24.11.19 The one man, cycle jumbler/hoarder.

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Sunday 24th 43F, remaining mild but dark grey. It is past 8.00 and it is still not light. The American ambassador is telling Denmark to buy more F35s. You know, the jets which are so extremely noisy that half of Denmark will need to be cleared of inhabitants around the airfield. Well at least they know where to put the next big wind farm that nobody wants either. Do 150 meter high wind turbines mix with low flying fighter jets? There won't be anybody left in Jylland to care. They will all be paying inflated rents to foreign money launderers in Copenhagen.

Walked around the 3 mile block in very blustery conditions. Just to avoid hunters on my usual off- road routes. A male Kestrel passed close by me after being disturbed by a crow. Even such experts on the wing struggle in such gusty winds. The huge, field puddles were unchanged in places from the last time I walked that way.

I spent the rest of the morning tidying the trike shed. Need more storage tubs! Two clear plastic tubs literally fell in half when I lifted them! I have brightly coloured storage tubs probably 40 years old and still doing well despite heavy loads.

Three more hours tidying in the afternoon as well. I could hold my own auto jumble with all the stuff I have in boxes and tubs. Square axle cranks, chain rings, sealed and loose BBs, pedals, gear changers, front and back, levers.

Sprockets from 8, 9 and 10 speed cassettes. Brakes, lots of saddles, pins and handlebar extensions. The list goes on and on. [Just like me.] I even found a period, trike gear hanger and a pair of Longstaff, alloy trike hubs.

Then there is the early, LongJohn transporter bike with vast, mid-frame, tubular basket. A small front wheel, carrier bike. A period American cruiser with a dummy "petrol tank" and chromed, girder suspension forks. My wife's early and remarkably lightweight, curly top tube, small ladies/ girls, step-through bicycle. A tasty 24" racing bike frame with aero down tube which was sadly, too big to make a trike with the Longstaff trike conversion. I can't even remember the name or model of the frame any more. The years just race by.

The [lugged] Higgins 'Ultralite' [quickly fitted with Trykit 2WD & journal bearings] is hanging from the rafters to take up less room. I still have the original Higgins mudguard stays that a trike fan, very kindly sent me.

The Higgins had sprints and tubs on it when I bought it on eBay and had it sent over. Not ideal in a flint prone area. It came with a 5 speed, close ratio, TT block on original, Higgins carrier. Mr Trykit built me some nice HP wheels to go with the 2WD conversion to escape from the punctures ASAP! Sadly the Higgins doesn't look quite so pretty [or original] any more. Not after I put tens of thousands of miles on it in all seasons!

Then there's the Longstaff trike conversion with very pretty, aero, rear HP rims on alloy hubs. None of these are ever likely to be ridden again.

Probably have to get them all back to Blighty to find anyone remotely interested in buying them. Or any of the spare junk pile/collection. It will all go to scrap if I drop my clogs. Can't put any of them, nor the junk, on eBay, because of the freight charges.

I took 23 wheels and a load of frames and complete sports and mountain bikes to the recycling yard a while back. Just chucked them all into the scrap metal skip. What else can you do with them? They have no value in Denmark. Not unless they are the latest high end kit to tempt a "weekend warrior" to "upgrade" to save 5 grammes.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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