No dude, kickstands are not required. 😉 Quoted as comments switched off.

When did Giant start making interesting & sexy? #bikesky #mtb #xc

Considering that these are less than a third of the cost of the European equivalents, I’m so far very happy with them. Elite Wheels ordered early December, delivered quickly, all customs paid upfront, zero hassles. Might put tyres on today. 🙂

23rd December at approximately 20:15, I got Whamed. Pretty decent effort at avoidance, was about the 2nd of December last year.

Thought for the day: You can run, but you can’t hide.

I need a frame by frame replay of Laurens Sweeck putting a chain back on whilst running sand with the bike on his shoulder. Skillz. #cyclocross

Phones dead, emails dead, probably time to shut the laptop. 2025 done.

This reminded me, I was asked to be on a podcast once, tempted to listen back to it to hear how bad I was.

Happy thought for the day: Whizzing around loops on 2 wheels - asphalt, grass, gravel or mud has been my addiction forever. It’s only the engine that’s changed, from internal combustion to legs. This is me for as long as I can, cycling is my golf, my football, my drug of choice. #bikesky

Calling it. We have reached the time of year when getting your volume training done becomes almost impossible. Not going to beat myself up about missed sessions. The trick is just doing what you can when you can. 🚴

A morning of specification writing, coffee and Big Audio Dynamite. I’m avoiding Xmas present shopping by constructing a defence of “far to busy” Wont work, but denial is a comfy place.

If Eva was hooking up with a famous cyclist, it would be Over and Wout.

Sometimes things happen for reasons which reveal themselves later. I normally organise a Cyclocross race in early January. It’s not happening for a few beyond control reasons. I’ve now agreed to organise another CX race in late Jan unexpectedly. Thought I had the winter off & was just riding!

Decent Saturday, 60km gravel ride followed by shouting at the tv for a Cam Mason win in Exact Cross. Also met this wee dude or dudette, hurt I think, you don’t normally get this close.

@ballotbox.scot Jeez, Reform elected in Whitburn & Blackburn Council Ward.

Can anyone see a double standard in saying “I hate Somali’s” then days later hijacking an oil tanker?

Dear Specialized, I’d like to confirm all my bikes are real, genuine Spesh’s and not fake. Thank You AlexExpress. 😁

Decided to get in early with the New Year’s resolution: 2026 will be the year I get my mountain biking mojo back. Last time I probably road was August 2024, it’s been road, circuit, gravel & CX only recently. Hold my drop bars, I’m going in. #mtb #mountainbiking #xcmtb

Ryan Kamp is having the ride of his season, so far #Terralba #cyclocross

Learning how to get influence in all the low places from FIFA, Strava award Donald Trump “Local Legend” for all U.S. segments.

Rim brakes, mudguards, sheep & wind turbines. Winter riding in Scotland. 🙂 #bikesky

I’m feeling strangely drawn to theses 5 spokers for the time trail project. 😳😬

#bikesky anyone used Scribe Wheels? Interested in their 65mm rims for road bike TT’s. I’ve got 58mm Zipp 404’s on the SL7 so going 60mm is pointless, 65-75 however, interested. Want to know what’s available and not Roval priced.

@coolbikeart1.bsky.social Poster for the Bike Art Collective Exhibition at Glasgow 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 held during the August 2023 World Championships. Poster features the charter Uncle Rinne created by illustrator Tetsuro Ohno. Sorry about the straightness, poster is glued on a cupboard door. 🙂

Behold my old steed with its winter mudguards protecting the arse of the innocent (ish). Ok, I’m over turbo’d and need a change & theres no way a posh bike is seeing salt. Theres good reason to hold onto those old rim brake bikes. 🙂

I must be going through a crisis, I thought about selling a bicycle last night. In fairness the motive was pure, to make way for something else but even then it’s a dangerous thought. I’ll self flagellate later for this heresy. #bikesky

Life rule I stand by. Unsure about an album? Is it worth listening too? Play track 8 first. If you like track no.8, the album will be decent.

That was a beautiful mornings cyclocrossing. 0°C, crisp, sunny and a cracking course complete with drops, woods section and tough punchy climbs. Scottish CX can be fantastic some days. #cyclocross

Introduce yourself with 5 bicycles you’ve owned LeMond Buenos Aires Specialized Epic Evo Octane One Zircus On-One Maccatuskil Specialized Allez Sprint

Introduce yourself with 5 motorcycles you’ve owned Kawasaki KMX 125 Suzuki Bandit Honda Fireblade Kawasaki ZXR 400 KTM 540 EXC

If I manage to resurrect this bearing I want to be known as “The Jockey Wheel Whisperer” Never been impressed with SRAM bearings. #bikesky

Insomnia is now officially 30 years old. Jeez. #faithless

Getting ready to do today’s Training Peaks session, it’s 2 ½ hours. It’s Zone 2 ramps, not hard but agh, 2.5 hours on the trainer….. Think I’ll work up to this with a coffee. #indoorridingsucks

“Never ever jet wash a bicycle”, a good compelling argument. Until you #cycloross 😉

Today was a day for full muds. Proper cyclocross. 😀 #cyclocross #cx #crossiscoming

Stuff I found out today: You have to use the official SRAM bearings when replacing them in a 303s wheel. Anything else will creek. The blue seals have to be on the inside - the bearings have a 1 way round chamber. A pair costs £72 / €81 $94 😳

Brembo mountain bike brakes. Hard want, could be the one thing that turns my eyes away from my preferred Hope brakes. #bikesky

Found a pic of my Tarmac SL4 from 2020 with the Forth Bridge at South Queensferry, takes me back, bikes have changed so much in such a short time. Alloy Mavic wheels 9mm skewers 11 speed 2X mechanical Longer cranks Rim brakes Round handle bars. Minimal integration #bikesky

Think I just heard a Christmas song on the radio. WTF, it’s November, that truly sucks. 👎

Whilst I’m not into football… my timeline has been full of the Scotland goals from last night & I’m yet to get bored of it or swipe past. 😁

Yafuckinbeauty. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Just got an onscreen message that I’ve ridden 2000km in Rouvy. Dunno if that makes me feel happy or sad. Also it’s snowing outside. Jeez.

Work is slowing, not complaining it’s been a busy year, today I took a few hours: • Washed my road bikes • polished them • waxed the chains Both looking superb 👌 Tonight the gritters are out spraying salt everywhere ❄️ That’s the shiny bikes not getting used apart from the local cycle circuit.

Indoor training season. This is my set up: Kickr Core Zwift Cog & Click Kickr Climb Tarmac SL4 Thoughts I mostly train in ERG mode with Training Peaks which means most of the time the Climb is a paperweight. I use an Apple TV, this means I have Click or HRM not both. As it’s mostly ERG….

Dunno where, dunno when, but Cammy Mason is going to win in Elite cyclocross. He’s almost the full package now. #camiscoming #crossiscomimg #cyclocross #cx

Struck me this morning as I was swapping bikes over on the Kickr Core trainer for the 3rd time this week that… whilst great for offroad bikes 12mm thru axles aren’t really an upgrade over skewers on road bikes. Skewers are way faster & less flaf.

Meanwhile, The Levellers album Zeitgeist is 30 years old. Jeez, that’s flown by.

Dear everyone. Nobody should stand for political office over the age of 70. Nobody should be in political office over the age of 75. Your past retirement age, enjoy your life, enjoy the outdoors & ride bicycles instead.

Sitting, staring out the window into the darkness. Thinking, no salt down on the roads that I’ve noticed (yet).. .. I can get another ride out of the posh bike before I admit defeat for the winter. 🙂

Joris Nieuwenhuis should change his name to Krachthuis. #cyclocross #power