I’ve been busy all week with the kids, work, work on the house and joiners in the house that I’ve not had much time for this blog or riding bikes/running. I finally fitted the mudguards to the ‘cross bike earlier in the week – what a bleeding faff that was, caused mainly by the disc brakes. A load of swearing and hacking with a hacksaw and they’re on. I’ve fitted a rack too, so it’s all ready for the ride up to the Lakes in a couple of weeks (and the ride back again). I forgot how much faster this bike is with roadie slicks on instead of the Maxxis Locusts I’ve had on it since the summer, despite the rack weighing as much as a sack of spuds. I got out for a ride on it in the dark and a howling gale – did 30 miles around Bradshaw, Affetside, heading Darwen-wards and back. I need to get some proper miles in on this bike in the next couple of weeks to prepare for the big one.

I aquired a new bike this week, through the Ride 2 Work scheme at our place. It’s a Scott S20 roadbike, discounted by the shop then through the scheme discounted by the government. So I got it cheap. It’s lovely. I mean, really, really lovely. I’ve not ridden it yet on account of not having any pedals and the fact that I’m not quite ready for getting it dirty….Did I mention it’s lovely? (I’ve now fitted pedals and swapped the saddle for an SDG Ti-Fly).

Deb, me and the girls went to Manchester yesterday and visited the German market, next to the huge Santa that’s really Zippy in disguise.

We bought wooden toys from some Swiss folk and some sausage from some German types. It was a good day out; my one remaining day off well spent in fact.
Later, I went for a ride on the TankBike and it dropped the chain on a climb. I managed to avoid castrating myself on the stem but still went plummeting towards the dirt. That bloody tensioner’s giving me grief again it seems, maybe I should weld the bugger in position this time 😦