Out and about and a handy Gadget

A favourite local ride.

There's a fine view of a famous pub, the Altisidora (named after a famous racehorse that raced a nearby Beverley Racecourse) across the pond and the war memorial cross at Bishop Burton
(They do great meals too!)

And this lovely village is only 12 miled from home, an easy ride on the Ebike (in this case the Viking Eco stepper)

And on the way home.

Right now the cycle paths pass some fine Daffodils and trees, this is the local ring road

A very handy gadget: a chain cleaner.

This was how it looked when new.

And when disassembled to put the chain in for cleaning

It works very well too, but there is a snag: it's very fragile!

The locking lugs that hold the top and bottom together failed the first time I used it and the curved handle failed on the fourth use.

I can still use it by gripping the top and bottom halves together, but really it is far too fragile, which is a shame as it does a great job of cleaning the bike chain!

I use this degreaser from Halfords, it costs £9.99 and there's enough for at least a year as the gadget takes about half a cupful!

When the cleaning is done I usually spray the chain with WD40 and wait for it to drive out moisture as the degreaser is water based, before oiling the chain.

Those strange saddles of mine

Are the reason after having Prostate Cancer that I was able to take up Cycling again, as my privates were so damaged after Hormone and Radiotherapy that I was no longer able to tolerate a normal Bike saddle.
Here is the advert that led me to buy first one, then another
Hobson Comfortable Bike Saddles
And here they are. the first one I bought was the "Easyseat 2", the cheaper of the two.

Originally to fit to my Brompton, but now on the Viking Eco stepper, as I have purchased the deluxe model as I intend longer journeys on this bike.

This model is called "Pro Hub X2"

And it is marginally the more comfortable of the two.

They are both adjustable with regards to the gap between the seat pads, and can be locked into that position with a thumbwheel and pinch screw.

The two pads actual pivot vertically as you pedal, and while this at first seems a bit strange, you soon get used to it.

The main thing is that I  can ride comfortably any distance I like on them!

A temporary repair that has sort of become permanent 

This odd looking disc is the PAS magnetic disc that is pushed onto the bottom bracket shaft that takes the crank and pedal, the teeth are soft and distort around the square shaft to grip it so that when the pedals are rotated the disc revolves past a sensor mounted on the bottom bracket, causing the motor to rotate.

I had some slack in the bottom bracket bearing as the locking ring had come loose and when I took the assembly apart all the little teeth dropped off the disc.

As I knew there would be a delay in getting a replacement, as a "keep going" bodge I simply put Blu Tak on the outside of the disc and glued it to the crank.

This proved completely successful, so much so that I have decided not to fit the new disc till the "Bodge" fails, and a couple of months later there is still no sign of that happening and the new disc sits on my Computer desk waiting for it's time to come!

I forgot to mention that I had bought a different puncture sealant while in Whitby.

And when we got home and I took out the Viking I found that the rear tyre had  slow puncture so this was a chance to try it

This one actually claims to make  a permanent repair for the life of the tyre; it has fixed the slow puncture and I shall wait with interest to see whether it actually does as it claims.

When this back tyre wears out I shall replace it with a Schwalbe Marathon Plus to get  the maximum puncture protection I can buy!

Whats happening while we are home?

Well, I am getting out and about on the Viking E stepper, and that means a ride to the park each morning to start the day

Here it is in front of the main lake of east Park.

Sometimes I ride there in the evenings, and occasionally get a glimpse of the deer that stay hidden during the day when the park is busy.

And then there are some mods to do to the Brompton

Like improving the brakes, and these Swisstop Brake shoes have certainly done that!

The difference is dramatic and well worth the slight expense, but it did highlight another problem that has been bothering me.

Keeping the handlebars from moving when braking!

I  have had no luck just tightening the pinch screw  that is supposed to do this, so bought sone thread sealant and hopefully it will do the trick.

We shall soon find out whether it has worked.

I have also sent off for a spare Shwalbe Marathon Plus tyre which has a arrived, and just now an inner tube for it from Wiggle bikes.

Final ride of this Holiday (April 1st) Whitby Abbey

The weather forecast was for rain in the afternoon, but I thought I might get the ride in before that happened and set off about 3Pm , dropping down the side roads to Hawsker before joining the main Whitby road.
Most of the roads were wet on the steeper sections reminding me that I really need to fit those Swisstop brake pads that are hopefully in the post and ready to be fitted next week before out next holiday.

Though mainly downhill there are some pretty steep uphil sections too, especially when you approach Hawsker itself. After that it's mainly but not all downhill along the main road before turning off for the Abbey.

I headed for the front of St Marys Church as I wanted a shot of the cross

The great view down over the Harbour into the town,

And a great view  down the 199 steps!

After that it was a strong headwind and an uphill journey all the way back to camp, the voltage on the display frequently dropping to the pint where it beeped as being low, yet it kept going without any problems and I ran into rain on the last leg of the journey where the road crossed from the Coast Road to May Beck, 

The bike and espcially the chain and sprockets will be getting a thorough clean when we get home!