25.01.2024 Moustache wins D&I Award for J Off model.

 ~o~  

 Thursday 25th 41F/5C. The sky looks clear and there is the threat of some sunshine. The NW wind will reduce steadily. North facing coasts have been experienced high water. Up at 6.50 after a night of weird and sometimes boring dreams. 

 8.15. Stove lit. 64F/18C overnight. Two more baskets of logs brought in from the greenhouse. It is normal daylight already today. Time for a walk.

 I have an appointment for ear wax mining after lunch. With assorted shopping to do while I am in town.

 9.00 A toasty 66F/19C in the room. I have returned from a short walk looping around the drives again. The feared "flooding" is well under control. With the beck quite low despite the rain. Though I could see areas of brightness. Where large puddles in the woods were reflecting the sky. A rather cold westerly wind but not excessive. 

 I could have a ride on the Moustache today. BTW: French Moustache has claimed yet another Design and Innovation Award. For its unique, cast frame, full suspension, step through, off road, J Off model. Entirely manufactured in France. Which has earned the praise of the specialist cycling jury. This comes on top of the Eurobike Gold Award in 2023.

https://85tgi.r.a.d.sendibm1.com/mk/cl/f/sh/SMK1E8tHeG7uhtPSTnU4GQFgWmXs/gHn86ITaKZNg

 I have previously mentioned the lack of a dropper post and high step over on my Friday '45' model. These criticisms have been attended to in the new design. I have replaced the truly awful, Brooks Cambium C17 with a Brooks B67. The latter offers a wider and softer bench for more upright riding positions. 

 The dropper post has [literally] been a lifesaver on more than one occasion. Despite being well matched to the Medium size frame I could not reach the ground from the saddle. Even dropping the bike on the handlebar end several times in traffic. Fortunately I still have the skill and fitness. To ensure the bike fell towards the verge or pavement and I could safely step off uninjured. The  Moustache bikes have a legacy of EMTB design. Which means they have very high bottom brackets. To clear rocks and other obstacles. Which inevitably means a much raised saddle height. Or ride with ones knees very bent! Which would be very silly.

 My fitting a dropper post almost solved the problem. It is still quite a stretch to the ground [from seated] where there is no raised kerb. Sliding forwards off the saddle would obviously help. Though I resist this tactic whenever I can. Probably the result of riding only a trike for many tens of thousands of miles. One can safely remain seated on a trike when traffic lights change. Or cars brake repeatedly in front of me. 

 The problem is having to lift oneself back onto the high saddle in stop-start traffic on the e-bike. Which gear and which power assistance mode to choose? I have the potential speed to match most normal car's acceleration in town traffic. Though this requires the correct gear and power mode. 

 There is a steep learning curve to lifting oneself back onto the saddle at short intervals. So called track balancing is not as easy on a very wide and very grippy tire, on a heavy e-bike, on dry tarmac. I have been track standing since my teens on skinny, racing tires. Over 60 years but with over a decade's break while riding a trike. 

 9.15. Only now has the sun cut through the murk in the east. Even while the sun was well clear of the horizon it lacked power and brightness. 

10.00 I am going to ride into the village to shop. Get back into the habit after a long break. One has to take advantage of every chance when the winter weather is so changeable.

 12.00 Returning from a shopping ride to the village.  The whole house is full of bright sunlight. It was past 11am when I finally left.  I bought two very full carrier bags of groceries. One bag slipped nicely into each of the Ortlieb panniers. The Brooks B67 saddle was not nearly as comfortable as I had hoped. Probably not tilted backward quite enough. Though the degree of tilt required is quite subtle. I had set it up horizontally with a builder's level for an initial trial. 

 The [broken frame] Contech saddle has thousands of miles on it. So it wasn't a fair comparison for the Brooks. Both saddles have very similar dimensions. Though the Contec was smooth leather instead of the Brooks dimples. I'd say the Contec was far more comfortable from new. Though I'd have to consult old posts on the blog to be sure. Update: It wasn't nearly as comfortable, when new, as I falsely remembered.

 A headwind coming home. So I slipped the Bosch motor into Turbo mode on the Nyon control. Then averaged 80rpm for an eye-watering 28-30kph. Around 20mph. Only 10.3km today. The exileration of effortless speed has returned. No pain. No breathlessness. Not even on the climbs.

 16.15. Just back from town. My ears were almost clear of wax. I made an appointment for a hearing test and adjustment of my hearing aid on Monday. My left ear is almost completely deaf now. The specialist said the canal was clear and the ear drum looked fine. 

 The sunshine has raised the temperature in the greenhouse to over 21C/70F. As was the room. So I let the stove go out. I now have four wall lights for the greenhouse. I just have to start drilling. 

 20.00 Dinner was salad. I had an apple for desert.

 

~o~