Category: Words

Throughout the English-speaking world ‘gnat’ is usually reserved for small, biting flies, allied to mosquitoes but most of the groups for which British entomologists have used the word do not bite. Note that the only groups of British Diptera which ‘bite’ (and only female flies do so) are species of Culicidae (mosquitoes), Scatopsidae (blackflies), ceratopogonidae (biting-midges), Tabanidae (horseflies) and Muscidae (houseflies and allies). In some parts of the world Ceratopogonidae are called ‘no-see-ums’ because females are small, do not whine like mosquitoes, and attack en masse, producing a large number of suppurating spots.

Little buggers got me good tonight at Hamsterley Forest. Gnats. Millions of ’em.

This week I rode the road bike for the first time in a year. Felt good to get out on something fast but the handling takes a bit of getting used to.

After a bit of a shake down over a few days riding, I fitted some new tyres as the Schwalbe Ultimos that came on the Ksyriums had started to crack. After that I decided it was time for new tread and to move up to 25mm. Not sure there is any advantage in the bigger size – 2mm isn’t a lot.

The jury is out on the Mavic Yksion replacements

Bled the brakes over the weekend, front is bang on but the rear is still holding some air and needs bleeding for a third time. Realised once I arrived back in the North East I’d left my biking shoes at home, so ended up riding all week in trainers. Fortunately I hadn’t taken the trail pedals off yet so it wasn’t too bad. Feeling a bit better on the bike this week, last week was a wake up call.

Started riding again, commuting to work initially with plans to do some variations over the summer to take in some of the County Durham trails. The Ti Deluxe is being ridden again for the first time in years. Week one was interesting as both brakes needed bleeding and until the kit arrived to do it, I was on rapid brake pumping to get any speed reduction.

The trails in the photo below are less than a minute from my office. The local riding is superb as are the views:

Decided it was time for some new kit. Since moving back to SPDs from Crank Bros I have been a set down, so the XTR trail pedals will be going back on the Singlespeed and I’ll keep the Ti Deluxe more XCey. My Specialised BG Pro shoes have a few holes in now and little rubber sole left. New Specialized use the crappy nylon lacing system I hate and since I have been impressed with my Mavic road shoes, the new disco slippers are French too.

I have been thinking of some new shades for a while and seeing as the lenses of my Pro M Frames are now pretty wrecked, I thought I’d go back to Racing Jackets for a bit. The next generation are new to me. The Prizm lens are pretty good in the woods.

In terms of rubbish excuses they don’t get much worse than trying to blame your dad for getting busted for cheating in cycling. That is exactly what Belgian rider Femke van den Driessche has done which is a bit of a shocker. Full story at the BBC. To me the rubbish lie is almost worse than the relevation that UCI commissaires found a motor found in her cyclocross bike. The rumours have been there for years, but it’s now apparent that rider aids are definitely in use and the sport has another area to police and try and catch the cheats… .

Across the river from where I have been staying in Durham is a little spot called Pelaw Woods. It’s a deciduous woodland clinging to the steep slopes of the river cliff next to the River Wear. Problem is that it’s a very unstable slope and not long ago a good chunk made a bid for freedom. Since then the trails in the woods around this section have been inaccessible. The City Council website now has the details of the repairs now being undertaken.

It reminded me of the valley below Engelberg a few years back when Jed and I did our road trip:

Luke Hanson highlighted that one of my old posts referenced a Department for Transport webpage that doesn’t exist anymore. As an alternative he proposed an alternative like for a group that he volunteers with, the Road Safety Group. Part of his role is to research road safety resources to share with our stakeholders, this led me on to your website and is how I found the broken link.

If you are looking for a replacement then I?d like to highlight this alternative link which has a lot of useful information as well as some specific guidance for London cyclists.

Amazing singletrack, cleared the steep climb that has defeated me until this week, nailed the downhill, rode new bits, revisited some old bits, found the trails destroyed by the collapse of the river cliff and had a picture postcard sunset. Great ride!

Fired up the Ti Crown Jewel for a quick blat out to Ormskirk and back on Sunday afternoon. Managed to get head into the wind going up the Clieves Hills that had me wondering what the hell was going on. Felt like I was riding with the brakes on, but no just uphill and a bit of a breeze.

The turning point from the ride out to start the run back happens near Christ Church on the Liverpool Road (A59). From there it was a big ring all the way back to Formby. It’s the first time I’ve ridden the whole way back on the drops and it felt fast. It’s one of the few times I have’t faced a sapping headwind.

The ride saw me do 18.8 miles in a hour. I’m pretty pleased with that. 

The flat landscape of the Sefton Moss, a singlespeed rocking 32:15 and 23 miles.

That’s my Sunday morning spin class.