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The Cycling Chat Thread

sleaterkinney said:
Straight outta Hackney. 210k. Just going through the wide open fields with no cover. I almost bailed. Ran out of water and asked a random woman (in a village) where a shop was and she looked shocked, “We don’t have anything around here, you’d have to go to Fulsome - under - Matravers “ or something. Found a welcoming petrol station later.
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Straight Outta Hackney stays in my memory for the wrong reasons. I did it one year when it was in November. I have never been so wet and cold on my bike in all my life. Literally the worst bike ride I've ever done. I made it to Cambridge in the dry but as I made my way out of Cambridge for the return to London it started absolutely pissing it down. The rain was absolutely torrential the entire way back - I was wet through within minutes and freezing. I remember my hands being so cold I could barely work my brakes and gears. At one point I stopped in a petrol station for a hot chocolate and the guy was like 'what the fuck are you doing riding a bike in that?'. I so wanted to bail but I'd been doing Randonneur Round the Year where you have to do a 200 each month and it was the last one I needed to complete the challenge and get my badge :) and it was late November so no chance to squeeze in another.....

Sounds like you had the opposite experience!
 
Bahnhof Strasse said:
Yes, I went to agricultural college, installed a number of them, if they are raised above the bath they are perfectly fine.
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I can't say I've looked at them too closely for ages but some of them (used to ?) use a float like in a toilet cistern so the outlet is below or just above the water level. I wouldn't fill up a water bottle from one of these but there are others which seem to have a tap well above the water level so I'd consider it then.
 
Leafster said:
I can't say I've looked at them too closely for ages but some of them (used to ?) use a float like in a toilet cistern so the outlet is below or just above the water level. I wouldn't fill up a water bottle from one of these but there are others which seem to have a tap well above the water level so I'd consider it then.
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The one floating, no, but a decent farmer should have them on a wooden stake to the side, the water comes out of the tube in to your bottle, never touching the outside of the tap. Never done me any harm, yet.
 
klang said:
we had a Puky which served him well and took a lot of abuse. Dunno if there is better or worse out there tbh.

Happy to pass it on - you in London?
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Mine both had a Puky balance bike, it was very sturdy and had a low sort of platform to put their feet on when coasting, got on very well with it. Child no.1 went on to a Puky pedal bike (with back pedal brake) but second child didn’t get on with this and instead rode some shitty Apollo bmx style thing my parents passed on to us which was heavy with an annoying chain guard. They’re both on (second hand and well-worn) Isla Bikes now.

There’s a cycling prodigy girl on our road who I first encountered flying round the local pump track on a balance bike before she was even two years old, graduating to pedals not long after. She was riding a unicycle at age four!
 
I don’t cycle often anymore and my bike is now about a decade old, but as I regularly read this and other threads on cycling and notice punctures remain as relatively frequent and disruptive an issue for regular riders as always, I keep wondering how we have made so many mind-blowing technological and engineering advances on all fields in the last century, but no one has come up with truly puncture-proof bicycle tyres. I’ve always used Kevlar (or whatever it is they use) puncture-resistant tyres but even so I got the odd flat.

Given the much, much smaller load factor and speed requirements of a bicycle tyre compared with those fitted to lorries, cars, etc, is it really beyond our capability to manufacture either a truly puncture-proof tyre, or better still a solid one made of a suitable gelatinous substance both firm and elastic enough to replicate the cushioning properties of an inflated tyre, so it has the added advantage of no longer needing to top up the air pressure?

Obviously they might still be second best for performance or racing bikes, but for touring or commuting purposes, I can’t believe it’s not technologically achievable.
 
T & P said:
I don’t cycle often anymore and my bike is now about a decade old, but as I regularly read this and other threads on cycling and notice punctures remain as relatively frequent and disruptive an issue for regular riders as always, I keep wondering how we have made so many mind-blowing technological and engineering advances on all fields in the last century, but no one has come up with truly puncture-proof bicycle tyres. I’ve always used Kevlar (or whatever it is they use) puncture-resistant tyres but even so I got the odd flat.

Given the much, much smaller load factor and speed requirements of a bicycle tyre compared with those fitted to lorries, cars, etc, is it really beyond our capability to manufacture either a truly puncture-proof tyre, or better still a solid one made of a suitable gelatinous substance both firm and elastic enough to replicate the cushioning properties of an inflated tyre, so it has the added advantage of no longer needing to top up the air pressure?

Obviously they might still be second best for performance or racing bikes, but for touring or commuting purposes, I can’t believe it’s not technologically achievable.
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Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres seem pretty much puncture proof. I've got them on my Brompton and haven't had a puncture in 7 years!
 
T & P said:
I don’t cycle often anymore and my bike is now about a decade old, but as I regularly read this and other threads on cycling and notice punctures remain as relatively frequent and disruptive an issue for regular riders as always, I keep wondering how we have made so many mind-blowing technological and engineering advances on all fields in the last century, but no one has come up with truly puncture-proof bicycle tyres. I’ve always used Kevlar (or whatever it is they use) puncture-resistant tyres but even so I got the odd flat.

Given the much, much smaller load factor and speed requirements of a bicycle tyre compared with those fitted to lorries, cars, etc, is it really beyond our capability to manufacture either a truly puncture-proof tyre, or better still a solid one made of a suitable gelatinous substance both firm and elastic enough to replicate the cushioning properties of an inflated tyre, so it has the added advantage of no longer needing to top up the air pressure?

Obviously they might still be second best for performance or racing bikes, but for touring or commuting purposes, I can’t believe it’s not technologically achievable.
Click to expand...
There’s all sorts of options been tried over the years, but nothing so far balances the trade offs between weight, grip, comfort and durability, as well as a pneumatic tyre.

Changing a tube really isn’t that much of a problem with a bit of practice, so I’m happy to have nice lightweight and grippy tyres in return for having to occasionally (once in the last year) change at the side of the road.
 
This was posted on my home village FB page.

It's a prototype, apparently. The owner has been seen cycling up one of the steep hills with no problem even with everything he's carrying with him!

374181492_10227799316261815_1258044296598183542_n.jpg

Ignore the security guard - he's just heading into the Co-op.
 
braindancer said:
I definitely don't want one! Can you even see over all that shit?
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It took me a while to work out where the saddle was! But, yes, is doesn't seem to give you much visibility. I suspect you'd have huge problems in crosswinds too.

It seems his sleeping stuff is in the netting of the hoop but I have no idea what the circular thing on the front is for.

I would have thought a traditional cargo bike would have been more practical.
 
Leafster said:
It took me a while to work out where the saddle was! But, yes, is doesn't seem to give you much visibility. I suspect you'd have huge problems in crosswinds too.

It seems his sleeping stuff is in the netting of the hoop but I have no idea what the circular thing on the front is for.

I would have thought a traditional cargo bike would have been more practical
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I thought that thing on the front might be a pop-up tent - but it does look quite bulky so could be wrong.
 
beesonthewhatnow said:
There’s all sorts of options been tried over the years, but nothing so far balances the trade offs between weight, grip, comfort and durability, as well as a pneumatic tyre.

Changing a tube really isn’t that much of a problem with a bit of practice, so I’m happy to have nice lightweight and grippy tyres in return for having to occasionally (once in the last year) change at the side of the road.
Click to expand...
It’s not that easy with those tyres, mind. They’re a tight fit. I usually pay the bikeshop to fit em as I value having skin on my thumb pads.
 
T & P said:
I don’t cycle often anymore and my bike is now about a decade old, but as I regularly read this and other threads on cycling and notice punctures remain as relatively frequent and disruptive an issue for regular riders as always, I keep wondering how we have made so many mind-blowing technological and engineering advances on all fields in the last century, but no one has come up with truly puncture-proof bicycle tyres. I’ve always used Kevlar (or whatever it is they use) puncture-resistant tyres but even so I got the odd flat.

Given the much, much smaller load factor and speed requirements of a bicycle tyre compared with those fitted to lorries, cars, etc, is it really beyond our capability to manufacture either a truly puncture-proof tyre, or better still a solid one made of a suitable gelatinous substance both firm and elastic enough to replicate the cushioning properties of an inflated tyre, so it has the added advantage of no longer needing to top up the air pressure?

Obviously they might still be second best for performance or racing bikes, but for touring or commuting purposes, I can’t believe it’s not technologically achievable.
Click to expand...
As others have said there are plenty 99.9% puncture proof air tyres. I just had my 1st flat with my Panaracer Ribmo commuter tyres after 5yrs for example.
The ultimate fix are the solid Tannus tyres that have a few fans. These are really good for people with weak hands. You can go out in the middle of nowhere and not feel worried.
The number one factor for speedy tyres is the weight hence why these haven't really taken off and they're hard to fit.
 
Last edited:
Frankly I’m fully on board with Orang Utan . Obviously being able to change tubes on trips is extremely useful, but I have a 33.3% success rate in replacing inner tubes the first time around without damaging the replacement one. So fuck that for a laugh.
 
T & P said:
Frankly I’m fully on board with Orang Utan . Obviously being able to change tubes on trips is extremely useful, but I have a 33.3% success rate in replacing inner tubes the first time around without damaging the replacement one. So fuck that for a laugh.
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Plus Urban normally frowns on scabbing, but when it comes to DIY, cleaning and bike maintenance, they’re strangely relaxed about it. Really makes you think, doesn’t it? 🤔
 
Quick question please from those that know so much, need new inner tube, tyre says 40-599

What size do I need?

Thanks.
 
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