Back Blogging Again!

 

I only posted one blog last year!, and been wanting to get posting again, I do enjoy posting and now th clocks have changed for winter what better time to start again!

So a quick update on what where and why, 

WHAT, Getting monetised on YouTube after getting my first Royal Enfield Classic 350, and the films on painting it myself as an RTR (Royal Tank Regiment) tribute bike for my late dad, I like anyone who gets monetised got obsessed with trying to make some decent money.

YouTube good days have it seems peaked and I and may other Vloggers have noticed earnings dropping by nearly half so the motivation is not so strong to film now. I do of coarse enjoy making films for fun as I did before getting Monetised, and will continue to film though at a more relaxed effort now!I have loads to post here and been constantly been deleting pictures on my phone from days out and about that I could be posting here with some waffle...

WHERE? where have I been? still doing the same - a bit too much Motorcycle content and not enough coastal cycling - Murphy dog has kept us both out cycling!, and not been out enough in the Jeep due to the fuel costs going through the roof - hopefully they drop again soon!

WHY?, I miss writing even if my spelling is not the best, though no one seems to worry about how people write or speak these days!

A few things have changed since I last posted here many moons ago. Sadly our Mum passed which was sad. I also stopped drinking!, which will be nearly 3 years soon, I don`t miss it and feel a lot better for it, and saved a fortune - well not a fortune but how about £250 a month which is 3 Grand a year!, which has bought me another Two Royal Enfields! 

I bought another new iMac this year out those savings too and that too has been motivation to getting a few blogs a month out. They may not be weekly abut hopefully a few each month

Using a DJI camera for films, still have the Surly FatBike collection, and I would rather post updates on them here than YouTube as strangely there is not a lot of interest in Beach riding on there...

So no pics in this post, plenty posts to share stuff hopefully soon, so thank you anyone who has still had a look in here to see if anything new, I know it has been a long time but were all good!, stay tuned!

Cheers Bruce

SURLY MOONLANDER 2.0 Day ride on the coast and first ride review!

 

The Last thing I expected was for Surly to release a new Fatbike!, in typical Surly style  they did not go with he flow of the cycling market but brought out something different to everyone else. so different they made their own wheels and tyres for it!

Pictures by Farmer Chris

The new Surly Moonlander, dubbed by most Surly Fatbike fans. as the Moonlander 2.0 - bit like our own Pugsley 2.0 that was a relaunch updated version of a previous Surly classic has took things to a whole new level!, this thing is off the scale!, ridiculous, NUTZ!

6.2" tyres for starters!, running these on 24" 100mm wide rims with tall sidewalls give these tyres the same symmetrical height as regular 26 x 4.8" Fat wheels but with a massive footprint which equates to increase float and grip. The wheels are identical with 197mm hubs so a single cog on the front gives swappable wheels for in the event of a freewheel failure or to swap the overall gearing ratio quickly

A 9 speed twist shift works a 9 speed Pivot gearbox

The Pivot gives a set up ideal for the rough terrain you may find yourself in on a Fatbike - no rear mech to smash or bend on rocks and tree stumps etc and a single speed chain alinement for a low maintenance set up

Regular 197mm thru axle hubs and disc brakes means this bike would effectivly take two rear Ice Cream truck wheels in regular 26" x 4.8" size, or 29+ if you require lighter faster wheels 

Parked next to Chris`s Moonlander - a last of the line John Deere Green Moonie the height is matching and the huge increase in potential float visible 

Sanny who brought the bike through from Glasgow was right I would not be dissapointed and I was blown away with the size of those wheels!, Sanny also brought his Ice Cream Truck and alongside G with her Pink Pugsley 2.0 we had a fine evolution of 5"+ Fatbikes! 

DJI NEO stills

Riding the bike across easier rocks the ride was similar to a regular 5" tyre Fatbike

Seacliff and the surrounding rocks would be the ideal area to test this bikes rock crawling ability's 

And on the low tide exposed rocks which we could hardly walk across the bike had a leech like grip!

Soft sand the wider tyres were also noticeable with the float and grip while the mid tail (longer) seat stays gave a more stable bike for climbing and descending

Riding back to the vans I did notice the larger gaps in the 9 speed Pinion box a bit noticeable to keep same pace in the right gear as the other bikes but as I mention in the film this is not an issue for a bike designed for adventure riding and solo travel at your own speed

Summing up this is a vey capable bike ready to take you far flung places where the only other bicycles you will likely meet are other Fatbikes or across the low tide exposed rock beds of the coast,  but this bike takes a new angle on things with that increase float and grip. Do I like the bike? oh yes! 

The new Moonlander has moved the goal posts again in fatbikes like the original Mainlander did when released back around 2013/14, be expect to say wow when you set eyes on the tyres of this beastie!

Thanks Surly UK and to Sanny bringing the bike to the east coast for us to see and ride, just a short few hours but an insight on what more could be possible from this amazing design  that in typical Surly style pushes what is capable on a bicycle...

Film on Youtube

More soon...

A new family member!

Meet Murphy! a 13 month old Working Cocker Spaniel who we have rehomed after owners realised how much time outdoors a Spaniel needs. He has been well trained so far and has a couple of small possesion issues we are ironing out (Socks, Mail, Books) and recall is good but not perfect yet but he is a cracker!

Pedigree so docked tail and we see improvements daily as he settles in (3 weeks at time of posting this)

We try take him somewhere new every evening walk and its great getting out and about with him...

He loves the beach and already has been out with the Fatbikes...

And he is popular on YouTube! here he is in his first film!

And loves to swim and been out his first Stand Up Paddle board with G!

Second Film with him!

He will be great company for G when she is away doing Munro's in the big van and we are going to have a lot of fun and adventures with him...

More soon...