Progress so far...

June 30th 2009 - 22 stone 4Ibs. Current weight - 17 stone 1Ib. Weight loss - 5 stone 3Ibs. Commuting miles - 3389.
Non commuting miles - 359. Mileage this week - 101 miles. Total mileage - 3748 miles.


Sunday 28 February 2010

More bikey stuff...

I nearly got my commuter clean yesterday, but was stopped in my tracks when I discovered a very loose spoke on the back wheel. I can fix most things and do most work on a bike that it needs. But wheels are something of a black art so I didn't touch it. I threw the wheel and the Spawn of Satan in the car and drove over to Northfield Cycles where Richard said that if it was him he'd leave it loose as the wheel was true. To fix it would mean having to sort all the adjacent spokes out. I'm not the lightest bloke and the Ridgeback does do some pretty uneven ground so I told him to crack on and get it sorted properly, which for the princely sum of £6 he did. 


The computer.

I fitted a Brooks Saddle to my Giant, got the saddle bag sorted and fitted the rear light to it. I'm just waiting for the computer to arrive from Amazon. It's the same type as I use on my commuter and it does all the basics very well. 


As promised piccies of the Giant.







So the rest of today is about getting the Ridgeback put back together as I'll be on that tomorrow. The weather is very wet and very windy. Or so the Beeb website says.

Yesterday afternoon was spent at The Dodford watching the Irish beat England. The score was a fair reflection of the game with the Irish being deserving winners. I am now at a loss as to describe what I feel for what England are trying to do. I was in the company of another experienced coach yesterday afternoon, my old mukka Ski and we were totally mystified. I now think something is very wrong in the England Camp. How can experienced professionals who we know can play exciting attacking rugby for their clubs week in week out now seem to be unable to even deliver an accurate pass when the're in a white shirt? Hell, even Wilkinson missed the tackle on Bowe for Irelands winning try! Actually he was in completely the wrong place because our back row had gone AWOL. I dunno what to think, but I now believe the coaching staff are in danger of being asked to leave. 

16 comments:

  1. Luv the pics of ure bike it looks realy nice but it wont stay that pristine in this weather m8, u luv ure Brooks saddles I take it there very comfortable.

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  2. Saddles are a very personal thing Les. It can take years to get one that suits. Brooks work for me. They are old school and not the lightest, but a pampered posterior is vital. Plus they're hand made in England. It ain't too often you can fly the flag these days!

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  3. brooks saddles rock!
    ive a 2nd B17 coming for the 29er...
    i have a few BBB things and its all good stuff...

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  4. Once they've broken your arse in they're perfect!

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  5. New bike is looking nice Clive, we await your morphing into anorexic stick insect with interest............

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  6. Even at my fittest Old Wind Man, I always looked like a front row player, I've never been a stick insect!

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  7. She does look fine Clive.
    I see you went for the compact gearing thing, let me know how you get on, I presume you have a triple on the commuter? be intrested as I will be changing to a compact when I get my roadie, see how us, (excuse me for this) larger, slightly less sporty fellas get on with them :)

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  8. Excellent stuff Clive!

    Wheels are a black art indeed. I can tweak them enough to sort out things in emergency (had to do it twice after crashes during my big ride last year). Secret is minute adjustments, a fraction of a turn at a time. Too much in one go can, apparently, have as big an effect as bending a rim in half. Anything other than very minor tweak and as you take - time to take it to the shop!

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  9. Great looking bike, Ireland did deserve to win, as you say. I suspect there are millions of people wondering what is going on in the tactics department wrt England/Wales and Scotland, only Ireland and France seem to have got it right. Though France's mass substitutons are somewhat of a mystery. I've yet to try my new Brooke saddle, except for a run up and down the street, but it's on my new Subway LTD, and I can't risk getting it dirty yet, I've still to fit lights and my computer on it.

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  10. Matt, I do have a triple on the commuter but only ever use the big ring. And yes I'm a very naughty boy for doing that!

    I'll certainly keep everyone informed on how get with a compact.

    Rafe, I've successfully tweaked wheels trailside to successfully get me home. No more than that though as I have had er, bad experiences with a spoke spanner!

    Welshie, England, Scotland and Wales are certainly second division at the moment, even Ireland are looking a shadow of their former selves. France are a class apart, but as we know, they can implode on any given day. The SH sides must be laughing themselves hoarse. Stick with the Brooks, they take about a 100 miles to break in, once you're there they're fantastic. For me anyway.

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  11. Hey Clive, the bike looks great, bet you're well pleased,you'll be surprised how far you can get on a road bike as they are very efficient.

    Bit of a left field comment, what pump do you use, i remember you saying it was a good one and I had a puncture today and i was hating my pump...

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  12. For my MTB I've got a Topeak Mountain Morph, I can't recommend it highly enough Phillip.

    Not sure what one my Giant has, Richard at Northfield Cycles said it was what he uses on his bike. So it's got to be ok I would think.

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  13. Just looked closer at the picture....in the words of Monty Python, 'Your a very naughty boy', fancy leaving the bike in anything other than small cogs...unless you like stretched cables and weak springs?

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  14. Look John, we're all individuals...

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  15. Welcome to the world of overweight roadies Clive nice bike

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