Flying Scot - New Decals

Ordered some new decals for the Fling Scot last week from H Lloyds last week. They were waiting for me yesterday when I arrived home and with the family being away, I spent some time quietly sitting in the living room fitting them.
The quality is the usual from Lloyds with the decals being bright and vibrant. The instructions are very easy to follow with the main stress coming from making sure everything is lined up, straight and in the centre. I will still need to lacquer them but they certainly added to the frame already quality look.  This frame being a Ventoux model should really have a Ventoux one on the downtube instead of Flying Scot but as they don't do one I just used the standard Flying Scot  one. I will get Gil, the decal man to make me a couple up as they are just a standard font I think and wait until they are needed as the Flying Scot ones suite I think. I also fitted a emblem to the seat tube and the two small fork decals.
Looking forward to riding this one :)

Jamie

A couple of photos from the ride yesterday with Brian on the Black Isle with a tea room stop at North Kessock.
A good ride though it was very cold and the headwind was a real pain, it just seemed to really suck the life out of you at various points of the ride.
Saying that though, as usual it was a very enjoyable ride with a few good climbs to get the blood flowing. With a coffee and cake stop at North Kessock followed by a ride back around the shoreline to Redcliffe. Not an overly long one due to a late start due to me arriving later than planned but we still got about 30 mile in or so.
 Jack Taylor was it's usual lovely riding self and I really do need to set this up with the stuff I have for it rather than the bits and pieces currently on it. It rides beautifully now but a bit too racy in both stance and gearing. I did fit the black mudguards that were originally on it in the morning as I thought it may be wet but thankfully they weren't needed.
Brian had his Scandal that is really a bit of a sleeper as this thing weighs nothing, is running high volume tubeless tyres on lightweight rims and singlespeed hubs and from my perspective looks like it rides and sits on the road very nicely.
Also note the bottom photo of Brian in front of the Post box in the wall at Redcliffe as instead of the usual E R it is V R so has been there for a long time and missed the update.
Jamie

Sunday 31st March 2019 - Merckx Corsa Extra 1st Spring Ride

It was a lovely day up here today, slight wind blowing but nowhere near as bad as the last week. I could tolerate the wind a bit easier due to the lovely sunshine.
Lovely sunny spring Sunday spent relaxing with the family, late breakfast etc so a really chilled morning, then got stuck into a few jobs that needed doing around the place all the while planning a ride out later in the afternoon on the trusty Merckx. Shameful to say that it is only the first time out this year for my pampered favourite :)  This was also the start of the classics this week with E3 on Thursday and Gent -Welvgem today, favourite time of year. So after a great race on the box I went out and put in some quick miles and realised why I love this bike so much. It just seems effortless, fits like a glove and is so precise and slick in all respects. While I bought this frame and built it up almost 18 years ago it still feels like new to me, despite lots and lots of miles. I suppose I maintain this pretty tightly but every time I think I will upgrade something, I end up leaving it as it works faultlessly. It was built as a do it all workhorse and it far exceeds that.
Camera died while out on the ride so took a couple when I got in. I have had this for a long time but it still feels like my new bike to me. I have a full 7400 Dura Ace kit to fit to it one day but this works perfectly for me and my riding and it's how I built it for what I needed. Long before it was ever 'retro'  ;) 
While due to storage it has gone back in the loft for the next week with the wheels tucked away in their bag until I can make some room in the small shed. Anyway a good family day with a good spring classic followed by a good ride on a great bike in the sunshine!  Long may it last and hopefully the day was as nice for everyone else.

Jamie