Show us what you did today, thread

[old_coyote_pedaller]

Re:

I say, that chap in the video really needs to cut back on his nocturnal activities, what.

Jamie,
The Ural one could be 2WD, with the sidecar wheel looking to be in line with rear on bike.

If you want to replicate the shape of it's sidecar you could try making it out of plywood instead of GRP. With GRP a mould* of sorts would be required but using plywood you could have a gentle longitudinal curve on sides and the front shape would bend into place easily enough if not too thick. If necessary it could be steamed or heated with hot water at point of maximum bend to form it's curve. The rear end could be shaped like a canoe. All the joins taped and epoxy resined on inside for strength/sealing. Google stitch and tape canoe building for more info.

*When I had a kitcar I tried to make a mould for a GRP racing seat. Cut and shaped a sheet of hardboard with shiney side in, fitted it on to formers, taped over the joins to smooth them to make a plug. Used some wax polish of sorts as a release agent then laminated several layers of glass and resin onto inside of plug. Had intended to then make 2 seats from this mould but ended up just using the mould as a seat. Once I'd glued padding, Karrimat type foam sheet, on to it it worked fine, was comfy and it held me secure with nae moving about unlike original seats.

 

[Jamiedyer]

Hi mate
Yeah, I think thin ply is the way to go. It will be open from the back, even if it has the door shape left in. It's really just to carry the dog and maybe some camping gear. Lightweight is the key obviously as I have to pedal the thing and it's not the lightest beast before I start

Jamie

 

[RobMac]

Re:

John I could well imagine you sitting on a Urinal :mrgreen:

Jamie it's a real pity we don't stay closer I could sort you out regarding constructing a sidecar.

 

[old_coyote_pedaller]

Re: Re:

John I could well imagine you sitting on a Urinal :mrgreen:

Jamie it's a real pity we don't stay closer I could sort you out regarding constructing a sidecar.

Rob, what's in your imagination I never want to see...........ever :shock:


Jamie, you could fit a discrete electric assist to sidecar that drives it's wheel. Keep it covered with some cargo or camping gear, naebody will ever know. :mrgreen:

 

[epicyclo]

To keep a sidecar light, don't build it out of ply - except the floor.

Do it with frames, stringers, and doped canvas. Just like a WW1 fighter.

 

[Jamiedyer]

No, it's just needs top be a box really as it is the dog that is going in it so it needs to be solid. Just try and make it a bit different.

Jamie

 

[Jamiedyer]

As Caleb was away at a Beaver campout last night and I also didn't make it down to the Jack Taylor ride in Yorkshire (very sadly). Gutted to miss it as Ken Taylor was in attendance and was looking forward to meeting up with everyone, but after a long month with being in Germany and then a couple of nights home then down to Edinburgh for work and only home Thursday it was just a bit much, this plus Heather having car issues sealed it. Will hopefully get away with Brian for a ride tomorrow down south of Rothiemurcus .
Anyway, I went out yesterday afternoon for a ride on the Big Dummy, minus my co pilot, minus the sidecar. It was late on and after being out already on it with Spot for a walk so he gets used to it for his sidecar, I thought I would roll round the coast and aim for Dunnet Head. Weather stayed nice for me which was good though the wind from the north was pretty strong. Left Heather studying and gave her some peace for a few hours.
Hope everyone else is having a decent weekend and hope the weathers stays good.

Jamie

DSCN5157 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5160 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5162 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5167 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5170 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5172 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5177 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

 

[epicyclo]

Empty roads and cyclepaths to Drumochter Pass to check out some tracks for future rides.



Drumochter Pass



I've been eyeing these off for years, but it's been when passing in a car or on the train.



So a wee poke along them



And they definitely look worth a bit more attention

 

[Jamiedyer]

Great photos of a really good ride.
We used the day as a scouting mission for a few other rides that we had been talking of lately and for this ride we knew we weren't getting the early start we would need and we also had no idea what the weather would do as so far this long weekend the forecast had been less than accurate.
I had managed to wrangle the Monday off as I was supposed to be down in Yorkshire for the Jack Taylor ride but after being away in Germany and then away last week for work I just couldn't get all the way down for the weekend. Not to worry as I had some great rides out on the Dummy and thankfully Brian was back from Glasgow and we were able to plot a run down the national cycle route 7, the section from Kinguissie south to Drumochter Pass, from which we then deviated onto the dirt that ran 90 degree to the A9 and up into the hills.
The cycle route has some really nice cycle paths with the first section to Newtonmore only leaving the cycle path when into Newtonmore itself, then it was local quite road to Ralia, crossing over the Spey several times. We stopped at this piont and had some lunch at the Ralia cafe before rejoining the cycle path that while running close to the A9 was really quiet and peaceful as is sheilded by trees and bushes so you don't notice the traffic at all. Further on before Dalwhinnie we joined a very quiet road that runs on the oppsite side of the glen from the A9, it's a nice open road that seemed to be channeling a pretty steady headwind so not as easy as we thought it should be, but hey, no rush.
We stopped at Dalwhinnie village for a coffee as we knew there wasn't going to be much else south of here unless we kept going to Bruar which was also a bit further than we planned. Just out of the village where the road joins the A9 the cycle path starts again and from here on ran along side the A9, sometimes close, like footpath close and other times deviated away into woods or followed the old road, crossing over little narrow wooden bridges here and there with a surface that was very smooth tarmac in places but for the most part it was gravel, rough in a few spots but I thought it was pretty good considering the alternative was to ride the A9.
We took the usual photos at the Drumochter sign and then headed further south to explore a dirt track we had seen many times running up into the hills before Dalnaspidal. It was a nice peice of dirt road, rough due to the big rocks embedded but rideable. We stopped at a small creek crossing and took a few photos and Brian ventured slightly further up the hill to confirm that it just gets better. So a plan was hatched to head back here to investigate this track some more as we think it would go right over the hills and certainly looked rideable for as far as we could see it snaking it's way up the valley. We couldn't go too much further as time was getting well on by this stage and so we rode back to the cycle path and turned back north and hoped that headwind would now be a tailwind.
Safe to say we made good time back on the cycle path to Dalwhinnie, for quite a few kilometres I was sitting on a steady 30 -35 klmh over the gravel and skimming through the narrow bridges, just one of those little bits of a ride that feel like a steady effort and a steady cadence for mile after mile, great fun and certainly quicker than the run down.
After quick afternoon tea at Ralia around 6pm we hit the road for the final few miles back through Newtonmore and onto the car. On this stretch we could see to the east that it was bucketing down with rain on the Cairngorms and thankfully we made it back dry and only got the rain when driving back past Aviemore. Certainly a late night for me by the time I dropped Brian off and then drove back north it was about 10.30 or so. Well worth it though as it was another great ride out. No rush, just riding our bikes in a nice part of the world, no real destination, just to enjoy the ride and the company.
We have found two good off road rides to head back for so it was successful on that front as well.
Cheers Brian for a great day.

Jamie

DSCN5209 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN7045 by epicyclo, on Flickr

DSCN5197 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr


I said a bike trailer Brian! a bike trailer
DSCN5212 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5215 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5219 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5223 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5224 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5228 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5231 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5244 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5256 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5259 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5264 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5272 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5277 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

DSCN5278 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

 

[clubby]

Re:

I know the path you mean Jamie. Always tempts me when I'm up that way. Only problem is you run into Loch Ericht ( I think) opposite Ben Alder. Not sure if you can navigate the South side round to Dakwhinnie or not. Lots of other similar tracks near the b&b on the railway but again looking at the OS map for the area the tracks just dead end. May be some newer estate track though not on the map, those areas change all the time. It's not a wide stretch over to the Lagan side but there are quite a few Munro's, some big lochs and not a lot else.