12 April 2025 - Mercian Coast ride - Mercian King of Mercia

 What with work being so busy lately, as is normal for spring time, it means that I have barely any time at home during the week to get things done and so when the weekend arrives, with jobs needing attention I seem to be able to grab only a few hours here and there for riding. Which means short local rides the last few weekends. 

This weekend was no exception with finally managing to grab a bit of time late on Saturday afternoon for a meander around the coast roads. Not very long but a nice ride to help clear the head. 

I pulled the Mercian out as I wanted to change the tyres  over from the 30mm to the 30.33 as they look a good bit larger volume on the Jack Taylor Super Clubman and ride really nicely, very supple and quite forgiving on the rough tarmac around here. So I thought I would swap wheels around and see how they felt. Having been commuting on the Mercian recently I was confident I would be able notice any difference.  They are both Jackie Brown tyres from the old Rivendell moulds just different sizes. 

This now gave a slight purpose to the ride and so I picked a route that would take in the various types of tarmac round here from bad potholed main road to better but gravel strewn singletrack farm roads through to dirt farm tracks. From the first ride out of the yard it was apparent they felt better and certainly are part of the planted solid feeling of the Super Clubman as it felt even more stable and planted than usual. This secure feeling extended to all surfaces so certainly a noticeable difference. Now to try and find another pair, not easy I think. 

Jamie 

 

Sunday 6th April 2025 - Jack Taylor Super Tourist - Out of winter hibernation, serviced and ready for the year ahead

 It's been a while since I updated and while my JT Super Clubman gets most of my attention as it's my go to JT for pretty much everything, especially over the winter, I thought with the weekend being such good weather up here that I should get the Super Tourist out, give it a quick going over and a grease and oil and then take it for a test ride.

I had some some time after lunch on Sunday so it was nice to bring it out of it's winter hibernation, sit in the sun making sure everything was ready for this seasons riding. Then with some time just to go out for a ride, just local but with nowhere in particular to be I could just meander along the quieter farm roads on a bit of a loop.
It's funny as while it is a good age now, it is still relatively new and with no miles on it when I purchased it, it was the headset bedding in that needed adjustment along with brakes etc.
It certainly rides like a new bike and is a really nice, smooth and stable ride. I am really hoping to get to load it up properly and get away touring on it this summer.
This was a good easy ride to get it going again and of course it rode superbly.

Jamie

30 March 2025 - Surly Long Haul Trucker Coastal Ride - + new Swift Industries Paloma Handlebar bag

 Rainy Saturday was spent finishing a service to the LHT so it is ready for this seasons hauling. Like most of these past 14 years or so will see it hopefully touring, audaxing, randonnuering and commuting without any major problems. 

I had already sorted the wheels and hubs so it was really just making sure everything was cleaned out and new grease/lube applied. Seatpost, bottom bracket, check the sealed headset, clean chainrings, remove and degrease the chain and cassette, lube the canti pivots etc.  Everything was still well greased thankfully and came apart easily enough which was great to see, so it was more a clean and freshen up. 

I also decided to swap out my old Ortlieb handlebar bag for a recently purchased Swift Industries Paloma bar bag. Just had to swap out the Ortlieb mount for a Rixon Kraul one and it was good to go. It looks like a great bag and it will have a lot to live up to as the Ortlieb one has never let me down, done untold miles in some really atrocious weather and is still working fine, it's just nice after all the se years to change it up now and again. 

So on to today and the weather was great this afternoon and while I had a family engagement late in the afternoon, it meant I still had a few hours to get out for a ride. Make sure I had serviced it right and tightened everything up. ;) 

Well, the Trucker was it's usual pleasure to ride and I had a really enjoyable cruise round my local loop on some quite roads and then around the coast.  Stopping for some photos here and there and just enjoying being out. 

I am often saying that I might change the bars or stem or gearing etc on the Trucker and then when it comes to it I am then very reluctant as I get on it and ride it in this configuration, pretty much the same as when I built it up from the frame all those years ago, and it is probably the best fitting, most comfortable ride regardless of terrain, fits perfect, gearing is spot on the feel is planted and connected and I can tour for a week in the rain or commute to work and it always has me getting off with a contented smile. It makes every ride that bit better.  

Jamie 

  

Sunday 16th March 2025 - Late afternoon ride on the Merckx Corsa Extra - Spring is here?

 In honour of what is starting to feel like spring and the start of the spring classic races I thought as I had a couple of hours spare that, I am well past due to get the Merckx out of winter hibernation, stretch my back into shape, resume the racer pose and put some quick miles in on this fast machine. 

It didn't disappoint either. After buying this from the factory nearly 14 years ago now, it still never fails to make me smile and appreciate just how nice it is to ride. Even by modern standards it is a racy feel but ever so rock steady and compliant, comfortable all day in the saddle. Plus after all this time, it doesn't matter how long since I last rode it, it fits like a glove and just feels so natural fitting back on it. 

Love it. 

Jamie  

Sunday 2nd March 2025 - Back out on the Bullitt - Local inland ride - Caithness

 Out again today on the Bullitt.  

I needed to see someone so what better way than travel than in the Bullitt. This time on the way back I took a much more meandering backroads detour. Enjoying just being out riding. Finding roads to head down purely to keep the ride going.  

Jamie 

Never far from the sea

01 March 2025 - Coastal ride Home from Thurso on the Larry Vs Harry Bullitt.

 Caleb was operating his stall selling plants at one of the local markets here in Caithness on a very nice Saturday morning. It certainly made a change from the wet and windy February we have had where any riding was mainly confined to commuting or the odd brief ride just to keep the legs spinning.

So after joining Caleb and the family for lunch which took me pretty much a direct route into town, I decided to take a few detours and tracks around the coast on the way back home. 

I picked up a few bits and pieces in town but to be honest I could have got the family to take these home as it didn't warrant the cargo bike, but I really just love riding the big Bullitt. It's just a sweet ride and by it's nature there is no pressure to go fast or to race, so if you don't want to high tail it, it's equally at home  taking it steady and enjoying it. When I am riding to work then I am steady and trying to go quickly so a weekend ride is cruising and enjoying the scenery. ;) 

A really pleasant few hours to spend re exploring some of the dirt tracks and small back roads. 

The Bullitt was it's usual reliable, enjoyable self, taking it all in it's stride. 

The only issue I have had is with the front disc wheel which is the hub motor. I have had it go out of true slightly and very hard to force back into true. Have to use leverage in small adjustments die to the fact that the hub us attached to the rim by the aluminium disks. These themselves seem to be pop rivetted to the hub and the rim, leaving no mechanical means to adjust the trueing. I will have to fully dismantle and get some very short spokes cut to replace the disks. It will be fine for spring and then in the summer I will sort it. 

Jamie 

January 19th 2025 - Calebs Karate Monkey winter shakedown ride with the Pugsley.

 A bite late posting this update but better late than never. 

We finally had a break with the weather and managed to get out so Caleb could have a more off road ride on his Christmas Karate Monkey. 

The weather still wasn't the best but it was looking like the rain may hold off for a few hours and the sun may even show itself. It was still very cold when we loaded the KM and the Pugsley and headed out to Loch More to see how we went. 

It was still a bit wet and the estate roads were slick in places but it gave us a chance to adjust the fit and dial everything in. It wasn't too far but it gave him a chance to get used to it and you could see his enthusiasm growing for it. The fit is spot on and still a fair margin to expand as he grows, which at this rate is pretty rapid. 

Jamie