Back on the saddle...
Discussion
I haven't been back in the saddle this week as it has been too bloody hot and the weekend looks like it's going to be worse. I have bought a KMX Kart that I'll be adapting for road use. It's a fairly semi-okay platform, the welding is shocking but it has potential.
One thing is the 20 and 24 inch wheels. I'll oversize the crankset to get the gearing back but I have so Crazy Bob tyres on there so grip won't be an issue.
More about that as it develops.
One thing is the 20 and 24 inch wheels. I'll oversize the crankset to get the gearing back but I have so Crazy Bob tyres on there so grip won't be an issue.
More about that as it develops.
Potato harvest means it'll be Sugar Beet soon and Norfolk's road network will be under four inches of mud. 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191588847853?_trksid=p20...
As I'll no longer be able to see the potholes in the darkness I've order the suspension forks that have been on my watch list since March.
My nephew is fourteen today and with his birthday money bought himself a Forme Winchester 3.0 and mask. Hmmmm, my sister isn't happy but it's a bloody good bike for the £62 it cost him on eBay.
He can have my disc forks and cable brakes when I upgrade to hydraulics later.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191588847853?_trksid=p20...
As I'll no longer be able to see the potholes in the darkness I've order the suspension forks that have been on my watch list since March.
My nephew is fourteen today and with his birthday money bought himself a Forme Winchester 3.0 and mask. Hmmmm, my sister isn't happy but it's a bloody good bike for the £62 it cost him on eBay.
He can have my disc forks and cable brakes when I upgrade to hydraulics later.
The only way to adjust the soft spring is either fit a higher rated spring or add a rubber spacer inside the fork. I've made a horseshoe bracket for the mudguard...
...from an off cut of 4mm window Pollycarbonate so I can be guarded from mud and on the cloudiest, dullest, wettest day of the season so far my solar powered lights arrived. I've drilled the bracket and used a longer bolt so I can mount two where there's only space for one.
...from an off cut of 4mm window Pollycarbonate so I can be guarded from mud and on the cloudiest, dullest, wettest day of the season so far my solar powered lights arrived. I've drilled the bracket and used a longer bolt so I can mount two where there's only space for one.
Okay back again, again.
Had another off. My fault this time. I was on another bike and leaned it into a corner the same way as I do mine but because it had cyclcross tyres with outer knobbles I binned it and popped my ribs out.
I'm off work on holiday and riding about to get back in shape ready for cycling when the weather turns cold. Six miles Saturday to get the morning papers and back just about did me in. I've been doing exercises but my cardio is way off. Another social rid out Sunday then Storm Barney kicked in.
I don't know who's idea it was to name a storm Barney but instead of thinking of music to help me along in the near gale force headwinds all I could muster were songs as performed by a ruddy great purple dinosaur!
The new forks had a few teething problems. There is no adjustment and the only obvious way was to add to the rubber shock/spring inside. This made the fork unstable but then I realised. It was an issue of geometry...
...with a conventional fork the movement is up, down and back. The swing fork goes up, down, back and forward. Also instead of being inline with the headset the pivot point is behind the headstock so the further forward you are the more leverage you are putting into the fork from above. To remedy this I've fitted a shorter headset and moved my seat back so my bum is the same distance from my hands as before. This means the forks work a lot better and there's no high speed stability issues from the standard set up.
I'm back at work on the 26th so have a week before I worry about the commuter traffic.
Had another off. My fault this time. I was on another bike and leaned it into a corner the same way as I do mine but because it had cyclcross tyres with outer knobbles I binned it and popped my ribs out.
I'm off work on holiday and riding about to get back in shape ready for cycling when the weather turns cold. Six miles Saturday to get the morning papers and back just about did me in. I've been doing exercises but my cardio is way off. Another social rid out Sunday then Storm Barney kicked in.
I don't know who's idea it was to name a storm Barney but instead of thinking of music to help me along in the near gale force headwinds all I could muster were songs as performed by a ruddy great purple dinosaur!
The new forks had a few teething problems. There is no adjustment and the only obvious way was to add to the rubber shock/spring inside. This made the fork unstable but then I realised. It was an issue of geometry...
...with a conventional fork the movement is up, down and back. The swing fork goes up, down, back and forward. Also instead of being inline with the headset the pivot point is behind the headstock so the further forward you are the more leverage you are putting into the fork from above. To remedy this I've fitted a shorter headset and moved my seat back so my bum is the same distance from my hands as before. This means the forks work a lot better and there's no high speed stability issues from the standard set up.
I'm back at work on the 26th so have a week before I worry about the commuter traffic.
Liquid Knight said:
I've just been dragged around town.
Including Lidl.
Then I spotted the last pair of these...
...they clip and strap on your cycling or running shoes and depending on how big your feet are the reflector goes up front or outside...
...and the heel section is illuminated by red LED's.
Brilliant idea, £5.99 each and a three year warranty.
The cloudier mornings are dark enough for lights now so these will come in handy very soon.
Monday I forgot my ankle lights and it was the usual gauntlet. Yesterday I wore them and it was a different world. Only one driver was too close and that was a Norfolk Green double decker bus. I appreciate bus timetables are bordering on the unrealistic but missing a cyclist by literally two inches in a fifty zone was out of order. As already stated it was the only driver not to give me safe space so it only effected my mood for a moment. Including Lidl.
Then I spotted the last pair of these...
...they clip and strap on your cycling or running shoes and depending on how big your feet are the reflector goes up front or outside...
...and the heel section is illuminated by red LED's.
Brilliant idea, £5.99 each and a three year warranty.
The cloudier mornings are dark enough for lights now so these will come in handy very soon.
I've had a lucky couple of weeks weather wise. Until this morning. Head wind, driving rain and to rub salt in it I was overtaken on a hill by a PoB on a Stumley Archer special. I didn't down shift and was stalling. I wasn't hanging about either thirty eight minute run and only took half the day for my gear to dry out.
The ride home was a different story. Tail wind, not too warm and I was in a good mood. Left work at 18:25 and got home eleven and a half miles later at 18:57
Thirty two minutes!!!
The ride home was a different story. Tail wind, not too warm and I was in a good mood. Left work at 18:25 and got home eleven and a half miles later at 18:57
Thirty two minutes!!!
I was worried a little about this morning. Mondays are crap and the first Monday after a school holiday doesn't exactly bring out the best in people on the road. It was light enough for me to use my camera, dark enough to see my front light yet light enough for hapless vehicle operators in battleship grey vehicles not to have lights on.
It won't be long before I can leave my lights at home for the Summer and boil my bits of again.
Front three quarter wind and tail wind going in last night and head wind this morning. I'm just taking it easy and enjoying the Spring.
It won't be long before I can leave my lights at home for the Summer and boil my bits of again.
Front three quarter wind and tail wind going in last night and head wind this morning. I'm just taking it easy and enjoying the Spring.
Made it to work last night just before the rain. Diligently watched the forecast and due to the unique way the BBC is funded by you the license payer the rain that was supposed to hit and go by four arrived at ten to six. Just in time for me to get completely soaked on the way home. 
It reminded me of when I used to work at Hunstanton and I would cycle in. After a couple of miles you are as wet as you're going to get and people who drove in would be just as drenched from walking across the car park as I was. As much as I miss the view from the office I don't miss the job. Too many pillocks.
It reminded me of when I used to work at Hunstanton and I would cycle in. After a couple of miles you are as wet as you're going to get and people who drove in would be just as drenched from walking across the car park as I was. As much as I miss the view from the office I don't miss the job. Too many pillocks.
Last night was a headwind all the way. The sixth day and the first full week at work on the saddle since my off before Christmas.
I overslept, at late and half way I felt ill.
It felt as if I was going slow, so when I noticed a bus with the usual five or six vehicles behind it tailgating I hopped on the path as there was no way anyone behind the bus would have seen me. The bus driver waved and flashed indicators for me. That's when I realised I was going quicker than I thought and was running out of path to use. I recovered as quickly as usual when I got to work but didn't "feel right" all night.
This morning it was fog and low Sun so I had all my lights on and took my time looking out for the usual evidence of Darwinian thinking. This was a pretty good distraction none the less and the 109 vehicles I observed (both directions) can be divided into levels of stupidity.
Lights, fog lights, windows cleared of condensation and a safe overtake = 1
Lights, windows cleared = 3
Lights, only wiper zones cleared = 57
Lights, only front wiper zone cleared = 41
Side lights and wiper zones cleared = 2
Side lights or DRL's and only the front wiper zone cleared = 3
No lights, front wiper zone cleared only = 2
Feel free to copy and paste a rant from earlier in the thread I can't be bothered.
I overslept, at late and half way I felt ill.
It felt as if I was going slow, so when I noticed a bus with the usual five or six vehicles behind it tailgating I hopped on the path as there was no way anyone behind the bus would have seen me. The bus driver waved and flashed indicators for me. That's when I realised I was going quicker than I thought and was running out of path to use. I recovered as quickly as usual when I got to work but didn't "feel right" all night.
This morning it was fog and low Sun so I had all my lights on and took my time looking out for the usual evidence of Darwinian thinking. This was a pretty good distraction none the less and the 109 vehicles I observed (both directions) can be divided into levels of stupidity.
Lights, fog lights, windows cleared of condensation and a safe overtake = 1
Lights, windows cleared = 3
Lights, only wiper zones cleared = 57
Lights, only front wiper zone cleared = 41
Side lights and wiper zones cleared = 2
Side lights or DRL's and only the front wiper zone cleared = 3
No lights, front wiper zone cleared only = 2
Feel free to copy and paste a rant from earlier in the thread I can't be bothered.
The last couple of days there has been an old metal lamp stand in varying degrees of damage left in the middle of the road. I've kicked it to the side and even on the grass verge but it has found its way back into the middle of the road. On my way into work yesterday evening it was in the middle of the traffic calming choke point so I picked it up carried it to the nearest bin and threw it away.
I don't know if it had been left in the road deliberately or if it had been knocked back in after I kicked it out but now that should be problem solved.
A little way further there was a Rover 75 broken down half way up the off ramp from the A47 to Terrington St John. I stopped again to offer to help as the car was in an unsafe position and diagnosed the problem as a broken auxiliary belt. The engine ran so the owner managed to coax the car to a lay by further up and already had green flag on their way. I was wearing lycra and polycotton not nylons so I couldn't do anything more to help.
I don't know if it had been left in the road deliberately or if it had been knocked back in after I kicked it out but now that should be problem solved.
A little way further there was a Rover 75 broken down half way up the off ramp from the A47 to Terrington St John. I stopped again to offer to help as the car was in an unsafe position and diagnosed the problem as a broken auxiliary belt. The engine ran so the owner managed to coax the car to a lay by further up and already had green flag on their way. I was wearing lycra and polycotton not nylons so I couldn't do anything more to help.
Cycle lanes. I'd forgotten how much fun they can be. The main track into King's Lynn goes along the River Great Ouse and even though it's a bit further than the roads it's a damn sight quicker.
As I turned off I was level with a white van. I had parked up, gone into a shop, bought stuff and was on my way back out of town when our paths crossed again. The van had got as far as the Southgates roundabout. I didn't have the heart to wave as I know how bloody annoying it is trying to drive around King's Lynn between half two and half six.
As I turned off I was level with a white van. I had parked up, gone into a shop, bought stuff and was on my way back out of town when our paths crossed again. The van had got as far as the Southgates roundabout. I didn't have the heart to wave as I know how bloody annoying it is trying to drive around King's Lynn between half two and half six.
How had is it to do a good deed these days?
On the outskirts of town I noticed a woman struggling to off load a Vauxhall Zafira while her two kids were stood by the car watching in a lay by. Thinking she had a puncture and was trying to get to the spare wheel. I stopped to ask if they needed any help. It wasn't a puncture the little person had been sick and Mum was looking frantically for wet wipes. Meanwhile Dad was sat on his fat arse in the drivers seat finishing his McCrap.
I know women are perfectly capable of changing a spare but I was trying to be chivalrous.
About a mile further up (a mile and a half away from a the depo) a Knowles hgv was stopped on a farm track a hundred yards from a lay by on a blind bend. Again I went to see if the truck had broken down. Nope the driver was urinating against the passenger side door steps.
A mile and half further along and my usual hump back bridge closely followed by a couple of blind bends. I shoulder check and see a car coming so I hop on the footpath so the driver wouldn't have to overtake on the hump back bridge and waited for a van to pass so he didn't have to overtake on a blind bend leading into a blind bend.
Finally a good deed for the day.
On the outskirts of town I noticed a woman struggling to off load a Vauxhall Zafira while her two kids were stood by the car watching in a lay by. Thinking she had a puncture and was trying to get to the spare wheel. I stopped to ask if they needed any help. It wasn't a puncture the little person had been sick and Mum was looking frantically for wet wipes. Meanwhile Dad was sat on his fat arse in the drivers seat finishing his McCrap.
I know women are perfectly capable of changing a spare but I was trying to be chivalrous.
About a mile further up (a mile and a half away from a the depo) a Knowles hgv was stopped on a farm track a hundred yards from a lay by on a blind bend. Again I went to see if the truck had broken down. Nope the driver was urinating against the passenger side door steps.
A mile and half further along and my usual hump back bridge closely followed by a couple of blind bends. I shoulder check and see a car coming so I hop on the footpath so the driver wouldn't have to overtake on the hump back bridge and waited for a van to pass so he didn't have to overtake on a blind bend leading into a blind bend.
Finally a good deed for the day.
What's worse than Friday evening commuting?
Monday morning.
I drove in Saturday as I had stuff to do on the way.
Sunday evening was all weather related as well. Twenty something degrees and headwind.
Monday morning was an adventure. All the norms were out in force. Having had a few or stayed up the night before, got out of bed, got into their vehicles, engaged "autopilot" and nonchalantly went about their journey into work. That guy with the Pre-arse snuck up on me again. On a straight this time so it wasn't so bad. Git!
The roundabout on the outskirts of town wasn't the usual gauntlet as there wasn't much traffic at the time. I spotted a Little Owl on a post and my Barn Owl buddy was across the other side of a field as I went past. I like this time of year.
Monday evening was a prelude to this summer (if you trust how high the crows nests are this year). Twenty seven degrees, near gale force sea breeze and I don't what it is about sunshine but it brings out...
...I'll say playfulness...
...in others. I've put myself on the knob thread because instead of filtering past a line of traffic I waited at the end. Good deed for the day right? Maybe not because the tool in the BMW ahead of me decided to brake test me twice once we got going again. "Playfully" I caught the traffic up, this time filtering past at a choke point. I then allowed a coupe of people to overtake so Mr HP-whip was behind me. I was turning right ahead so I signaled, shoulder checked and pulled out into the middle of the road. I had no intention of reciprocating the "brake test" gesture and marked time behind the last overtaker. When it was time to turn right Mr HP-whip was a couple of hundred yards behind me.
Bless.
So I didn't watch the weather forecast yesterday and left my wet gear at home. Karma for annoying BMW owners I guess.
The thing about riding in the rain is and always has been you get as wet as you're going to get after about a mile so the next ten and a bit didn't matter.
Monday morning.
I drove in Saturday as I had stuff to do on the way.
Sunday evening was all weather related as well. Twenty something degrees and headwind.
Monday morning was an adventure. All the norms were out in force. Having had a few or stayed up the night before, got out of bed, got into their vehicles, engaged "autopilot" and nonchalantly went about their journey into work. That guy with the Pre-arse snuck up on me again. On a straight this time so it wasn't so bad. Git!
The roundabout on the outskirts of town wasn't the usual gauntlet as there wasn't much traffic at the time. I spotted a Little Owl on a post and my Barn Owl buddy was across the other side of a field as I went past. I like this time of year.
Monday evening was a prelude to this summer (if you trust how high the crows nests are this year). Twenty seven degrees, near gale force sea breeze and I don't what it is about sunshine but it brings out...
...I'll say playfulness...
...in others. I've put myself on the knob thread because instead of filtering past a line of traffic I waited at the end. Good deed for the day right? Maybe not because the tool in the BMW ahead of me decided to brake test me twice once we got going again. "Playfully" I caught the traffic up, this time filtering past at a choke point. I then allowed a coupe of people to overtake so Mr HP-whip was behind me. I was turning right ahead so I signaled, shoulder checked and pulled out into the middle of the road. I had no intention of reciprocating the "brake test" gesture and marked time behind the last overtaker. When it was time to turn right Mr HP-whip was a couple of hundred yards behind me.
Bless.
So I didn't watch the weather forecast yesterday and left my wet gear at home. Karma for annoying BMW owners I guess.
The thing about riding in the rain is and always has been you get as wet as you're going to get after about a mile so the next ten and a bit didn't matter.
I'm thinking about a few upgrades for my bike. As well as an overdue chain, crank and sprocket swap. I've broken the thirty minute barrier with a heavy fork, flat bars and a ruck sack. I now have a rear rack and panniers so if I put the original forks back for this weekend and have another crack before it gets too hot. I might make my twenty minute drive to work a thirty minute ride.
No punctures, no broken spokes, no snapped chains and no other issues. Why did I use a £1,595 dual suspension bike on sicks when a £279 bike with a couple of bits has done a far, far better job?
No punctures, no broken spokes, no snapped chains and no other issues. Why did I use a £1,595 dual suspension bike on sicks when a £279 bike with a couple of bits has done a far, far better job?
Edited by Liquid Knight on Thursday 12th May 13:04
Okay. Day one withe the panniers was a bit of an event. Full loaded the bike handled like crap but was good up hills with the weight over the rear wheel. Empty on the way home and it felt like I had a puncture when the wind hit it.
Day two and a lighter load was okay this morning, but the bike still felt strange in bends.
On the way home tonight I had to wobble up a hill in a headwind and one of the bags hot the spokes. Not enough to do any serious damage or take me off but I have a few changes to make it safe.
Day two and a lighter load was okay this morning, but the bike still felt strange in bends.
On the way home tonight I had to wobble up a hill in a headwind and one of the bags hot the spokes. Not enough to do any serious damage or take me off but I have a few changes to make it safe.
This is the world first for the internet.
A modified rack without half moon scars...
...I used my lip making tool to slowly bend the aluminum bracket, drilled bigger holes for the solar light holders and used long screws so I have an extra couple of hooking points if I ever need a bungee.
Next I cut an old number plate in half and stuck it to the back of the side bags. Hopefully this will stop any future spoke collision when I need to wobble up a hill or headwind now it's sea breeze season.
A modified rack without half moon scars...
...I used my lip making tool to slowly bend the aluminum bracket, drilled bigger holes for the solar light holders and used long screws so I have an extra couple of hooking points if I ever need a bungee.
Next I cut an old number plate in half and stuck it to the back of the side bags. Hopefully this will stop any future spoke collision when I need to wobble up a hill or headwind now it's sea breeze season.
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