Cycling UK Forum

I used to take my bike on the train from Paddington to Langley and there was space on the train to store bikes in some of the carriages. This train did go to Reading and most of the trains in that area did have an area for bikes.

I used to think how great this was, as I live near Glasgow most of the time and many of the electric trains have no places for bikes.

I had a half full can of coke thrown at me from a car, but manages to avoid it hitting me one summer day. The car stopped at a set of traffic lights so I pulled up beside it and squirted the contents of my spare water bottle through the open passenger window and wet both passenger and driver.

I then disappeared down a side street and through a public park to get away from them. I hope that I taught them a lesson and that they never tried it again on another cyclist.

I had juddering brakes when I put new wheels on my bike. It was caused by the anodising on the braking surface of the rims. When it wore off the brakes stopped juddering.

The solution I found to carrying water while hill walking is to use an army Osprey ammunition pouch and a 4.5ml thermal flask. I strap it onto my rucksack. The studs on the pouch are very strong and it won't fall off while riding. You could adapt the Osprey pouch to fit onto the panniers or even put it onto a belt and carry it round your waist, as it is not too heavy.

Osprey pouch:
http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/shop/ ... 20817.html

Flask:
http://www.thebushcraftstore.co.uk/ammo ... -434-p.asp

Most of the flasks which are similar to the Web-Tex ones will fit in the pouch. They offer the advantage of keeping drinks cold in the hot weather but are not so good for keeping hot liquids hot for too long.

I always use Western Ferries as well as it is cheaper.

I never use Shimano chains but have been on rides with 2 people who suffered broken chains and both were Shimano ones.

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'Everywhere is within riding distance, if you have the time'.

http://janeslog.wordpress.com/

Halfords BikeHut Rack pack. At 29.99 it is good quality and big enough to use for cycling to work. Halfords are doing a 3 for 2 offer just now so its worth buying something else you need to get the third item free.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_236256

I wouldn't take them up on their offer for a 50% reduction on another pair of Assos shorts. I would just buy an alternative brand.

Talking about clothing, what happened to 'Alexa' clothing which was obtainable in the 1990's?

I had the same problem with Assos shorts. The material seems quite thin and they don't stand up to a lot of wearing and washing. I would never buy Assos again because I think it is very over-priced for the quality of the clothing.

I wear Santini shorts now and I think the quality is much better. The TwistGel shorts are excellent and the insert is very comfortable. I also have another pair of Santini shorts with the Coolmax insert and this is also very comfortable. I get them from Prendas post free.

http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ty ... =7&ID=2752

http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ty ... =7&ID=2802

Got a pair today from Wiggle.They fit okay and Ithink they should be okay for walking and cycling. As the weather is going to be lovely here this week I won't be able to try them out just yet.

I have the Halfords BikeHut Pannier Rack Pack which costs 29.99. It's good quality and not too big, but will hold quite a lot of things and is padded. It als has a rain cover.

I've had mine 2 years and it shows no signs of wear. You can also adapt a British Army respirator bag to make a handlebar bag or a rack pack. They are also padded and cost about 8.00. Similar to the one below.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/British-Army-S10- ... 3426wt_877


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Everywhere is within cycling distance, if you have the time'.

http://janeslog.wordpress.com/

I use the Taya Sigma Bike Chain Connector from Halfords. Costs £2.49 and is easy to install and remove. I have never used any other make of quick link as the Sigma has caused me no problems and I feel can rely on it without it breaking on me. I also carry a spare with me in case of any chain breakages on a tour (along with a chain splitter).

I followed the instructions for the Sram which I saw on YouTube (see link below) and had the connector on in a few seconds. It takes a bit longer to remove it but its no a problem either. Follow the instructions below and you should be able to install one without much difficulty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeTmy6N_VQA



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'Everywhere is within cycling distance, if you have the time'.

http://janeslog.wordpress.com/

I came across 'Rainlegs' when looking for waterproof trousers for cycling.

http://www.rainlegs.com/en/home

They might be okay for hill walking as well. Easier to put on and take off than waterproof trousers. Has anyone used them and are they any good?



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'Everywhere is within cycling distance, if you have the time'.

http://janeslog.wordpress.com/

Changing a transmission chain regularly stops wear on the rear cogs and the chainset. I buy KMC or Taya chains which are a lot cheaper than Shimano ones and change them every 2 months. This is far cheaper than replacing chainsets and rear cogs. Keep the chain well lubricated and use proper chain lubricant. Use a thicker wet lubricant in the winter and a thinner dry one in the summer. Also clean the chain, sprockets and chainwheel regularly.

Also with tyres, rotate them between front and rear to even out the wear. Never buy really cheap brake blocks as they are too soft and wear out very quickly. Buy more expensive ones with a harder compound.

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'Everywhere is within cycling distance, if you have the time'.

http://janeslog.wordpress.com/

I can never understand why musettes are not as popular as they once were as I have always found them ideal for carrying small items on the bike and on foot. I even carry my lunch to work in a musette which I fold up when empty and carry home in my pocket.

However, I have found another use for them while recovering from an ankle operation. As I need to avoid walking as much as possible in the house, I required some way of carrying all my items including books, magazines, water, mobile phones etc.

My musette has proved invaluable for this purpose and I put all the items I need in it and carry it with me when I need to move to another room.

This means I have everything with me and don't have to make extra journeys to collect items I have left in another room. It's just a small canvas bag but something which I find very useful.

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'Everywhere is within cycling distance, if you have the time'.

http://janeslog.wordpress.com/