Cycling UK Forum

geocycle

fivebikes wrote: ↑9 Apr 2024, 8:02am You’ve probably cracked on with saddle soap or whatever but I would try one of the NikWax products, for restoring suppleness to leather walking boots. Nothing like Dubbin, they are aqueous waxes so are quite liquid but can be applied carefully with a cloth. Several applications will probably be needed but they are pretty clean to use. Often in a display stand at Millets and the like.

Is it still possible to get NikWax wax? I recall some in a shoe polish tin you applied to walking boots with your fingers, a bit like Brooks proofhide. I don’t get on with the liquid stuff they currently produce and most old fashioned dubbin is way too clarty leaving lumps on the leather.

geocycle

How often do people check disk brake pads and is there a rule of thumb for when to replace them? I get that wear will depend on riding style and conditions but do folk remove the pad and check every few months, before a big trip or when you get strange noises from the disks?

geocycle

I ride that size Thorn frame, a near identical raven not a Sherpa, and Im 5’9” if that helps anyone.

geocycle

For me it changed about 5 years ago when Wahoo came to market with a device that lasted 12 hours plus on a single charge. Following that Garmin brought out a new series of devices that matched an surpassed the wahoo. There are pros and cons of different approaches but the key point for me is the battery lasted more than a long day in the saddle. Before that I had a Garmin touring which didn’t have the battery life I needed. So, as always with bike stuff, what works best depends what you want to do with it.

geocycle

Nearholmer wrote: ↑4 Apr 2024, 10:57pm
I've set the bars very high up.
Any possibility that you’ve created a situation where the height of the bars is forcing your shoulders too high, or that you simply need to relax them?

I sometimes find in mid-ride that I’ve somehow got my shoulders too high and stiff, people have even said to me that I’ve got my shoulders up round my ears, and that I need to drop and relax them to restore comfort. That isn’t a bike-fit thing, it’s just a strange habit that seems to strike me on road sections; off road I think the constant moving about to shift balance prevents me falling into it.

There might be some truth in that. I’ve had a similar sensation and wondered if it was due to being too tense when riding. It’s a bit like when you realise you are gripping the bars tightly on a climb when you just need to take a breath and change hand position. Also things like clothing and helmet design can have an impact.

geocycle

The white powder on the picture looks like dried tubeless sealant? Might not be corrosion but the overinflated tyre opened another weakness. Cargo bikes can be heavy which might have caused the initial crack?

geocycle

This is a preprint not a peer reviewed paper. ResearchGate is a sort of portal or broker not a publisher.

geocycle

You may be right Ian. When I do the supermarket run both panniers are stuffed and I can’t use the flap of the bikepackers. Instead I rely on the draw string snow flap that is beneath the flap. Probably less useful than the rollers in that context.

geocycle

20 year old Bikepacker plus user here. Annual week long European tours up to the pandemic, less often since as my recreational cycling interest changed. Used daily in unipannier mode for commuting during all that time and weekly for shopping. Changed one insert that wore away and swapped around because of rubbing against the rack, otherwise no maintenance needed in that time. The external mesh pocket is used everyday for keys and small items. Happy to recommend.

geocycle

Much as I would like to see us rejoin and recognise we should never have left, I can't see it in the short term. I do think joining the single market again in some form is more realistic and will become inevitable to address trade imbalances. Maybe a Norway style position as discussed at the time of Brexit is achievable.

geocycle

Pebble wrote: ↑15 Feb 2024, 8:52am I wouldn't be riding that even if Brucey and Colin told me it was entirely safe

I wouldn't be riding it because Brucey and Colin told me it wasn't safe!

geocycle

I have the park tool stand. It’s ok but I hardly ever use it as it is a bit of a beast. I prefer just hoisting the bikes onto two simple Halford hooks covered in pipe lagging on the wall for any drive chain work. These double as a storage option.

geocycle

Nearholmer wrote: ↑8 Feb 2024, 6:55pm If I had a bike I knew was reliable, and I was familiar with, no way would I replace it with a £150 bike in order to ride 125 miles. Just make sure it’s all nicely maintained,

Completely agree. The wheel size is irrelevant in this situation. If I was on the market for a new bike I’d go for a 700 c just because they are the most available now, functionally the differences are small. If you had a much bigger budget then upgrading your current machine might be worthwhile although not essential for a short tour.

geocycle

Paulatic wrote: ↑7 Feb 2024, 11:58am I pore over maps before ever setting off somewhere new and hopefully retain the overall picture of where I’m going.
The device on the bars saves me having to stop at every junction, get out a map, put on my glasses, find exactly which junction I’m at and then take the correct direction. That can add up into considerable time saving.

Yes, that's me as well. I also have OS maps on the phone which often adds to the interest during stops. Part of me misses the 6 inch extracts that I used to have in the map folder on the bar bag but the gizmo takes a lot of stress out of the navigation meaning I look for more birds and places of interest.

geocycle

Just to add to the list. I'm a big fan of SON hubs and have been using one for many years on the commuter. But, I also have two budget hubs as well, one with an SP and the other with a Kasai dynamo that have performed well so far. There is no detectable difference to the SON at the speeds I ride (I know the data point to drag) and the main test will be the longevity. They are built in Spa wheels who recommended the Kasai to me.

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Re: leather restoration

Re: Techniques for braking on steep descents

Re: Thorn Sherpa size "535L" - BIG PRICE DROP!

Re: GPX devices...Garmin alternative

Re: Shoulder stiffness/tension for a drop bar newbie

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