Saturday 02nd December 2023 - Global Fat Bike Ride 2023 - Strathpeffer, Knockfarral

 Well not today but yesterday was Global Fatbike Day once again.

Similar to last year, Caleb joined Brian and myself for a ride down Brians locality. 

Brian and I were on our trusty Pugsley and Caleb on his Baby Fatty. That may be it's last ride as he is rapidly outgrowing it. I had to raise the seatpost yet again, by almost 3 inches this time!  Also move the seat back on the rails so he could spread out. 

We headed out through Strathpeffer and this time upwards to the stone circle then followed the hill along it's side slowly climbing to emerge up on knockfarral. We then rode along the top and descended down the Dingwall side and then rode back along the valley on the Peffery way to Strathpeffer station and then back up the road to the deli for another warming cuppa and some cake. We did stop there on the way through to start this loop when we had some coffee and warm rolls for lunch.
Weather was glorious, sunny, dry though very icy and very cold. I don't think it got above 0 degree all day.
Brilliant afternoon out riding, just getting back on dark, which was cutting it fine with no lights between us. Caleb and I then drove back up the road before it was too icy.

Jamie

Sunday 26th November 2023 - Jack Taylor Super Tourist - wet coastal ride

 Out again today and seen as how it hadn’t rained yesterday or this morning, I thought I would be fine to take the Super Tourist for a few hours round the coast before winter closes in and the roads are too salty and too wet. For winter the Super Tourist will get tucked away and the Super Clubman comes back to the fore. It’s already battle hardened to the northern winter, meaning it's patina is well waxed. 

The roads here have been wet and damp for the last month with the salting of the roads already well underway. Certainly not the best environment for anything let alone polished or chromed metal. 

As can be seen, I didn’t get too far before the rain came driving in off the sea.

I managed a bit further than last weekend before it got me, but just meant longer pushing into the headwind home. At least I got few hours out and about and christened the tourer in the rain. First rain it has ever felt. 

I love riding this one but still needs a few tweaks. Mainly just the front derailleur as I hadn't swapped the cable out yet and then properly adjust as I am sure that will sort it. I will most likely fully strip it over the winter and grease, service and adjust everything at the same time.
It handles really nice and I am sure with a front load on it, it will really come into it's own. Just a shame the weather has been so dreadful up here lately so have not had much chance to take this out, let alone get away for a tour. I have been riding my Super Clubman but must admit with this being so spotless, I didn't really want to ride it on the gritty, greasy roads. I am glad I did. 

Hope you all had a nice weekend.

Jamie

Home to dry off in the kitchen 

5th November 2023 - Bullitt Ride

 After a very wet and windy couple of weeks, today was quite nice, sunny for the most part but still cold with the roads not drying out much at all. I don't think they will completely dry now for a few months. 

I had a few things to get done this afternoon and one of those was to visit a friend where my Royal Enfield is parked up until my new shed is built, this has now been delayed and not likely to get done until next spring, but the Enfield is tucked up with his bikes, with battery out and now on trickle charge. 

It was a good excuse to load up the Bullitt with some tools and a bike cover and head out. While it is just up the road from home I made sure I went way past and travelled the long way round as it was such a nice winters afternoon. The sun was quite low but was oh so bright in the clear afternoon sky. The quiet backroads on a Sunday afternoon suited the Bullitt perfectly. No hauling to get to work or carry cargo from town out to home, this was a Sunday afternoon meander, enjoying the ride for the pure fun of it. 

Hope you have all had a nice Sunday as well. 

Jamie 

 

Shortly after I was home this is what the sky looked like looking northward

17th October 2023 - Pugsley ride with Brian - Strathpeffer/Ben Wyvis

 Well I did manage to get down to Brians on the Tuesday and it was a glorious day. Very glad I did too as we all know how the week ended. Here in Scotland it was major storms with gale force winds and lots of flooding from Wednesday on.

So for my two weeks off work I managed 3 days that weren't raining or gale force winds. They were utilised for riding and the other days I was very productive, not least of which was plastering, sanding and painting  while Heather was away for a few days. Now of course I would rather have been riding and most likely would have been had the weather been better so at least that jobs out the way. I did manage to progress  a couple of builds and even sold my Midnight Special frame before I had even built it. It did go to pay for one of the recent purchases and I also have my old BMX for sale as well. Trying to be good and one in, one out. 

Anyway, Brian and I decided to get a few miles in around Strathpeffer and follow some sections of the Strathpuffer and join them up with some of our preferred trails. While lovely sunshine was out most of the day it was still quite cold with snow clearly visible on the high ground. Lots of water lying from the previous weeks rain but the trails were pretty well drained. 

The Pugsley ran really sweetly around the hills with the gearing making such a different feel to the bike. Not in the way I imagined it would either. After so many times racing here and just trail riding with Brian all over Ben Wyvis, I was surprised that along these sections I didn't feel much, if any faster but what I felt was that going up the big fire road climb that it was a bit easier and while not faster, I think after a few laps, I wouldn't be as fatigued and so over that timespan I would go further. But after ten or more years singlespeeding I did feel like I was cheating :)  

We of course stopped at the Deli in Strathpeffer beforehand and had lunch and cake ;) 

Jamie 

16th October 2023 - Surly Pugsley - no longer singlespeed, now geared - Testing/shakedown Loch More

 For me being on holidays from work for two weeks, well the last week has been rubbish up this way, gale force winds, rain, as can be expected when I have my holidays booked.

Great time with the family but riding, not so great, though I have been keeping up with jobs in the shed and maintenance, even sorting an upcoming build.  

I spent Saturday afternoon finishing off putting gears on my Pugsley!!! I know, I know, obviously I have had some sort of breakdown as it has been well over ten years  i think since I ran gears on a modern off roader, and put a 1X9 setup on it. I already had the XT hub running the singlespeed so I swapped it out for a 12/34 cassette and kept my 32 ring on the front. I have secretly had a 9 speed long cage XT mech for it and a Microshift thumbshifter since about 2012 or so it just took me a while to get round to fitting it.
I did this for several reasons, 1 to make it a bit more versatile and to generally just change it round after riding it singlespeed exclusively since I built it 11 or 12 years ago now. Also as Caleb is just about outgrown his Baby Fatty On One and he fits the Pugs, then he will just get the Pugs and I will ride the 1X1. He is used to gears and will utilise it better with than without.

Today the weather was good and so this afternoon I took it out for a bit of a shakedown and play on the dirt roads to the west around Loch More and south in the flow country. Good afternoon for it as it stayed reasonably dry, just the odd little shower but with a good bit of sunshine poking through. The Pugsley ran fine with the gears being spot on and more just tweaking the cockpit a bit as I have put the Geoff bars back on as well. I was surprised by the Microshift thumbie as it felt a bit loose on the mounting but tight on the indexing, but in use it was one click each time and straight into gear, very precise, very solid feeling. Am going riding with Brian tomorrow, most likely around the Puffer track trails so that will be interesting as while we ride there regularly as well as at the Puffer, I have only ever run singlespeed so that will be fun.
Here is a couple of photos.

Jamie