Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Shortround.

It's like he says, "jump" and the other asks, "where do you want me to land?"

In the last couple of days I have been put into situations where I've been able to take a step back and look at what is actually happening rather than being fully part of the scenario. It is like my days as a photographer observing without commenting.
Most of the time if you are the one creating silence other people can't help themselves but talk, to try and say something, anything to take away the nothingness that has been happening.

Another one of my Grandma's sayings I'll dearly miss;
'If you don't have ought good to say, don't say anything at all.'

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Progress.

Today reminded me of my old flatland BMX days, trying something on a bike over and over until it suddenly clicks, and then you're doing something almost naturally that fifteen minutes ago was making you scream with frustration. Today it was remounts on my cyclocross bike.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Bikes I have (and had).

The comment you have a lot (or too many bikes) is something I hear regularly, so I thought it's about time to lay everything on the table.
Here's what I currently own:

Bob Jackson custom made road bike.


The bike I waited 8 months to be built and have been riding all summer, including a few road races. Strictly my best bike, only summer mileage and maybe going into hibernation soon.


Scott CX Team cyclocross bike.


My first staff purchase bike through work, will be racing cyclocross in the coming weeks on this bike.


On-One Pompino singlespeed/fixed gear bike.
It's unusual I don't have a photo of this bike but it really isn't the best looking thing but does a lot of jobs and serves as my everyday bike. Usually equipped with mudguards it's coming into it's second winter and hasn't failed on any score so far.


Colnago Art Deco.


The photo shows it as a complete bike but this is now just a frame and forks that lives next to my bed. Bought it as an absolute bargain and will never sell it, if I did I'd have bad cycling karma forever.


Fit BMX bike.
Done.

Doesn't get ridden much anymore, lives at my parents house, again loathed to sell it mainly for sentimental reasons.



Here's what I have owned:

Kinesis RacelightT road bike.


The latest bike to leave me, was simply a stop gap till the Bob Jackson frame was ready but did me well to get some winter training miles on.


Pete Dunn Lo-pro track bike.


Probably the best bike I no longer own. Bought this off a local shop with a horrible purple and yellow paint job, then got Bob Jacksons to convert it to track ends and paint it green. I used to fly around York on this, doing laps of town without ever putting a foot down, really fun bike to ride and you have to focus all the time, being one step ahead in traffic. Ultimately it was what made it so much fun which was the problem, being brakeless in city roads causes issues, skidding through gaps is fun but skidding for the tenth time that ride so a taxi/bus/HGV doesn't kill you isn't.
It always got a lot of attention, especially on eBay where it sold for a bomb.


Carlton track bike.
Carlton Track Bike

Really nice old track frame that I built and rode on the street for a while before turning it into a velodrome only machine, unfortunately it became too expensive to just have sitting around not in use, maybe a lesson about punching above your weight too - never felt comfortable on it.


No name fixed gear conversion road bike.
velo

My first fixed gear bike. This saw a lot of mileage when we lived in Leeds, later in York it had mudguards and swept back granny bars. Again went on Ebay.


Peugeot road bike.
Peugeot

My first geared bike, ebay special - bought cheap, done up and sold on.


WeThePeople Div BMX.
Style for miles.

Probably my favourite BMX and certainly the one I rode the longest, thinking back I can't think why I stopped riding it, the frame is back at my parents but was damaged beyond repair when swapping the parts.



That's about it, not counting a few early BMX's including one that was stolen and a Specialized Langster, which I owned for less than 24 hours before selling. Another thing about cycling it you need more gear than just the bike, if you consider the parts that the average rider has in his pocession it'd probably make up a decent shop stock list.

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Bad News Day.

I lost someone in my family today, very unexpected and out of the blue, can't really say what I want. Living life doesn't get any easier.