On your Bike

[old'uns]

i did have some good weather....albeit 3c



managed to stop and get pics of these in the lane near to the cottage...usually bound off at the first sniff

[NewcastleFalcon]

Fits in with my fuzzy pic of the 3 deer I saw this morning on the way to plug in the car.

Regards Neil

[old'uns]

if it's fuzzy pics of animals....about a km away t'other side of river, farmed wild animals, early am or dusk if you're really quiet and downwind you may catch a glimpse of these....

probably 20 or so of various sizes, Boar but not so wild

or these in same spot anytime it's quiet, we were in the car this time


just need to catch a pic of the various birds of prey before they fly away as you approach

[old'uns]

out yesterday in the cold,4-5c, plan was today as well but even colder at 1-2c and foggy so bike had a good clean and oiling of the moving bits.
usually pics like this are of car pads.....



they look OK in the pic, well passable short term but they are wafer thin to the extent the spring is nearly thicker!
Winter mud and rain are brutal on MTB's, i'll be lucky if the chain/cassette survive much longer
new pads on the way....

[Timmo]

in winter it is worth running the 'Sintered' pads , they withstand a lot better against the grit and coarseness of winter riding, however, they do have a habit of glazing over if not generated enough heat, i keep a box of the std shimano fit pads and sram ones as they are a regular concern, also well worth making sure the caliper is aligned as best as you can.
had a joyful sunday ride last week, 2 miles into a 18mile offroad loop felt saddle had dropped a birt, got off adjusted, seat clamp promptly split, so ride back up a steep ol hill with the saddle too low, got home, swaped bikes and headed off on another different loop, 3 miles into that, freehub body pawls jammed leaving me a fixie! all be it a 10speed fixie! didnt opt for the third bike as the way things were going ,it didnt look good! haha!
hoping this sunday will be better.....

[old'uns]

well yesterday was a horrendous experience...i thought cycling was supposed to be good for you!

usual Saturday group ride, really windy and 6 of us so stick to the fire trails and gravel paths for an easy run down to Milford for Coffee and cake.
as soon as we set off i knew it was a 'no legs' day, got to the stop OK
after the Coffee and Cake it was uphill all the way back, first incline and i was gone, lead legs, no breath, no enthusiasm. had sore/aching feeling in lower back ribs, just thought it was twisting or the soft bed at the hotel last week but obviously not right but don't feel that bad?
struggled on with the group to a point where i could head straight back home at my own speed.
got so far with a few stops and to a point where as per a picture from a few months ago, a trail had been opened up by the Forestry which was a shortcut to home with no more uphill sections.
just a small amount of mud to go through....how wrong



about 6" deeper to the left, so where the bike is my right foot landed as i slowly tilted sideways...



2x 5 litre spray bottles to clean the bike and shoes yesterday
90 mins today to remove the chain, soak and oil, clean the rear derailleur properly - i hadn't realised there are so many places dirt can hide!
straighten out a slightly bent jockey wheel guide and hopefully the horrible noises from yesterday will have gone - and the horrible noises from my lungs as well by next saturday
Strava unsurprisingly describes this ride as 'harder than your usual effort' no s**t Sherlock!
average BPM was a good 10-15 over my normal average and peak went to a figure i regularly reached when first starting...182 again a good 10-15 over usual nowadays

[Timmo]

ooooh and i bet that mud had a Pleasnat aroma too it too!!
I entirely sympathise with you over Lead legs, doesn't help that as soon as the legs feel like that , the head wonders off too! concentration slips and tiredness takes over!
had another mechanical suffering loop sunday, stretched the tyre bead a little a previous ride, had to pop a tube in, that blew out the side wall after 10 miles, rode to a buddies place on the rim protector and borrowed his spare bike to finish off! appears his saddle was that akin to the comfort found sitting on a Large rough Rock! still beggars cant be chooseres! great loop out with good riding buddies,

[RichardW]

I've overhauled the drive chain on my bike. Chucked a new chain and block on, but the chain wouldn't run on the middle ring on the front. On inspection this was the state of the teeth, so it's not surprising really!!

Of course nothing is straightforward... These are the original (mid 80s) Stronglight oval rings, which you can't get anymore, and the BCD looked odd so I couldn't easily buy new rings. Bought a new chain set, but that meant removing the pedals from the old cranks - which have been in there for 20 years. Ha ha!!! I got one out with a bit of heat, and just a minor melting of the plastic nut that holds it together (these are Shimano SPD pedals), but the other was not for coming. Eventually I took the pedal apart which allowed some proper heat and a decent spanner, but that wrecked the aforementioned plastic nut, so cue new pedals. Then went to fit it all up only to find that the position of the rings / cranks was totally different and I needed a shorter bottom bracket... So after procuring the correct bit, it's now all back together with new block, chain, chainset, bottom bracket and pedals And whilst I was there thought I might as well re-grease the rear wheel bearing, and found a ball missing, but I found a spare for that in my stash. Goes, and changes gear, very nicely now!! Does need a new rear tyre as well though....

I'm currently considering building a bamboo frame to make a new bike for my wife, as I clearly don't have enough projects on the go!!

[NewcastleFalcon]

.…. as I clearly don't have enough projects on the go!!

Any updates on your other bike Richard? No activity on your Velocette rebuild blog in 2020 so far!

viewtopic.php?p=630119#p630119

REgards Neil

[RichardW]

No progress on that front... it took a back seat in the run up to Christmas, and then the New year, then No 1 son was picked to be in the local 'Gala day', which involves us having to decorate the house, so it was focus on that. Then everything shut up - and the gala day is off this year, but by the time that got announced everywhere was shut! Once things start opening up again I shall get the engine sent off and the pipes chromed, then see where we are at. My first attempt to start it was Aug 7th last year - with luck I shall be in a position to try again just before a year has passed!!

[NewcastleFalcon]

Well I photographed this the other day. I like signs, and the patina the colour and the cracks and the weatherbeaten bleached wood it was attached too, and its location spendidly isolated at the top of a steep climb where no doubt cyclists will almost unconsciously and compulsorily have to notice it, a marker of momentary confirmation and acknowledgement that the hill had been climbed.

Anyway I was curious enough to wonder where National Cycle Route 68 went to and from. That information was not given in the sign, but potentially is always there to be found by noticers of the sign.

...and the sign has had its results....it has inspired a new thread on our very own forum

viewtopic.php?t=65278

Join in if you can

nf own work

viewtopic.php?t=65278

[Hell Razor5543]

Next Sunday (24/05) Lidl have a few cycling items for sale;

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/c/cycling-acc ... s/c1470/w2

[old'uns]

so the Felt came home from France for a 'service'.... axles cleaned and greased, rear cassette and derailleurs scrubbed and cleaned.
needs new BB, chain and a rear derailleur cable, not ordered yet 'just in case' i need more items....oh yes of course i do

last couple of outings at home on the Whyte have been torture, i'm sure someone put treacle in the BB - really hard going HR a good 15 above the average
made a few horrible squeaking sounds which i thought was the pads binding, turns out the BB bearings have seized and the cranks were spinning on the plastic bushes



off to scour the 'net for bits....
i may even have to resort to finally converting to tubeless now i cant ride it for a few days

[NewcastleFalcon]

i may even have to resort to finally converting to tubeless now i cant ride it for a few days

What you need is a virtual bike, no trouble at all with ours and we have just finished Day 6 of our Virtual Pennine Cycleway ride from Derby to Berwick upon tweed.

Come and Have a pint with Mick Bob and Myself at the Battlesteads Pub Wark Northumberland.

The more joining us the better, just a bit of sillyness but its good fun!

If you fancy joining in please do. Open invitation to all.

On Your Virtual Bike:The Pennine Cycleway (&quiz)
Cheers Neil

[old'uns]

Well both bikes have spinning, no play BB"s.



Now I can use this one....