Bank holiday weekend arrived and with it the urge to be creative, yet address some smaller, irritating jobs which seem perpetually on the back burner. So, it was to a local dealer for a quick tension and very minor truing of the Univega’s front hoop and a new patch kit. The weather had been kind enough for many a fast paced early morning/evening blast on the Teenage Dream but being bank holiday, the forecast was indeed turning bandit, marking a return to the comfort of stout tyres and full-length mudguards (fenders).
Mercifully, the old school repair kit came complete with the supple, feathered edge type patches that sealed even the tricky holes running frustratingly close to the seams. However, we've since had another undignified front tyre flat several miles from home, suggesting either the rim-tape or tyre casing is at fault. For the meantime, the venerable On-One offering with small-flange hub has been reinstated meaning "Pissssphaaarp!" does not stop play (I'm loathe for rides to end on a sour note). Time has come to review the bottle mount situation on both Ninja Blue (That’s the Holdsworth for those of you not paying attention) and of course the Teenage Dream. With the blazing summer promised I’m going to need some commensurate refreshment, hence the quest for a decent quality, paint friendly clip-on cage and another set of Zefal’s Gizmos now gracing the latter's seat-tube..
Some of you will question why two sets weren't brazed on to coincide with refinishing. The short answer is because I didn’t want to spoil the integrity or originality of both frames knowing there were less invasive alternatives around. Admittedly, they’re not as plentiful as initially thought but rest assured there will be no stone, or indeed web-page left unturned. The best bet thus far, trumping the Zefal are from Rixen Kaul that entertain handlebar, frame and seatpost mounting but more about these another time.
Colour coordinated Genetic tug nuts have come my way for the Ilpompino along with some unexciting but extremely useful nylon rim-tape earmarked along with this super smooth Superstar sprocket for the Halo Aerorage wheelset. 
On the subject of Blazing, Messer Bydon & King (aka “The Blazing Saddles”) have said bon voyage to Blighty and begun their epic global adventure but not before Jamie managed to bend his alloy rack at the last minute, emailing yours truly asking if he could have this here Minoura. Naturally, I obliged, rushing it first class last Thursday morning in between taking photos of bargain basement but strangely alluring Muddy Fox mountain bike and trailer combo lashed to some very sturdy street furniture. The Minoura should survive pretty much anything bar the proverbial elephant hitching a ride and even then, being of a heavier gauge Cro-moly is of the sort easily repaired using rudimentary welding equipment. Long may their journey prove fruitful, full of stories to enthral the grandchildren and their beards rival those famously sported by ZZ Top.
Elsewhere, the mighty load-lugging beast of burden aka the Univega has had some quick transmission tweaks-most notably the pedals. A fit of bank holiday pique saw me swap the extremely sensible SPDs for these long in the tooth but much loved drum polished Look hailing from 1991. Bought in December that year for the Teenage Dream, the grey painted finish soon tired and so the princely sum of £8 saw them polished in the summer of '94. (Slightly ironic given the resin Lego type were acquired that same year for £10).
On the upside, stiffer shoes mean markedly better power transfer, most notable when sprinting for the lights or thundering along the lanes in the dead of night. However, for all their charm, I’m thinking something more versatile might be in order. Exustar offer a set of dual sided “Spinning” Pedals both Look and SPD compatible-basically meaning, despite an obvious weight penalty, you’ll never leave the house wearing the “wrong” shoes.
My sister, the most outwardly competitive and arguably personable of us has just won a “mountain bike” through a contest run by the local leisure centre. It was basically a challenge to see who could burn the most calories over a fortnight and she won-literally streets ahead of the other entrants and her next challenge is the London marathon-she's entered online this week so watch this space...
Decided to polish my pins for spring and moreover shorts. Fellas’ with smooth legs seem to excite women outside of the cycling fraternity-largely out of curiosity and sometimes from bewilderment. However, I found myself completely dumbfounded by the excitement generated from an old track pump. 
Little shocks or stops our mother in her tracks (Probably just as well given our assorted but unintentionally troublesome antics over the years) but we nearly fell off our chairs when she described the excitement said workshop inflator aroused in an office of young and indeed middle aged women. Much of it involved them inflating imaginary tyres to pressures that would blow a top flight tubular clean of the rim, whooping, cheering in a fashion more appropriate to a Go- Go’s concert. 
Suggesting that cycling shorts (or inserts in the case of baggies/courier knickers) should be worn sans panties/boxers proved surprisingly titillating and disappointingly immature from supposedly liberated and sophisticated folk. Perish the thought of dropping rubber solution or indeed the Obree position into the conversation…
On the subject of Blazing, Messer Bydon & King (aka “The Blazing Saddles”) have said bon voyage to Blighty and begun their epic global adventure but not before Jamie managed to bend his alloy rack at the last minute, emailing yours truly asking if he could have this here Minoura. Naturally, I obliged, rushing it first class last Thursday morning in between taking photos of bargain basement but strangely alluring Muddy Fox mountain bike and trailer combo lashed to some very sturdy street furniture. The Minoura should survive pretty much anything bar the proverbial elephant hitching a ride and even then, being of a heavier gauge Cro-moly is of the sort easily repaired using rudimentary welding equipment. Long may their journey prove fruitful, full of stories to enthral the grandchildren and their beards rival those famously sported by ZZ Top.Elsewhere, the mighty load-lugging beast of burden aka the Univega has had some quick transmission tweaks-most notably the pedals. A fit of bank holiday pique saw me swap the extremely sensible SPDs for these long in the tooth but much loved drum polished Look hailing from 1991. Bought in December that year for the Teenage Dream, the grey painted finish soon tired and so the princely sum of £8 saw them polished in the summer of '94. (Slightly ironic given the resin Lego type were acquired that same year for £10). On the upside, stiffer shoes mean markedly better power transfer, most notable when sprinting for the lights or thundering along the lanes in the dead of night. However, for all their charm, I’m thinking something more versatile might be in order. Exustar offer a set of dual sided “Spinning” Pedals both Look and SPD compatible-basically meaning, despite an obvious weight penalty, you’ll never leave the house wearing the “wrong” shoes.My sister, the most outwardly competitive and arguably personable of us has just won a “mountain bike” through a contest run by the local leisure centre. It was basically a challenge to see who could burn the most calories over a fortnight and she won-literally streets ahead of the other entrants and her next challenge is the London marathon-she's entered online this week so watch this space...Decided to polish my pins for spring and moreover shorts. Fellas’ with smooth legs seem to excite women outside of the cycling fraternity-largely out of curiosity and sometimes from bewilderment. However, I found myself completely dumbfounded by the excitement generated from an old track pump. Little shocks or stops our mother in her tracks (Probably just as well given our assorted but unintentionally troublesome antics over the years) but we nearly fell off our chairs when she described the excitement said workshop inflator aroused in an office of young and indeed middle aged women. Much of it involved them inflating imaginary tyres to pressures that would blow a top flight tubular clean of the rim, whooping, cheering in a fashion more appropriate to a Go- Go’s concert. Suggesting that cycling shorts (or inserts in the case of baggies/courier knickers) should be worn sans panties/boxers proved surprisingly titillating and disappointingly immature from supposedly liberated and sophisticated folk. Perish the thought of dropping rubber solution or indeed the Obree position into the conversation… 