In author mode you see just raw cod

"In author mode you see just raw cod"

I was about to send an email to a colleague in China and just spotted the missing "e" in time.

Nowt to do with cycling but it made me laugh

The good news is that Surrey St has finally had its counter flow bike lane painted back in, so that Chelsea tractor drivers can use it as a marked out parking bay. The bad news was that going over those those daft Surrey st cobbles (sorry setts) claimed a front spoke on my bike.

My raw cod is now saying this so had better go and sort....

[SC] OpenService FAILED 1060:

The specified service does not exist as an installed service.

42x18

42x18 = 63 just ask Sheldon

http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

Feeling grim with a chest infection again but the autumn afternoon sun beckoned. Went for a very quick spin on the fixer just to say id been out. I knew I was in no fit state to do hills, so I headed out to Fulwood and back. Span the gears out past the rising sun but, didn’t stop for a beer, turned round and headed back home and it was all over far too quickly but best not to risk making my chest any worse. Maybe have 20 mins on the rollers now Im back.

Mum and dad have been clearing out the loft and I now have a dusty pile of my old cycling magazines, as well as the 1968 FA cup final programme between Leicester and Man City. I’ve got a pile of Cycling Worlds and Bicycle times from about 1978 – 1986, that doesn’t seem so long ago but the I spose the oldest ones are almost 30 years old.

They are great to look back on; whatever happed to Simplex, Mafac, Sun Tour, GB the list goes on. What about the headgear? Club caps, woolly hats, bare heads, flat caps, I searched through every copy and found just one photo of a helmeted cyclist, and that was an American on tour.

The first person in Sheffield I knew with a cycle helmet was a chap I worked with called Simon Roberts. I think the year was 1988, but what I remeber most was that he crashed they day he bought it. He was slip streaming a car up Ecclesall road at 30mph with that new confidence and lack of fear that a block of expanded polystyrene strapped to his head gave him then he ran into the car when it stopped…LOL

Had a look at the membership file today, and pedlalpushers (the Sheffield cycle campaign) now has 434 members

York Trip - Then Back to Stanage (again)

So a few days in York with the Birdy folder to visit Cycle Heaven and maybe head out to Scarborough or Whitby. Well that was the plan but I got sidetracked to the National Railway Museum.

Very odd in York to see everyone wheeling their bike in the town centre not riding them (police crackdown in the pedestrianised streets). Personally as a pedestrian i don't have any problem with cyclists riding past me courteously even in a pedo area (cf Fargate in Sheffield where you cant ride a bike but you can drive an artic lorry or a private car if you are dropping off!)

Sunday we headed over to Stanage Pole yet again, I managed to blow the rear tyre on the descent but had it fixed in under 5 mins thanks to speed stick tyre removers and CO2 inflators

Halloween Bike Ride

Halloween....... what better time to strap a huge glow in the dark rubber spider to your Lumicycles and head out to the Cobweb bridge, the Cholera monument and Sheffield General Cemetery.

Avoid ebay when you are not sober

Friday night I spot this little beauty on eBay,

riese & müller Birdy 24 Speed (3 x 8), new monocoque frame Item number: 250042389789

Saturday morning and I hadn't actually drunk that much the night before as I was in bed by 10.30pm but I find Ive bid 600 quid on it! Still half the new price and that model has only been out 6 months but I was sweating it out a bit all weekend till Sunday night when It went higher still, phew. Currently it’s at 800 quid

Still there is a very nice Birdy red on there at 490 quid only 11 months old.
Birdy 8 Speed Folding Bike In RED Very Good Condition Item number: 290044224813

Actually both Brommies and Birdys always seem to get a lot of bidders and go well on eBay.

On Saturday on a trip out to the Peaks to meet my family, the clutch went on the car and Ive no intention to get it fixed quickly, so maybe there is a message there somewhere and I should have got that Birdy, especially as both my kids finally mastered riding two wheelers properly on Sunday in Bingham Park.

Sarah, (6) took less than 5 minutes to pick it up, its taken Patrick’s a bit longer as he has more sensible approach to danger , and he kept getting very indigent about pedestrians walking on the cycle lane. I told him he would have to get used to that.

NB we were going to take the train out to the peaks but didn't fancy taking our chances with a station full of Denis Wise clones all saying "sorted" and waving there wads of cash at us (Blades v Chelsea, kick of 12)

The again in a twist to the old loadsa money character, we could have all gone to the station in flat caps with whippets and waved our water bottles at the cockneys saying, "We’ve got loadsa water up here

Back to Stanedge Pole

Our evening ride went back up to Stanedge Pole, this is the only picture that came out illuminated by the Lumicycle Halide.

There then followed a mad thrash down hill, back to Lodge Moor, then onto the Rising Sun for a couple of smoke free jars. Here endeth the British Summertime Series of rides. Next week it back to good old GMT and its Halloween!

Better go - Leicester are currently holding onto a 2 -2 draw with the Villa in the League cup.


Modified to say the moment I posted this that Villa got the winner- that will teach me

Birthday Pictures from Long Causeway

My Dads birthday today (happy birthday Dad!).

Im sure he will enjoy these pictures, I had a late afternoon run up to Stanedge Pole and onwards to Stanage Edge.

Started out via Rivelin Valley at 3.30pm , put up with the idiots on the A57 (Im sure all Subaru Impreza drivers should be banned

Then onto Wyming Brook Drive.

Today was a warm and very sunny October 21st




Onwards and upwards.

Its very bumpy on there theses days

Redmires upper reservoir does a very passable impersonation of the Lake District

Long causeway to Stanage

finishing with views to Sheffield and Stanage from Stanedge Pole

It only took a 30 minutes thrash downhill to get back to Walkley from Stanedge Pole past hoards of glum looking Wednesday fans all queued up in traffic on the Bole Hills.

God help them if they look that glum when they actually win!

Ride to the Catholic Chapel at Padley Gorge

Today's Mystery Object

And on the Blog today

Our mystery object is?

Solid Light back from Martin- Jones technology

Had to send my soildlight front dynamo lamp back for a free upgrade. Just fitted it back on.

Paid extra to have it modified to 1203DR spec so it now has a feed to the rear lamp. Good service as well I only sent it on Tuesday and it was back Friday am!

How are you fixed for winter?

Raceblades fitted , half price from Gearshifts sale. Much easier than trying to squeeze in full sized guards.

Added some top mounted brake levers as well , sold as cycle cross levers.

Im amazed these aren't more popular, good braking power, you have all the benefits of drops with the varied riding positions, plus the ability to sit up and use the straight section of the bar when commuting.

Not bad looking for a nearly 20 year old bike

No Cycling News This Weekend

Well my alter ego is off to Santa Pod for a weekends drag racing. Could be a cold night camping on Saturday, just as long as its not a wet as last year...

....Well it wasn't wet but scorching hot with 30,000 crowd.

condolences to the friends and family of Roger George, the spectator killed by flying debris late on Sunday. I was stood level with where it happened and it could so easily have been anyone of us. condolences

new rear light - its a bit bright

Quite bright!

cleaned up nicely

cleaned up, new blocks, cables, wheels polished and ready to go..

NOKON front brake cable

All new NOKON front brake cable. I decided not to route it through the forks. The standard cable was dry and corroded inside which may explain the heavy force needed to make the thing stop.

New brake blocks as well, just about squeezed them in. Ill fit black cable ties when Ive got some!

Birdy Upgrade

Just been updating the Birdy, new cables and blocks, post some pictures later