Cycling UK Forum

Thanks for the idea; I wouldn't want to flood the forum with this topic, but could be worth the effort. I'm going to try and post it there; I hope to get the administrators/moderators sympathy. By the way, I've been trying to find something like "the stolen bike section" on the forum, but there doesn't seem to be such a place

EDIT: Gee, I couldn't find that section because I was already in it! Sorry, forget what I just wrote.

I originaly posted the story of my found on the Thorn forum, but it's a great idea to have it here (I'm a member of this forum since my time in the UK!).

As for the bike, first I thought that due to the long portion of fork tube above the stem, it could be someone that just bought the frame; but then I've realised that the wheels are the Thorn default standard and so are the racks; then the setting of the brakes is also British (front brake on the right).

Please do contact me in case you have any news about the bike.

Hi,
The London Cycling Campaign has a set of free maps that cover the whole of London, up to the M25 in great detail, showing the signed cyclist roads as well as ways to get everywhere through quite cycle friendly lanes.
This maps are free and you can get them in their website (as I'm also a recent member I'm not allowed to post links or URL address, but simply google "LCC maps" and you get there).

Alternatively, you can check Sustrans website, as the National Cycle Network Route 1 crosses the North of Kent, although Oxted is probably a bit further South

Hi, I'm very interested in this, as I find myself facing the same thing whenever I take my bike on a plane for a tour abroad.
When I tour inland I simply take the bikes on my van and try to do circular routes (or simply go back to the starting point once the tour is over to fetch the van and go to get the bikes).
The problem comes when the tour doesn't end anywhere near the start point. I'm still looking for a better solution (as I find very annoying having to carry stuff for days: weight/space), but what I do is simply get a cardboard bike box before departing (then dispose of it at the destination airport) and then spend a bit of my time before the flight back trying to look for a bike shop that can give me a couple of boxes (shops that sell house appliances also do decent boxes, from fridges/washing mashines).

So I'm really looking forward to get a better idea

Hi everyone!

On my way back home today (Central London) I´ve seen a cycling mum with a baby-oriented bike. It had a very sturdy step-trough frame and the decals said something like "Family cycle" or "Family bike". It had 2 baby seats, one over the front and one over the rear wheel. Worth a search?

Another thing I´ve seen (*this one only in pictures*) is the Xtracycle. Take an old (or not-that-old) mountain bike, attach a rear tail (you buy a sort of tail frame) and...you can carry loads of stuff, including 2 chairs...and all the stuff that having 2 children generates.... I reckon you must have good thighs for this




The site is www.xtracycle.com and there´s a link to the UK dealer...

My Orbea Arama 2006

Aluminium frame, carbon fork with lowrider mounts, Tiagra gruppo, Vuelta rims, Shimano DH3N71 dynamo, Tubus Fly rack, Continental SportContact 700x32 , Brooks B17 saddle, B&M lights, Abus Granit + Pitlock locks.



Very nice both on road and path/track

Going along with daveawood, my girlfriend has a Trek 1000 WSD and she's very happy with it. I don't know your expectations or ride style, but here's what I know.
She got it for £450 and then she set it up as a "somehowlighttourer". She rides with 700x25 Armadillo and SKS mudgards and although the clearance it's tight (and you have to fiddle around with the mudgard setting) it's ok. Then she fitted a Tortec rack and eventually a dynamo hub.

She commutes with it, tours with it (always on road with 2 Ortlieb Sport Packer Classic) and the bike seems to go well. Of course things could work better, but for the price it has turned out to be a very comfortable bike. Maybe worth giving it a try?

She had a Sirrus Pro before the Trek (same price RRP tag, £500) and was utterly disappointed. The frame is the best part of the bike, as the build quality was so poor. Both feature Shimano Tiagra, but the Trek feels more responsive. When she tried the Trek she felt it so much responsive and light, but then she likes "fast" bikes

I've riden 20,21,23,25,28 slick tyres on a "racing" bike
And 28,32,35 and 37 on several hybrid and touring bikes.

I always follow the pressure guidelines on each tyre (I might want to be on the upper limit if I'm loaded).

My personal conclusion so far is that although I can feel a difference in rolling resistance (i.e.) speed (at least acceleration) using narrow tyres heavily inflated (110 to 125 psi), for me the comfort/speed equation is not worth it.

I'm 1,78 (5 foot 10) and 85 kg (some 13 stones) and have found that for my commute/touring stuff a 700x28/32 inflated to the specifications is just perfect. I would never go back to narrow tyres. I don't think the seconds I might "scrap" in every kilometre are worth the hard ride.
Currently I'm using Continental Sport Contact (slick) 700x32 @ 85psi

Hi


I was considering building a Surly before Christmas, so I went to Brixton Cycles. They were most kind and helpful. They let me (actually almost forced me!! ) try a Crosscheck and a Long HaulTrucker (with Rohloff and moustache handlebar, a weird creature) plus an amazing steel Salsa with Sram "STI" shifters. I finally got the bike I currently ride as a present, so I had to postpone the Surly project, but I would recommend you going to Brixton 100%. They had some test bikes there plus some frames on stock.

Hi, thanks!

Specially if the mahou is enjoyed under the nice and warm mediterranean sun

As for the Arama, I think the best thing about it is that it gets along very well both on and off road (surprisingly nimble on tracks and paths, this is). It gives you a very good feeling of control and the impression that you are handling something both responsive and solid.

Hi everyone!!

Real Name: Iban

Age: 32

Nationality: Spanish

Location: Hackney, London (+2 years)

Occupation: Media, I work in a science news service (although with experience mostly in tourism/museums)

Likes: Languages and food (culture in a word!)
Dislikes: smoke (whether from exhausts or cigarettes) and noise

Best cycling place in UK: The cycle lane across London Fields (Hackney rocks! )
Best cycling place abroad: Cabo de Gata (Almeria, Spain)

Bike: Orbea Arama (sort of do-it-all touring bike, looking forward to a xtracycle with deep envy)

Hi

I own an 2007 Orbea Arama, actually I also come from Bilbao, as the bike itself

Although I live in London I bought it in Spain.
Price in Spain € 1.099 (£747)
Price in UK £899 (1.323 €)
The 2007 has been downgraded from the previous versions (that came with a cross frame plus 105 gears) but also the price has become more reasonable, at least for me.

The bike:
It has everything the specs say on the website. So the equipment is quite complete and for the price (specially the one I've paid) there is nothing that comes close for what I've seen after checking many shops and webs in the UK. So the plus would be:
- Nice Alu frame with carbon fork (lowrider mouts). I don't know how good the frame is but it feels ok (I'm no expert at all). The fork looks pretty solid, although I don't really understand the need for a carbon fork.
- The new 2007 Tiagra (3ple crank with a 50 plate),all Tiagra shifters, front and rear derailleur. I've always used Sora (although I've tried Ultegra and Camp Veloce). I must say that I'm not especially happy with this Tiagra. Nothing wrong with it, I just expected more, it's a bit better (lighter, faster) than Sora, but not an incredible difference. The set of gears is cool (9x27) and I think the fact that it comes with a 50 plate (instead of 52) makes me use it more often (= more comfortable).
- Dynamo hub from Shimano (can't remember the name, but it's the top one) with Bausch und Muller front (hallgen bulb) and rear (led with standlight) lights.
- Adjustable stem. Very cleverly done, it can give you a range from +40 to -30 degrees. Besides, the top of the fork comes with plenty of space to lower or higher the stem (4 rings that can be placed on top or below the stem in order to get the ride position).
- Extra brake levers in the horizontal part of the handlebar
- Impressive Tubus Fly rack (so light it seems impossible it can work, but it does). I carry a pannier 99% of the time, so it's perfect. My feet are quite large 44/45 - 11 and I still have clearance with a pair of Classic Roller Ortlieb.
- Tires. After many years and many different tyres and sizes, I'm a devoted fan of the Schwalbe Marathon 700x28. This is "my" tyre, perfect for everything I do. The bike comes with Conti Sport Contact 700x32. I was about to change them as soon as I got the bike, but I left them there to have a go... and I must confess that I love them. OK, they're a bit thicker, but they're semi-slick and I think they roll better and are more "cushioned". After 3 months (mmm, 100k/week....mmm....some 1.200 km) I haven't had a single flat (knock on wood) and I'm happy as a hippo.
- Pedals, nice pedals, on one side they're flat (and come with a rubber pad to avoid skidding) on the other side they have a clip for "automatic" shoes I don't use the latter, but I think it could be useful for many people.

Things I don't like that much.
- The wheels are OK, they looks similar to the Mavic Open Sport (a bit thicker) on another bike I've got, but after 3 months the rear wheel has this slight thing that almost makes it touch the brake pad as it turns, it is a barely noticeable bend, but it's only 3 months (OK, I've to admit that I've thrashed it a bit crossing loaded with panniers through paths full of rocks in Southern Spain)
- The rear hub is "Formula" and looks awful. To think that they've put a £65 rack and a lovely dynamo and they've saved 10 quid in a dodgy hub!
- The lights. This German lights are OK, BUT. The front one is the Busch Muller Oval with light sensor (it goes on automatically, cool!) halogen bulb and NO standlight. So I've already burnt a bulb (£5) and I'm so nostalgic of my Busch Muller Oval LED (standlight and NO bulb!!, I got it stolen). I'll probably have to change it (again, one of the best racks in the market and they put almost the worst light in the B&M Oval range). The rear light it's good as light BUT it is placed so low on the mudguard that it's just an accident waiting to happen, I crash it against the wall (or anything on my way) every time I go downstairs to park the bike in the basement, besides, the electricity is transmitted via the mudguard (which is cool, no cables), BUT (again BUT) the mudgards in London get so dirty that it stopped working, so I changed it for a similar Busch und Muller, but mounted on the rack (ugly cable going up the rack, but it works, thus safer). Then I found out that the original light works properly, it's just the mudguard that didn't transmit the electricity because it was full of dirt.
- Generally speaking the cable cases could have been set better. The extra levers in the handlebar are a bless (I've had them before) but the casing seem to be to short so the casing fights to fit in the mounts. The rear brake cable follows the top tube and then, right when it passes by the seat post to reach the rear cantilevers it has this casing that it's too long, so you can feel it in your tight. Nothing wrong with it, no rubbing or anything, just a little detail that could have been done better.
- The brakes are Tektro Orix cantilevers (old stile, the kind of inverted V) which is cool because you can fit any tire or mudguard. I've had the Avid Shorty 4 on a previous bike (I understand that tektro are a copy of the Shorty) and the Avid worked a bit better.
- The Saddle. This is such a personal thing, I know. I've never been as happy as with a saddle I had for 5 years in another Orbea I had. It was an unknown brand and looked pretty crappy, but after thousands of kms, it was the best saddle I've had. The saddle in this bike is a good brand and looks pretty good, gel and central groove cut, BUT it hasn't done the trick for me. The sides of the saddle seem to rub against the inner side of the thigh (no rubbing yet, but not terribly comfy).

So, my conclusion is that the bike it's great value (in fact, unbeatable value for money). I use it 6/7 days a week to commute, shop, leisure, plus I do my touring stuff in it...so far (3 months) it looks solid and reliable. The downside is that the overall assembly quality is not what I would have expected, it seems that you have to take it to a workshop so they can set it up for you, somehow "fine tune it" to make it work properly. Then the bike has some awesome parts that are top of the range in it's brand (dynamo, rack) but Orbea has spared greedily in other important parts (rear hub, lights, maybe wheels??). So I've changed the rear light and the saddle and most likely will be changing the front light for the LED version soon (I've spend 5 quid in a bulb, and will not be spending another 5!! I rather spend 50/60 in a LED light that will never let me down!). These are not (I have to admit) extremely important things but then when you buy a bike like this, that comes with "All the extras" you don't want to spend any extra cent, as you have it all, all you want to have is peace of mind. Unlike with my previous bike a Ridgeback Horizon, that I had to fit with all the extras like rack, dynamohub and front wheel, front and rear lights, saddle, extra brake levers, etc, at a start price of £450 with the Horizon, I ended up spending way more than the £750 that the Arama costs!!

So I would recommend it to anyone, but I have to admit that you have to be prepared to tune it.

Here's a picture of the beast last month by the Med
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7394371@N06/424091670/

I'm happy to give you any further info if you're curious (or send you a pic of any particular part of the bike you might like to see in detail)

Adiós!