Wheel bodged enough to ride home. Rolled up bit of plastic against the rim wall and a tube in at around 30 PSI. Found out the old floor pump I stashed at work is dead/useless (leaking air from the body) and the little portable I've been using the last few years (loose sense 'using' as have hardly needed it) seems to be gummed up. Neat idea but bad design.
What's everyone's favourite portable frame mounted pump at the moment? Anyone got one they really like, or just a case of spending £30 on something I'll use around a handful of times and then skip again in 3-4 years?
Don’t forget when measuring up against the old chain it would have stretched depending on use it had had.
Yes, but also that can be a really filthy job - with your new clean chain usually lay alongside it on a dirty dusty floor.
Almost better to 'count the links' in some cases. Most of us can competently count to <118.
Ended up with this on the back tire, went out and could feel the road more than usual.... sealant was up the back of the bike. Got a new tire fitted at the shop so they sorted the sealant as part of that. £8 i didn't think was to bad for labour and £49 for the tire, £4 for the sealant.
Tyre was likely overpriced, but £12 doesn't sound too bad for the mess/hassle of someone else doing it!
On my spare/commuter at the moment. I can't remember if I posted, but in investigating the creak, LBS found my carbon frame is damaged on the chainstay. Apparently not uncommon, the chain jumps off inside and gets jammed up there, taking some carbon off. I've probably not done that for 5 to 10 months, but they said they wouldn't advise riding it like it is.
Oh crikey! Well within a carbon repair (
@SoliD)- especially as it's obviously strong as you've been riding it like that unaware and a chainstay is a high stress place. Especially as you say insurance won't cover it.
With a carbon repair from a reputable place they'll be able to warranty it. Could give you your winter bike you've been talking about (or did you sort?). Or at the very least, keep the frame unrepaired for turbo use. Bit of a pain if it does break, but not going to be life threatening with it stationary.
So I'm more off an aspiring runner rather than cyclist but do enjoy a good ride out on the bike from time to time. I find that my legs on steep hills seem to loose power really quick, so i can be in maybe hardest hear on the back cog and within a short distance end up on the easiest. What's the quickest way to build muscle up to make it easier? Putting more and more miles in or something exercise i can do at home?
As mentioned - technique. Spin away easy and pace it, you'll gradually get stronger but it's not really muscle. More technique and 'conditioning' as the muscles used in a certain way which is quite different to running/other things.
A good think to practice for steeper stuff is to get used to being out of the saddle. You don't really have to pedal 'harder' when doing it, but with the lower cadence and weight over the front wheel at those slow speeds you will feel more stable. There's some of the steep things I ride where I physically can't hold the low cadence required seated and keep the front wheel down. I have to stand for the weight distribution, if anything pacing my 'stood time' just as much as the sustained power in that position. Usually (also why I'm riding a very low setup by choice) so I can ride a really low cadence at lower effort.
Winching myself up things!
Lycra lads and ladies, what's the general consensus on how to ride in a group?
I always thought it was meant to be two abreast, gap behind for two cars, two abreads, gap etc... or is that wrong? Some right plonkers around today riding in a chain of 4 on narrow roads for mile after mile with no awareness of the giant queue forming behind.
Meant to, yes. The highway code kinda says in groups to do it or when with less experienced riders to 'shield' them, but moving to single file to allow cars to overtake when safe to do so. But in practice with a small group of 4 riders - which should be easy to pass even 'riding in a chain', quite unusual for cars to get stuck behind them for any long period. Probably get more abuse for riding 2 abreast like that to be honest. Bigger groups it seems more understood.
The fact they where in a chain of 4, by the highway code they deemed it safe for cars to overtake them, where not riding to prevent overtaking. How would you advise the plonkers to ride to make it easier to overtake safely?
Changes to the Highway Code have provoked plenty more discussion this week. Here, our Policy Manager Nick Chamberlin reflects on the changes for people on bikes riding ‘two abreast’.
www.britishcycling.org.uk
Interested in peoples views on current levels of road rage, anti cyclist sentiment and aggressive driving.
Actual driving doesn't seem overly 'worse', number of close passes I'd consider close (so probably less than 50% of the 'letter of the law' close passes) around the same as the last decade. But more abuse on the roads definitely, far more horns and shouting for no apparent extra reasons. Tends to mostly be on the weekends on busier A roads in lower speed situations (village/towns) than on the open road.
So, current home insurance won't cover the new bike, so I'd better get specific bike insurance. Go Compare is recommending 'Cycle Eversure' and 'Cycleplan'. Does anyone have any experience of these two? Or, any specific recommendations?
Ask your home provider what additional covers they would do to bolt the bike alongside your home stuffs. Might be surprised - but also expect you to have asked them already
I'm far more likely to write off the bike actually riding it and in that case it will either be the drivers fault or far less likely my own but insurance to cover crash damage is rather expensive on a £5k bike.
Also my thinking and why I'm (probably) currently under valuing mine without too much concern. Depreciation and actual cost savings from years of commuting far out balances the premiums required to totally replace/cover.
To be fair, if I crash it and it's my fault (like me wrecking a £400 wheel earlier, when I could be riding a £150 wheel) is all part of it. The insurance in my mind is more to cover some scroat nicking it.
I am going after it but I will need the wind in my favour, hurricane type wind
Recommended. To be fair my
local commute KOM only comes from a GPS 'burp' where my head unit flagged and shot me through the segment catching up with itself!
(And one of the bikes is more than £5k too)
www.tredz.co.uk
www.mantel.com
