On your Bike

[CitroJim]

Spotted during yesterday's ride...

Recumbent

A recumbent with a visibility flag...

I've always fancied having a ride of one of these... They can be very fast due to the superior aerodynamics over a standard bike...

[myglaren]

Just passed one of those near Consett

[mickthemaverick]

Spotted during yesterday's ride...



A recumbent with a visibility flag...

I've always fancied having a ride of one of these... They can be very fast due to the superior aerodynamics over a standard bike...

Looks like an escapee from the dodgems to me

[CitroJim]

Looks like an escapee from the dodgems to me

[RichardW]

Not been much driving in lockdown, but there has been plenty of cycling - I've done about 1400 miles this year, hoping to get to 2k by year end - I haven't ridden that far since I was cycle-commuting in Reading in the late 90's. Quite a few family rides, the boys knocking about on their bikes means a lot of repairs ongoing - including a number of their friends who bring their bikes round saying they're broken!! I mostly ride a mid 80s Claude Butler Super Dalesman, renewed the drive train earlier in the year, then broke a spoke recently, so decided it was time for a new rear tyre. Bought one of these, good reviews for puncture resistance with low rolling resistance, yet decent grip. Not much tread

However whilst refitting the wheel to true it up, I spotted this

Yes, a hole has developed in one of the chain stays Looks like the tyre has rubbed the paint off, and wet weather has done the rest...

I went looking for another frame, but couldn't find one the right size, or with rack and guard mounts - and anything with a racing back ground was silly money (£00's for a 40 year old frame!!), then I happened on this Genesis Equilibrium on ebay, which ticked the boxes - slightly more sporty than my current machine, but not out and out racy so good for family rides and a bit of weekend touring.

Down in Wigan, but I had also found Lancaster Engines (recommended by my parents' neighbour who has old bikes) who said they would sleeve the Velocette engine, so I was able to combine a trip down (along with bagging a free meal at my Parents'!) - a 360 mile round trip, probably more than I have driven in total since March! The seat post turns out to be stuck, but the PO was the same size of me, and it fits perfectly - sometimes you win!) I took it out for a ride, and very nice it is too (crap pic, sweaty condensation on the phone lens I expect!!)

Did show that something was amiss in the chain department, so I ordered up a new one; on inspection it well stretched, and it was missing the rollers where the quick link was - which will explain the clunking under load!! So Sunday was bike day...

we've got a few!! New chain on the Genesis, new spoke in the old Claud Butler (I will keep riding it through the winter if the rear wheel will hold up, 3 spokes gone so far...) to get the life out of the new bits on it), and then general lubrication and fettling on the others.

Oh, and that tyre, seems to be OK, I rode it in the damp the other day, and not even a twitch, takes a bit of faith to ride it hard into wet corners on a slick though

[mickthemaverick]

I'm sure you biking boys will enjoy this from my favourite engineering genius:

[CitroJim]

Bought one of these, good reviews for puncture resistance with low rolling resistance, yet decent grip. Not much tread

Richard, I can recommend those tyres, they are indeed good. I was riding them when I crashed but that was incidental and in no way related to the tyres

However whilst refitting the wheel to true it up, I spotted this

I'm shocked First time I've ever seen a rust hole in a bike!!! Shattered carbon frames yes, and bent ally frames but to see a rusty one really is a first for me!

I like that

Shocked anyone could so badly maintain a bike that rollers go missing from the chain! You may need to check your chainrings and cassette for wear too after using such a badly worn chain!

[mickthemaverick]

Just in case you missed the earlier video here is another stunner from the Millyard stable:

[NewcastleFalcon]

Watched both of Micks videos. I know very little about the "bike Industry" but if all those innovations are his original work why do derailleurs still exist and why do swinging arms have two bits to them not just one

er.... and why does he still have a shed and a little garden, rather than entering his abode via large wrought iron gates and a mile long gravel drive with a stone bridge and ornamental lakes?

Is this a case of a brilliant shed inventor who makes stuff unable to translate it into revolutionising the bike industry?

Regards Neil

[mickthemaverick]

Reading through the comments from his watchers, and taking into account Allen's own opinion, it would seem the reason that derailleurs are still in use is to do with manufacturing profit. No manufacturer is happy to sell a perfect product which will have hardly any maintenance and need no spare parts. Thus Allen's design if adopted would decimate the parts part of the business which is apparently a huge proportion of the profit generation. It sounds similar to the concept of the oil companies buying up ideas for non oil cars in the past etc.

As to why he doesn't live in a grand house my guess would be modesty!! He is a very nice chap, we chatted with him at Sandown when he was showing his Flying Millyard and he is as down to earth as the milkman but blessed with extraordinary insight and skills. You need to see some of his other motorcycle builds to fully appreciate his astounding abilities!! Many of them are on YouTube on his channel. eg The Viper

The one thing he seems to lack is ambition as far as money making is concerned. His life aim appears to be to prove to himself that he can make whatever his mind dreams up!!

[bobins]

The one thing he seems to lack is ambition as far as money making is concerned. His life aim appears to be to prove to himself that he can make whatever his mind dreams up!!

Basically, he's a much safer version of Colin Furze

[CitroJim]

A nice socially distanced small peloton

The BCG Tuesday Crew

I was bringing up the rear and caught my fellow riders on my video camera... We look neat and tidy...

I normally ride at the back as I have the rearview radar on my bike and give out warnings of vehicles approaching us...

[Timmo]

Nice little group picture there Jim, not looking so promising over the next couple of days for rides....

[Fake Concern]

Spotted during yesterday's ride...



A recumbent with a visibility flag...

I've always fancied having a ride of one of these... They can be very fast due to the superior aerodynamics over a standard bike...

I got overtaken by one of these on a long downhill, then I overtook it on the uphill and didn't see it again.

I was on a Brompton...

[Gibbo2286]

amsauctions.co.uk frequently have large numbers of bikes and bike bits in their sales if anyone's still looking.