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My memories of falls are, one
My memories of falls are, one second I was upright, the next I was on the tarmac (or trail). Time to think about it; no chance. Perhaps on a virtually stationary front wheel slip (leaves, ice) or an ‘SPD moment’, but then it’s so benign that the only thing you’re worried about is looking like a bit of a muppet!Get a decent commuter bike
Get a decent commuter bike with ‘bomb proof’ tyres. Learn how to replace (and maintain) the chain, cassette, chain ring and brake blocks (pref have hydraulic brakes), and trips to the LBS will be rare. As someone remarked to me years ago when I was teaching myself, “it really isn’t difficult”, and now there are numerous on-line tuition videos.Agreeing with the phone
Agreeing with the phone supporters here. Garmin’s do look pretty good but I have to say, Strava and Viewranger on an IPhone just ‘does the job’. Strava logs the ride and Viewranger allows you to check where you are and modify your route accordingly. Followed some of the tips on battery saving and haven’t managed to flatten it (yet!). An iPhone on the stem perhaps doesn’t look as sexy as a Garmin but then, so what. I have a host of gadgets at home made redundant by a Smartphone; hence the reluctance to shell out on a Garmin.Winds me up but I’ve taught
Winds me up but I’ve taught myself to ‘rise above it’. Not a red light but stopped at a zebra crossing today as a large group of people were crossing. Another cyclist just slowed down and weaved through them. Felt like giving him a ‘Do you know why people moan about cyclists’ lecture but just let it go.Yet again we pander to a
Yet again we pander to a small vocal minority to the detriment of the greater good. There is a huge graveyard of good things in this country that have been killed off by this sort of behaviour. Haven’t they got something better to do…..perhaps like going for a bike ride 😉I have a Mezzo D9 (9sp) as,
I have a Mezzo D9 (9sp) as, when I bought it, I couldn’t be bothered to wait 3 mths for a Brompton. More ‘bang for your buck’ (£730ish incl mudguards, rack etc that are all extras on the Brompton) than a Brompton and they use standard components so you can upgrade if you wish. The Mezzo does look a bit ‘odd’ but I think it comes from the Whyte bike ‘stable’ which possibly explains things. It did ride better than a Brompton when I tried them out but you do run out of gears on a decent hill (I’m going to change the cassette to get a lower gear). To be honest I thought the Brompton looked a bit ‘cheap’ (for the price) when I was looking at them. Brompton’s are obviously all the rage but I often wonder whether that makes them more susceptable to being nicked. Compared to a normal bike any small wheeled machine is a ‘pig’ to ride but that’s the trade-off for the convenience. Another make is Birdy (similar fold to the Mezzo) which has suspension but they’re +£1000.How about some steel? I have
How about some steel? I have a Genesis Equilibrium 20 (£1300ish) and it genuinely has a ‘springy’ feel to it. Looks great as well and they have just introduced a disc version. All the LBS guys love steel and reckon it’s the best material for bumpy British roads.
My wife has a Domane 2.1 and, after doing some testing, including a carbon Specialized, she said the seat damping system made a real difference.Commute: Cannondale H700
Commute: Cannondale H700 Hybrid
Sportive: Genesis Equilibrium 20
Race: n/aI’m not a Sportive ‘veteran’
I’m not a Sportive ‘veteran’ but the last one I did started and finished at the same place, which I always thought was essential for the timing element. It’s also the attraction of Sportives, unlike the charity rides (eg London to Brighton) that start and finish at different places which leave you with a logistical ‘headache’. All the food (feed stops (incl ‘pills’ for your bottles) and at the finish) at my last Sportive was included apart from a coffee van at one of the feed stops where you had to pay. They did point this out in the instructions. I even had a small (free) glass of wine thrust into my hand at that particular stop!Taking my bike on the plane
Taking my bike on the plane often crosses my mind but it’s experiences like this that often put me off, although I do like having my own ‘kit’ (eg bikes, windsurfers, skis) with me so, if driving isn’t an option, it’s something you have to face up to. Had some friends staying recently who are hooked on cycling in Tenerife. They have a good rapport with a LBS out there who sorts them out with similar spec bikes to the ones they have in the UK. Sports equipment seems to be a money-spinner for Easyjet but got the costs down sking this year by paying for 1 x Sports Equip and taking a double ski bag (a lot of analysing the ambiguous small print!).Argos74 wrote:Yay for disc
Yay for disc brakes and being able to spot lack of opposable thumbs from 20 yards.My commuters got the original Magura hydraulic rim brake (a ‘beast’ of a brake!) on the back and a hydraulic disc on the front (result of a headset replacement and fork upgrade). Saved me in my brakecheck incident.
Just about to take delivery
Just about to take delivery of some Continental GP 4 Seasons. My existing tyres are the cheap Conti Ultra Sports that came with the bike; 1800 miles and 1 puncture. Might just run them on a bit as ‘lucky tyres’!Brakechecking seems to be all
Brakechecking seems to be all over Road.cc at the moment. Happened to me a few weeks ago. Is it the latest anti-cyclist tactic? I know there are a variety of helmet cams out there but I reckon anyone who can invent a small, affordable one with a decent picture that’s specifically aimed at commuters could be onto a real winner. I reckon a lot of people want one but there’s always a hitch; cost, practicality or quality.I’ve got a 2000 Cannondale
I’ve got a 2000 Cannondale Hybrid (upgraded with carbon forks, disc brakes) which I use for commuting/utility but started ‘lusting’ for a CX bike. I run Cyclemeter on my 17.5 mile trip back from work (once/twice a week – take the bike on the train, although sometimes bike both ways in the summer) which involves mostly tarmac cycle paths and very little traffic hold ups. The hybrid (130 logged rides) average (1hr 10m) is only 10 min slower than my steel Genesis road bike (40 logged rides) so I told myself to stop thinking that the CX bike would change my life, especially if it had mudguards, rack and D lock. Seeing the hydrid spends most of its life locked up in town or squeezed into a train’s bike compartment, it seems like the most practical solution.I have a pretty trusty old
I have a pretty trusty old Cannondale Hybrid commuter but if I was starting from scratch again I’d go for the Trek Crossrip (best seller according to my LBS). I particularly like the fact that it’s got disc brakes with additional levers on top of the bars, which means you can stop quickly if you haven’t got your hands in the drops. I had an ‘altercation’ with a car the other day which jammed it’s brakes on right in front of me (on purpose). With flat bars and hydraulic brakes I stopped just in time. Not sure I’d have managed it on my road bike (travelling faster with my hands on the hoods).
