Stacey Marshall's Weblog: Stac, Stace, ace - blog space

Lunch time off-road cycling has become a regular and joyful retreat for some of us in the office. My friend Isamu whom has Ataxic Cerebral Palsy has informed me that he would like to get a suitable off-road tricycle so that he could have a go to. Having been in the woods on his electric wheel chair he has some idea of what he is letting him self in for...

Thus we're looking for tricycle recommendations and or a shop or outlet south of London where Isamu would be able to have a try on a tricycle, anyone?

Tonight I cycled home with my youngest daughter Alice. Emily was off to a dress Rehearsal for the stage show Annie which she is appearing in at the Haymarket theatre in Basingstoke. I suggested to Alice that rather than me working from home she might like to come in to the office and cycle home with me. I was delighted to see Alice's eyes light up at this prospect.

Alice arrived at 5pm, I collected her and we waved good bye to Mum and Emily. Alice then accompanied we back into the office where she played schools on the white-board and I finished testing the Solaris 9 libc T-patches for my changes.

At 6pm we headed out into the cold. Alice eager to see my route home through the dark wood. Lights a blaze (its amazing how light technology has improved over the last few years) we set off out of the campus. Staying on road for the first mile or so as the direct cross country root brings you out on to the busy A3013. A road which as it runs beside Fleet pond is unlite and has no provision for pedestrians let alone small children on bikes coming out of a dark and hidden public footpath on the wrong side of the pond... A prime candidate for 30mph speed restriction in my opinion.

We entered the woods just outside of Southwood. We went a route which passes under the trees. Its warmer in the trees than in the open and a lot more fun. Alice was astonished by just how dark it was looking back over her shoulder. We stayed in the trees for as long as we could. We'd gone around 2 and half miles and I was feeling the cold. We free-wheeled down the hill and exited the woods, being careful not to turn on the wooden bridge which can be extra slippy at this time of year.

I could see that Alice was tiring, we still had a mile and a half to go. I encouraged her along, we went under the road by the canal, then up past her School and on to the last mile. With 400 yards to go I placed the challenge... 30 seconds head start for the race to the door... Alice beat me by a wheel length, I'll catch her next time

The ride took just over an hour, three times longer than it would me on that route. I was very cold, the pace to slow to warm me. Thankfully Alice was not cold and was pleased with herself. I'm very proud of her, for her accomplishment and for wanting to cycle.

My cycling Experiment has gone extremely well. Rather then dispose of the car immediately I simply parked it in the staff car park where it sat unused for two months. After that I took the car home in preparation to sell it. Well I never got around to selling it as I didn't think it was worth a great deal (Nissan Micra 1Litre H reg) and thought my niece would like it (seems I was wrong on that account too, but that's another story).

Its now ten months later and I have cycled every day to the office... Yes, I do work from home occasionally but not that often and then I find I'm itching to go out for a cycle during the day.

Today it rained while cycling in, which is only the third time in ten months. Its a strange phenomenon but around 18:00 the rain seems to brake for a while, just long enough for me to get home. Equally phenomenal is the fact that it seems to start to rain when its time to collect the children from school!

Its time I was going home... And alas I forgot to hang up my cycle top which is now still very damp! I'll just cycle home in my day shirt.

One last thing, thanks to everyone who gave me encouragement to see the experiment through.

Stace

Tag: rain commuting cycling

BBC reports: research from Bath university suggests that my cycle helmet attracts vehicles while a wig might repel them.

Following on from Chris' post I must agree that www.givecyclistsroom.co.uk is an excellent idea and is provided for in the highway code. Specifically, “ 139: Overtake only when it is safe to do so” and “give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would a car when overtaking”.

On the subject of the highway code I'd like remind fellow motorists that at road junctions “pedestrians crossing a road into which you are turning. If they have started to cross they have priority, so give way.” If you are in doubt that motorists ignore this directive, go and cross roads that intersect round-abouts and see how often cars stop. I'd do it on a dry day, because on wet days you'll just get very wet!

One final word, specially for folks traveling north to Scotland, If another driver flashes his headlights never assume that it is a signal to go.. Down here in the south a flash is often used as a means of saying “you go”, while in Scotland the flash is used, and one might argue correctly, to say I'm coming through.

Stace

Cycle Promotions are at Guildford this Sunday the 9th October.

It's officially winter going by the complete lack of encounters with dog walkers this morning.

The Basingstoke canal footpath is closed between Farnborough-Bridges and Eelmoor-Bridge the minor detour took me onto a road which runs through the Army Golf Course.

By the looks of the path which goes past Eelmoor Flash it appears that the authorities are clearing the paths. Alas the http://www.basingstoke-canal.co.uk/ official web site has no details.

Stace

Tag: Basingstoke-Canal

For the past week I have been driven insane by a creak coming from what sounded like the bottom bracket. The noise only seemed to occur as I pushed down on the left side at first. The lunch time MTB gang offered various advice and tools on Tuesday. On the ride home that night the noise came from both left and right pushes and really started to make me crazy. It got so bad I didn't need the bell to warn fellow tow path users of my approach.

I have had this symptom before, then I found the problem was actually with the seat post. Alas this time the seat post was not the cause.

Tuesday night the bike was on the stand. I couldn't feel any movement in the bottom bracket. And as I don't have the tools to remove it I decided that removing that would be my last resort. Besides, the pedals had plenty of play in them. So Tuesday night I stripped the pedals, re-greased them and put them back on.

Alas, the creak was still there and drove the lads mad again on Wednesday as they let me creak past, I'm sure they just wanted some peace and quiet.

Wednesday night the bike was back on stand and following advice from my friend Mark I took the chain rings off and set about cleaning greasing and refitting them. I also took the time to clean the chain and rear sprockets and jockey wheels. Put it all back together, using White Lightning on the chain.

Todays lunch time ride was sound! That is to say sound-less from the bottom braket at least.

I'm looking forward to a nice cycle in to work tomorrow, without the constant creak, creak, creak.

Top 6 'bottom bracket' creak suspects
1. Seat rails, where your seat meets the seat post.
2. Seat post clamp, where your seat post meets the bike.
3. Loose shoe cleats (seems I missed this off my original post!)
4. Pedals
5. Front chain rings
6. Bottom Bracket

Having gotten so close to the chain set I must admit to needing a whole new one... Cycling to work certainly isn't as cheap as I had first thought. But it is much, much more fun

Brilliant lunch time ride on May 26th with Chris, James, PeteD and PeteH.

We set of from the Sun Guillemont Park Campus, through Hornley Common then into Minley Wood and on to Yateley Heath. After some tricky single track we headed back through Minley wood, past Minley Manor and Lower Minley Cottages.

The weather, route, track, speed and company all made up for a brilliant ride.

Hope to do the same tomorrow

Stace

Tag: MTB

James just dropped me a Cycle Promotions flier telling me that the next local event for us is at Rivermead Leisure Complex in Reading, Berkshire.

James and I went to their last sale at Egham, Surrey. Basically they hire a hall and have a one day sale. Lots of choice and plenty of Bargains to be had.

They have other sales around the country so check for one near you.

Stace

Tag: Cycle Shop

Today is a beautiful day for off-road cycling in South Surrey and North Hampshire. The sun is out and so too were many other cyclists. I'm used to seeing perhaps one other cyclist as I cycle along the Basingstoke Canal path but today I saw six all of which said good morning, It's such a civilised way to start the day. The soil under wheel was firm and the tracks dry but not too dusty. And I only caught one fly in the mouth, yuck!

Roll on lunch time when I hope to go for another cycle with my office friends.

Stace

After a week of not cycling due to the foul weather I had to cycle in on Monday. The lawn was frosted over so I took the MTB and cycled part of the way along the Basingtoke canal. The canal was frozen over as to were all the puddles along the canal path which I took the delight of cycling over and listening to them crack like creme beulea.

I left the office a little late, well after six. It was dark and snowing, the moat around the office was frozen over and snow was settling upon it. As I joined Minley road I saw that my arms and torso were covered in snow which seemed to come at me horizontly as I pushed on. I soon warmed up and as I left the shops in Cove behind I noticed I was no longer the Snowman cycling.

It rained (well drizzled constantly more like) on the way home tonight which was excellent as I was able to put my new SKS Race Blade Clip On Mudguards to test. My Road Racer 'Aneto' frame has no lugs for fitting a conventional mudguard so I was not using my racer.

The mudguards were very easy to fit, they basically just strap on. I can inform that they work very well.

I am very chuffed with the Mudguards and with myself... I enjoyed cycling in the rain! I'm becoming a rosd cyclist all over again.

After Chris' puncture yesterday I reliese I should get some tubes that fit this bike (my bag has MTB tubes in it). Looking at wiggle using firefox 0.9.3 does not allow the back button! I'll download Firefox version 1 and try again.

Stace

Chris noticed that I was on my Road Racer as we left the office tonight. He fondly referred to it as "Retro".

I built my racing bike in the basement of Bikewise sports, Isleworth, in 1986. I was on a budget. I rember wanting Campagnolo but only being able to afford Shimano, which back in 1986 was not as well known as it is today. I found my old shopping list amoungst my bike manuals:

• Frame: "Aneto" Peugeot Frameset as used by Peugeot Pro Team in 1985 Tour de France; Reynolds 531 Professional tubing with chromed Fast-back stays.
• Fork: Reynolds sloping engraved crown, chromed.
• Head set: Strong Light A9
• Seat Stem: Alloy micro adjustment post: Total for above: £169.95
  
  
• Pedals: Milremo Esquartz Amateur 102. £15 (Used with toe clips and leather straps. replaced since with clipless).
• Wheels: Mich hubs, rustless spokes and rims. £46.00
• Tyres: Michellin 'competition' 700*20mm (No longer have these of course)*2. £20.40
• Tubes: Mitchellin High presure presta valve *2. £5.50
• Saddle: Turbo Super £18.75
• Handlebars: Cinelli 'Criterium' model 65-40cm £15.75
• Stem: Shimano 600EX. £12.99
• Brakes: Shimano 105QR. £27.00
• Free Whell: Suntour £13.50
• Chain Set: Shimano 105 (teeth: 42 and 52). £29.95
• Front Derailleur: Shimano 105 £6.99
• Rear: Campagnolo Nuovo Record* £38.00
• Levers: Campagnolo £6.70
• Chain: Shimano Uniglide £6.40
• Block: £13.50

*I had bought a Shimano 600EX rear mech. But on the day of the build my dad said I should fit the Campagnolo that was on display in the shop which he would pay for. Later in used the Shimano mech. when I converted his fixed wheel bike to a 10 speed. Hey dad, you never did give me the money for the rear deraillure. But hey, I got Campagnolo :-)

Pictured here is the Peugeot Puymorens from 1986 which uses the same frame with Shimano 600EX chain set, though my frame is brilliant yellow.

BTW, Its a lot easier to replace the cable on the retro gear lever, but not so easy to change gear! :-)

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Updated: Fixed image link and used html character encoding for £ sign.