Swift sounds nice, good idea. The B17 is definitely looking too chunky for this.
This is a racier build than I have been doing lately, though the frame and model dictates that. It is a really nice frame with the chrome ends, fork details and finely brazed Bocama lugs. You can also see where the lugs were lined in white round the headtube and bottom bracket. It almost looks like they have been rubbed off. It has a good few chips etc but nothing I believe that warrants a paint job.
Its really nice Jamie, but I'd say the saddle is wrong colour wise, seems too orangy red to go well with the blue and stands offish :?.
It's in such lovely condition that a coloured saddle draws you away from it. I'd agree with the others and think black tape and saddle.
Its really nice Jamie, but I'd say the saddle is wrong colour wise, seems too orangy red to go well with the blue and stands offish :?.
It's in such lovely condition that a coloured saddle draws you away from it. I'd agree with the others and think black tape and saddle.
What he needs is an elegant black NOS Brookes Swift, wider than a swallow, smarter than a B17……. Now, who’s got some stainless-steel Van Schothorst wheels lying around idle?
It's a surprise! Well that makes it sound very grand and it is not but I would rather keep it under my hat until it actually happens. When it does though Clubby, you may well be the first to know as it isn't far from yourself.
I need lockdown to end as otherwise I may need to get a second essential job.
Speaking of builds, and that is tempting Peachy, but I will have to wait a few weeks before I can do anything.
Today was a glorious day up here and while the wind was pretty ferocious it wasn't as cold as it has been and without it the day would have been perfect. Had a few things to do this morning, one of which was start prepping the shed door and frame for repainting, MR P , it will soon be white frame with a terracotta door.
Heather also decided to do a bit of painting but she was far more ambitious than me as Caleb and I came in for lunch only to find the wallpaper in the kitchen half stripped. :shock:
With this in mind, after lunch we beat a hasty retreat back outside.
We had to take the cover off the wooden HW Old Town canoe and make a plan as we have to sand the gunwales and varnish again, they weren't as bad as I remembered so that was a bonus, a light sand and we should be right to go. We also decided to repaint the white on the hull, though instead of the off white it currently is we decided to redo it in the bright white it left the factory with, and leave the burgundy stripe and redo the monogram. We eventually want to have a pattern on it that we have on a catalogue poster from back in the 30's but for this it's centenary year we thought best to put it back to how it left the factory. The little man will soon understand sanding, wax on, wax off, wax on, wax off...it's a big canoe
Meanwhile I had the can of Canuba wax sitting in the sunshine softening to wax the Jack Taylor so I could try and protect the 'patina' or 'rust' as I say. So after this I joined Caleb on his ride up to the end of our singletrack road where I then headed off away from the coast to head southwest for a bit of a ride to try and find the cause of a creaking sound in the BB area. After many miles and a bit of time I concluded it was the BB! Elementary chaps
The back roads were nearly all single track farm roads so pretty quiet, not that the main roads were busy at all.
The Jack Taylor was its usual pleasure to ride, with maybe the creaking bottom bracket letting it down for once, though not enough to spoil a lovely ride. This bike I must admit is one of my favourite rides, some frames ride well and do everything faultlessly but this has it's own feel and for the way I ride now it just feels perfect, it is quick handling, very stable, but has to be the most comfortable, relaxed feeling frame.
It seems that maybe that's what happened to my mojo with some of my recent mock ups, maybe I lose interest because I have such a great ride sitting ready to go, either that or it's my ADD
Hope you have all had a great weekend and everyone is staying safe and healthy.
Hopefully your getting some of this nice weather down your way Jim.
It was 16 today and clear as Sunday. Maybe summer has come this week. My neighbour said tonight ' don't get your shorts out yet, it could be snowing on Sunday'
Long may it last
Walked up a wee hill with the dug, 15 minutes from the house. Not a bad evening....been like this about 4 weeks FFS! Hope you're all safe :xmas-big-grin:
, it will soon be white frame with a terracotta door. 
