Alistair Shutt
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alistairshutt.bsky.social
Alistair Shutt
@alistairshutt.bsky.social
200 followers 730 following 70 posts
Live by the North Sea | Busy raising kids, riding bikes and swimming | Freelancer - audience research & customer strategy.
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alistairshutt.bsky.social
Proof that hoarding random bike bits for 20 years pays off: half an old gear cable + forgotten wire clamp = school run saved (and still on two wheels).
A close up of a temporary gear cable repair comprising two wires joined by a wire clamp on a red bike frame. A blue repair stand is partly pictured, behind and beneath the bike.
April 29, 2025 at 10:36 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Colours beat high-vis
A family’s orange longtail e-cargo bike (Radwagen4?) with yellow and green helmets parked in front of blue railings of a playground in Whitley Bay, North East England, April 2025.
April 27, 2025 at 2:01 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Spotted a new SUV at leisure centre #cargobike
Carrera folding electric bike adapted for carrying a passenger with a cushion and foot pegs
April 24, 2025 at 2:51 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
“I’m a smart cycle locker” - now decommissioned, with “future-proofed” locks removed.
Three metal cycle boxes - located on mossy slabs, between a concrete subway and residential properties, at Wallsend Metro station, North East England. Pictured in April 2025 with their electronic locking systems removed. Two show a sticker "I'm a smart cycle locker. There’s no charge to use me.”
April 24, 2025 at 2:10 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Welcome to Milton Keynes. Celebrating 50 years. Pedestrians do not have priority.
A covered walkway structure with a banner reading ‘Celebrating Fifty Years of Milton Keynes (MK50)’ from 2017, partially covered by a more recent yellow sign stating ‘Pedestrians do not have Priority.’ Below, people walk towards an entrance with a ‘Welcome’ sign. A glass-fronted shopping centre is in the background, with vehicles parked alongside.
March 7, 2025 at 12:14 AM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Oh hi, nice to meet you.
Still frame from bike ride video, with vantage point of rider. An apologetic “oopsie wave” is made ahead by an SUV driver positioned on a parallel crossing in UK, where drivers must yield for crossing pedestrians and cyclists.
March 6, 2025 at 10:36 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Grocery shopping with children
Self-service scales at J Sainsbury’s supermarket, weighing a pair of orange woolly fingerless gloves, recognised on screen as “JS Carrots Loose”, with a picture of actual carrots displayed above. The sidebar details 0.026 kg, 0.69 £/kg, £0.02 to pay. Self-service scales at J Sainsbury’s supermarket, weighing a bike helmet, recognised on screen as “JS Red Onions Loose”, with a picture of actual red onions displayed above. The sidebar details 0.249kg, 0.95 £/kg, £0.24 to pay.
March 6, 2025 at 10:18 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Please bring more bike rental spots to the North East @bromptonbicycle.bsky.social
Brompton Bike Hire locker location at Peterborough Station in eastern England, a short rail trip from London (c50 mins) Map of numerous Brompton Bike Hire locations around the UK, but with a coverage gap in North East England
February 26, 2025 at 8:34 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Gone are the rainbows, but here come the bikes and cats #drawing #5yearsold #cat #cargobike
5 year old's drawing of a longtail cargo bike, detailing its bell, kickstands, passenger seating at rear and chunky wheels 5 year old's drawing of a cat in pen on a yellow sticky note, detailing it's stripes, ears, whiskers, legs and maybe a tail. The name "Doris" appears above the cat.
February 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
…but for now we’re mainly playing with it
Thermal image of a child in warmer reds making a heart shape with hands against cooler wall in blues & purples in background Thermal image of warm child in yellows and reds making temporary prints that show up purple on a cooler wall in blue using warm hands Thermal image of drinking cup or glass held by a warm hand in yellows and reds, marked 27.6C catching a thin stream of chilled water, marked 5.1C and coloured blue Thermal image of a red / yellow warm kettle / hot teapot - marked 87.4C - against a cooler wall in purple, marked 16.9C
February 13, 2025 at 7:04 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
The plan was to use the thermal camera to find and sort loft insulation gaps
Thermal image showing a cold patch on ceiling in blue, marked 11.5C near a warm radiator in red, marked 31.8C, the min and max shown on a colour gradient shown as a legend on right
February 13, 2025 at 6:40 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Heat pump keeps us toasty 24/7, but a slow pressure drop had me aimlessly hunting for leaks with a thermal camera. Engineer suspected a faulty antifreeze valve - leak easily confirmed with a simple freezer bag! #HeatPump
Insulated heat pump pipes in a garden in northern England with two freezer bags attached to anti-freeze valves—one remains dry, while the other contains water, confirming a leak. Night-time thermal image of heat pump pipes in a garden in northern England. A faulty anti-freeze valve is visible at the bottom, with a bright red drip indicating a water leak against the cooler background.
February 13, 2025 at 1:58 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Well I quite enjoyed that - bring on the next 1000mi of mundane errands, grocery trips, school runs & child taxi drops. #tern #cargobike
Close up of display on a Tern GSD cargo bike showing a reading of 3000 miles.
February 10, 2025 at 10:23 AM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
When it’s time to resurface our school roads will you consult with families & the community on best use of funds and opportunities to design safer streets, or will you just slap down some more tarmac? @ntcouncilteam.bsky.social
A street in North Tyneside, North East England ridden with potholes and broken tarmac outside a well attended school.
February 4, 2025 at 8:09 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Collywell Bay - took the steep but rideable path to the beach. Mostly rocks, shingle and seaweed amid patches of sand. Enjoyed a cold dip, but on a rising tide with menace so I didn’t hang about. Wary of submerged rocks and currents. Likely good for rock pools at low tide. #ncn1 #biketothebeach
2008 mountain bike pictured at bottom of Collywell Bay access ramp, in North East England. Behind, the rising tide covers large rocks as it approaches a slim beach and sea defences protecting cliff top houses in Seaton Sluice.
January 30, 2025 at 11:58 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Swimmers making waves at the 2025 SLSC UK Cold Water Swim Championships
Two officials at the 2025 UK Cold Water Swimming Championships look out across the glistening cold water, bunting and competitors at South London’s Tooting Bec Lido, the largest in outdoor lido in the UK.
January 25, 2025 at 3:07 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Perhaps 2025 is the year to learn..?!
Surfers and walkers enjoying the weekend winter sun and waves at Longsands Beach in North Tyneside, North East England
January 11, 2025 at 7:43 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
I’m not a surfer but they’re masters at making it look awesome.
Surfer riding a bike with attached board on new, but disappointingly thin, section of segregated cycleway from Cullercoats to Longsands Beach in North Tyneside, North East England
January 11, 2025 at 7:36 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Happy New Year
Sunny windy winter’s day at Whitley Bay, North East England, with walkers, dogs and bikes (incl a cargo bike & tandem) pictured in a scene stretching from cycle path/ promenade, over beach, to the dramatic waves and sea spray toward a bright horizon.
January 5, 2025 at 10:28 AM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Rented a car for Xmas/NY after doing without for much of 2024 — was useful out of town but made us less active and seemed a burden back home. Glad to be back on 2 wheels again. #carfree
Red Bike Bicycle Christmas Tree Decoration, available from notonthehighstreet.com
January 5, 2025 at 10:11 AM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Collected by #cargobike because it’s quick and avoids parking.
Boxed pizzas from Di Meo’s, Whitley Bay’s taste of Italy, stuffed under a blanket on back of cargo bike.
December 13, 2024 at 8:22 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
N+1 < S-1: there’s always room for one more bike, no matter how many you’re tolerated having

#bikes #pizza
A gifted cycle shaped pizza cutter, unboxed and placed on a Mediterranean Pizza
December 13, 2024 at 8:05 PM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
Blue flag beaches and sewage dumping 💩🌊 seem an odd match to those who [swim / surf / dog-walk / paddle / fish / care for marine life etc…] #whitleybay #stopdumpingsewage #sewage @sascampaigns.bsky.social
Screenshot from Safer Seas and Rivers app identifies sewage dumping by Northumbrian Water at Whitley Bay beach, North East England on 10 December 2024
December 12, 2024 at 10:30 AM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
A few days make such a difference for sea swimmers. The conditions shift constantly - sun waves, tides, sand banks, currents, visibility - all part of the fun.
Swimmers from the Panama Swim Club head in to the sea for a dip at Whitley Bay, North East England on a sunny day in December 2024 Choppy sea conditions, under sunny sky, with clouds on the horizon, at Whitley Bay in North East England, December 2024
December 12, 2024 at 10:26 AM
alistairshutt.bsky.social
#Bluesky pushing out the storm and all that froth
St. Mary’s Lighthouse in North East England pictured from Whitley Bay’s beach amid a still powerful & frothy sea. Monday 9th Dec 2024, after the weekend that was Storm Darragh.
December 9, 2024 at 11:00 PM