Sat 27th July 2019 - Jack Taylor - Contin, Loch Meig, Marybank

Headed south on Saturday for a road ride with Brian. His road rides usually consist of quite a lot of dirt or gravel roads but he assured me that this time it was to be quiet tarmac roads out to the dam at Loch Meig.
This was our second plan as the first was a loop taking in Cromarty and the Neigg ferry but unfortunately the heavy rains that lasted most of the morning meant a slight change to the other direction.
Despite the rain we were determined to get a decent ride in as Brian is heading back to Oz in the next couple of days as he has some family stuff to take care of and will be gone for at least three months and most likely more. So we needed to have one decent ride in as it would be the last for a while and certainly the last together this summer/autumn.
The weather was still pretty dark and overcast when we headed out to Contin but the clouds were breaking up and it looked like it would be pretty nice. The temperature was still pretty warm which meant the roads dried off quickly. We left Contin and headed off along the eastern side of the river towards the small Luichart power station before heading west towards Loch Meig.
The roads were all singletrack roads and pretty much rolling hills, short sharp climbs with the occasional longer climb along the way. It was only after turn west that the road had a few short sharp climbs coming in quick succession which took us from the river level up to the dam crossing at Loch Meig.
Across the dam wall and then back along the western side to much the same roads. This road eventually opened out once we passed Contin on the other side of the river as we made our way to Marybank before crossing the river and heading back to Contin on the main road to Ullapool.
It was as usual a great relaxing ride and these roads were perfect for the weather too. About halfway round the sun was fully out and the heat was ramping up but with the narrow road having shade along most of its route from the tall trees made it a pleasure in the heat.
The Jack Taylor rode superbly as usual though there was a fair bit of creaking going on near the end which I am sure is coming from the bottom bracket, so either a bit of tightening and lubing needed there but otherwise it was the usual sweet ride.  This is still in it's cobbled together spare parts guise which will soon change into something a bit nicer I hope and especially as I have the Jack Taylor ride down in the midlands soon.
Sad to see my good mate leaving for so long but it wont be long and he'll be back. hopefully he will get some nice warm riding in while I start to need to wrap up for cooler times.

Jamie

July 23rd 2019 - Mercian King of Mercia repaint - Painted, decalled and clearcoated waiting for lug lining

Sorry to keep posting before it's finished but received a couple of photos of the KoM out in the sunshine before it get its lugs lined  :)

Too nice not to share  ;)

Well the magician of a painter Dave sent through these photos of it painted, decalled and clearcoated sitting in the summer sun awaiting another steady handed magician Martin Battison to do the lug work. Lug work and infilling the 'Mercian' on the seat stays etc will be in white. To say I am happy is an understatement, Dave has turned an idea of a nice paintjob into far better a reality than I could have thought. 
It has done many happy miles and is a beautiful riding frame and while it looked just OK before, now Dave has made it look as good as it rides. It has come out even better than I imagined it could.

July 21st 2019 - mercian repaint update - Clearcoat done and decals on.

Just a quick update of some of the photos that Dave sent through today of the Mercian now that the clearcoat is done and alls that left is for Martin to do the lug lining and infill a few bits.
These guys are a really incredibly skilful pair, with Dave being the fixing and painting genius to the cool steady hand of Martins lugwork. As well as being a couple of great individuals when not painting as well :)
More to come as it nears the final stage. This looks amazing now let alone how it will look in the flesh and also in the sunlight.

Jamie

Sat July 20th 2019 - Long Haul Trucker ride Dingwall - Strathpeffer on gravel/dirt the long way

A great ride out yesterday with Brian and his son AJ. 
Myself on the Long Haul Trucker, Brian on his 60's Dawes gravel machine and AJ on Brians 29'er Voodoo. 
Brian had said AJ is up for the weekend and do I fancy a road ride, keep that in mind, road ride.
Rode out from Brians at Dingwall and headed towards Conan Bridge and then over many hills, to eventually double back and come down into Strathpeffer for cake and coffee. Mostly gravel tracks and dirt roads with a bit of unavoidable tarmac here and there. 
The terrain was very varied from wide forestry roads to very tight singletrack to in some parts no track at all :)
We left Strathpeffer for the ride down the valley to Dingwall, a much more direct and flattish route compared to the very hilly route to get there. We followed the new Peffery way for a lot of it with new walking paths connecting old tracks for a good few miles, then one of Brians more interesting routes, ie; no track sections before crossing the main road and following the farm tracks and roads back to Dingwall.
Myself and Brians son AJ think that Brian is really the Doc from Back to the Future as his motto should be ' where we're going we don't need roads'
Another great afternoons ride on the Long Haul Trucker with great Macleod company. Always a pleasure. 

Jamie

July 2019 - Mercian King of Mercia repaint/restoration

Mercian King of Mercia repaint/restoration


After many adventures and after threatening to do so for a few years now the King of Mercia was stripped back to its frame early this year in preparation for being repainted.

This refurb was delayed due to family stuff going on that meant I needed to watch the finances but also I found that once I pulled the other King of Mercia out the loft to tide me over until this one came back, I sort of lost the urgency to get this one done if that makes sense.

Anyway after sitting boxed for too long and with the repaint organised at the end of last year, and after some delay, it finally went off at the start of July. It is being painted by two guys who I can only truly describe as artists, Dave Colbeck who will strip and fix dents etc before putting on the various primers, paint coats and clear coats as well as sorting all the paint itself along with the fine talents of Martin Battison who will sort the decals, and do all the lug lining, filling etc . Between them they put out such impressive work that after watching for a long time the beautiful frames they bring back to life that it was an easy decision who were the best people to do the Mercians new livery.

I have been away in Germany visiting friends with the family and have been getting updates about the KOMs new livery.

Here are a couple of the incremental shots taken over the last 10 days or so.

Already looking brilliant so really can't wait for it to be built back up, but now I need some somewhat classier gear to do it justice J

I will no doubt have to put on the stuff I have been squirrelling away for it over the last few years and get those Wolber GTA2 rims laced up soon.

Photo of dents to be repaired. 1 on the seat tube panel and 1 on the top tube from a handlebar tap


Dents fixed and etch primed


Filler primed


Silver base coat with white panels done


Several coats of Candy Green done to get just the right shade




and that's where we are up to ............


It’s already looking pretty special to me and will look amazing once Martin works his magic on it with lining the lugs and filling in all the bits and pieces in white