Henristig's picture journal

[henristig]

As much as I'd love to have a non-ramped chainring there I sadly have to admit it's just a regular middle-ring It was an effort of mine to get a bit more tension in the chain by swapping the ratio from 16-32 to 14-34. And it almost worked. I used a rear cog from my old casette but that just made the chain jump off constantly. so now I'm going to get a 14 teeth SS cog and then it's going to be sweet! ATM I'm back running 16-32 which is good for fooling around with wheelies and stuff.

You're right about the tensioner cluttering the appearance, I too would want to avoid it for as long as possible. Maybe I'll need to get a halflink in there somewhere or something similar.

Much respect for saving your old Clockwork btw! These bikes are just too nice to suffer a slow death in a damp garage. And my good man, as a physically able and fit person it's your moral duty to stop at a park and pull some jumps as long as your able to I did that yesterday on my way back from the post office - having first glanced around to see that nobody is watching me It was harder than I remembered and I must've looked like a total clown going back and forth over some boxes and small shapes on my orange/whitey

Yesterday I also rode up to some rocks along my usual trail and did an almost hour long trials practise! It was looooads of fun and I felt extremely accomplished because I almost got some proper pedal hops in, which is a trick that has always seemed quite impossible to me. I even have a clip of my pathetic pedal hop attempts and might upload it later if I feel brave. Anyways, today I'm going for an encore no matter what.

Watching that vid you linked I just couldn't stop laughing, the guys simply kill it on that road bike! Sadly for me it just proves that it's not the bike, it's the rider...

 

[Silvergoat]

When I was running just one ring, I had to refit the front mech as the chain would fly off at the most horrible moment whilst pedalling. When funds allow, gonna get a proper Surly and strip the bits off to run a 1 x 8 set up. Then may be go SS next spring/summer.

Thanks about the Clockwork – managed to save it before it was too late. Got it running again in its rescued state with new tyres, chain and basics. When I had the frame stripped, dipped, blasted and powder coated a year ago, it came back looking brand spanking mint – the tubes chimed like bells when flicked.

Over the last year or so, I’ve been getting my fitness back and relearning riding skills. I try to have fun whilst commuting, practising hops over speed bumps and jumps off steps or whatever. After I get some new wheels built that can take it, I’m gonna try some more adventurous stuff, particularly when there’s no audience to watch me stack it… :facepalm:

Good that you’re out there having fun on your Clockworks. These iconic bikes deserve to be ridden and seen, rather than cosseted indoors.

Glad you enjoyed the link – here’s another…

http://vimeo.com/52871111

I first found out about off-roading when I was living in Cardiff late 80's. I just had a cheap Raleigh Arena road bike initially. After fitting chunkier tyres to it, I tagged along on some rides. Got laughed at by the others on their cool mountain bikes, but I managed to keep up. Eventually, I got a 1990 Marin Palisades and some early Rock Shox, but this ended up being stolen. Then got some hybrid tourer mtb thing, which also got stolen. After relocating back to my home town in Yorkshire, I then got the Clockwork…

 

[henristig]

Almost a year on and still going strong. Was absent for quite a while during the winter and spring season, but now I've merrily "rediscovered" retrobike once more. Seasons have come and gone and the Clockwork has lost most of its mintyness during the winter and spring, but I've bonded with it in a whole new way. Still commute and ride it daily!

- BTW, hope you're still riding hard and enjoying your Clockwork, Groovy! -

Even though I was offline I actually managed to ride (and commute) all through the winter and got to experience some amazing moments on the bike. I can forever recall the breathtaking serenity of long rides in complete solitude on the sea ice, sliding around and surfing the snow in pretty little arches. Made for some brilliant scenery too!

During the winter I sold off my SS clockwork - figured it was a bit too small for me, and I really quite liked the orange one better in general - and managed to rid myself of the Wheeler too, so for the moment I'm back where I started as a one-bike-guy. However, I recently acted on my need (or want, really) for a hooligan/allarounder bike and got myself a bargain on a limited edition raw Stanton Slackline 631 frame (only 20 were made), which I'm in the process of building up.

It's been an eventful time for me lately, because this spring I finally managed to break the mind-numbing misery of a 9-5 job and applied for something way out of my comfort zone. And actually got in! So this fall I'm moving way up north to start my two year studies to become a Scandinavian Wilderness Guide, couldn't be more excited/petrified! The curriculum will include lots of kayaking, climbing, skiing, hiking, outdoors life and - yes! - mountain biking. I'm really aiming to get the Stanton ready 'til then!

Anyway, here are some pictures from months past:

Out on the ice somewhere in the archipelago. Riding into the horizon.

Nice effect caused by the sinking sea level

Shitty picture, but this has to be one of the most memorable rides of my life. I took this photo just half an hour before a massive storm hit. Complete white-out, and winds you really had to lean into if you didn't want to fall over. Really trippy. It was a brutal ride for sure.

And here's one from last week so you guys know I'm not cheating on my trusty ol' Clockwork with some other two-wheeled thing.

The Slackline frame being rust-proofed with linseed oil

Hope all of you are well!

 

[Dossa]

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Coolness......

 

[Silvergoat]

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Hey, Henristig! welcome back! And good to see some more fabulous pics again.

The orange fade still looks great in those magical panoramic Scandinavian wonderlands. The white out sounds hairy though.

Sounds and looks like you’re living the dream man – Scandinavian wilderness guide – Way to go. I’ll have to bear that in mind as I hack it back and forth to work through London’s smoggy highways Awesome. It will be a real challenge but it sounds better than living the mind-numbing 9-5. I’m utterly fascinated by the whole Scandinavian region. Would love to do a long meandering road trip through it one day. Wish I’d been able to get to Stockholm at least, to see the last gigs of The Soundtracks.

I’m well but think I’m steadily succumbing to a mid-life crisis. Need something different to the mind-numbing 9-5 routine.

The Clockwork is still rollin' hard. Since the last post back in December 2013, it’s clocked up roughly about 9,984 miles commuting. It still gets an off road shred at the weekends. Have retired the old Dia Compe 986 cantis for now and have just fitted some Avid Digit v-brakes. The Zoom seat post clamp gave up so had to hunt round for a now rare 26.8mm replacement. Got some lower profile Race King 2.0s on for summer now. Will fit 2.2s for autumn. The Smart Sams proved to be a pain with all too regular punctures. The paint is getting battered in places – might get it stripped and powder coated again, may be in a different colour.

Have to say, that Slackline looks fantastic in that raw burnished finish. Have you used the linseed inside or outside the frame?

Keep that Clockwork ticking. And keep the pics coming.

Good luck with the studies!

 

[henristig]

Re:

It's good to be back and I'm glad to hear you guys are well!

I hear you on that mid-life crisis Groovy, I've been in the middle of one too for several years now... And I'm still in my twenties for pete's sake! :facepalm: Although I guess you could call it more of an existential one, since the thing that's been bugging me is the entirety of the, cough, civilized way of being, cough. When I chose the wilderness guide studies I also had the option of going to uni to study philosophy - t'was the easiest choice of my life. For me, getting to live the practical extension of my thoughts sure beat writing them down in hopes of approval from professors so metabolized into modern thought systems that they couldn't spot their presumptuous premises even if they were staring them right in the face. And so I'm finally off to get a bit rehabilitated from it all.

I'd definitely recommend that road trip for you, t'will cure any lurching mid-life crisis in a heartbeat. Plus there's some beautiful nature to be seen up norh if you visit during the fall, the color spectrum is simply breathtaking! We even have a word for it in Finnish; ruska. I was going to do a long meandering road trip through Europe on the bike myself this spring, but then I sort of just settled for being stuck at a dead-end job and paying rent. Blah. Guess it really is that hard to break out of the mental (and physical) birdcages we're all caught in... Thankfully riding the Clockwork gives me (hopefully you too) a temporary escape from it all.

On a more bike related note, I'm still running my RR 2.25's. They've been working fine all through the winter and spring, but now I'm thinking of downsizing the thread a bit since it's summer. I'm lusting for some nice fat Schwalbe Super Motos atm...

On the Stanton I sprayed the inside of the tubes, but it was quite messy in the end so the outside got its fair share of oil too... But it's all good. Today I also placed a massive order at bike-components.de, parts will hopefully arrive sometime next month and then I can get down to building.

Now I'm off for a ride! It's +27c outside and the sun is shining, I don't want to miss out

 

[Silvergoat]

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Couple of crazy weeks since that last posting, spinning plates and chasing my tail for "The Man" and attending funerals for a couple of good friends at work.

Commuting on the Clockwork has been losing its fun, as the daily mad dash through the City's crazy traffic resembles a deathly game of Russian Roulette. However, a couple of days on the capital's dysfunctional transport network soon has me craving for some freestyling on the Clockwork again. Time for some honest reevaluation, having seen how randomly short life can be.

Trouble with a lot of tutors I found was that they were washed up egos who liked to lord their cosy safe academic status and amaze the populous with it. Only the odd few were genuinely passionate about really helping and inspiring you. In the end, I realised I'd been wasting my time there, dropped out and cracked on being creative for a living.

Love the thought of 'ruska'. My missus has often described her old trips to Boston and much further North along the coast through Maine watching the marvels of the Fall, osprey and whales. Every now and then we just have to head out of London to lose ourselves in the wilder parts. One day we'll get the off-grid bus thing happening.

Those Super Motos look awesome. Trouble is most of the cool treads are way too fat for my frame.

It was truly scorching today. It's been pretty humid hot for the last week. A couple of nights its still been +27/28c at midnight. Was out of the door unusually early today, so had more time to take it easy and enjoy the Clockwork. Stopped at the Southbank of the Thames between Waterloo and Blackfriars bridge. The tide was out so I climbed down to the 'beach' with the bike and a large and very fortifying espresso 'corretto'. There's a bit of fine sand, some shingle and lots of driftwood and some junk. It's slightly surreal sitting on a beach in the middle of cliched postcard views of London. Might have to make some detours more often...

 

[henristig]

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Sorry to hear about your friends, Groovy. A painful reminder of how non-linear life can be. And lovely pics by the way, how are you getting on with that huuuge single ring up front?

We've had some crazy weeks over here too. Got on with moving out of the old apartment and the place was a stinking mess so we spent two weeks doing nothing but working, cleaning and sleeping - and admittedly not getting much at all of the latter. Then at long last came last Thursday, and at inspection the landlord had no qualms with the condition of the place. Oh, you wouldn't believe the relief when "the collateral will be repaid in full" was uttered!

Having handed over the keys I vividly recall the elation of going out the back door, hopping on the Clockwork and riding away through the park as I'd done so many times before, thinking only now I would never have to return. Looking back to see the appartment building - a monument to the rut I'd been stuck in - disappear with rest of the concrete jungle in the background I no more felt a ball and chain. I felt easy. Life felt simple. The best feeling in the world.

Since we're not moving to Kokkola for another week I'm now stuck in this merry nostalgic limbo of backyard barbeques and summertime laziness at my childhood home, and I really appreciate the breather of not having to pack anything or unpack anything or actually do anything for a few days.

Back here at home, so to speak, time no longer feels quite as elusive a concept as before and I'm finding time for all sorts of things. Playing basketball with old friends, taking slow strolls in the woods and riding my bike all day long. Yesterday I was out on my Clockwork for five hours straight, can you believe it? Rode around in Helsinki and discovered streets and places I never even knew existed. Also, a week ago I "discovered" the central park in Espoo, which has some amazing flowy trails. I'm quite angry with myself really, because I've been living 20 minutes from the park all along and only now when it's time to move far far away do I bother to find out that the place is great. FFS.

Anyway, I finally binned the Racing Ralphs. Yes, they served me well, but the endless miles had really taken a toll on them and the threads were worn out to the point of non-existence. I got a pair of ballon tyres to replace them, Geax Tattoo 2.3's to be exact (cost me a whopping 21 euros for a brand spanking new pair), and I'm really happy with them! I can't believe the increase in speed - I can now ride 2-3 gears higher in relation to the RR's and the Clocky feels like it's flying. Took a bit of a gamble with the width really as they're also available in 2.1, but now I can confirm that my '93 Clockwork handles fat rubber with ease. The clearance with the 2.3's is waaay better than with the 2.25 RR's, and I'm still running them on fairly wide rims! It looks sleeeeek! Pics to follow soon, but my phone is out of order so I'll have to dig out my DSLR from somewhere. If I could only recall in which box I packed it... :facepalm:

BTW, the sun is really taking its toll on the orange color and it's fading quickly, the seat stays are already turning whiteish...

Now I'm off to ride the central park again before it's too late!

 

[Silvergoat]

Re:

Thanks very much Henristig. I was talking to one of them late one afternoon. He looked so awful you could almost see the Reaper impatiently tapping its boney fingers behind him. The next day he keeled over at work and was carted off never to return. The other friend was a big jolly buxom blonde wench who enjoyed life. She'd been sunbathing in her back yard. She was discovered still there the next day still on her sunlounger and still holding a large glass in her hand in reach of a supply of fine wine. A suitably louche rock n' roll demise – "Bottoms ups!", I say. I think for a lot of my colleagues at work, it's been a painful wake up call to not literally become part of the furniture.

Here, we've just got through a tenancy renewal and landlord's inspection ourselves - appreciate the upheaval you've just gone through. The renewal is a palaver every year and involves a frenzy of tidying and uncertainty. It's followed by huge relief and a large gin once it's all over for another year. Am probably condemned to a life of this. Buying property, certainly around London, is unaffordable. I need to find a field or clearing somewhere to park an off-grid bus, cabin or a shipping container for conversion.

Good you've got the full collateral returned to you – you never know what excuses landlords will trump up for withholding all or part of it. Guess you'll be lovin' the relaxing limbo and be looking forward to a better greener place. Kokkola looks like quite a relocation. Sounds a shame about the late discovery of the park in Espoo, though. I can easily relate to long hours spent riding – as a student in Cardiff, I'd often disappear for the day, riding the coastal trails or forests of South Wales – I miss that, but of course now, I've too many balls and chains and too many plates to keep spinning.

You noticed the huuuge ring! As I've gradually built up my fitness and endurance, I've worked from classic triple to double to single over past few years. With the single ring on, I've worked up 2 extra teeth at a time to 50t. I think I need a few more now! Most of my mileage is on tarmac, so I don't really need the extra smaller rings, even though there are some long climbs on route. With the 50t, it feels easier to match the speed of city traffic, slotting in or cruising around it without much spinning. Running a 32/11 8speed cassette currently. Another month or so and I'll be replacing the drivetrain, probably with a Surly stainless steel 50t ring and a 34/11 8speed cassette.

My Clockwork is always evolving, mainly because the high daily mileage wears through parts. It's never going to be a classic as if like originally bought as a complete bike. The frame (89/90 I think), forks (1993 F7s) and 1992 XT headset are all still good. You may have noticed the odd mismatched wheels – the old FIRS I had, the rear rim was splitting around its entire circumference and the front rim was wearing thin from braking. I had to sink to buying a £35 'emergency' rear from Halfords and then fit an old spare Araya on the front - I'm saving up for a proper quality set for the long term. Still got my Smart Sams, but am keeping these for the trails in winter. I'm running Race King 2.0s now – they're much lower profile and a firmer ride to the balloon-like 2.2 versions.

Had Dia Compe 986 brakes on but had to replace them with Avid Digit V-brakes. The old tension springs had sheared and I've been struggling to find replacement coils. The Dia Compes were pretty sharp, once set up correctly (after much cursing), but the Avids (a bargain off Chain Reaction) were simple to install in minutes and the stopping power is vicious. Also, because the V-brakes fit flush inline with the frame, so I no longer catch my heels whilst pedalling.

London's Southbank is the half way point on my ride to work between home (Enfield) and Wimbledon. With the commute, I don't often have much time to stop for detours, aside of grabbing coffee. Going past, I'd noticed people playing with their dogs down on what bit of beach there was, so I thought I'd take time to stop there the next day and take some snaps on my 'Snappy Snaps' compact. At 8.30 in the morning, it was already quite hot and the sunlight was making the exposure tricky for my cheap Canon. I'd rather be riding through the kind of scenery in your photos, but sometimes when I'm not rushing, it can be impressive riding through the iconic parts of London. Think I need to make more detours and try and record the sights more often – just got to find where the battery charger is...

Sorry to hear the orange is fading – sunlight's bad on the reds. Still thinking of repainting mine orange at some point – the paint is getting chipped in places now.

Look forward to seeing more of your photos...

 

[henristig]

Re:

Greetings from up north, hope everything is good with you all. It's always a pleasure to log on and read your pieces Groovy, such lively and playful expression. I hope the Clockwork is still taking you down new paths and I also hope you have time to enjoy the ride.

Having gotten over the initial stress, I must say I've settled in here in Kokkola quite comfortably. Living here, surrounded by vast pine woods on all sides definitely feels more like home than the big city ever did. What's more, the woods here are riddled with trails, so much so that it's damn near frustrating since there's always another one you'd like to explore before heading back home. The soil here is rather loose and sandy though - in some places I'd almost fancy a fatbike.

Anyway, school started a week ago and so far it feels like I've entered the eye of a very peculiar storm. Loads of things are going on and there are loooads to learn in the short gaps between packing and travelling. Tomorrow we're off to Southern Finland to climb for a week, then it's straight off for a kayaking trip spanning six days. After that we get two days of rest and then we're off to the Swedish/Norwegian mountains for a three-week trek. Time will simply fly by this fall...

On a more bike-related note I finally got my Stanton built up and it turned out pretty much just as I wanted it. Might still go for a slightly longer stem (or possibly a setback seatpost) and a bigger chainring up front, but other than that it's perfect. I'm quite proud to say this really, but turns out that a 34t front ring is too small for me nowadays. The daily excercise on the Clockwork is finally paying off.

Some pictures after my relocation. Nothing too descriptive of the place unfortunately...

Here's my new toy. Rigid and sharp is how I like it.