Thursday 10 December 2009

Week nights Banbury circular....

We have been doing the below route & I would like to get more people involved, so here is some nfo on what is going down (weather permitting).

The route tries to stay as close to the edge of town (without actually leaving it) as practicable & is 11.34 miles by my computer. The start point is from the Neithrop library car park on the roundabout at the top of Orchard Way & we aim to start between 7-7:15pm.

Route as follows: -

Ride up Woodgreen Ave to 1st R/H & up Mascorde Rd
Top of Mascorde Rd R/H into Bretch Hill
Continue on Bretch Hill to R/H Stratford Road (A422)
At traffic lights L/H onto Warwick Rd (B4100)
Over roundabout
R/H at next roundabout onto Hanwell Fields est
Follow Hanwell Fields down to Southam Road (A423)
R/H follow Southam Road to Tesco's roundabout & get on Cycle path
Follow cycle path left & over into Grimsbury Green
Over the train bridge & R/H into underpass to Manor Road
End of Manor Road take R/H (mini roundabout) onto Daventry Rd
At lights take L/H into Middleton Road
At (garage) roundabout take R/H into Ermont Way
At roundabout take R/H into Overthorpe Road
take sharp L/H into Overthorpe ind est & follow to end
End of Thorpe ind est take L/H into new estate Alma Road
Follow through the estate then L/H to join Merton Street
At lights bear left over train bridge to next lights
Take L/H at lights into Cherwell St & follow through next lights to Upper Windsor St
At next Lights take L/H turn past Morrisons on Swan Close Rd
Take L/H turn into Bankside
Top of Bankside take R/H into Sycamore Drive
L/H into Beaconsfield Road & then R/H into Elmscote Road
L/H into Timms Rd
R/H into Grange Rd
L/H into Springfield Ave
R/H onto Bloxham Road (A361) & then 1st L/H into Queensway
Follow back onto Woodgreen to start point

Here's the Start/Finish point: -


View Larger Map

And now the crunch... this is a single speed/fixed meet BUT if you want to do the ride on a geared bike then maybe you can work out a gear around 70 inches & just use that one gear? Whilst this isn't any kind of race it's nice to all ride with a similar gear but we're not going to shun you if you want to use more than one cog! :-)

Sheldon can help you figure it out

Alternately go see Banbury Cycles & get yourself a Single Speed bike ;-)

Get in touch with me for dates or comment here...
Hope to see you on the route.
cheers!

Sunday 18 October 2009

Cowley Road ramps 7th March 1993...



It was purely by chance I managed to get this photo, it was a passing photography student whom enquired if she could take some pictures for her college work at the time. I believe that Alex & I both got one, which she developed herself & bought back to the park the following week? The image is a bit marked & scratchy but I still love it, wonder if Alex still has his? be cool to see it if so...

I'm riding my Mk 1 Hoffman Condor in blue
Beefed up rear dropouts & Alex's Canti mod front brake set-up
Haro kneesavers in black & chrome which actually broke off going over that very spine.
Manly 71's, sprocket pocket, OPC & DX's - bang on!
Zeronine wristwrap gloves, Dyno elbows & Hammer dogbowls/shins
Original 'the Crow' art T-shirt & a rather fetching hat...

That park was the tits, I remember some great sessions there as Sunil & I used to hit the place up at least once a week bitd. Also the Jam when Gerry Galley came over & totally ruled the place - awesome times indeed.

SWINDON RULER!

Birmingham to Oxford 1992...



This was a while ago, I did the B/ham - Ox ride with a work mate at the time & it was a great days ride. Seem to remember I cained the final 10 miles too! must have been a fit young man back then? I also remember Dawn waiting for me at the finish line & she was pregnant with our 1st child at the time.

I'm riding a Fisher Hoo-Koo-E-Koo (elevated stay Mountain bike)
Skinny road tyres
Scott AT4 bars (cut down)
Wardrobe by Cannondale & lenses by Oakley
Original Shimano SPD shoe/pedal combo
I don't recall who made the funky headwear tho...?
I'm also wearing a 'fanny' pack around my waste which I saw in my shed today

Go banana power!

Nearly 4 months!

Without a post, jeez I'm slack...

I've not really had the inclination to update for a while, sure I've been biking (lots of road rides & some BMX) but nothing has really made me want to talk about it.

I've been doing some good miles on my single speed (managed 82.5 of a century ride I took part in) & I've been riding Spiceball ramps, having some front brake sessions with Rayo now & again.

I've just got my printer/scanner set up & I found some old pictures that I wanted to share & maybe add some memories in words to...

Monday 29 June 2009

Monday Monday...

Is a track by The Mama's & The Papa's

So the start of another week. It's hot & sunny & right on the money for a few miles out in the country on the bike with the breeze in your face. I had arranged to meet Tony for his recovery ride & we had a nice ride out which included much laughter a banter about the tribulations of life as we ate up 20 odd miles before we even knew where we were. Post ride we checked out some old BMX mags I had found in my folks loft when they moved house recently, drank coffee & talked films & cars until it was time out.

Splendid start to the week & I'm hoping my back continues to improve...

24 miles total

Back problems = no riding...

I've been suffering with a bad back which has kept me out of the saddle for a few weeks & I was getting quite down about it at one point as it seemed everyone around me was enjoying the nice weather out on their cycles. I have been wearing a back brace for a few weeks & along with a mountain of tablets, I am now feeling some improvement. So I have ridden my BMX a couple of sessions, once @ Long Itchington & the other in Banbury @ Spiceball. The ramp at long itchington is small, 4' high & no more than 16' wide but it is a little quicker than most small ramps I have ridden so was a bit of fun & a good release just to be back on the ply. I plan to return to session it with Joe this week sometime... The other session at Spiceball was great, I had my fingers crossed that Rayo would be about & true to form, his car was in the car park when I rolled up. We had a great session & he made some really good front brake tricks which stoked me up to go for it a little more. In all, we had a real good sesh & I was happy just to be able to ride again :-) As I'm sure you're aware we tend to take good health for granted & it's not until something prevents you from doing what you love, that you really appreciate what it means to you.

The other part of this post is regarding my road bike. I've decided to see if a shorter stem will maybe alleviate the back issues & to be honest, I've been more hesitant to get back on my Kona than my BMX. Iain D talked me into a gentle ride out just to see how we got on & we did have a good trip all told. During one of our usual loops out, I was feeling good so I said we should do the 5 mile run from the Top of Sunrising to Wroxton & time it, to get an idea of how long it takes me. Well off I went spinning my legs as fast as I could manage & I managed a 13:20 which I think is quite respectable for a mere novice such as I! I think I'll have crack at beating it every now & then to see if I can get it down much more than that.

So in conclusion, I'm being cautious & making sure I don't overdo it which really means stay off the steep up hills on my single speed for a while!

19 miles done.

Sunday 31 May 2009

Paddy Wagon 09 Review...

Found this review of the current PW:

Paddy wagon 2009

A weeks worth...

Done several rides over the last week to try to resolve my back issues (it isn't really helping):

Sunday

Iain & I did a nice big loop around some villages that I hadn't ridden to before. The weather was nice & it was a good ride out.

28 miles done.

BH Monday

Hooked up with some guys I've met through the shop & did part of their all day ride. We ended up over the other side of Brackley & I came back from Syresham down the Welsh Lane, leaving them to their meal time destination. The weather was pretty poor but at least the rain didn't really kick in beyond a few spots.

36 miles done.

Tuesday

Keeping it going, I decided to do one of my usual routes. I ended up with a puncture at 5 ways so spent 1/2 hour sorting that out. My seat pack of stuff for this eventuality turned out to work fine but I struggled with the valve on the replacement tube as it wasn't long enough for my deep section rim. I have now changed them for the long valve variety :-) The mini pump I bought did put 80 psi in the tyre but only after a rather excessive number of pumps... emergency only I suppose.

17 miles done

Thursday

After work I was feeling a little irritable so I went out for a quick blast. Took the Shipston Road out through Taddy & swalcliffe & attacked all the hills well & then went cross country to Shutford. I ended up riding all through Shutford trying to see where the roads went (they didn't) & then carried on over to the Stratford Road through Balscote & the kissing seat where I stopped for a drink & gaze across the country side for 5 minutes. The sunny weather makes these country lanes all the more enjoyable.

16 miles done

Sunday (again)

Iain & I did the Warwick Road-Camp lane-Edge Hill-Sunrising-Wroxton- N Newington loop. I asked Iain to check the distance from Sunrising hill to the Village Hall in Wroxton as Gmaps says it's 5 miles. Proceeded to spank it all the way with a head wind & it was indeed just over 5 miles. May start to time myself on this bit as it is undoubtedly my fave piece of road to spin out my pedals :-)

20 miles done


117 miles total from those rides which I'm very pleased with.



Tuesday 26 May 2009

Friday Morning FB session...

Met up with Ray at Spice ball for an AM session & he is now rocking his new lugged UKbikes forx - front brake session is ON! he made some nice tech stuff on the volcano & I learned opposite smith to nosepick (sketch).

summers a coming....

Sunday 17 May 2009

Nice ride to start the week...

Monday AM & the sun is out so it seemed the perfect time to get some sunny miles in. It was a little windy but with such nice sun shine I didn't let it bother me too much. Here's a list of the villages I visited today:

N Newington
Wroxton
Hanwell
Gt Bourton
Cropredy
Williamscot
Chacombe
Middleton Cheney
Overthorpe

I visited my sister for a coffee & a spot of IT support for my bro-in-law & also popped in to see Tony B too. Really enjoyed the fine weather & even the wind on the tough hills didn't faze me today. Hope to get my back problems sorted out so that I can get back to more riding in due course.

21 Miles done

Told you so....

Iain D had finished building his Titanium Raleigh frame up & was itching to get out & run it in, so we decided to do a route of his choice. When riding his Olmo frame he never seemed to be confident about it & I said it was definitely having an adverse affect on his riding abilities. After this ride it was clear that I was right as it was like riding with a different person! His speed seemed to have doubled & he was now leaving me on the hills not vice-versa. It was good to push each other more & I was certainly toasted by the end of the ride. That's the Iain I remember ;-) & If he does go for a single speed, as we have discussed, we are going to have some real fun on rides to come...

22.5 miles done

Tuesday 28 April 2009

An hour...

I did the Warmington-camp lane-Edgehill-Wroxton-North Newington loop this morning & it's the 1st time out in over a week. Felt it a bit as I pushed myself but looking forward to getting out again soon.

16.5 miles

Try again...

As the coffee shop was closed for Easter the last time we rode out to it, Iain & I decided to do the route again. We had better weather this time & made good progress to Wyatts & back & even managed to get some photos in too.



Great time of year with summer to look forward to & a good Sunday morning ride all round.

36 miles completed.

Tuesday 14 April 2009

Biking for the bank holiday...

I managed to get out on my BMX for a change on Saturday. Decided to hit up Spiceball park for an hour & hooked up with Greg & Chas, both of whom I hadn't seen in a while. Greg has become a father so congrats to him & welcome to the stress club dude ;-) He has dumped his free-coaster which is a bit disappointing as it's always good to see him doing his own thing going backwards. Chas has been sunning himself in Austin Tx for a few weeks & was still on a high from that. He went to the T1 ramps & met Joe Rich & lots of other (in)famous riders & by all accounts, had a RAD time there. His riding was looking good too with some nice X-up airs on the quarters & good style & flow indeed... As for myself, my bike felt alien as I hadn't ridden it for months & I didn't really make anything that got me stoked up but it was a nice hour in the saddle notheless.

So Sunday AM comes around & I'm hitting the Tarmac with my riding bud Iain D. He had a nice route planned for us but the weather deteriorated as we went along & soon we were all waterproofed up (cheers for the loan of the jacket dude). Got to Wyatts garden centre out near Rollright Stones but it was sadly closed for Easter! A bunch of other riders turned up (along with moter-bikers & lots of cars) so looks like Wyatt missed out on a stack of cash to scoff up his Easter eggs? fool...

The other riders were a good bunch & it's always nice to chat to like minded folk. Turns out one of them was Mick B, a friend of my dads whom I'd known all my life so it was real good to catch up with him again. After a good discussion about all manner of cycling, we went our separate ways & stopped for a choccy bar on the way back through Milcombe. I was still feeling good and climbed the last few hills well so I was more than pleased with our performance for the morning.

Got back in time for a Sunday roast too - yummy.

Cheers Iain, lets do it again soon dude ;-)

31 miles done.

Friday 10 April 2009

Way ahead...

Odyssey have just released these fashionable coloured gyro cables!


& here's my ride from 2006


Keep up you fcukwits. Ha!

Thursday 9 April 2009

Afternoon in the Sun...

As the forecast for Thursday was rain, I figured I'd make the most of the dry spell & get a ride in. Wednesday afternoon was nice if a bit windy but I needed to stick some miles in as the week was slipping by. I've picked up a new mini pump which fits on the bottle bosses of the frame & so I got that fitted along with the new seat pack so I'm all puncture proof now.

Usual route through N Newington & on to Epwell & Sugarswell Lane to the top of Sunrising. There were lots of cyclists making the most of the nice weather & there was hardly a cloud in the sky as I got to Edge Hill Castle. I stopped to take in the views on Camp Lane & then made steady progress back up the Warwick Road. Saw Nick & some Banbury Stars riders doing a ride & I managed to fight through the rush hour traffic back home. Pleased with the new parts (pics to follow) & the bike is now pretty much how I want it. some creaking emanating from the cranks or possibly freewheel, so I will need to check that out & rectify soon.

18.5 miles done.

Family ride...

Went out with my wife & Daughter for a little loop around Hanwell fields but I left them for a trip of my own on the way back. I decided to push it as best I could & do the usual Horley, Hornton route TonyB & I do. Conditions were good & I made good progress but adain I was very tired post ride.

Still need to sort a pump out to compliment the seat pack & tubes I have!

15 miles completed.

1st ride from last week...

Bit slow on the uptake with updates here but I did some rides last week & the 1st one went as follows.

Decided to go through Hornton but the other way this time as I knew there was still no way I would be able to make the climb I failed last time. I went out my usual route through N-Newington & 5 ways & past Alkerton tip & on towards Sunrising on the Stratford Road. I turned off right on the Horley/Hornton Road & then sailed down the hill into Hornton village. There are 2 uphills one after the other coming out of Hornton towards Wroxton & I made it up both of them but felt quite tired by the time I got home with a strong dose of shoulder ache!

16 miles done.

Wednesday 1 April 2009

+30...

I've been doing regular 20 mile rides without issue so I thought I'd try a longer ride today. Had a bit of an idea where I was heading but figured I'd see how I felt as I went & make desisions on destinations on the fly. On the Broughton Road I went out through Taddy & Swalcliffe & around the back of Epwell. Down that lovely big hill into Tysoe the views in the Sunshine were glorious & I almost forgot the oncoming BMW as I flew around the sweeping left hander going much too fast! I love Tysoe village, it has a great vibe & is full of history. You kind of feel like you have gone through a time warp riding through the village with all the old buildings & family butchers (with dogs waiting patiently outside) & other shops you don't really see anymore. Deciding against attempting Sunrising again, I carried on through Radway with nothing more than birdsong & fresh air to accompany my peddling rhythm. Following the perimeter of Temple Hardwyk's MOD base I made it onto the Warwick road & the joys of the national speed limit, regularly broken by motorists flying past me far to close for comfort. As soon as I could, I turned off to Avon Dassett & was glad to be away from the A road madness. I carried on towards Farnborough but I realised I hadn't been through Mollington for a long while so I headed back over the M40 & followed it's ceaseless drone until I got away up the hill into the village. Back onto the Southam Road it was a steady ride back to town & I went up Hanwell Fields estate to see if Ray was about. Once home I had a real feeling of accomplishment & couldn't wait to work out my mileage on gmaps!

31 miles done.

Short & sharp...

Had other things on this morning but wanted to do a quick ride so I really pushed it today! Went out past Tesco's & up the Southam Road to the Hanwell turn. Left, blitzing down the hill into & up through Hanwell then straight across the Warwick road & winding up to Wroxton & home again.

9 miles.

Saturday 28 March 2009

& one for Dad...

Since his stroke a year or so ago & due to impaired vision, my Dad has been riding bikes as his main source of transport. Although the circumstances are unfortunate, I'm always happy to see him out on two wheels & it's helping to keep him in trim too.

He was given an old Saracen MTB by one of his friends whom had not used it for some time so it was put into service as Dad's 'daily getabout' I've done a few bits of maintenance on it & stuck some 1.5" slicks on it as the tyres that it came with were about to give up the ghost. After deciding that slicks were far too uncomfortable for him, I was told to order something more appropriate & get them fitted.
As my folks are currently away in Barbados, I decided it was time for the bike to get a complete overhaul & bring it into line ready to go, upon their return.

I neglected to take photo's of it before the job but it was in a pretty messy state with years of grime getting a free ride wherever the bike went. In addition to the new rubber (Continental Traffic 1.9's) I also got a new rear derailleur cable & outer as the existing one was damaged. The rest just cleaned up well without any major issues. The rack was fitted the wrong way around (no wonder it was interfering with the rear brake!) & the rear cantilever was almost seized on the lug on one side & you could have made a wig with the amount of hair tangled in the rear mech!

Here's the finished project, it's had a coat of wax to bring the frame up a bit & it now all works as it should.









Jobs a good'un!

Solo not recovery...

As my mate TonyB was busy this week, I decided that I should still go out on my own. The wind was blowing a good'un & the skies were just waiting for me to step out the door into a shower. There's no point in trying to rely on British weather so I suited up & head out on another magical mystery tour. I do prefer not knowing where I'm heading & it only increases the sense of adventure I get from riding on 'new roads' that I haven't treaded down previously. So I took in the usual sights of N Newington, Wroxton & horley way & then wen't over to Hanwell & on to Great Bourton & Cropredy, Williamscot & back into the familiar ground of Chacombe (memories of lovely summer evening sessions at the ramps with friends). I Checked into Banbury Cycles on the way through town to see if my seat pack was in yet (it wasn't) & then on home.

I do need to invest in some replacement cycling shorts as the Santini's have about had their day & are becoming more uncomfortable as my rides progress. Also the chain tension problem seems to be improving due, I think, to the fact that the wheel nut is now biting into the dropout through the paint & keeping it's grip where it should be.

I would also like to mention that since I've started riding my Kona at Christmas, I've lost a stone in weight & my fitness levels have improved well which I'm very pleased with!

Get out on your bikes soon!

17 miles done...

Riding as the weather permits...

First ride this week was just a pootle around the local villages just riding without a pre-planned route. Went out to Bloxham & then up the hill on the Tadmarton Road past Highlands to Lower Taddy. I went up to 5 ways & then on the Plain Road through Balscote to the Stratford Road & then back into Banbury to see my Nan. I've been concerned about getting more punctures & I've ordered a seat pack to cover them as they rear their ugly heads again but it is stopping me going out too far after a couple of rather extended walks lately. My water bottles seem to be disintegrating too so will have to look at superior replacements sooner rather than later.

13.5 miles covered

Sunday 22 March 2009

The usual Friday run...

Rode out with TonyB again & we did an extension of our usual loop. The weather was fab & we had a good old chat about bikes & life in general. My riding is improving well & I'm finding hills that used to be a struggle are now just not an issue. Went into Banbury Cycles for a mooch & then home for Coffee.

22 miles all in...

Thursday 19 March 2009

One for the boy...

Jamie found this bike a few years back, it was just laying in the park looking like someone had just done a runner on it & had dumped it for an alternate 'getaway' means. We took it to the local authorities but no one claimed it so we gave it a home. It was set up to run as a single speed with some major adjustments of the dérailleurs, as it had no gear-shifters on it & after a few years of my son running it into the ground, I figured it was time to 'go to work'

Here's how she looked before I started:







It was fully stripped to assess the condition & get a list of parts that were required to make it rideable again. It appears that this was two bikes that had been merged (probably stolen?) as it had the wrong headset in it, a 6 speed rear dérailleur on a 9 speed block & a disc brake on the rear hub but no provision for a disc brake assembly on the frame. The frame is in very good condition bar a few scratches & the rear dérailleur hanger which was quite bent but was persuaded back to true with some gentle hammer & vice work. The forks are so heavy it's stupid & they do tend to 'dive' quite badly under heavy braking from the front disc setup. All the other parts were in good condition although the seat had a badly bent rail, so had to go.

After cleaning everything up I could start the rebuild. The wheels were trued up & a new rear tyre was sourced as an exact replacement for the 'skidded to within an inch of it's life' old one. I changed the existing 9 speed Shimano block for an 8 that I had taken off my Cindercone & also had the XTR 8 speed shifters left over from the Cindercones 7 speed conversion. This was planned a while back as I had some old 7 speed thumb-shifters & DX levers from about 15 years ago that I always wanted to go back on the Kona before she was sold.

It all went back together nicely & with some new rear blocks for the V brake, a new rear derailleur & a full set of new brake & gear cables, it was ready to roll. I put my old BMX homemade bar ends on it as the grip ends were mashed & the seat I salvaged from this lot was used to replace the damaged GT one.

















Cost was around £45 all in which, seeing as the bike was a freebee in the first place, seemed to be money well spent!

After getting it dialled in with numerous trips around the block, it rides quite well for what it is & the gear shift is very smooth as it should be. Jamie was pleased that he could ride up hills on it now & even bought the old man a big bar of Fruit & Nut to say thank you - good lad x

Wednesday 18 March 2009

It's a beautiful day!

Went to MK yesterday & went into Evans to look at the seat packs. Ended up coming home with 3 pairs of cycling socks instead!

So looking out today & the conditions looked perfect for a nice sunny ride out. I went up the Warwick Road as I wanted to finally nail the short, sharp uphill out of Horley towards Wroxton. Passed by Ray's & noticed the car was in so had a chat with him for a while & then went off down Hanwell fields to the Southam Road. Went up the Southam Road & then off to Hanwell & across the Warwick Road to Horley. As I came down through Horley, to the hill which had beaten me a month or so ago, I was winding it up & was determined to get up it this time. As I cranked it to the top it was a good feeling of accomplishment & I let out a "woohoo" with my little taste of victory.

I continued on & turned up the Shutford Road & came in the back end of Wroxton & then went back towards Horley again. As I coasted down that hill I wasn't gloating in the slightest ha! Made my way back up from Horley to the Warwick road (another steep one conquered) & then back to Banbury & round through Hardwick est to my folks place for a nice cold drink.

15.5 miles done.

Short & not so sweet....

After only getting to Wroxton via the Stratford Road I had a puncture & had to walk back home. It's surprising how quick you get there biking but how long it takes you to walk that same distance home. I was a bit pissed off with myself as I'd said this wasn't going to happen again. I really do need to invest in a seat pack & bits to cope with a flat. Consoled myself with a short ride out with my wife which was very pleasant in the afternoon sun.


The whole day totalled 12 miles (3 walked)

Joining the recovery...

Did an hours ride with Tony B again today on one of his recovery rides & I had to really think hard whilst checking the mileage to remember where we actually rode!? We always have a good laugh & don't really think about how far or fast we are going which is lucky because Tone is a world ahead of me in cycling fitness! After the ride out we had some coffee & watched a stage of a current cycle race on Eurosport. Good stuff.

20 miles total.

Another day another ride...

Did another ride as I wanted to do the loop that Iain & I had done last week, only in the other direction. It seemed pretty steady going up the Warwick road & felt great by the time I'd got to Edgehill. I decided to carry on on Sugarswell lane to go around Epwell to make the route a little longer but I ended up riding through the little lanes of Epwell itself & then getting back on the Shutford road. Made fast progress all the way back in but by the time I'd got to Giants cave I was about cooked. My back & shoulders ached pretty good but I kept the pace as best I could home.

20 miles done.

Wednesday 11 March 2009

Windy...

Thought I'd do a short loop just to keep the momentum going. I went out to North Newington & up to 5 ways but then went right towards Alkerton & past the tip onto the Stratford Road & back to Banbury. The wind was in my face for most of the ride & when I wasn't 'monkeying' up those hills, I was battling with a vicious head wind until I got to the Stratford road. It's hard work wind, I kept looking at the sky as I was expecting to get wet too but it gradually started to brighten up after a few spots of the old wet stuff. Once I got to the 'home straight' I finally had the tail wind I was hoping for, fantastic run back to town & I was bobbing on my seat my legs were working so fast. I think the few motorists that came past me were wondering exactly what I was grinning innanely about! Stopped into Rays on the way home but he was out.

Didn't feel quite as strong as I have done on the uphills, but still enjoying it :-)

13.5 miles done

Sunday 8 March 2009

Back in the saddle with my old pal Iain D...

Iain & I used to work together years ago & we always shared a common love of bikes. We'd go MTB riding regularly & the last time we did a ride together was the Hell of the North Cotswolds off-road 50k ride. I remember it as the hardest ride I've ever done & due to having zero bike fitness at the time, I was totally fucked afterwards but it was rewarding nonetheless.



So we had been talking about doing another run out together & now he had his new Olmo (very nice) road bike sorted, we decided on an early morning Sunday spin.

Leaving mine at 9am we headed out to North Newington & I was feeling pretty good with the nice blue skies & fresh air in my face. We did Newington to Shutford & on to Epwell & Sugarswell Lane to Sunrising. From there we road across to Edgehill & on around Camp Lane to the Warwick Road at Warmington. The ride across Camp Lane was great & we got up a real good average speed of 20mph but as we got on to the Warwick Road we were greeted by an evil head wind which battered us about all the way home. We stopped at my folks place for coffee & then made our way home.

Already looking forward to riding out again soon as....

20 miles done.

Friday 6 March 2009

Riding & walking...

Another beautiful morning & Tony & I were out on the Warwick Road again. We turned off for Horley & followed the road up past Varney's & Hornton again. Coming back in on the Stratford road I got a puncture & whilst trying to reinflate my tire the bloody valve blew off! It was decided that Tone would go on & get the car whilst I started a nice long walk towards Banbury. As the sun was out it was rather tranquil between the Bennie lorries hurtling past me as I strode on towards home. Nick from the Banbury Star came past & had a chat which was cool & I even got offered a lift from a kindly van driver who was travelling in the opposite direction! Goes to show there are some good folks left in this shit-bag world! Nick met up with a fellow rider & said goodbye & then Tony turned up in the motor as I got to Wroxton. I said that was the 1st & last time I was going to be that unprepared & I'm going to get some bits to take out with me to cover those sort of eventualities that are bound to happen again at some point.

Spanner - check
Allen key - check
Tyre levers - check
spare tube - check

8 miles riding
2.5 miles walking

Got home & gave the bike a good clean up as the wheels were off it...

Thanks Tony ;-)

Feeling it!

Did another recovery ride with Tony B today. We headed out on the Broughton Road & followed it to the Epwell fork. Across through Epwell & Sugarswell Lane to the Stratford Road & back to Banbury. Good conversation & the ride was done before we knew it but pushed it quite hard for me & I was very tired for the rest of the day...

20 mile loop

Tuesday 3 March 2009

Well that didn't last then!

So Tuesday brings rain, might have known that you aren't getting two whole days of nice weather but I was undeterred & got my stuff together to get some more miles in.

Went out to North Newington & I made it up the hill into the village without getting out of the saddle! Seeing as this was a big ask back in January I was stoked at my progress once I got up top. Made my way up through the village & then right to Wroxton. Made the big rise out of the saddle & noticed the building dark grey skies as I cranked along the top to the Stratford Road. Did a LH & went out a little way on the Stratford Road & then RH & back towards Horley. The wind was getting up by this stage & rain was defo on the cards any time soon. Made my way by the Scout Camp site & up onto the Warwick Road & back through Hardwick estate. My water bottle disintegrated on me so was launched over someones garden in disgust, temper temper young man! Before long I was tucking into a bacon sandwich with my folks - spot on...

10 miles completed.

It's a beautiful day!

Monday morning & the Sun is out, wow! what a rare occurrence & one to be taken advantage of. You can't beat getting out in the sun on your wheels (whatever they may be) & it was full-on good vibes as I peddled up the road.

Met up with Tony B as he was doing a recovery ride from his Hard riders TT race on Sunday. We headed out up the Warwick Road for a gentle ride around the villages. We did Horley up past Varney's & Hornton & then back on the Stratford Road & off to North Newington. I was surprised at how quickly it went & with all the chatting & banter, I really don't remember a lot of the cycling!?

Googlemaps says 20 miles all in...

Thursday 26 February 2009

Climbing Mt Everest (Sunrising hill)

After hooking up with Tone for a coffee yesterday & arranging to watch him race this weekend, I decided I had to have a taste of what he was to undertake as part of said race - climbing Sunrising hill. I haven't been out on the bike for about a week due to illness so I was ready to do some miles but at a more leisurely pace to take in the surroundings as I went. Heading out on the Broughton Road I went to Lower Tadmarton & then right on up to 5 ways junction. There was a minor headwind but unlike last ride it wasn't enough to spoil things & I found myself making nice progress & not struggling on the uphills at all. Making my way through Shutford & towards Epwell (a route I don't think I've done before?) I knew I was heading in the general direction of 'the big climb' Once I'd crossed over Sugarswell Lane the panoramic view was quite stunning & you can see for miles & miles across the countryside spread out in front of you. With the wilnd rushing up the hill into my face I locked into the drops & just rolled (faster than I've ever rolled I think!) all the way down into Tysoe.

Tysoe is a lovely little village with some great old buildings & deserves a walk through it sometime as it has lots of character, it's not everyday you see a 'Family Butcher' on a village street these days! a lot of the old buildings have dates on them & I always think of the changes that the village must have gone through in the hundreds of years that those structures have stood there for...?

After a quick stop to adjust my clothing layers I stopped briefly at a natural burial ground. These are interesting in that you can be buried somewhere nice & in the countryside as opposed to being stacked up in a cemetery when you pop those clogs!

"Just over there near that babbling brook, under the old Cedar tree please" - Splendid.

Onwards to the main Stratford Road & there it was in front of me, the big one, a 16% long & twisting climb up the steep side of the valley & there's me with only one gear! Oh well I only wanted to see how bad it was.... very!

I made it up the first ramp which seemed pretty tough in itself & then taking in the shallower climb to the first corner I was already thinking 'no chance' but I stood down on those SPD's & made it around the tight uphill 180%(ish) bend &.... that was it. I dismounted knowing I had not a chance in hell of making another 200 yards+ to the 'summit'. Oh well, I did quite enjoy a little walk which gave me the chance of getting my breath back & after a stop for a go on the water bottle at the top it was back in the saddle, homeward bound.

With a tail-wind I turned up the wick a bit & did all the way back to Wroxton with a lovely turn of speed & rhythm. At one point I went into a dip & as I started up the other side I was hammering it, stood up & went screaming up the incline like a man possessed! wicked buzz when you are making rapid progress :-) Once at Wroxton I decided to cut right & go back through North Newington & back into Banbury on the Broughton Road I left on. Made good speed for the rest of the trip & got back feeling very good as this is the longest ride I've done this far.

21.5 mile trip

Good luck on Sunday Tone mate, that's one knarly hill!

Monday 16 February 2009

I hate wind...

Needed to get out this afternoon for a dose of fresh air but I think I got a little more than I bargained for! Did the Bloxham - Adderbury loop but had a head wind for most of the way around. It totally destroys the fun element of riding does wind, real hard work & you feel like your going backwards instead of making good progress. Added to that I got some road debris in my eye early on into the ride & it wasn't the most pleasant of experiences. I was still glad to get out again as anything has got to be better than being cooped up, looking at the snow?

I'm still having minor problems with the rear wheel gradually creeping into the dropout from monkeying up those hills but the axle isn't long enough to support a chain tug. Think I'm going to have to find a longer replacement axle to get this sorted as I'm having to re-align the wheel after every 3-4 rides.

11 Miles done

Sunday 15 February 2009

A walk in Hornton & getting chased by rain...

I was keen to do another ride today but wasn't too sure where I was going so I kinda just followed my nose. Ended up going through Wroxton & then up the Stratford Road a way until cutting off onto the B road to Hornton. There was still some snow on the country roads so I played it careful & threaded my way through it nicely. After a nice long downhill roller there is sharp short hill climb & then a longer, less intese hill up to the top & on down into Hornton. When I came out of the other side of the village I just couldn't face the hill up so I dismounted & enjoyed a walk up the hill, admiring the lovely properties & cars as I went. No sooner had I walked to the top it started to spit with rain so I clipped into the SPD's & went like a bullet back towards Horley. Some stupid bints on horses, whom obviously had no control over said steeds were all over the road as I approached them & one horse reared up as I flew behind it. Sorry but I don't have a lot of respect for horses as, they shit all over the place, don't pay road tax & never seem to know what the fuck they are doing!? So blasting onwards & past more stupid four legged road users I was spanking out of Horley & up to the Warwick Road. The hill before the top was taken & then I carried on with a great pace back into Banbury. Stopped at my folks for tea once again.

13 Miles complete.

Back on track...

It was really good to get back out on the Kona at last, I thought I'd do a nice little route I had planned, so I started out to North Newington. Stopped at Steve & Rob's whom I haven't seen in a while, Steve has a side-hack BMX which he has been careering around Leamington BMX track on, which does look a lot of fun! After a brief catch up I was back in the saddle & headed up the hill to Wroxton & then back to Drayton & Banbury. I rode down Hanwell Fields estate & got up a lovely turn of speed as I was tucked in on the drops & rolling all the way to the bottom :-) I made my way over to Bob's house but he was out so I rode back up Beaumont & up to my folks house for a cuppa.

My legs felt real good today & I had no problems with the hills at all. The mudguards are ace too with no rattle, you'd never know they were there.

Googlemaps says 12.5 miles done.

Saturday 14 February 2009

On Guard!

Finally the SKS Chromoplastic mudguards are fitted. After doing some research online to find out what were the guards to buy I settled on these at £26. I went for the P35 700c models to fit tyres up to 28mm, which I am running.



After mucho hassle & being messed about by Evans in MK, I managed to complete what should have been a simple task. It turned out to be a much bigger job than I figured.

I fitted the front guard first as one of the brackets for the rear was missing. They include a patented fitting that enables the guard to release from the fork dropout in the event of debris/road kill sticking to your tyre & catapulting you OTB.



This reminds me of when I was a kid, this shit bag who liked to try to bully me was charging around me on his bike so I rammed a stick through his front wheel & sent him flying a treat! totally ripped his spokes out haha!

That'll learn him....

Anyway back on track, the bracket which is revetted to the guard & bolts to the brake was completely incompatible with my brake & fork crown. I decided to drill the existing rivets out & re-bend the bracket & refit it. This was done without much hassle & once refitted it was in the correct position to allow the required adjustment. I also changed the hardware that the above mentioned quick releases used & went with some nice low profile dome-head stainless hardware & nylock nuts on the inside to prevent them rattling loose. The V shaped 3mm rod supports that fit to the quick releases needed cutting to length, so after a long winded measuring session (measure twice, cut once remember :-), they were fitted into the plastic covers & bolted down.





You make the final adjustments here & this was also quite time consuming getting the fore/aft & left to right distances bang on. This completed the front mudguard fitment.



So when I finally got the missing bracket & had all the parts, I was ready for the even bigger task of the rear one! First problem that was raised was the fitment at the BB Chain stay bridge. When the supplied bracket was fitted as suggested it was about 8mm out of line with the bridge so I knocked up some nylon spacers & new hardware to 'bridge the gap'







I had to do it this way as it was not possible to pull the guard up to the bridge & away from the tyre as there was just not enough space between the stays for the mudguard.

This problem solved, it was onto the elusive missing brake anchor bracket which, surprisingly, went on without too much fuss. This just left the V shaped 3mm rod supports which needed some work & cutting to get the correct fitment.



Once they had been installed in the same method as the front ones (only without the quick release brackets) the job was complete.











I think that this took in the region of about 8 hours total to complete but they are very sturdy & I like the low profile looks a lot. Thanks again to my Dad for the help & engineering expertise. Now all that remains is to ride the damn thing for the first time in weeks.

watch this space...

Sunday 8 February 2009

No riding...

Well with all the snow & ice that's currently dashing any hope of going out on your bike, I finally got around to finishing the work to fit the SKS mudguards on the Kona. I purchased them from Evans in MK who, in their infinite wisdom, neglected to give me one of the brackets needed to fit them! After numerous phone calls to them to get the part posted, them lying to me saying it had been posted then deciding it hadn't, then sending me the WRONG bracket & then the postal delays due to the aforementioned white stuff, I finally got the correct bracket yesterday nearly two weeks later!

I have spent a large amount of time fitting the front one whilst I waited for this bracket & for anyone thinking of buying SKS mudguards, be prepared for some time consuming work to fit them if you want them installed correctly. I intend to follow this post up with some photo's & descriptions of the fitting issues I faced with my frame & forks...

Can't wait to ride it now!

Wednesday 28 January 2009

Nice ride...

Decided to visit my Sister & put in a few miles too so I went out on the Daventry road & then on up to Chacombe. Rode on to Middleton & had no real problems with the hills, just took it in my stride which was a good feeling that I am progressing with my fitness. Stopped @ my sisters house for a coffee & catch up & checked out some of her facebook friends which was a blast from the past! Left Middleton & stormed it down the dual over the M40 & on up home. Felt good & got a real nice rhythm up all the way home - stoked!

11.5 miles total.

Also went to Milton Keynes in the PM & picked up some SKS Chromoplastic mudguards but the bike is going to need a real good clean up before they go on...

Saturday 24 January 2009

Cable mod...

Well it's been a while! Thought I'd have a go at modding my front cable as I came up with a solution whilst building up BobK's new rig. The Nokon brake cables come with some plastic tubes which, I think, are to stop cable rattle & paint rub on frames which they are installed on? So the plastic tubes seem to have a good tight fit on normal brake cable outer so I figured I could finally do the cable join that I'd been waiting to do for ages. My reason for doing this mod was purely aesthetic in that I wanted orange cables originally but the Linear will not bend nicely for the brake end of the cable run so a normal piece is substituted for that end.

I cut the top half of the cable (linear) so that the join would run about mid way inside the fork steerer & then the standard outer would continue on to the front brake. I made sure that the 2 mating surface ends of the cables were nice & flat & the fit was nice & tight in the joining piece.







Once fitted it seems to work fine but I will reserve judgement until it's been through a good few sessions. Seeing as I haven't ridden since the RAD Xmas doo that may take a while!

Wednesday 21 January 2009

Kissing seat...

I went out towards North Newington but decided to take the slightly longer route up to 5 ways instead of up the hill to Wroxton. Pretty frosty on the roads but strangely, the air temperature seemed quite mild. From 5 ways junction I headed to Balscote & the hill back up to the main Stratford road was a big ask once again. At the top of this hill I noticed a circle of trees with a small 'kissing seat' between them so I decided to stop & take in the views & get my breath back. It was nice to sit for a minute or two & come back to normal breathing whilst admiring the views of the surrounding countryside. I've been thinking that I am currently missing out on this aspect of cycling due to the fact I am trying to get my fitness up & am generally 'head down - going for it' So maybe I'll slow up a bit & also try to enjoy the sights a little too?

10.5 miles round trip.

Paddy Wagon history...

Thought I'd post this up as I have pictures of all the PW's since they were 1st introduced. Paddy White is a designer/rider for Kona & he decided he wanted a no frills SS bike for track/road/commuting.

The 1st generation PW was released in 2006:


2nd gen 2007:


3rd gen 2008:


4th gen & current model for 2009:


There haven't been any radical changes as you can probably see but the tubeset for the 06, 07 & 08 models was supplied by Dedacciai but has changed to Kona's own butted tubing for the current model (probably due to escalating steel costs worldwide). Component selection hasn't changed much aside from rims, cranks & bars & the price has floated between £450 & £550.

Back in the saddle...

Nice to get back out today after all the wet weather we've had. I don't fancy going out in the rain as it's not an enjoyable experience, even when you have all the correct gear. A nice fresh cold (but dry) day & I was heading out up the Warwick Road once again. I decided to go through Warmington up to Farnborough Lake & back on the Southam Road. The uphill from Farnborough up to the Southam Road was a long old struggle but I made it up.

Took the opportunity to visit my folks on the way back through Banbury & had a marvellous bacon sandwich - moms are ace aren't they!? xxx

15 mile loop according to google maps.

Wednesday 14 January 2009

SS commander Crowman!

Dave from Oxford has just picked up a SS courier bike:

Dial-Ride-Wash...

Needed to check the Paddy Wagon over today as there were a few jobs that needed attending to. I removed those shity reflectors out of the spokes (not before time) & also took off the fixed cog from the flip-flop hub as I don't intend on using it so dead weight! The hub has a stepped threaded body for the fixed cog which screws on to the large step first followed by the lock ring (which is a LH thread) on the smaller outside step. The idea is that, should the cog come undone it will move against the lock ring which will only tighten up because of the opposing thread direction.

I made up my mind to do the Bloxham-Ells Lane-Broughton loop the other way today. Now, being a loop you would expect that how ever much you ascend, you have to descend the same amount back to the start... Right? Well the loop going the other way seemed much harder! I mean, I knew the long hill up from Bloxham into Banbury was going to be a haul but it was the worst one yet. I'm not sure if it was the cold (my brake levers had a layer of ice on them when I got home) the fact I was wheezing like that penguin from Toy Story II or just me being tired today but it certainly took it out of me. Always a sucker for punishment I still blasted down the long road home to really use up the last shreds of energy I had.

7 miles done.

The bike has built up a nice crust of shite off the road from all the wet rides of the last week so I gave her a nice wash down & dry before putting her to bed. Good as new!


Tuesday 13 January 2009

New loop...

Looked on Googlemaps for a new loop & decided to do Bloxham to Adderbury today, a total of 11 miles. The shoes felt a bit better although I will have to fine tune the cleat position as the outside of my foot seems to ache a bit during riding. It has been wet but the rain stayed off & the ride was pretty good. The long road from Bloxham to Milton then Adderbury is smooth, flat & fast & you can really get a good rhythm going there. The traffic on the main road pisses me off a bit & I'd happily take a back road given the choice. Still had some left in the tank on the last road home so I gave it a big final blast home.

Jelly legs in effect!

New shoes...

With my SPD shoes & pedals all set up I did a ride out to check them out. I decided to do the North Newington-Wroxon loop as there are a few decent hills to climb & it's about time I stood up to them (literally!)

The loop totals 7 miles & was not really a problem. I made the steep crawler out of Newington but it was a big ask. The hill up into Drayton was attacked on the drops & was noticably better than previous attempts. I have decided against reducing my gearing as planned as I'm definitely seeing an improvement in my riding, which a few people have said, would be the case.

The shoes are going to take a good few sessions to get sorted but the difference compared to gripless plastics is amazing!

Old pals...

Friday Morning I hooked up with Tony B for a ride out & to catch up on the many years since we had seen each other in a social capacity. We did the Warmington-Edge Hill circular which totalled about 18 miles with the ride back from Tony's place afterwards. I must explain that Tony & I were best friends in School, we both had a passion for bikes & from the day he was introduced to our class we hooked up & discovered we both owned Raleigh Bombers. We got into BMX in a big way along with some other friends whom I do still see & ride with. We've shared a lot of miles on & off road riding & it was soo cool to be spinning along talking almost as fast as we were riding & smiling & laughing about days gone by. Post ride we had a few cups of good coffee & a look @ some of Tony's A-mazing road bike 'collection'. I took some good tips on my riding & fitness from him & he also was most kind in giving me a pair of SPD shoes so that I could dump my kids ones & put some power to the tarmac ;-)

In all we had a great time & the hours flew by. I hope we can get a few miles in now & again, around his busy training schedule, as it was what cycling is all about for me - FUN.

Thursday 8 January 2009

Wet ride...

Decided to do a short ride out despite the shitty wet weather & seeing as I missed riding yesterday. Just did a short but fast ride up & around Hanwell Fields & back up through Beaumont to my ma's place for a cuppa. Bike's now a bit of a mess.



Googlemaps says 6 miles which seemed pretty easy. The hills are becoming slightly less daunting & I've been staying in the saddle for the mellower ones. Breathing wasn't an issue today as it's warmer than it has been over the last week or so.

Riding with Tony B tomorrow which is going to be a great session, most of which will be spent laughing our tits off reminiscing over old times no doubt! Here's a link to his training blog:

tonystrainingracingdiary2009

Wednesday 7 January 2009

On the Drops...

Today I did the Bloxham-Ells Lane-Broughton loop again. Tried riding on the drops as much as I could & it's kind of clicking into place now that they do work (philistine - moi?). Damn cold & icy in places & a little hard-going but I'm definitely feeling an improvement in my fitness levels. Doing a lot of walking with my wife which is also helping I think.

7 miles completed.

Sunday 4 January 2009

Nice...

Found this on a site & have to say it looks very nice in the classic SE Brown & Blue. Proper old skool vibe!

One gear reasoning with Sheldon Brown...

I read this article a while ago & it made a lot of sense to me so, after trying out a single speed bike, I knew it was for me:


Why use a bike with only one gear???

“Why - The three F’s... Fun, Fitness and F-ficiency".


FUN: Riding bikes with one gear is fun. It forces a different pace upon you. You will sprint and walk the climbs, and have fun trying to avoid using the brakes on the downhills (because you don’t have a high enough gear to put the speed back on). At the 2001 world champs in Wales, on the flat fireroads, everyone spun out at around 18mph, we sat up, chatted, shared food and drinks, and then when we reached the downhill singletrack, it was elbows out, jostling for position, no brakes and hell for leather death or glory racing.

You will also find that you develop a closer relationship with your bike, it feels like its part of you. Single speed gatherings are also a blast, riding with and hanging with single speeders is fun & single speed races are always a hoot. Basically single speeding is more involving and therefore more fun.


FITNESS: You will simply become uber fit. At first some climbs will be impossible epics, but as you steadily tick off and make it up the previously unclimbable hills – you will feel like Lance Bloody Armstrong (but with two testicles and without the shaved legs).

Singlespeeding will give you legs a much broader range of spinning speeds: mental fast spins on the tarmac home from the trailhead, and dead slow screaming grunts on the climbs. This makes you much fitter than a geared chap who seem to always spin round at the same RPM.

A seasoned singlespeeder will also have an upper body in good shape, as much of your climbing power will come from out of the saddle monkeying, where you grunt and wrestle the bike with your arms.


(e)FFICENCY: With no silly little jockey wheels, clangy dangly derailers, evil Japanese shifters, yards of cable, and loads of extra cogs and chain – you bike will be as much as 5 pounds lighter. This means it will handle better, and be easier to push or carry (which tends to happen quite often).

Your chain runs directly from one cog to another, and the power transfer from pedal to wheel feels more efficient and direct.

But one of the most significant benefits of having a sleek striped down bike is your new maintenance schedule…. Simply point a hose at it once in a while, lube the chain, put air in tyres – job done! Say goodbye to all the fiddly nonsense. that goes with owning a geared bike.


RIP Sheldon - you rule

http://sheldonbrown.com/home.html

Pedals...

Dug my old Shimano SPD pedals out of the shed & gave them a complete overhaul. They are in great nick & now I just have to find some good SPD compatible shoes for them.







Should make the riding a bit faster!

Did a quick lap around some of the town before darkness fell which turned out to be 3.5 miles & only took between 10-15mins but as Tesco's will tell you - every little helps.

Frosty...

Did a short loop today: Bloxham Road to Bloxham & then across Ells Lane & back through Broughton. The uphills are improving slowly but surely but I struggled with my breathing again due to the cold air. Lovely countryside all peppered in white frost & not busy on the roads either. Dropped my seat about 1/4" but I think I prefered it where it was!?

Googlemaps says 7 miles done

Friday 2 January 2009

First of 09...

Just a short run out today. I went out on the Warwick Road & off to Horley & then across to Wroxton. These villages hold a lot of fond, childhood memories for me & it's always nice to pedal through them now & again. Didn't manage to get up the steep one out of Horley towards Wroxton (oh the shame) but I attacked the hill into Drayton a little better this time. Only 7 miles total today but 'every little helps' Went to see Duggie aftewards for tea & catchups, man he has the sickest Ti road frame - how light?!