Forum Replies Created
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Generally, anything that
Generally, anything that takes more than 20 minutes to walk is worth cycling, providing as others have said there’s no major faff in getting ready to ride, or parking the bike at the other end.
I seem to remember a Guardian article that looked into the POLITE vests and that the conclusion was that they elicited even closer passes. The only vest that caused a significant increase in passing space was your actual POLICE vest.Apparently your average driver does not like to be taken for a mug and who can blame him/her.
Yep, it was research by Dr Ian Walker – there’ll be a link to it on this site somewhere.
The Polite gillets are popular with horse riders near me.
Given how rare it is to see a bobby I wonder what the risk would be of wearing one that actually said “Police”?
Possibly Komoot will work –
Possibly Komoot will work – very versatile, works well on Android and the web
Free to use in your local area, and usually have good offers available on full subscriptions.
I’d definitely pay for an ad
I’d definitely pay for an ad-free version of the site. Would save me money in the long run because I wouldn’t think “oooh, bargain” and end up buying stuff I don’t need 🙂
I think if you did it so you kept the affiliate links in reviews/best-ofs but got rid of the sidebars it would work. If I’ve read a positive review I’m going to want to check current pricing.
I’d definitely pay for an ad
I’d definitely pay for an ad-free version of the site. Would save me money in the long run because I wouldn’t think “oooh, bargain” and end up buying stuff I don’t need 🙂
I think if you did it so you kept the affiliate links in reviews/best-ofs but got rid of the sidebars it would work. If I’ve read a positive review I’m going to want to check current pricing.
I had Ultegra Di2 and it was
I had Ultegra Di2 and it was faultless and easy to set up. Ran it all winter in ’16/’17 with zero issues.
But, I didn’t need it, and now enjoy the satisfaction of setting up mechanical shifting, replacing cables, etc.
I guess it comes down to time vs money. Cabling and setting up shifting takes time, whereas Di2 is fit and forget.
Gravelkings are fantastic but
Gravelkings are fantastic but a little delicate sidewall-wise (although I think I read there’s a new version that improves that). I ran the Gravelking SK for most of my commuting miles in 2016/17 and only had one issue with a split sidewall. I was running tubes though so it’s less of an issue I’d imagine if you’re running tubeless and low pressures.
Swapping from 650B/47 to 700c/32 will be bone-rattling until you get used to it, although lower tubeless pressures will help. Personally, I’d not be too concerned about the weight of the wheels because the ability to bash over everything the road throws at you will offset it through increased rider comfort.
I recently got these – an absolute bargain at £144 – if you want to stick with 650B. I can’t find weights for them but they ride absolutely fine on tarmac for me and feel fast, even with Senderos on.
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPFSAAB650/fsa-afterburner-650b-6-bolt-wheelset
@stratman – yep, I really
@stratman – yep, I really miss the thinking time. Used to arrive at work with a bunch of ideas or use it for planning out my day’s tasks. And on the way home in the dark (at least where I was riding) it was just me and the bike, great de-pressurisation. Really is awesome for mental health.
That was exactly my commute.
That was exactly my commute. It’s very doable, even for someone like me who is pretty similar to you. Budget two hours each way – if you’ve got the time to spend then it’s completely possible. This time of year though you’re going to be doing most of it in the dark – which I always enjoyed but I had very rural roads or cycle paths to ride on.
However, in my experience I just didn’t have the time to do it – family commitments and the like. I’m guessing it might be different for you just because of the circle of hell that is London’s transport network. If I’d been single without a young son I’d have done it every day. As it was I used to chop it in half by driving 10 miles or so and dumping the car in a random layby. If you have access to a car it’s a really good option – not least because you can vary your starting point according to weather and it stops the route getting too boring.
If you are going to do it budget for dyno lights or an extra set of battery lights (or even two sets). One at home, one at work, one on the bike – by the time you’ve done that you’ll probably find that dyno lighting is cheaper. Keeping lights charged for 3+ hours riding per day is a right chore.
All driving bans to carry a
All driving bans to carry a suspended prison sentence equivalent to the length of the ban. Caught driving whilst banned, banged up to enforce the ban.
Oh and it lived in the shed,
Oh and it lived in the shed, and the gears woke up quicker than I did. Did zero maintenance in two years, utterly reliableRan Di2 Ultegra on my
Ran Di2 Ultegra on my commuter for a couple of years in all weathers (down to -5) with no issues. Battery is fine, I had mine in the external XTR case and I didn’t notice any issues. The bike I had it on had no mudguards and I didn’t experience any issues with the junction box or the mechs. Reliable, easy shifting although the buttons can be a challenge to find with thick gloves, and almost impossible in lobsters (this was 6870, newer levers might be better). Really can’t fault it, but equally can’t fault Tiagra either.These? £144, you’ll just need
These? £144, you’ll just need an inexpensive adapter sleeve to convert the front from 15mm to 12mm
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPFULREDZONE70029/fulcrum-red-zone-700-29-tr-afs-wheelset
Or go 650B so they can do double-duty if you want to get really adventurous on the off-road rubber once winter is over
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPFSAAB650/fsa-afterburner-650b-6-bolt-wheelset
(I own these, they’re mega, and are convertible and future-proof). Once again, just need to sleeve the front down from 15mm to 12mm.
Awavey wrote:
Its interesting so many people have different interpretations of what constitutes ‘mud on the roads’. In East Anglia what you tend to get from now till spring is by field entrances farm vehicles drag big clods of ploughed mud onto the road which slowly get compressed by the weight of their and other passing vehicles into these small mounds, and you’ll be left with lots of these rock hard lumps of mud in your path,the earth is very clay rich in this part of the world,so it dries very solid. on two wheels they are like riding over washboard, easily enough to unbalance you if you catch the wrong angle/speed or were unsigned and invariably you cant pick a safe route and slalom through it because you always hit them just as some idiot in a 4×4 Chelsea tractor close passes you. FWIW I do think it can be a serious hazard for bike riders,its got nothing to do with getting your bike muddyAh, interesting perspective on the problem, thanks. New Forest/Cranborne Chase mud isn’t like that – sandy/chalky soil mostly around here, and hills mean that roads get washed clean naturally after a few
dayshours.Agree with the OP.They are murder for this & also for close passing. If anyone should be giving more room than normal it’s them with the size of their tyres right next to you but for a lot of them it seems too much to ask.
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.
As to the mud on the road, it’s the countryside. Just like you don’t have a bike wash available when you come off the trail, they don’t have tractor washes in every field. Dealing with mud and run-off from fields is the downside of living in the countryside and all those other benefits you get. Same with thorns and rubbish from hedge cutting and, in my case, coming round a corner on a descent to find the road full of pigs. Or getting covered in cow shit. Or being chased by cows. Or having deer appear from nowhere.
If you live somewhere rural you make adjustments for local conditions. I’ve never encountered an issue with mud on the road in years of cycling in and around the New Forest. Diesel spills, now that’s another matter…
