Welcome To Bikes And Travels...
...It's about bikes... and travels... mostly on bikes!
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Feet Forward, Food, And Friends
It's a much more relaxed day for Bogger and Pete. There's a handful of miles to ride, people to meet, food to eat, and of course the odd beer.
Mooching Around The Mach Loop
The Dynamic Muppets take on the Mach Loop! OK, it's far less impressive than it sounds. There's some countryside, a cafe, and all the things you'd expect.
To The Most Southern Tip Of Europe
Andy reaches the final destination of this trip. "You can see Africa from 'ere".
Haulin' Ass
It's gonna be a long long long ride for Bogger and Pete today. Our brave heroic riders are up to the task and it all seems rather easy overall. Hopefully the digs at the end of the ride will allow their asses to rest comfortably.
Bothering The Locals And "Hills"
The Dynamic Muppets are bothering the good people of Lincolnshire as well as bringing the house prices down. There's tea and cake and sweeties too, hills, and spooky stuff.
Queasy Crossing And Useless Till Roll
Rain, wayward boarding passes, useless navigation systems, and rough seas - it's just another day in the life of a Bogger. As ever there's food and booze in the life of a Bogger too.
The Omnipresence Of Olive Groves
Andy's definition of a shorter ride is only 250 miles... sheesh. This time between the fabulous scenery and glorious weather it's olive groves as far as the eye can see.
Lonesome In The Flatlands
Ren is hoping for a better day weatherwise and riding-wise too. Ingoldmells is deserted, Skeggy and Mablethorpe ain't up to much, luckily the countryside is better than expected.
Homeward Bound And Epilogues
Alas it's time to go home. The weather gives Ren deja-vu and there's a moment for a little more cake. Both Sharon and Ren sum up their feelings about the area.
Naughty Boys On Strange Bikes
It's a discouraging start to Bogger's Feet Forwards French expedition. Not to worry, soon the 2 old men are sneaking around like naughty school kids.
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The Excuse This Time Is 2 Deaths
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Andy, I wonder if the ashes were from an angling widow. You know the nagging wife of a keen angler, his last revenge as it were. "That'll teach er".
20/02/2026 12:45:24 UTC
The Excuse This Time Is 2 Deaths
Andy said :-
Your words about not being allowed to spread ashes just anywhere reminded me of a couple of related (fishing) tales.
In the last century, one of my fishing pals departed this world in his mid 40s. A group of us who fished this lake during the 90s headed over there with his surprisingly heavy ashes and two mates tried to spread his ashes on an island from a boat. Unluckily it was a bit windy and they ended wearing a fair amount of the ashes. The pub was so used to scruffy anglers, they didn’t bat an eyelid when we went in for a beer afterwards.
There was a spot I fished regularly on the river Loddon. I arrived one evening and could see some powder on the bank and in the river. Didn’t think much of it until I was sat there later on and spotted a small card in the bushes. Turned out some lady’s ashes had been scattered there, probably one of her favourite spots. Never could fish it again after dark, there was a creepy feeling about it.
19/02/2026 22:15:37 UTC
To The Most Southern Tip Of Europe
Andy said :-
I find that high mileage is just a case of practice and a high boredom threshold ?
19/02/2026 21:44:24 UTC
Feet Forward, Food, And Friends
Andy said :-
Choc croissants are food of the gods when travelling. Still trying to lose the weight I put on travelling around France and Spain living on them.
Most of France looks closed when I’m going around. Always wonder how many people actually live there.
19/02/2026 21:35:00 UTC
Feet Forward, Food, And Friends
Bogger said :-
Oh, the blue FF bike you see in this part of the story has a Talbot four cylinder water cooled engine.
It ran really sweet and the exhaust note had a deep burbling resonance to it.
It wasn't loud at all but sounded lovely. It went OK as well.
Bogger
18/02/2026 11:19:32 UTC
Feet Forward, Food, And Friends
Bogger said :-
The chewed up engine, was I believe a Honda 400 twin. Probably 70s or 80s vintage.
From the conversations going on the engine was a bit suspect before the trip.
But in the finest British tradition the immortal words 'It'll be reet' may well have been muttered.
Apparently not, as it turns out.
Bogger
18/02/2026 02:51:22 UTC
Feet Forward, Food, And Friends
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Beginning!
16/02/2026 16:36:56 UTC
Feet Forward, Food, And Friends
nab301 said :-
Sounds like it was a nice well deserved relaxing day!
Nigel
16/02/2026 16:17:34 UTC
Feet Forward, Food, And Friends
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I'm beginning to think Upt' is losing the plot. Perhaps he's in need of another holiday with sunshine and warmth, all that not working and being at home in the lovely countryside isn't doing him any good it seems. Maybe he needs to give the booze a miss too... Not envious, not at all. As you say Upt' - Pfffft!
16/02/2026 13:04:36 UTC
Feet Forward, Food, And Friends
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Shabby Chique you say, a bit like me. Rough around the edges.
On the subject of the naming of pastries...it's me isn't it. Why is a croissant called a croissant in England, it's a butter pastry, no? A pain au wotsit is just a pastry, a chocolate pastry, a raisin pastry. It isn't even French in origin just like most of the French named pastries; I think it's a nonsense and I will not comply with the nonsense from this moment forth. Next time I'm in the co-op I shall ask for the butter pastries, followed by, "you know? Croissants"?
Pffffffftttttt.
Even the Welsh are at it and the Royal Family, you know, the "whatever" formally known as?
I need a drink, don't forget to give generously and whoever put an old centime in there and a toenail it's not funny!
Upt.
16/02/2026 12:46:07 UTC
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Ian Soady¹ said :-
Steib were first - Watsonian copied them as did Garrard for their GP which was a very sought after model. Steibs are actually steel (which makes them heavy) - in fact I've just weighed all 3 wheels on the bathroom scales (and it was hard getting the outfit in there!). The chair wheel with no ballast is 100kg; the rear bike wheel unladen is 80kg and the front wheel 100 kg which is more than I would have thought. Of course the scales may be wrong - they constantly tell me I'm heavier than I think I am. I may even have set them to pounds rather than kg at some stage.....
This is a Steib publicity image from 1949. Interestingly showing a right hand drive model but without the swoopy mudguard - not sure when that came in. At that time Watsonian were turning out staid but well built child/adult models like the one my dad had.
21/02/2026 13:07:51 UTC
Glyn said :-
The reason I thought the pistons were stainless is because the replacement genuine Triumph items are (I know Triumph don’t make Nisin calipers or parts and so are not actually “genuine”). I tried the old trick of getting them almost all the way out to clean them but there were indentations that could not be removed with t/cut or metal polish. The pistons were incredibly tight and after I pumped one out I had to use molegrips to remove the second even though it was almost there. The pistons had a light gold finish to them. When I saw your posts I went out ( with my magnet) to find the old ones but have lost them. The three copper washers were indeed well spotted. The lower one was used to mask the face when I painted the caliper. Now refitted to the bike it’s been removed and the 2 new items used. Those chrome strips you speak of Ian will make it look similar to a Watsonian from the front. Was it Steib or Watsonian that fist came up with that look?
21/02/2026 11:10:31 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
That's the general ides. Also, if you look at the body there are channels running along it. There are alloy strips to fit in these but I'm contemplating replacing them with stick-on chrome beading that I've got from ebay. Mainly because the alloy strips are held on with little nuts & bolts through the holes you may notice. I'd need to be a contortionist (or emply a suitable child) to fit them, plus they need a good polish. If my chrome strips don't work I can always find an urchin who will do the job for half an out of date pasty.
20/02/2026 14:37:28 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Aaaah I'm starting to get the understanding of it now Ian. So I'm figuring the sidecar tub and mudguard will end up the same red as the BZuki?
20/02/2026 13:10:57 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
pic 3:
20/02/2026 10:16:42 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
pic 2:
20/02/2026 10:16:09 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Using a Steib to fix a custom car? Sacrilege!!!
Like Ren I'm very surprised that real stainless pistons would get pitted unless they'd been submerged in acid. The caliper looks lovely but 3 copper washers? Are there 2 banjos going onto that union?
Just refining the body fit - here it is with loosely fitted tonneau cover. I think it'll look good in red.
20/02/2026 10:15:51 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Can you show us the pitted stainless steel pistons Glyn? I can't imagine how they'd be pitted if they are stainless steel. Hope the knee is easing off a little for ya.
20/02/2026 09:17:48 UTC
Glyn said :-
I was watching a YouTube video and there was a chap making the rear tub of a custom car from a Steib sidecar. He’s cut it down the middle and mounted it either side of the body at the rear. I thought of Ian instantly. On the Triumph, I had to completely rebuild the rear caliper with new pistons and seals. The piston are supposed to be stainless but were seriously pitted. All done now though.
19/02/2026 19:15:33 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
That should of course have been £.01. Missing the point as usual.
18/02/2026 17:08:51 UTC
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ROD¹ said :-
Ren.. l'attache pour des motos propres.
21/02/2026 21:17:26 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
A cultural attaché role for Ed, I fear it would be wasted on him.
21/02/2026 17:04:47 UTC
Occasional Lurker said :-
For the attention of Ren ...
Whilst doing my daily "browse" of this here internet, I couldn't believe my eyes, when I saw in the news, (local to me ), that Horwich Town Council, are considering starting an application to become a UK "Town of Culture" ....
Strange, but it appears to be true ...
What say you to this news ...? Would you be a perfect candidate in some kind of ambassadorial role..? Would you you use such an accolade to take this site to even greater heights..? Seriously, it would be great to hear your thoughts on this news ...
Back down to reality ... I recall, back in 2002, when the Borough of Preston became a City...( The 50th City, in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth's reign), that a lot of the high and mighty of our local leaders all received a nice little increase in their "renumeration".... I do hope that you would also benefit from such good fortune ....
Regards, Tony ...
21/02/2026 10:29:33 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
One thing I found immediately after my knee replacement was that modern bike footrests were almost all too near the seat meaning that my knee had to be at its most flexed (or beyond in some cases). I still had the V-Strom at the time and remember fitting lower footrests to help. My old clunker Brit bikes weren't so much of a problem as they had a more relaxed knee angle.
It's been mentioned here before but I found the bike ergonomics site quite useful.
https://cycle-ergo.com/...
21/02/2026 09:57:15 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
95 degrees of bend Glyn?!?! Why you lucky lucky boy you, I'd have killed for 95 degrees when I had my little accident. I've gotten most of the movement back now save for the last few degrees - plus I can kneel albeit oddly as it's my thighbone that's short so I can't kneel evenly. I've found I can live a normal(?) live without kneeling all that much. Get yaself a little stool if you need to kneel - I find my little food waste bin is about right for myself.
As for getting into a small German sports car? Should have bought something sensible then - German sports car - at your age! Pffffft.
20/02/2026 13:15:49 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
It's pain. I don't know why but kneeling on the replacement joint is really sore, as it is if I bang the kneecap on anything hard. It's no problem doing other things. By the time I'd finished with physio, I had around 120 degrees bend (with associated screaming) and that has probably increased if anything. I've just checked my record and it was done in January 2012 so now 14 years in and with no other problems at all.
I think I've just twisted the other one as it's still painful but improving. Age, eh? Can't live with it, won't live without it.
20/02/2026 12:30:19 UTC
Glyn said :-
Thanks for your encouragement Ian. What is it that prevents you from kneeling, a lack of flexibility or pain when you do so? I’ve heard several people suggest that kneeling is no longer possible following a knee joint replacement but no explanation has been forthcoming. I currently have 95 degrees of bend, enough for walking but entry into a small German sports car is not an easy task.
19/02/2026 21:52:53 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
It's a long and hard process with replacement knees Glyn so don't lose hope. I had much the same difficulty - pain and despair seeming to take over my life - with my left knee 15 or so years ago. But ever since it's beeen fine although I still can't kneel on it. I have to lie on the shed floor to get at some things. As you say, getting up again can still be tricky!
My right knee is now showing familiar twinges but I'm not sure I could face the trauma of a replacement again given I probably don't have that many years of active life left......
16/02/2026 09:54:41 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Good to hear from you fella, keep up the good work.
Upt.
16/02/2026 08:51:04 UTC
Glyn said :-
Yes still here Up’t. Feeling a bit sorry for myself as the replacement knee is taking an age to both work properly and stop hurting. I’ve made some forward movement on the Triumph in the 5 weeks since the op. But, getting down on the floor is almost not possible and even worse to get up. There is some progress on the knee but not enough to satisfy my demands. Spending a lot of time stareing into that rabbit hole called YouTube.
16/02/2026 08:46:49 UTC
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