Though I am relatively fit for a round guy who is not young any more, the hill going to Buddha Mountain is still a challenge.

@JustAnotherExpat Did you know JAE that if you were to leave the 331 and get on the SilverLake/Buddha Mountain road you would pass an 18km forestry cycle route they have just built into the mountain, or even have you been on it?

It might be too much for me at the present but I am sure the downhill sections would be a lot easier than the uphill.

I know nothing about this route as I have just discovered it on the internet but here is a lengthy video link to give an indication of the difficulty/ease of the route.

 

https://youtu.be/xz3-hZmhf4w

 

https://bicyclethailand.com/siri-charoenwat-forest-bicycle-path-chonburi-province/

It was all dirt track as recently as September of 2016.

Approximate bicycle path entrance area – GPS – N 12.7604167, E 100.9748889

It is a closed loop track (one direction only-clockwise) so once you are on it you have to keep going to get back to the starting point (see photo 1).

The track itself has kilometer markers and road signs indicating climbs and tight corners.

You can park in the forest project entrance area before riding (see photo 2).

There are restrooms available at the entrance area but there are no shops so bring your own water and food.

The entrance is about 1 kilometer past the main Silverlake car park on Ban Yen Road (Route 1003).

The path is tarmac, carved out in the forest in an 18 kilometer loop (see photo 3).

There is not a single bit of straight or flat track so it is well suited to low-geared mountain bikes.

 

[Marble-eye]

5 hours ago, Marble-eye said:

@JustAnotherExpat Did you know JAE that if you were to leave the 331 and get on the SilverLake/Buddha Mountain road you would pass an 18km forestry cycle route they have just built into the mountain, or even have you been on it?

It might be too much for me at the present but I am sure the downhill sections would be a lot easier than the uphill.

I know nothing about this route as I have just discovered it on the internet but here is a lengthy video link to give an indication of the difficulty/ease of the route.

https://youtu.be/xz3-hZmhf4w

https://bicyclethailand.com/siri-charoenwat-forest-bicycle-path-chonburi-province/

It was all dirt track as recently as September of 2016.

Approximate bicycle path entrance area – GPS – N 12.7604167, E 100.9748889

It is a closed loop track (one direction only-clockwise) so once you are on it you have to keep going to get back to the starting point (see photo 1).

The track itself has kilometer markers and road signs indicating climbs and tight corners.

You can park in the forest project entrance area before riding (see photo 2).

There are restrooms available at the entrance area but there are no shops so bring your own water and food.

The entrance is about 1 kilometer past the main Silverlake car park on Ban Yen Road (Route 1003).

The path is tarmac, carved out in the forest in an 18 kilometer loop (see photo 3).

There is not a single bit of straight or flat track so it is well suited to low-geared mountain bikes.

Further information: I have just discovered is a helmet is mandatory and Mondays and Tuesdays it is closed to the public. I'd hate anyone to have a wasted journey.

More info here.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/1593042/theres-riding-in-those-hills

[Marble-eye]

Hiya bikers everywhere. 

Well just an update, I feel like I am turning into a bit of a Bradley Wiggins, been working very seriously on my fitness, only have 3 slices of bread with my bacon and egg in the morning now. For part of my 5 a day I put a slice of lemon with my g & t and only use condensed milk to make my Baileys tipple.

But let's talk distances, 3 or 4 Kms is becoming a normal occurrence these days and by the time Christmas arrives I am sure I'll break the 5 km barrier, after that the world's my oyster, just as long as the wife picks me and the bike up at the bottom of hills.

Had an an opportunity to sell the bike I bought at HomePro, it was a tad too big for me anyway, fell off it and narrowly missed my head hitting the house wall, I suppose I could have lowered the saddle but decided to change the bike instead and purchase a helmet too.

So spent a week looking at bikes on Lazada, one of my red lines was carbon fibre frame but with the cost that they entail I couldn't justify buying one, but apparently they do knock off about 6 seconds for the pro's in the Tour de France. 

Another point I looked at was the gearing, it seems that the more gears you have, the more chance of duplicating, or nearly duplicating the gears. So I settled for a Shimano 12 speed which should be arriving in the next couple of days, single cog on the front and 12 speeds on the rear.