Search found 388 matches

by patpalloon
21 Oct 2014, 11:20am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: What to do with your bike if you need to get back in a hurry
Replies: 10
Views: 2030

What to do with your bike if you need to get back in a hurry

I'm planning some longer European tours next year and was wondering what to do with your bike if you had to come home quickly eg for a family emergency? Assuming you don't have a friend or relative abroad that you can leave your bike with, has anyone had any experience of this - ie somewhere safe and secure you could leave your bike and get a flight home?
by patpalloon
31 Aug 2014, 11:23pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: New European Cycling Website
Replies: 14
Views: 3144

Re: New European Cycling Website

Btw, Steven's book on his bike travels round Europe - No Place Like Home Thank God! Is brilliant. The link is on the website.
by patpalloon
28 Aug 2014, 12:53pm
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: Campsite costs
Replies: 19
Views: 2087

Re: Campsite costs

Gwern Gof Islaf near Capel Curig in snowdonia. £5 per night, tents only no caravans. 50p for a shower.
by patpalloon
20 Aug 2014, 5:40pm
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: Wild camping with permission
Replies: 24
Views: 3453

Re: Wild camping with permission

Farawayvisions wrote:I also give my face a wee wash


That's taking the wild camping thing a bit far! :lol:
by patpalloon
20 Aug 2014, 9:01am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011
Replies: 36
Views: 2508

Re: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011

And they were as flummoxed as everyone here, so I guess I'm stuck with it. The only other thing they changed was the bottom bracket, but that wouldn't affect the gear ratios, surely?
by patpalloon
18 Aug 2014, 5:42pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Do I need front panniers for touring?
Replies: 46
Views: 7802

Re: Do I need front panniers for touring?

simonhill wrote:If you don't need them, don't get them!


Things against:
Cost (rack and bags about £200ish)


I got a new front rack on eBay for £15 and new Ortlieb city panniers for under £60. Done 2 tours with them and very pleased with them.
by patpalloon
17 Aug 2014, 10:24pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011
Replies: 36
Views: 2508

Re: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011

120 psi is very high for touring bike tyres. What tyres are you running?

And more to the point, what cassette do you have on your Super Galaxy? And what year is it?
by patpalloon
16 Aug 2014, 4:27pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011
Replies: 36
Views: 2508

Re: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011

I always keep my tyres at 80 psi. I haven't changed the tyres or wheels. The new cassette is a Shimanos CS HG80 9 speed 11 32. I don't know for definite what the old one was. It was a 9 speed. I'm taking it in on Monday so will let you know what happens.
by patpalloon
16 Aug 2014, 7:13am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011
Replies: 36
Views: 2508

Re: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011

I see your point, so there's nothing smaller than an 11? Perhaps I didn't make myself clear on earlier posts and got to hung up on the highest ģear. Before I would be on the middle chain ring at the front for most of the time. I would be in 4th to 7th at the back. This would do for 90% of my riding. I would only need the smallest chain ring at the front ie the granny, for steeper hills - using 1st to 4th at the back. I would only need the big ring at the front for downhills and then 7th to 9th at the back. I tended to stick to these so as not to cross the chain.

Now, I'm having to change up to the big chain ring at the front a lot more, and down again to the middle, so this is going to out more strain on my front mech, cable etc. I hope this makes sense.
by patpalloon
15 Aug 2014, 8:45pm
Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
Topic: Tent in outer bag waterproof ?
Replies: 31
Views: 2359

Re: Tent in outer bag waterproof ?

I too have a Vango tent and I was happy with the supplied bag. It's made of the same material as the flysheet, so is waterproof. I know what you mean re the drawstring, but if you pull it as tight as you can then push the string in the hole, there's not much of a gap. Mine stayed dry in Ireland, and I had some downpours.
by patpalloon
15 Aug 2014, 2:15pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011
Replies: 36
Views: 2508

Re: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011

Thanks for the suggestions, but saying things like I might have be speedo calibrated wrong, or have I looked down to check I'm in the right gear aren't really very heplful. I am an experienced cyclist and I have done 2 UK end to ends on it supported, 700 miles in Spain and 950 miles around Ireland on it unsupported and loaded. And before you say it, no it's not different because I am now riding it unloaded. My speedo is a Garmin gps set to mph.

I know my bike and the ratios are different now. The only explanation I can think of is that the original cassette was not the onelisted by Dawes, unfortunately I don't have it now. Ok let me explain the 50mph statement. I have had 50 mph downhill, but that was freewheeling. Generally I don't need the big chain ring at the front until above 25mph and that's probably 7th at the back giving me two more gears to change up. But at the other end I can get up any hill even fully loaded so it was perfect.

The bike is going in on Monday. I hope they have a record somewhere of the cassette that was taken off.
by patpalloon
14 Aug 2014, 11:55pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011
Replies: 36
Views: 2508

Re: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011

fatboy wrote:If my experience with Dawes is anything to go by the cassette on your bike may not have been an 11-32 but something else. My Horizon was supposed to have 11-32 but had 11-30 and my Century was supposed to have 12-25 but has 11-25.


This has to be the explanation. I know what the new cassette is because I've counted the teeth and the serial number is on the smallest ring. I didn't check what the old cassette was, I'm just going on what I can see online.

I took the bike in for a service because it's done nearly 4000 miles. I can't fault anything else, it's beautifully smooth and clean. He did ask me if I wanted a different cassette, one with easier ratios. I said no, because the existing one was perfect. I can get up any hill fully loaded, so it's low enough, but the top end is really good, had 50 mph out of it. Now my legs are flailing around at 25mph. And I'm in a much higher gear just going along on the flat. The front mech rings haven't been changed, just a new chain and cassette. And I do know what gear I'm in and it's not due to the wind, credit me with some intelligence!
by patpalloon
14 Aug 2014, 12:02pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011
Replies: 36
Views: 2508

Re: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011

It's definitely different. Before I would be in the middle ring on the front and between 4 to 7th gear on the back for most riding on the flat, would only need the big ring at the front for downhills. Now even on the flat I need the big ring at the front and am flat out in top gear at 25mph, whereas before I wouldn't need top gear til around 35mph.
by patpalloon
14 Aug 2014, 11:04am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011
Replies: 36
Views: 2508

cassette for Dawes Super Galaxy 2011

I have a Dawes Super Galaxy that I bought in early 2012, but has a 9-speed cassette which makes it the 2011 model as ones after that have a 10-speed cassette. The original cassette on it appears to be the Shimano CS HG50 9 which is 11-32. Now I took it to my LBS for a service and it needed a new cassette and I asked for it to have the same one as the ratios are spot on. However, the ratios in the new one are too low and feel totally different from previously. The new cassette is a CS HG80 9 which is also 11-32, so I don't understand how it can feel so different, unless it's because it is a MTB one.

Obviously I will take back to the LBS to remedy, but wondered if anyone can shed some light on this?
by patpalloon
13 Aug 2014, 10:11pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: tourer that's fun to ride unladen
Replies: 32
Views: 3398

Re: tourer that's fun to ride unladen

I love my Dawes Super Galaxy (2012), and Spa Cycles are selling them for just £890 at the moment. It's reasonably quick, but not as fast as a dedicated road bike. You can always put some skinnier tyres on them for faster unloaded riding.