Do you ever find yourself longing for those days gone by when you were engaged in something immensely exciting and totally enjoyable? Do you ever find yourself wishing you could re-create those long lost but not forgotten times? That’s where I find myself today. See Bike Blog 22-12-24 for some earlier thoughts on this topic.
The time in question was back in 2010, some 15-years ago now, when I built my first fat bike, a Surly Pugsley. My very first outing was to the midget submarine wrecks out in Aberlady Bay and I loved it. Then I starting making short videos about my fat bike rides and loved it even more. I want to re-create the interesting and enjoyable times. However, I do not have a fat bike, having parted company with my Surly Pugsley, a bike that is now no longer in production.
But times have moved on and while the so-called fat bike craze has declined here in the UK, fat bike technology has continued to develop across the pond in the USA and that amazing lightweight fat bike I dreamed about back in 2010, but could not afford, is still available and now within my grasp. I’m taking about the lightweight carbon fibre Trek Farley 9.6, shown above. His name will be Charlie Farley, after a detective character in the Two Ronnies spoof Jack the Ripper sketch series, The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town.
So, yes, I’ve just ordered one from the Trek store at Dobbies Garden centre. They were able to match the cheapest online list price of £2049 (the list price is currently £2700, which was £3500 only a few months ago). Hopefully, it should arrive 10 – 14 days from now, winging its way from the European importers store in the Netherlands.
My plan is to start making those old Pugsley on Patrol videos I made all those years ago, the ones posted on YouTube. I have most of the equipment, a couple of GoPro Hero 10 cameras for those action and unusual angle shots, the DJI Neo video drone with its follow me and tracking modes and all the mounts, supports and assorted essentials I need for a days filming.
What I don’t have is a good camcorder. My old Panasonic no longer charges up the batteries and will need replaced. So, I’ve got my eye on the Canon Legria HF G70, one of the few camcorders still readily available these days, along with spare batteries. Seems that the mobile phone and the digital SLR have taken over video making but to my mind they just cannot match the quality and ease of use you get from a dedicated camcorder. And cameras like the GoPro don’t have a 20x optical zoom lens!
Once Charlie Farley arrives there’s a few things that will need my attention. The first is to install pedals and a bell followed with an very important item, adding puncture sealant into the inner tubes. I will be looking at tubeless conversion at another date. Also on the list is to swap the stock grips for Ergon ergonomic grips which I favour on all my bikes and kick scooters. Finally, I’ll be removing the un-necessary stock dropper post for a standard post. Oh, and he will need prepped for beach cycling.
So, hopefully, in a couple of weeks time, if you are walking the beaches of East Lothian and you come across an elderly gent riding a bright orange bicycle with enormous tyres and who keep jumping off and on the bike setting up cameras, wearing a rucksack with tripod attached like a Ninja sword and followed by a camera drone. Well, there’s a pretty good chance it will be me. Stop me and say hello. Back soon.
Image above curtesy of Trek UK.
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