Show us what you did today, thread
- Thread starter clockworkgazz
- Start date
It was a lovely day up here today, slight wind blowing but nowhere near as bad as the last week. I could tolerate the wind a bit easier due to the lovely sunshine.
Like Clubby spent some time relaxing with the family, late breakfast etc so a really chilled morning, then got stuck into a few jobs that needed doing around the place all the while planning a ride out later in the afternoon on the trusty Merckx. Shameful to say that it is only the first time out this year for my pampered favourite
This was also as it was the start of the classics this week with E3 on Thursday and Gent -Welvgem today, favourite time of year. So after a great race on the box I went out and put in some quick miles and realised why I love this bike so much. It just seems effortless, fits like a glove and is so precise and slick in all respects. While I bought this frame and built it up almost 18 years ago it still feels like new to me, despite lots and lots of miles. I suppose I maintain this pretty tightly but every time I think I will upgrade something, I end up leaving it as it works faultlessly. It was built as a do it all workhorse and it far exceeds that.
While due to storage it has gone back in the loft for the next week with the wheels tucked away in their bag until I can make some room in the small shed. Anyway a good family day with a good spring classic followed by a good ride on a great bike in the sunshine! Long may it last and hopefully the day was as nice for everyone else.
Jamie
DSCN5710 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSC_0288 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSC_0308 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
Like Clubby spent some time relaxing with the family, late breakfast etc so a really chilled morning, then got stuck into a few jobs that needed doing around the place all the while planning a ride out later in the afternoon on the trusty Merckx. Shameful to say that it is only the first time out this year for my pampered favourite
This was also as it was the start of the classics this week with E3 on Thursday and Gent -Welvgem today, favourite time of year. So after a great race on the box I went out and put in some quick miles and realised why I love this bike so much. It just seems effortless, fits like a glove and is so precise and slick in all respects. While I bought this frame and built it up almost 18 years ago it still feels like new to me, despite lots and lots of miles. I suppose I maintain this pretty tightly but every time I think I will upgrade something, I end up leaving it as it works faultlessly. It was built as a do it all workhorse and it far exceeds that.While due to storage it has gone back in the loft for the next week with the wheels tucked away in their bag until I can make some room in the small shed. Anyway a good family day with a good spring classic followed by a good ride on a great bike in the sunshine! Long may it last and hopefully the day was as nice for everyone else.
Jamie
DSCN5710 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSC_0288 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSC_0308 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
Thanks mate,
When I bought it new nobody wanted steel as carbon was just coming into it big time, but it was what I always wanted so when I had the chance to get it ex factory I took it. There wasn't retro back then, just old and most of my mates thought I was crazy not getting an aluminium Flyer as it was much lighter. I was tempted though as before I went to see about I was at the tour and a kiwi girl I used to know showed up in a town we were staying and she had just been and picked up her new alu bike an Alu Sprint I think, from the factory in Miesse on the way to meet us and it was stunning, black with yellow sort of tribal graphics, really nice. I stayed true though and went with the Corsa Extra, they were selling them off as nobody was buying steel anymore so my custom size should have been £599 but I ended up getting it for about half. This was the bike I had wanted for a long time and from the other side of the world but always financially out of reach but when I was looking at it over here and Patrick from Interbike said to me I should make up my mind as they are stopping steel and won't do anymore custom, then it was now or never. So trip to Belgium, a few phone calls and Interbike handling the funds I got my Merckx. It is built with the Ultegra and 105 as that is what I had been running on my Giant TCR since 98 and it had never let me down. This was to be my do it all bike as I had no idea where I would end up at that stage so it was setup with what I knew worked for me.
Anyway, I ramble but safe to say this one will be staying with me.
Jamie
When I bought it new nobody wanted steel as carbon was just coming into it big time, but it was what I always wanted so when I had the chance to get it ex factory I took it. There wasn't retro back then, just old and most of my mates thought I was crazy not getting an aluminium Flyer as it was much lighter. I was tempted though as before I went to see about I was at the tour and a kiwi girl I used to know showed up in a town we were staying and she had just been and picked up her new alu bike an Alu Sprint I think, from the factory in Miesse on the way to meet us and it was stunning, black with yellow sort of tribal graphics, really nice. I stayed true though and went with the Corsa Extra, they were selling them off as nobody was buying steel anymore so my custom size should have been £599 but I ended up getting it for about half. This was the bike I had wanted for a long time and from the other side of the world but always financially out of reach but when I was looking at it over here and Patrick from Interbike said to me I should make up my mind as they are stopping steel and won't do anymore custom, then it was now or never. So trip to Belgium, a few phone calls and Interbike handling the funds I got my Merckx. It is built with the Ultegra and 105 as that is what I had been running on my Giant TCR since 98 and it had never let me down. This was to be my do it all bike as I had no idea where I would end up at that stage so it was setup with what I knew worked for me.
Anyway, I ramble but safe to say this one will be staying with me.
Jamie
epicyclo
Senior Retro Guru
There's nothing like Jamie's cheery presence to encourage you to get out on the bike.
Once he headed North I started on my bike cull preparations. Which consists of building up as many bikes as possible, riding them, and deciding yay or nay.
I'm a single speeder from way way back, but a couple of wee medical problems lately have had me using geared bikes for a while. (Can I use the excuse of being old and frail?) It had got to the stage where I was beginning to think I'd lost the ability, age, health etc.
So I built this bike from my parts pile.
A 29er Scandal repurposed as a single speed gravel bike, but I figured I wouldn't spend much time in the dirt so I geared it for easy spinning on the road with a 42 front ring and a 19 on the rear. (I should know myself better than that)
I headed down the hill from home to the main road, but decided to short cut through the woods. From there on it was mad time and the bike barely touched surfaced tracks for the rest of the afternoon.
No bike has felt so right to me for a long time. I lugged it over fences and stiles, followed all sorts of odd tracks, hammered along grassy verges, idled along farm tracks, attempted the odd monster climb, and my legs came back. Frabjous joy!
I suppose Jamie would regard this as one of my typical "road" rides.
I predict in a few years people will regard the On-One Scandal as a post-retro class.
That one is definitely not for the cull...
Once he headed North I started on my bike cull preparations. Which consists of building up as many bikes as possible, riding them, and deciding yay or nay.
I'm a single speeder from way way back, but a couple of wee medical problems lately have had me using geared bikes for a while. (Can I use the excuse of being old and frail?) It had got to the stage where I was beginning to think I'd lost the ability, age, health etc.
So I built this bike from my parts pile.
A 29er Scandal repurposed as a single speed gravel bike, but I figured I wouldn't spend much time in the dirt so I geared it for easy spinning on the road with a 42 front ring and a 19 on the rear. (I should know myself better than that)
I headed down the hill from home to the main road, but decided to short cut through the woods. From there on it was mad time and the bike barely touched surfaced tracks for the rest of the afternoon.
No bike has felt so right to me for a long time. I lugged it over fences and stiles, followed all sorts of odd tracks, hammered along grassy verges, idled along farm tracks, attempted the odd monster climb, and my legs came back. Frabjous joy!
I suppose Jamie would regard this as one of my typical "road" rides.
I predict in a few years people will regard the On-One Scandal as a post-retro class.
That one is definitely not for the cull...
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