How was your cycle commute?

[doddles]

View attachment 43996

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457513004636

Interesting study. Pity it only involved one male rider. Would have been good to see if males/females are passed in a similar way. Also possible that riding style affects these things, so ideally a larger study with more riders would be good.

 

[gentlegreen]

I thought he'd already decided a blonde wig was a good idea ?

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/green-living-blog/2009/sep/11/bike-lanes

 

[gentlegreen]

I'm planning to DIY a number plate, but not sure if my reg will be "ZERO VED" or "YOU TUBE"

 

[gentlegreen]

For anyone with a utilitarian 8 or 9 speed bike.
Chain reaction have 8 speed Shimano cassettes for £7.49 and SRAM chains for £9.89

5 cassettes and 7 chains !

should last me a few years.

It's not like I'm losing out on interest by buying bike spares in advance.

I finally got around to buying a decent pedal spanner - I hope I don't lose it in-between very infrequent pedal changes.
I had to strip down my pedals on the bike a couple of weeks ago.

I'll make a point of writing down the directions of the threads on the handle.

 

[ChrisD]

I have five bikes, none of them cost more than that .......It's more of a buzz when you shoot past someone on a Boardman or whatever too

Is there a word for people (like me) who take pride in NOT spending lots of money on kit etc.?
Decades ago I was converted to that philosophy when climbing in the alps my mate with a crap instamatic camera had much better photos than me with fancy camera - cos I was too scared to take mine out the rucksac when half way up a pitch....

Logic says I ought to have a Brompton but instead I'm on my third bickerton ('cos they're always cheap on ebay). Had the same main bike for 26 years.

 

[gentlegreen]

I could in principle quite reasonably invest in quite a fancy bike since my cycling is about as important as anything else in my life, but I always end up thinking better of it.
For my current usage, the curve has levelled-off.
I just invested £90 in a new back wheel which I'm hoping I'll get 5 years out of.

My priorities are principally safety and reliability and I have that now. My bike is fairly heavy, but I'm even heavier.

Perhaps when I'm retired ... though then I hope to also be investing in boats and surfing / diving kit...

 

[Orang Utan]

I hope you look after your boat better than you look after your house. Haven't you got a hole in your wall?
I don't know much about boats, but I think a hole would be a major operational problem.

 

[gentlegreen]

I got as far as getting my ladder out in the back garden a few weeks ago

 

[steeeve]

One of my pedals has developed an annoying click/knock when I put pressure on it. Assuming its a bearing issue. Easy fix or should I just get new pedals?

 

[gentlegreen]

I recently stripped and greased my pedals and it made a huge difference - and I only paid £10 for mine two years ago.
Assuming they're serviceable you'll need a few basic tools.

Any idea of the make / model ?

 

[steeeve]

They're the basic none clippy metal ones that came with the bike, done daily commute on them for 5 years so probably don't owe me anything. I have a pedal spanner and some basic tools and would probably rate my servicing skills as medium!

 

[Onket]

One of my pedals has developed an annoying click/knock when I put pressure on it. Assuming its a bearing issue. Easy fix or should I just get new pedals?

I have exactly the saem thing. It comes and goes so I've done nothing.

 

[steeeve]

Y

I have exactly the saem thing. It comes and goes so I've done nothing.

Yeah it started like that but is now pretty much every rotation and really annoying

 

[Onket]

Y
Yeah it started like that but is now pretty much every rotation and really annoying

I will probably still do nothing. Unless I can get my brother to fix it.

 

[gentlegreen]

They're the basic none clippy metal ones that came with the bike, done daily commute on them for 5 years so probably don't owe me anything. I have a pedal spanner and some basic tools and would probably rate my servicing skills as medium!

Electricity's the thing I'm happiest around and I get the fear every time I touch anything new in the mechanical line and I was pleasantly surprised - especially since I did them while still attached to the bike.



I did my wheel bearings for the first time this year too.

Main thing is to have a "Plan B" if it doesn't work out.

 

[steeeve]

Electricity's the thing I'm happiest around and I get the fear every time I touch anything new in the mechanical line and I was pleasantly surprised - especially since I did them while still attached to the bike.



I did my wheel bearings for the first time this year too.

Main thing is to have a "Plan B" if it doesn't work out.

Apparently they're Wellgo LU-962 pedals and cost £7.99 so I should just replace or upgrade? Would I notice any difference with better non clip ones?

May have a go at stripping them down if I'm bored at the weekend though

 

[gentlegreen]

If you have grooves in your shoes to match them, I'd stick with what you have.
I bet the bearings are identical.

 

[joustmaster]

For anyone with a utilitarian 8 or 9 speed bike.
Chain reaction have 8 speed Shimano cassettes for £7.49 and SRAM chains for £9.89

5 cassettes and 7 chains !

should last me a few years.

It's not like I'm losing out on interest by buying bike spares in advance.

I finally got around to buying a decent pedal spanner - I hope I don't lose it in-between very infrequent pedal changes.
I had to strip down my pedals on the bike a couple of weeks ago.

I'll make a point of writing down the directions of the threads on the handle.

How often do you change your chain/cassette?
It feels like you get through a new one every 6 months..

mine last years.

 

[gentlegreen]

I've been getting through more than one cassette a year and two or three chains.
Since I now have a pile of new bits, I may try ignoring the chain gauge and run the current setup into the ground.

It's been suggested I have three chains on rotation to get the most out of a cassette.

A lot of my riding is done on fairly rough roads and paths.

It would help if I had a better front mudguard.
And cleaned my transmission properly.

 

[joustmaster]

I've been getting through more than one cassette a year and two or three chains.
Since I now have a pile of new bits, I may try ignoring the chain gauge and run the current setup into the ground.

It's been suggested I have three chains on rotation to get the most out of a cassette.

A lot of my riding is done on fairly rough roads and paths.

It would help if I had a better front mudguard.
And cleaned my transmission properly.

I'm not sure how you get through so many.
We are of the same weight and do a similar amount of miles.
Do you cycle on beaches a lot

 

[Part 2]

Why not fit a rack / panniers ?

That still involves folding up clothes to put in a bag.

 

[gentlegreen]

I'm not sure how you get through so many.
We are of the same weight and do a similar amount of miles.
Do you cycle on beaches a lot

The prevailing geology on my commute is red sandstone and a lot of it ends up on my transmission...... but it could be my chain-cleaning technique

 

[weepiper]

I'm not sure how you get through so many.
We are of the same weight and do a similar amount of miles.
Do you cycle on beaches a lot

He carries shitloads of extra stuff around on his bike though. Probably quite a bit of extra weight.

 

[joustmaster]

He carries shitloads of extra stuff around on his bike though. Probably quite a bit of extra weight.

ah yeah. the metric ton of spares and tools..

 

[gentlegreen]

I've actually thinned it down recently, but there's the spare battery ... and over a litre of water...

I keep meaning to buy a luggage scale to find out just how heavy my bike is.

But I literally commute near exposed geology and through agricultural run-off - the fields are bright red...

 

[Crispy]

Maybe you should consider a chain guard?

 

[gentlegreen]

Maybe you should consider a chain guard?

Something of a challenge on an 8x3 mountain bike...

A full front mudguard would probably help - but I don't like the thought of having anything that close to my tyre...

 

[gentlegreen]

A driver behind me was on the phone in their right hand through two traffic light phases so the car never went into neutral or had the handbrake applied.
I thought it suspicious when they let me out of the side road...
I only realised when I looked at the footage from my rear camera - clear as day.

I may have to fit my camera in a yellow box with a bright flashing LED on it.

 

[Onket]

Nice & mild, no wind.

On the train well before the sunrise though.

 

[Dogsauce]

At least they're prosecuting RLJs fairly:

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co....-who-ran-a-red-escapes-legal-action-1-6262481