Afternoon Ride with Sophie

Photo info: Apple iPhone 12 mini, 4.2mm, f/1.6, 1/3700 sec, ISO32
“Sophie” Cedar Park, 2022

This afternoon I went for a ride with Sophie, my 1972 Peugeot UJ-10 bicycle. I haven’t ridden the Peugeot in a while so it was fun to go for a spin on the vintage road bike.

I like to record my bicycle rides with my GoPro and post to YouTube, but decided to leave those at home and just ride without the extra burden of the video camera. You would think that filming with the GoPro would be simply hitting the record button and just let it run, right? But actually, it causes me to think a lot about it when I am riding. For instance, “is the angle still okay? had the battery overheated and shut the camera down? do I need to change batteries?”. If GoPro cameras were reliable, then I’d have less stress about it, but they are pretty flaky.

Anyways, the only camera I had with me today was my iPhone, so I was just focused on the ride and seeing the sights. It was so fun! The Peugeot is a lot different than my other bicycles – it’s faster and a little more challenging to ride, especially over any gravel or dirt. I mostly kept to the hard surfaces, but there are a couple places where riding over gravel is necessary, and it got a little sketchy! Still, I enjoyed the whole ride.

Photo info: Apple iPhone 12 mini, 4.2mm, f/1.6, 1/3200 sec, ISO32
“Sophie” Cedar Park, 2022

I hope you had a good day!

Adjusted Bicycle Saddle

Photo info: Apple iPhone 12 mini, 4.2mm, f/1.6, 1/590 sec, ISO32
“Sophie” Cedar Park, 2022

I finally decided to adjust the saddle on Sophie to be the correct angle (for me). I had set the saddle pretty much level for aesthetic reasons, but felt that comfort was now more important. So the nose is now tilted up like on my other bikes and it makes for much more pleasant riding. 😀

Replacing the Rear Spokes

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/3.2, 1/80 sec, ISO1600
“Hub and Spokes” Cedar Park, 2022

My new DT Swiss Champion spokes arrived after being delayed for two days because of the weather. During the waiting period, I polished up the hub with some Brasso metal polish. It’s looking shiny, although not completely perfect. I’m not that meticulous!

Tomorrow I am planning on lacing up the spokes on the rear wheel. This will be the last step to restoring the Peugeot up to a safe standard. The rusty spokes weighed a bit on my mind when riding, but less so after I replaced the spokes in front. With a fully-respoked Sophie, I can ride worry-free! 😊

Tomie and Sophie

“Tomie and Sophie” Cedar Park, 2022

Today I went for a quick ride around the neighborhood with Sophie, my 1972 Peugeot UJ-10 bicycle. I happened to be wearing my newly-acquired Tomie joggers that I found at TJ Maxx over the holidays. It was such a random find that I had to buy it (only $12). It really scares Mariko.😆

Give the video a watch if you have a few minutes!