July 28th 2023 - New arrival to the stable - Shand Bahookie MTB frame and fork!

 I have also been doing a bit of maintenance on my 1X1 lately, along with Brian as we have both decided to run our 1X1s in the StrathPuffer 24 hour race next January after we both once again managed to get entries earlier this month. Usually I run my Pugsley singlespeed but next year I think will be my last so time for something a bit different for a change.

I really wanted to make an effort for next year after the situation this year, don't get me wrong, I was thankful to be there at the start and pleased to be able to do a lap let alone three but I feel I am better now and am looking forward to a more normal Puffer next year. Though the only spanner in the works may be the 1X1, and while I really love my 1X1, my new dirt roads tourer is awaiting boost dropouts, it does have singlespeed dropouts to get me by. I see a plan coming together. 

This recent purchase was an opportunity too good to pass up. It was my size and was located just around the corner from Brians, whom I was on my way to visit, and it was a bargain. 

These Scottish built steel frames are super expensive new and are built to order so very rarely come up secondhand, so to find one in my size that was sensibly priced was very lucky indeed. This does have Alfine/Rohloff dropouts fitted which can run my singlespeed no problem, but my end vision for this one is geared with a 1 X 11, Johnes style bar with a rear rack and bikepacking type bags up front for some dirt touring. I am very thankful to Brian as well who has loaned me a nice Truvativ crankset and some BB7 brakes to kick off the build. Brian was also looking to build his Shand Fatbike prototype up into a +size dirt tourer. I see some winter builds happening here. 

Very nicely built frameset and fork and as usual I do know I am lucky I have an understanding wife. 

Jamie 

 

30th December 2022 - Local Snow ride - Pugsley with new bars

 Hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas and spent some nice time with family.

I finally managed to get the Pugsley out boxing day evening and fit my On One Geoff bars after riding the last couple of years with the straight Nitto Surly bars. Fitted up my Troutie lights as well trying to make some effort to be prepared for the Strathpuffer 24hour race in mid January. 
Luckily the following day we awoke to a bit of snow and I managed a late afternoon/evening ride out while it was still snowing on and off.
The bars were great, so nice to be back on a loop bar and the Pugs ran nicely through the fresh soft snow, though it was maybe the engine that was not quite firing on all cylinders after being a bit unwell before Christmas. To the point where I even dug out the XT rear Derailleur and the 9 speed thumbshifter ready to try it. Thankfully I came to my senses and stayed singlespeed, must have been delusional. 

The bars were very comfortable and pretty much the same bend as other loops I had ridden and fell naturally to hand, lights, though for the ride I fitted my On One lights rather than the Troutie beauties, mounted nice and centrally thanks to the full loop across the front, and the 90mm stem seems so far to be a good fit for reach etc, not leaning too far forward but also not sitting too upright, though I did cover the Giant emblem on the stem with a Fatty Owls Racing decal. This with my lights and the ancient PDW Daves mud shovel mudguards, Nate tyres and 32/22 gearing seem like the setup to use this year. 

I worked out I have owned my Pugsley about 11 years now and it is still running pretty much the same setup for most of that time, changes in bars and tyres and also a change of colour, so no wonder I think of it like my Long Haul Trucker and 1X1 as being faithful, dependable stalwarts of the stable.

Happy New Year to each and all

Jamie 

Almost Home

Monday 1st February 2021 - Pugsley fresh Snow ride - Local Lockdown

 Wow! what a difference a day makes. 

It started snowing as we were eating our pizza last night and while only light, it was a nice white scene that greeted me this morning. It is also very fortunate that I have today (Monday) and tomorrow off work, a couple of days before we go into a busy spring once again. 

So with everyone sorted with Heather busy and Caleb doing his schoolwork online I thought it best if I get out on the Pugsley and see how the beach looked ;) 

The snow was great to ride on and while I didn't go too far or for too long it was nice to be out in the snow and sunshine. It wasn't as much as a lot are getting at this time of year but for us on the coast it is just fine.  The tide was incredibly high so couldn't get too far in either direction off the beach so just had to be satisfied with a bit of playing and meandering on the farm roads higher off the shore. What a great way to start the day, then home, lunch, help Caleb with some work then a family walk to the beach with the dog and now just about to do some resto/maintenance work  on the non acoustic bike. And..... I still have another day off!! 

Jamie

 While it seems a lot of areas in the UK are getting snow we are at the moment, up here in the north of Scotland are for now just getting sub zero temps and ice.

So that is great conditions for the Pugsley, especially for a trip to the beach and around the rocky coastline late this afternoon.

The rocks were a bit sketchy between the ice and the low tide leaving the slippery rocks and algae exposed. Not a worry for the old Pugs as we picked our way around for a really pleasant late afternoon ride.

Made it home just on dark which I am glad I did as it was starting to get pretty hard in the ever diminishing light to pick out what was water and what was ice :)

Hope everyone has had a safe and Happy Christmas.

Jamie

Saturday 5th December 2020 - Global fat Bike Day - Pugsley

Due to social distancing etc this year and other concerns Brian and I decided to have a pretty low key Global Fat Bike Day for 2020. We did put the details of where we were riding on one of the pages in case anyone wanted to join us but neither of us wanted to join a bigger ride. 

After driving down to Brians early on we had decided to ride up around the hills around Ben Wyvis and on the trails in amongst the Strathpuffer course. We knew we were in for a wet one as it had been raining on and off all week but had been pretty hard for the past 24hours with little let up. So no different from some of the more recent GFBD rides :) 

 Brian was on his carbon Fatty with carbon rims etc so his was going to float regardless :) Plus he had 5.5 tyres as opposed to my slim 4.0 Nates. 

What a great day out, we just plodded away through the hills following trails we knew, taking detours when the tracks looked interesting, surviving on Snickers. I was glad I put my wet trousers on over my Keelas as this and my jacket with my winter boots meant I actually stayed completely dry underneath. 

On one of the steep downhill bends Brian was doing his usual trail archaeology digging to find a handful of studs and a tubeless valve, this meant that whenever I stopped on a downhill I was looking for little shiny studs buried in the ground :)  I didn't even want them but one of those things that once you see them then you start seeing them everywhere :) 

So despite the cold, and it was cold on the face on the high exposed ground and the volume of water it was great to be back out on the Pugsley as well as being back singlespeeding after what seems ages but in reality is only a couple of months. Great day out and well worth the early drive south for sure. Another thoroughly enjoyable GFBD. 

Jamie