While having the week off with family and doing lots together, this afternoon was getting those small bicycle jobs out the way.
The weather has been really bad the last four days since I started my holiday, suprised, not really :)
We are hopefully away tomorrow in the canoe for a day or two as like most people around the world our summer holidays were cancelled and put on hold due to covid 19. This and the fact that Heather is just out of shielding as well as a huge influx of tourists to the north of Scotland means we are quite alright with not travelling or staying outwith our area for the time being. With our usual campgrounds, wild camping spots, lochs etc currently being overun, coupled with todays news of Aberdeen and possibly other areas going back into lockdown makes it safer to stay local or at the very least just stay in the north for day trips.
So todays cycle jobs started out with a bit of spraying some clear coat over the decals on the Flying Scot Ventoux. I really needed to finish doing this before I started building it and as I now have decided on, and put together the components it was definately time. So these were masked off and a quick spray of Plasticote clear to seal them and then let to dry for 2 hours.
While I was at it I really thought I better mask off and clear the 'have a nice ride - Ken Taylor' signature on my Jack Taylor Sports model. It is almost 12 months since Ken signed it for me at the JT weekend so thought it prudent to get it done while I had the clear out.
Then there was a bit of sun came out and I managed to sit outside at the bench and clean up some of the Shimano 600 Arabesque gear for the Ventoux. It came up really nicely as it was just quite grubby, so a good clean, degrease and quick polish. The only problem is one of the downtube shifters is misssing a washer so I will have to source another one.
By now the postman had arrived and with came our parcel from SJS Cycles, our crank shorteners for the tandem! Great item, great instructions too which mad instillation simple. Our only problem and a decent one at that is that the crank arm that now has a bolt on the back where the pedal normally mounts is hitting the chain. Tried a few things like tapping the eccentric bottom bracket over a fraction, which allowed us to ride but every now and then it would catch a link and stop the chain dead. Lucky we were just going up and down the road testing. At least it allowed us to dial everything in and Caleb is happy with his pedal height and position etc and was a very happy little man with the tandem for sure. Tommorow I will take the bottom bracket out on the front chainset and order one about 5mm narrower which should pull the chain over enough to miss it completely. It is a TA chainset so will need to source the appropriate bottom bracket. We are getting there though.
Then as I was putting the Ventoux and the Sport away once dry I thought I should offer up a set of guards that a freind, Chris or Peachy as he's known, gave me. They are shorty Bluemels but not just any shorties, they are matching canary yellow. He says the rear one will suite as it will allow the signature to be seen. Not usually a fan of shorties but they do suite.
Anyway that's a few jobs sorted. Stay safe
Jamie
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