A good evening in the bike shed.
Dundee bicycle notes by Jules Merrow. A small record of parts cleaned, puzzles considered, and ordinary rides enjoyed.
My bicycle is a slightly mismatched thing with a silver mudguard and a green front fork. It carries groceries well, which is the highest praise I have for it. Most of my tinkering happens in a narrow shed while the garden is turning dark and a mug of tea is cooling on the windowsill.
I like the way a familiar machine becomes less mysterious when you spend time looking at it. That does not mean I do every job myself. When a problem is beyond my experience, I take it to someone who knows more. The notebook is about noticing what I can understand and being honest about what I cannot.
Recently I have been making wheel notes: sketches of spoke patterns, descriptions of sounds, and reminders about the questions I want to ask. A short ride along the Tay is often enough to give me a new page. I stop for the view, lean the bike against the same low wall, and come home with one more detail than I left with.
If you enjoy patient hobbies with a practical excuse, you may feel at home here. Read about Jules and the shed for the slightly longer story. There is no racing calendar hidden in these pages. A dry saddle and a dependable trip to the shops make a perfectly satisfying afternoon.