Cycling UK Forum

While cycling I do not wear a helmet and never have done since I discovered that they were hot, introduced wind noise near my life preservers (aka lugholes) and, of necessity, flimsy. The only head injury I have received recently was while I was not on a bike (on account of snowy weather in early Fe...

If it's Mercian tandems you are after, here is an unusual one dating from 1978 and still going strong with me and my 5 year old on a weekly basis. Heavily modified but still with straight through drive, ghost ring (in lieu of an eccentric) and quad chainset on rear with kiddy cranks. Oh yes, it roll...

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/A41rv1ng/UntitledAlbum#5309002400622650082 (Sorry, no image - tried again) If it's Mercian tandems you are after, here is an unusual one dating from 1978 and still going strong with me and my 5 year old on a weekly basis. Heavily modified but still with straight throug...

The day before Christmas Eve last year, I went shopping for my wife with my 5 year old son as stoker on our tandem on a 17 mile round trip. On the return journey we punctured about 3 miles from home, I was getting to repair it but the sky was darkening and the wind was picking up in an exposed part ...

Yes, I love working on bikes. Always have, always will :D Ditto! I often wonder how many actual bits there are on a bike. Right down to ball bearings, screws, nuts and washers, spokes, nipples, cones, cups, spindles, springs, pins, ratchets, ............ One day, when I'm really bored, I'm going to...

Until I discovered the wonder of patch strip and a sharp knife (Any patch shape/size is available to you - don't forget to chamfer the corners by 2-3mm), I used to use feather edge patches. I find these unreliable now but patch strip is (as old ads used to say about patent medicines) a boon. Marking...

Toe in usually sorts it out. It is difficult to find torque settings for cantilever brake arms but try this http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/fix/torque/torque.pdf
and then set accordingly - but you will need a short torque wrench

But the answer is 36 :wink: On 700c, you should really have 40 spokes for heavy touring, although the hub and rim manufacturers make this as difficult as possible now. Crikey, I'm with you there. It has taken me years to get full sets of 40, 48 and 32 H hubs and rims to fit my various bikes, tricyc...

What an interesting drive-train! Any chance of a close-up shot? http://forum.ctc.org.uk/userpix/219_IMGP2804croppedenhanced_1.jpg [img] http://forum.ctc.org.uk/userpix/219_IMGP2801croppedenhanced_1.jpg As requested. Details: a Stronglight 49D chainset at front with a 38T driver, connected via the 5...

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/userpix/219_IMGP2801_1.jpg [/img] As promised, the Mercian that I ride with my son; about 1978 vintage. The only twin lateral frame that Mercian ever made (so they say). Unusual in that it does not have an eccentric front BB and it was originally set up for straight through ...

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/userpix/219_907450984a7368865e0193eb98c7b4c9b0b157a177c6fe15f980f2f6_1.jpg The above is a picture from 2006 of my racing tricycle (Condor badged Longstaff in 653) in use as a shepherding mount to accompany my 3 year old son Alexander on his Pashley Pickle. He is now on his s...

I never wear one now but used to - not entirely sure why but I think I'm not convinced by its power and certainty as a symbol of remembrance any more.

That must be age, I reckon.

Agree re AXA HR but only the later ones as the earlier versions used mild steel instead of stainless shafts I believe and those corroded and seized. They can also be stripped down and cannibalised effectively, I've found. However, for my regular rides I use SON dynamos on two bikes. I still have an ...

Variable experience with these - both on solos and tandems. Sometimes good sometimes not so good. Nowhere near as good as the hype would have you believe. Agree on harder to pull as well as reluctant to release and recentre. I have years of experience of setting up different kinds of brakes without ...

It is not here: http://www.sjscycles.com/store/cat127.htm but there is loads of other stuff that might come in useful. I am not convinced of using a single fixing hole for a span like that. Vibration may cause it to loosen and fall off. I'd try using a pair of J82S brackets if the studs on the rear ...