Santa Cruz Chameleon test ride
I really wanted to like the Santa Cruz Chameleon… but I didn’t.
It’s light, really stiff, and climbs really well (on tarmac or manicured trail/path). Going downhill was a different story – it was super skittish and the rear end *never* stayed down – felt like I was riding a pogo stick.
Santa Cruz Chameleon
So I did try a Santa Cruz Chameleon – I really wanted to like it, but oh my I didn’t. It was VERY bouncy and uncontrolled on rough ground, climbed pretty well though.
So I deflated my forks by mistake…
Specialised Body Geometry gloves
I like well-padded but not unwieldy mtb gloves and these are the best I’ve found. Was great to find a replacement pair as the velcro on my old ones had given out – which is why I’d avoid gloves (or anything actually) with small velcro closures.
Unfortunately a) hard to find, and b) not quite as comfortable as the pair they replaced due to the different padding design and composition.
Colinton Railway Tunnel Mural
A short trip through the Colinton Railway tunnel
The Colinton Tunnel was built in the 1800s as part of the Balerno branch railway line. Muralist Chris Rutterford has been brought in by the Colinton Tunnel Project to paint murals along the 140m tunnel.
You can get to the tunnel by following the Water of Leith cycle-path.
Almost clean…
How to buy spoke wrenches
It’s easy to buy a bad spoke wrench. You usually learn this by buying bad spoke wrenches and having to replace stripped/crushed/bent spoke nipples. Continue reading “How to buy spoke wrenches”
The best allen keys in the world
If you have a bike (or anything else that uses allen keys) the Park 3-way Allen Key (4mm. 5mm, 6mm) is miles better than any other allen key set. It’s much easier to use, and you’re not opening and folding away keys. Because of the Y design you get far more leverage than with either a folding key set or individual keys, in a really robust tool. Continue reading “The best allen keys in the world”