Cycling UK Forum

thanks for the advice. I will consider one of those SP hubs.

yes, it seems that Shimano aren't keen on the idea. They say, slightly mysteriously:

"If the side with the connection terminal is facing toward the left, the hub dynamo may not turn properly while riding"

Looks like I'll need a new fork

I want to build a hub dynamo wheel, with a disc brake. My fork has the disc on the right side (unusually), so the hub dynamo will be rotating 'backwards' compared to a normal setup.

My question is, does this matter? The hub dynamo is likely to be a Shimano Alfine.

Cheers! Seems like this topic comes up every year, and there is always doubt about this bus service.

My alternative was to cycle to Garve, looks like a good climb of about 500m (my cycle mates may see this differently, though)

Anyone know if the coach service with bike trailer is operating this year? The email address is not functioning, though the link to last year's timetable is still live on the Ullapool website.

Any other ideas for getting back to Glasgow/Edinburgh from Ullapool, without cycling? The trip is in May.

Perhaps it seems that way because there are so many cyclists? I'm sure the % not using lights is similar to other places.

Else cycling seems so commonplace and safe there (I think it does) that the casual rider doesn't worry too much.

If you get off at Corrour (the next station to the north) there is an excellent restaurant/cafe run by a young couple from Edinburgh. However, you'll need to wait for the next train or cycle a long way on estate tracks if you want to leave...

this works best with a chainring that has non-profiled teeth, but as you suggest just take as many links out of the chain as possible and the tension will help keep it on. I have this setup and it works well.

Also vaguely related, the waterproof saddle covers sold by Brooks are a joke. This is what happened after a few hours of moderate rain



Reverting to plastic bags...

They are excellent racks. This bike seems to combine mechanical disc brakes and the Tara. You'll need the Tubus adapter if your fork doesn't have mid position eylets, which also work well.

http://www.danigrab.com/1679/40501.html

...not that I want to see all that clean energy used for personal car use

Reigncloud wrote:

meic wrote:That is £4,000 for 25 years of car use!

I think there may be a catch there, like losses in transmission and cost of infrastructure.

New turbines these days are all more than 3MW (up to 8MW offshore), so assuming 1.5MW probably accounts for any losses due to transmission or intermittent wind.

Is 24W really correct though? Seems very small.

Put it another way: each turbine powers roughly 500 cars.

um, you can power cars from wind turbines....electric cars! See 'Sustainable Energy Without The Hot Air' which is available in online http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/withouthotair/c3/page_29.html

He estimates an average person will use 40kW hours of energy per day for driving a typical car. Assuming a 3MW turbine produces 25% of its maximum potential (a typical Capacity Factor), that's (3M * 0.25 * 24 = 18M, 18M/40k = 450) 450 peoples' driving needs covered per turbine. Different maths but similar result to previous poster. So a lot of turbines if we all want to drive. Of course a more efficient car fleet would increase this.

Excellent book/website for all things sustainable, but the way.

If you need to take bikes on the train as 'luggage', the only way is a large bag and to pretend it's not a bike. If it's in a bike box it'll be too large to fit in the luggage racks. This can be stressful and is difficult with panniers as well!

Easiest way is to book the trains in advance, ensuring that bike spaces are reserved. I use eastcoast.co.uk. Most train companies are pretty organised so that those with valid bike reservations can travel without too much stress. The advantage is that you don't have to drag large boxes around after leaving the airport, just wheel the bikes. You may have to split the party for the London-Edinburgh leg due to bike space, as mentioned above, but it's only a 4-5 hour journey.

Taking 5 bikes on a coach will be a challenge. Many of them will have a limit of 2, and it depends on the driver's discretion and the amount of other luggage. Each bike would need to be packaged, though perhaps if travelling by air this will already be the case. I've never known a coach to take a bike that wasn't in a box or at least a large bag (except the Oxford to London service).

Which coach company are you using? National Express?

Cable should only 'freeze' in housing around freezing, when water can melt, get inside then freeze again. Temps well below zero should be ok as long as the bike stays cold.

Winter is often harsh on a bike but then most experience comes from cities where they spread a lot of salt. I've seen an aluminium chainring all but lose its teeth in one winter commuting season.