Friday 17 May 2013

The Siberian Spring continues... and commuting...and mid week cycling...

After a wee warm spell last week we again have had a cool spell with some days being real windy and after 2 days of westerly winds and some crazy hail and cold rain showers that blew over it went calm on Tuesday evening, then we got an air frost as the sun rose around 5am on Wednesday, then the wind blew out of the East and it was baltic!, it would cut you to the bone! whats going on with the weather?!, its nuts!

Thursday and we have cut everything on the Golf Course at work and it is shaved to the bone like it would be in an August drought, May is dubbed `The Crazy Month` as the grass growth goes ballistic at Whitekirk and we are flat out mowing, but not this year, i think we will not get a crazy growth and go straight to the dry spell of July if June is not wet... never seen this weather before in Spring, but never seen rain like last summer either!,

As mentioned i am selling all the old bikes lying about, and i am only keeping the 4 SURLY bikes, my Schwinn Klunker, and this for work...

Yes its a road bike!, but don`t worry, i`m not going to be come a lycra clad roadie MAMIL (middle aged men in lycra) and post Strava times and ride in groups of 6 abreast on our East Lothian country roads and pee everyone off - believe me there is a lot of people sick of large groups of road cyclists riding on our local roads and not letting cars safely over take, road cyclists seem so militant nowadays...

No this is a bike i was given by friend big D over a year ago for storing some stuff for him and he gave me the bike along with the Bob trailer that i modified for fat bike use you can see it Here...

Do favours for friends and sometimes you get given something in return that can be of real use to you...

I need a commuter that i can ride to work into strong winds, something only really an issue by this Spring weather, and then ride the 4.5 miles each way down to North Berwick 2 or 3 times a week to visit dad,



Dad and i...


I still believe in cheap commuters for work and this bike cost me the whole price of £12.....


Yep £12! just 2 new inner tubes which i probably did not need as the original tubes are ok and both are in the tool bag under the saddle,  that and the tools i have had for years and was on the Salsa Fargo i had, along with the adjustable stem i fitted as the original stem was too long for me.
The original tyres were shot so friend Eddie  gave me some slicks,
Friend Colin an ex Scottish Time Trial Champion and owner of my old red Surly semi fat (50mm rims) Karate Monkey popped round and fitted me to the bike and gave me some advice on the bar set up, i`m running the stem raised for a bit but will run it straight in time...

Nice and light for hanging on the `new bike sign`...

skinny err skins!...

Massif gearing, but flys along with a tail wind...

Frame pump came from D too...

tools and 2 tubes under a very comfy saddle...


This bike climbs the rises in the local roads out of North Berwick and into head winds with ease, it is one finger light in weight,




D originally bought this from The Bicycle Works in Peebles, i have never seen or heard of TEC but been told it is French, It has Mavic rims, Carbon forks, SORA kit, and from around 1998- 2000, friends say its a nice bike and back then SORA kit was regarded as good and it would have been a decent bike,
I no nothing about road biking so will take their word for it...


I love road cycling to work early when there are no cars, today at 5.30 am and amazing light...




But i also enjoy a ride to the shops for milk on any bike, and this evening i grabbed the Pugsley...

The Showers Pass Hoodlum soft shell Hoodie you see above i have had to test and review and i will post my opinions soon of what is a real comfy and practical multi purpose cycling friendly jacket, ideal for a milk run like this evening...

Check out the tattie (Potatoes) irrigators in the fields, shows how dry it is...

Racks are back on the Pugsley for bringing stuff home found on the coast...




Sun going down...

matching shoes!..

Under the bridge...

No Trolls...just a Pugsley...

An old Oak tree...

And a dry burn...

Big Sky...



Milk bought and also some cider for Saturday evening, frame bags are ace!...

Bone dry potato dreels...




Gorse in flower...




Boo!

2 comments:

  1. I never thought I'd see the day that Bruce was fitted for a road bike, or Archie without his pipe! Seriously though, it's good to see your dad looking so well.

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  2. He has his ups and downs but he is still Archie, and our dad,

    Aye me on skinny wheels! -:)

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