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More pedal power chat.
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Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 16 Jul 14 at 01:02
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Was that a newspaper report from 100yrs ago? Ah no... just in Scotland. Really a guy partakes of one of the few harmless pleasures left in life and.... well there's no peace anywhere.
Wonder where Farage stands on bike sex.
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The bike's been arrested by detectives on Operation Yewtree.
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>> Was that a newspaper report from 100yrs ago? Ah no...
Well, 7. Anyway, could be worse (I think)...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-27643702
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Too late to complete the story in the original thread, but we collected Beestling Major's new bike on Saturday. We stretched the budget a little (using money from his account, not mine) and bought this:
www.saracen.co.uk/bikes/urban/studio-74
The extra bought us a useful saving in weight - sub-12kg against 13-14kg for some of the alternatives - disc brakes and, yes, an orange frame rather than the cheaper model's brown.
It had its first proper outing in the Sunday sunshine, taking in a bridleway that provided an unexpected mudbath. He got it through that OK, and was hugely impressed by its speed on Tarmac. Feels like a good choice, and I hope it'll get some good use this season before we take it to France in August.
Thanks to all here who offered advice.
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Cool !
We did some fairly serious mud plugging yesterday. Ground still very wet despite the fine weekend weather.
There's a stream we've leapt over a hundred times on the forest route we did yesterday. Only about 6' wide but in a gulley about as deep. No problem at all to jump over it on a bike as the approach is downhill from the side and so long as you have reasonable turn of speed you just glide over.
I got across, son got across, wife wasn't quite going fast enough. No injuries ensued but boy did she get wet and muddy !
We tried soooooo hard not to laugh but it just wasn't happening.
Pity about the beige interior in the Merc though...
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That looks a nice bike WDB, I am back on my bike doing my 12 mile commute to work each way as I usually do at this time of year.
Have managed (so far) to not look at weather forecasts so that I do cycle in the rain (that was always an excuse to take the car before as cycling with glasses on in rain is not much fun).
However , even with a little bit of spray it is very noticeable that the conventional brake blocks do lose their full functionality. Would maybe consider disc brakes next time - these were always frowned on due to weight it added but I guess they are more refined now?
Having said that, I have had my Specialised Crossroads Hybrid for probably going on 10 years now and really don't ever see me changing it!
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Disc brakes make a heck of a difference in the wet and especially off road Bobby. Guess you could convert the Speshy to discs but probably not worth the hassle / cost if it's mainly for road work.
Far better to employ the man maths / wife persuasion required to fund a new bike.
Start with the safety angle. "Don't know how I got back alive darling, brakes just weren't up to the job..." Sort of thing...
;-)
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Full stop to the Isla story: we eventually got round to advertising the 24 and it went to the first buyer to see it for most of what we'd paid six years ago. Not sure you'd get six years' use out of a Halfords bike for under £100; certainly not such good use as we've had.
Nice family too. Hope they enjoy it.
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www-cvdc.eng.cam.ac.uk/directory/research-themes/vulnerable-road-users
I was approached on Saturday to drive the lorry involved in these trials for the next seven *dry* days out of 12 excluding weekends.
After much re-shuffling I had to admit I hadn't the time available to do it with my present bookings and a holiday looming in a couple of weeks.
I managed to find them a driver and hopefully I will be approached again when I'm not quite so busy but what a missed opportunity!
I would have loved to have been involved in this to see just how these things are tested and how it works.
Apparently the device is situated on the passenger side and when it detects the lorry is turning left, and it senses an obstruction the brakes are automatically applied.
This must be the reason for having to have dry roads (runway?) on Bourn airfield.
I'm told they wanted a driver who wasn't involved with the project so as not to anticipate the actions of the sensors and brakes.
I will be getting feedback from the person who is doing it for me but what do we all think?
Is this the answer to the problem Bromp?
Pat
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If it works it has potential to be part of an answer.
What's the driver's perspective? I guess like all of us having automation interfere with driving isn't always welcome. It'll need some very clever sensors/software to be able to tell on road -cyclist- hazards from pedestrians on the kerb etc.
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In London on Tuesday for only second time since I left work.
Various items in Standard reminded me that although they've moved out of national news cyclist deaths, mostly lorry related, continue at around one per month:
www.standard.co.uk/news/london/cyclist-killed-in-crash-with-lorry-in-vauxhall-9468803.html
There also seems to be an emerging story about involvement of vehicles involved in Crossrail, which are supposed to have all latest mirrors and other bells/whistles in such incidents:
www.standard.co.uk/news/london/second-cyclist-killed-in-crossrail-lorry-collision-9478034.html
Having hated the tube on my way from Euston to Royal Albert Hall I hired on of Boris's velocipedes for my return journey. As I've found before cycling in London is a groove you can just drop back into even after a long break. A quick diagonal across to Hyde Park Corner, down length of Oxford St, left into Tottenham Court Road and immediate right to Gt Russell St to pick up old commute route at Montague St. Less than twenty minutes - woulfd have taken me 10 just to walk to Hight St Ken tube.
Frightening number of late night riders unlit though - far greater proportion than in winter rush hour.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Thu 5 Jun 14 at 13:00
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www.readingbicyclekitchen.org/
Opening on 14th June.
Looks great, just what I'm after as someone with zero knowledge and a bike on its last legs. Well, the brakes are weak, the gear shifter needs to be physically held in place in top gear and the chain keeps jumping off when changing up.
I'll be able to pop in, have someone show me what needs doing and how, and then get on and do it myself with proper tools.
Bonzer. Who needs chi-chi over-priced Henley or tourist trap Windsor when you've got useful stuff like this going on?
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Might see you there, Vić. Not that I begrudge my chi-chi local shop the work, but I'd like to know how to do it properly myself. The old Cannondale's brakes were noisy when I got back on it (first time post-op, felt good) last weekend and I expect its 16-year-old gear mechanisms are past their best too. Good stuff to learn and work on with the Beestlings too.
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That's a good point about children. I'll make sure mine come with me.
I reckon you should start looking at nice property in Reading, WdB. We've got B&Q, too. And kebabs.
;-)
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Funnily enough I used to live in Reading years ago just about the time when I owned a Lancia Beta HPE.
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>> I reckon you should start looking at nice property in Reading, WdB. We've got B&Q,
>> too. And kebabs.
>>
and four Wetherspoons, three in Reading, one in Caversham.
What more could you want?!
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Got Wetherspoons and kebabs right here, thank you. Chi-chi kebabs, of course.
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>>and four Wetherspoons, three in Reading, one in Caversham.
That made me think, so I ended up on Google Maps looking at Friar Street - oh dear.
I am amazed how the town has changed.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Thu 5 Jun 14 at 20:39
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>> I am amazed how the town has changed.
>>
You should see the railway station. And Junction 11. And Chatham Place. And the plans for central Caversham.
Yesterday's unbelievable nugget is this, a primary school proposed in Upper Warren Avenue:
theheightsprimary.co.uk/permanent-location-press-release
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Al -
www.flickr.com/photos/125140832@N05/sets/72157644618659050/
All picked off the internet over a period of time, not mine.
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Great collection, NF. Recognise most of it, even though the vast majority is from before my time.
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Is the Butlers Arms behind Chatham Street Car Park still good?
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A & WDB. Gear adjustment's quite simple if you think about it logically.
There's two stops, to prevent the chain falling off either end of the gear block and the cable adjuster.
I'd suggest Alanovic's problems are one of the stop adjustments and the cable needs a bit of slack taken out (unless the gear change and dérailleur are knackered).
There's lots of stuff on you-tube about it.
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You're right, of course, BT. And I have tweaked the adjusters on mine to good effect over the years. I don't generally have a problem with finding the right gear, even at the extremes of the range. It's just a general feeling that I've neglected the thing a bit, and that parts like brakes, chain and bottom bracket may be too worn to work optimally. And I'd like to feel confident that I can tackle these things effectively and safely.
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Something that has always puzzled me is what is the correct sequence for using gears on a bike?
My bike has 24 gears with a 3 sprocket on the front and 8 on the back.
I tend to use the following gears
1/1 when its a severe uphill
2 - all of the second sprocket gears and this is what I use 90% of the time
3/8 once I have got up to good speed on the second sprocket to 2/8 I will then go straight up to 3/8.
What do other cyclists use and what , strictly speaking, would be the right sequence of gearing to use if you wanted to go from 1/1 to 3/3 ?
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I tend to think of the front set as three ranges: 3 for smooth Tarmac, 2 when it gets rougher and 1 for seriously difficult surfaces or hills. I don't use the top couple (of 7) in 1, or the bottom couple in 3, but there's no need as the ratios overlap with 2 anyway.
I'm training myself to use lower ratios and spin the pedals at 80ish rpm; previously I tended to pedal slower but harder in a higher gear.
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Bobby,
The traditional British way of expressing gear ratios is in inches. The formula for this is teeth on front sprocket divided by teeth on rear sprocket multiplied by wheel diameter. Not an exact method as real world comparison varies with tyre's rolling circumference but it's good for working out gaps/overlaps in a given bike's spec.
Thus my twelve speed tourer with 31 teeth on front inner sprocket and same number on largest rear married to a 27.25 inch wheel gives a lowest gear of 27.25 inches - good for most hills. Outer front sprocket is 48 and smallest rear 13 giving a downhill/wind behind ratio of 109 inches.
The Brompton's 3 speed BWR with two speed dérailleur set-up gives six gears from 33 to 99.
Like Vx, given 3*6+ gears I tend to stick in middle sprocket unless climbing/descending or wind assisted/inhibited
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Cheers for that explanation, makes sense!
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Out with the Folding Society's Origami Phoenix Ride again today.
Start at Birmingham Moor Street Station and out along canal towpaths, under Spaghetti Junction and via Tame Valley to Sutton Coldfield for lunch in Wetherspoons' pub. Return by variation on outbound route.
A great way of exploring Brum's underbelly and industrial history with new views suddenly merging to variations of those seen from the M6.
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Used to run along there from Birchfield Harriers stadium. Odd feeling running below the M6 and its works, the gauntlet of the fishermen, and the remaining foundries, reflecting across the murky canal water. Much ribald commentary but we were fleet and free, then.
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I'm thinking of doing the cycle2work thing, I can get a new bike for up to £1000 paid for by work and then pay it back over time from salary sacrifice.
My thoughts are that I should go for a "hybrid" bike, as I have an old mountain bike already which I can use for the minimal amount of rides I do which take me off road - and even those are just rough tracks/lanes rather than fields/mountains etc.
I can only get a bike from Halfords through my work though, so I'm a bit circumspect as to the quality I'll get. I think a max budget of £500 would be reasonable, and a first glance their Carrera Crossfire 3 looks like it could be the one from the list of 19" frames available. I'm 5'10", inside leg 31". Is a 19" frame the one to go for?
I can't work out form the pictures of this model if the gearchange is twist grip though - if it is then no way, I hate those. Is anyone familiar with these bikes?
What would be the panel's recommended bike at that budget or less from the the Halfords range, assuming a 19" frame?
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My first thought would be to double check whether you're limited to Halfords normal showroom/retail range. Normally, their C2W offer includes access to (a) their own range of brands such as Carerra and Boardman (b) other store supplied brands - Dawes is amongst these and (c) a nationwide independent bikeshop network.
The latter would presumably allow them to source a Brompton or other brand that is prescriptive about its dealer network.
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Doing the hover-zoom thing on the picture reveals lever shifters, not grips. (I don't share your aversion to those but I had a 200m try-out go on the Beestling's new Saracen the other night and the lever shifters on that were creamy-smooth.)
Hard (for me anyway) to judge a bike by its paper spec but 13.8kg is on the lardy side, and do you really need a suspension fork or (mechanical) discs for riding to work?
Not available on your scheme, I realize, but you know my fondness for Islas and I'm trying hard to justify their new Beinn 29 adult hybrid to replace Mrs Beest's 14kg-plus Falcon before we go on holiday. She's about your height, coincidentally, but she struggles to keep up with our lighter machines on even moderate gradients. The Beinn 29 claims 12.2kg.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 16 Jun 14 at 21:29
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>> Hard (for me anyway) to judge a bike by its paper spec but 13.8kg is
>> on the lardy side
particularly when you're only 5'7" and transport them on a roof rack :-)
, and do you really need a suspension fork or (mechanical) discs
>> for riding to work?
>>
Exactly what i was thinking - is it 'great minds that think alike' or 'fools that seldom differ' ?
Last edited by: borasport on Mon 16 Jun 14 at 14:06
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I've had a crossfire 2 for seven years now, and it does what it needs too, which is mostly cyclepath/towpath
but
The 2 has twist grip gears, so the 3 probably has as well.
For me it was the first bike I'd ever bought (at 50, would you believe) and I'd think that for your 'commuting' needs it's quite a heavy bike, given the suspension is just redundant weight.
I'f I were in the market for another bike I'd look somewhere other than Halfords, but stuck with Halfords I'd take the Carrera Subway rather than the crossfire, if it's still available
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SRAM X4 trigger shifters, according to the 'Detailed specs'.
Looks like my fat finger upset Aunt Jemima in my previous reply.
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Thanks for the input re: suspension. Yes, you're probably all right and I can do without.
So which 19" frame on the Halfords website would you favour (any and all of you)?
And, indeed, is 19" the right one for me or could I get away with 20"?
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Perhaps a Carrera Subway then, as suggested above, or a VooDoo Marasa. Is the latter worth £120 more than the former? What's the difference?
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I can't remember what frame size my bike is but I do remember that it was the size bigger than what they recommended for me. It just felt right and still does all these years later.
Another thing to consider would be disc brakes - I don't think they add the same weight as they used to - I don't have them but do use my bike to commute in and out of Glasgow and in the rain, or standing water, the traditional brakes really do struggle when wet.
I would assume that disc brakes use different types of blocks to work than conventional brake blocks? And they won't be affected by wheel rims going through puddles.
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I have a Specialised hybrid bike and don't have front suspension and really don't miss it. I do have a suspension seatpost which I think I would miss!
When I got this it was a few years ago and I had also been looking at the then Carrera range but the big difference seemed to be at the time the frame - maybe alloy as opposed to steel or something?
Then a few years ago I bought another bike on the Cycle to work scheme, a racer road bike but I just couldn't take to it so sold it. However the scheme really wasn't that attractive (certainly not like it used to be). One of the criteria was that you had to buy a new non-discounted bike - I bought one from Dales at £650 but if I wasn't on the scheme I could have bought the "last year's model" which had been reduced to something like £450. So a huge difference and one to watch out for and take into consideration.
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I agree with others that you don't need to cart around the weight of suspension. I can't comment on disc brakes as I've never had (or felt the need) for them.
I would recommend mudguards. Even if you don't intend cycling in the rain, you'll probably end up cycling on wet roads at some point.
I've always found a carrier an essential, coupled with a pannier (mine came from lidl) for those larger things you seem to end up needing to cart around.
If you're thinking about a sprung seatpost, watch someone in front of you on one. They appear to expend an awful lot of energy moving their body up and down.
Last edited by: bathtub tom on Mon 16 Jun 14 at 14:18
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>>If you're thinking about a sprung seatpost, watch someone in front of you on one. They appear to expend an awful lot of energy moving their body up and down.
mine doesn't, maybe that's because of the weight holding it down in the first place!
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The Boardman Hybrid Comp 2014 thing looks more appealing to me. Certainly lighter, although not sure whether you'd be able to attach mudguards or carriers to it - worth asking a Q, I'd think.
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>> The Boardman Hybrid Comp 2014 thing looks more appealing to me.
Any reason other than weight? Is it because more expensive must equal better?
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>>Any reason other than weight? Is it because more expensive must equal better?
I am usually a cheapskate but I definitely found that the dearer the bike the better and it usually boils down to weight, type of metals and make of gears and components.
Of course there will come a point whereby any gains to be made by spending more will be irrelevant in your particular needs. Its finding that point though!
Remember some will charge extra for pedals!
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It (the Boardman) looks built for speed in a comfortable way, which is what I'd want on the days when I just wanted to get home and get off. I noticed later there are some cheaper derivatives of the same design, some with rim brakes rather than discs.
I don't fancy the Subway much more than the Crossfire; it looks like a £250 bike that's been priced at £400 for a bit to generate the impression of a bargain when it's reduced to its true price.
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Any thoughts on the VooDoo HooDoo wotsit, WdB?
I've really no idea about this stuff.
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I'm no expert - I've just done some bike shopping recently. 13.7kg, that one, so it's going to feel heavy. Same hydraulic discs as the £500+ Saracen, though.
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Just looking at the Halfords website, I see that the tyres are 700x45c; these are fat tyres for riding on roads.
A couple of years ago, I bought a Specialised Crosstrail with 700x45c tyres and as I was being plagued by punctures - and I was mostly on roads, I changed them for 35c Schwalbe Marathon Pluses. I haven't had a puncture since, and the bike is easier to pedal.
I always use my old Dawes Easystreet on roads and, even the small change from 35c to 28c MP tyres made the bike noticeably easier to pedal.
Oh, and if you haven't already got one, get yourself a decent stirrup pump!
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Assuming you're a basic rate taxpayer you might want to look carefully at exactly what you save by going the C2W route. Although it's sold as you buying a bike you're only leasing it and it's no longer possible to get away with paying a 'month 13' instalment to take ownership. HMRC now prescribe the what you pay as a declining %age of original purchase price - until year 3 it's quite a bit.
There are ways round this which will be in small print of the employers scheme but it can be complicated if you leave the firm while they still own the bike.
Worth looking round the bike shops for 'last years model' or other end of range deals. If these are available on C2W fair enough but if not they may be better value than full retail on C2W.
If I was looking for a bike in the price range/function you describe I'd start with the Dawes Discovery range.
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>> Assuming you're a basic rate taxpayer
I'm not. Does this make a differnce?
Although it's sold as you buying a bike
>> you're only leasing it and it's no longer possible to get away with paying a
>> 'month 13' instalment to take ownership.
Oh. I think I'd better take a closer look. I assumed it was just a way of buying a bike on interest free trickle payments.
Thanks.
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>> >> Assuming you're a basic rate taxpayer
>>
>> I'm not. Does this make a differnce?
Higher rate taxpayers do better as they're saving 40p/£ rather than 20.
>> Oh. I think I'd better take a closer look. I assumed it was just a
>> way of buying a bike on interest free trickle payments.
>>
>> Thanks.
This publication from DfT explains the basics:
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11305/cycle-to-work-guidance.pdf
There's a page on the CTC website as well:
www.ctc.org.uk/article/cycling-guide/cycle-to-work-schemes-%E2%80%93-save-money-on-buying-bike-and-gear
It works fine for most people but you need to be aware of the possible pitfalls particularly if you might part company with employer during the hire period.
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Given your criteria, I'd go for the Subway. Good basic bike. Forget anything with suspension under £500. The forks will be dreadful. Discs make a huge difference in the wet. Well worth having unless you are planning to road race in which case you might be concerned about the ( marginal ) extra weight.
If in the future, you did get into getting down and dirty you could easily put some beefier tyres on it and it'd be fine.
You only 'need' suspension if you are thinking of getting airborne on any kind of regular basis. I lock mine off in all but the most extreme conditions. You waste a lot of energy pushing against the resistance of sprung forks and indeed their extra weight. Most would do far better without them and like cheap shoes, budget forks are always a disappointment.
Welcome to the dark side by the way!
You do know that you will end up spending your children's inheritance in due course now though don't you? Bikes tend to convince you that 'if only you had that slightly better one' on a fairly regular basis...
;-)
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Mon 16 Jun 14 at 15:29
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I've been an occasional cyclerist for ever, RDH. It's just that my current bike must be 20 years old or so and needs a load of fixing. I intended to take it to the Reading Bicycle Kitchen I mentioned the other day, but then the C2W idea struck me, and my company is running one for 6 weeks starting from now.
But after Bromp's post on the subject, I've looked at the scheme more deeply and it seems bizarrely complex, almost deliberately so to put people off, and speaks of tax liabilities and consequences. So it's a no from me, I can't stand this sort of thing. Just offer a simple way of buying a bike for God's sake. I don't want to be tied in to leases and have to think about what tax liabilities I may have in 2 years time and if I'll want to buy the bike then and for how much after paying lease charges for ages and on and on and on and on.........
So I think I'll go back to the plan of fixing up the old boneshaker, or buy a cheapie from Decathlon myself.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 16 Jun 14 at 21:30
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Often the best way is fettling an old one. New cables, brake blocks, tyres and a proper lube can transform an old clunker.
Just wish I was more disciplined to follow my own advice...
Edit - I currently 'need' an Orange 5 Pro.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Mon 16 Jun 14 at 15:59
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When I looked at bikes in decathlon their brakes and brake levers were opposite to what I am used to ie their left brake lever was front wheel.
I am sure you would get used to it eventually......
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When I bought my little girl her first bike (Decathlon) the brakes were the wrong way round like that. But the new one she got last Christmas and both the boys bikes I've bought from there have had the brakes the right way round.
Is this another UK/Europe variation like LHD and RHD in cars? Have Decathlon cottoned on and now supply bikes in UK format here?
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>> Is this another UK/Europe variation like LHD and RHD in cars? Have Decathlon cottoned on
>> and now supply bikes in UK format here?
Yes, it's to do with which side of road we drive on. I cannot recall exactly the rationale but it's to do with signalling either a nearside or offside turn and braking at same time.
I couldn't tell you which hand operates which brake although it must be ingrained in my subconscious as I never skid the rear.
IIRC it's now a legal requirement for bikes sold in UK to be set up UK fashion but there's nothing to stop you changing over if you're more comfortable riding left hooker fashion.
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>> as I never skid the rear.
Dearie me ! You really must try harder Bromp !
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>>
>> Yes, it's to do with which side of road we drive on. I cannot recall
>> exactly the rationale but it's to do with signalling either a nearside or offside turn
>> and braking at same time.
>>
>>
My bikes are always set up with the front brake on the left (I've just got back into cycling) and when my new steed arrived from Wiggle the first thing I did was to swap the cables round. Brakes are made to have the front lever operate the left if you look at the smoother cable run that gives.
Re disc brakes, they are the way forward and will become standard fitting on road bikes once the UCI get off their backsides and allow them to be used for racing. The big advantage, apart from superior performance is that rims will then have a almost infinite life Anyone riding all year round and doing a decent mileage is now stuck with replacing worn out rims because the braking surfaces have gone below the minimum safe limit - and a few who have ignored that have paid with a spectacular blow out after the paper thin rim has given up trying to contain a tyre with 120psi in it.
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Front brake is only for doing stoppy turns anyway !
:-)
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I hired a Speshy on 'Fortytinsoftuna' ( thank you for that Bobby ) a few years ago and took it up a few hills. It had the continental convention of the brakes being 'the wrong way round'.
After a couple of 'moments' on the loose stuff it did sort become normal but, like eating cakes for breakfast, it never really felt right.
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"'Fortytinsoftuna"
You must have some memory!
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Only for trivia sadly ! But I've stolen that one I'll admit.
;-)
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Ha ha and while I was typing that I got an email notification from Clark's of their 50% off sale.....!
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" I've looked at the scheme more deeply and it seems bizarrely complex,"
This was the conclusion we came to when my daughter was buying an electric bike to go to work on. In the end, we ignored the scheme, paid the cash, and got on with life.
As you say, it seemed to be designed to put people off - though I think it was possibly better in the early days when the scheme was first introduced.
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>> But after Bromp's post on the subject, I've looked at the scheme more deeply and
>> it seems bizarrely complex, almost deliberately so to put people off, and speaks of tax
>> liabilities and consequences.
The original concept was reasonably straightforward until HMRC got edgy over whether sale at end of lease was at 'market value'. TBH if price was a thirteenth instalment it transparently was not and the employee was getting a benefit in kind.
Now that could have been dealt with by a concession. Instead, some Inspectors started asking for a valuation from a bike shop until consistency was created via the departments Benefits in Kind Working group and the valuation table linked form the guidance mentioned above. That introduced another layer of complexity.
Cynics in Whitehall saw the whole thing as a tanks/lawn dispute where Treasury were ensuring any other dept's incursion into tax issues was made as difficult as possible.
The neatest way round is for the employer to gift the bike to the employee declaring it on the P11D (?) form and letting the employee pay the tax on the BIK. Few employers will do that though. We tried hard to get our sponsor (Justice) to do it but it was a head/bang/wall issue to even get them to look at idea.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Tue 17 Jun 14 at 12:14
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>> cheap shoes, budget forks are always a disappointment.
While I might demur on the subject of cheap shoes, I can only agree on the hopelessness of budget front suspension. I had a brief ride a while back on a rough and cheap old trail bike fitted with a sort of bolt-on Chinese 50cc 2-stroke down in the frame, with a long extra chain... the engine was very noisy and when running the whole device was absolutely terrifying even on a tarmac road.
Same motor with a better silencer might be good on one of those big old Swedish army bikes though.
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My unscientific research showed that there were a helluva lot more cyclists this morning commuting into Glasgow.
Its amazing what changes in behavior a day of sunshine can do!
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What a day I have had today. Since I started commuting to work this year, my gears have been slipping when in top gear and really pushing it. However it has steadily got worse that it was slipping with just gentle pedalling so took it into my local guy today.
He advised that the gears weren't lined up properly which won't have helped the problem so has corrected that. However he used a tool to show me the chain was stretched almost to its limit and said if that didn't work then I would probably be looking at a new chain and a new rear sprocket gear thingy! He charged me a tenner but said if it needed the chain and sprocket we would be talking about £80.
Took my bike back to work and when chaining it up I noticed that the rear rim was split in two places where it looked like spokes were pulling through. I phoned the guy and he said that he had meant to say that to me but got distracted by other customers coming into the shop (to be fair I was as well because it transpired the combined cost of the two bikes was close to £8k ! So back to him for a new rear wheel to be supplied and fitted - £50 in total.
Then on my cycle home tonight you guessed it, gears still slipping and slipping worse than they have ever been.
Now I had cleaned my bike on Tues night and know that the rim was definitely not split then but I do know that I struggled to get the brakes lined up properly due to the wheel having a buckle. I am just going to put this down to bad luck (and maybe good luck that I spotted it when I did). The guy is renowned in Glasgow, has been in business for years, and folk trust him with bikes worth far more than mine!
So it now looks like I am facing an £80 bill -ironically I had worked out that my commuting by bike had so far saved me about £120 in fuel so that looks like its all going to be gone.
Hopefully this will resolve the gears once and for all!
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The sprockets are worn and a new chain will slip even more with a cassette that's past it's best. About fifteen quid for a new one, same again for a lock ring tool and chain whip (To hold the sprockets still while you undo the lock ring) and ten minutes of your time.
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Robin, are you saying I wouldn't need a new chain? Is the £15 for a chain, sprocket or cassette?
Can you tell that I am not great with bikes......
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No, you would need a new chain too. Don't worry about it though, you could buy several with the money you haven't spent on shoes...
;-)
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>> Robin, are you saying I wouldn't need a new chain? Is the £15 for a
>> chain, sprocket or cassette?
>>
>> Can you tell that I am not great with bikes......
>>
New chain £10-12, cassette £15 max, tools to fit both probably less than twenty, so under fifty quid for the lot online and loads of Youtube videos showing you how it all comes apart and goes together again, including splitting the chain.
And the tools are for life, so next time you need to replace the parts you can knock the cost of those off.
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I've just done a similar job
Gear shift lever £7
Chain £5
Chain link splitter £4
6 speed freewheel £4
Rear Derailleur £10
Chain whip £3
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Need to laearn to DIY this - when I was 60 mile a week cycle commuting I put a new chain on every 6 months, and a new block at every other change(*).... costs will soon add up at £80 a time!!
* although if you have a cassette type frewheel it should be possible just to change the top one or two sprockets as those are the ones that wear fast.
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The Advertising Standards Authority has reversed its ruling about adverts showing helmetless cylists.
www.ctc.org.uk/news/asa-overturns-finding-cycling-scotland-ad-thanks-ctcs-evidence
Looks like a victory for common sense.
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I sometimes wear a helmet if I'm tackling something really tricky off road on the MTB ( and only then because some MTB centres require it in their more extreme sections ) but most of the time I don't. I couldn't begin to count the number of times I have involuntarily dismounted in my life. Certainly hundreds and often in fairly inhospitable conditions but I've never yet managed to land on my head. It's just not the way you tend to fall off a bike. Arms, legs, knees and backsides tend take the impact before anything else.
The head heat build up at this time of year when pushing on while wearing a helmet is unbearable anyway. Sweat runs into your eyes impairing vision and for whatever reason you definitely can't hear as well with a helmet on. Particularly sounds which are behind you. Like motor vehicles for instance...
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I always wear a helmet - my brother's life was saved by his in an accident.
That aside, as all my cycling is basically on road, right next to a right angle stone kerb, I reckon that it makes sense to wear. But I can fully understand those who don't.
I cannot, however, every understand a cyclist who wears head to toe black or dark colours on the road.
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Living in t'Dales, it's Tour mania in these parts. The world seems to have gone mad. Many thousands of spectators expected, campsites full, all day entertainment, roads closed, you can't move in these parts for yellow bikes.
Anyone planning on watching it happen? Lots of my friends are making a full day of it, parking up on the tops then a two mile walk to spectate somewhere in Wharfedale.
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If we can get in, then apparently we plan to see the start in Cambridge on July 7th. But all the roads are closed for 24 hours, to much local moaning; my employer, however, has given everyone the day off, with the proviso that if you can get in and want to, then you get another day off at some point of your choice instead. That's only going to be people in walking distance though - can't even cycle in. We're also having French Gendarmes patrolling (minus their guns, they say) so that will be fun.
All cars and bikes left in certain streets (most of them) are going to be removed/towed if still there the day before. I assume they have legal powers to do that, although there's absolutely no mention in the warnings where they are taking them or how you get them back.
We MIGHT be able to get a bus somewhere near, although not sure where they are going to be able to run to either. The poor little town is expecting "hundreds of thousands", which seems a bit extreme, so it will be interesting. Chances of actually seeing a bloke on a bike for three seconds seems low, but hey, what do I know.
I'm not a grinch, but it really does seem a lot of disruption for a bike race, especially as we are lead to believe the French don't go to such extremes in their little towns, just closing the road a bit before and after, not 24 hours.
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If it's just the caravan, peloton and support whisking through French towns get the roads open again pretty quickly but still 3 hrs or so on actual route.
At Start/Finish sites closures will be 24hrs or more - it's not just the race infrastructure that needs to be in place but all the accommodation for broadcasters, commercial hangers on etc etc. On a mountain stage where the race is spread out you'd need to set aside at least a whole day if you want to be at roadside. Parking space is all taken up the afternoon before and after race has passed you won't get off until nightfall.
Other difference is that race is in France every year for at least two and a half weeks so spectators have more opportunity to see it.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Thu 26 Jun 14 at 10:37
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So normally when we are off road I have a backpack with waterproofs and a few other bits of warm gear in case the weather takes a turn.
Today though it was clear blue skies and warm when we parked up at the forest car park.
Don't need to bother with the backpack today says I. ( just as well really as I'd forgotten to bring it )
Well, an hour or two later, we were a good few miles from the car in a remote part of the forest when the sky darkened, thunder clapped ominously, the first few drops were dismissed nonchalantly as a "passing shower, nothing to worry about" and then it happened.
Full scale thunderstorm. Fire hose strength rain. Trails turned to mud baths. Still 7 miles back to the car.
Anyway, we made it back safely but wetter than wet and absolutely filthy. This is not a good thing when your car has a beige interior.
We all decided to strip off to our underwear as we were thoroughly soaked and sucked hungrily on hot soup from our flasks while sitting on the tailgate of the Merc sheltering from the continuing rain. This didn't especially attract any undue attention as others were having to discard their soaked clothing for the same reasons.
It did though feel a bit strange loading the bikes back onto the roof wearing only my wet skiddies and trainers.
However, on the journey home, we got a bit stuck in traffic from time to time and it took a while for the penny to drop as to why we were attracting quite a few double takes from those we were passing through the wee villages. I suppose the sight of a family in a large estate car driving through your village while apparently naked might disquiet your Sunday afternoon.
Took a while to clean the car too.
Ah well, lesson learned.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Sun 6 Jul 14 at 18:52
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Well I have had one of those days where I have sat about for 7 hours trying to decide what to do today...
Last night I had planned a good cycle run for today, reckoned maybe 50 or 60 miles, route had flexibility so that I could do more or less depending on how the day was going.
My plan fell to pieces when
a. I never woke till 10.45 when I had planned on leaving about 8am
b. I realised I would need to walk the dog before I went out
c. Whilst out with dog I got absolutely drenched in rain which sounded very much like yours!
By the time I had got back, the rain abated, and then it became obvious that it was going to turn out to be a really nice day I couldn't get myself motivated to go for a 30 or so mile cycle because deep down I had hoped to do 50-60 today and nothing else was going to hit the mark.
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Best have a beer instead Bobby. You can't rush these things.
;-)
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Warm and sunny down here, after only six weeks back on the bike the road cyclists badge of honour, the sharp tan lines, are clearly evident.
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There's a lovely boy, nothing like a pair of evenly tanned, well shaved legs cheekily draped over a flimsy bike.
Just that I normally prefer to see them on women...
We looked like we had been bog snorkelling on the other hand. Men's biking y'see...
;-))
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Man up Runfer and get a road bike. You should have outgrown the urge to play in the mud years ago.
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The only road bike I'd consider would be one with an engine.
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It's pretty unlikely anyone will be interested in this, but just in case -
You may know the Tour de France had a start in Cambridge a day or two ago, to much local hoorah. When it came to it, ITV showed the bikes starting to roll, they turned right after thirty seconds - and ITV went to commercial break. When they came back, they were already leaving Cambridge, so the world saw nothing of the ride through town.
This did Not Go Down Well locally, and there was some to do about it on social media and so forth.
Anyway, here is newly uploaded Youtube video (a trifle over-long in my view, but anyway) which shows the bits they COULD have shown us, interspersed with archive footage etc..
Don't judge too hard - lot of student input so not professional film makers.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=McBAucio_zM&feature=youtu.be
Last edited by: Crankcase on Wed 9 Jul 14 at 15:38
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British starts do us no good.
Cavendish crashes out on stage one, Froome crashes out today in an exceptionally cruel stage.
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Does the ITV broadcast actually appear abroad?
I would expect that the continuous video feed is taken by the national broadcasters - sound added, and adverts inserted to suit their schedules.
Hence johnny foreigner may well have seen a true representation of modern England as the cyclists sped through the centre of Cambridge
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>> Does the ITV broadcast actually appear abroad
TV coverage seemed to be same as usual with ITV taking the French TV pictures and adding their own presentation and commentary. If you watched the captions they were in French. Leeds town hall became a hotel de ville and later we saw the 'Viaduc d'Arthington'.
The full route is usually on the tdf website but like most French sites it not easy to navigate.
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Don't worry, the 'sheep' will soon get over it and their bikes will moulder in their sheds for eternity.
I was 'snagged' by a builder's type van this morning. Took a piece of my shirt as they passed. I expect they thought as I didn't pay road tax (sic) I shouldn't be there. I wonder which part of the VED I pay on my two cars I should re-claim when I'm on my bike?
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>> I was 'snagged' by a builder's type van this morning. Took a piece of my
>> shirt as they passed. I expect they thought as I didn't pay road tax (sic)
>> I shouldn't be there. I wonder which part of the VED I pay on my
>> two cars I should re-claim when I'm on my bike?
If your bike was liable for VED you still wouldn't pay any based on its carbon emissions.
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Living in the Dales it has been a huge thing in these parts. Some particularly funny pronunciations. Two of my police officer friends were on duty on both stages and In conversation I mentioned it was a shame that the advert break gap opened whilst the riders went through Keighley, a place where I lived for 15 years. Ho ho they chortled. Apparently some wag wanted to show support for a rider called Contadour, but confused the first vowel then ran out of space on the road for the remaining letters. Thus was spotted by the 'caravan' preceding the race hence the advertising break. Other pieces of 'road art' in Keighley also failed to be screened as the riders passed through the town.
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Coming home today, normal town roads - two cyclists coming the other way, side by side with a whole line of traffic behind them.
Why why why?
If they think by being in single line, cars may force themselves past, are they therefore stating that they never go out on a ride on their own cos its too dangerous?
Folk like that give us other cyclists a bad name.
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Why why why?
Pretty normal behaviour round here!
But I suppose that is better than finding yourself stuck behind a a Sunday morning peloton, all kitted out in matching lycra pretending they are doing the TdF. (including riding thro red lights).
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Living in the Surrey Hills we have been inundated with cyclists since the Olympics, but the thing that really annoys me about them is their habit of shouting to each other as they cycle down our otherwise quiet road. Most anti-social. And I bet they wouldn't like it if I turned up outside their house and shouted at the top of my voice!
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Yes, packs of lycrists can be an inconsiderate pest - in a way, incidentally, they seldom are in France. There, for example, I've never had the front riders of a group see my car approaching their side road and emerge from it anyway, leading the whole pack into my path and forcing me to stop or spend the rest of the weekend picking Lycra out of my grille.
I think it's the same mentality that afflicts the swarm-of-wasps midlife motorcyclists that can spoil a great road (the A40 in mid-Wales for example) by assuming that their wish to be (a) together holding hands and (b) in front of me trumps all other considerations.
I don't ride a motorbike (don't have the paunch to fill the leathers) but I do use the roads on a bicycle. It's not hard to make progress without getting unduly in anyone's way and I wish the lycrists would take note.
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>> It's not hard to make progress without getting unduly in anyone's way and I wish the lycrists would take note.
No, it's not. But I wonder if WDB has noticed that many road users of all categories actually prefer to get in people's way, just so that their presence on the road is acknowledged by their victims' responses. Even pedestrians will slow down when crossing a road to obstruct traffic. Something to do with self-importance or its opposite, a feeling of insignificance.
Driving has given me a very jaundiced view of human nature.
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>> I don't ride a motorbike (don't have the paunch to fill the leathers)...
>>
It's a well known fact bike leathers shrink over winter when stored similarly light makes you fat, particularly the fridge door light :-O
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You can love your bike too much - CGNorwich
