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I’ve been out once for a
I’ve been out once for a short local loop since the lockdown and noticed the same. A lot less traffic, but people seem to be driving like nutters or saints, there’s no inbetween.
…and here’s his car on
…and here’s his car on streetview – looks like an accident waiting to happen…
The trouble with these sort
The trouble with these sort of statements is the assertion that if you wear the protective kit, you will be safe. Sure, the more protective kit you wear, perhaps the better your chances, but it’s far from a given. What is a given, is avoiding collisions like this by not driving like a moron.
For routing, I don’t think
For routing, I don’t think there is one platform that does it all. Komoot probably gets closest. But a combination of that along with Ride with GPS, CycleStreets, Google Streetview/Satellite view to check road classification, and crucially, cross-checking against the Strava Heatmap https://www.strava.com/heatmap#11.44/-0.09951/51.52752/hot/allWith that length of commute, you ought to be able to get a bit of variation with a few different route options to keep things fresh.
New job = new bike?
New job = new bike?
Had a good experience with
Had a good experience with https://2gocycling.com in Puerto Pollensa a couple of years ago…
Most tractors are limited to 30mph so overtaking a road cyclist is tricky, particularly on tight country lanes. I tend to pull over and let them past, otherwise you just end up with a tractor plus a huge queue of pissed off drivers behind it.Yep, I pulled over for one of these when I saw it approaching in my mirror the other day. Possibly the most intimidating vehicle I’ve ever seen!
Definitely go for the
Definitely go for the hydraulic brakes. The tiagras have a cooling fin on the pads and as long as they are bled correctly you should have no issues with fading. You could upgrade to vented rotors too in the future (actually I think they might already be vented).
If you are doing long descents and dragging the brakes, it’s best to alternate between dragging the front and then the rear, to allow for some cooling and give your hand a rest. The advantage of hydraulic is they require a lot less effort, so a much reduced risk of hand cramps, which can be a problem on long descents.
I think the main reason tandems sometimes have mechanical drag brakes is because they use a friction thumb or bar end shifter to actuate the brake, and I don’t think you can get a hydraulic version.
She’s used to cycle paths in
She’s used to cycle paths in the UK, where peds bimbling around is par for the course. It’s the cyclist that has to keep their wits about them.Cycling in Denmark is a ‘proper’ form of transport. Walking in a bike path is akin to taking a stroll in the middle of a motorway in the UK.
If it’s a nice retro Mercian,
If it’s a nice retro Mercian, I’d be inclined to keep it as close to original spec as possible.It’s unlikely that you would be able to safely braze on disk brake mounts, as the frame and forks will not have been designed to take the extra load a disk brake puts on the tubes.
I’ve taken a 1980’s Peugeot tandem down the honister pass in the Lake District, had the mafac cantis and drum drag brake. Hairy but doable, even on the steel rims!
If you are getting new tandem spec. wheels anyway, then the new rims will likely have a better braking surface. So the canti’s will perform better, and you can always upgrade to v brakes.
There are good reasons why hub brakes are good as a drag brake. Yes, they are heavier than disks, but they won’t overheat and fade as quickly. They are usually operated on a friction thumb shifter, so you can set-and-forget it on long descents. I’m not sure a hydraulic thumb lever exists? So, you would be looking at cable operated disks, which are less powerful and more faff maintenance wise.
Mafac canti’s and a hub drag
Mafac canti’s and a hub drag brake, is this a Peugeot from the 1980’s?Unless your frame is designed for disk brakes and has mounts, then don’t even try.
Keep the hub drag brake, put it on a friction thumb shifter so you can set it and leave it for long downhills and swap the canti for v-brakes, possibly with a brake booster bridge if your frame is old.
It’s certainly possible it
It’s certainly possible it could be electrical interference, but if it’s happening regularly and with two types of monitor, I would take the above advice and get checked out by the docs in case it is AF.It could be a poor electrical contact with the skin, so try some of this on the electrodes.
not sure what to say.we followed the signs, which inevetiably meant a busy main road. so we tried finding alternative routes where the map indicated it was possible/convenient, with mixed success.
(the more we ignored this map : https://www.heritage-house.co.uk/isleofwightcyclingmaps – the better. arguably, it was worth buying the map to see where not to go)
Yep, I’ve done the round island route on a hybrid and there was a fair number of busy roads. The bit round Blackgang Chine and onto Ventnor in particular.
The military road up from freshwater is at least fairly straight and wide with good visibility. I did do the Yarmouth to freshwater cycle path and the Ventnor to Shanklin cycle path and along the prom to Sandown, which were good (on a hybrid). There were some nice quiet lanes too (late May).
If you want an island ride with less worry about route choice, go for the Isle of Arran in May. Only three roads to worry about, so no route choice dilemmas! Plus traffic comes in bursts (when the ferry drops off). So when some cars approach, just pull over and have a drink and a snack whilst they pass. Then you’ve got the road to yourself for a while again…
Mudguards are a must for
Mudguards are a must for starters.If your commute is through a city and relatively sheltered from the wind, try a poncho type rain cape. Otto London do one that is relatively compact and won’t be a billowy bin bag like the cheap plastic ones you can get.
If your commute is on exposed roads, then I would accept you are going to get wet. Softshell type top and a mid priced hard shell for those really bad days. With quick drying bibs / leg warmers with a water repellent coating (can be sprayed onto existing kit) and overshoes. Keeping a dry set of base layers at work in case they get soaked through.
Depending where you are based, it might not actually rain during your commute that often. If you can be a bit flexible with your start/leave times, you can often wait for a shower to pass before setting off.
I always think of this when I
I always think of this when I see flood water…There are a couple of places on my commute that flood occasionally, so I’ve checked them when dry for drains and manhole covers (also noted the camber on the road and where the highest point is). With this knowledge, I do ride through carefully when it floods.
