Show us what you did today, thread
- Thread starter clockworkgazz
- Start date
A big bike for me 
Just to make a change from the horridly heavy claude butler i got off Boxxer. Should end up 10lbs lighter at least.
Nice having a capable bike again, and in time for summer. Hopefully get some little jaunts up north. I havent eaten midge for a couple fo years.
Component choice is im sick of hoarding bits and had a revelation that i might not ever use any of them.
Needs a small rack for a rack-pack type of thing. 1/2 sized or something :?
Cove Stiffee FR(XL - woo-hoo)150mm Revelations 15mm/pro 2/tech m4 180/160/gold hope bits, stem,HS/XO 2x10 sft/mechs,Rotor cranks(likely changing to x9) bonty low tread rubber.
I'll leave the decals off, don't want to make it attractive to thieves
Just to make a change from the horridly heavy claude butler i got off Boxxer. Should end up 10lbs lighter at least.
Nice having a capable bike again, and in time for summer. Hopefully get some little jaunts up north. I havent eaten midge for a couple fo years.
Component choice is im sick of hoarding bits and had a revelation that i might not ever use any of them.
Needs a small rack for a rack-pack type of thing. 1/2 sized or something :?
Cove Stiffee FR(XL - woo-hoo)150mm Revelations 15mm/pro 2/tech m4 180/160/gold hope bits, stem,HS/XO 2x10 sft/mechs,Rotor cranks(likely changing to x9) bonty low tread rubber.
I'll leave the decals off, don't want to make it attractive to thieves
Attachments
Peachy!
Retrobike Rider
BoTM Winner
Gold Trader
rBoTM Triple Crown
rBotM Winner
98+ BoTM Winner
Claud Butler Fan
VCC Claud Butler ME
- Feedback
- View
Nice, but I'd put the stickers on, sod the theives.... If someone knows what it is, the lack of stickers wont make a difference, for those who just think it's just another bike will attempt to nick it stickers or no....
Re:
Thursday evening I took a trip down to Camperdown Park in Dundee to have a go at the "Midsummer Madness" cyclo-cross race, touted as a relaxed cx race suitable for beginners and Pro's alike. As I am neither of those I figured it'd be fun to have a go
After registering I was just in time for a practice lap around the course, which consisted of some sections of wooded singletrack, then across the open parkland and through some tight hairpin sections , a quick grassy down hill bit, negotiate a ditch, some Belgian Steps (wooden pallets on a grassy incline) and then onto the barriers just before the finish.
It was all rideable, I thought, the Belgian Steps were simple enough although everyone else I saw dismounted and carried their bike up them :? The barriers looked simple enough too, so I decided to bunnyhop them... cleared the first one, but carried too much speed and there wasn't much distance between the barriers soooo.... the back wheel clipped the srcond barrier and tipped me forward and dumped me unceremoniously on the grass... right in front of the largest group of spectators on the course :facepalm: no damage done (except to my pride), but I decided it'd be quicker (And safer!) to carry the bike over them in the actual race.
So it turned out I was gridded near the front of the "Open" race :shock: they were doing it on age and not previous results, as it wasn't a points scoring series race.
It seemed that almost everyone else belonged to some cycle club or other, all I could see was club kit and tight fitting lycra. I meanwhile was rocking the baggy shorts and T-shirt look
I'd already decided pre-race to not start too fast, so I wasn't surprised when almost the entire field overtook me straight away looking back I could still see a few riders, so at least I wasn't last! I tagged on behind some guy in Leslie Bike shop kit and settled in for a couple of laps to see how I felt.
It turned out I felt ok, and I started to make up a few places.
I was quicker than most on the more technical bits ie singletrack, obstacles, and downhill , but elsewhere it was pure fitness (or lack if it) that counted.
Good job it was dry though as I'd decided not to bother fitting the actual CX tyres I had :facepalm: , and just ride the WTB Horizon tyres, which are essentially chunky slicks, had there been a rain shower I think I'd have been in big trouble.
Race time was set at 50 minutes, which at my pace meant 7 or 8 laps, towards the end of the race I made up a few more places, beating some of the Senior Women! :twisted: but I was just happy to finish.
48th out of 60 in the end, happy with that as I wasn't taking it too seriously, and paced myself. Might look into doing a few more cx races later this year, an hour of fast paced exercise is about right for me I think.
Few photos of the evening...
Thursday evening I took a trip down to Camperdown Park in Dundee to have a go at the "Midsummer Madness" cyclo-cross race, touted as a relaxed cx race suitable for beginners and Pro's alike. As I am neither of those I figured it'd be fun to have a go
After registering I was just in time for a practice lap around the course, which consisted of some sections of wooded singletrack, then across the open parkland and through some tight hairpin sections , a quick grassy down hill bit, negotiate a ditch, some Belgian Steps (wooden pallets on a grassy incline) and then onto the barriers just before the finish.
It was all rideable, I thought, the Belgian Steps were simple enough although everyone else I saw dismounted and carried their bike up them :? The barriers looked simple enough too, so I decided to bunnyhop them... cleared the first one, but carried too much speed and there wasn't much distance between the barriers soooo.... the back wheel clipped the srcond barrier and tipped me forward and dumped me unceremoniously on the grass... right in front of the largest group of spectators on the course :facepalm:
no damage done (except to my pride), but I decided it'd be quicker (And safer!) to carry the bike over them in the actual race.So it turned out I was gridded near the front of the "Open" race :shock: they were doing it on age and not previous results, as it wasn't a points scoring series race.
It seemed that almost everyone else belonged to some cycle club or other, all I could see was club kit and tight fitting lycra. I meanwhile was rocking the baggy shorts and T-shirt look
I'd already decided pre-race to not start too fast, so I wasn't surprised when almost the entire field overtook me straight away
looking back I could still see a few riders, so at least I wasn't last! I tagged on behind some guy in Leslie Bike shop kit and settled in for a couple of laps to see how I felt.It turned out I felt ok, and I started to make up a few places.
I was quicker than most on the more technical bits ie singletrack, obstacles, and downhill , but elsewhere it was pure fitness (or lack if it) that counted.
Good job it was dry though as I'd decided not to bother fitting the actual CX tyres I had :facepalm: , and just ride the WTB Horizon tyres, which are essentially chunky slicks, had there been a rain shower I think I'd have been in big trouble.
Race time was set at 50 minutes, which at my pace meant 7 or 8 laps, towards the end of the race I made up a few more places, beating some of the Senior Women! :twisted:
but I was just happy to finish.48th out of 60 in the end, happy with that as I wasn't taking it too seriously, and paced myself. Might look into doing a few more cx races later this year, an hour of fast paced exercise is about right for me I think.
Few photos of the evening...
Attachments
epicyclo
Senior Retro Guru
A 30 mile Rough Stuff ride on a 60+ year old hub geared Dawes Windrush in the Scottish Highlands - like we used to before mtbs were invented. What could go wrong?
Best done on a proper mountain bike, but far more fun this way.
Jamie took his Long Haul Trucker which was a more sensible idea.
Indecision after fuelling up at Rothiemurchus. (Maybe next time and we'd start from the other end.)
No, we weren't tempted in the least by the bridge 50m further along.
Oh alright...
More temptation...
Jame zigging over zigzag's bridge (where he famously zagged). Shit, it's a long way down to where he landed.
We were lazy and took the low path to avoid the climb. It was bloody hard work on skinny tyres because of the loose conditions and lumpy rocks.
Jamie making a splash. Look at his bars, he nearly made a big one.
We had a wee stop here and debated whether we should go on. The sky was black, there was a strong wind, and liquid sunshine was imminent.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and we only needed one wee slip to get wet anyway.
And we made it to Loch Einich. We parked our bikes against this cairn.
There's no inscription, but we figured it must be the grave of the Unknown eBiker who perished there when his battery went flat.
The weather was still looking threatening so we didn't hang around for longer than refuelling on Mars bars.
This will forever be known as One Dab Creek, eh Jamie?
What cyclist obeys Cyclists Must Dismount rules?
We decided to not be lazy and take the high route on the way back. Traction on the climb with skinny tyres was a wee problem. (Actually traction for shoes pushing up was a problem too)
But high routes always pay off with the views.
The return journey was done much faster than the way out. An onlooker would have been impressed by our Mars Bar enhanced speed and superb athleticism. It had nothing to do with the downward gradient and helpful tail wind, oh no.
So how did a 60 year old bike hold up? In places I was rattling so much I had double vision and only a slight idea of where the track was and I was just hanging in hope. My only concern was braking - skinny tyres on the loose surfaces meant skids and washouts, but the bike always righted itself. Ancient road bike brakes are no patch even on the much maligned canti brake, so at least I had the solace of knowing I had less chance of OTBs.
In short the bike could be trusted to get me through anywhere I pointed it.
And as for "What could go wrong?" - nothing, no rattles, nothing loose, wheels still straight. This could be addictive.
So lads, find yourself a vintage British production bike from the 1950s (they have clearance for decent size tyres), and have some dirt cheap fun.
Best done on a proper mountain bike, but far more fun this way.
Jamie took his Long Haul Trucker which was a more sensible idea.
Indecision after fuelling up at Rothiemurchus. (Maybe next time and we'd start from the other end.)
No, we weren't tempted in the least by the bridge 50m further along.
Oh alright...
More temptation...
Jame zigging over zigzag's bridge (where he famously zagged). Shit, it's a long way down to where he landed.
We were lazy and took the low path to avoid the climb. It was bloody hard work on skinny tyres because of the loose conditions and lumpy rocks.
Jamie making a splash. Look at his bars, he nearly made a big one.
We had a wee stop here and debated whether we should go on. The sky was black, there was a strong wind, and liquid sunshine was imminent.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and we only needed one wee slip to get wet anyway.
And we made it to Loch Einich. We parked our bikes against this cairn.
There's no inscription, but we figured it must be the grave of the Unknown eBiker who perished there when his battery went flat.
The weather was still looking threatening so we didn't hang around for longer than refuelling on Mars bars.
This will forever be known as One Dab Creek, eh Jamie?
What cyclist obeys Cyclists Must Dismount rules?
We decided to not be lazy and take the high route on the way back. Traction on the climb with skinny tyres was a wee problem. (Actually traction for shoes pushing up was a problem too)
But high routes always pay off with the views.
The return journey was done much faster than the way out. An onlooker would have been impressed by our Mars Bar enhanced speed and superb athleticism. It had nothing to do with the downward gradient and helpful tail wind, oh no.
So how did a 60 year old bike hold up? In places I was rattling so much I had double vision and only a slight idea of where the track was and I was just hanging in hope. My only concern was braking - skinny tyres on the loose surfaces meant skids and washouts, but the bike always righted itself. Ancient road bike brakes are no patch even on the much maligned canti brake, so at least I had the solace of knowing I had less chance of OTBs.
In short the bike could be trusted to get me through anywhere I pointed it.
And as for "What could go wrong?" - nothing, no rattles, nothing loose, wheels still straight. This could be addictive.
So lads, find yourself a vintage British production bike from the 1950s (they have clearance for decent size tyres), and have some dirt cheap fun.
Re:
Cool!!! :shock:
I've not been up there for a few years now, since the last MacRetro ride up there actually. I'll have to make an effort to go for a ride around there over the summer.
Brian, I know you don't like to discuss such things, but how many gears on your hub-geared bike?
Cool!!! :shock:
I've not been up there for a few years now, since the last MacRetro ride up there actually. I'll have to make an effort to go for a ride around there over the summer.
Brian, I know you don't like to discuss such things, but how many gears on your hub-geared bike?
