As me anything you want about cycles …

It would be easy for me to launch straight in with a political tirade about ‘taking the knee’, Euro 2021 and political dog-whistling. But I won’t. It is tempting. But … I won’t.

our latest spot

Instead, let me tell you that Mrs Sun is with us, and has been since yesterday. And we are loving east Lancashire – we are currently in a super little spot just outside Clitheroe (the ‘roe’ bit needs ending on a higher tone to the rest of the word – think Wallace from W&G). It has taken us a couple of days to get here, but now we are ensconced with the ‘ee-by-gumers’, and we are gradually unwinding. 

We left our place by the Severn on Monday, stayed overnight at an inexpensive, but drop in site only, just off the M5, and ended up in a fabulous £12-a-night farm with far-reaching views of the Pennines. C wanted to do ‘The Forest of Bowland’ and so that’s what we did today. Thirty miles later, up a thing called ‘The Trough of Bowland’, which included a lovely picnic by a brook which led down from the moors, and we have ticked that box. To be fair, I didn’t see a great deal of forest, but it’s surprising how quickly you leave civilisation behind. And we’re not even in the proper Pennines yet. Lots to look forward to.

And, so typical of ‘the north’, everything is immaculate. The farm here, which is rambling, is as clean as an Andrew advert … the ground perfectly manicured. We’re loving it. We might run tomorrow and then walk to the river (The Ribble, of course) for a picnic. And then head further northeast where we’re advised to ‘stay on the path, and keep off the moors’ [no prizes for remembering where that quote comes from – but do comment if you think you know].

I think I may have told you about the noise my bike makes when I’m pedalling? No? Well, there’s a grating sound from the chain wheel …or the business end of the crank arm on one side. I previously stopped it by tightening up the crank arm onto the central sprocket – the bottom bracket . You’re impressed I know all the terms? Well, it’s been a journey. Anyhow, the noise got worse, so I tightened the rear derailleur, which was loose, which seemed to help. But, the last two times we’ve been out the noise has got progressively worse. I did think it might be the bearing in the main pedal hub, which would have tested my limited ability, especially as it’s near the main electric drive sprocket.

picnic …

Anyhow, as we cycled through this country’s green and pleasant land, the noise was such that I had to keep away from C as I was disturbing her ambience. We made it to the top of ‘The Trough’, turned and started to freewheel down. As we did we were overtaken by two cycling types, one of whom said to me ‘I think your crank sprocket needs tightening. You’ll need a 15 mil spanner …’, he added over his shoulder as he whizzed on down the hill. OK, then. I’ll get that sorted.

Which I tried. We popped into Clitheroe and found a cycle shop. Well, they were convinced it was the pedal bearings. (I wasn’t.) They put on a new pedal … and it wasn’t it. They then tried, with a screwdriver and a hammer, to tighten an odd looking castlelated nut . And then, they put the original pedal back on … tightened it up tight … and all was well. For now. In short they did what I’d done right at the beginning and what the man who whizzed past me said I need to do. Without the real need of a hammer and screwdriver.

It does show you that when you’re talking about anything mechanical, there are normally lots of opinions. But in my experience, take the word of a man/woman in lycra as they speed past you and hear the noise in action. Works every time.

Stay safe everyone. Let’s now become part of the statistics.