Surly Wednesday Update; 18 month review

It`s been a year and a half since i was given a Surly Wednesday Frame set and Halo Fatbike wheel set from Pat as a thank you when he was working at ISON, the UK Importer/Distributor for Surly,

I have had great fun on this bike and here is a Drone film by friend Phil at the beginning of the year of me riding happy on the coast...


Coastrider; Flying with Phil... from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

27.5+ 50mm wide rims, 3" tyres;
These wheels are the same diameter as the 4" tyre Fatbike wheels, but a lot lighter and the bike is more lively for throwing about bermed Trail Centres, and throwing the bike about in the air.
Maxxis Chronicles set up split tube tubeless despite being tubeless Mule Foot rims as you get a little bit more rim protection from the rubber strip of the inner tube on the exposed rim edge i prefer firmer side walls of the Chronicles to the previous Schwalbe tyres that felt like they were trying to roll off the rim when sticking the bike into berms at speed...


29+ 50mm wide rims, 3" tyres;
Been waiting for a pair of these to turn up for sale and friend Tony offered his for sale, Halo Hubs same as my other wheels on Halo Vapour rims,
I love the big cart wheels for local trails as they roll like hell and although 29+ wheels raise the BB height on a Fatbike the extra pedal strike clearance is good on off piste riding and the Bontrager Chupacabra tyres set up tubeless feel great, big and floaty i will ride the bike a lot on these wheels...


26"  80mm wide rims, 4" tyres;
The go to size for most people for fatbike wheels,



You can see here the 29+ wheels behind are about an inch higher then 27.5+ wheels...

Sunday i was up early to swap out the drive train on the Wednesday and then try it out, along with a ride on the 29+ wheels...

From 1 x 11 speed gears, back to 10 speed;
With 3 rear wheels and wanting quick wheel swaps without swapping the cassette i have set up the bike 1 x 10 with a stealth Granny ring as i did on my previous Surly Krampus, and Prototype Genesis Caribou builds...

I have done this as i think 10 speed runs smoother,and  is way cheaper for chains, mechs, shifters and rear cassettes, the 11 speed XT set up was always a bit rough though a great range of gears.

The 10 speed Shimano ZEE mech is compact and kept tucked in out of harms way...

40t Sunrace cassette to 30t front sprocket gives a low enough gearing for around here...

But if that`s not low enough the chain tension is still fine if i manually shift the chain up front onto the stealth 22t granny ring...

Why I bought a double ring crank!...

So with all that sorted on with a short ride and superb views across the county...

Autumn colours as the trees change...

The Mill at Smeaton was operating, Maintained by The National Trust it is an amazing sight to see still working after all these years....

Leaving the village i climbed up to Pencraig Hill, soaking up the view north across the countryside to North Berwick...

Then it was through the woods and then descended the section of the old Ridge Road to then drop down and home through harvested fields,

Love this bike!...

Here is a wee film from the days ride,
Song is `It came to me`  by The Barr Brothers

Surly Wednesday 29+ local trails Oct 17 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.

More soon...

1 year on at work, and 10 Years on of Fatbikes here in Scotland...

Yesterday morning - Wednesday, and a sunny Autumn morning...

Another day and a Year yesterday since i started my new job at Archerfield and i`m real happy here...
Today was dry and windy so out lifting leaves...

The Gardeners will use this for compost next year once it breaks down...

Afternoon spent strimming around the Pond...

While overhead one of the vintage aircraft - a Bulldog flew around...

Halloween this weekend and it was today just before Halloween 10 years ago i picked up my Surly Pugsley at The Hub at Glentress Trail centre...

Same weight again as this chap 10 years ago but hair was a bit thicker back then!...

If a regular reader on here you know how things got to owning this bike.
If not then click on this link here to read; How i was drawn to the Fat Side...

The frame and fork is all that remains of a Triggers Broom Surly Pugsley that has seen many changes,
including 3 paint jobs, 2 other owners, before turning home,
It has been ridden over 13,000 miles, including the two coldest winters on record in Scotland in 2010 and 2011, in the last 50 years, Seen 3 Girlfriends come and go, and some friendships too!

But most of all the bike still makes me smile when i take it for a cycle, it still rides great,
Surly maybe makes better handling bikes now these days in both Fatbike tyre sizes, but the Pug is still one of the most versatile frame sets ever made yet...

Can a Bicycle be life changing?...
After severe depression from a head injury (Fractured Skull) in a Downhill crash in 2004, and then the 2004 Open Access Code of Scotland finished trying to ride green lanes (Old unmaintained roads) on Motorcycles in Scotland i was wandering through life day to day with no real sense or purpose with the driving to the Tweed Vally to ride Glentress and Innerleithen a real drag and time consuming of weekend hours.
Home one Saturday from a day at Glentress that took a 7 hour round trip for a 2 hour ride i flopped in a hot bath and opening Singletrack Magazine that had been delivered that day through the letterbox my Jaw hit the floor when i opened the `Bike Porn` page to reveal the Surly Pugsley - it was a lightbulb moment...

Be yourself whatever...
I think if you find something that gives you a vehicle through life that brings you happiness and enjoyment then go with it and ride for yourself and others will like you for who you are and what you are... build it and they will come...


More soon...

Another Fatbike Gathering!, October 21st/22nd 2017

pic by Tony...


A long weekend holiday, and another Fatbike Gathering,
The plan was simple-ride the Forth Fat routes  Saturday and Sunday,
Friday afternoon and Tony and Kath arrived and we spent a couple of hours sitting out front the house in baking sunshine-in October!,
The unsettled forecast never happened and we would get 3 dry days with sunny spells and mild conditions...

Friday afternoon i cycled to town then west along the coast to meet Tony who had booked into there B&B,  we met up below Archerfield and returned to NB to meet Kath with their two Patterdales and we sat outside at the Ship Inn until dark,

Last light of the day...

Tony`s first visit to our coast and he was blown away with it`s beauty and the riding !...

No binge drinking this year and i rode home for an early night after a couple of pints...


Saturday;
Saturday i was down early and sat in the van and had breakfast then folks started to turn up,

The day would see around 20 riders of regular and new faces as some joined the ride late and some left early...

Heading out and west on the John Muir Way (JMW) to Gullane then up Gullane Hill for a regroup and banter...

Descending to the cliffs it was then along though the Reserve and out to the WW2 midget Sub wrecks...

First time visitors to these tiny ships crewed by 4 men are always in awe at there tiny size (51 feet long and 5 feet diameter inside),  and their story of how they were used to train submariners who volunteered for a mission that is a real David and Goliath story of how they were towed 1000 miles across the North Sea and managed to attack and disable the pride of the German Fleet - the mighty Tirpitz Battleship,
Read about the subs and `Operation Source` Here...

A pause of thought for the crews that were lost and a raise of a hip flask in their honour before riding east...

Tail wind and sunshine along Gullane sands...

A yacht washed in after breaking it`s moorings somewhere, biggest beach find yet!...

Rocks and sandy single track navigated we turned inland at Archerfield Estate and rode up to The Walled Garden for Tea/coffee/Beer and snacks, then returned to tackle the rocks of `Scorpion` and along to Yellowcraig racing an incoming Spring tide that would beat us at Point Gary and we rode up over the headland and onto the West Bay and Harbour, and regrouped at the slipway wall...

Again an early evening after food and a drink at The Ship Inn...

I never got that much footage leading most of the day but managed to put something together,
So from the Punk era (for Sheera) song is  `Feelin` alright with the crew` by 999


Fatbike Gathering; Saturday 21st Oct 17 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.




Sunday;
Only 5 of us for Sunday`s ride out to Seacliff, so a tweaked route so we could visit other stuff being a regular size small group and would include a cafe break at Tyninghame, the `infamous five` headed east to soak up the views of Tantallon Castle perched on the cliff, then a look round the ruin of Seacliff  Castle and then a visit to the tiny harbour with amazing view out to Bass Rock...

From the harbour it was then along across the rocks to Peffersands, stopping for a chat with a couple out walking interested in our Fatbikes and could not resist having a go, and being amazed at the bikes abilities...

Quick surf on the dunes then along to the woods and the `Secret Trail` passing this impressive sand castle...

After great soup then cake at Tyninghame Cafe we rode to re join the JMW back to NB after a loop around Binning Woods, the Beech trees starting to turn gold...

More Tea/coffee and cake again in NB at The Seabird Centre before we parted as some had long drives home,
Again the weather turned up trumps, the sun lit up the coast with great light and i think everyone went away with great memories and some nice pics of an ace weekend...

Here is a wee film from Sunday`s ride, again leading but got more than the previous day,
Song is `I Wish` by Jane Weaver...


Fatbike Gathering; Sunday 22nd Oct 17 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


More soon...

Midweek cycle; Post work 1 hour fix...

Days work done and down to Yellowcraig for a quick ride on the coast.
I saw 2 people on the whole of Broadsands!, it was a love end to the previous evening and mornings gales as the aftermath of Storm Ophelia blew over.
The sand is firm and looking good for this weekends FATBIKE GATHERING
The light was nice on the wet sand and i shot some film with the Go Pro and mono pod,

Song is `Business and Pleasure` by Phontaine


East Coast Fatbikes;  Post work 1 hour fix on the coast, Oct 17 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


More soon...

Back on the coast...

 Sorry for lack of recent postings...Where have i been?, out riding!, more than ever, just not been posting...
A power cut rendered my faithfull 10 year old iMac pc not starting up again!, i tried a technique to restart it i had found via YouTube, but it did not work, down with no way to blog and a refusal to put my pc into a computer repair shop i decided to instead buy a cheap new lap top to get back in touch with the outside world and then search to find an answer to why this happens overtime i switch off the house power for `DIY  (Destroy It Yourself) or a power cut ...

Then i revisited said film and reading the comments i read it is real essential you hold the button exactly 10 seconds and if it does not fire up then keep trying and they do fire up!
And it did!... thanks to this man!  :)




So then back to the coast, another Saturday and i met up with Craig, Brian and Mark for a ride via the John Muir Way to Aberlady, where we headed around the coast.
From the JMW we dropped down from Archerfield to Muirfield Golf Course and the perimeter fence line trail i named `Bake Bean` trail a while ago as the bright orange berries of the Sea Buckthorn bushes that while they taste horrible they hold loads of Vitamin C and the local Falko Cafe somehow make amazingly tasty ice cream!,
Here is the trail,
Song is`Everybody`s Friend` by Janes Addiction...


Fatbike cycle; Bake Bean trail, East-west,  Oct 17 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


Along Aberlady Bay and onto the salt marsh...

Did you know there is a lost coastal crossing here?

Click here to read a previous blog post on this Lost crossing...


Down onto he salt marsh passing a concrete remains of the WW2 coastal defences which i have never seen the likes of on any forums or WW2 geek sites and along the coast below Sea Green...

Hard to believe that here in 1930 this shoreline was a sandy beach haven!,

Here you go...

The bay has filled up with sit and sea levels not being able to remover the silt has seen the area grass over- hence a Salt marsh, you will also see this has happened at Tyninghame and John Muir Park, so not all the coast is prone to coastal erosion...

Bog cotton...

Onto the rocks at Kilspindie...

Across the Bay you can see the Midget sub wrecks...

Around here my compact camera decided to play up and despite doing all the things like removing and reinstalling the battery it would not work right and kept displaying an unreadable screen...
Of course once back home i recharged it and next it day worked fine lol!

Anyhows i could still  keep filming with the Go Pro,
Film around Kilspindie,
Song is `Mississippi Two Tone` by Phontaine

Beachride; Kilspindie  Oct 17 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


We stopped off at Gosford Bothy Cafe for food, then rode out across the Reserve and then east
along the dunes, Again another film, this one a bit longer as uncut and a riders view of a trail,
Song is `Lonely Planet` by Dream Catcher...

Beachride; East to Gullane Point; Oct 17 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


Onto the coastal trail and Mine workings at Jovey`s Neuk,
Song is `Round The Rigg` by Chris T...
Beachride; Gullane Point and Jovey`s Neuk Oct 17 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


Last film onto Gullane Sands, artist unknown...
Beachride; Across the rocks at Gullane Sands... Oct 17 from coastkid71 on Vimeo.


Back into NB after sunset and a great day out with friends...


More soon...