Search found 623 matches

by DougieB
9 Jul 2012, 9:02pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Please look at the video of a Lorry knocking me off.
Replies: 286
Views: 24993

Re: Please look at the video of a Lorry knocking me off.

I used to live on Paxton Rd, pretty much where the incident happened. I never cycled Burlington Lane, only motorbiked it (many times). A horrible road. You have fast traffic from the A4 opposing fast traffic from Richmond coming to a pinch point (this part is the slowest, mostly congested, with two bends in the road). There are parked cars on one side which cause vehicles to veer out to the centre line, or veer into the pavement side. Needless to say, everyone is in a rush (cyclists included). On the motorbike I would pretty much never attempt to filter on this small stretch, just too hazardous (and I'm not shy about filtering), and most of the time it was just not possible.

as with many incidents in London, the cyclist took a gamble and lost. how many incidents involve cycling up the inside of a moving lorry ? for the sake of hanging back for 5 seconds.
by DougieB
7 Jul 2012, 6:22pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Victoria station query
Replies: 12
Views: 5003

Re: Victoria station query

St Pancras to Park Lane is possible in various ways, none of the faster routes are particularly pleasant. Down Park Lane is straight and downhill, so fast. Hyde Park Corner down to Victoria is straight and downhill (Grosvener Pl), so fast. You could skip the one-way section by walking/slow-pavement cycling at the bottom of Grosvener Pl where it takes a left and bend at the traffic lights, but it's much of a muchness really.

platform information is here, so you could check it when arriving at St Pancras before you get off the train (assuming you have Internet access on your phone) : http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/ldbboard/dep/VIC

on the day I'd just head straight to a blue-uniformed (I think) station guard at Victoria, and ask where your train leaves from. Victoria is busy, and they do change platforms a lot.

cheers
by DougieB
6 Jul 2012, 8:40pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: lightweight touring.
Replies: 50
Views: 14607

Re: lightweight touring.

above all, don't torture yourself for the sake of lightweight (though it sounds as if you won't). having less things makes touring-life much easier in so many ways. but if you don't get a good nights sleep, then it's just not worth it.

if you can't get a bag support, then get some of those tension straps looped through the saddle rails to keep the bag off the rear wheel and more stable.

where are you going, by the way ?
by DougieB
6 Jul 2012, 8:26pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Advice on Surly LHT touring frame
Replies: 10
Views: 3952

Re: Advice on Surly LHT touring frame

I'm about 5' 11", and use a 58 cm LHT. 54 cm sounds a tad too wee, but overall height is not really the deciding factor. Surly's are a bit of a nightmare to size properly, as they are really difficult to try out. where are you, someone nearby may have a LHT you could try out. also have a search on the Surly website (I think the area is called spew), as they have a good explanation of how to get the right sized Surly.

the other thing I'd raise, if you're new-ish to cycling, is do you know how much a home-build costs ? it's certainly a great thing to do, you learn a lot about bikes. but the costs rack up fairly quickly, unless you make some well informed component choices (which you can get lots of help with on here).

the LHT really is a great tourer. I think you'd be better off (financially) buying a new complete bike, or a complete second hand if you can find one. Unless, of course, you want to change the gearing/shifters/wheels.

you also mention expeditions rather than touring. if you are thinking of off-roading then you might want to look at an alternative to the LHT, as the low BB can be a pain. I've only ever really got annoyed by this on rocky off-road trails though.

I'd only buy that ebay frame if I knew the size was right.

cheers
by DougieB
5 Jul 2012, 8:46pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: lightweight touring.
Replies: 50
Views: 14607

Re: lightweight touring.

If you're going to embrace lightweight touring, the pillow has to go... :) stuff the sleeping bag bag or tent bag (if that makes sense) with the few spare clothes you have, for a pillow.

yes, I camped pretty much every night. I don't take a stove, as it's such a faff and you then really ought to carry food as well, and water, and oil, etc, etc. decent lunches, and then light dinners; you can eat cheaply on cafes and with street vendors. putting the tent up front between the bars was a revelation for me. I had a home-made sort of roll bag thing (made by a mate), and it really was the best bit of kit I've had in a long time. but the first few trips I made do with bungees.

the bag support is worth it. without the support the bag rests on the mud guard (really wouldn't be practical if you had no mud guards). having said that, it snapped while up near Glencoe, though that was after a good few thousand miles and plenty of off-roading.

I had been looking at the Salsa Anything cages, that might be useful for you.

but the lightweight thing is well worth trying out. it can all get a bit zen when you have very few possessions, but you can still get competitive and hang on to the wheels of the local chain gang, and laugh in the face of a 20% climb (and grin demonically on the down-side). for me it's all about freeing yourself from the things that you think you need, to gain a foot-loose and fancy-free feeling that being unencumbered gives you.
by DougieB
5 Jul 2012, 7:57pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: lightweight touring.
Replies: 50
Views: 14607

Re: lightweight touring.

jags wrote:
DougieB wrote:my favourite topic..

http://www.soogate.com/lht-ferry.jpg

this was 3 months away, Edinburgh to Barcelona and back. I had a laptop on the saddle bag, as I was working.

excellent so spill the beens did you want for anything :wink:


only more time away :)
by DougieB
2 Jul 2012, 8:57pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: lightweight touring.
Replies: 50
Views: 14607

Re: lightweight touring.

my favourite topic..

http://www.soogate.com/lht-ferry.jpg

this was 3 months away, Edinburgh to Barcelona and back. I had a laptop on the saddle bag, as I was working.
by DougieB
24 Jun 2012, 8:55pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: getting my bike on the plane ...
Replies: 6
Views: 2895

Re: getting my bike on the plane ...

I've flown a few times with a bike. I, personally, would not trust the airport/security staff on the day, and would (as suggested) pick up a cardboard bike box from a bike shop in the town you're flying out of. presumably your wife is going a day or so early, and could maybe do a recce for bike shops. remember to ask for an adult sized box, especially if you're on a tourer (and are adult sized!).

Normally it's just front wheel off and slotted in last, bars turned (if drops possibly need to undo them from the stem), let some air out of the tyres and then duck-tape the box firmly closed (paying attention to the corners). at checkin you'll be directed to the over-sized luggage area to drop the box off.

I think it does pay to be prepared, either with a bag or box, before arriving at the airport. airport staff are a law unto themselves these days, and it's just not worth enduring the stress they sometimes dish out.

cheers
by DougieB
23 Jun 2012, 10:28pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: No confidence riding in traffic
Replies: 17
Views: 7332

Re: No confidence riding in traffic

I've been in the bike station in edinburgh a few times, and they are very helpful.
by DougieB
23 Jun 2012, 8:36pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: No confidence riding in traffic
Replies: 17
Views: 7332

Re: No confidence riding in traffic

I briefly was a motorbike instructor, and one of the main confidence barriers when in traffic was not having intuitive bike handling skills. there's a definite step up in confidence when the rider no longer needs to think about how to handle the bike when under pressure. not sure if this applies (only you will know), but wobbly slow-speed riding, not being able to stop quickly without almost falling off, etc, etc, are all pointers to not being comfortable with basic bike handling.

I don't think you get road skills training (bike handling, rather than traffic handling), but, especially in Scotland, there are lots of off-road handling 'skills courses'. I don't know Greenock (I'm from Edinburgh), but you might want to call the mtb guys at Innerleithen and maybe ask for recommendations for skills courses further West.

cheers
by DougieB
22 Jun 2012, 7:38pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: counter of passing cyclists
Replies: 15
Views: 6124

Re: counter of passing cyclists

[XAP]Bob wrote:
DougieB wrote:I'll have a look tomorrow, but this one must be triggered by a light beam. there's no cable on the path that you roll-over, like the heavy traffic versions.

Could easy be an induction loop which they've laid before the tarmac (rather than the seeming convention here, which is to lay tarmac then dig it up to put in services)


yep, there is no reflector so it must be something like that. that bit of the path is brick, so presumably easy to maintain.
by DougieB
18 Jun 2012, 9:10pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Run in with a twerp
Replies: 14
Views: 4487

Re: Run in with a twerp

binsted wrote:
incidentman wrote:


:) Sorry, I just couldn't help smiling reading the post and seeing your posting name, bit of a theme here? :)


possibly related to : "I take the lane (which isn't actually a lane I should add) because I don't want to be held up when I'm turning right."
by DougieB
17 Jun 2012, 5:25pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Frame-bag / Salsa Anything Cage
Replies: 9
Views: 4775

Re: Frame-bag / Salsa Anything Cage

thanks for the replies. garibeet, did it turn up ?

I normally pick up 1.5 litre bottles of water when touring, and ram them into standard bottle cages. the cages always brake at the joining weld (because the bottle is too big, rather than too heavy). the salsa anything cage looked to be a better design, to cope with the size of 1.5 litre bottles. isn't the (rough) weight of 1.5 litres of water 3.3 pounds ?

another option is some sturdier standard bottle cages, maybe of a more suitable shape, clamped onto the fork legs (I've only one suitable rack-boss).

cheers
by DougieB
13 Jun 2012, 8:09pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: North Shields Ferry to IJmuiden (Amsterdam)
Replies: 7
Views: 4540

Re: North Shields Ferry to IJmuiden (Amsterdam)

"re: 'turning' of handlebars - European Cycle Express ask for handlebars to be turned which would not be easy for me to do."

ahh, I get you. no, you do not need to do that at all.

cheers,
Doug
by DougieB
11 Jun 2012, 9:31pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: counter of passing cyclists
Replies: 15
Views: 6124

Re: counter of passing cyclists

I'll have a look tomorrow, but this one must be triggered by a light beam. there's no cable on the path that you roll-over, like the heavy traffic versions.