Fresh Goods Sunday - Park Tool CN-10 Pro Cable cutter

I was not after another pair of cable cutters but these come up as a rather good deal on PBK website so decided to buy them. My current ones are Wrench Force ones (no longer made) manufactured by Snap on so as you would expect are very good quality. They have never failed and only have to nip the bolt up a couple of times on the jaw. The spring action has a nice feel and ok in the hand.
The Park Tool CN-10 model are heavier, chunky and look stronger. The spring action is not as good and have to force them apart slightly to get brake outer casing through the jaws. The cut is clean and the grips are very comfortable in your hand.
The rrp is £29.99 but I got them for less than £18 inc p&p.
I have retired the old ones off to my spare tool kit and these are in my main tool chest now.
Here is the manufacturers blurb -
Item # CN-10
Professional Cable and Housing Cutter
The CN-10 Cable and Housing Cutter is a shop quality cutter designed specifically for use on all bicycle cables and housing, including hard-to-cut index housing.

• Cold forged, heat treated steel handles for strength
• Precision ground cutting jaws for a clean cut on every cable
• Built in crimper for cable end caps and forming hole for reforming housing ends and housing ferrules
• Wire latch holds handles together when not in use

and here is a link to the Park Tool WEBSITE

Local sunny winter road ride on the Black Inc Nano and testing out some Pearl Izumi gloves

The forecast was for some sun and it was right, what a beautiful winters day ride around the back country lanes of Co Durham up in them hills. The only thing that spoilt it was the strong wind which made it hard going in places and real cold in the shade on the descents apart from that the roads were quiet with very little traffic. The sun was blazing away and I had a tail wind nearly all the way back in which made up for the outward leg. It is a pleasure to ride such a beautiful bike and don't mind getting it sprayed with winter mud etc from the country lanes as I wash / dry / lube it as soon as I get back in, it doesn't take long with a bucket and sponge.
I was also trying out a new pair of Autumn / Spring type gloves from Pearl Izumi - Thermal Conductive model, not a make I normally purchase but these were in the sale at Westbrook Cycles last year and have been in the cupboard ever since. They are thinner than my equivalent Endura gloves and were just about right today for temperatures hovering around 6 degrees and no rain. They are nice and thin so you get plenty of grip feeling on the bars / shifting and could not fault them. They are also nice and bright with 3m reflective logos on them. Time will tell how they fair up and last, I will be wearing them again on rides that have similar weather / temperature as today if we get anymore over the coming winter months.
Below are a few photos from the ride, not many as I wanted to enjoy nipping along in the winter sun and stop less to get the camera out. More soon and enjoy your miles in the saddle -

Gentle ride along to Auckland Castle Tea Rooms with the youngun

Today I have the day off as Arrans school is closed for teacher training. We had planned on a ride up to Knitsley Farm Shop but remembered at the last minute that it was closed on Mondays so we had a ride over to Bishop along the old railway line for some tiffin at Auckland Castle tea rooms. Fletchers we there taking down all the massive marques after the Christmas fair weekend and there was a few in the tea room as well. The outdoor ice ring is still there but nobody on it when we were there. The weather was very cold to start with just havering above 0 degrees but slightly warmer coming back with a tail wind of 4 degrees. Still some patches of ice along the lines but not too bad. More soon - enjoy the dry weather again

Neccl Sedgefield Photos - pottering on inc 27.5" tubes !

Saturday morning woke up to some snow but only a dusting at low level but a freezing cold wind. Hardwick park was basking in sunshine for most of the three races. Here is a link to MBE photo GALLERY . Many thanks must go to Andy O and all his helpers on for organising the round inc loads of fantastic prizes.

 

Then it was washing bike time, later dinner and put the heating on. Also got a few jobs done over the weekend - fitting my sisters winter wheels - just in the nick of time and laying a new laminate floor in porch - on the joys. Fixing the slow puncture on the Krampgrease off Friday and some pre Xmas goodies have landed - more on them soon

 

we have been using snowtrac tyres for a few years now - very good over winter

oh the joys of cycling

never noticed this caption on the side wall when I fitted the tyres

hope these stretch to fit 27.5+" !!!

some new water bottles

going to try these as well