hawkinspeter

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  • in reply to: Rear wheel alignment advice please #921647
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    hawkinspeter

    Any chance of a close up

    Any chance of a close up picture of how the axle is sitting in the dropouts? If you turn the bike upside down and put the wheel in place but don’t tighten the QR, then snap a picture of both sides so we can see the comparative widths. Example picture attached

     

    in reply to: Rear wheel alignment advice please #921621
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    hawkinspeter

    QRs should be done up tight,

    QRs should be done up tight, but they shouldn’t require extreme tension just to keep the wheel in place. It almost sounds like the wheel axle isn’t fitting into the drop outs correctly or that there’s a mis-match with the width of the axle and the bike frame. Some close up pics should give some more info.

    in reply to: Cramp ! Is it my body telling me to ease off a bit ! #921251
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    hawkinspeter
    kil0ran wrote:
    I get night cramps without any obvious trigger. Back in the days of sheets and blankets I always used to untuck the bottom of the bed so I could stick my feet out and stretch when it inevitably hit. I think I’m just predisposed to it, I also get crawling twitches in my calves which aren’t painful but look like they should be – it’s called myokymia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myokymia

    I get that too. I didn’t know it had a name.

    in reply to: Why women don’t cycle? #921311
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    hawkinspeter

    The BBC have picked up on

    The BBC have picked up on this too: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44446958

    in reply to: Cramp ! Is it my body telling me to ease off a bit ! #921241
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    hawkinspeter
    Simon E wrote:
    “the idea that muscle cramps are caused by dehydration and electrolyte depletion has a long history but very little evidence behind it.”

    https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a20802164/a-cure-for-muscle-cramps/

    Also by Alex – http://sweatscience.com/cramping-in-ironman-triathlons-not-dehydration-or-electrolytes/

    Both of those articles mention pickle juice as a cure and link it to the acetic acid triggering TRP receptors in your mouth, throat and stomach. Wasabi would work on those receptors as well, so just take a hit of wasabi every few miles.

    in reply to: Cramp ! Is it my body telling me to ease off a bit ! #921237
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    hawkinspeter
    Welsh boy wrote:
    madcarew wrote:
    You can think of cramp as a kind of overuse syndrome.

    Really? Have you got a link to that research please? I would like to see how overuse causes cramp while laying in bed.

    After a quick internetting, I couldn’t find anything definitive.

    This article gives a brief explanation, but doesn’t address the night-time cramp issue: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-causes-leg-cramps/

    I used to get a lot of cramps a while after cycling (e.g. nighttime cramps) and they were mainly in calves or feet. They seem to be related to how tired my legs are afterwards and very rarely happened when I was actually cycling.

    What works for me is stretching the related muscle when a cramp hits – typically straighten your leg and try to pull your foot upwards so your  toes are pointing up towards your knee. This usually stops the cramp immediately, though it can return if I don’t hold the stretch until the muscles fully relax.

    I’ve just seen that pickle juice can help reduce cramps, so you could try taking a few glugs of that as you cycle: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/09/phys-ed-can-pickle-juice-stop-muscle-cramps/

    in reply to: issues with new stem riser! :( #921265
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    hawkinspeter

    That sounds dangerous. Get a

    That sounds dangerous. Get a bike shop to have a quick look at it.

    in reply to: Why women don’t cycle? #921273
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    hawkinspeter
    srchar wrote:
    The main difference between cycling in Germany/Netherlands and the UK is the quality of cycling infrastructure. That’s really all it boils down to.

    Seconded.

    in reply to: Should you wear a bike helmet? #920725
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    hawkinspeter
    bikeman01 wrote:
    Mungecrundle wrote:
    This last crash was the one that convinced me to NOT wear a helmet for my daily commute. Not because it failed to protect my head, not because I got a neck strain, but because it happened while I was taking risks. After the crash I got checked out by the paramedics and continued. I slowed right down partly because my chance of qualifying was out the window, partly because I had lost a fair bit of skin elsewhere but mostly because I did not want to risk crashing again with a damaged lid. I realised that wearing a helmet causes me to ride in a more aggressive manner, however sub-conscious that may be. Each of my helmet destroying crashes have been self inflicted whilst partaking in risky behaviour.

    For many years I rode a motorbike and I too shared your view that that when I felt ‘safe’ in my leathers and boots I rode more wrecklessly that when I felt vulnerable in Jeans & trainers. 

    However I eventually realised that my safety wasn’t one directional and I couldn’t control others behavour. As such I realised that I could just as easily have an accident even when I drove less wrecklessly.

    As such it was preferable to wear safety gear.

    Seeing that helmets obviously reduce head injuries on impact I’d say it is foolish not to wear one.

    I’m assuming you didn’t bother watching the video about helmets (maybe you watched it and were too stupid to understand it).

    in reply to: Basic forum type stuff #920865
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    hawkinspeter

    [content hidden]

    [content hidden]

    in reply to: How large a rear cassette can my bike take? #921005
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    hawkinspeter

    700c wrote:

    700c wrote:
    Chainstay length also affects. The longer, the more tolerant it is of a wider gear range / small capacity RD. Calculators be dammed, i think you just have to use trial and error!

    I can see how chainstay length might affect the length of the chain, but I don’t see how it affects the drivetrain capacity.

    Why wouldn’t a calculator work? The derailleur has to cope with the different slack in the chain between different gears which is exactly what the drivetrain calculator works out and what the manufacturer specifies that the specific derailleur can cope with.

    in reply to: Should you wear a bike helmet? #920701
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    hawkinspeter
    froze wrote:
    Well I’ve always said buy a helmet based on how much you think your head is worth, if you think your brains are worth nothing then don’t bother spending money on a helmet.  I also use to hear the excuse that a helmet weighed too much to be worn, to which I replied that they’re too weak to ride a bike if they can’t hold a helmet on their head.

    I can’t see the video link for some reason, but I disagree with the assumption you ride safer with your helmet off, most people where I live who ride their bikes like complete idiots and disregard for safety or for any laws on the street with cars aren’t wearing helmets!  Not saying that I’ve never seen helmet riders ride like that, but mostly is the bareheaded boneheads riding like that.  This has been my observation with over 40 years of watching cyclists ride.

    You should stop saying that.

    in reply to: How large a rear cassette can my bike take? #920999
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    hawkinspeter

    Here’s a very useful page wih

    Here’s a very useful page wih info about drivetrain capacity:

    https://guides.wiggle.co.uk/rear-derailleurs-buying-guide

    [difference between tooth numbers on smallest and largest chainring] + [difference between tooth numbers on smallest and largest sprocket on cassette] = drivetrain capacity

    in reply to: Each car in London costs us £8,000 #920917
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    hawkinspeter

    I think I’ve seen that

    I think I’ve seen that document before – the image of the house with the different pollutants looks familiar. It’s telling that they admit that no single department is responsible for indoor pollutants and that the issue doesn’t receive enough attention. I’d guess that it’s still true now (report from 2010).

    in reply to: 3D printed carbon bike for $300? #920883
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    hawkinspeter

    That is interesting. I’m

    That is interesting. I’m sceptical, though until they can produce frames at that price point – talk is cheap (and valuable when you’re looking for investment).

    I’m puzzled about the frame they show as it’s quite a different design and I’m wondering if they’ve had to change the design to accomodate their 3d printing technique. Other bikes enclose the steerer tube, whereas they seem to go to some effort to not enclose it. Maybe it’s easier for them to drill a hole through the frame rather than have fancy 3d shapes, but that raises questions in my head.

    I’m also wondering how they 3d-print carbon fibres – usually 3d-printing uses a homogeneous material.

Viewing 15 replies - 2,791 through 2,805 (of 3,250 total)