April 9 2008

Another lovely sunny day and I have had a more ambitious ride along the seafront of 7 miles. The Felixstowe sea defenses are being greatly reinforced and seeing monstrous machines effortlessly picking up boulders weighing many tons and throwing them about, I was amused to think of the difference in power used by these behemoths and used by my little Panasonic.

Being able to get about so easily and pleasantly again I am beginning to plan a photographic album of some sort, and a seafront ride is likely to be one of the first candidates. A bicycle really is a perfect vehicle for a photographer, allowing one to cover reasonable distances at a speed which allows one to look around properly which one cannot do in a car.

My front tyre is still hard, and I am left wondering just how it came to lose all its pressure before. It obviously cannot be a puncture and so must be the valve. In the old days, one would have known that one must replace the valve rubber, but heaven knows what sort of valve is in this modern version.

I should have mentioned that I have reverted to the original saddle that came with the Agattu. I actually ordered a Brooks B-17 saddle but was informed there would be a delay of two months so I cancelled the order. It still isn't right, but I'm getting very much more used to it and it is certainly very comfortable in use around the town.

I switched the power off for a while and noticed what may be a little problem with the gears when starting off. There was some stiffness for the first few turns of the pedals, which I thought perhaps was due to the motor being turned before the drive from the pedals was released. It's nothing that matters, but perhaps of some interest in getting to know the bike.

Coming home a slightly different way I had a lengthy hill to climb. Not a steep one, but a good mile of it. I experimented a little and found that it was best tackled in gear 3. The last time I did this. I had used gear one and I'm tolerably sure that it was harder work. There is much to learn about the gears and the motor assistance.

April 8 2008

At long last a fine sunny day. Naturally therefore when I got the bike out of the shed I discovered that I had a puncture in the front wheel. I pumped it up hoping to get to the shop with it, but was pleasantly surprised to find that it stayed up, and has done all day. Since I checked the pressures and pumped up both tires yesterday I suspect that something went wrong with the wood's valve. Touching wood rapidly I have to say that I have always been extremely fortunate in not getting punctures. I don't think I can have had more than a dozen in the whole of my life which was once a very active cycling life indeed. I can never really believe that I once rode from Malvern to Ipswich, 180 miles, in one day. Nowadays I couldn't manage to be driven that far in a car!

Being a little worried about the wheel I didn't go very far but greatly enjoyed a ride along the seafront. Very flat of course but there was quite a brisk breeze blowing in my face, and yet again I loved the sensation of being able to stick my tongue out at it! A sunny sparkling sea that was somehow full of promise for good biking weather to come.

April 7 2008

Snow showers again today and I haven't ridden at all. I'm a real fair weather rider nowadays it seems! Still spring must be on the way somewhere or other and I have many plans for rides and picnics then. Since my last post I've really done nothing but ride into the town and shop. The Agattu is splendid for that and the bikebins really come into their own for shopping.

I've learned that one has to insist upon one's space on the road. Riding close into the kerb in consideration for cars doesn't work as they then clip one so closely that one doesn't have any margin for safety. I'm spacing myself about two or three feet in from the kerb. I have noticed that many cyclists are lax with signaling. A casual wave of a hand for a couple of seconds just in from the shoulder seems often to be thought enough. Of course it isn't. One may feel a prat with one's arm straight out as one moves to the centre of the road to turn right, but that is what is definitely needed.

March 13 2008

A combination of being rather off-colour and atrocious bad weather have prevented me from doing very much on the bike for a couple of weeks. I have just ridden into town a couple of times more or less between gales. I have very little to record therefore but there are a few bits and pieces.

Concerning the sprung front forks first of all. Being conscious of my weight I have these fully tightened. They still have plenty of spring despite this, and if I press down on the handlebars they give quite readily and return noticeably more slowly. It's very obvious that they are well dampened in some way and are far from being a simple spring. When riding however I really cannot say that I noticed them having any affect. I haven't ridden over any obviously poor surfaces so perhaps this is not surprising, but I don't seem to notice any difference from any other bicycle that I've ridden. I did try riding gently down a low pavement curb and then I thought that I could feel a definite softening of the impact, but of course I was looking for this and may have imagined even that. So far then I have very little to say about the forks.

Every time I get on the bike I am amazed yet again at how superbly well the front wheel is built. I have never before had a front wheel in which no slightest wobble of any sort can be detected. But really this front wheel rotates like a fine gramophone turn table would once have rotated. Derby cycles have obviously fully mastered, what I suppose is still rather an art, of spoking bicycle wheels.

I am also still astonished at how smoothly the bike rolls. When I first read Flecc's review I didn't quite understand what he meant about the bike being free rolling. Surely a bike either has free bearings or it doesn't have them I thought. But how wrong I was. Of course my weight represents quite a bit of inertia but even taking this into account it is astonishing how far the bike will roll with no imput on a flat road. Again I have never known anything like it. I had no idea how much difference various tires could make in this respect. The perfectly smooth contact surface of the fitted tires obviously does make a very large difference - one which on a long ride must represent a considerable saving of effort.

Feb 23 2008

When I began this blog, I had rather pictured myself as writing to it every day, after assorted rides out. However it hasn't quite worked out like that. It is after all the middle of winter and for most of the time the weather has not been conducive to lengthy pleasure trips, and the every day rides about town have not seemed worthy of record. I do still expect to be writing accounts of pleasant picnic trips when spring arrives.

I am growing stronger, although not at the rate that I've had rather hoped for. But I realise now that I was expecting far too much. It is quite enough that I can now ride for half a dozen miles without my legs falling off at the end of it. And I have actually lost a few pounds in weight. Unfortunately what is required is the loss of a few stone! But I'm sure there is much to come.

I could easily have written an eulogy of TauTag daily. I don't know when I have been so delighted with a new thing before. And she has of course bedded down in several respects. I believe that the Pedelec unit is now running even more smoothly, and I have noticed that it no longer wants to take off at junctions with the mere weight of my foot on the pedal. The brakes also, as splendid as they were a right from the start, have definitely become even smoother.

My saddle experiences have been less happy alas, and I have now ordered a Brooks B-17 leather saddle, which from past experience I am more or less certain will suit me well. I have been impressed by the fact that the sprung seatpost has not objected to my weight and works very well. I have of course tightened it to the maximum as I have the sprung forks. I shall have more to say about these forks another time.

I sold another Agattu a few days ago (where do I apply for my commission I wonder) when a gentleman admired TauTag as I was unchaining her from a post. I had to work very hard to prevent myself from rapturising over her, and point out carefully that although the cost of recharging was virtually nil, the battery life was definitely limited and the replacement cost very high. But none of this deterred him and he spoke of contacting the supplier right away. I don't know him but if he does get one I'm sure we shall quickly become acquainted.

Reading Tony Fleccia's account of his Qbike I have bought the same small black battery horn that he uses. I hope never to use it, but the occasional antics of odd cars are unbelievably foolish. And I may say that it is not elderly drivers who are at fault in this respect.

Feb 13 2008

She's called TauTag. A nice Germanic name and I like the sound of it. It's good to have named her at last.

With a bit of fiddling about I managed to pop rivet my old saddle together this afternoon and to my surprise it looks as if it might work. I only rode about the town as it's half term and we have our grandson to see to and Mary was out.

I've also sorted out the bike bins into the best possible set up for them. They won't be as easy to take off and put on as they are designed to be but after all I have plenty of time. I tried out the lights again briefly this evening and was much impressed again. I love the hub dynamo which seems so simple and elegant one wonders why bottle types ever existed.

Here are pics of TauTag. I shall update them quite often.

http://www.axst45.dsl.pipex.com/bike/tautag/

Feb 12 2008

A period of consolidation during which I have written nothing. But although there has been nothing noteworthy to record I have still greatly enjoyed myself. I have pottered about the town a good deal and have taken one or two rides out a little further. On one of the rides through Falkenham and Kirton I covered 10 miles which is further than I have done for many years, and further than I had expected to do as yet. I am gradually getting stronger and more used to riding but my legs are still decidedly rubbery after a trip. I have now covered just over 100 miles which is further than I had expected to do as yet, although it doesn't sound very much.

I am pleased beyond measure with the Agattu which really is everything that I had hoped for. The Pedelec system that I was a little dubious about initially, has turned out to be quite perfect for me. Being without a throttle to think about has turned out a great pleasure. I simply pedal and the complicated electronics work everything out for me. It would be very easy to become blasé about the assistance, and I switch the power off from time to time to remind myself of just how good it is.

Rather small things continue to give me so much pleasure. The brakes for instance are very much better than anything that I have ever had before. Smooth progressive and powerful it is hard to see how any thing could be better. Similarly the gears are a great delight. They are perhaps a little low but this actually suits me perfectly and the range is sufficient for me very seldom to be in top. When I first understood how things work with the chain constantly moving, I thought what a waste it was not to have dérailleurs, but I had underestimated how very useful the ability to change down whilst stationary would be. Cruising to a halt at junctions without any thought of gears, and then being able to slip down is so very relaxing in town.

The saddle saga continues, and although I have found that the range of adjustment is greater than I had at first realised it still does not suit me. It's a big soft comfortable device which is very sensibly sprung underneath, and feels fine when one first gets on, but later very definitely does not feel nearly so good! It is certainly a waste for me on this lovely bike and I shall have to change it but as yet have no idea what for. Brookes saddles always served me very well years ago and perhaps that may be the best way to go. We shall see.

We have had several days of truly glorious spring weather which have of course been quite perfect for cycling. I am now completely confident in my ability to get eventually fit again, and the large investment in this bike which I was far from sure about, has turned out very well indeed.

In summary then the bike simply oozes careful design and refinement everywhere. All the cycle parts are strong and sound, and, which is not always the case nowadays, work.

Enough - I shall now ride out into the sunshine and perhaps have wonderful things to report on this evening.

4:00 pm.

The new prop stand arrived by the midday post and is fitted and OK. I daresay few people will have actually noticed the repair lashup but I did and it's really good to have my new Agattu pristine once again thanks to Lloyd of 50cycles.