A short mainly gravel loop on County Durham's old railway lines - Specialized Creo 650b/27.5" wheels

 

The forecast was for dry and cloudy / overcast but cold. So I decided to do a short mainly gravel loop taking in a couple of County Durham's old railway lines. I checked the pressures on the new wheels and I was ready to rock n roll. It was a find drizzle even before I set off and around 10 degrees. The lines were damp and wet in places. There was hardly no other users out n about. I climbed up the old line to Stanley Crook then descended down to Crook. From Crook I picked up the road and over the climb / descent to the Coop at Willington where I turned left then along the old line back to Broompark picnic area. The drizzle was on and off for the whole ride and was very heavy at times. It was not a particularly nice ride but pleased to get out and about. The new wheels were so on, with no pinging / creaking / bedding in of the spokes. The 650b/27.5" diameter offers a lot more comfort than the 700c gravel wheelset. They did not feel that slower on the hard pack stuff but then again I was not exactly hanging about in the rain either. After a few more rids on them I will give more feedback. 

Below are a few photos from the ride, enjoy and hopefully more soon- 

PART 1 - Specialized Creo SL 650b / 27.5" wheels with 2.00" tyres

 

I got a message yesterday afternoon saying my new wheels were ready to collect so we had a spin out last night to collect them. There is nothing flash or bling about them, hopefully just a strong pair of reliable wheels that will take in some rough stuff. 

Today, Bank Holiday Monday yes its cold, raining and just plain miserable out there so what a great time to get them built up and fitted into the the bike. I had the disc rotors, cassette, lockring's, tyres, tubleless tape and tubes all at the ready. I have a new pair of 2" tyres on order but there is no stock in the uk so they are on back order for approx 6 weeks. So I fitted the Ultegra 140mm rotors with lockring and the speed sensor lockring on the rear. Cleaned and fitted the Sunrace cassette. Cleaned the rims with some meths and fitted the tubeless tape ready for the new tubeless tyres. I then fitted my old tyres, saying that the Conti has only done a few short rides with some Schwable extralight inner tubes. Pumped them up and seated the beads onto the rims. 

Now they were finished it was time to try them in the frame / fork for clearance. Front first and there is plenty clearance on the crown of the fork but around <5mm clearance on the sides, this will clog in uk's winter mud but I have my mtb for real muddy rides. Then it was onto the rear. There is plenty of clearance on the seat stays on both sides but a lot tighter on the chain stays with around <5mm clearance on both sides. Again this will clog with uk muddy rides. I have kept the old 700c DT Swiss rims and spokes as I might get them rebuilt if I ever sell the bike. 

I gave it a quick spin around the block and all seems ok, no brake rub and gears are indexing. I will hopefully get out for a test ride this week and see how it spins. 

DT Swiss HGC 1400 spline 27.5" 1706g (Claimed) rrp £1865

Mine 1788g = 82g difference 

Pair of rims £70.38

Tubeless tape £6.99

Strip down a pair of wheels / 48no spokes / nipples and build wheels £80

Total £157.37 (Reusing existing hubs from bike)

Fresh Goods Sunday - Alpkit Koulin Trail Short Mens

 

As I mentioned in a previous blog that it has been quiet a few years since I did any jogging / running. I have also gained a bit a weight and expanded so my old running shorts were a little tight lol. We were passing Alpkit at Gateshead a few weekends ago so we decided to call in past and see what they had in stock. These are Alpkit's trail running shorts and looked ideal for my jogging adventures. As ever I find with Alpkit's clothing you have got to try a few sizes to get the one that fits just right. 

The quality seems ok for the money, nothing too fancy and not too cheap looking. There is a zipped pocket in the middle at the back just below the waist bad with a zip that get gets caught in the liner materials and is a pain in the arse. Also the zip pull is tiny and hard to get hold of when on the move. Alpkit state there is a key hook but I cannot find one on my pair. There are also two smaller side mesh pockets but not sure what you could put these as they don't look very secure, may be energy gels? The waist band has a drawstring adjuster. The shorts have leg inner leg liners which feel comfortable against your skin but they do tend to ride up your thighs after a while. There are no leg grippers on the inside at the hems. They wash ok but drying around the waist / rear pocket area takes way longer than any other part of the shorts. They are comfortable to run in and havent had any rubbing etc yet. Only time will tell how they last over time. 

Rrp £27.99 and I paid £27.99 from Alpkit Gateshead. (15% off over the Bank Holiday weekend period). 

Manufacturers Blurb - 

Koulin Trail Running Shorts give you the freedom to run without losing the convenience of a few handy features. Polygiene treatment means these short will spend less time in the wash and more time out on adventures!

An active cut and great next-to-skin feel make Koulin Trail Running Shorts really comfy, giving you the coverage you want without chafing or restricting your movement. The mesh inner is breathable, soft, and wicks moisture away from your skin. They fit snugly but aren't too tight, and flatlock seams prevent rubbing. The outer fabric is stretchy and quick-drying with a split seam that leaves you really free to move.

Although lightweight, the Koulin Trail Running Shorts are well-featured so that you can carry as little extra luggage as possible. A zipped rear pocket – big enough for an iphone – is ideal for valuables, whilst the low-profile mesh stash pockets on the thighs give you ample storage for gloves, gels, your hat... There’s even an attachment to keep you from losing your keys!

Key Features

• Lightweight trail running shorts for fast and light excursions
• Polygiene ™ odour control technology
• Moisture wicking, breathable, and soft mesh inner for comfort
• Fast-drying and stretchy outer
• Active cut, with a split hem for freedom of movement
• Two mesh stash pockets, key attachment, and rear zipped pocket for carrying all you need for a quick dash round the trail
• Elasticated waistband with drawcord for a good fit

Vital stats

Fit

Slim
In-seam: 6"

Construction

Inner mesh: 86% polyester, 14% spandex, 110 gsm
Outer: Polyester, 58 gsm

Origin: China

Barnard Castle Truck Show 2021

 

Yes its back for 2021 and open to the public from 10am on Saturday and Sunday. £5 entry for adults and kids are free. We have not been for a few years and by all accounts there are 400 plus vehicles showing over the bank holiday weekend. 

Cold and damp early morning spin to Durham n back & a catch up.

 

Me, Jane & Arran had a few days off at the beginning of the week so we had a day trip down to Whitby on Monday, Northallerton on Tuesday and jobs around the house all day Wednesday. 

Monday we all jumped in the car and had a drive down to Whitby but what we did not realise was it was still The Regatta so it was heaving and the fun fair all along the fish quay side and the pier. We had a beautiful day and the sun / heat came out and we all had a great time inc fish n chips. 

Tuesday we jumped into the car and had a drive down to Northallerton for some shopping and look around. The traffic going down the A167 was not too bad and got parked up ok. We had a cracking breakfast in the restaurant in Barkers. Again the weather was ok but no sun. 

Wednesday was catch up day with a loads of jobs outside inc gardening and a few jobs inside as well. The whole day was gone by the time we got finished and sat down. 

This mornings ride was a very early one with my lights on down to Durham via Aykley Heads / DLI hill and Wharton Park for a change. After that is was my usual loop around Durham / Maiden Castle / The Trod and back home via Frankland. The temperature never got above 9 degrees and there was a cold wind as well. On top of that there was a fine / heavy drizzle for most of the ride. It was most unpleasant but the tracks n rails were very quiet! 15 miles later I was back home with just under 800ft of climbing in 1hr 14mins. 

Below are a few photos from the ride, enjoy and hopefully more soon -