Bikes

I thoroughly enjoyed today. I've been avoiding my bikes for no particular reason and with my back injury there seemed little point in doing anything with them. But today the back felt a little better (not better as in it's now OK but better as in not very painful, just painful) and I had some time to work on the bikes.

First things first, print off the results from the Retul bike fit and gather together an assortment of tools on the dining room. Yes, too cold to work in the garage and working in the dining room meant I could listen to the Radio. I am a Radio 2 fan and this afternoon I enjoyed Patrick Kielty followed by Jarvis Cocker and then an interview with Keith Richards. In between the amusing chat was some excellent music. Very enjoyable.

First into the dining room was my Litespeed. Off with the old tyres and inner tubes and on with brand new Continental inner tubes and GP4000s tyres onto the Hed Ardennes rims. It was then time for the tape measure and to set the bike up exactly to the Retul fit. A quick change of stem and I was happy. This is a very sweet looking bike and with the Hed wheels I reckon is hovering around the 17 pound mark and I am quite confident that wherever I go I won't see another like it.

Next in to the dining room was the Planet X that is now running Shimano 10-speed. First task was to fit the new Cateye lights. The new rear light was added to the old one and the effect was, to say the least, bright! The new light also shows red lights to the side that is an excellent safety addition. The new front light also went on and with the mudguards already fitted this bike is now ready for riding in January and February. It was then the turn for the Planet X to be subjected to the tape measure, and another stem change was required but after a few minutes of fettling the PX was, give or take a mm here or there, set up exactly the same as the Litespeed and ready for riding.

Next (yes, I was really enjoying myself) was my old Scott bike. I fitted the old inner tubes and tyres I had just taken off the Litespeed and then got the tape measure out. I needed a shorter stem so a quick trip into the garage and ... horror of horrors ... I didn't have the right size! The Scott still needs a bit of work/money spent on it; it needs a chain, cables, bar wrap and brake blocks (and a stem of course!) before it is complete but I don't need it until the mornings/evenings get lighter and I can start commuting to/from work.

After that I tidied up the dining room and went out to the garage to get to work on the turbo bike. After many years of having this bike set up in tt spec I have reverted it to road bike spec. I had already removed the FastForward seat post and swapped the tt handlebars for drop bars and this evening was about getting the tape measure out and setting it up. I soon dscovered that the seatpost needed to be changed as there wasn't enough layback on the one fitted. I swapped it for a USE carbon one but this still didn't have enough layback, so a new seatpost is required. Having sorted that I then discovered I need a new stem for this bike as well! By this time I was tired and it was late so I stopped where I was and took the dog for a walk.

Overall, though, a fun day messing about with bikes. And I'm really looking forward to riding them all again in the New Year.

All the best.