Show us what you did today, thread

[Jamiedyer]

Hello all in Macretro land.
I hope you have all been enjoying this nice weather we have had for the last couple of days. Work has been pretty busy lately so it was really nice to once again have the sun carry over into the weekend.
I had a few jobs to sort this morning and one was to help Caleb put up the electric fence for his horse Chico. Now I know it sounds flash having a horse but he is a tiny Falabella horse and I will include a phot so you get the idea, anyway I spent the morning with them and then after lunch managed to get a few hours out on the Jack Taylor. Stayed fairly local and managed to cross over to Watten staying on all the nice singlelane backroads with no traffic at all. Roads, like everywhere I imagine, are in a pretty rough state but the lovely Super Clubman was the perfect machine for it, just soaks it up with no complaints.
Anyway just thought I would share a few photos. Look forward to the time soon when we can all ride together once again.

Jamie

IMG_5478 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5481 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5483 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5486 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5494 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5504 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5508 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5510 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

 

[Jamiedyer]

Well spent bits and pieces of the day sitting in the garden in the sunshine transforming the Big Dummy from it's 4 inch front end back to a more tarmac manageable 2.5.
After a breakfast of coffee and Heathers fresh cannoli it was into it.
The back end was easy enough just take off the cargo fitting, release the Alfine hub and swap out the tyres. The front while easy enough meant dropping the whole lot out and swapping the Hope headset back, adding a few spacers and then fitting the original fork and a temporary wheel from my 1X1 until my new one is built. Add the ET tyre and test ride. As I want to use this for commuting this summer I needed to change it out as the Fat front is a drag on tarmac, not usually a worry but when the next few months will be about 80 - 90% tarmac then this change makes that so much easier. These high volume ET tyres will be pretty good in the dirt as well, especially the gravel roads we ride. Added a few spacers to the original forks for a bit more upright stance. It's been fat for a few years and so felt much quicker and far more nimble

We'll see how it goes but a change is always good.

Still figuring out what the Dummies place is in the fleet now that Caleb is riding and touring on his own bike which was the Dummies main purpose for years. No one in the family wants it to go as we all love it.
Just thought I would share.

Jamie

IMG_5520 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5521 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5523 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5530 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5534 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5537 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5539 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5542 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5544 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5556 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

 

[Jamiedyer]

A few photos from a ride out on Sunday with Caleb on his tourer.

After switching the fat tyres and wheel around on the Dummy last weekend down in size to the Surly ET's I found once I had the rear fully inflated it was rubbing on the back brace bar, only just, by a midges baw hair. After taking it off and reseating it, it was better and usable with no rubbing but still close. The issue is the 60mm rim so after trying it on the rear Spank rim from the 1X1 which is 42mm it seemed to clear fine. So it looks like I need to find a 36 hole Spank to lace to my Alfine as well as a front, so this one can go back on my 1X1.
Such a lovely day up here so we just meandered out and about the back roads above home enjoying riding together. Getting Caleb used to going further and getting used to the odd car before tackling the main roads.
Even though it was a naturally slower pace while riding with my boy , the Dummy felt back to being like a normal bike with the ET's on, far more nimble and far less drag than the 4inch tyre on the front and hookworm rear we have been using. I just think now the little mans riding on his own that these may even do for the dirt and gravel we ride, not that I am dismantling the Fat set up or moving it on just now.
These will certainly make the commute to town a bit quicker.

Jamie

IMG_5566 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5568 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5572 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5579 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5577 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5584 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5586 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

IMG_5591 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr

 

[dyna-ti]

You certainly love your Surly Jamie. I only wish we could get the E-version here int he UK

 

[jimo746]

I went exploring around Drumtochty forest this morning, theres a huge area of trails marked on the Trailforks App, and you could spend all day riding around the forest roads there, it covers quite an area and links up with other areas too.
Deep in the forest it definitely had an air of Jurassic Park about it, fortunately no T-Rex today , just a deer jumping out in front of me, not sure who shat themselves more, but we both sped off in opposite directions!
Some of the trails were a little challenging, more an assault course to climb/crawl/fall through...(there IS a trail through there somewhere!!).



There are some very good trails in there though, lumpy, and rocky/rooty.
I was caught out by a slippery tree root hiding on the back slope of a dip, didn't see it as I rolled over the lip, the first thing I knew about it was the front wheel shot off to the right and I was dumped on the ground. I honestly thought I'd done myself some damage but after picking myself up I think it's just bruised ribs.
I decided to call it a day after that though, makes you think about how you'd get help if you injured yourself in a remote forest...

 

[epicyclo]

Getting lazy so dug out the old Bowery singlespeed for a bit of Tarmac Aversion Therapy, aka road ride. (The Bowery is my bike from Oz which I took over here last year)

Headed up the hill to the Highland Cafe for lunch.

A bit of heavy breathing was involved, but a surprisingly easy climb on a bike with stiff chainstays.

Thought about heading over to the Struie to have a go at it seeing as the bike was going uphill so nicely, but the headwind was so fierce I had to pedal on the downhills. That meant I would have a good wind assist up the Struie, but that would be cheating, wouldn't it?

Instead I went for a short loop round Cromarty Firth and got soaked by the rain.

The saddle has spent 15 years in the Northern Australian sun and any semblance of flexibility or compliance has long since been baked out of it so there was some discomfort, almost to Brook Swallow standards.

Somehow I found myself off the tarmac a few times...

 

[keithyr]

That’s a cracking looking bike.

 

[velomaniac]

Keith is liking single speed road bikes by Giant!!!!!!!!!!!

The situation in the world today is worse than I thought!!!!!!!

Time to dig the Armageddon bunker and buy enough pot noodles and bogroll for ten years underground.

 

[epicyclo]

That’s a cracking looking bike.

It's been up more mountains than a lot of mountainbikes.

Just been out again today trying it out on all the local hills. It's got up all of them so far.

Some nice single lane roads around here. Ideal for single speed.

Also found this fine looking wee fellow. Got a bit cranky when I tried to get him off the road.

 

[jimo746]

I have finally amassed enough money and ordered new wonderful tracks for my beloved yamaha snowmobile!

got any photos of said Snowmobile?