Catch up over the last four days - inc a trip to Pace Cycles and seen Derek from Bangers and Cash

 

Sorry for the lack of blogs recently but I will explain more in my next blog. Just a catch up really, me and Jane had a look through to the coat on Friday for a lovely walk up and down the beach / coast at Seaham. 

Sunday we headed off down to North Yorkshire for a couple for a couple of days away. Jane wanted to go to Fairfax and Favour shop in Helmsley. We have never been before, and it is s a lovely village. We then headed down to Pickering where we stopped at the new Premier Inn just outside the town next to the Industrial estate. We popped into the town for tea at Cappleman's for a sit in fish and chips. The service and food was fantastic and not too badly priced either. On Monday we called in past a farm shop for some shopping before parking up at Thorton Le Dale. We called in past Matthewson's and seen Derek from Bangers and Cash, at a distance though, this was the highlight of the break. I also called in past Pace Cycles and bought a couple of goodies from Adrian and I had a lovely talk with the mechanic. From there we headed over to Thirsk as we needed to go to the bank and we had a walk around the town. I called in past WH Smiths for the recent copy of Cyclist magazine. On the way back we also called in past Northallerton, by the time we got back home we were both shattered! Below are a few snaps, enjoy and hopefully more soon- 

New chainring fitted to the Trek and spinning along nicely

Also got the Garmin Cadence sensor fitted and is working a treat 

A new mug to replace my old Hope mug which Jane managed to pull the handle off! 

and a retro Pace / Mint Sauce T Shirt 

and the December edition of Cyclist magazine 

Fresh Goods Sunday - Assos GT Socks (Black Size I)

 

Firstly I should have posted this Fresh Goods Sunday blog up earlier in the year as its well and truly winter sock time. I bought these from Assos direct when they had their summer sale. It is the first pair of Assos socks I have bought and used. The GT model is probably the cheapest sock in the range looking at the rrp. After using them on and off over the summer months, out of all their kit I have bought this year this model of sock just doesn't have the quality. / luxurious feel as my other items. They have loads of other socks in their range with a much higher rrp which I can only assume has better quality materials etc. Anyway back to the GT socks, they are basic, comfortable sock which wicks very well not that I suffer from hot / over heating feet, if anything I suffer from cold feet. As you can see on the last photo the material around the main body of your foot is very see through. They wash well and dry quickly. There are no signs of wear on the heels or toe areas. They come in three different sizes, I am a size 8 - 8.5 and Assos size I feels spot on, not too tight and not too big. They have some stretch but not overly stretchy like some socks. No good in the Spring, Autumn or Winter and when its cooler in the summer, so in effect only for the short time when it warm. At £8 you cannot go wrong, even at the full rrp. To be honest I would not buy another pair, same for my Attacus socks since wearing my Findra socks, see previous Fresh Goods Sunday for the review. They blow the socks off all my other socks! apart from my full on winter socks. 

RRP £12.00 and I paid £8.00 from Assos direct - Discount 33%

Manufacturers blurb - The classic summer cycling sock: odour-resistant, stretchy, supportive, and highly breathable.

A piece of cycling equipment is effective when it does its job so well that you forget about it. These socks embody that ethos, pulling moisture, resisting odour, and providing a light wrap of support across the metatarsals, arch, and ankle.

• Material: 70% Nylon, 30% Spandex
• Inherent silver microparticles - odour control
• Lightweight
• Breathable

Another dark spin around Durham but warmer today

 

I did not plan on going out on the mtb this morning but I was awake at 4.30! so I got up and out in the dark with the Trek again. I was going to fit my Lupine Betty but I thought I would give the Exposure Sirus a go on the front on its own. I don't have that many really dark sections apart from the wooded parts. It is ok at normal speed but on one descent where I pick up speed the light does not give enough projection of light into the distance so I had to slow down but apart from that I cannot really complain considering what I paid for it. By the time I got back home daylight had come through. Durham was lovely and quiet again, but the tracks n trails were still wet from more overnight rain. It was another ride in no weather as I call it. No sun, no sunrise, couldy, overcast and no wind ie weatherless!  I will have to have a look for my old mtb mudguards as I am getting a lot of spray from both the front and rear tyres. Today was my first ride with my Northwave Artic winter mtb spd boots and my feet were lovely and warm / dry. My Sidi’s have been stored away now for the summer! Below are a few snaps from the 14.5 mile loop with 700ft of climbing. Enjoy and hopefully more soon - 

New e*thirthteen SL Chainring and more Fresh Goodies - Garmin Cadence Sensor & Shimano L05A pads

 

As mentioned in my previous blog I have changed the size of the chainring on the Trek. After several rides I noticed I was never using the three smallest cogs on the rear cassette so looked into what size I could drop the front chainring down to. e*thirteen go down to 28t on the SL ring but Trek recommend a 30t as the smallest. So, I bought one from Gary at Inspiral Cycles after some negotiation on the price. The rrp is an eye watering £65! Christ I can remember buying a full triple chainset for around that money 30 years ago. 

Anyway I have had one ride on the smaller ring and it is much better on the hills around Durham for me! and I using the smaller cogs on the rear now, thats if I am not freewheeling! Fitting is simple if you have a big 8mm allen key to remove the crank arm and the e*thirteen locking / bb tool and a 10mm allen key to use the tool. More on this in an upcoming Fresh Goods Sunday. 

I also ordered a Garmin Cadence sensor for the Trek crank arm and some more Shimano disc brake pads L05A (new versions) for my Creo road, Creo gravel and Cannondale Synapse Neo as they all run the same pad. My stocks were down to two pairs so have plenty now. From memory I am sure the Neo was wearing down close to the limit / spring. 

A quick spin around Durham and Maiden Castle

 

Just another spin down and around Durham / Maiden Castle area on the new Trek Procaliber 9.8 xc flying machine. The ground conditions were damp under tyre after last night's rain. It was just a quick loop with no extra add on sections. The tracks n trails were lovely and quiet with hardly a sole out and about. Below are a couple of snaps from the 14 mile ride with 650ft of climbing. 

On that note the climbing was made a lot easier today as I have swapped the front chainring from the standard fitted 34t from factory down to a 30t, more on that soon. 

Anyone fancy some house plants?

Not sure what is going on here or someone mucking about

A little nippy today, time for winter boots

J

The new county hall has been handed over to Durham Uni now. I am not going to say anymore! 

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