I can’t be trusted to go out on my own anymore.

I went out to buy  a new cross bike the other day so decided to sell the hoss (that never got used anyway). The thinking behind this was simple – keep the Peregrine as the winter/tourer/dry weather cross bike and get a new one (cheaper) that I wouldn’t cry about if I fell off and knackered it. Hanchurch is also very sandy in places and it grinds the drivetrain away very easily, every crunchy pedal revolution is like setting fire to pound notes! This is my favourite bike and we’ve covered some miles already and I’ve grown attached to it and don’t want to kill it. I wouldn’t even feel right on another identical frame, how weird is that!!

So I went to buy this

or this

but ended up paying for this

I have now got another fixed/ss on the road for summer !! The Langster can stay on the trainer, I can’t ride around here with almost 100 gear inches anyway and it’s too much trouble to convert it for hilly road use. I couldn’t resist this really, no really. It was a one time offer and not to be missed, it was greatly reduced in price.

The only problem is that I’m still left with grinding the Peregrine drivetrain away . If this Genesis is a good bike I may just get the day one  for getting dirty on, especially now I haven’t got the mtb. I still have one of the racks empty and needs a bike hanging off it anyway but that’s the household limit once the rack’s full so I’ll have to choose very carefully which crosser to get.

The new bike is here tomorrow so I should be out after work…………….but they’ve forecast crap weather !!

Kona Hoss Deluxe

I don’t use this much, I use the Peregrine for my rides around Hanchurch woods. A hardtail is overkill for what I need down there. Hence this is still like new.

I haven’t posted any pics of it before, it’s colour is called Rootbeer and I’ve added gold spangly bits to it.

It’s also recently had a brand new and unridden pair of Rockshox Reba race 100mm dual air forks fitted with a poploc on the bars.

Standard spec is:

clump alu frame

sunn Ditch witch rims

maxxis high rollers

xt rear mech

deore front mech

hayes nine hydraulics with bfl levers

deore shifters

fsa seatpost

I’ve also added:

fsa k-force carbon riser bars

spank saddle/grips/Royala stem

slx double chainset with bashguard

Hope  qr seatclamp / spacers / head doctor

halo porky gold qr’s

Cheapskate innertube chainstay protector

cycraguards

rrp mud guard

time z control pedals

cateye wireless comp

I’m thinking of selling this and getting another cross bike. Why I buy mountain bikes is a mystery , I never use them and always use the cross bikes!!

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Spring clean!!

Due to the weather being totally crap and the 5 day mini tour cancelled, I’ve decided to give the bikes a wipe down, remove old gunk and add a bit of polish.

Firstly  the Specialized S-works Tricross. I’ve added all of the new bits – dura ace 7850 cl wheels, ultegra 6700 shifters, bar tape, ultegra sl standard chainset, 6700 front & rear mechs, chain, cassette. I hope the wheels withstand the local roads which are starting to look like third world dirt tracks!!!

Next the Singular Peregrine . I’ve changed it to summer mode for some insane reason! Guards removed, brooks Swift added and B17 stored. I’ve also found a good way to add the rear light! The Brooks honey tape is holding out very well. I DO add proofhide to it unlike others recommend and it seems to keep it clean.

Finally the Dahon Speed Pro TT. I’ve added guards and Koolstop tectonic pads because this will be used in all weathers. I’ve put drops on and shortened all cables as short as possible so it all still folds ok.

there’s 20 pics so I’ve stuck them into a slideshow -

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Plans for Easter, I shouldn’t have bothered

I’m supposed to be going here tomorrow

My old Kona Smoke – Just for Redbikes……..

One of the cheapest, strongest and hard working bikes I ever owned. This was when I first converted it.

Just purchased a Dahon Speed Pro TT

I’ve always liked the look of this and after selling the Brompton(whose gearing was shocking unless riding flat) I swore I’d get one. It’s as cool looking as a folder can get and actually rides like a full size bike and has 27 gears using Tiagra shifters and a Sram hub gear. Mine has a few different bits from the one below and is in the process of having drops fitted.

I’ve only had a small ride on it so far and after hearing how crap the brakes were, I can confirm that they are!!

I’ve added kool stop pads which has helped, shortened the brake cables and removed the cable routing from inside the bullhorns to the outside. They now work perfectly, so the routing on the outside of the drops when fitted will also be fine.

I purchased this from J E James in Rochdale which is a fair distance from me. I left early and got there at 7.00am well before the store opened. If you are planning the same don’t leave your vehicle unattended. It’s a very run down area with lots of undesirables roaming about. I saw 3 with air rifles and a gang of about twenty with drinks including JD bottles. JE James outside is all vandalised and every window/sign is smashed, which is a shame because inside is a good well stocked shop but some of the staff should have stayed in bed!! The service wasn’t top notch, no one ( except one eventually ) knew how to fold the bike it has no paperwork and the spec they told me was mostly wrong. It was like going into a newsagents to buy a newspaper – pick goods – pay – leave. The lad who was serving me walked off half way through to deal with someone else!! The manager was ok but he was seeing to someone else . And  when I say mine has different parts from the photo because of a different handlepost fitted mine folds ( post inside ) differently from the pic!! I did however get it at a good price and they are hard to get hold of new, until the 2010 model arrives @ £1300!!!! The post isn’t a major problem but I would like the proper one. I would use the shop again but I’ve been to much better , and much worse !!

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**Quick update on the handlepost - spoke to a member of staff who says he will sort it out, even if he’s got to order one. I hope they’ve got good customer service with snags.

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22/03/2010 – Just spoken to the manager and he was great, he seems to think he can get it sorted no problem

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A bleak ride on the singular peregrine

I’ve been really busy at work recently so found it hard to get in any proper rides. I’ve done a few Sunday rides but mostly been on the trainer.

I was working in Liverpool this week so decided to stick the bike in the van and head into wales for the weekend. I got to Lake Vyrnwy about 11.00pm so parked up and got the trangia going, had a drink and some food then got the bed ready. It’s too cold for the tent so I put the bluecat heater on in the van ( which is all lined and insulated ) and wrapped up for the night. When I awoke at around 7.00am the sun was shining, I was eager to get out.

The route started off as a loop around the lake then up to the cross , down the steep side to Mawddy. Then turn around and back up the steep side to the car park at the top of Bwlch y Groes. The sun had vanished, it was a howling gale and you can see from the pics that there is still snow about!!

I headed back down to Ty nant and around Bala ( I saw my first car of the day  here!). The weather thankfully improved as i got lower down but it was still very windy. Then a climb up Cwm hirnant  ( this is my favourite climb in Wales from Vyrnwy side ) and a blast down to vyrnwy with a final loop of the lake, then a brew!!

Just a touch over 52 miles. I then did exactly the same on Sunday but in reverse!!

Friday night supper, it was dark, nearly forgot to add that there were black grouse calling all weekend, burbling and clacking away. Brilliant….

The view from the vyrnwy road looking down the Groes

of course, the cross photo! which I always forget

the peregrine as it is now, with drops and brooks saddle, bartape, barend shifters and schwalbe slicks. It is still on 26′s. The beauty of this bike is that I even went on a few tracks off road which the road bike wouldn’t have managed. The brakes also come in handy on the slippery descents!!

notice the water is still untouched, I still had a bottle left when I finished. It was too cold to drink!!

atop the Groes, see snow!

and more snow from the viewpoint