00718, Wooden chainwheel

This is still from a while back.

It's for a bikey. Clearly he really loves bikes.

Anyhoo, it's an oak chainring with a utilie jockey wheel.

Admittedly really very niche :)

00643 Rollapaluza the movie

We have to change the name of this event. I mean surely adults have the ability to access some form of originality.

Don't they?

00642 the Flyer

 

From which comes information on how to possess the fabled trophy.

BTFW I am currently still out of the office

00641 The Trophy

Never thought of making a trophy before. This was Andy's idea - stick some bike bits together as a prize for Wednesday's charity roller racing. I say charity in the hope that Rollapaluza hasn't gone corporate and is cranking up the litigation engines as I type. We just couldn't think up another name in time and IT'S FOR THE KIDS, FOR CHRISSAKES! (well, maybe not just for the kids, but it's for people who used to be kids)

So the essence is wood, mdf, jam jar, bolts, sprockets, chain and an old quick release spindle:

   

 

Admittedly the whole "making a trophy" thing kind of got out of hand - was always going to happen. BTFW I'm out of the office at present, just so's you know, eh?

00620, Miniature Victorian bike porn

As featured in "Penny farthings and babes" 1886.

00421 And in her place ...

Like a scarlet harlot, rising up from the parts of her forebear:

She's on loan - well, at least her body is. Frame courtesy of Andy.

It's almost like adultery, but in metal.

(and without the sex)

00420 She's going away

There might have been tears if I wasn't a harder man.

I love her, but I smothered her in plastic and buried her in a box and sent her away.

WHAT KIND OF A MONSTER AM I?!?!?!?!?!

I told her we'd never be apart

sniff

Actually, I told her I'd send her off for a respray.

00413 All shapes and sizes, but always two wheels

A recent surge of interest in cycling has been brewing in my shed and legs.

First of all there's this holiday to Jersey which makes me want to clean the steed:

There's nothing like silvery chains and sprokets to make you feel new again.


Then it's off for three (ish) days of cycling, CYCLING and fine wines (the upper case is for tall bike riders).

Next up, the respray and leather goodies.

00274 Allez! Allez!

A weekend at the Tour de France 2008 brougt with it three stage viewings and much food and wine. Aborted KAP attempt (images to follow) and pics of the Tour below:

00244 Wheel building

In order to get my track bike back up to something like scratch, I rebuilt the hub and spokes of the old (broken) from wheel onto a new rim. What a satisfying thing to do - great symmetry too.

00216 Tour

I've been tardy in posting this up, but here's the meat of what happened when I visited London for the day of the Prologue:

I got to the side of teh route well early, but the crowd was already two deep - I've heard attendance figures bandied about from 500,000 to two million. Anyway there were loads of people there. Needless to say it looked like I was going to get a crap view. But after a couple of phone calls to Dan and James (who were coming down later), we ended up with ringside seats (or ladders):



And here are the two notable bits of vid from the day. Firstly Bradley Wiggins' fourth place ride with accompanying screaming:



And then Fabien Cancellara's superb winning ride: