thats a remarkable transformation John....  ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
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So with the wet cold weather upon us and the clock about to change we have to think about not letting what little fitness we've gained over the summer months completely disappear over the winter. Turbo trainer seems to be the most common and I have my original steel framed counterweight/fan type trainer from the 80s which I loathed then and even more so now. About 10 years ago I bought a Minoura trainer hoping to get back into cycling but it was so darned hard to pedal that it put me off for another 10 years. I remember back in the 80s trying to get hold of some rollers, but with no internet back then and lack of funds it never happened. I did however manage to acquire some conveyor rollers from the production line of the company that I worked and attempted to bodge up a set, but the rollers were too thin and the belt system unreliable so the idea was abandoned.

Last week I was offered some second hand Tacx rollers for a good price so I snatched them up and brought them home, well aware that they are difficult to use for the novice. A quick cycle in the lounge/hall doorway on Friday completing my worst ever mile and I decided I needed more than a few minutes to get the hang of these. Yesterday I took the rollers out to the garage and set them up beside the ramp, this gave me something that I could hold onto until I had the confidence to go it alone. I managed to do 10 difficult shaky miles gripping the handlebars as if my life depended on it and called it a day. Tonight I managed to do a wobbly 15 miles and came off the front roller for the first time. Concentration is definitely required all the time, unlike the turbo where you just sit there and pedal.

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Oops another bike slips under the radar

I went to see a used single speed Genesis Skyline today and saw it and couldn't say no, it's like brand spanking new just out of the box with not even a blemish on the paintwork. It belonged to an old chap who bought it new and travelled no more than 20 miles on it then decided it wasn't for him so it's been languishing in his garage for the past few years. I actually felt bad taking it for a test run as it was chucking it down as I bet that was the first time the bike has ever been out in the rain. The old fella even gave me a set of mudguards so I will be fitting them and using this bike throughout the winter months as much as possible

Here are a few pictures

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Cycled round Arran today, 56 miles of rain, thunder, lightening hailstones, roads that turned into rivers. Good day out

Off to the doctors on Monday to have my head examined

you'd be helping the environment if you go out again tomorrow.........its good to re-cycle  ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
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Stan... You are actually coming across as quite funny tonight...!!  Previously..
Vogue SE TD6
Defender 90 2.4
Defender 110 TD5
Vogue 3.5 EFI

 ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
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Contraband wrote:

Stan... You are actually coming across as quite funny tonight...!!

Hmm....

If Stan would like to bend over I could park my bike

Ive just purchased a Marin mountain bike to go out and start getting my fitness levels up... Can now outride my 14yr old girl after only a month

Small steps

Good on you Craig, keep it up and we can have a FFRR bike outing...You Contra and me







I've a grin like a Cheshire cat today after taking the single speed Genesis Skyline for its first proper ride, a 13 mile loop which has 851 feet of elevation and I have to say I'm well impressed with the way the Reynolds 520 tubing absorbs the rough roads around here, much smoother than carbon, then steel always is. I was also chuffed to mintballs with my performance considering it's been over 45 years since I last rode SS. Before I left the house I thought I might have to push the bike up some of the climbs, but the gearing seems just about right and I managed to keep going without having to dismount.
I may have to lower the saddle just a tad as I was bouncing at higher cadences.

The only negative I have found so far is using SPD pedals and shoes with the mudguards which causes some toe overlap, so thanks to the plonker in the open top Merc who almost caused me to land on the ground at Mearns Cross...Pillock

If you didn't see the adventure show on bbc2 tonight you should watch it on the iplayer... It's about cycling up the Bealach.
 Previously..
Vogue SE TD6
Defender 90 2.4
Defender 110 TD5
Vogue 3.5 EFI

Thanks for the heads up contra, Bealach na Bà is high on my list of rides I have to do

Always wanted to do this 25 years ago when I was a cyclist went back 3 years ago and done it on two wheels admit idly on a Yamaha R6.
Great roads and views If you get the weather. Gone
67 Nissan navara
67 C220 AMG
12 Tdv6 Discovery 4 HSE
09 TDV8 Westminster
59 BMW 520d touring
56 RRS tdv6 hse
02 td 6 hse

Well the single speed has been getting well used this week and so far I have clocked up 80 miles on it, my target is 100 so if I can manage to get out tomorrow I will have bagged it. On Wednesday I went to go over the Eaglesham Moor but ran short on time. it was getting dark early, the weather was getting rather damp and I had no lights, so I turned around at Ballageigh (highest point in Renfrewshire) and headed back via Bonnyton giving me 20 miles and 1500 feet of elevation.

Today I set out early, it was cold 3 °C the roads were wet but at least there was no rain and the forecast was dry until midday. Again I went up to over the moors past Ballageigh and this time managed over the top and out onto the A77 and back in via Newton Mearns. About 8 miles from home the rain started and by the time I was almost home the roads were flooding, a known section of road that always floods was indeed about a foot deep and as I went through it an ar5ehole coming from the opposite direction decided it would be good to sink the boot in an attempt to soak me. Sadly for him he missed me and managed to hydrolock his engine

Ballageigh, the highest point in Renfrewshire on the single speed, a total of 102.6 miles on this bike this week

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