Hectic, but still no time or space. Where do I find that final frontier?
7January 19, 2012 by welshcyclist
I’ve often commented, in this blog of mine, how much I admire, all you other “organiseed” commuter cyclists. My days are just chaos. What suffers the most is my bike, the faithful Pioneer GT.
My nightshift, last evening, was a severe soakings (far better than the seasonal alternative of snow), both on the way in and on the way home, this morning. It’s been like this, raining, now for several days on the trot. I’ve simply had no time to clean, oil or pamper my Pioneer. As a result it is stinking, and in desperate need of some TLC. No chance!
It’s raining heavily now, my shed is even more bunged than it was when I last shared a view of it with my reader. I could bring it into the conservatory, NOT!!!
Her indoors would make mincemeat of the welshcyclist, here, in seconds flat, and so the GT languishes in the shed, and I’m glum that I can’t give it the attention it deserves. Now, while I’m off work for the next few days, I’ve to get on with the things that her indoors expects, to do otherwise would be selfish.
No time or space to look after the Pioneer, despite all it’s great service to me through the first couple of weeks of 2012. Not fair! But, it’s only a bike!
I’m not prone to sentimaentality, but I’m feeling guilty, and being a lazy so and so, doesn’t help the cause. The bike needs a darned good clean and service, but, when and where, those are the quetions. I follow a roster for work, I’ll just have to write a timetable and list of things to do over the next few days.
Said timetable will have to include daily riding slots, husband and house duties, and trips out with she who must be obeyed. Why do we have to be organised? Because, I for one don’t have the luxury of having others to do my stuff for me. Why couldn’t I have been a rock star? Better still, beam me up Scottie. I’d make a fine Captain Kirk.
Clean and srvice the GT, Sulu, and Miss Uhura, you can give him a hand.
Welshcyclist's Weblog 
I rarely clean my bike; I cleaned it once in 2011.
I fix things if they break (which is rare).
When it gets really bad I may wipe the braking surface, but this past year I’ve really cut back on that too.
In general…. Rohloff gears really make me lazy 🙂
My approach on being allowed time to spend on maintaining the bike is to give the wife the option… if you want the car on Monday I have to do this.
Rohloff internal hub gears really are the business, as soon as I can I will be getting them, even if I have to build a bike around them. Would they make me lazier than I am? Very probably. I’ve got some major maintenance to do soon, new brake pads, on the front, but I’ve got a Bikecare agreement with Halfords, so I reckon I’ll buy them and Halfords can fit them. Sadly, her indoors doesn’t drive, so I can’t use that excuse
Brake pads on front, should only take an hour to fit and tune up to perfection.
Read my post about them – http://timscyclingblog.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/brake-padblock-performance/
Next approach is financial blackmail; I need to fix the bike as the car petrol costs are too much, the bike is far cheaper, if I save some money on petrol I’ll be able to afford some nice flowers for my beautiful life partner (or some pennies into the Rohloff savings account)
A quick hose down and a lube should only take 15 minutes, that’s what I do when time is at a premium, although time isn’t an issue at the moment!
Clive, I’m sure the boss of the household will keep you more than busy, plus looking for that job opportunity, riding the bike, cleaning and maintaining it, you’ll be rushed off your feet. Hang in there pal, the only way is up. I’ve always been impressed by the quality of your writing, how about checking out that sphere? Obviously nothing to do with cycling, because you know nothing about that! (LOL) Seriously, you got into it before. I’m dead keen, this is me by the way, the who’d prefer Halfords install his brake blocks, on doing a bike mechanic’s course. I’m very interested in having a go, but cost and time are a problem, and I’d really like to get my youngest son into it. Someone’s got to fix all these bikes that are appearing on MY ROADS!
I already have the rohloff hub and I am intending to go for a belt driven transmission as soon as possible which should remove another layer of maintenance.
How are you going to get the belt through the rear triangle? Do you have a special frame?
What frame are you going to use? I like Thorn