coastrider: the year of the pug

thats a year already since i got my pugsley,just before halloween,jake at `the hub in the forest`bike shop at glentress in the scottish borders finished building the monster
i hadnt seen one in the flesh so was expecting it to look mad having already seen the frameset,rims then tyres when they arrived but was bowled over when i walked into the shop and saw it,it was love as 1st sight... lol
a quick spin round the carpark and i knew i was onto something special here,i had thought i would have to trailer it everywhere to ride before the 1st test ride,thinking there would be massive drag with those huge wheels but feeling the acceleration and momentum once rolling around the carpark at glentress i knew this was going to be fun,it took an hour to get the bike on the rear car rack,tied on and out the carpark with all the folk coming over asking what it is,it used to take me about a minute to explain what it was originally made for,now ive got it down to about 8 seconds-"its a low enviroment impact floatation tyre bicycle for riding on snow and other soft terrain where normal bicycles would struggle" or i just say its an ATB(all terain bicycle) i actually prefer ATB to MTB anyway..,
once home with the pug and the word was out and all the usual suspects were round for a bit tyre kicking(plenty to kick)i rode to work next day amazed at its road speed (14mph average)and i had the biggest daftest grin while riding it,i also noticed returning home people in cars passing giving me the double look,i dont even notice now but park it up anywhere and it attracts a crowd,something im not used to being a bit (ahem)camera shy..so it was down to the local beach for its maiden beachride,i wont ever forget that feeling flying onto the beach and instead of doing a big endo and faceplant the bike just kept going!!,next night i made my first film to post on youtube...

so heres a few pics of great fun on the pugsley over the last year,and links to the films made at the time if you want to watch them-riding where maybe no-one else has (successfully),alot more to come too..
december-1st big beachride out to the WW2 midget submarines`s at aberlady bay...

a week of deep snow in febuary was ideal for a good snowride up the local lammermuir hills...

then the next day a frozen icy ride along the local garlton hills ridgeroad,
haha funny watching these 1st films again...

april-a massive 56 mile day over the cheviot hills on the border of scotland and england,soft peaty ground was ideal on the pugsley having slogged for miles up there before on normal bikes,the 2000 year old `dere street` is one of my all time favourite trails...

i stuck a camera on the pugsley fork above the 4" `endomorph` tyre film which has been a cool film with folk with the biggest youtube hits of my films...

june, summer hols included 6 days on the isle of harris in the western isles camping and cruiseing the west coast beaches,amazing...

if you like these pics or at work and want to kill time the full 17min film is here on vimeo...

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biking the western isles,isle of harris (unedited 17 mins) from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

july; applecross is one of my favourite places on the NW coast the coffin road track over the penulsia is a favourite trail...

july-this is my favourite ride on pugsley yet..4.30am sunrise beachride out to holy island, a 6 mile ride on sand with an amazing sunrise and sky,the film dosnt do it justice,wierd to be home from a day out biking at 10am!!!,this is going to be an annual bikeride for me now for sure,do a mid winter one too...

august i made a film down at nearby seacliff,has to be one of the most scenic beaches around with its tiny harbour,whit sand,and views of tantallon castle and the bass rock offshore it makes for the perfect evening/sunset beachride...

and lastly pugsley floats too!,yep..a floating bike which also holds a humans wieght,waters getting abit cold for this now but next year expect more watersports stuff...