Were into March already, always a great month for cycling (all months are) as the days get longer and temperatures are on the rise,
A sunny Saturday again!, clear skies and 9 Celcius as i cruised down to North Berwick on the Salsa Fargo, Not been out on the bike for 3 months with road salt, and i fitted my GATO GEAX mud tyres to get some traction off road and see if i can get a more comfier ride off road from the bigger tyres....
Truth is i am not really getting the Salsa Fargo concept and i am not really enjoying riding the bike here in East Lothian.
This bike has a massive following and people rave about it, so it must be a great bike for many owners...
But i am finding it a bike that is too heavy on the road and far to stiff and unforgiving off road.
I don`t do bike packing much and when i ride it i just get sore wrists and hands, and i don`t care what folk say, drops off road for myself is not fun...
Some people say to get the Salsa Wood Chipper Bars, they are way better,
Other friends say the Bell Laps like i fitted are better for road and off road giving more choice of hand positions.
End of the day the bar/stem hieght set up will not change the rock solid ride of the unforgiving frame built to carry luggage which i find awfully uncomfortable, and i am sitting typing this now my wrists and hands and shoulders are all sore...
It reminds me of the worse frame i have ever owned, an On One 456, a dead unresponsive frame that i rode then would hang up afterwards and would walk away feeling no joy from the ride...
This is a real shame how this bike has turned out as i was really excited about it last year and looked forward to good times on a frame set that is lovely made with stainless drop outs, and inset rear brake caliper...
I don`t want to upset anyone who rides drop bar bikes off road, and that includes some real good friends who own and race cyclocross bikes,
For cyclocross racing i understand the concept, its a historic sport done before the mountain bike came along, light enough bikes to sling on your shoulder and jog up steep banks etc...
For regular trail riding on drop bars?, i just do not get on with it...
So probably this bike will be getting split and the frame set sold - the reason i kept it off the salted roads over winter,
Sadly i have been regretting selling two bikes that were fun and comfortable ride;
My old Dawes Galaxy - which had a magic carpet ride on our country roads,
And my Karate Monkey 29er - a brilliant XC all day bike,
Two bikes great for road and off road here in East Lothian, that's the thing really, a bike will not be good at both types of riding...
How ever things will work out fine in the long run as i will end up with two replacements of those two bikes that are improved again for what i want;
I think i will be eventually getting a Dawes Disc Galaxy - yeah now available with disc brakes!,
Or the Surly Disc check when it is released, both options just need the frame set, and wheels relaced with 700c rims and tyres,
The Disc Check looks more what i want as it is a comfy ride with a forgiving frame and has good big tyre size option and clearance...
Need to have a think about this Fargo for a bit...and see what comes out from Surly or Dawes this year...
Anyway less about my Fargo as today was good friend Ritchie's day as he has a new bike today...
One of if not the first Surly Krampus 3" 29+ bike in Scotland rolled out of Law Cycles today,
Friend Ritchie from Newcastle was real happy when he saw his new bike, built and ready to roll...
Paint is amazing out in the sunlight...
We rode the John Muir Way then some trails to Dirleton Village and then down the swooping trail from the village to rejoin the JMW into Yellowcraig woods - a good Krampus trail, and across the links to stop for another blether while soaking up the views across to Fidra...
Ritchie is loving his new bike...
Below Marine Hotel...
So then did i get a ride and is this a bike i like? oh yes!, Not just the superb paint finish that seems to be a higher quality like the Moonlander than other Surly bikes, good neat welds too and frame details...
This thing flys along regular trails and is real comfy, As i thought before riding one if you want a fat bike but have no intention to ride on the beach or soft moorland peat then this is the bike to go for, it`s a no brainer, The acceleration is rapid with those lighter rims and tyres, the parts that interest me the most,
It rolls well, is light at around 25 lbs, gives a real comfortable ride over rippled turf trails and exposed roots on trails here on the coast, and has a sweet balance point on the rear wheel... how good?... this good...
Archiefield trail, ace singletrack...
Krampus and Fidra Island...
Think it suits you sir...
We rode through Archiefield and on to Gullane...
Coffee and ice cream from friend Trish at Cools Ices and then a seat in the sun, watching the world go by...
So were sitting there sooking on our ice creams, and i noticed a display in a Golf and Sports shop window...
It was a window that was very green in colour of its contents...
I went over for a look in the window and i saw just the accessory for Richie that would match his new bike...
Walking poles in KRAMPUS GREEN! lol -:) ...
Moving on it was off road south out of Gullane on the old Railway line and then though the woods of Drem Ride and into the old airfield perimeter track that during WW2 was RAF Drem...
Krampus glowing in the late winter sun....
Parked on standby ready for action, at the only remainingg `Holding Pen` where 73 years ago 2 RAF Supermarine Spitfires would have been parked, ground crews at the ready sat waiting ready to fire up the Merlins had the bell rung to be scrambled... must have been some sight and sound...
Along a soft muddy trail to East Fenton Farm and parked up for a breather and blether beside the farms old fuel pump...
If you have kids then you will have watched the children's BBC TV series `Balamory` then you may recognise this renovated former Keep... yep it is the one in the series!...
But this is not the `Wonderful Mr Ed`...
Back to North Berwick, and a quick hose down of the new Krampus...
And then along to `Cake Cafe` for food and more coffee... Its a hard life but someone has to do it...
