Sunday 8 December 2019

7th December 2019 - Global fat Bike Day (GFBD) - Loch More/Alnabreac Loop

Well, that time of year again for the annual GFBD ride.
The annual GFBD ride is held on the first Saturday in December and has been running since about 2012. I am pretty sure Brian and I have had a fatbike ride on most of these with myself missing an organised ride last year due to being in  Australia for a family funeral. Though I did get a local ride out on my Pugsley as soon as I got home. I think it was the following Saturday.
Anyway this year Brian decided to head up this way and the plan was to do the Loch More/Altnabreac loop in the flow country up here in the north of Scotland.
There are rides taking place all over the world so we did post this one up though we didn't really think anyone would show up but it made us committed to it regardless of what the weather would be. Well the weather didn't let us down. It has rained solidly up here for the past week and things looked little better this morning.
After Brian arrived at mine and had a warming cuppa it was time to load the bikes into my van for the short drive out to the start of our ride.
I was on my Pugsley with Brian riding his nice carbon framed fatbike with carbon rims, very nice and very light. Brian though has had a few hassles with punctures on these carbon rims when running tubeless so had fitted tubes to see if that made the difference. Thankful to say we had no punctures today so all seems good with them now.
We unpacked and quickly got going as the rain was light but steady and there was a stiffening breeze from the south west. Thankfully we were pretty well wrapped for it but it's still a pain in the backside and of course, would rather ride in the dry.
The wide open nature of the flow country lets you see what's coming from a good distance away and it didn't look like the day would get better judging but the limited view we had of the cloudy, rainy horizon.
Still, we had a great ride and once in the protected area where there were trees it was a bit easier going, though the road was littered with big filled puddles.
Due to the weather we didn't complete the loop, instead spending time taking detours and exploring trails we hadn't been down before and generally staying in the more forested areas rather than out into the exposed open flow land.
As the afternoon progressed the wind had picked up along with the rain getting steadily heavier.
I think we made the right decision not to go out into the south western section where we would be exposed completely to the wind as when we headed back the way we came we had a good few miles of very strong headwind along with heavy rain.
The Pugsley as usual was a joy to ride but I must do more maintenance when I haven't been riding it as much over the summer as not long into the ride I had the back brake start slowing my down and bringing me to a stop only to have a pad backing plate drop out and onto the ground with no pad material attached. They had some how separated and it had allowed to baking plate to drop out. Luckily no big hills out here so just rode with the front brake. Must check better next time rather than a casual glance for thickness :)
Thanks once again must go to Brian for his company and heading up this way.
Whether Fatbike or not I hope anyone reading this managed to get a ride in where ever  you may be.

Jamie

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Wednesday 30 October 2019

29 October 2019 - Midweek ride with Brian on Long Haul Trucker - Black isle

Seeing as the forecast was reasonable for once , especially after the rainy sleety weekend we have just had, I decided to take the day off work and head south as Brian said he had an idea for a road ride.
Perfect I thought!
So after being up early and dropping a visitor to the Dyer household into Thurso for the train at 8.30 I kept heading south to Brians at Dingwall.
After a warming coffee we headed out into the nice autumnal day that was slowly becoming overcast. While it was sunny in places, the heat had definitely gone for the year as it was very cold. This was not helped by snow on Ben Wyvis and snow clearly visible on the high ground to the west.
I was on the trusty Long Haul Trucker while Brian was on his Alfine equipped Voodoo.
We headed out over sections of the Black Isle to North Kessock where we dined in style at Harry Gows   :lol:  (It was fuel)
It was not pretty and it wasn't healthy but it was warming as I was really freezing despite having several jerseys on. I put my jacket on just after this and that really helped but I had made the mistake of not packing my Buff. I knew from the ride on the weekend that it was colder the last few weeks but didn't expect it to be this biting so early on.
We then rode back through North Kessock, Redcar along the shoreline before turning up the quiet single lane farm roads to zigzag our way cross country before turning back up onto the main road to Dingwall all the while taking small detours to explore. Some paved and of course, some dirt/gravel 'short cuts'. One of these was through a local woods on some singletrack that while the usual nice treelined detour it was definitely boggy in places from the recent rain. Discretion won out and we cut this section short for now, either until it freezes, dries out or we come back with the fatbikes.
A cold ride but as usual a good ride and it seems that winter has returned quite quickly. It has taken the heat and the daylight out of the day making it a bit colder and darker, the low light being quite noticeable especially since the clocks went back on the weekend. 
A good laugh and despite the cold it was a really nice ride. Good to have my riding buddy back from Oz as well.

Jamie


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Monday 14 October 2019

13/10/2019 - Local Coast Ride - Jack Taylor Super Clubman

After a really busy month where I have been away from home more than I have been there at weekends, it was nice to be back home for a Sunday where I awoke to a nice sunny day.
I had some work to do first thing and then the plan in my head was to just get out for a cruise on the Jack Taylor.  I had to sort the front wheel that had become a bit rattley after the Jack Taylor weekend and thankfully it was as expected, that the cones had slackened in the hub slightly after the last service. I had replaced the bearings so I either didn't tighten them properly or they just bedded in slightly, either way it was just a small job to readjust them and then hit the road.
No real destination in mind other than to cruise leisurely around the coast.
I rode the back roads and then after Castletown Harbour headed back through the old estate track which was still wet and boggy after the rains last week but no problem at the speeds I was going :)
Got in around 5pm just as the temperature was beginning to drop and you could really feel the difference. Summer is well and truly behind us now.
Good to be back out and clearing the head. Hopefully everyone else has had a good weekend with maybe a ride or two thrown in.

Jamie

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Wednesday 18 September 2019

16/09/2019 - Jack Taylor Catalogue and Envelope - present in the mail

Having been away for all of last week with the family, first picking up our new, but old Old Town HW canoe and then spending a fabulous week in Aberfeldy with my sister and brother in law, visiting from Australia, I arrived home to find a surprise package waiting for me.
A gentleman by the name of Clive, and on the retrobike forum also known as Kingbling, had very kindly sent me a superb condition Jack Taylor catalogue and a printed envelope.
As well as being extremely grateful as well as humbled by his generosity, I was touched that he had thought enough of me to give them to me. Thank you very much Clive.
They will join the Jack Taylor issue of Bicycle Quarterly that Ken Taylor signed for me at the ride last month.

Jamie


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Sunday 1 September 2019

Sunday 01 September 2019 - Jack Taylor Sport Wheels - Sachs/Van Schothorst

Here is a few photos of the wheels that were found with and came with the Sports frame.
They have never been used and as they were found alongside the frame it is assumed they went in the loft with it back in approx 1963/64.
Sachs, Made in France stamped hubs with Van Schothorst made in Holland rims, 27 x 1 1/4 . Rear hub stamped 7V  W6, Front hub stamped T6.  No glue, tape so have never been used and while have some slight sort of pitting starting they are in great condition, maybe need a re grease but on the jig they are straight as an arrow. Made by the Midlands Wheel Co LTD Birmingham.

Jamie


*** update 3/9/2019
It seems these wheels may not be related to the JT frame they came with. Been digging for clues with the help of the good people of Retrobike forum. The phone number on the decals is a newer style number, the lack of a date stamp on the Sachs hubs may put them pre 1985 so a bit of a mystery really. The rear has a nut/spacer put on that doesn't look like it belongs on there and this makes it 126mm whereas the frame is definitely 1963 and 120mm rear spacing. May possibly be completely unrelated to the frame. Nice wheels anyway. 


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Sat August 21st 2019 Jack Taylor Sports - 23/7/1963 -

Spent last weekend staying in a lovely pub in Stockton on Tees ready for the VCC Jack Taylor ride in North Yorkshire held on the Sunday and Monday. It was a really fabulous weekend, though a long round trip. Between Friday night after work and Monday night around 10.30 I did about 947 miles and had spent 19 hours driving, 9 down and 10 back.
I was asked why I wasn't headed to SSUK as per my usual riding but just decided on a change for this year. I missed the Jack Taylor weekend last year due to last minute family stuff and really regretted it and told Brian back then that the Jack Taylor weekend was for me in 2019.
I decided a long while back that the Jack Taylor weekend would come first this year. The single speed isn’t the same without Brian anyway, though I did have his entry but to be honest, I have a bit going on and it would just be too much as I thought of racing Sat then driving down there for Sunday morning but to be honest it would just make both things stressful. Maybe I'm getting old ;) 
One consolation was I had to detour through Durham to pick up this 1963 Sport frame I bought a couple of months back.
It came with a set of wheels and while the frame may have been built, it looks like it was barely used, if at all, and the wheels are as built, never used. Sachs hubs and Dutch Van Schothorst 27 x 1 1/4 rims built by Race Wheels Birmingham. Found in the guys mother in laws loft and believed to be her husbands sisters husband. Unfortunately they are long gone and the sister in law has dementia, so after several months the trail comes to a dead end. It was just found when clearing out the mother in laws loft in a bin bag. Several chips but as good as new. Well pleased.
Yeah it was a good buy. I had been worried about buying it off of photos and from a guy who knows nothing about bikes. Then paying knowing I wouldn't see it for a couple of months, but we both did our homework and assurances were given and all worked out very stress free and accommodating. It was a fair price but seeing the condition and the fact he threw the wheels in it is now a bargain.
I helped originally to identify it and pointed him to where to sell it. He mentioned on several posts that he would like to maybe sell it, though he had given the size wrong. I did ask about the size and asked if he could check and he assured me it was a 22'', which is too big for me. In the photos it didn't look 22'' judging by the headtube and also the build books from Ken Taylor showed it being a 21" Sport model. When it was offered to me for helping ID etc I again said about the size and it was still 22" but I took a safe gamble that the size from the old build book was correct and did a deal. Still a slight relief when I finally got to take it out the bag that it was indeed 21", which was clear to me without any tape measure needed. I never mentioned it, as it wasn't needed to be, I was just happy it was indeed 21".  I paid his wife as the money was for his mother in law. The mother in law had no idea of anything in particular about it and only vaguely remembered stuff coming from her sister in law when she passed. Clearly covered in the bag as while a couple of chips the paintwork, it is still so bright and vibrant and the only defect is the Reynolds 531 decal is crinkled and all dried and flaking as these went on after clear coat, so not protected. Wheels have some pinpoint rust spots but not a mark of fitting, use and never had a brake pad touch them.
As I said before, I already knew what it was as the gentleman had given me the number and with access to the copies of Ken Taylors build books on the groups document pages I knew the size, model and the fact it was finished on 23/7/1963.
I went to the ride meet on the Sunday morning and met a lot of really great new friends and met up with people I had spoken with and conversed online with in various groups for  a long while. So nice to see so many great condition Jack Taylors in one place as well as such an enthusiastic bunch.  A great social ride before returning to Swainby for the historic car show that as well as having some of the nicest motorcycles seen in a while had lots of historic bike displays with some really amazing examples. Our Jack Taylors, amongst other marquees joined the others at the VCC setup.
On the Monday I had decided that I wouldn't do the ride to Stockton on Tees as I had such a long drive home and it wasn't going to finish until later that afternoon. I was going to the meetup and breakfast/coffee as I knew I would be there for a few hours socialising. As well as meeting a lot of new people who couldn't make the day before we were also joined by Ken Taylor. This was a highlight for me to be able to spend a couple of hours with everyone sitting around outside in the glorious sunshine admiring all the bikes, Jack Taylors and lots of others, everybody chatting away in a really relaxed and friendly atmosphere and also to chat away to Ken, discussing everything from wheels sizes to telling me stories of cyclotouring in France.
We took a couple of photos with my Super Clubman and the Eric suggested showing Ken the new frame as several wanted to see it as well. Most were well impressed with it's original condition and Ken signed the back of the seat tub on the yellow band with his usual ' Have a great ride' and then asked if I wanted him to sign it like the old shipping boxes with Taylor Brothers, I said I would prefer Ken  :wink: 
One of the nicest guys you could meet and a true gentleman. Even after he flagged the guys and girls away on their ride he and his wife Honor sat round and chatted for ages. As it was I managed to get away just on lunchtime.
Just one of those weekends that just falls into place and makes the world right again. It was certainly an easy drive back north feeling like one lucky guy on all fronts.
To think as well that on the way down I was thinking that maybe I should sell the new frame, not that that is why I bought it, more because my Super Clubman is my favourite ride so wasn't sure I even needed another Jack Taylor. Then after the weekend, eventually seeing it, then having it signed, I thought, this isn't going anywhere and is the closest I am going to get to a new JT. It may now sit in my loft until I get a few other projects sorted, but there's no rush, it's not going anywhere ;)
Jamie
Apologies for the bad lighting, and also this is as found, not even wiped over with a rag.


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Sunday 24th March 2024 - Jack Taylor Super Clubman shakedown ride - Caithness

  Yesterday was the first decent weather day when I hadn't been super busy so with a few hours to spare I decided to head out for a bit ...