This is a very short Blog from Scotland for the reason it was very short tour.
The instant I heard the crack, then the tyre rubbing against the frame, I instinctively knew my tour was over, on the very first day. The sinking response of the bike was soon duplicated in the pit of my stomach and as I got off to inspect the cause, it was apparent I had suffered a major structural failure. The lower stay of the rear suspension triangle was split as if some malevelent creature had sawn right through it.
As I don't usually carry a blow-torch for welding as part of my repair kit, nor do I have spare frame in my backpack, there was no choice but to abandon my trip, and get the bike back to the manufacturer, Orange, in Halifax, England.
It has since been repaired , with a new improved rear end, but too late for me to resume my coast to coast route in Scotland. The company gave me excellent service, as might be expected, when such a design fault has the potential to cause serious injury or worse. If Orange were Toyota, the bike would have been called back long ago !
As regards riding the Scottish Borders , what I saw for the few hours I was there, will ensure I get back in the near future, this time, with an unsegmented Orange !
