A fresh walk around South Shields on a Sunday inc Nat Trophy at the Velodrome

 

After a rather busy week including Saturday enough was enough and we made time for a trip through to the coast, South Shields. Angus was not working this weekend so popped along. Arran was working though. It was windy, overcast, cloudy and cold but not raining which is the main thing. We walked for nearly two hours and took a few photos of the course set up at the Velodrome for a round of the Nat Trophy. The racing had not started when we were there and it was really quiet as you can see in the photos below. The beach was busy with dog walkers etc, we also had a walk up the town for some shopping. We were all weather beaten by the time we got back home. On that note the sun came out just as we were nearly back home, typical! 

Fresh Goods Sunday - GTB GTGP03R Lock On Handlebar Grips : Black / Red

 

When we were over in the lakes earlier on in the year we had a walk around Ambleside so I called in past Gyhillside Cycles. I have been after a replacement pair of grips for my Cube e mtb for a while. I did not want to spend too much on them and these caught my eye. The bike has some red parts on it so thought these would match. Getting the old Cube grips off was a little tuff going as there was oxidisation between the original grips and the handlebars. Once they were removed I cleaned up handlebars and slipped on the new ones. These have two lockrings per grip and nip up easily. These are the first set of grips I have used with lockrings on both ends. After a couple of rides I caught the end of the grip on a tight bridge crossings and the bar end plug and lockring come flying off. I found the lockring but the plug was long gone. Once back home I fitted a new plug and refitted the lockring. The rubber grip part is comfortable and grippy enough even in the rain. I am not a fan of lockrings on the outer end of the grip. The next time I will go back to grips with one inside lockring. The red anodising is coming off where the end ring has been caught on walls etc. They are ok value for money, just not keen on the outer lockring design element. 

RRP £8.99 and I paid £12.00 from Gyhillside Cycles, Ambleside. 

Manufacturers blurb - 128mm, Black Rubber with coloured locking rings

Set includes 2x Grips and 2x End Plugs

Barcode: 5055786110875

SKU: GTGP03R

New Bling - Silca Titanium Rainbow bottle cage and Shiman J04C Finned disc brake pads

 

Yesterday fresh drop of goodies - Silca Titanium rainbow bottle cage for the Trek. 

And some new disc brake pads with fins also for the Trek. 

A dark early morning spin around Durham on the Trek Procaiber 9.8 before the rain starts

 

I was up and into the garage fitting my lights to the Trek early this morning as the forecast was for lashing rain from 9am onwards. Daylight does not come through until 8ish so the first half of the ride was in the dark as I set off after 7am. I fitted my Lupine Betty 7 up front and my Lezyne strip drive led on the rear. As ever my old Lupine turns night into day but I forgot to put my Exposure Sirus light on my helmet but I did fit my small back front Lezyne led front light as I did not have time to charge the Lupine battery. It was my usual loop dropping down into Durham, around the riverbanks and out to Maiden Castle. A loop of the river then over to The Trod, up and down and back around Durham before a loop up to Frankland, The Sands, through Newton Hall and a loop around The Carrs then back home. I did not need my back up light and all was good. All in 15 miles with 650ft of climbing in the overcast / cloudy dark cool weather. Below are a few snaps from the ride but as ever the camera does not like the dark and at speed shots. Enjoy and hopefully more soon- 

Some new Fresh Goodies from Bontrager and USE Exposure

 

If you have been following my posts on my new Trek Procaliber 9.8 XC Hardtail the carbon bar / stem combo has a small grub screw at the front / middle of the bars to mount either a single or duo base. 

I ordered a single base when I bought the bike as I only wanted to mount my Garmin but when it come into stock Team Cycles ordered the Duo base, rrp £13.99. My lights for my mtb's mount to the handlebars so I did not need the second low level mount but thought if I have got it I might as well use it. I had a spare Exposure bracket for my Sirius light so fitted this in case I ever need to run my small led front light under the stem. You have to order the Garmin mount separately and either comes in a high level version so you can flip it and have the Garmin above your stem / behind the handlebars or there is a low level version which mounts your Garmin in front of your handlebars, both the same rrp £13.99. More on these brackets / adaptors in future Fresh Goods Sundays, but for now I have sorted the issue of mounting my Garmin head unit and a light. 

Another quick spin along the old railway line - Meadowfield to Bishop n back inc a massive bacon buttie!

 

Today's ride was just a short out n back along the old railway line from Meadowfield to Bishop n back. It was cloudy / overcast  / breezy and cool but dry. There is still a dry line on the track for most the route apart from a few soft sections in the wooded areas. The line was lovely and quiet with only a few others out n about. I took the Trek Procaliber 9.8 hardtail out again for another spin, I am getting used to the bike now and no electric motor! All in just over 17 miles with 450ft of climbing. Below are a few photos of the ride, enjoy and hopefully more soon- 

ggrr no white bread buns left!