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I run Marathon Plus on my
I run Marathon Plus on my commuter. The first pair lasted me ~6 years, using them mostly 5 days a week for a central London commute in all weathers. In all that time, I got only one puncture, and that was a nail which went in one side of the tyre and out the other! So I haven’t had to remove them much, but I’m pretty sure I got the replacements (some more Marathon Plus) on by hand. It probably helps both fitting and puncture rate that mine are quite large (35c I think). They are probably a little dull to ride, but fixing punctures on my bike (single speed, rear facing dropouts, mudguard fitted) is a real faff and I only use it for commuting, so I’m happy with the compromise. On my weekend bike I’ve found Grand Prix 4 Seasons pretty good.
In my experience, the Met
In my experience, the Met will let you know if they’re issuing a NIP or taking no further action, but won’t proactively update you any further unless it’s going to court and they need you as a witness. They have however replied to me without demur when I’ve actively asked for the current status / outcome of reports I’ve made. E.g. I sent them a table of multiple reports and they happily gave me status updates on all of them in one go.
I have a 5800 groupset. I
I have a 5800 groupset. I needed new chainrings and, as I’ve managed to rub the the paint off the cranks with overshoes, I looked into changing the whole crankset. My LBS couldn’t get me a 5800 crankset, and told me that swapping it for 7000 would require a new front mech too. If there are compatability issues between 5800 and 7000 then I expect the switch from 5700 to 7000 will be tricky.
Early in lockdown, early in
Early in lockdown, early in the morning on otherwise deserted country lanes, I saw a horse and rider approaching me from a distance. I slowed to a crawl, soft pedalling as I know some are not fans of a noisy freehub. When I was still a good 100 yards away, the horse reared up, so I stopped entirely. The rider dismounted and walked the horse back the way they had come. I gave them some time before carrying on on my way, and realised they had returned to the stables they had only just left, so I never got to talk to them. Like you, I was left wondering if there’s anything I could have done better, so I contacted the stables later that day. Apparently it was the horse’s first ride on the open roads, and the rider clearly didn’t think it was worth continuing after that.
Haven’t done it myself, but I
Haven’t done it myself, but I have seen someone use a standard rear light strapped to the chainstay and pointing at the ground to similar effect – it produced a surprisingly effective and conspicuous red pool of light around his bike, even in a built up streetlit area. Also not done personally, but I’ve often thought a rear light on the offside bar end could help following drivers judge width and therefore passing space better.
Agree with comments that an additional front helmet light can help because you can gently direct it at drivers you suspect may not have seen you at junctions etc.
One other perhaps slightly counter-intuitive suggestion is not using your light on full power by default. I have an Exposure Flash rear light and had been guilty of accidentally / unthinkingly leaving it on the daybright setting at night, until a following rider complained it was too bright. Having since followed others who appear to have done the same, I’d agree the glare is probably unhelpful to those behind.
When I was buying my first
When I was buying my first ‘serious’ bike and actually had a choice of groupset, I found it very difficult to test the options from the various manufacturers, so the choice was ubiquitous Ultegra (a safe bet, same manufacturer as I’d had on my entry level bike, and which was easy to test ride in a shop) or take a risk on something I’d never actually used. In the end I took a punt on SRAM Force and don’t regret it, but I wish it was easier to try the various manufacturers’ offerings when they form such a major part of the user experience. I’ve only used Campag once – Chrous 10 speed on a hire bike in Majorca. It was glorious to look at and to use – loved the mechanical clunk of dropping multiple cogs via the tumbshifter when cresting a hill, and I found the hoods very comfy. But then Shimano Claris would probably feel glorious in Majorca too.
Is that a thing? I thought
Is that a thing? I thought generally the advice was that you need some steerer above the stem clamp. Ok, it doesn’t look that neat having loads of spacers above, but does it make failure more likely?
I’ve just ordered my first
I’ve just ordered my first handbuilt wheels, having finally worn out the Mavics which were supplied on the bike from new. I asked the builder about Hope hubs and the response was very positive (so that’s what I’m having) – well made, durable, serviceable, but will be heavier than the Mavics they’re replacing. I’ve been recommended a 24/28 hole front/rear spoke count for my weight (c.78kg), whereas the Mavics I’ve been riding without incident for 6 years are 19/21 (IIRC). Those are wide, flat bladed spokes though, so presumably the spoke counts are not directly comparable.
I’m really not a confident or
I’m really not a confident or competent mechanic, so I can assure you it wouldn’t be 15 mins for me, even if I had the tools! Anyway, had it assessed by local repair shop and the rims are also past their wear indicator, so I’m now in the market for some new wheels…
Thanks for the helpful
Thanks for the helpful replies. Booked in for a service and I’ve stuck to running in the meantime just in case! Looking forward to getting back in the saddle at the weekend.
I’m coming round to this way
I’m coming round to this way of thinking – my leisure riding is less frequent than I’d like now, but I ride to work at least 4 days a week, so maybe I should upgrade my commuter. That said, there’s a certain satisfaction in having a decent, relatively cheap, low maintenance bike that I can neglect without feeling too guilty (Genesis Day One Disc).
Hunt 4 Season gravel disc,
Hunt 4 Season gravel disc, suitable for tyres 23mm – 50mm, £299?
I have the Mason x Hunt 4 season disc which are a bit lighter and road oriented with fewer spokes, very well reviewed but just out of budget at £329 – https://www.huntbikewheels.com/collections/road-cx-disc-brake-wheels/products/mason-x-hunt-four-season-disc-brake-road-bike-wheelset-tubeless-ready
My experience with the Met is
My experience with the Met is that they won’t proactively update you on the outcome, but will provide an update in response to a request. Agree it’s good to have feedback, as it takes a while to upload 2 x 4 mins of HD footage and I’d rather know whether to bother next time.
“Surely telling them NO just
“Surely telling them NO just once is enough?”
They certainly think once is enough if you say YES… Agree it’s really irritating.
vonhelmet wrote:
The £1,000 limit applies at the employer end, not the scheme end. To lend above £1,000 to an employee for something like this the employer needs a consumer credit licence.Off topic, but the government announced new guidance in June which basically suggested that employees would be able to get more expensive bikes without their employer getting a credit licence (the workaround was that the cycle to work scheme provider could hold the licence instead); but it seems none of the providers have yet implemented it due to some ambiguity in the guidance. It will also depend on your employer – I’ve been pestering mine employer to up the limit, but they’re not obliged to.
