Currently I’ve got severe problems with my front disc brake on the Subway LTD . Whilst cycling home from work  Saturday evening, it was really hard going, I just couldn’t figure what was wrong with me? I kept putting it down to me being tired, but it wasn’t just that! I decided to stop and give the bike a once over, soon found what the problem was, the pads on the front disc were rubbing, and no matter how I tried I couldn’t adjust them to not do so. I had to disconnect the front wheel set up completely, and cycle the rest of the way with the back brakes only. On Sunday I tried again, but had to give in.

Crisis now, as I needed a bike to keep up my 30 day bike challenge. My Raleigh Pioneer GT was in the shed, my eldest son, had been riding it for while, but in reality it was mothballed, forlornly gathering dust.

First thing I did was transfer my Brookes saddle fom the LTD to the Pioneer, adjusted the height roughly, then checked the tyres, which surprisingly seemed well pumped up, and the brakes were just about serviceable. Away to go!!

Had a quick ride around the outskirts of the village, and it was hard going. Not surprising, when you think about it. I’ve been riding the Subway LTD solid since January 2010, I’m used to it, and my muscles are in tune with it, not so the Pioneer.

So for the last couple of days I’ve been riding the Pioneer, and customising it back to me. Of course it’s a much different bike to the Subway, as the experts will tell you, the geometry is all different. The pioneer is a touring bike, one that I picked “gratis” from the Raleigh catalogue, after a bad fall from my first bike,( i.e., since my late teens ), a Raleigh Chiltern 3 speed, when the pedal snapped!  Well I didn’t go for the most expensive one in that catalogue, just the one I most liked the look of.

I could never get on with the Pioneer, I couldn’t work out how to use it’s 27 gears, the seat wasn’t comfy, the tyres were  too slim, and as a result this beautiful bike was mothballed, until my son started to ride it around the village a year or so ago. He always got on great with it.

However, these last couple of days have been a revelation to me. Obviously, when I first “tried” the Pioneer, I wasn’t ready for such a cultured machine, and yes, that is how I view this bike now. I love it, it’s so light, it goes faster and really looks the business, I’m even thinking of putting the original drops back on. I forgot to mention, in a bid to make it suit me I had Halford put a flat handlebar on it, way back when, fotunately I’ve still got the drops etc.,  in the shed.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing though, the brakepads were worn to the limit, so I bought some from Halfords today, and actually replaced all four, before dinner this evening! Now to most of you that would appear small beer, but not for me, I’m officially the world’s worst mechanic. And guess what? I even washed the Pioneer yesterday, her ind

My dad wouldn't believe it.

oors took the pictures to prove it.

 I could hear the Subway crying:-

 “What’s she got that I haven’t ?”

What a cad I am, sorry what a clever cad I am?

Cheers for now.