The Cycling Chat Thread

[plurker]

Is it April the 1st?

Cyclists in London could be forced to use new bike lanes and banned from other parts of the road, according to Boris Johnson. The mayor is in talks with senior officials at Transport for London about making Cycle Superhighways 'mandatory'. A ban on cyclists using other traffic lanes appeared to suggest the possibility of fines.
The rule is likely to apply only to fully segregated bike lanes where a physical barrier protects cyclists from other traffic.

http://www.itv.com/news/london/2015-06-09/cyclists-who-fail-to-use-dedicated-lanes-could-be-fined/

 

[fen_boy]

This is probably a very stupid question, but new bike is a disc-framed road bike. Obviously normal wheels won't work for being on the road, but would they suffice for the turbo trainer? I.E. will they fit?

I reckon yes, as long as it's not got a thru axle rather than a QR.

 

[weepiper]

I reckon yes, as long as it's not got a thru axle rather than a QR.

^^this. The dropout spacing is the same

 

[ChrisFilter]

Splendid! I knew it was worth holding on to those weird old TT wheels I have in the shed.

Thanks, both.

 

[mod]

Whats a good duration for a 5 mile central London journey? I started cycling to work this week. It took me 27 minutes yesterday and 22.5 this morning. This is going as fast as I can on a very decent road bike. Stopping at lights is a pain and really slows me down but i'm not going to jump them.

 

[Pgd]

Whats a good duration for a 5 mile central London journey? I started cycling to work this week. It took me 27 minutes yesterday and 22.5 this morning. This is going as fast as I can on a very decent road bike. Stopping at lights is a pain and really slows me down but i'm not going to jump them.

5 miles in 22.5 mins is 13.3 mph I think? That's a decent speed for central London I'd have thought. I only average 14 or 15 coming in all the way from Zone 5 (although I daresay you'd be quicker).

yes, there should be a metal cover thingie like in this picture over the bearings. It's not terminal tbh, the cassette lockring will keep most of the crap out. I'd take it to bits and clean it up and pack it with new bearings (a couple of quid) and clean grease though.

I did it! Bought some bearings, grease and cone spanners, took it apart and re-packed. It was fairly straightforward (with help from YouTube). There was no sign of wear on the balls or race so I guess, like you said, it's not a major problem. I know it's a cliche, but with that plus new chain & cassette, DAMN it felt good today So much quieter!

I think I've taken everything apart at least once now, except the bottom bracket and the headset (on a v-brake flat-bar hybrid, anyhow... maybe one day I'll have a go at caliper brakes, bar tape and those weird road-bike vertical brake levers...)

 

[weepiper]

I did it! Bought some bearings, grease and cone spanners, took it apart and re-packed.

 

[Sprocket.]

I know that the popularity of cycling has gone off the scale in the UK lately. But having just returned from Greece where for years the only cyclists were bike hiring tourists, I was amazed at seeing hundreds of locals on the roads.
Many on club runs or chain gang outings. For years I thought cycling around Greece was viewed as the equivalent of witchcraft. Brilliant to see and is making the prospect of a doing a cycle tour more appealing.

 

[weepiper]

It's a beautiful day again so I took my mountain bike up some actual mountains* while the kids are at school





*ok hills

 

[nino_savatte]

Is it April the 1st?

Cyclists in London could be forced to use new bike lanes and banned from other parts of the road, according to Boris Johnson. The mayor is in talks with senior officials at Transport for London about making Cycle Superhighways 'mandatory'. A ban on cyclists using other traffic lanes appeared to suggest the possibility of fines.
The rule is likely to apply only to fully segregated bike lanes where a physical barrier protects cyclists from other traffic.

http://www.itv.com/news/london/2015-06-09/cyclists-who-fail-to-use-dedicated-lanes-could-be-fined/

This from a man who not only hangs his helmet on his handlebars but when he wears it, he does it so badly.

 

[Dogsauce]

Is it April the 1st?

Cyclists in London could be forced to use new bike lanes and banned from other parts of the road, according to Boris Johnson. The mayor is in talks with senior officials at Transport for London about making Cycle Superhighways 'mandatory'. A ban on cyclists using other traffic lanes appeared to suggest the possibility of fines.

They can piss off whth that sort of shit, that's not going to wash with anyone, there will be RTS-style protests. The Superhighway needs to be good enough so that people want to use it, not be forced to. The fact they're even considering this suggests they haven't got confidence in their design.

Also it'll set a precedent for other authorities, and there's no way I'm being forced to ride in the basket case that is Leeds 'Super'highway.

 

[Dogsauce]

Oh, and I bought a shiny bike last night. Not been out for a ride on it yet because I need to watch some youtubes about how modern gears operate (there are levers and buttons and stuff, it looks complicated). Weekend looks rainy too, so I might just sit inside and look at it all weekend. It's very pretty.

 

[weepiper]

Oh, and I bought a shiny bike last night. Not been out for a ride on it yet because I need to watch some youtubes about how modern gears operate (there are levers and buttons and stuff, it looks complicated). Weekend looks rainy too, so I might just sit inside and look at it all weekend. It's very pretty.

pics

 

[Dogsauce]

pics

I will have to take some soon! The rear is very pretty, something the previous owner pointed out.

Really wanted a quick test run up the back lane last night but some fuckhead from the dodgy house at the end of the road was out there having a loud argument with another fuckhead in a car for ages and I really didn't fancy parading it in front of them.

 

[The Boy]

The rear is very pretty...

Really wanted a quick test run up the back lane last night...

Unintended double entendre thread thataway ---------------------->>>>

 

[Sprocket.]

It is a fact that you can never have too many bikes, it's the lack of space that deters

 

[Dogsauce]

It is a fact that you can never have too many bikes, it's the lack of space that deters

It's called 'n+1'.

While the minimum number of bikes one should own is three, the correct number is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned. This equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.​

I have four in the house at the moment, plus my lodger's huge hybrid and one of the girlfriend's. I'm seriously considering keeping my latest one in the bedroom.

 

[Sprocket.]

It's called 'n+1'.

While the minimum number of bikes one should own is three, the correct number is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned. This equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.​

I have four in the house at the moment, plus my lodger's huge hybrid and one of the girlfriend's. I'm seriously considering keeping my latest one in the bedroom.

I love that formula!
A mate has got three carbon road bikes suspended from the ceiling in their spare bedroom, his wife calls it shed 1, all his tools and bits are outside in shed 2.
I only have three plus the wife's bikes at present but I am hoping for a new addition before the end of summer, if possible.

 

[weepiper]

It's called 'n+1'.

While the minimum number of bikes one should own is three, the correct number is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned. This equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.​

I have four in the house at the moment, plus my lodger's huge hybrid and one of the girlfriend's. I'm seriously considering keeping my latest one in the bedroom.

I have four in the house but only one is mine (the rest are the kids') and it's only a 3-bed flat. Mine and the two biggest kids' ones live in my bedroom because there's literally nowhere else for them to go

 

[Orang Utan]

I used to keep my bike in the bedroom, when I lived in tiny two bed. What's wrong with that? Better than outside. No one's gonna nick it.
I keep mine in the back garden but would take it upstairs if I was allowed.

 

[Dogsauce]

I'm building storage for two or three bikes into my new kitchen (or rather taking over part of the former kitchen and using it for bike space). There's an alcove just over a meter wide, I've bought a cheap weight lifting barbell bar, going to drill two holes in each side of the alcove, thread the bar through then get some hangers to support the bikes hanging through the wheel. It's immediately opposite the back door so should be convenient. I might still keep the nice one elsewhere so it doesn't get knocked.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Luckily the house we bought last summer was previously owned by a cyclist. He built a bike store along the side of the house that can be accessed from both ends so stores four bikes, all of which are easily retrieved. Splendid.

 

[Dogsauce]

I have eleven rooms yet still no logical bike storage space, narrow hallway, steep cellar steps accessed at 90 degrees, tiny yard front and back. Those Victorians just didn't think it through.

 

[Dogsauce]

Anyway, here's the new toy. If the rain pisses off on Sunday evening as it says it will then I'll go and play with it.

 

[weepiper]

Ooooooh

 

[The Boy]

Nice wheels

 

[iamwithnail]

Tried a new route from oeckham to Bexley, ended up lost and on the a20. D- would not cycle that way again. I'll just stick to Lewisham/eltham/blackfen way. Was trying to keep off the main roads. No dice.

 

[Orang Utan]

Tried a new route from oeckham to Bexley, ended up lost and on the a20. D- would not cycle that way again. I'll just stick to Lewisham/eltham/blackfen way. Was trying to keep off the main roads. No dice.

When I cycled that way, I just zipped down the main road. Good exercise. Got a lot trimmer for it

 

[Boycey]

hardcore

from velopak cargo bike couriers in denmark.

 

[Dogsauce]

Well, I wasn't planning on using the shiny new bike for my commute yet, but then on the making a nasty sharp hill start on the way to the shops on the Raleigh this morning there was a nasty cracking noise and this happened:

Kind of glad this didn't happen last night when I did a 60-mile loop out through York, but still a bit gutted. This bike's been in the family since new and I'm keen to keep it original, so scouring eBay for a replacement part.