Closing down sale...

This blog is now closed.

You can now find me at my new bike blog.

Back in the saddle with my old pal Iain D...

Iain & I used to work together years ago & we always shared a common love of bikes. We'd go MTB riding regularly & the last time we did a ride together was the Hell of the North Cotswolds off-road 50k ride. I remember it as the hardest ride I've ever done & due to having zero bike fitness at the time, I was totally fucked afterwards but it was rewarding nonetheless.

So we had been talking about doing another run out together & now he had his new Olmo (very nice) road bike sorted, we decided on an early morning Sunday spin.

Leaving mine at 9am we headed out to North Newington & I was feeling pretty good with the nice blue skies & fresh air in my face. We did Newington to Shutford & on to Epwell & Sugarswell Lane to Sunrising. From there we road across to Edgehill & on around Camp Lane to the Warwick Road at Warmington. The ride across Camp Lane was great & we got up a real good average speed of 20mph but as we got on to the Warwick Road we were greeted by an evil head wind which battered us about all the way home. We stopped at my folks place for coffee & then made our way home.

Already looking forward to riding out again soon as....

20 miles done.

Riding & walking...

Another beautiful morning & Tony & I were out on the Warwick Road again. We turned off for Horley & followed the road up past Varney's & Hornton again. Coming back in on the Stratford road I got a puncture & whilst trying to reinflate my tire the bloody valve blew off! It was decided that Tone would go on & get the car whilst I started a nice long walk towards Banbury. As the sun was out it was rather tranquil between the Bennie lorries hurtling past me as I strode on towards home. Nick from the Banbury Star came past & had a chat which was cool & I even got offered a lift from a kindly van driver who was travelling in the opposite direction! Goes to show there are some good folks left in this shit-bag world! Nick met up with a fellow rider & said goodbye & then Tony turned up in the motor as I got to Wroxton. I said that was the 1st & last time I was going to be that unprepared & I'm going to get some bits to take out with me to cover those sort of eventualities that are bound to happen again at some point.

Spanner - check
Allen key - check
Tyre levers - check
spare tube - check

8 miles riding
2.5 miles walking

Got home & gave the bike a good clean up as the wheels were off it...

Thanks Tony ;-)

Feeling it!

Did another recovery ride with Tony B today. We headed out on the Broughton Road & followed it to the Epwell fork. Across through Epwell & Sugarswell Lane to the Stratford Road & back to Banbury. Good conversation & the ride was done before we knew it but pushed it quite hard for me & I was very tired for the rest of the day...

20 mile loop

Well that didn't last then!

So Tuesday brings rain, might have known that you aren't getting two whole days of nice weather but I was undeterred & got my stuff together to get some more miles in.

Went out to North Newington & I made it up the hill into the village without getting out of the saddle! Seeing as this was a big ask back in January I was stoked at my progress once I got up top. Made my way up through the village & then right to Wroxton. Made the big rise out of the saddle & noticed the building dark grey skies as I cranked along the top to the Stratford Road. Did a LH & went out a little way on the Stratford Road & then RH & back towards Horley. The wind was getting up by this stage & rain was defo on the cards any time soon. Made my way by the Scout Camp site & up onto the Warwick Road & back through Hardwick estate. My water bottle disintegrated on me so was launched over someones garden in disgust, temper temper young man! Before long I was tucking into a bacon sandwich with my folks - spot on...

10 miles completed.

It's a beautiful day!

Monday morning & the Sun is out, wow! what a rare occurrence & one to be taken advantage of. You can't beat getting out in the sun on your wheels (whatever they may be) & it was full-on good vibes as I peddled up the road.

Met up with Tony B as he was doing a recovery ride from his Hard riders TT race on Sunday. We headed out up the Warwick Road for a gentle ride around the villages. We did Horley up past Varney's & Hornton & then back on the Stratford Road & off to North Newington. I was surprised at how quickly it went & with all the chatting & banter, I really don't remember a lot of the cycling!?

Googlemaps says 20 miles all in...

Climbing Mt Everest (Sunrising hill)

After hooking up with Tone for a coffee yesterday & arranging to watch him race this weekend, I decided I had to have a taste of what he was to undertake as part of said race - climbing Sunrising hill. I haven't been out on the bike for about a week due to illness so I was ready to do some miles but at a more leisurely pace to take in the surroundings as I went. Heading out on the Broughton Road I went to Lower Tadmarton & then right on up to 5 ways junction. There was a minor headwind but unlike last ride it wasn't enough to spoil things & I found myself making nice progress & not struggling on the uphills at all. Making my way through Shutford & towards Epwell (a route I don't think I've done before?) I knew I was heading in the general direction of 'the big climb' Once I'd crossed over Sugarswell Lane the panoramic view was quite stunning & you can see for miles & miles across the countryside spread out in front of you. With the wilnd rushing up the hill into my face I locked into the drops & just rolled (faster than I've ever rolled I think!) all the way down into Tysoe.

Tysoe is a lovely little village with some great old buildings & deserves a walk through it sometime as it has lots of character, it's not everyday you see a 'Family Butcher' on a village street these days! a lot of the old buildings have dates on them & I always think of the changes that the village must have gone through in the hundreds of years that those structures have stood there for...?

After a quick stop to adjust my clothing layers I stopped briefly at a natural burial ground. These are interesting in that you can be buried somewhere nice & in the countryside as opposed to being stacked up in a cemetery when you pop those clogs!

"Just over there near that babbling brook, under the old Cedar tree please" - Splendid.

Onwards to the main Stratford Road & there it was in front of me, the big one, a 16% long & twisting climb up the steep side of the valley & there's me with only one gear! Oh well I only wanted to see how bad it was.... very!

I made it up the first ramp which seemed pretty tough in itself & then taking in the shallower climb to the first corner I was already thinking 'no chance' but I stood down on those SPD's & made it around the tight uphill 180%(ish) bend &.... that was it. I dismounted knowing I had not a chance in hell of making another 200 yards+ to the 'summit'. Oh well, I did quite enjoy a little walk which gave me the chance of getting my breath back & after a stop for a go on the water bottle at the top it was back in the saddle, homeward bound.

With a tail-wind I turned up the wick a bit & did all the way back to Wroxton with a lovely turn of speed & rhythm. At one point I went into a dip & as I started up the other side I was hammering it, stood up & went screaming up the incline like a man possessed! wicked buzz when you are making rapid progress :-) Once at Wroxton I decided to cut right & go back through North Newington & back into Banbury on the Broughton Road I left on. Made good speed for the rest of the trip & got back feeling very good as this is the longest ride I've done this far.

21.5 mile trip

Good luck on Sunday Tone mate, that's one knarly hill!

I hate wind...

Needed to get out this afternoon for a dose of fresh air but I think I got a little more than I bargained for! Did the Bloxham - Adderbury loop but had a head wind for most of the way around. It totally destroys the fun element of riding does wind, real hard work & you feel like your going backwards instead of making good progress. Added to that I got some road debris in my eye early on into the ride & it wasn't the most pleasant of experiences. I was still glad to get out again as anything has got to be better than being cooped up, looking at the snow?

I'm still having minor problems with the rear wheel gradually creeping into the dropout from monkeying up those hills but the axle isn't long enough to support a chain tug. Think I'm going to have to find a longer replacement axle to get this sorted as I'm having to re-align the wheel after every 3-4 rides.

11 Miles done

A walk in Hornton & getting chased by rain...

I was keen to do another ride today but wasn't too sure where I was going so I kinda just followed my nose. Ended up going through Wroxton & then up the Stratford Road a way until cutting off onto the B road to Hornton. There was still some snow on the country roads so I played it careful & threaded my way through it nicely. After a nice long downhill roller there is sharp short hill climb & then a longer, less intese hill up to the top & on down into Hornton. When I came out of the other side of the village I just couldn't face the hill up so I dismounted & enjoyed a walk up the hill, admiring the lovely properties & cars as I went. No sooner had I walked to the top it started to spit with rain so I clipped into the SPD's & went like a bullet back towards Horley. Some stupid bints on horses, whom obviously had no control over said steeds were all over the road as I approached them & one horse reared up as I flew behind it. Sorry but I don't have a lot of respect for horses as, they shit all over the place, don't pay road tax & never seem to know what the fuck they are doing!? So blasting onwards & past more stupid four legged road users I was spanking out of Horley & up to the Warwick Road. The hill before the top was taken & then I carried on with a great pace back into Banbury. Stopped at my folks for tea once again.

13 Miles complete.

Back on track...

It was really good to get back out on the Kona at last, I thought I'd do a nice little route I had planned, so I started out to North Newington. Stopped at Steve & Rob's whom I haven't seen in a while, Steve has a side-hack BMX which he has been careering around Leamington BMX track on, which does look a lot of fun! After a brief catch up I was back in the saddle & headed up the hill to Wroxton & then back to Drayton & Banbury. I rode down Hanwell Fields estate & got up a lovely turn of speed as I was tucked in on the drops & rolling all the way to the bottom :-) I made my way over to Bob's house but he was out so I rode back up Beaumont & up to my folks house for a cuppa.

My legs felt real good today & I had no problems with the hills at all. The mudguards are ace too with no rattle, you'd never know they were there.

Googlemaps says 12.5 miles done.

On Guard!

Finally the SKS Chromoplastic mudguards are fitted. After doing some research online to find out what were the guards to buy I settled on these at £26. I went for the P35 700c models to fit tyres up to 28mm, which I am running.

After mucho hassle & being messed about by Evans in MK, I managed to complete what should have been a simple task. It turned out to be a much bigger job than I figured.

I fitted the front guard first as one of the brackets for the rear was missing. They include a patented fitting that enables the guard to release from the fork dropout in the event of debris/road kill sticking to your tyre & catapulting you OTB.

This reminds me of when I was a kid, this shit bag who liked to try to bully me was charging around me on his bike so I rammed a stick through his front wheel & sent him flying a treat! totally ripped his spokes out haha!

That'll learn him....

Anyway back on track, the bracket which is revetted to the guard & bolts to the brake was completely incompatible with my brake & fork crown. I decided to drill the existing rivets out & re-bend the bracket & refit it. This was done without much hassle & once refitted it was in the correct position to allow the required adjustment. I also changed the hardware that the above mentioned quick releases used & went with some nice low profile dome-head stainless hardware & nylock nuts on the inside to prevent them rattling loose. The V shaped 3mm rod supports that fit to the quick releases needed cutting to length, so after a long winded measuring session (measure twice, cut once remember :-), they were fitted into the plastic covers & bolted down.

You make the final adjustments here & this was also quite time consuming getting the fore/aft & left to right distances bang on. This completed the front mudguard fitment.

So when I finally got the missing bracket & had all the parts, I was ready for the even bigger task of the rear one! First problem that was raised was the fitment at the BB Chain stay bridge. When the supplied bracket was fitted as suggested it was about 8mm out of line with the bridge so I knocked up some nylon spacers & new hardware to 'bridge the gap'

I had to do it this way as it was not possible to pull the guard up to the bridge & away from the tyre as there was just not enough space between the stays for the mudguard.

This problem solved, it was onto the elusive missing brake anchor bracket which, surprisingly, went on without too much fuss. This just left the V shaped 3mm rod supports which needed some work & cutting to get the correct fitment.

Once they had been installed in the same method as the front ones (only without the quick release brackets) the job was complete.

I think that this took in the region of about 8 hours total to complete but they are very sturdy & I like the low profile looks a lot. Thanks again to my Dad for the help & engineering expertise. Now all that remains is to ride the damn thing for the first time in weeks.

watch this space...

No riding...

Well with all the snow & ice that's currently dashing any hope of going out on your bike, I finally got around to finishing the work to fit the SKS mudguards on the Kona. I purchased them from Evans in MK who, in their infinite wisdom, neglected to give me one of the brackets needed to fit them! After numerous phone calls to them to get the part posted, them lying to me saying it had been posted then deciding it hadn't, then sending me the WRONG bracket & then the postal delays due to the aforementioned white stuff, I finally got the correct bracket yesterday nearly two weeks later!

I have spent a large amount of time fitting the front one whilst I waited for this bracket & for anyone thinking of buying SKS mudguards, be prepared for some time consuming work to fit them if you want them installed correctly. I intend to follow this post up with some photo's & descriptions of the fitting issues I faced with my frame & forks...

Can't wait to ride it now!

Nice ride...

Decided to visit my Sister & put in a few miles too so I went out on the Daventry road & then on up to Chacombe. Rode on to Middleton & had no real problems with the hills, just took it in my stride which was a good feeling that I am progressing with my fitness. Stopped @ my sisters house for a coffee & catch up & checked out some of her facebook friends which was a blast from the past! Left Middleton & stormed it down the dual over the M40 & on up home. Felt good & got a real nice rhythm up all the way home - stoked!

11.5 miles total.

Also went to Milton Keynes in the PM & picked up some SKS Chromoplastic mudguards but the bike is going to need a real good clean up before they go on...

Kissing seat...

I went out towards North Newington but decided to take the slightly longer route up to 5 ways instead of up the hill to Wroxton. Pretty frosty on the roads but strangely, the air temperature seemed quite mild. From 5 ways junction I headed to Balscote & the hill back up to the main Stratford road was a big ask once again. At the top of this hill I noticed a circle of trees with a small 'kissing seat' between them so I decided to stop & take in the views & get my breath back. It was nice to sit for a minute or two & come back to normal breathing whilst admiring the views of the surrounding countryside. I've been thinking that I am currently missing out on this aspect of cycling due to the fact I am trying to get my fitness up & am generally 'head down - going for it' So maybe I'll slow up a bit & also try to enjoy the sights a little too?

10.5 miles round trip.

Paddy Wagon history...

Thought I'd post this up as I have pictures of all the PW's since they were 1st introduced. Paddy White is a designer/rider for Kona & he decided he wanted a no frills SS bike for track/road/commuting.

The 1st generation PW was released in 2006:


2nd gen 2007:


3rd gen 2008:


4th gen & current model for 2009:

There haven't been any radical changes as you can probably see but the tubeset for the 06, 07 & 08 models was supplied by Dedacciai but has changed to Kona's own butted tubing for the current model (probably due to escalating steel costs worldwide). Component selection hasn't changed much aside from rims, cranks & bars & the price has floated between £450 & £550.