New Year Greetings to all our readers. We hope that you will have enjoyable and productive cycling year. You can read a review of my cycling year 1998 on out web pages, and you will see there that one of my New Year Resolutions is to do more cycling in 1999, my personal target being 5000 miles. However, the mileage is secondary to the pleasure gained, so whether you (or I) actually do a lot more or a lot less than this matters less than whether it we enjoy ourselves. The review can be read at http://www.whooper.demon.co.uk/foldsoc/cycyr98.html
Enough of this: let's get down to business, although this early in the year there is not a great deal to report.
As announced in the last issue of FSN, the Phoenix Cycles Web Site went live on 25 December (actually we could not name them in the last issue). On the site you will find a tantalizing photograph of a part new folder that will be launched very soon - it was referred to in the most recent issue of A to B, but with name of the designer and the shop not disclosed at that time. More details here (and of course on Phoenix's web site) soon.
You can find the Phoenix web site at http://www.phoenix-folders.demon.co.uk
Another shop well known to folder enthusiasts is Avon Valley Cyclery, and their new web site has also gone live recently, though I'm not sure exactly when this happened. This too is well worth a visit - you can find it at http://www.bikeshop.uk.com
Both of these, and some other relevant links, are listed on the 'links' page of our web site at http://www.whooper.demon.co.uk/foldsoc/links.html If you know of any other relevant links which should be included on this page, please email us at the address shown at the bottom of this issue of FSN.
Now available on our web site is a long term test covering the Bike Friday New World Tourist, Birdy Red, Brompton, Moulton AM7 and Moulton APB. You can read the report at http://www.whooper.demon.co.uk/foldsoc/longterm.html
If you have looked at the item on my 1998 cycling year on our web pages, you will know that the Bike Friday New World Tourist was my highest mileage bike last year. As the rear brake efficiency was becoming rather poor, and the gear change was also rather stiff. I decided just after Christmas that it was due for replacement of the cables. Anyway, once started I got carried away, and the bike was reduced to its component parts. Apart from needing to re-cable the brakes I found a lot of corrosion in the headset bearings, despite the presence of plenty of quite healthy looking grease. The plan now is to have bosses put on so that I can convert to V-brakes, fit new headset bearings and have it repainted (actually powder coated).
I'll probably detail the progress of the overhaul of the NWT in our Bike Friday pages, so if you are interested watch http://www.whooper.demon.co.uk/bfriday
The NWT was going to be my main winter folder, so with it out of action the plan was for the Birdy will stand in for it. However, New Years Day was beautifully sunny, and I decided a longer road ride was called for, so the Pocket Rocket was brought out of hibernation. With that ride and a very muddy ride on Saturday, which included a lot of towpath miles, I've clocked up 90 miles in the two days. The Pocket Rocket was as exhilarating to ride as ever, though not really the ideal bike for the muddy towpath, since it has narrow, almost slick, IRC road tyres fitted.
Two well-known members of The Folding Society are planning a fairly leisurely ride from Lands End to Ramsgate, although not until the September or October. The intention is to avoid busy roads and hills wherever possible, using quieter routes and going off road where appropriate. They would welcome detailed expert local knowledge to help plan their route - both are competent planners and map readers, so it is specialised local knowledge that they are after. They expect to use the South Downs Way for part of the journey. If anyone can help, please send email to the address shown at the bottom of this newsletter, and the information will be passed on.
We would like to put together a calendar of events for 1999, so if you are organising anything of interest to folder and separable owners, or you know of any such events, please let us know as soon as possible.
In the meantime, here are the events in January that we know of.
This month's Origami Phoenix ride will start from Bromsgrove station at about 11.00am. The February ride, on 13th February, will start from Coventry station at 10.30am. The March ride and the subsequent rides on the second Saturday of every month, will probably revert to the usual start point at Meriden Tea Rooms from 10.30am for an 11.00am start. For further information please check with the event organiser, John Pinkerton (Tel 0121 350 0685), or see the Origami web page at http://www.whooper.demon.co.uk/origami
Meet at front of SF Ferry Building at 9:30 am, roll out at 10:00 am. Route: BART to East Bay and ride Iron Horse Trail (approx. 14 miles) Bring: Money (for lunch and a BART), jacket, helmet. For more information, e-mail Tom Vogt (VeloVot@aol.com) or call (510-237-7380).
Starting from the Pagoda in Battersea Park at 2.00pm. Please watch the web pages at http://www.whooper.demon.co.uk/foldsoc/events.html for more information on events during 1999.
The date of the next issue depends on what news there is to report. The next issue will contain the calendar of events referred to above, so do please let me know as soon as possible about anything to be included on this calendar.
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Copyright (C)1999 Ferrets Anonymous
Last updated: 31 January 1999
URL: http://www.whooper.demon.co.uk/foldsoc/fsn/fsn015.html