Search found 58 matches

by richardirving
26 Mar 2009, 9:06am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Helmet use post Richardson death
Replies: 186
Views: 13511

Re: Helmet use post Richardson death

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 February) when I was brained by a young ***** wielding a plastic beer crate (an unsuccessful attempt at a robbery) in London. Does this mean I should wear a helmet as a pedestrian? For the record I have been knocked/fallen off my bike about a dozen times (once ending up in casualty - idiot opening a car door on me) in the last 30 years of daily cycling and never/repeat never has anyone of incidents those come near a head injury. Helmets are an overblown and hysterical response to a completely misunderstood and ill defined problem. They are much the same as those crazy 13A socket protectors that new parents are sold when all 13a square pin sockets have had safety shutters fitted since their introduction at least 40-50 years ago - for goodness sake they are even endorsed by Rospa! Do you know why? When I tackled them on this issue, Rospa admitted that they were quite unnecessary but they endorsed the socket covers because they helped to inculcate a safety awareness culture - garnished with paranoia I'd say. All respect and condolences to Natasha Richardson's family but I too fell many times when skiing regularly as a child and teenager and helmets are not the way to go for either leisure skiers, the majority of cyclists, or even pedestrians (the latter being the only group that would most benefit from wearing them). D***n, D***n and Bu***r this issue!
by richardirving
3 Mar 2009, 4:55pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Another Mercian pic (upgrade of tandem)
Replies: 4
Views: 938

Re: Another Mercian pic (upgrade of tandem)

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 rolls on 650Bs. It is the only twin lateral tandem frame that Mercian ever made - so they told me at a York rally.
IMGP2801 (Medium).JPG
by richardirving
3 Mar 2009, 4:45pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Another Mercian pic (upgrade of tandem)
Replies: 4
Views: 938

Re: Another Mercian pic (upgrade of tandem)

Image

(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 through drive, ghost ring (in lieu of an eccentric) and quad chainset on rear with kiddy cranks. Oh yes, it rolls on 650Bs. It is the only twin lateral tandem frame that Mercian ever made - so they told me at a York rally.
by richardirving
25 Feb 2009, 3:22pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Puncture, White Van Man, & lessons learned
Replies: 5
Views: 1165

White Van Man

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 of N. Essex. Naturally, my boy starts to shiver and fortunately a very kindly man in a white van stopped to help by giving us a lift home. More importantly, he made no comment or remark on what we were about - sometimes you do get a murmur of reproof from some busybodies.
I would echo the comment earlier about car drivers being conspicuous in keeping their distance. I am always grateful to people in vans and commercials asking if they can help when I've stopped and in mid repair as it shows that your existence has been acknowledged. Usually, I do not need their help and (very) politely decline the offer as well as make a point of thanking them for stopping; on this occasion, I was glad to accept for my son's sake.
by richardirving
25 Feb 2009, 2:09pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Mudguards - just need to sound off!
Replies: 28
Views: 2030

No of parts on a bike

Mick F wrote:
NukeThemAll wrote: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 strip mine down - completely! and count them.
(I wonder if I should pull my chain apart too. 115 links of outer and inner plates, rivets, bushes ............. )


I recall this appearing as a quiz question on the lines of which everyday object has at least 1500 separate parts; I answered a bicycle and it turned out to be right
by richardirving
30 Dec 2008, 5:33pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Puncture Repair Kit
Replies: 27
Views: 2639

Puncture repair kit

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 - a small dab of glue on the hole does it for me every time. Roughing up the tube? A patch of concrete or a stone or the blade of the knife in strop fashion will do. Chalk never bother but if pushed any old fine powder will do - even fine dust by the road side - but remove flints first. I can't be doing with carrying spare tubes around - just too much clutter. I have in the past managed to fix a puncture by the roadside in nighttime rural Norfolk - by using the very occasional headlights of passing cars to see by. I had no choice with a sleeping two year old daughter in a child seat. My only tip from experience is to keep the remains of a roll of Velox rim tape in the repair kit as it has proved invaluable in good permanent repairs to sidewall damage (usually by flints) to tyres. Essential if you want to avoid further punctures in the inner tube as it bursts through the sidewall.
by richardirving
26 Nov 2008, 8:21am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Cantilever brakes juddering
Replies: 5
Views: 887

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
by richardirving
26 Nov 2008, 8:09am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Number of spokes
Replies: 10
Views: 967

rogerzilla wrote: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, tricycles and tandems. Having built all the wheels, I can barely recall the last time I broke a spoke. I think it may be 1 in the last 15 years. I do have 36H as well, of course. Anyway, now that 650B rims appear to be on the verge of a comeback perhaps it is time for a 32/40 spoke set up on bicycles (partic. 700C) revival?
by richardirving
13 Nov 2008, 1:42pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Pictures of your bike(s)
Replies: 1924
Views: 583947

Mick F wrote:What an interesting drive-train!
Any chance of a close-up shot?

Image[img]


Image

As requested.

Details:
a Stronglight 49D chainset at front with a 38T driver, connected via the 56T TA 'ghost ring' as driver chain tensioner (lighter than an eccentric) to a 38T rear driver chainwheel. This is mounted outboard on the outer bolt circle of the 48T chainwheel with a 40T middle and 26T inner fixed onto the inner bolt circle (IIRC). The RH crank was broken (an old TA cyclotouriste) so that has been sawn down to form a mounting boss (avoids a spare crank whirling around on the RHS). The Kiddy crank drive has a 26T driver connected via a 1/8" chain onto the largest singlespeed freewheel I could find at the time. I think that was 17T. That is mounted on a freewhhel threaded boss that mounts onto the square taper of the bottom bracket spindle. This is the downside; it means that the kiddycranks are overgeared, but at least my lad can rest when he wants to. Obviously, with the crankset reversed, the pedals have to be as well; ie pedals swapped from axle to axle; another remotely possible downside - the pedals could unscrew on account of (what Sheldon Brown calls) precession and Mr. Juden called the contra-rotating load principle...I think. however, my son is a 5 year old (today in point of fact) and not strong enough to make this a reality. the rest of the drive train is traditional to a 6 speed freewheel with a changer on Suntour command shifters - it does index - eventually, so I prefer to use them in friction mode. It took some sorting out but I have done this a few times with three tandems and two previous daughters so I am used to the tinkering that fitting kiddy cranks occasions
by richardirving
12 Nov 2008, 8:24am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Pictures of your bike(s)
Replies: 1924
Views: 583947

Image[/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 drive - tension in the driver chain is maintained with a 56T TA chainwheel - when the chain is worn it falls out. It is an improvement on the original tensioner that was very Heath Robinson and excessively noisy. I have kept this arrangement and upgraded it to a triple - with a quad rear chainset on the back. It requires the longest front BB spindle I have been able to find with a load of spacers. When that wears out I shall have to think about what to do. Left hand drive kiddy cranks also take quite some sorting out too as you have to swap the pedals on their axles - they are not symmetrical. The wheels are 650B with 32x584mm Wolber tyres - a lovely ride as well as quite swift when Alexander and I get going. It took me 16 years to get my hands on a pair of 40H 650B NOS rims which I imported from the States earlier this Autumn - well worth it as I was then able to fit the drum brake on the back which works far better than the useless rear Suntour SE brake that is fitted at present. My son thoroughly enjoys riding it with me(he has an independent freewheel). Next year he'll graduate to my double marathon frame as a true stoker - no freewheel then!
by richardirving
11 Nov 2008, 10:12pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Pictures of your bike(s)
Replies: 1924
Views: 583947

Image


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 second Islabikes model since he migrated to 2 wheels about a year and a bit ago. My trike is sporting a purpose made roller dynamo mount over the front wheel - a very reliable position for it on a trike (as there is no bottom bracket mount that is suitable).
It is a lovely and fast ride but as the boy is now my stoker on an old Mercian (that is for another day) I don't get out on it as much.
by richardirving
4 Nov 2008, 1:35pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Are you wearing yours?
Replies: 7
Views: 1089

Poppies

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.
by richardirving
4 Nov 2008, 1:27pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Dynamo mounting lug
Replies: 12
Views: 1182

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 elderly bottom bracket Union 8601 dynamo that is still going strong on a tandem and another ditto off the front of a purpose built rack (by Tony Oliver) on a 653 tricycle.
by richardirving
4 Nov 2008, 12:55pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Suntour SE rear brakes
Replies: 8
Views: 1365

Suntour SE

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 problems and these are an absolute pig. I still have a set on my solo commuter but they are not as good as the front Suntour XC Sport conventional cantilever brakes(fitted) with which I believe they were often paired.
by richardirving
27 Oct 2008, 6:20pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Rear Light Mounting For Rear Rack
Replies: 2
Views: 625

Rear lamp brackets

It is not here: 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 light you intend using are long enough - but you might have to drill the threads out and the light probably won't end up where you want it - above the rack at the back.

Front and rear lamp brackets are a complete pain and the industry has just not twigged that the world needs a better range of possibilities in the OEM and aftermarkets. The same goes for shackle lock brackets in my view.