Search found 21 matches

by MrCharly
2 Mar 2012, 9:58am
Forum: On the road
Topic: Pat Kenny - update and sentence
Replies: 38
Views: 8598

Re: Pat Kenny - update

enigmatic wrote:http://tinyurl.com/77blkr5
The jury went out for lunch at 1230 and returned within the hour to say guilty.


This bit is wonderful.

Juries normally take ages to decide. Taking less than an hour? That's very clear indication that there was little dissent in the jury, that they thought it was obvious that the accident was the driver's fault.

That is such an important thing. I recently lost a parent to illness, and I know that it becomes extremely important to relatives to know why their loved on died.

For a jury and court to say simply and clearly "This person drove carelessly and killed your relative as a result of their carelessness" would bring a lot of peace. No court sentencing is going to bring Pat Kenny back to life, but at least the court can say why he died.
by MrCharly
31 Jan 2012, 2:59pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: What Makes Or Breaks A Touring Rim?
Replies: 32
Views: 4060

Re: What Makes Or Breaks A Touring Rim?

Never had a rim crack at eyelets, they've worn out the braking surfaces first.
I've pringled an older non-box-section rim, 40 spoke, hub brake. Braked heavily when turning sharply in traffic.

Given up buying expensive double-eyeletted box rims, I just buy the cheaper non-eyeletted versions instead. Rims are so cheap these days, and doing a spoke transplant is so easy, it just doesn't make sense to spend 50% more for something that wears out in the same time.
by MrCharly
31 Jan 2012, 9:31am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: A Non-Petrochemical/Eco-Friendly Chain Lube
Replies: 12
Views: 795

Re: A Non-Petrochemical/Eco-Friendly Chain Lube

I've used green oil quite a bit and liked it. It goes very thick and gloopy in winter, so it's best to warm it up before application. Seemed to stick to the chain well and didn't wash off as quickly as cheap oil, lasted loads longer than car engine oil.
by MrCharly
30 Jan 2012, 4:14pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Touring Bike v's Off Road bike (LEJOG)
Replies: 16
Views: 1257

Re: Touring Bike v's Off Road bike (LEJOG)

A touring bike should have the following characteristics:

Be stable when fully loaded

Have suitable fittings and room (long chainstays) for panniers and racks

Be comfortable for long durations.


There is no reason why an off-road bike would be harder work than a touring bike other than the tyres used - decent road tyres have much lower rolling resistance than off-road tyres (when ridden on the road).
by MrCharly
30 Jan 2012, 4:10pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Touring versus racing bike - for commuting
Replies: 197
Views: 15312

Re: Touring versus racing bike - for commuting

He put incredibly heavy-rolling tyres on the cf bike.

We know from tests that the difference between the best and worst of racing tyres is 40W - the difference between standard and M+ is going to be more than that.

I know from personal experience on my 50mile rt commute that the difference between heavy treaded tyres and light slicks is about 2mph. More than the difference between my road bike and my touring bike with fat tyres and fatter mudguards.

As for your comment about more efficient bike being possibly more puncture prone - spot on.

It is exactly this reason why I've switched from riding a Ribble winter with 25mm road tyres to a 26" tourer with 50mm tyres - I get less punctures and wheel damage on the fat-tyred tourer. I actually ride it faster in the winter, because I don't have to worry about hitting road debris and losing control.
by MrCharly
30 Jan 2012, 9:40am
Forum: On the road
Topic: Disappointing Weather
Replies: 14
Views: 933

Re: Disappointing Weather

eileithyia wrote:I too, have ridden down the middle of the road using the white line as a guide and once I turned off into a lane kept the shadowy form of the hedge at equal distance on either side... thankfully the only car I met was also driving extremely carefully, with drivers window down and watching the white line.
Freezing fog is great I arrived at work with 'hollywood' eyelashes, even if they were silvery grey :D

Anyway never fear those of you wishing to use your winter gear, it is arriving this week!

That's because I took the studded tyres off my touring bike on Wed and fitted slicks.
by MrCharly
28 Jan 2012, 12:48am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Paselas for off-road / dirt tracks
Replies: 19
Views: 996

Re: Paselas for off-road / dirt tracks

Good lord, where did the 35psi figure come from?

I said to pump up to 65 and no higher.
by MrCharly
27 Jan 2012, 10:42pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: ...how to prevent glasses misting up?
Replies: 43
Views: 4992

Re: ...how to prevent glasses misting up?

Last time I tried the fairy liquid trick, it lasted about 10 minutes before rain washed it off my glasses. I think it works for divers because they don't fill their goggles with water while swimming.
by MrCharly
27 Jan 2012, 3:27pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Taken by police from dual carriageway !!
Replies: 84
Views: 8451

Re: Taken by police from dual carriageway !!

I read all of this thread, hoping that the OP wasn't on the A64.

I normally commute between Leeds and York via the A64, 3 days a week. About 6 miles of this is riding on the dual carriageway. I don't ride in the lane, I ride on the half-metre-wide hard shoulder.

I've found it much safer (in feel) than my alternative route, using single-carriageway A and B roads via Wetherby. On the single-carriageway roads I regularly get overtaken so close I could reach my hand out and slap the windscreen as it passes. On the dual-carriageway it is very rare anything is closer than a metre. The main safety risk is hitting debris on the hard shoulder and losing control of my bike.

Oh, and I've not once been pulled over by the police.
by MrCharly
27 Jan 2012, 2:51pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: ...how to prevent glasses misting up?
Replies: 43
Views: 4992

Re: ...how to prevent glasses misting up?

cat crap

I got hold of some of this stuff a couple of months ago. Utterly fantastic.

It completely prevents fogging and condensation.

The drawback are that it tends to make fog droplets condense together, so glasses rapidly get covered in 'raindrop sized' droplets of water. But that is easily removed with a swipe of a glove.
This image is from a motorbike review of the product. They coated half the visor with cat crap and held it over a boiling kettle.

Image
by MrCharly
27 Jan 2012, 2:47pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Difference in performance over 24 hours
Replies: 38
Views: 2267

Re: Difference in performance over 24 hours

Audax67 wrote:I've done Paris-St. Brieuc, which was 435 km (272 miles) by the route we took, in 24 hours, and that was with two meal breaks of over an hour each and a 10-15 minute break every 50 to 60 km. Average pack speed was the time-honoured 22.5 kph. At that speed you need ~19h30 on the bike, which leaves you 4h30 to play with.

I don't know how long you need for the crossing, but I'm assuming you could combine it with a meal break, so your schedule should fit fairly easily given that you'll probably ride quite a bit faster. As long as your bikes are well-serviced and have had recent tyre-changes (but not brand new & unridden-on) you should be fine.


^+10 to all of the above.

270miles in 24hrs doesn't need speed. Forget needing chaingangs/pacelines. What you need is food and to be comfortable on the bike. The most likely cause for you not making it is not eating enough, regularly enough. Not being comfortable can be got through with determination. If you are comfortable on your current bike, then use that bike.
by MrCharly
27 Jan 2012, 12:58pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Tiagra shifters
Replies: 6
Views: 796

Re: Tiagra shifters

There are 3 models of tiagra shifters (to my knowledge). the older one was double-triple compatible, but if you used it with a double there was the risk of pushing the (left hand) lever too far (ie, as if you were shifting onto the top ring of a triple). This could jamb or break the shifter. You might have hit this issue.

The newer models are double or triple specific, to avoid this problem.

A problem I've had is with the outer cable 'breaking' past the end ferrule, so some of the co-axial wires going into the shifter mechanism. If you move your shifter to slacken the cable, while preventing the derailleur from moving, the cable should be slack enough for you to pull the outer away from the shifter and inspect the end of the ferrule for this problem.
by MrCharly
26 Jan 2012, 10:09pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Paselas for off-road / dirt tracks
Replies: 19
Views: 996

Re: Paselas for off-road / dirt tracks

hufty wrote:
MrCharly wrote:'Pumped up properly' means hard enough to avoid pinch flats.

Accepted practice for mountain biking where grip is a major issue and you don't want the bike bouncing all over the place,

Hmm.

I have to say, in all the years and countries I've ridden in, on all the bikes, I've never had a bike bounce.

I've had a bike with rock hard tyres hit a pebble and spang off to one side tho'.
by MrCharly
26 Jan 2012, 5:00pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Paselas for off-road / dirt tracks
Replies: 19
Views: 996

Re: Paselas for off-road / dirt tracks

There is a difference between 'pumped up properly' and 'too hard'.

'Pumped up properly' means hard enough to avoid pinch flats.

'Too hard' means harder than the maximum or harder than required for your weight.

Think about it; if you are running a fat tyre and that tyre goes over a sharp object, what happens?
If the tyre is pumped up so hard that it is lifted off the surface, the entire weight on the wheel is now concentrated on the point of that sharp object.

If the tyre is soft enough, it will deform over the object, part of the tyre remains in contact with the road and bears some of the weight. That reduces the pressure on the sharp object and reduces the chances of it penetrating the tyre.
by MrCharly
26 Jan 2012, 3:14pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Paselas for off-road / dirt tracks
Replies: 19
Views: 996

Re: Paselas for off-road / dirt tracks

They'll be fine.

I've done thousands of miles on 26"x1.5" paselas. They are far more sturdy than most believe.

Don't over-inflate them. It doesn't gain you any speed and you will be more prone to punctures. 65psi is ample in 1.5".