Sand Banks Beach Return On A Fat Bike

The weather was bright and sunny but a tad nippy with a frost to start the day.

A slight breeze coming from the East so I knew I would have a tail wind to start with but the return leg would be a bit harder.

I had my sights set on Sandbanks, and the Pavilion before you get to the posh houses on the spit where the ferry is.

I set off loaded up as I normally do, I like to ride with a heavy load as the ride is then more realistic and I get more out of it.

I was wearing my skull cap under my helmet which really kept my ears and head warm, it's thin material with a layer of fleece type material. Excellent and even when wet with sweat it still kept my head and ears warm.

I will have to take a picture of it!

I left my house and headed for Highcliffe, once at Highcliffe Castle you are right on the coast and up high which gives you spectacular views.

This is looking towards Mudeford, beautiful sandy beaches.

I knew that today would be tough so I made sure I stopped often and took on plenty of fluids.

On the way back this was a necessity rather than I requirement, but more about that later!

From here I dropped down to Mudeford Quay, not many around today. During the summer it can be mobbed!

Low tide at Mudeford, an excellent place to go crabbing.

Onwards towards Christchurch, the ferry not working during the week in the winter, so I had to go the long way round.

Not that it is a chore, a lovely ride in fact and out towards Hengisbury Head.

Turning right towards Southbourne and then down onto the sea front.

You then stay on National Cycle Route 2 all the way, past Boscombe, Bournemouth and eventually out towards Sandbanks.

It was fantastic weather, and out of the wind the sun was really warm.

Plenty of people out and about especially through Boscombe and Bournemouth as you would expect.

I do get frustrated with people though. There are plenty of signs to say that cyclists are allowed, and that pedestrians have priority which I have no problems with.

What I do have a problem is with people who feel it is their right to obstruct me!

One guy at Boscombe decided not to move even though I saw him looking at me, I had to say to him, "If you don't move for me I hope you move for the Land Train which is right behind me"! He soon jumped! 

I just don't get it, even when certain parts of the sea front are road, they amble along right in the path of moving cars!

Anyway, rant over!

I finally got to Sandbanks Pavilion which was built in 1928.

I sat undercover, and out of the breeze, put my hoody on to keep warm and put the hood up.

However this did make me look like a "Tramp"!

I'm sure a woman looked at me and took an extra ride berth around me!

I was not that prepared for the trip, so all I had on me apart from a few cereal bars was a Pot Noodle, so out came the stove and I boiled up some water.

I have to add that at this point I did feel rather knackered, it was December since I last rode properly and having the time away from the saddle has really made a difference to my fitness levels.

The journey back was slow, and I do mean slow with plenty of stops.

I have completed this trip with only two stops before, not today, I must of stopped a dozen times!

Although stopping does have it's advantages, you tend to find people talk to you which I really like.

On my way down I stopped to talk to a guy who was living rough, and talking to him found out that it was a lifestyle choice and not because he had no other options.

He told me that he had walked the length and breadth of the UK and had made a pilgrimage to Israel. However they would not let him in as he had no money and had to walk all the way back to the UK again!

A fascinating bloke who I could of easily stayed talking to all day.

An old guy stopped to talk to me about my bike and we ended up talking about motorbikes for 10 minutes.

I talked to an old lady who was in her 80's she was a keen cyclist in her day and wanted to know all about my Fat Bike!

I think that by giving people the time of day and making conversation, you learn so much.

I finally made it home absolutely shattered, my arse was sore, my legs ached as well as my arms. 

It really did surprise me how much fitness I had lost.

But I managed 55km which isn't bad all things considering and it did feel good to be back out on the bike!

So, today is a rest day, but I'll be back out Saturday morning for a short ride just to get the muscles working again.

Ride safe 

Brain - Body And Fat Bike Shake Down!

I had to wait around this morning for the guys from "Currys" to turn up with our new washing machine.

As soon as they had I was planning on heading out on my Fat Bike for a trail ride.

I have previously mentioned that due to injury, illness and a broken frame I had not been able to ride and that led into becoming apprehensive about actually riding again.

So when everything was sorted and the new machine was plumbed in and working it was time to get back out there.

I only planned a little 5km ride, wanting to keep it local.

This was for two reasons, firstly there have been a lot of new components and upgrades added to the bike and I wanted to ensure I was not too far from home if anything went wrong.

The second was that I was not sure how my wrist would cope.

The end result you will hopefully be pleased to hear was that everything was ok.

The bike was fine, all though a little sticky going through the gears, (just need a little more lubricant on the chain).

I had no problems with my wrist at all, I purposely rode along a rough track to see how it would handle it, but all good.

All in all a good result and feel better and more confident to get back out there.

With the weather looking good tomorrow I think I'll head out for a longer ride!

Ride safe...

Moving Forwards

I'll be the first to admit that 2019 did not get off to a flying start!

We spent New Year's Eve in Holland and on our return I immediately went down with Man Flu - Proper Job as well!

That knocked me about for 3 weeks, I then discovered that my Calibre Dune Fat Bike had a crack in the frame - and that took a bit of sorting out.

Then whilst at work I managed to knacker my wrist which took me out of the picture completely.

As the day is the 13th Feb - that's nearly a month and a half off the bike!

I still haven't got back on it yet.

I must admit I could of gone out on it yesterday for the first time but to be totally honest I just did not feel like it.

These past few weeks have really played on my mind and I had started to doubt my ability, my drive and passion for cycling and the reliability of my bike!

This of course is bad news for me, I need to pick myself up and get on with it.

I know I enjoy cycling, I know I enjoy my Fat Bike - My wrist is not 100% but not far off so I really have no excuses, I just need to get on with it and stop being such a fanny!

So later today I am off out for a quick spin, just to see how my wrist holds up, plus a shake down of the bike after all the new components have been fitted.

I'll let you know how I get on!

Ride safe!

Fat Bikes For Sale On Amazon

In a previous post I highlighted a number of Used Fat Bikes that were for sale on Ebay.

So today I thought I would take a look to see what was available on Amazon.

These are all new, and to be honest they are really aimed at the Budget Market.

None of these bikes would be any good for the serious rider, but they do have a place and that is for the rider who is maybe just starting out, and wants a cheap, new bike that will get them back out there.

And, if it ends up sitting in a shed after just a few rides then they have not spent a ton of money!

So these cheap bikes do have an important place, if the rider does get the bug it will not take them long to realise that they want a better bike and will end up selling the cheapy and spending a bit more on a better bike.

I have picked five bikes - no order, just the first five that pop up when you search for them.

The first is a Moma FatBike 26" wheels that have solid rims so the weight of this bike will be considerable. Shimano gears and levers and disc brakes fitted.

It also has two different frame sizes to choose from.

At £339.90 it's not a great deal of money.



The 2nd bike is a Pedalease Big Cat Fat Bike.

Steel frame and a Shimano 21 gear set up. Cut out rims to help with the weight and comes in at £359.00. It also has front suspension to soak up the bumps. 



The 3rd bike really is a budget bike!

The Ridgeyard 26" Fat Bike has a steel frame, 7 gears, disc brakes, solid rims and a sprung saddle.

Don't expect too much out of it, but if you are just riding around the park then this maybe the one for you!

At only £225.99 this has to be the most inexpensive brand new Fat Bike around!



The fourth bike is a bit more expensive but still sub £500.00

The Montana Vektor has an aluminium frame, 16 gears, disc brakes and Shimano components hence the price of £481.80



The fifth and final bike is a JHI Insanity Black Extreme

Only 7 gears (Shimano) but does have front suspension and hydraulic brakes. Solid rims won't help with the weight and it does not say what the frame is made of.

But at £299.95 a cheap entry level bike.



So there you have it - Five sub £500.00 fat bikes for sale on Amazon.

Ride safe..

Day Trip To East Sussex

Another days work - This time for a plumbers merchants based in Eastleigh which is just outside of Southampton.

I had to be on site by 0730hrs. I arrived, parked up and was shown the all ready loaded Mercedes Flat Bed Van - only 3.5t and no Tacho.

It was the same as the one above but in white, it had a solid bulk head and reversing camera, nice to drive with a good gearbox and no limiter so lovely to be able to put the cruise control on at 70mph.

I was a bit surprised to see that there were only three drops and one collection.

The first drop was at a builders in Fareham, difficult to find as it was not visible from the road and had no signage to say it was there. I eventually found it after calling back to the office to get specific directions.

My next stop was in Portsmouth, which turned out to be a waste of time, as the items to be collected had all ready been sent back!

Oh well, it's not my diesel and I'm being paid!

Next stop was then a bit of a trek all the way to Forest Row in East Sussex, this place was easy to find and unloaded quickly and got on my way to my final drop.

This was all the way back down to Brighton. 

The location I had to go was on a busy road and was a big site, thankfully I found the main entrance so pulled up and the Gateman came out to see me.

I had the box in the cab, thankfully, he agreed to take the box without me evening having to get out!

Happy days, it was then a good drive back to the depot in Eastleigh.

When I got back, they asked if I could just pop around the corner and pick up a pallet and bring it back, and once I had done that I could finish for the day.

Briliant - 6 1/2 hrs work and paid for 8hrs.

I was home by 1445hrs - easy day.

Trip To London

I currently work for an Agency and I can be sent anywhere to collect or deliver various items anywhere in the country.

An unusual job came up which I decided to take it was to collect three TV executives from Southampton, drive them to London for an awards dinner and then bring them back again.

Using their own Ford Galaxy it was an easy job.

I collected the vehicle and the first passenger from their office in Southampton, collected the other two from their home addresses and then headed for London.

I collected the car at 1445hrs and left at 1500hrs. By 1530 I had collected the other two and we were London bound.

I estimated that we would reach our destination by 1730hrs with no hold ups.

Our destination was Park Lane and The Grosvenor House Hotel.

The route was simple, M3, M25, M4, A4 to the centre of London.

A few minor hold ups and we arrived safe and sound at 1733hrs.

I was originally told that the pick up would be around 1030hrs, well it turned out to be 0045hrs!

That's a lot of waiting around on a wet evening, if it had been drier I could of gone for a walk, but there was no chance of that! So just had to wait it out with the help of YouTube!

I parked up in Hyde Park, plenty of parking and as the evening went buy it became very quiet. I even managed to see a fox crossing the road in front of me.

A wet and windy drive back dropping off the passengers at their homes.

Drove the Galaxy back to their office arriving at 0300hrs and then drove home.

Back and in bed for 0345hrs

A long day but easy money.

Sandbanks - Both Sides

Sunday found us with another dry day so we thought we would make the most of it by heading over to Sandbanks.

Across on the ferry which cuts the journey time down, but it is £4.50 each way, so the only thing you save on is time.

However, once off the ferry we only had to drive for a couple of mins as I wanted to explore the area known as Bramble Bush Bay and Brand's Bay.




We parked up right by Bramble Bush Bay, and walked around the coast line.

There was still plenty of ice around, even on the shore line, but you had stunning views inland.

It is National Trust land so well maintained, we carried on walking all the way around, finally making it back towards the main road.

Instead of walking down the road we came in a little and followed a very wet track back down to where the car was parked.

We then crossed the road, and walked towards the sea on the other side - Sandbanks beach.

A sign warns us that it is a Nudist area, but you would need to be brave to get your tackle out in this cold weather!

The path was water logged in places, but there were some logs placed strategically to make it easier, but really not recommended if you are not steady on your toes!

Once out on the beach you had a clear view towards "Old Harry Rocks"

We stopped for a breather and then made our way back to the car and home.

Another day of blowing out the cobwebs, much needed! 

Walk Out Along Lepe Beach New Forest And Visitor Centre

On Saturday, the weather was bright and sunny, all though there was a keen wind blowing.

We decided to head out to Lepe Beach, and take a look at the new visitor centre/cafe which has been built.

I should of taken some pics of the place, but it totally slipped my mind!

However, it is stunning, and very nice inside with a wood burner pumping out heat!

The food was good and great value. The only issue was trying to find somewhere to sit. It is now probably triple the size it was, but this has only made it more popular, especially on a sunny day!

Instead of walking East, we decided to walk West, towards the old Life Boat house and the Lighthouse.

It wasn't a long walk, but enough to blow the cobwebs away.

The old Life Boat house is now privately owned and been turned into a house. It does look as if it is only used as a holiday home.

The light house is decommissioned, but still looks stunning.

This house has a commanding view out towards the Isle of Wight.

We met a guy from Kona Bikes on a jump bike, he was messing around on his bike on the rocks. It was the first time I had taken a look at a proper jump bike, it sure did have a meaty frame and no seat post at all!

A good few hours out, and the weather was great for this time of year with perfect blue sky!

Bike Back, No It's Not - Yes It Is - Rear Quick Release Skewer Seized!

Well my bike is finally back with me, but I did have a further drama with it!

I collected my bike and to my surprise and delight I noticed that there had been a few changes!

A new frame of course, but not only that but a whole load of new components were fitted!

These included - (all new) Bottom Bracket, Chain Set/Pedals etc, Chain and Front and Rear Mechs!

So very happy with how I have been treated by both GoOutdoors and Calibre Bikes!

Top Notch customer service which is very rare indeed these days!

On getting my bike back I had to set about bolting on all the extras that I have fitted, saddle, rear pannier racks and front pannier racks.

Kiera did not seem overly impressed that I had taken over the conservatory for the build!

The rear panniers took a bit of time as I wanted to level out the rack.

As you can see from the above picture, it was tilted forward. I wanted this to be level, but this meant extended the front connecting stays.

I had some metal laying around in the garage, so once cut to length and drilled I bolted it on and although not a pretty sight, I think it has worked and is functional.

Some off road testing with the panniers on will see if the extensions are up to the job!

As you can see the panniers sit upright now and I now have more space on top of the rack for strapping things down.

The above picture is a before shot, you can just about see that I have gained around 3 to 4 inches on the top of the rack by straightening it all up.

However, I did have a slight problem. I decided that it would be probably easier to remove the rear wheel to allow me to attach the pannier rack easily.

So I released the skewer axle lever and unwound, well, it unwound fresh air, it had seized!

I tried all sorts to release it, and even phoned up the workshop to make sure it was not me being daft!

Back I went with the bike who confirmed that it was seized and I wasn't at fault! Phew!

The next question was how to get the skewer out, we tried all sorts, nothing worked. Eventually we took the rear mech off, pulled the frame slightly to allow the wheel to drop out and unwound the mech hanger and threaded tube that way. This meant we could then pull the axle through the left hand side of the bike.

A new skewer fitted and we were good to go!

Fitting the front pannier racks takes a bit of mucking around, I have to swap the skewer axle for a longer axle.

This done, I replace it all with the drop down shims which allows the pannier racks to be mounted and then clamped around the forks with the "U" bolts. An easy job which did not take long.

I have used these racks as there are no lugs to mount cages on my forks. The forks are tapered so using jubilee clips is out of the question as well.

At least I can bolt on bottle cages and strap dry bags to it which actually makes more sense to me.

I also cut an old piece of inner tube up and wrapped it around the rear stay to protect the frame when the chain comes off. Again, not pretty, but functional.

Just need to get out on the bike now, but with a sore wrist, which is not yet healed, deciding to wait a few more days makes sense.

Anyway, the bike is ready, it's just me now!

Ride safe