The Retirement Thread

[pawl]

Can't beat having a spotted dick

I’ll report back when I’ve checked I like custard with my spotted dick

 

[Tenkaykev]

Mrs Tenkaykev headed in to Poole on her Roberts complete with child seat loaded up with a shopping bag containing 15kg of kettlebells to simulate having our granddaughter on the back. Meanwhile the old tub of “Mint Crisp” paint has been applied to the ceiling of my shed.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Can't beat having a spotted dick

Spotted Dick and Custard.

 

[12boy]

Buenos dias, jovenes. Last night we went to a taco joint and gorged on tacos for me, enchiladas for Mrs 12 and guacamole for us both. Que rico.
Today is a test ride of my 82 Holdsworth in SA 3 speed mode. If I like it I will tweak it some more with newer brakes and levers and a SA bar end shifter. That will in turn require retaping, twining and shellacking the handlebars which will in turn require a honey leather saddle. There is an annual 3 speed tour in Lake Pepin Wisconsin which is supposed to recreate 1930s and 40s British 3 speed holiday cycling with tweedy garb, leather shoes and primus stoves for brewups. I can't see being able to do that but the bikes have always fascinated me.
Be safe and well.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I've been for a walk this afternoon , walked through Holbrook Park in the sunshine, its still a bit chilly for the time of year but very nice in the sun.

 

[BoldonLad]

Wythall is on a regular route I used to do to the Lickey Hills, and you're not far from the Earlswood Plant centre with its Wedges Bakery Cafe one of my favourite coffee stops.

We are not nearly as fit as you. We did a 14 mile loop today, from Wythall, along NCN 55 to Kings Norton, then to Kings Heath, then, back to Wythall, via the Stratford-on_Avon Canal Towpath.

The NCN 55 section was a bit strenuous, undulating I think is the polite term (bloody hilly was Mrs @BoldonLad's verdict).

We saw two narrow boats negotiating the Shirley Drawbridge (Bridge 8).

 

[Deleted member 1258]

We are not nearly as fit as you. We did a 14 mile loop today, from Wythall, along NCN 55 to Kings Norton, then to Kings Heath, then, back to Wythall, via the Stratford-on_Avon Canal Towpath.

The NCN 55 section was a bit strenuous, undulating I think is the polite term (bloody hilly was Mrs @BoldonLad's verdict).

View attachment 585161 We saw two narrow boats negotiating the Shirley Drawbridge (Bridge 8).

That sounds like a great ride, well done.

 

[Dirk]

We are not nearly as fit as you. We did a 14 mile loop today, from Wythall, along NCN 55 to Kings Norton, then to Kings Heath, then, back to Wythall, via the Stratford-on_Avon Canal Towpath.

The NCN 55 section was a bit strenuous, undulating I think is the polite term (bloody hilly was Mrs @BoldonLad's verdict).

View attachment 585161 We saw two narrow boats negotiating the Shirley Drawbridge (Bridge 8).

I spent a lot of my childhood playing near the Shirley draw bridge. Happy days!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

We are not nearly as fit as you. We did a 14 mile loop today, from Wythall, along NCN 55 to Kings Norton, then to Kings Heath, then, back to Wythall, via the Stratford-on_Avon Canal Towpath.

The NCN 55 section was a bit strenuous, undulating I think is the polite term (bloody hilly was Mrs @BoldonLad's verdict).

View attachment 585161 We saw two narrow boats negotiating the Shirley Drawbridge (Bridge 8).

Theres some good lumps round there, I remember riding back from the Lickey hills on my fixed one day, I got almost to the top of Lea End lane and had to stop, I couldn't roll the pedal over top dead centre, it was either step off or fall off, the annoying thing was I was only 5 or 10 yards from the top of the hill.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Buenos dias, jovenes. Last night we went to a taco joint and gorged on tacos for me, enchiladas for Mrs 12 and guacamole for us both. Que rico.
Today is a test ride of my 82 Holdsworth in SA 3 speed mode. If I like it I will tweak it some more with newer brakes and levers and a SA bar end shifter. That will in turn require retaping, twining and shellacking the handlebars which will in turn require a honey leather saddle. There is an annual 3 speed tour in Lake Pepin Wisconsin which is supposed to recreate 1930s and 40s British 3 speed holiday cycling with tweedy garb, leather shoes and primus stoves for brewups. I can't see being able to do that but the bikes have always fascinated me.
Be safe and well.

Don’t forget the pipe and monocle

 

[gavroche]

Had a tidy up.

View attachment 585139

Where is the dry lube and wet lube?

 

[Dirk]

Awning put up - time for a cuppa.

Padstow in the distance. No sign of Rick Stein yet.

 

[ColinJ]

Theres some good lumps round there, I remember riding back from the Lickey hills on my fixed one day

I lived in Coventry for 20 years but I didn't hear of the Lickey Hills until about 20 years after I left. (I didn't used to look at OS maps back then. These days, I am forever studying different parts of the country and planning future rides.) I have still never been to them, and may never get round to it now since visits back to the Midlands with a bike are becoming increasingly rare.

I got almost to the top of Lea End lane and had to stop, I couldn't roll the pedal over top dead centre, it was either step off or fall off, the annoying thing was I was only 5 or 10 yards from the top of the hill.

I get that a lot on my singlespeed bike, which gives me no assistance at all over TDC, unlike the chain on fixed. I have modified my pedal stroke by dropping my heels before TDC to allow me to push the crank more from the back rather than the top. That helps but only up to a point. I can manage short stretches of 10% but not much steeper than that, and only for a couple of hundred metres.

That's why I put a triple chainset and biggish cassette on my best bike - I can get up about 99% of UK climbs in a 28/30 bottom gear.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Where is the dry lube and wet lube?

In the bedroom? 😮😄😎

 

[Mo1959]

Roasty toasty walk done. Short sleeves and very pleasant. Even the breeze feels much warmer today. The river has dropped a lot already.