Flying Scot - Continental Tandem

[Jamiedyer]

I am so enjoying the long weekend and having a great time with the family starting the year off in a good way.
It looks like most are trying to do the same with their riding judging by the cool photos being posted the last few days.
Well this morning i put together Heathers pizza oven and we fired it up as you have to fire it for about an hour at temp and then let it cool before wiping clean and then ready to use properly, so we did this in the hope the weather stays nice, ie; not raining and we could have pizza for dinner.
Once this was sorted and we got a few other things done I thought after riding solo the last few rides I would see if Caleb was up for a run on the tandem, which was a silly question really. So we were all suited and booted tandem out, tyres pumped and with the sun shining we were ready to go when all of a sudden from over the roof where we couldn't see, it started bucketing down, a quick retreat to the shed for 10 minutes while I cursed the seldom dry road now absolutely running with water. Oh well, bright side was as least it stopped which meant we could still ride
Didn't go far just a loop of a 5 - 10 miles to keep the legs spinning. Was definitely nice to be back out with the boy just cruising along. Tandem was running nicely and I have still to strip and overhaul it but plenty of time left for that. I have an idea that winter isn't yet upon us properly.
So a lovely ride then home to fire up the pizza oven and see how it goes. Heather had mad the dough earlier and the sauce she makes is always lovely but after the first one where I got it sussed for temp and how much to open the flu we soon had the most beautiful pizzas for dinner. A little while to get to temp, then a bit to keep it consistent with feeding it wood and then just a couple of minutes each pizza.
So how good a day is that, long weekend with no work tomorrow, a great ride with my boy and beautiful pizza with the family!
Great start to the year and I really hope everyone else is having a good one too.

Jamie

IMG_4641 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_4644 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_4648 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_4650 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_4651 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_4656 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_4637 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_4659 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

 

[HoldsworthBen]

That's a lovely looking bike!

 

[oliverrr]

Heartwarming pictures! You seem to have lots of fun together.

 

[Jamiedyer]

Out today for a ride into town with Caleb on the Flying Scot tandem.
The weather was nice this morning but rain was forecast so knew we had to head into town before lunch. Needed to speak with Sam in the bike shop and so the destination was set. Had planned on just going for a ride solo but glad Caleb was itching for a ride as it meant I could ride in on the tandem. I still haven't stripped it or changed the bars or levers despite them all sitting on the bench.
Anyway just after we left the wind picked up and the sun was soon lost behind the clouds growing darker and more menacing as time went on. We had wet roads in town so must have just missed a shower but luckily for us we stayed dry.
We still managed a good ride to town, a loop round the harbour and sea front before racing the rain home.
Great to be back out with my wingman. Cold still but a really nice ride.

Jamie

IMG_5089 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5095 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5092 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

 

[Jamiedyer]

A few photos from March 21st socially distanced ride with the Highland Classic Bicycle Groups Crocus ride in Inverness.
Caleb and I were on the Flying Scot tandem and had a great day out together riding through Inverness and along the canal with Brian and everyone else with a picnic lunch along the canal. Great to see Brian everyone again. Caleb had a ball and did him no end of good to get out.
So glad he decided to come so we could get some miles in on the tandem he almost didn't come as when I asked each time on Saturday he just kept saying no he didn't feel like it. I even tried to convince him just before he went to bed as I was loading the Jack Taylor into the van as I had to leave by 6am to drive the couple of hours south to Inverness and get Brian on the way. No he wasn't coming, Ok can't be too hard but knew something wasn't right as he had been shielding again since Christmas due to Heather and he was just anxious about being out around people and also about leaving Heather on her own, though she really needed the time alone. Anyway as I was leaving at 6 am heading out the door with a coffee in my hand, van warming up he came out of his bedroom half asleep saying he had changed his mind and wanted to come. I said too late my boy as I had to leave and didn't have time to unpack, get him ready, then dig out the tandem and load it up. Said goodbye and left, well I only got about a mile down the road, rang Heather and said get him ready and I would be home in a minute to swap bikes etc but he needed his breakfast to eat in the van and I would make his sandwiches for lunch. I'm far too soft
Well we had a great day out and you can see by the smile in the photos that he did too. He always loves riding the tandem and I knew he would be fine once he was out. He loved the ride all along the river and canals all over Inverness and really liked that there were other children on the ride.
A grand day out for sure

11 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

Brian
IMG_5344 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5346 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

The group shot
IMG_5347 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5352 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5355 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5357 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

 

[Nob]

Good Bonding session

 

[montair]

FAN FLIPPIN TASTIC, i have just chanced on this thread by spying it on the "Similar threads" bit at the bottom of the page. And what a joy to read I have always been on solo's (except for 2 minutes test rides as explained below). At the start of last year my son was getting bored of rides as he only had the stamina to do x miles and we had done all the local routes. So i got hold of a Tandem to extend the range and we have loved every minute of it (especially for me as it gives me a chance to tinker).
Any way pictures and as the Americans would say Tandem Life rules

2 Minute Test Rides
Back in the late 80's my dad was heavily involved with youth projects and knew a lot of of local youth workers. By chance one was from the Blind collage in Hereford just around the corner from where we lived. She asked if we could help with the tandems as they needed some TLC and there was no budget for an a LBS to look at them. My dad said yes and repaired them for a while, funnily it was always straightening the forks or front end damage.
He did this for a while until he was advised not to by the local Plod who thought a better way of stopping the damage would be to restrict the visually impaired people to being the stoker as they may struggle being the captain.
The Tandems were hidden away for a few years but i did see them out before the millennium and it must be a fantastic feeling if you are blind or visually impaired.

 

[Peachy!]

Also just stumbled across this Jamie, great read and as always with your threads great photos. I’d never seriously considered a tandem before but it was suggested by a friend that it might be a good idea now that Jimmy is 14 & getting stronger & fitter every day so our rides often seem to be almost separate affairs as we only get to chat when I’ve caught up!
So although I fancied a Jack Taylor & just missed out on a few that might have been perfect I instead bought a late 80’s Claud Butler (for about the price of a Jack Taylor set of forks) just to see how we get on in tandem. Restoration thread started here;
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1987-marlboro-claud-butler-majestic-2-tandem.428706/

 

[Jamiedyer]

Thanks for the nice words guys. I have only just seen the replies, suppose I am not up on the reminders on the new site yet.
Glad you like the tandem. Peachy, you and young Jim will have a ball for sure. The Taylors that are crazy money just don't sell, there is a couple on Ebay that have sat there for nearly 3 years! Then a couple of later ones have come on and thought, 'oh! that's what they're worth' so they put theirs on for silly money and soon that's what people think they sell for. Most of the long termers on ebay have at least now got an offer option, I quiet like one them. Can't help it I suppose, love my Scot's but love my Taylors more I think
Montair, your son looks just like mine with that tandem smile on his face. My Caleb loves it and took to it instantly. He was so disappointed with lockdown and the restrictions last year stopping us touring on it. I like how your Thorn is smaller at the back to fit him, good sizing.
It's interesting you say about the blind tandeming because I was asked/informed about a tandem group in Inverness who do the riding on a Thursday evening in the summer taking blind riders out for an hour or so. I was going to try and get down with the Cargo bike a while back but it's a long way south for me. Worthwhile though I am sure. Maybe this year.

Jamie

 

[Jamiedyer]

Well this weekend was busy with a few other chores and the weather didn't want to play nicely when I did have a bit of time but regardless I did get a bit of riding and a good amount of tinkering done.
Managed to finally get round to swapping out the handlebars on the Flying Scot tandem and eventually sorting the gears out properly. Ended up pulling quite a bit of it apart on Saturday afternoon/evening , starting with the bars and levers before taking the brakes apart as well as the shifters, which was a nightmare as one of the bar ends was threaded. Just wanted to give the frame itself a proper degrease and clean, something it really needed before fresh grease all round and start swapping the bits out. Ended up changing the bars for a new set of Nitto B36 Randonneur bars, Tektro levers with new inner and outer cables, new gear cables and sort the front mech out as it has never worked right since we had it. Rack is off to get at the back to clean but also made it easier with the brakes etc. Ended up ditching the old silver mud guards and fitting a set of lightly used red Bluemel Popular guards I had in the loft. Suite it I think. Though front is a bit shorter than the others. So with new bar tape the front is all new and feeling nicer than the mismatch that was on there.
Of course I had to go for a decent ride to make sure it all worked of course. Though it did feel weird riding the tandem on my own.
The rack will go back on tomorrow night as I have Thursday and Friday off work and hopefully Caleb and I will get across to Orkney for a day or two. So needed to have it all set for him and me too of course. Just small changes but felt much better.

Jamie

IMG_6237 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_6230 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_6239 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr