Brian's comment about his classic Bianchi bike reminded me that I had some more to write about the racing bike. I have an older racing bike, similar to Brian's, but a slightly earlier vintage. I saw a frame in my local bike shop in 1985, a Coventry Eagle in Reynolds 531 tubing (as most lightweight bikes were in those days).
It was a nice lightweight training frame, with braze-ons for the downtube levers, but no mudguard eyes. I was looking for an Audax bike so I really wanted to be able to fit mudguards. I spoke to the bike shop owner who said "I'll give Barry a call to see if he can do a special for you". Barry Hoban was a former pro cyclist who was manager of the Coventry Eagle factory in mid-Wales. A couple of days later he said "Barry can do you a frame with mudguard eyes, do you want it in red or blue?" I ordered the blue one as I already had a red bike.
When the frame came and I built the bike up it was great, the first time I had a really fast responsive bike, as opposed to a lightweight tourer. I took that bike on a few special trips over the years, riding out to watch the World Championships in Belgium, riding in the French Alps, but more recently it has just hung on the garage wall as a trophy.
This year as I got a bit fitter I decided that I should ride this bike on fine days, so I gave it a bit of an overhaul. One afternoon early in March Sue and I went for a ride so I wanted to ride the blue bike. We got about 400 yards before I had to stop to tighten the handlebars. Sue was a bit dismissive about the old bike, I think she was a bit concerned that it might not be safe. I assured her that it was perfectly safe, and promptly scared myself to death at the next junction.
I had forgotten that the side-pull brakes of the 1980s are a world apart from modern caliper brakes. I went out on the bike a couple more times, and Sue worried about me each time. I reassured her, but was always a bit nervous of having to stop in an emergency.
And so, dear reader, that is why when I saw the modern racing bike on sale at work, Sue had nothing but encouragement for me. I just wish I was devious enough to have planned it that way!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Open Top Cars
I was reading Brian Herman's blog earlier today and noticed that the banner photo is a MINI convertible. Brian has had his MINI for almost three years now, and he is really pleased with it.
I have one quibble, though. The car in the picture has the roof up. Surely the first rule of open-top cars is - "If it isn't raining (or snowing) the roof should be down!"
Although I have never owned an open-top car I have driven them on several occasions, and I have always followed this rule. I once spent a day in an MGB Roadster driving through Berkshire trying to avoid the rain showers. Unfortunately I couldn't dodge them all and was hit by a very heavy shower. By the time we had the roof up we were both completely soaked and everything inside was misted up. It was about 15 minutes before I could see out properly.
In a dry place like Colorado, and with a modern electric roof and air-conditioning this shouldn't be a problem so I do hope that Brian doesn't spend all his time driving with the roof up.
I have one quibble, though. The car in the picture has the roof up. Surely the first rule of open-top cars is - "If it isn't raining (or snowing) the roof should be down!"
Although I have never owned an open-top car I have driven them on several occasions, and I have always followed this rule. I once spent a day in an MGB Roadster driving through Berkshire trying to avoid the rain showers. Unfortunately I couldn't dodge them all and was hit by a very heavy shower. By the time we had the roof up we were both completely soaked and everything inside was misted up. It was about 15 minutes before I could see out properly.
In a dry place like Colorado, and with a modern electric roof and air-conditioning this shouldn't be a problem so I do hope that Brian doesn't spend all his time driving with the roof up.
Cycling Update
At the beginning of this year I decided to get back my fitness on the bike again. I have been quite successful so far, with a steady buildup over the months. There has been only one week when I haven't ridden at all.
I mentioned our four-day trip to Herefordshire at Easter. We didn't ride out there, but we managed to ride on the day we drove out there and the day we came home, so we did as much as our fitness allowed.
I saw a second-hand racing bike on the electronic notice board at work, so I checked it out and bought it. It is a Principia frame in aluminium with carbon forks, with Shimano 105 equipment. The bike is very lively and responsive, and I enjoy riding it. I have one niggle - I bought a new cassette to give me a lower bottom gear and it is difficult to adjust the rear mechanism so that it shifts cleanly into bottom without hitting the spokes.
Riding on weekdays is difficult at the moment. I live over forty miles from work so I can't commute by bike, and I am teaching on two evenings a week, but I have worked out a partial solution. I can take the bike to work in the back of the car and then ride home, leaving the car at work. I can then go to work by train the next day and then drive home that night.
I did this a couple of weeks ago before our Croatia holiday and it was quite successful. The ride home was 41 miles and I did it in just under 3 1/2 hours. I intend to do this once a week (weather permitting) until the end of term, and then step up to twice a week from the end of June. I should then be noticeably fitter and hopefully a bit lighter.
I mentioned our four-day trip to Herefordshire at Easter. We didn't ride out there, but we managed to ride on the day we drove out there and the day we came home, so we did as much as our fitness allowed.
I saw a second-hand racing bike on the electronic notice board at work, so I checked it out and bought it. It is a Principia frame in aluminium with carbon forks, with Shimano 105 equipment. The bike is very lively and responsive, and I enjoy riding it. I have one niggle - I bought a new cassette to give me a lower bottom gear and it is difficult to adjust the rear mechanism so that it shifts cleanly into bottom without hitting the spokes.
Riding on weekdays is difficult at the moment. I live over forty miles from work so I can't commute by bike, and I am teaching on two evenings a week, but I have worked out a partial solution. I can take the bike to work in the back of the car and then ride home, leaving the car at work. I can then go to work by train the next day and then drive home that night.
I did this a couple of weeks ago before our Croatia holiday and it was quite successful. The ride home was 41 miles and I did it in just under 3 1/2 hours. I intend to do this once a week (weather permitting) until the end of term, and then step up to twice a week from the end of June. I should then be noticeably fitter and hopefully a bit lighter.
Doesn't Time Fly?
I've just realised that I haven't updated this blog since mid-March. My only excuse is that I have been too busy having a life to write about it. This would lead you to ask what I have been doing.
At the Easter weekend we went away for a cycling trip to Herefordshire, staying in Eardisland which is one of the Black and White Villages. The weather could have been better, we had strong winds, rain and hail on most days, but we had a good time and managed to have some decent rides on three days with a half-day walk and a trip to Hay-on-Wye on the Sunday. I managed not to buy any books while visiting Hay, which is a remarkable achievement for a bookworm like me.
The following weekend we were visiting relatives in North Wales, and I attended the retirement party for Dr Clive Williams who was head of the Chemical Pathology department at the hospital where I worked in my first job. It was a very interesting evening, meeting many people who I used to work with until I left in 1986. A surprising number of people are still there from my day.
We went to Dubrovnik for a week's holiday and returned home last Sunday. It was a lovely time, although after a promising start the weather turned cold and wet for most of the week. I will put up some pictures on Flickr when I have gone through them.
I have had a minor reorganisation of this blog page. I have kept the minimalist layout, but I have separated out other peoples blogs from other links and have set up a separate humour section.
In the blogs I have added a link to Brian Herman's blog. Brian only set this up a few weeks ago but he has been busy posting.
At the Easter weekend we went away for a cycling trip to Herefordshire, staying in Eardisland which is one of the Black and White Villages. The weather could have been better, we had strong winds, rain and hail on most days, but we had a good time and managed to have some decent rides on three days with a half-day walk and a trip to Hay-on-Wye on the Sunday. I managed not to buy any books while visiting Hay, which is a remarkable achievement for a bookworm like me.
The following weekend we were visiting relatives in North Wales, and I attended the retirement party for Dr Clive Williams who was head of the Chemical Pathology department at the hospital where I worked in my first job. It was a very interesting evening, meeting many people who I used to work with until I left in 1986. A surprising number of people are still there from my day.
We went to Dubrovnik for a week's holiday and returned home last Sunday. It was a lovely time, although after a promising start the weather turned cold and wet for most of the week. I will put up some pictures on Flickr when I have gone through them.
I have had a minor reorganisation of this blog page. I have kept the minimalist layout, but I have separated out other peoples blogs from other links and have set up a separate humour section.
In the blogs I have added a link to Brian Herman's blog. Brian only set this up a few weeks ago but he has been busy posting.
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