North of storm Goretti

Posted on 9th Jan 2026 by essiep

5°C, light N wind & light grey sky. Soft rain to start.

Mustang: cleaned & oiled before the off. Something wasn’t right but it was ages before I spotted it. The front wheel wasn’t bedded in properly. Twice I stopped to adjust the azimuth for the bars. I experimented with changes in height (two rings was too many).

I suspect the misaligned front wheel actually caused the brake disc to rub. I know it sounds like an excuse! The other concern is comfort. I feel a load on my arms putting pressure on both elbows. That’s why I tried raising the bars. I expect that they’ll need to go back down in warmer weather and I’m wearing less.

There is an ongoing repair issue. The cassette is partly worn, just the middle two cogs. They’re only skipping slightly so I can still ride until the new one arrives.

Late November warm ride

Posted on 27th Nov 2025 by essiep

14°C, mostly dry and sunny, strong SW wind.

Mustang: I’ve loaded the Coospo page since I made a mistake with Mapmyride and didn’t start it properly.

The Mustang is going well. It has a good solid feel and at the same time, the handling is light at the front. The result is a feeling of confidence. On the other hand, the brakes are heavier.

November, week 1.

Posted on 7th Nov 2025 by essiep

Mustang, 15°C, moderate SE wind. Light cloud & dry.

Lots of miles this week, over 140 miles.

Warm November.

Posted on 4th Nov 2025 by essiep

15°C, grey, dry & warm. There’s a brisk S wind from the Azores.

Mustang, I’ve taken the rack off and was surprised how much it weighs. I’d swear that the bike rides lighter now. Anyway, I had a very nice ride despite the dull sky.

It had everything today, muddy lanes, fast open lanes, steep climbs & a section of canal towpath.

I enjoyed that ride thoroughly. Right to the end, I had plenty of energy but daylight was running out as was the charge in my front light. Just 100m from home, the light went out.

Rain.

Posted on 26th Oct 2025 by essiep

11°C, brisk NW, rain getting heavier.

Three days since the last ride, and despite the weather, I went anyway. The Mustang rides well although quite heavy. It feels light at the front, quite racy really.

Mustang service.

Posted on 18th Oct 2025 by essiep

12°C, light offshore breeze, dry & grey

Most of today was a much needed service for the Mustang. To Start with, it was filthy and neglected. So I started with a deep clean and lubrication. The chain was badly stretched so I put a KMC 8 on and then the gears skipped. That means the cassette is worn too. I do have a spare 12-28 so that went on. It’s meant as a stopgap (but I may keep it).

Then I did a longer test ride (10 miles) and it runs nicely except for a creaking saddle.

The icy hand releases

Posted on 16th Jan 2025 by essiep

6-8°C, sun & light SE breeze.

Google Fit shows the bike ride as 14K steps. Either it has converted to equivalent steps or it’s sensor has reported 14K from the motion of cycling.

2024: Last ride

Posted on 30th Dec 2024 by essiep

Mustang, 9°C, moderate SW, bright with white cloud.

Last ride of the year, tomorrow there’s a rainstorm coming with strong winds. I was a little reluctant to go this morning so I missed the chance to go to the café.

December fog, day 2.

Posted on 27th Dec 2024 by essiep

Mustang, 4°C, still with dense fog.

Poor visibility and wet roads doesn’t encourage bigger milage. Note, foggy weather tomorrow but then the high pressure system breaks.

Grim winter.

Posted on 25th Jan 2024 by essiep

11°C, light S wind, bright going out but rain to return.

I haven’t ridden much this week so used a big chunk of daylight. However, the pace felt comfortable (despite some ligament soreness). The best highlight was a 1km canal section. The rain got worse as I arrived home.

Micycle

Mike thinks b/hikes

Tag Archives: Raleigh Mustang