April’s Dusty Start: Titanium Scars, Blue Skies & Calderdale Cruising

April’s kicked off in true Yorkshire fashion — blue skies, a biting breeze, and just enough dust on the trails to coat your calves like icing on a flapjack. But before I could enjoy any of that, I had to make a detour… to Kendal.

My titanium frame — a bike that’s been through more hills and heartbreak than most — finally gave in and cracked. Not dramatically, just enough to whisper “You need to sort me out, mate.” So off it went for welding in the Lakes. Not exactly a quick fix, but absolutely worth the journey. Titanium might be tough, but even legends need a little TLC.

Naturally, the day wasn’t going to be all errands and epoxy. We packed the bikes and made a mini adventure out of it, hitting some Lake District trails while the frame was being patched up. Perfect conditions — dry, flowy, and scenic enough to make you forget why you even needed the repair in the first place.

Back home in Calderdale and Kirklees, it’s been two glorious weeks of riding since. The kind of dry spell that makes you question whether you’re actually in northern England. Trails running fast and loose, singletrack singing, and that satisfying crunch of dusty tyres on gravel.

I’ve been riding both single speed and geared setups — variety is the spice, after all — and every ride’s come with two essentials: coffee and good mates. A proper café stop always hits the spot, especially with mid-ride laughs and the odd debate about tyre pressures.

Spring might still have winter’s breath on its neck, but the mood is shifting. Sun on your back, trails drying out, and legs finally remembering what it feels like to climb without sliding backwards.

Here’s to more April miles, more dusty tyres, and bikes that hold it together — with or without a weld.