Having sat on this frame for a year, I have finally built it.
I decided on this bike after hiring one on holiday in Corsica last year. After all this time, it’s now ridable. Fitting cables into he hidden cable routes was the most fiddly part. I had no reason to rush so I took plenty of time. It looks like a good job, I’d say.
There remains a shopping list: Speedo, longer stem, another bottle cage, pedals. All the local bike shops have closed for lockdown so my only recourse is online.
19°C, no wind full sun.
The best ride of the year? Quite possibly! I did curtail the route slightly when a seat rail broke. It did fail in the diagonal section which meant no change in the saddle shape. That meant a comfortable ride home with only the occasional knock when the break opened and closed.
It was a tremendous ride, belting along at speed was comfortable and in perfect conditions.
12°C, moderate W breeze, sunny,
Unlocking lockdown: the roads are noticeably busier this last few days. For the last 4 weeks, cyclists have outnumbered cars on most roads, but not any more. Another phenomena is the speed. Either drivers are noticeable due to unfamiliarity or they really are.putting their foot down on the empty roads. Drivers who do this are all young men.
9°C, rain.
Fizzy legs asked for a bike ride all day. They had to wait for the wallpapering before we went. Said rain was never heavy but it was continuous and eventually chilling.
14°C, bright sun, much cooler 0 cloud.
To finish a busy day decorating, I got the road before it got dark. This was the most satisfying day of lockdown. Morning, I wallpapered another wall and prepared the remaining walls. In the afternoon, I rebuilt a wall in the bedroom. My neighbour donated mortar so I could get the job done. In lockdown, most DIY materials are difficult to get.
I slept soundly.
8°C, chilly brisk northerly. Dry.
Not so many seen on he road today, bikes still outnumbered cars though. I haven’t ridden for a few days but felt refreshed after 2 days of DIY. The brisk northerly was cool and steady but the route turned it into a side-wind mostly.
I don’t know why here is no map on the picture from MapMyRide today.
16°C, bright sun, light N, dry.
Today, I used the morning to service 2 bikes. The Racelite summer bike needed a deep clean and inspection. Chainwear is an advisory and the cables still need re-routing. All mechanicals were sweet on the ride though. Just like old times when I’d clock up 7k miles a year, I got faster the further I went. In the first 10 miles went at 14mph but the last 10 at 17.5 mph.
The government have allowed us one outing a day to exercise so I made this one count. The roads are so empty, it’s like Sunday mornings in the late 80s when I took up proper cycling. Back then, I read a cycling book while laid up recovering from a bout of ‘flu. Is there that irony, maybe?
We’re living through strange times: a looming threat of disease hangs over us, but the sky is pure blue; I can taste the dread sometimes, I may loose somebody I know to Corona Virus CVID-19. I’m out of work; schools are closed and all DofE is cancelled but there is much that needs doing to my house. I have materials and tools but didn’t have time, until now.
12°C, no real wind with some sun. Dry.
Rushed out after a day shopping in Ikea.
Tremendous fun but, unexpectedly, slightly slower than yesterday’s outing on the Mustang. The route was level which I suppose reduces the effect of the weight difference.
That was probably the last ride on the racelite this year.
16°C, still and bright. High pressure is in control.
Well, it feels like I’ve been shot, not that I ever have. Okay, it only feels like I have. I pulled a muscle in my ribs last weekend while lifting floorboards.
16°C, bright sun, dry.
It’s pumpkin time! Does it look odd to you that the fruit are all laid out evenly on this field but there are no leaves?
I have have a strangely sore knee. It’s awful when I kneel down on it, a problem because I’ve been doing DIY today. At least that job is done; I rewired the telephone point so the router is now at the centre of the house. Trouble was, that moved it a long way from the desktop computer. The solution was to run a long Ethernet cable under the floor and down to the router. All done now.
Micycle 