the7hills

spiked tyres back on

2011-12-04T18:05:00.003Z

Snow is forecast!

Nokians back on

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

Frame swap

2011-06-15T19:06:00.003Z

so all I have to do is take all the bits of the white frame, and move them across to the ...errr... white frame.

chilly sunday ride

2011-01-30T15:02:00.003Z

Me and the eldest snook off to Wyming Brook drive. Bit chilly round the edges

Winter Work in Progress

2010-10-22T14:59:00.007Z

An update on my winter Pompino. Last winter it was a single speed. Now modified with an Alfine 8 speed hub. Now I could have just bought a new frame from on-one but not after the Browne review!

I used Sheldon's method with a large block of wood to cold set the frame to 135mm.

The gear change is a bit Heath Robinson for now, using an extension bar and a trigger shifter.

Im not shortening that cable till i decide on a final solution either one of theses

http://jtekengineering.com/jtek_bar-end_shifter.htm

Or this hideously expensive Shimano lever

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/BLVEVRS8/versa-vrs-8-brake-levers-pair-for-alfine-8sp-

Rest of the bike as last year, Race Face chainring, candy bros pedals, Schmidt hub dynamo with disk, Nokian studded snow tyres

Still to come, front lo rider carrier, Solidlights dynamo front led, rear wheel nuts to tow the Yak Bob. One day it may get a disk on the rear.

Hows it ride? The Alfine is smooth and silent.

Ride through the East Midlands

2010-07-23T15:08:00.012Z

Had a ride down to my mum and dads in Kettering , plus a stop over in Nottingham on the way. Ill post details soon but here are a few pics for now.

Stud-U-Like?

2010-01-14T17:41:00.004Z

Well on the day the big thaw finally came along, and the day after Sheffield's worst ever ice rink roads and paths, I finally get my hands on some of these beauties. Ive been trying to source some for two years, now I have 4 of them .

So thanks to T & S bike shop in Germany for sending them

http://www.tunds.com/

(and big thanks to Andreas Rühmkorf for helping with the money transfer, I owe you a beer mate.....oh and 80quid) ,

All I have to do is wait for the next big freeze to try them out. Il put one on a spare front wheel and wait and see.

If it never snows again in Sheffield you can blame me.

back to reality

2010-01-04T09:33:00.003Z

Back to work, snowy and icy start to the new year.

Found some old disk brake forks a bought some knobby tyres for the single speed commuter.

Still got the ice tyres on order

3.2808399 feet

2010-01-02T13:00:00.004Z

I was feeling quite pleased with my bike building. The lad’s bike is coming on well and looks good and yesterday I swapped the forks on my commuting bike so I could fit the front road disk that’s been kicking around .

I needed some odds and sods to finish my commuter off so I wrote a nice long list of all the bits I needed to finish both bikes ready to head off to my LBS. Now I had an hour long window to work in as I knew the Sheffield football team that loses lots of games were playing near my LBS this afternoon. It was looking like a nip down in the car before the better half needed it later. Besides If I cycled Id only have one brake on my daily rider, the back brake and it’s all downhill. My other bike has got two flats so no time to pump tyres and the folder is buried somewhere under the stairs.

Car it is then, but I’ll be back in 20 mins.

Things started badly with a quick call at the hardware shop to get a new strip light for the bathroom as the continued disco strobe it’s been doing over Xmas and New Year is getting tiresome now the drugs are wearing off.

“How long is it?” he said,

“1.2m and 36W “I replied.

“Is that 3 footer” he asks,

” no” I said “its 1.2m exactly, I’ve measured it”.

” Sound like a 3 footer to me but they only come in 30w”.

” No its 1.2m and 36W”.

Now I’m rapidly approaching 50 years old, I started school in the 1960s (that’s the nineteen sixties, not the one thousand nine hundred and sixties for those who don’t think it’s now twenty ten) I was taught to measure things in m and cm. In the 1980s I went on to become a graduate engineer, we measured things in m, cm and mm. Even the crusty old draughtsmen at work did mm as long as they were paid a decent salary per mm.

Anyway after a round of negotiations it turns out what I have is a 4 foot tube, not 1.2m at all, despite the best intentions of my tape measure.

So now I’m running late, got 30 mins to get the car back to the OH. I’m stuck in the side streets of Hillsborough because it’s all double parked and somebody is unloading and has parked in the middle of the road. I can’t go back because the police are starting to block side streets at the other end.
Have to wait

Another 5 mins lost but now I’ve reached the street where I usually park, only its full all the way to the end and by now its filling up with coppers in Day-Glo for the game in 3 ½ hours. I find the last spot and stagger along the icy pavements with some urgency now. I’ve parked about 400m (sorry 1312
feet) away and I’m wearing MTB cycling shoes for reason I can’t now remember which doesn’t help matters. It’s now snowing

I’m now brandishing my shopping list, pretending to study it intently so I don’t catch any of the coppers eyes as I’m from a generation that still fear policeman , customs officers and deputy head teachers.

Worried that I’ll get spotted for the Leicester city fan I am, I’m even ready to disguise my east midlands drawl with a fake Irish accent picked up from ” 3 men in a boat” last night despite the fact that the away team today are from London and managed by a man called Colin who used to be a Neil.

20 minutes till I need to get back now but it will be well worth it, work bike fixed, lads bike nearly done, a nice end to the xmas and new year hols and the great feeling of knowing Id used my LBS for at least some of the bits.

So I’ve made it through the police lines and round the corner past the chippy, a glance in the shop window at the shiny new bikes and I’m up to the front door.

I’m stunned

Closed for New Year holidays.

What?

It Saturday January 2nd

I need to get my bike fixed for work on Monday and the LBS is shut. I don’t even have time to call in at the other LBS, the one by the tram stop as I need to get back so the OH can pick up youngest from gym club over the other side of town.

So it looks like it’s time to open up the web browser and buy this little lot from Wiggle, and hopefully fix up the commuter with some kind of cable to get me to work on Monday.

Anyway this was the full list of stuff on the list which I guess would have been about 150 quid but if anyone can help with some cable outer before Monday Id be grateful

I’ll need about 3.2808399 feet

1 x Full set of road brake cables

1 x front brake cable long enough to reach a disk brake

2 x cyclocross tyres

1 x ISIS crank puller

2 x basic brake levers (road bars)

1 x 9 speed campag block

1 x chain for above

Spooky business - an Xmas Gift

2008-12-24T11:50:00.001Z

What’s this then Ian, a blog post? Where is the update about all the rides from the summer? What about the write up about the Norfolk tour, Cycle Sheffield launch and all the other stuff. What’s that? You’ve been too busy on twitter, oh give over…...

The blog has been inactive for months, for which I apologise, and this isn’t even a cycling post. If your a fan of Spooks , have an unhealthy geeky interest in old Goth tunes then read on , otherwise carry on with the present wrapping………

Jump back to Series 6 of Spooks, Ros is working within the Yalta group and they’re planning to use a weapon called “Floodland” to defeat a superpower. I thought it was just coincidence that it also happened to be the title of the second Sisters of Mercy LP. Later on Juliette (aka duck face) talking to Harry starts a sentence with “First and Last and Always”, the title of the first Sisters LP. So the script writer is having a bit of a laugh with those (sad enough) to be in the know.
Jump forward to series 7 finale and the script starts name checking the Sisterhood LP “Gift” (same script writer it seems).

Please don’t set lawyers on me as a lot of time has passed but from what I remember, and sniffing round on various web sites here follows my very brief account of the Sisterhood

The Sisterhood was a project created by Eldritch to prevent Hussey and Adams using that name after the Sisters of Mercy had split. From what I remember Hussey and Adams were already touring as the one version of the Sisterhood (I remember seeing posters in Leeds for their incarnation of the band) but it’s said that the first band to actually produce a record would receive an advance from the record company and have the name rights. Eldritch appeared with a single “Giving Ground” and an LP called “Gift” under the Sisterhood name and laid claim to it (some sources claim the LP was made in 11 days and the advance for the record was £25000). I actually quite liked “Gift” and more than 20 years on it still a fresh industrial sound, unlike the jangly guitars of SOM.

I also remember a Janice Long session when Hussey and Adams were simply billed as the “Hussey and Adams” band due to legal reasons so maybe the accounts aren’t so far from the truth. Hussey and Adams finally used the name “The Mission”, and Eldritch slips back into the “Sisters of Mercy” name for all subsequent incarnations of the band (touring yet again in 2009 and I aim to see them)

So what’s all this got to do with series 7 episode 8? Well several name checks to the Gift album

Russian sleeper agents have just been activated in the UK, they are about to release a nuclear weapon called “ Rain From Heaven”, which just happens to be the final track from “Gift”

When Malcolm is monitoring Russian radio traffic he picks up a call sign “Finland Red, Egypt White”, followed by repeating numbers “2..5..0…0…”
“ Finland Red , Egypt white” is track 4 on “Gift”, and the numbers “2..5..0..0…0 “are repeated at the start of track 1, “Jihad” (and are supposed to- be a reference to the record companies advance on the album) While Im on it the Finland Red reference is read out from the manual for an AK47 but you already new that.

Finally (or not quite) when Connie is diffusing the bomb in the tube station Lucas starts a sentence with “what you have lost can never be found”. Now that bugged me for hours as I knew it from somewhere, then I remembered, it’s a line from “Giving Ground” track 3 from “Gift”

Now there is one other link to all things Sisters that Ive spotted on forums but Ive not gone back through the episode to check yet (oh come on I may be sad, but Im not that bad…yet).
The sleeper agent is supposed to come from Faversham in Kent, and the early haunt of the Sisters of Mercy and their followers was the Faversham Arms (the Fav) in Leeds……..

So I hope that’s enough geeky trivia for you, normal cycling service return in the New Year.

Merry Xmas and all that

before and after

2008-10-04T17:41:00.006Z

In two weeks time Ill be cycling down to Norfolk with @wildnorthlands and anyone else who tags along. Today I've been converting the dayride / audax bike into a light tourer.

Here's the before shot...

Ive swapped the back wheel for one with a lot more spokes, and a 28C tyre, fitted the Carradice Long Flap bag and bag carrier. Ive swapped the carbon fibre seat post for an alloy one to support the bag and fitted A Maxx Joystick front light and some Ayeup lights with 6 hours burn time . I swapped the bar bag for the bigger one from my touring bike but decided that was over the top so Ive stuck with the small Ortlieb. Just got to swap the pedals over at some point so that I can use shoes that I can walk (to the pub) in. Finally i put the race blade guards back on What have I missed out then?

Daily Mile

2008-08-16T13:01:00.004Z

A quick catch up between Olympic events.

Recent rides, Lincolnshire to the In laws in Fillingham, tram assist to Kilamarsh, then some quick miles with Rob and Simon to Clumber Park, then onward to Fillingham, 66 miles.

Rode back on the Monday, 55 miles, was keeping up at almost 20mph average as far as Worksop until the heat and the hills got to me.

Since then the weather has played some havoc with the rides and Ive had a week in Norfolk kite flying but Ive done some Rivelin off roading and finally made a full western circualr ride this Thursday. It is an excellent route, dunno how Simon's done it but i feels to have more downhill than uphill!

A few of us have joined the daily mile social web site.

Come and join us on

http://www.dailymile.com/

A Stanage Pole Story (or Jags in the Mist)

2008-08-14T10:32:00.003Z

I hope Jon Fyne doesn't mind me posting his rather amusing little story, over to you Jon with the lost land of the Jaguar........

Just before I went on my hols a week last friday, I was cycling towards Stanage Pole (en route to Hathersage) by the side of the wood above Redmires. At the top of the (now) smoothbyway (by the gate that leads to the rough track up to the pole), I noticed an AA van and a police car. As I approached, I was stopped by one of the boys in blue (actually flourescent yellow) who wanted to know if I has seen "a grey jag" anywhere on my travels. Replying in the negative, I asked what the problem was. I was told that the driver had "got stuck" somewhere in the vicinity and had called the AA, but was nowhere to be seen. Suspecting what the driver had tried to do (probably with the help of a sat-nav), I suggested that they should check the other side of the pole. Would do, he said, but as the track was evidently too rough for either of their vehicles,he said he would walk over.I would mention this to the driver if I saw him, I said, as I cycled off on my merry way.

Sure enough, as I approached the really rough part of the causeway (the so-called'bear pit' - which even necessitates a dismount for all but the most technical of MTBs) on the descent, the way ahead was blocked by a large grey jag. I sauntered up to the top-of-the-range jag (replete with buff leather seats) with, it has to be admitted, a decided sense of schadenfreude, with the intention of telling the driver that the old bill were looking for him, to be greeted by an empty vehicle (the driver, realising finally that his trusty steed wasn't as capable as he had originally thought, or been led to believe, had ignominiously abandoned it). I would have liked to have stayed around to see the exchange between the driver and the AA chap / copper concerning recovery of the vehicle, which would be nigh impossible by conventional means, but I contented myself with the thought that there isn't a positive correlation between wealth and IQ / commonsense

Sunday Rides - Part 2

2008-07-21T22:12:00.003Z

A dry but very blustery Sunday and I'm meeting Alan Moffat at 9.30am in Broomhill. Now I know that's not early but for me on a Sunday it counts as an early start. Its good to see Alan, its been a couple of years since we've been on a ride together and he looks his usual chiselled well tanned self putting my pipe cleaner legs to shame.

Off to Fulwood, then a stiff climb up the from Mayfield Valley to join the Route of the Peak District anniversary ride. Alan suggests my route may be much steeper than his preferred Brownhills Lane. From Ringinglow the only way is up to Burbage (did I mention that Burbage valley is my favourite view in England..maybe even the world!) , bloody hell it was windy. Couple of lads on touring bikes come past us into the wind , one chap spinning an incredibly low gear on a Dawes Super Galaxy but keeping up a good pace all the same. Slip in behind for a rest then we set off at a higher speed before the cattle grid and off to Stanage Edge.

Over Bamford moor and a fast run down to Yorkshire Bridge, back toward Bamford and on to Hathersage. Hathersage is packed, cars and cyclists every where. There is some kind of event on as numerous triathletes with race numbers on are descending into town at daft speed.

We've got the strong wind behind us now so a relatively easy ascent up to Surprise. We are joined by a young lady from Chesterfield on a serious locking Scott bike. She asks if she can take a breather behind us for two mins, then disappears up the hill in a cloud of carbon fibre (BTW it wasn't Victoria Pendelton!).

Uneventful trip back via Fox House apart from Family Guy in his Ford Focus attempting to wipe out his whole tribe by overtaking a queue of cars on the double whites, what's the point? You don't need to make this years Darwin Awards.

Back home , nearly 30 miles and back well before 12 but Sarah wants a trip out on the trailer bike. I hook it up to the Cannondale. Two trailer rides later, one down the Rivelin Valley trails is much harder work than the morning ride and I start thinking maybe a tandem is going to be easier. At least she pedalled hard on the hills and I got my bike cleaned!

Sunday rides - part 1

2008-07-20T21:12:00.003Z

Just catching up...the weeks seems to have whizzed by and its a Sunday later. So back to last week.....

After a blustery but successful Dr Bike at the Walkley Festival we actually had some warm summer sun for the Sunday ride. I met Richard, Chris and Simon, the mathematician, not our venerable dead head who has spent the summer in the Pyrenees, Norway, France, anywhere it seems to get away from Sheffield rain

Original plan was to head out to Hope Valley but there was a late change when Chris and Richard had to get over to Barnsley later in the day, so we headed out to high Bradfield in quite a hurry as we needed to meet Rob D in 30 mins.

We reached Bradfield in time but entered the phone dead zone so didn’t realise Rob was up on the top ridge road till we set off looking. General consensus was to avoid that bastard hill at Ewden Bridge, saving it for “Phil and fiends” so we skirted round Broomhead reservoir and up the hill to Bolsterstone and the first stop of the day.

From Bolsterstone it was back towards the Phil and Friends route via Midhopestone and then on to Langsett to join the dozens of other cyclists from clubs from all over the for some food (i saw Doncaster CC, Cheshire Wheelers and others). Despite the warning that we would have a long wait I had my sausage butty and pint of tea in less than 15 mins.

After Langsett it was time to take Gilbert hill up onto the opposite side of the Valley, followed by a swift wind assisted thrash across to Green Moor.

Quick stop for Photos, then an uphill to Wortley and to the pub where we received
three pints of something I wouldn't even grace my chips with, the beer was very off, but exchanged for 3 pints of drinkable landlord. After a sit in the sun we split up, Chris and Richard in a Barnsley Direction, Rob back to Oughtibridge, and a swift hack down to town and back up to Walkley for me

Enjoyable ride and good to come home feeling weather beaten by the sun for a change.

photo tracking in the rain

2008-06-30T10:38:00.002Z

Last week I manged to borrow a GPS photo tracker from my mate Sue who runs the North Sheffield CLC (hope you enjoyed Glastonbury Sue!).

Didn't find the time to try it until Sunday when I found I had a spare hour between swimming with the family and the visit of in laws in the afternoon. So installed the software, got the GPS to find its location, synched it to my digital camera and set off toward Rivelin in the sunshine.

Going down by the allotments first near disaster, the tracker detached itself from the supplied lanyard and lodged in someone’s rhubarb. Retrieved and relocated it to cycling top pockets. Stopped to take various shots on the way, opted to wade through the ford rather than cycle it when I saw it was almost over the dog walkers wellington tops.

Just got to Coppice Lane when the weather comes in of the peaks. Driving rain now but opted to carry on up to Stannington just to keep warm. By now office camera was getting a bit upset at the weather so hasty trip down the valley side and back up through the woods. Almost dropped the camera in the river at one point which would have taken some explaining today at work.

Saw a newly cleared bridleway so headed down it for some shelter from the rain , only to realise it was rapidly taking me all the way back down to Rivelin Valley road. I didn’t want to have to come back up Hagg hill so I opted to head off the trail into the woods.

Now technically I wasn’t lost, I mean i had 3 GPS units with me (Garmin, Nokia N95 and the Photo Tracker) and i could hear Rivelin valley traffic but I did end up dragging the bike up a rocky outcrop and through a particularly sharp hedge to get back to Hagg Lane.

Reunited with the route I set of back home and had my one near disaster, my handlebar got caught on that new metal gateway which i supposed to keep motorbike off the trails. This pitched me sideways and I had that dreadful fraction of a second when the pedal decided it would be load mire fun to hang onto the shoe cleat.

Home safely, dried off, and then came the fun bit trying to get the supplied software to tag the pictures. I was getting nowhere till I twigged that the GPS was still using GMT not GMT +1 (British summer time...allegedly)

Uploaded the results onto Google earth where they worked perfectly. Then went ahead and added them to my Flickr map.

Here's the results, a rather damp but beautifully located set of photos

This is the little GPS unit.

http://flickr.com/photos/walkleyian/map/

Definitly need a new rear tyre on my cross bike as doesn't grip ot all in wet mud now.

7 hills blog on twitter

2008-06-11T09:01:00.001Z

Just linked the 7hills blog through to @ianloasby on twitter. Post to check all is working

Catching up and Coppice Lane

2008-06-10T21:16:00.003Z

Not blogged a few recent rides so heres a quick catch up...

Last Sunday, Jon's 5 valleys. Now I could only do the first part since i was down to take the kids to see Indiana Jones. Opened curtains at 8pm, grey Sunday. By 10pm it was heavy rain and I had no mudguards on, yeuch. Jon and I decided to press on as the only riders who had turned up, as we had to meet Charlotte at Loxley Common. Actually the rain stopped at that point and after a pleasant ride over the common I was a little sad to be heading home early from the cafe in Bradfield. Jon's come up with a classic route, so I hope more turn up to try it next time

Tuesday ride was a fast thrash out to Hathersage, I met the others up at Ringingow. Simon headed for the open air pool but the rest of us had a detour round Stannage in lovely evening sunshine before we all met up at the Little John. I headed home early, good to have a thrash back up the hill to Surprise View.

Thursday night , the western circular ride, well attended and we headed up to one of my favourite spots in Sheffield, Fulwood Head road. The rest pressed on to Dore on, but I had to head back to town early to pick up the Eee Pc to show to the IT imbibing mob at the Rising Sun.

Throw in a few short bridleway runs over the weekend, then tonight we had a run along Rivelin Valaley lanes (Sheffield forgotten gem ) and up Coppice Lane to Stannington. Now I've never done Coppice Lane before and its a challenge, steep, straight up, and with tarmac that has long since turned into rubble in places . Loved it. We then headed back to Damflask and up the steep West Lane to Loxley Common and a swift Ruddles in the Rose and Crown.

Think that's just about caught up with the last week rides, its bike week next week.

Oh and big Thumbs down to the the useless white van driver who tried to overtake me on Howard hill where it was far too narrow and forced me off the road . I see there still giving out driving licences in cornflake packets...

Bridleway Spin and PP meet

2008-05-31T20:56:00.003Z

Successful PP meet today, transfer of membership secretary and treasurer sorted, .Plenty of good ideas round the table. One good idea was to adjourn to the Hillsborough hotel for post meet food and refreshment. Bit of a hot stuffy ride back up the hill on Birdy.

Went out for very short spin around Rivelin Valley bridleways, had several refreshing splashes through the ford. Noticed lots of movement in the water and saw it was totally swarming with tadpoles.

Chris's Spin , couple of photos

2008-05-04T17:20:00.003Z

New Thursday Night Rides

2008-04-24T21:28:00.002Z

A new venture for us, Thursday night rides.

Wasn't sure Id make this after a stop off in the Closed Shop on the way home but with the rain showers turning to a sunny evening thought Id better turn up.

5 off us headed out (me , Simon, Chris, Richard and Pete) through the most salubrious of the Fulwood suburbs before heading out via Lodge Moor and up past the observatory.

Up Roper hill and after 10 minutes or so looking at one of the best views you can get in Sheffield it was time to cut the ride short (chilly by now) and head back to the Rising Sun to plan some future events (Ghent I seem to recall being put suggested!)

Not the longest ride in the world but some cracking views over Sheffield all the way out into Lincolnshire

Spring sunshine at Stanage Edge

2008-04-22T20:03:00.008Z

Tuesday ride.

Waited down at Coles but no one had turned up by 5.50pm so I set off on my own. Went through Bingham park, then rather stupidly turned up Highcliffe road, what a git of a hill that can be (hello to Nicola who overtook me in rather large Merc, yes it was hurting at that point). Reached High Storrs and felt like turning back to town , mental note, lower bottom gear needed

Decided to press on having climbed that far and headed on up Ringinglow (hello to Helen this time who was driving her 4 X4 back toward town, seems I'm going to meet all my work colleagues tonight!)

Kind of slipped into a groove at this point , forgot I was thinking of heading back at Ringinglow and found myself at Burbage. Having got that far it seemed a shame not to cycle past Stanage on a glorious spring evening (42 mph on the downhill) then onwards to Bamford Moor.

From there my umpteenth hundred ascent on the A57 back to Moscar. The hedges have all been cut back and the amount of rubbish the motorists have chucked out is sickening, some off it they even took time to bag up.

The sun had brought out the scooter jockeys on the snake , dozens of them out there enjoying the best sunny evening so far this spring, all of them pretty well behaved.

After passing the burnt out Norfolk arms (it wasn't such a bad pub) it was a quick spin back up Manchester Road and back before 8.

Hail in the woods

2008-04-15T21:22:00.001Z

Typical April, after a reasonably bright day the hail stones started falling at 4pm and that didn’t bode well for this evenings spin. Actually by 5.30 things had improved and 3 of us blasted out to Ecclesall Woods to be in there in time for a 6pm tour of the impressive work that is going on out there. At the old sawmill.

By 7pm the weather had broken again and it was time for a hasty crash through the woods in more hail for a quick couple of jars in the Rising Sun at Whirlow.

Definitely worth a return to the woods soon when the spring weather improves and the bluebells have had time to open up again.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecclesall_Woods

Holm Moss Ride report

2008-04-14T11:24:00.004Z

Well here's the in depth account of Saturday's ride over Holm Moss......er it didn't happen.

The official line, nasty bout of asthma over the weekend kept me in bed, unofficially...not helped by a banging headache from Friday nights leaving do at work.

So Ive rescheduled for may 3rd, but at least that ll give me time to fit a more suitable set of gear ratios.

This is what it should have looked like......

The Tuesday ride - it started with the best intentions

2008-04-09T17:04:00.005Z

The plan was simple, quick spin out to Dronfield, visit the Coach and Horses (CAMRA pub of the month) maybe a swift half then back to town avoiding the start of the Sheffield derby at the Lane.

Only two of us this week (my first Tuesday ride for ages) after a quick chat with Jon and Charlotte who were hanging about rather suspiciously outside Weatherspoons we set off avoiding the legions of police and horses getting ready for the game (I mean the Wednesday United game, not some bizarre event between coppers and horses).

The weather was spot on, showers were forecast but it was a sunny spring evening for us all the way out via Meersbrook Park (youth were kicking a ball onto the roof of the Bishop’s House, I assume he wasn’t in), then on via Norton, Greenhill Village Bradway Dronfield Woodhouse and up towards Holmesfield, before taking the little narrow lanes that go into Dronfield the back way.

Found the pub, it’s on the way back to Shef so well placed, very cosy place, I went for the Jaipur , Simon went for the Kipling. Now we had intended to head back when the CAMRA mob appeared but the evening went a little awry. A quick pint of Kipling, then we pooled our resources and found we just had enough for another beer (yes this means you Alistair Darling!). Then the presentation took place, then the free beer vouchers appeared and next thing we are persuaded by Kat (the pub’s manger from New Zeeland) that we should stay for a raffle.

So stay we did….now Im sure Simon bought the wining raffle ticket we had but I couldn’t possibly let him struggle back home with his panniers even more laden so I promptly stuffed a Jaipur T-shirt and a couple of bottles of Stout it into my Rucksack.

After that a quick spin back the short way, now so late that the game had finished and the crowds all disappeared so London Road was pretty quiet.

Maybe next week a bit more cycling and a bit less ale….maybe.

It’s Holm Moss on Saturday, but if the weather is a bad as last year’s run I may turn back at Holmfirth. Cycling over the snake in driving rain is not my idea of Saturday enjoyment!

back on track again

2008-04-03T18:35:00.002Z

2 rides in a week (not counting to work and back!). Ok Ill admit its only the Rivelin loop and back but its a start. Not only that but I took the summer bike out as well, (p*nct*re on the commuter, have to fix it tonight)

I'm finally starting to forgive the BST GMT switch for screwing up my Sunday, I love lighter evenings.

Odd things on the road tonight, a pair of Lady's stiletto sandals , well I assumed they belonged to a lady......

Ice and snow forecast next week so make the best use of some early spring sun.

Rivelin Valley Bridleways

2008-03-30T16:03:00.003Z

A quick trip out on the road bike today as I missed the run out to Wharncliffe woods.

A lot of work is going on on the bridleways that criss cross Rivelin Valley and Bole Hill. Ill head out that way next weekend with the camera and OS map and have a better look. Maybe try and work out some traffic free routes that link up.

Sunny Sunday on the Snake Pass

2008-02-10T18:17:00.000Z

With the Snake Pass still closed due to a landslide we had to set off for a quiet traffic free run to the top, and what an amazing ride it was. It may be early February but by mid morning sun tan cream was needed, it was much more like a warm May Sunday.

The Snake was full of riders of all types enjoying a almost traffic free run , there seemed to be smiling happy groups of club riders from all over the North and Midlands , plus plenty of friendly walkers, and family groups on bikes near Hagg Farm.

What few cars came by were all courteous except for the one dickless wonder in a Range Rover, hooting at cyclists and passing by with only cm’s to spare despite having the whole road to use.

Return via the Ladybower and Strines Inns for a brilliant ride.

They should shut it once a month and hold a traffic free day up there.

5 in 4 weeks

2008-02-04T14:32:00.000Z

another p*nct*re today, this time on the fixer that I'm now using for the very short commute from Walkley to Bartolome House on Winter Street.

Im using the old fixer as there is no secure parking here, it gets back up the hill ok on 42:18, bit of a drag coming down hill though as my blurring legs limit me to about 18 mph.

blddy pnctrs

2008-01-28T14:03:00.000Z

Its a new year not only does Matthew Parris want to decapitate me, and an old man with a big white beard has been building a suspiciously large boat outside in the rain, i now find the p*nct*r* fairy living in my saddle bag.

4 punctures now in 2 weeks, none dramatic, all caused by tiny glass shards and Ive had the conti ultrasports pumped up well over 100psi. I think Ill replace these tyres ASAP , they also feel a bit unnervingly slippery on Sheffield's mud and diesel soaked roads.

Later edited to p0int out that I know its stopped raining now and we've had a few gloriously sunny and very mild January days

New winter bike

2007-11-13T10:41:00.000Z

After two months waiting this came in the post.

Updated - Lights and bits and bobs like pedals now fitted, went out for a quick spin and its a very nippy winter bike, not sure how they manage to produce these for 350 quid. (not including the Brooks saddle). Its got a Mirage triple set up, a 13 - 23 on the back which i thought might be a bit high for Sheffield but was the only option offered, aluminium frame, carbon fibre forks, campag hubs and mavic rims . Just need to put some miles in now.

Lake District Post Card

2007-08-18T18:12:00.001Z

Phil and Friends 2007

2007-08-12T18:10:00.000Z

No blog posts for ages, blame it on work, trips to London (but not to le tour) work on the house and a chest infection that refused to go away for weeks. Finally managed to up the miles on the last 3 weeks leading up to Phil and Friends today. I’ve been going out to Hope and back every Saturday morning, joined in on the CTC ride last week (we rebelled on the way to Bolsterstone and made our way straight the Strines, sorry Ruth).

Woke up a 7 today, pulled back the curtain hoping to see the wet weather that was forecast and the sun was shining brightly, damn ill have to do it.

Met an old chap at Malin bridge, he looked like a veteran of many club runs so we twiddled our lowest cog up to Stannington at a fair old lick to get to the start.

Signed on then met Tim from the CTC rides (one of the Strines mutineers) and we started off. Straight away we met another Tim , Tim “the Duracell bunny” Hess so we hung about while he signed on. Tim (Hess) had clearly decided he was going to tackle to ride at a much faster pace than us; he must have had a fresh set of cells on board so he got on the tail of a faster group at Bradfield and disappeared into the distance. I was taking it very easy to make sure id last the distance so we were often overtaken.

Nice long run down to Ewden Beck then onto the first real climb of the day. Took it easy as I knew the climb went on a bit, near the top Jon Cotton, Dave Bailie and young James flew past us. Rain started on the way to Holmfirth so we all caped up and pressed on to the breakfast stop. Dave John and James already there. Chris Buck who mailed me about the route turned up next soon followed by Andy wild on a borrowed cyclecross bike and some other familiar faces from PP rides.

Rain stopped so Tim and I set off up Holme Moss, it’s a long drag but it seemed to go ok. Took it easy but by this time we finally started to catch and overtake some other riders. No 55mph descent from the top today, far too greasy after the rain so came down in the high 20s with the brakes on

On the Devil’s elbow road and we seemed to pick up good speed and were overtaking quite a few riders, maybe the slow start had paid off. Into Glossop in heavy rain, saw Dave Baillie’s group bikes at the café but we opted to press on. The Chunal climb wasn’t as hard as I remembered from before and we made good speed but the same could not be said of Hayfield and Chinley. We were down to a slow crawl now and the Dave Bailie group came past us like we were stood still and promptly disappeard into the distance.

Into Chapel, quick snack and you know the worst is over (if you’re doing the 100k that is!)

Slight tail wind up Rushup edge, first sign of the bonk at the top so the little climb up to Mam Tor had me in a bit of trouble. Stopped for more snacks then the downhill to Edale and the next feed point, opted not to visit the jolly Rambler pub this time round. By this time the sun was back out and we made good speed down to Hope then on up to Moscar, forgoing the chance of pint at the Ladybower.

Fastest part of the day for me, the top road back to Stannington, didn’t even have to stop when the chain bounced off on a pothole and back to Lomas Church Hall, 75 miles, 6 ½ hours and nearly 10000 feet of climbs.

Found that Dave Ballie and co were still there having refreshment, James has to refuel every 20 miles so he must have hollow legs. Swift pint of shandy in the pub and back to Walkley.

Very pleased that the ride didn’t seem too bad this year, although Chinley and Chunnel are still awful, and very pleased not to be doing that extra 30 mile loop this year, maybe come back for that in 2008 if Im better prepared

So if you have never done Phil and Friends , you are prepared to grind up a few long hills and you have a compact or a triple chainset you should be Ok Must email Tim Hess and see just how quick he got round

Heron in the Park

2007-06-04T13:55:00.000Z

Waiting to meet the others for the 4 valleys ride on Saturday I spotted this Heron looking very regal on the island in middle of the Hillsborough park lake.

all t'way round

2007-05-24T09:49:00.000Z

At least once a year I haul myself up Winnats Pass just to say its been done and for the reward of the plunge down over Mam Nick to Barber Booth and the wonderful ride down the Vale of Edale. This year we did it as a Tuesday evening ride, it was a cracking late spring evening, sunny but with just enough breeze to keep cool on the climbs. 12 turned out for the ride and I think that’s the best turnout to an evening ride we have ever had outside of bike week.

Ill let the others blog the main ride in more details; I want to talk about someone I met up on the Moscar road.

I had a few errands to sort out so I agreed to meet the rest out at Bamford, and I rode my old commuting route to Carbolite on the A57 over Moscar. It’s a busy road, a pleasing number of motorists did pass at a suitable distance , but plenty came by too close and being a sunny evening the born again motor bikers and sports cars were all out for the mad thrash over to the Snake to Glossop and back .

Just heading up toward the old isolation hospital at Hollow Meadows I could see a mountain biker in the distance , then as Father Dougal McGuire never quite grasped, I realised it wasn’t a large cyclist in the distance at all, he or she was just a very small cyclist quite close . I caught up and found a young lad giving his all on a bike just a touch too large for him, not much older than our Patrick, Id say around 12 - 13 years sold.

I was a bit shocked and concerned at first seeing this little lad on his own surrounded by the speeding cars and motorbikes that seemed oblivious to him. I overtook him and asked if he had far to go. A broad Sheffield / North Derbyshire accent said proudly,

“Ive been all t'way round and me house is just o'er hill”

He pointed in the general direction of the few houses up at Moscar top. I said cheerio and carried on up the hill to Moscar Moors as I needed to make time up to meet the other’s (I didn’t I was 10 mins late ).

As I headed on up I realised how wrong it was to be shocked seeing this young lad on the road, he had just a much right as the rest of them and he was doing a sterling job. I wondered just how many miles “ all t’way round “ was for the lad from Moscar Top.

Drifting off in one of those flashback moments...

Down in the East Midlands in 1977 a 13 year old boy gets his first real road bike, a 10 speed Puch Freespirt with drops and a 23” frame that would be slightly too big for him even 30 years later. A wide ratio 34 tooth rear block was good for wheelies in the street but meant the bike could go up hills and haul camping gear. A summer spent working on a farm in Northamptonshire (75p an hour) resulted in a set of hand made alloy wheels from Renolds cycles in Northampton, pannier carriers and Karrimoor panniers. A few years later that same frame took me and my camping gear from Kettering to Barber Booth and on to Edale.

It took 3 days to get up to Edale via Drayton manor, Fenny Bentley, and Buxton mostly on minors roads. A couple of days in Edale included being chucked out of the Jolly Rambler for underage drinking and going straight on at the bottom of the hill into Barber Booth as neither of us knew there was a bend there and old Weinmann centre pulls couldn’t quite stop the bike . We went back via Whatstandwell and on to Kettering, a 95 mile day in the saddle on Chuck and Di’s royal wedding day.

gardening , no cycling

2007-05-20T16:18:00.001Z

After a hairy experience almost hit by a car while negotiating the tram lines at Hillsborough Corner yesterday (when will we get the cameras on the tram gate) I decided on a quiet day pottering round the garden listening to England v West Indies.

This old Raleigh was given to me by a Professor at Sheffield University Law Dept and I had hoped to make it into a pub hack bike but it has ended up as a trellis for my clematis.

its been a funy old weeked

2007-05-13T22:44:00.000Z

Its been a funny old weekend As Arkwright probably never said.

We did an absolute classic North Derbyshire / Yorkshire Route on Saturday in every kind of weather apart from snow. Flouch, Holmfirth, Holme Moss, Glossop , Snake Pass , Ladybower and Moscar moors. Only 60 miles but nearly 9000 feet of total ascent

Ill let Simon give you the run down at

http://smgcycleblog.blogspot.com/2007_05_13_archive.html#5889145524462867824

I have to admit I look half like I was doing OK in Simon's photo of me which Ive shamelessly lifted of his blog in fact I kept strruign to hang on but Im short of big miles this year.

My my legs still ache on Sunday night and the whole ride was 5 parts hell and 5 parts stunning scenery. Holme Moss is always brilliant and at least the sun stayed out up there. Ill be back up there again with less tired legs on a less wet day soon. Top marks to the friendly little Corner House café in Holmfirth.

This was the same climb 6 years ago, see I've hardy aged at all!

http://ianloasby.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/phil/

If Holme Moss was a joy in the sun the Snake Pass saw us cycling up through the clouds into a virtaul monsoon with absolutely no shelter to go and hide in. I was worried about aquaplaning straight off into the moors. Isnt odd how cadgers always drive faster and closer when its stair rodding down.

Today in equally grim weather Shef United got relegated dramatically on the l;ast day of the season judt like they did a few years back . Feel sorry for the Blades fans and the team put in a real effort to stay up but Ive never been a real fan of Warnock and his opinions and now in the press he seems to be blaming Man united for losing to West Ham. It was good to see Leicester old boy Emile Heskey play a blinder for Wigan. looks like Steel city derbys again next season although there could be some legal messing till this is all sorted.

Finally big thanks to the ignorant driver of the blue Citroen C3 speeding through the floods in Walkley last night. You certainly saved me the effort of having a Sunday bath, why not just have the bath while walking to the curry house.

If id been a child or old and frail that tidal wave you sent up over the path would probably have knocked me off my feet. Ill return the favour one day mate.

May Elections

2007-05-03T09:26:00.000Z

Today (May 3^rd) sees council elections in Sheffield and we are told the result is on a knife edge. In the Walkley ward we have a sitting Labour councillor who is up for a re-election and the result here could swing the whole council.

I went off and voted Labour this morning, partly on party lines but also because our councillor has been an excellent hard working representative for our community over the last few years.

The only party material I have seen the year is from the Labour party. I would have liked to read what the Lib Dem candidate has in store for Walkley (after all 2 of our 3 councillors already are from that party) but Ive received nothing from them apart from the newssheet they delivered about 2 months ago telling me how awful everything is. I didn’t even know the Lib Dem candidate name till I saw it on the ballot paper

The Greens have been equally disappointing. Im interested in green politics and I know some of their councillors. Their stand on cycling and transport issues in the city seems sound and their councillors in central ward have always helped us out at the Sheffield Cycle Campaign (although we are independent of any political party). The Greens may never have enough support to take Sheffield council but it’s quite possible they will be the largest party outside Lib and Lab and maybe tomorrow they will have to support one of the other parties in a hung council. Did they deliver anything, maybe printed on recycled paper, or come to they come knocking at my door to seek my vote, sadly no, not a peep from them.

Finally the Conservatives, who lets face it are on hiding to nothing in most, but not all, parts of Sheffield (It seems folk in the former Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire have long memories ), but I would have least liked to have read what plans and ideas they have for Walkley . It not that long ago that the Conservative candidate would at least get out and put the hard work in even though they knew they were always going to lose, and Id respect them for that (remeber that episode of Rab c Nesbit?). I cant ever see me supporting that party but I feel slightly let down by them that they didn’t even put the effort in off delivering some material about their candidate (sorry name slips me now)

So I cycled down to the polling station and cast my vote for Veronica Hardstaff, hoping that she gets back in for the excellent work she has done for us, but with a slight feeling of having being let down by the whole process and having little or no choice in the matter as none of the other parties seem to want my vote.

lads...I know a shortcut

2007-04-17T21:27:00.000Z

the pubs just up here...

honest

More Birdy Upgrades

2007-04-11T16:27:00.000Z

Took Birdy to work today, just cause its fun to ride.

Note new rear folding carrier with thanks to Martin Bright and finally got myself a rack pack.

New chain wheel cover as well.

Cycle heaven said they only came in black, ok I says that will do, what did they send, , a silver one. Look s smart enough though

With the front carrier as well i think I have the makings of a nice little light weight tourer.

No Bicycles here

2007-04-04T13:06:00.000Z

Bicycle facility of the month ,

this is Sheffield's idea for high quality bicycle parking in the city centre, a rack full of motorbikes, most of which aren't even locked.

Well done !

No response from J19 NGA

2007-04-04T12:59:00.000Z

Well I sent the invoice for the bike repairs to the gentleman driving J19 NGA who ran over my wheel but disappointingly on month later he has chosen not to reply or pay up so Ill now have to resort to legal methods of getting the money back.

Just a reminder thats Red VW Polo J19 NGA

hit while waiting at junction

2007-03-02T13:38:00.000Z

For the 3rd time In a few months Ive been hit by a car while waiting at junction in the area around the Hallamshire Hospital Sheffield .

Today Red Volkswagen Polo J19 NGA came round the junction on the wrong side of the road and drove over my front wheel. Thankfully i managed to jump out of the way but the rim wasn't so lucky and has been folded in half and crushed by the car

can you imagine if this had been a child in a pushchair caught underneath

you've got the wrong bikes

2007-01-21T16:22:00.000Z

“You’ve got the wrong bikes" shouted the first mountain biker of the group we met as we descended past them on the rocky and steep route from down from Long Causeway on Stanage. Then one of his mountain bike riding mates promptly fell off in a heap.

I’ve got nothing against mountain bikers at all, friendly types all of them we met, but some of them might not have realised that one of our party, Dave Howgate , had probably been descending rock strewn gullies on a normal touring bike long before they, or their mountain bikes had been born. This was a fact he seemed to pleased to tell them all at the Woodbine café in Hope. It seems there isn’t a pass or route in England Scotland or Wales that Dave and his trusty steel framed tourers haven’t been over.

I thought our assortment of different bike types descended pretty well from Stanage. Dave on the old Holdsworth tourer was never more than 10 seconds behind us despite walking the most severe sections, Rob was away on a suspension MTB, Simon was riding that tank of a bike he uses to pull beers kegs on trailers, and I was on the cycle cross bike which coped well with all but the worst sections.

We also found out then when Dave asks you if you know anything about (insert Peak District landmark name here), you will know an awful lot more about that landmark 5 minutes later.

More to follow…..

happy 2007

2007-01-01T11:56:00.000Z

Well that's Xmas and new year over for another year.

I didnt manage much cycling over the festive period, bad weather, traveling and the usual December chest infection meant just half hour out on the fixer on Xmas day and a longer run out on the fixer on Saturday night. It might be time to try 42 x 16 as I'm spinning the 18 tooth sprocket like mad .

Spent new years eve afternoon fitting new tyres to the Airborne and the cross bike and giving both bikes a new year clean up.

First ride of the New Year this afternoon I reckon.

In author mode you see just raw cod

2006-11-27T15:44:00.000Z

"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

2006-11-26T16:21:00.000Z

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)

2006-11-20T16:02:00.000Z

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

2006-11-20T15:53:00.000Z

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

2006-10-30T09:33:00.000Z

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

2006-10-24T21:06:00.000Z

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

2006-10-21T17:04:00.000Z

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

2006-10-13T19:55:00.001Z

Today's Mystery Object

2006-09-27T16:40:00.000Z

And on the Blog today

Our mystery object is?

Solid Light back from Martin- Jones technology

2006-09-23T16:34:00.000Z

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?

2006-09-23T13:27:00.000Z

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

2006-09-08T15:15:00.000Z

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

2006-09-05T21:49:00.000Z

Quite bright!

cleaned up nicely

2006-09-05T09:09:00.000Z

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

NOKON front brake cable

2006-09-05T08:46:00.000Z

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

2006-09-03T17:31:00.000Z

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