Spin out on the Eastway ST1.0 Steelie

I have only used this bike a couple of times so far this winter season as i havent been off the Krampgrease for the offroad miles. I was looking at it the other day and thought its about time it got an airing. I pumped up the tyres / oiled the gears and away she went today. The rear gears are skipping a touch so need to fine tune the cable tension but it still rides well. There is alot less drag than the Krampgrease but not so comfortable on the bumpier sections. It was a quick blast along the old line to Bishop & back with still plenty of icy sections along the way but the sun was blazing away. Hopefully get a few more rides on the Eastway this week, oh and i need to order a new mud flap for the front mudguard. My old one has split and the mud guard is too short but its mainly dry at the mo. below are a couple of pics from today -

Fresh Goods Sunday - Park Tool Polylube 1000 PPL-1 Grease

Well you cannot build / service bikes without the stuff (well you could but components would not last long in the uk). I have used many different types of grease over the years but have settled on the Park Tool Polylube. At first when Park Tool brought the product to market i was a little cautious as i normally stick to compaines who manufacture grease/lubes not add it on as a side line. After the first tube which was used on many headsets / bbs etc and miles of rain, grirt and crap i was wrong and is probably the best grease i have used to date. From then on in i have used it as my general grease on all my bike stock. Its not too sticky, easy to squirt out of the tube, no smell but not keen on the colour! they should have manufactured it in Park Blue. I also have specialist grease's ie copper slip, aqua etc for different greasing jobs. I also have an old coffee jar full of cheapo grease for non bike related jobs which i use and top up with hydraulic grease cartridges. Now this stuff is sticky, stinky and cheap. The rrp on Polylube 1000 is £6 and will last along time if you dont have too many bikes to look after. The last batch i purchased came in at £3.71 each but normally pay about £4.50. You can get a tub PPL-2 instead of the tube which i will probably get when my stock has run out. Here is the Park Tool blurb -   

Park Tool's poly-urea lubricant was developed specifically for bicycle maintenance and repair. PolyLube 1000 has an extremely high shear strength to protect vital parts under extreme conditions. PolyLube 1000 also repels moisture and is compatible with conventional greases.

Handy 4 oz. tube
PolyLube 1000 will not harm carbon fiber
Tube has threading to fit common grease guns

One that is in use at the mo

A very cold & icy family ride upto Knitsley Farm Shop / Cafe

We finally got a spare day, well 1/2 day to have a family ride out. The last one was way back in the summer hols! we did not get a ride out in the Oct school hol week as it rained everyday in the Lakes then i went into hospital for my surgery. Every weekend we have been busy doing something or going somewhere so it was time for a well overdue family ride out. The forecast was looking good with a hard overnight frost then followed by some lovely winter sun. When riding up the old line to Lanchester Angus had minus -6.1 degress on his garmin! thought my legs were burning with the cold. It was a straight run upto Knitsley farm shop / cafe for a feed/water then a steady blast back home. We had a good range of tyre sizes out today to test on the frozen / icy trails from 5" bud, 4" dillinger, 3" chronicle, 2.75" dirt wizard down to 1.95" old michys. Not many other cyclists out and we were were the only bikers in the cafe, quite a few dog walkers and a runner. Below are a few photos from the ride - enjoy and wrap up warm 

Another cold, windy, icy & snowy offroad ride on the Krampgrease

Last weekday ride on the Krampgrease and yet again there was a freezing cold wind, icy stretches and even snow on the tops. I headed for some higher ground today to see what the trail conditions were like. There was plenty of icy patches along the old railway lines and even snow on the tops in the shaded parts. No problems with the Maxxis Chronicles today and they performed well in the wintery conditions. Below are a few photos from ride -

not to mention the sheet ice on the corner half way down

now then which way do i go today

head for the hills i think

plentyu icy puddles in the carpark

solid sheet icy on the tarmac descent down to the bridge, there was a couple of horses coming the other way just about to try and get up this

first signs of snow @ Hedleyhope

 

and its getting deeper as i climb

near gale force icy wind on the top, did not stop for a drink break on the bench today

nearly back to start and its still sunny