Forum Replies Created
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Cycliq are best; light/camera
Cycliq are best; light/camera combo, loop recording, easy to mount/remove and shift between bikes. Used to have a Drift camera helmet mounted but it died (wasn’t that old); couldn’t find a decent replacement so went for a Fly 12. GoPro best for recording fun things; they don’t last long enough running continuously and you have to keep clearing the memory.
The A&S website does ask that
The A&S website does ask that; if you say it’s not correct you can’t continue with the submission. I said it was correct but then said, in a free text box, that I accepted it wasn’t in but that the driving was so bad that I felt it should be submitted. Thought they’d just refuse to accept it because of the incorrect timestamps, which are now correct.
Hope you recover quick. I
Hope you recover quick. I always think that sub 5 deg everything doesn’t work the same way; rubber gets cold and hard, and the roads get that greasy feel. I’ve got some Conti Top Contact Winter II 32mm on a hybrid; fatter tyres on a slower bike which makes work harder and appreciate the road bike when it emerges again!
There’s a book called France
There’s a book called France en Velo which does a route from St Malo to Nice. I spend 2 weeks in France in the summer and if you avoid A roads everything else is a total pleasure. Don’t discount even the most basic roads as often the road surface is way better than a UK A road. Cycle paths (Eurovelo routes) are good as well.
I have very positive experiences with Schwalbe Marathon Plus, but not in your circumstances. I’ve used them in all weathers except actual snow, but for a shorter, flatter commute, and in London, where roads are busier and temperatures higher, so ice is less often an issue, and isolation even less so. In my experience (in a 35c size) they have been absolutely bombproof. I got over 5 years (commuting c.50km/week) out of my first set, and only one puncture in that time (and that was a nail which went in one side of the tyre and out the other!) I never had a problem with grip, but they are heavy and no doubt very ‘dead’ feeling – didn’t bother me as I’ve never known anything different on that bike (a steel Genesis Day One). I think they also come in a studded version.Was a fan of these for many years but found them a bit skittish in the wet, especially if it was cold, and had 2 nasty commuting wipe-outs (pretty banged up in both cases). Rubber compound is hard (would be, given the puncture resistance); I just felt they lacked grip in the wet/cold. They also weigh a ton. Shifted to Marathon Supremes which are folding, much lighter and (supposed) good puncture protection; expensive though. Bit early to report on grip/puncture protection but the bike does feel livelier. I’ve still got the M Plus tyres and would shift back to them if I was touring, less fixated with speed/grip and wanted excellent puncture protection. The M Supremes could well make them redundant though.
Off the shelf Ti or bespoke
Off the shelf Ti or bespoke fitted steel frame?
Continental Top Contact
Continental Top Contact Winter II are pretty good if your down at zero degrees but 700×37 is the smallest they go (expensive though)
Good 2nd hand market for
Good 2nd hand market for Brooks saddles on eBay; could well find something within budget
Had to google this and is was
Had to google this and is was a WTF moment! Reminded me of the occasion when someone walked into a cafe wearing (shorts, jersey and socks) nude colour cycle gear; I think it was some sort of charity thing as god knows who would knowingly purchase kit in nude!
Initially I just had summer
Initially I just had summer kit that I planned to ‘add-to’ (eg leg warmers, arm warmers etc) for winter, thinking that winter specific kit was just a marketing ploy by the manufactures. I did, eventually, pick up some winter kit in sales and kind of ate my words; far more comfortable in a pair of long bib tights and a long sleeved winter jersey, perhaps with a baselayer on cooler days.
Bells are like mudguards;
Bells are like mudguards; sensible bits of kit that some people would rather be seen dead using (for some reason). I’ve got a titchy bell clipped to the side of the shifter hood; never get any grief from pedestrians.
Been some discussion about
Been some discussion about occasional days back in work but all the showers are closed due to CV19 which doesn’t facilitate cycling; sounds like an excuse to sit in lycra all day! From my post-home working cycles the roads seem particulary toxic (traffic volume; general driver attitude) so that’s just not going to help cycling.
I can’t necessarily comment
I can’t necessarily comment on the wheels; I replaced mine with some handbuilt ones.
In these situations I’d see if you can find an independent bike mechanic where you can have an honest discussion about what’s achievable with the budget available; they’d also advise on a strategy to replace components likely to wear out in the medium term. Building up a decent set of components means you can swap them onto a new frame in the future. Much as I will always support LBSs I find there advise is based around flogging you a replacement bike and the latest ‘trends’ (ie disc brakes); I can never have a conversation with a mechanic, hence I found an independent one. Their labour charges sometimes aren’t cheap but I’ve even sourced some components myself and got them to fit them. Invariably when I’ve visited the indy mechanic there are some ‘serious’ high-end bikes in there being worked on so you know you’re in the right place. He still does the ‘bread and butter’ stuff sorting out bikes that have been rotting in a shed over a winter!
Go down their from time to
Go down their from time to time to visit friends; the whole place is a temple to the motor car. Their neighbours make me laugh; there were 7 cars on the driveway last time I was there. Every family member has at least one + extras. It’s the driveways with ‘showroom condition’ Land Rover Defenders parked in them that gets me. They all cane around the roads as well; perhaps not on this day though!
Stumbled across them last
Stumbled across them last year looking for Carradice gear and have now discovered they’re great for spares as well. Their Instagram feeds have the odd pics of hard-core touring cyclists on Thorn bikes in far-flung places. Not the prettiest bikes but obviously bomb proof if you fancy nipping across Mongolia; I also now understand about Rohloffs.
