Words and photos by Ambassador Tim Wiggins
Dawn rise over dew-soaked fields. A serene but surreal springtime ride. Sunshine on seaside trails; solitude on mist shrouded peaks. There is a sense of sorrow and unrest in the air, but also a feeling of togetherness; seen in smiles and waves from lone walkers, runners, and riders – all out for their #oneaday.
This is a strange and trying time, and it will change many things. I hope one of them is that people develop an even greater appreciation of the great outdoors that lies just beyond their doorstep. I am certainly embracing the riding more than ever, at home on the Isle of Wight.
I might be self-isolating, but that does not mean you cannot be smiling. The Kona Sutra has had me grinning from ear to ear. I keep tweaking the set-up, and every time it gets better and better…
I have fitted a set of @panaracer_world Gravel King SK+ tyres—700x50c on the front and 700x43c on the rear; paired with the @tokenproducts RoubX carbon wheels they make serious gains in speed and weight-saving. I have also fitted a @brooksengland C13 Cambium saddle—the most comfortable perch I have used, and the same as on my trusted Kona Private Jake. I added an inline @ritcheylogic post to give a better position, and finally to improve the gearing I upgraded to a monster 11-46T @sunrace1972 cassette. A few accessories fitted from @swissstop, @arkelpanniers, @elite_cycling and @lezyneofficial finish it off.
What. A. Bike.
More so than ever the ride seems so important. A chance to escape. To reflect. To put things into perspective. A time to find headspace; to let heart race; to remember that it will all be okay.
Keep the balance — Keep pedalling. #KonaEscape
