rained off-garage catch up

i planned to go local camping this weekend,leaving friday night and do 40 miles on road over into the borders to lauder and freecamp then satuardy ride the last 55miles of the southern upland way long distance coast to coast path which is now of course bike-able with the open access/right to roam law (admitably i used to ride it alot!!)
anyway it poured steady rain thursday/friday and a box of strongbow cider for dog sitting for a niegbour took care of friday night!
so a satuarday at home,well mainly in the garage doing a bit spannering and sorting out gear,
heres some pics of my servere wet weather riding gear i prefected last year during the mother of all summers;
if riding clipped in then its the shimano MT90 boots but for really wet days i ride flats and these `viking dryboots` there lined lace up rubber boots with full hieght sealed tounge not as cold and sweaty when wearing as youd expect them to be (like wellingtons are)the soles are a little bit soft for cycling but ok for a 2-3 hour ride,i had these on snow biking and were perfect,



my scott (motorcycle) enduro neoprene gloves are proberly 10 years old now and get warm once wet but have a supple enough feel through the fingertips for MTBs - istill think pugsley is an ATB!!



endura waterproofs keep out the rain but a little bit sweaty-esp around the knees but ok with lycra under shorts,and my pac lite north face goretex jacket,pity the hood dosnt fit over my giro helmet or it would be perfect,i only wear this cycling on the beach,not through woods etc as it cost £160!! but i have never been wet in it yet,you will get wet inside with sweat if climbing hills etc but its fine crusing on the pugsley,and thats my scotland rain beater kit,





i also tried my epic designs frame bag on the karate monkey today and it fits fine
both my surly frames are 18" so thats great as i want to do a weekend locally camping soon with the 29er,









the pugsley has got the front rack back on as well as the rear rack (doubling up as a mudgaurd)and some of you liked my homemade fork mounted bottle holder, heres what it is,just a couple of the brackets which hold on reflecters,there handy for my camera mounts too heres one i made from an old tripod top for when i have my sleeping bag on the front rack and cant use the `endo cam` view







i also gave my commuter a quick service,retro geeks will like this!
its a 95-96 killer v in john deere green (at my work it is also john deere grass cutters!)it has a dd60mm headshock from my first 1996 super v and most of the build is used mtb parts,it has swarbe thornproof semi slick landcruser tyres,SKS mudgaurds,good old v brakes,converted to full lenght cables,and the B17 brooks saddle to nurse you to work on a monday after a weekends biking,my commute is only 3 miles each way but often windy,plans are a nexus dynamo front wheel before winter and the 36 spoke rear hope pro 2 hub currently on the pugsley which will be spare once the alfine hub goes on there will build a nice strong rear wheel,often i detour an extra 6 miles to to the local towns supermarket so it usually has a rack and a RH pannier but i used the rack off the dale for the front of the pug after hacking the front off it but havent replaced it as i really hope to save/ebay sales £400 and get an extracycle kit for it,i cant afford a big dummy but im sold on the cargo bikes with neon lights underneath on youtube films,see here
theres always so much you wana get isnt there?!!!



lastly ive started using this dry lube on all my bikes now and its really good,for years i thought chain lubes were a marketing overpriced rip off hype and just used 3in1 oil on my bikes since BMXs in my teens,once i got my pugsley i had to use a dry lube for the intended beachriding,i tried castrol chainwax which is really good on dirtbikes but a bit overkill on a cycle chain,jake at my local bike shop the hub at glentress swears by this stuff and there hire bikes use it,like all dry lubes it isnt waterproof but providing the chain is properly degreased first this stuff is great and you just keep re applying



i plan on getting up real early tomorrow at 3am to check the skys and if no rain will do another dawn sunrise beachride and film locally this time as lots of folk liked my last film,viva le pugsley!!