1952 Vincent Black Lightning

Friday 16 September 2011

Back to work!

Enough of this messing about, winter is nearly here, the extension nearly finished and it's time to head back to the shed!
Next problem to solve on Abigail is the rear brake calliper mount. I need a way of attaching the calliper above the swing arm while restraining it from beneath the swing arm so it can be bled and so the fluid feed comes at it from the right side. Here's a picture to illustrate.

After some head scratching and use of the kids maths kit, I came up with a paper template which I stuck onto some MDF.

Next, cut out a crude version and drill a few holes.

Last stage is to shape the basic design to allow for the calliper castings. This can only be done with a little trial & error till you get kinda close.

A trial fit.
First impression is close, but no cigar. The upper section is how it needs to be (ugly though it is), but the bottom part just looks wrong. I think it needs to be longer and angled to the right to offer some balance with the top half.
As with all things... Trial & error. Watch this space for MkII.

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Back from Europe

My mate and I have just completed a brilliant mini tour of central Europe taking in France, Belgium (twice), Luxembourg, Germany (briefly) and finally the Netherlands. We used the tunnel to get across and biked it the rest of the way, leaving Holland by overnight ferry. The roads of Belgium and Luxembourg deserve a special mention as do the dyke roads of the Netherlands. Both are fun and twisty with one lot passing over hills and through forests while the other wound above flat farm land never far from water. I'll leave the reader decide which was which. Anywho, just a few piccies to stir the memories in years to come.

Your narrator with bike at the Dutch camp.

Gina loaded and ready to go outside the Canterbury YHA, our departure start point.

Brief map check before descending into Luxembourg.

... The views (and weather) were stunning.

No trip to Holland would be complete without a visit to Amsterdam. I'm sure I saw a mouse over there on a stair. He had cloggs on!!