Last week my Ortlieb back roller rolled a little too much into my spokes. Not only did it bring me to a sudden stop (whizzing around a London roundabout, in front of a bus – nice!) but it ripped the whole side of the bag.
With a new trip planned soon there’s nothing else for it – new panniers and rack: Continue reading
I don’t believe it; a new saddle I ordered a few months ago via Wiggle has just been delivered!
The famous Brooks B17 Special Edition Saddle
My surprise at this seemingly unremarkable fact was in fact I was originally expecting it some months back when I first ordered it.
Not that it was Wiggle’s fault – they had been awaiting stock of the Brooks B17 Special (copper rail) saddle for months themselves and had been diligently warning me every three weeks that unless I renewed my order it would be cancelled so I kept renewing with an advised date of September. Continue reading
With the next leg rapidly looming, its time to sort out ‘Frank’.
First problem on my list is the increasingly annoying ‘clicking’ sound I’m hearing when pedalling which is fast becoming a form of water torture – an ironic synonym considering I’m always on about flow…..
I’ve tried tightening
to no effect deducing it to be a problem with the actual crank.
Not having all the tools, patience and time to try sorting a crank I pop into Baker St. Bikes on York Place, Brighton to find out how quickly they can fit me in.
I already visited the place a couple of times, liking their attitude and service even though they are Surly biased (which is fine in my rule book and surely in my favour?)
I’m genuinely surprised and appreciative that they can fit me in there and then so head off to kill some hours.
I return at the end of the day. Lewis, of Baker St Bikes tells me he’s taken apart and greased the crank which is fine and thinks it actually could be my pedal (which he has oiled).
I head out the shop, head up Trafalgar Street………………… same old click. DAMN!
Some of you know this, but maybe some don’t. The bikes we are using have no gears.The pedal is directly connected to the wheel by the chain – if you stop pedalling, you stop! No free-wheel. Actually, if you stop pedalling at anything remotely looking like speed, then it will end badly – with your face in the ground! Essentially the pedal acts as a brake.There is quite a trend for fixed gear (or single speed – which is the same but you can free-wheel); a kind of grungy, courier-type look that many people are adopting. It does make for leaner, cleaner looking bikes with much less kit, but I think there is also a joy to be found in “fixies” which you don’t get elsewhere. Continue reading
A timely trip to Reading and London would allow me to leave my bike with Bikehut Brighton so they could rebuild my rear wheel whilst I was away and would allow me to ride ‘fixed’ for the first leg of this epic coastal journey.
Dropping off my bike, confirming my instructions and parts I was supplying, Dave, another Bikehut Technician began quizzing me as to the type of wheelbuild I’d like. “Laced 3 or 4 cross?” I bumbled I was not versed in lace terminology and explained what the wheel needed to do. Continue reading
A hastily received short call during a meeting in the afternoon confirmed the bike was ready to collect however there had been some unplanned but necessary changes.
I hadn’t time to ask what had happened. Roger affirmed they had to be done and all would be explained when I turned up.Some hours later, I arrived at Mosquito’s, and began scanning the premises before eventually spying ‘Frank’ waiting for me by the workshop entrance.
Blimey. Frank? Continue reading
So the weekend found my girlfriend and me enjoying some early spring sun in that lovely romantic capital, Paris. The cheese, the wine, all left me feeling a little fat and unfit on my morning cycle into work.
It looks like our first leg will be done with gears which I am quite glad now. Also, my earlier ideas of 100 miles a day (where the hell did I think that was a good idea?!) will need to be modified to a much more realistic 50. Which means our first leg – to be started in three weeks – will be a four day jaunt across the south coast. Where we will stay is also another concern – but for a separate post. Continue reading
