A positive thread

[Cyril Haearn]

Just "discovered" instant mashed potato, it is made of 99% potatoes, 500g of potatoes are used to make 100g

[Cyril Haearn]

Just heard some ceilidh music on the radio, Plus One, wish I could go to a ceilidh near me, are they held outwith Scotland?

[pwa]

I will be going out for a ride later. The sun is out, just a gentle breeze moving the tops of the trees opposite the house. Yesterday I fitted all the new drivetrain parts to the tourer so I'll be going out with tools to make adjustments. New Spa XD chainset (26/36/46), XT 9 speed cassette, chain and jockey wheels. A brief spin last night was encouraging, with minor adjustment of the front mech limit screws being all that was needed to get it all working okay. When I left it to return to the cooker it was still a bit reluctant to drop the chain onto the smallest ring, so half a turn of a limiter might still be needed. I'm looking forward to happy gears.

As reported earlier, the Shimano square taper bottom bracket is not budging at the moment, so as suggested by people on the Forum familiar with the problem I am exposing the threads to easing oil over a long period. Access is via a bolt hole in the bottom bracket shell, used by Thorn to secure the plastic cable guide. Obviously the bolt needs putting back after every application, but that's not a problem. The BB is okay for now, so I'm going to carry on using it while making it a bit less seized for the bike shop I later take it to for removal.

UPDATE
A quick test over a three mile circuit has revealed no problems. All three rings and nine sprockets used, gears nice and quiet. Quieter than the very worn stuff it all replaced.

[Cugel]

Today I refurbished the summer bike, since the winter bike has come out and is the bike-in-use just now.

The summer bike needed new bottom bracket bearings (press-fit Enduro sealed bearing races in a BB90 CF frame). I dreaded taking out the chainset, which is supposedly not meant to fit but does albeit very tightly. Happily is came out with just a few blows from the soft-headed hammer I use in woodworking....

Next potential problem - get the old bearing races out. I've had the special tool for knocking them out for ages but this was the first time I used it. It worked well and easily: two old bearing races removed no problem, again with blows on the special tool from the soft-headed hammer. Huzzah!

The old drive side bearing feels as smooth as a new one. The non-drive side was a bit notchy because I had to remove a sealing washer to get the supposedly-doesn't-fit chainset in, so it got a bit of damp in it. A remarkable performance for nearly 7 years and gawd-knows how many thousands of miles.

Another special tool pressed the new bearing races (a mere £15 per pair) in, again with no problem. In went an old-new Dura-Ace triple chainset, donated by a friend who bought it but then took agin' the triple before ever using it. On went a new triple LH STI lever and a triple front derailleur changer. not to mention a new MTB mech (9sp which works with 10sp STI levers) to cope with the 44 tooth range of the new set up (52-39-30 at front; 14-36 at back).

After a bit of adjustment to chainline and derailleur throws, it all works perfekly! All done in half a day when I was expecting it to be much more difficult and to take far longer as a consequence. A full test ride tomorrow before the bike goes away until next Spring.

Cugel

[Invicta Tourist]

I was cycling back home mid afternoon today and, glancing up at the sky, noticed a sun dog (parhelion) to the left of the sun. Thought it was an optical illusion at first, as I was looking through my cycling glasses, so took them off, looked again, grinned and took a couple of photos. Hope they come out OK.

[Cyril Haearn]

Went for a cycle ride just-for-fun just-for-fun yesterday, not just to the station or into town

The Defining Moment : put on my cycling jersey, filled the pockets with food

My longest ride of the year so far, 61 km, one bit of road has just been renewed, still closed to motons but the cycle path is complete, changed my route so I could ride it on the way home too

Now is Movember, the best cycling month

[Cyril Haearn]

Went for a train trip, at the station all the cycle places were occupied (hundreds of people cycle there and get the train to work )

Took my bike on the train with me instead of finding a place to leave it and getting a train an hour later, my destination was some way from the station so I cycled there, 'saved' valuable minutes, went for a ride before the train home

Two changes in each direction, all trains on time, chatted to a couple of interesting people, enjoyed the sunset

Why do you love train travel?

[pwa]

Went for a train trip, at the station all the cycle places were occupied (hundreds of people cycle there and get the train to work )

Took my bike on the train with me instead of finding a place to leave it and getting a train an hour later, my destination was some way from the station so I cycled there, 'saved' valuable minutes, went for a ride before the train home

Two changes in each direction, all trains on time, chatted to a couple of interesting people, enjoyed the sunset

Why do you love train travel?

Can't afford it, and even if I could it wouldn't get me to the places I like most. Hay on Wye, for instance, did have a station many years ago but the nearest is now many miles away.

[Cyril Haearn]

Sitting quietly at home, just heard a beautiful sound from outside, children shouting and laughing

Kinderlaerm ist Zukunftsmusik (German), childrens noise is future music

[Pastychomper]

Sitting quietly at home, just heard a beautiful sound from outside, children shouting and laughing

"A pleasant, lulling sound. Always provided, of course, you couldn't hear the actual words."
--Terry Pratchett.

[julianm]

Visited Wold Top Brewery just off the Sustrans route 166. Uphill but good beer!

[Cyril Haearn]

Fuel prices in France are rising, €2/litre, Plus One

Motrons plan to protest by driving slowly, Plus Two!

[Cyril Haearn]

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/ ... r-27-years

A book was sold after 27 years in the shop, the staff were kinda sort of sad to see it go

Piers Morgans book did not sell even at 1p

Who IS Piers Morgan?

[Patrickpioneer]

I have a cold, nose running like a tap and its cold outside too but I can still ride my bike.

[Cyril Haearn]

Tried twice last Saturday evening to go to the cinema, both screenings were sold out
Tried again today, 1415, three seats were taken, 150 were free, sat right at the front

Film was quite good, Cold War by Pawel Pawlikowski, in German, Polish, French, Italian with subtitles or voice-over, understood quite a bit

I like lunchtime or teatime screenings, don't like sitting in a full film theatre and getting home late, anyone feel likewise?