Forum Replies Created
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Replies
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Handbuilt every time – Give David a call at DCR Wheels.
Dura-ace hubs and Mavic CXP Pro rims; everythings serviceable/replaceable (normal spokes if you’re in some far-flung place with your bike) and you can have it all tuned to your riding style and weight.
For me it’s based on risk of
For me it’s based on risk of the bike being nicked and how much I’m prepared to tolerate. For my utility/commuting bike that I’d leave in a city centre, station etc (all day) it’s a silver grade D lock (£30) through the seat stays, a secondary cable lock through the frame/front wheel (£30), a thin wire strop (£10) from the saddle through the helmet vents (onto D lock) and a cafe combo lock (£10) for very short stops, or if the bike is in sight. I also have a pinhead wheel lock on the front wheel in case I haven’t got a strong point to secure the wheel to. It’s a pretty old bike, but has some good (upgraded) components on it so I’d rather not have the nausea of having to replace it.
For the road bike (which I wouldn’t risk in the same way as the utility bike) it’s just a cafe lock (£10) and I have occasionally squeezed a mini D lock (£40) between the seat pack and saddle if I’m perhaps leaving it out of sight in a higher risk area.
My utility bike locking routine does attract some odd looks but, having read some of the other comments here, I’m with like-minded people!
If mine get that point I
If mine get that point I usually get the random ‘unexplained’ (ie no visible thorn or glass, for example) puncture, which I hate, and they get binned. I usually buy a few at a time when there’s a web deal on so I’m not spending too much. That said, they seem to last longer than a few years ago.
Suppose it’s the same as one
Suppose it’s the same as one day races eg Paris Roubaix; there’s just a trophy but no special jersey. Probably best that only the reigning world and national champions (in that event) gets to display their rainbow hoops/national colours at other races, or else it could get out of hand eg reigning TdF champion gets to sport a yellow jersey at other events. Road cycling was based around national teams years ago so a bit of a ‘legacy’ from that era.
I think it’s down to ‘what
I think it’s down to ‘what presses your buttons’, what negative aspects you’re prepared to tolerate and what your cycling aims are. I do enough pretty dull commuting riding during the week that weekends need to be fun and social, which often involves lunch (with beer) half way round. I’ve never joined a club, although I know some around me that definitely wouldn’t suit. My wife has a good term for the ultra-serious club peloton, ‘aggresively roadie’.
You can ‘lump’ cycling
You can ‘lump’ cycling without lights/reflectors in with ignoring red lights, cycling up one-way streets etc. It’s not really ‘helping the cause’ when (some) motorists are anti-cycling and looking for any reason to point the finger.
This made me think about my
This made me think about my change in behaviour at zebra crossings. For years I used to cross and assume that cars had seen me (when traffic was light). After some ‘close calls’ I’ve started waiting until cars slow, or stop, before I cross. People just don’t pay attention and then look at you accusingly when they’ve had to stop in a hurry.
Wow, this is a good ‘interweb
Wow, this is a good ‘interweb squabble’!
Turn up to any average Sportive and you realise cyclists are a pretty ‘broad’ spectrum; some of which aren’t going to get on with each other. I reckon just observe and let your legs do the talking.
Haven’t got any experience of
Haven’t got any experience of these tyres but I always think there’s a theme to threads re skittish tyres in the wet; high puncture resistance. Maybe it’s just one of those things that ‘comes with the territory’.When I got back into road
When I got back into road cycling a few years ago I was a bit dismissive of winter specific clothes (just manufacturers trying to get me to spend more money) and just tried to layer on top of my summer gear (tights, gilet, rain jacket), but did feel a bit hot and overdressed. I have renaged and now have some winter gear (long bib shorts, base layer, winter long sleeved jersey) and I have to admit they work well in the colder months; enough to keep the cold out and not get too sweaty. Hands and feet are things I don’t compromise on, so decent gloves and overshoes. I try to avoid the rain jacket unless it’s actually raining as, despite claims of fantastic breathability my manufactuers, they make you ‘cook’. I do tend to push it more commuting, so heat management can be hard to guage. It’s amazing what you can stuff into pockets when you try!
All the police need to do is mount a camera on the side of a road going into city/town and record people using phones, record no Insurance, vehicle tax,mot etc. Stop them a few hundred yards down the road and issue points and fines.I see loads of folk who should be caught.
What happened to good old fashioned random police checks? I got pulled over in the US for being slightly over the speed limit; I wasn’t going to complain with 2 armed Georgia cops walking towards me. Scrutinised my Brit licence and told me my speeding points had expired (which was correct) and that I needed to get my licence updated. I’d have passed out if a UK cop had gone to that level of detail. Mind you, I did some time in Zimbabwe; you grin like a Cheshire cat when a bloke with an AK47 peers through your window!
Good old UK; don’t upset the motorists.
Schwalbe Marathon Plus (32mm)
Schwalbe Marathon Plus (32mm). I just did some touring last weekend on a hybrid loaded up with panniers etc; all manner of road surfaces and some tow path/off-road/gravel as well – reassuringly ‘bombproof’. If I swapped that bike for a tourer or gravel bike with mudguards, pannier etc, reckon I’d stick with them. Even using them on winter muddy lanes and glass infested city roads for 10 years I’ve only had 2 punctures; one was a failed inner tube seam and the other was a piece of glass that had managed to slowly work its way through the ‘armoured belt’. Kind of ‘blew a hole’ in Schwalbe’s ‘unpuncturable’ claim but I’ll give them 1 in 10 years. Bit heavy, but that comes with the puncture resistant territory. Relative of mine does crazy long distance touring across Europe and Asia; uses one of the Schwalbe Marathon variants.
It never fails to amaze me
It never fails to amaze me how much effort people can put in opposing something; put the energy into something more beneficial. If it’s something that will permanently affect you, fine, but a 1 day cycle event!! Including recruiting QCs! I bet you 99.99% of the residents were ‘no problem, we’ll work around it’. I don’t run but there’s a city half marathon once a year that shuts stacks of roads; I just make a note of the date and plan accordingly. Why do we pander to these vocal minorities in this country? Our Lib Dem MP usually turns up supporting these NIMBYs.
The mentality of Cumrew. I
The mentality of Cumrew. I have relatives living in the countryside and they seem to demand the convenience (ie everything close to hand) of city living, so everything (getting a newspaper, children requirements, etc etc) involves a car journey. The time and mileage they rack up thundering around the lanes is epic; don’t get in the way on a bike. No wonder this lot go into ‘meltdown’ when there’s a short period of road closure. People move to the countryside to ‘get more exercise’; I reckon I get more in a city through walking, cycling etc to achieve what I need to do (as of today I haven’t been in a car for 3 days). I can base that on fact due to visiting relatives.
I have a similar issue; 105
I have a similar issue; 105 calipers on a Genesis Equilibrium. I replaced my wheels (cracked rim) and the new rear wheel brake pads protruded about 1mm above the rim. Advice from the mechanic was just cut (or file) a chamfer on the pad. Seems to work fine and I just keep an eye on it as the pad wears down.
