Search found 1578 matches

by PT1029
27 Mar 2024, 8:43pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Front wheel 9mm across flats into 10mm drop outs
Replies: 4
Views: 200

Re: Front wheel 9mm across flats into 10mm drop outs

Swytch also do a torque arm for better axle retention, said to be for carbon or alloy forks and forks "over 30 years old". If your axle isn't a snug fit in the dropouts, this might help.
https://www.swytchbike.com/accessories/ (scroll down to universal torque arm).
by PT1029
26 Mar 2024, 9:03pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Custom Storage
Replies: 13
Views: 551

Re: Custom Storage

Years ago I knew someone who kept their large chest freezer at the back of the garage. As I guide as to where to stop the car, they hung a ball (tennis or squash ball I think) from the roof. When the ball touched the windscreen (right in front of the driver's face), that was the time to stop. Doesn't stop the "my foot slipped of the clutch" (assuming your car has a clutch of course!).
by PT1029
7 Mar 2024, 1:55pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Belts and chains
Replies: 23
Views: 1311

Re: Belts and chains

The key for mudguards/mud flaps keeping your chain/BB shell clean is to have a DIY mudflap that is long enough. My mudflaps just clear the ground, so no muck gets up to the chain (from the front wheel at least!).
Also has to be the right balance of stiffness (too rigid, muck splatters out sideways onto your feet, too pliable, wind blows it back and muck gets up to the BB shell/chain).
There is an old thread on here somewhere about DIY mudflaps.

Can someone answer the question I have. Belts need to be reasonably tight (I'm told) - what does this permanant tension do to BB/hub bearing life, or is such tension of minimal consequence to bearings?
by PT1029
4 Mar 2024, 7:20am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Non-standard Bikes on Trains
Replies: 32
Views: 1390

Re: Non-standard Bikes on Trains

If you have mobility problems and/or are disabled (appreciate you are not Mick), you can get assistance at each end of the journey and at changes en route. Staff meet you when the train arrives, help you about the station with wheel chair etc. The parents in law used this once and found it good.
So my point is, it might be worth asking if this service extends to hanging your bike. Probably unlikely, and also has the risk at a short station stop of not getting you bike unhoked/off the train in time (possibly).

Often with bike storage areas, your bike has to compete with general luggage that other people have left there. One solution to this metioned on here previously was to leave your bike on the floor and wait for the train manager to wander along and get him to sort, so saving you annying other passengers who don't want their luggage moved.
by PT1029
3 Mar 2024, 9:06pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: R & M Birdy wheels question
Replies: 16
Views: 713

Re: R & M Birdy wheels question

Yes, that is the bike, thanks.
by PT1029
3 Mar 2024, 9:02pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Stuck Raleigh steering tube; options short of cutting it?
Replies: 8
Views: 559

Re: Stuck Raleigh steering tube; options short of cutting it?

It isn't the heating and resultant expansion that unsiezes it.
The aluminium oxide is hydroscopic, so absorbs water, which makes it expand and so siezing things up. When heating, the heat dries out the damp oxide causes it to shrink, reducing the tightness of everything, even unsiezing it.
As Colin says, the head tube is inconveniently in the way with its inconvenient air gap.
Something I have pondered but never tried is this. Take a metal bar that will fit up inside the fork column/inside the handlebar stem. Heat the bar so it is really hot and stick it up inside the fork column, possibly repeat a few times. Once the oxide has dried out and thus contracted, you might be able to remove the bars/stem from the forks.
If you can let the stem wedge fall out of the bottom of the forks, even better.
Once "dry", using a suitable unsiezing oil might help before you start to heave on things - apply oil, leave, re apply and repeat over a week or 2 if needed.
Suitable unsiezing oil does not include WD40 out of a blue can.
by PT1029
3 Mar 2024, 8:41pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Recommended bike hire near Apt, France, 84400
Replies: 4
Views: 236

Re: Recommended bike hire near Apt, France, 84400

Details of shop we hired from in Avingnon if that helps, approx 30 miles west of Apt. https://www.southspiritbike.com/
Friendly and helpful.

We have also used (not for some years) Albion cycles in Sault about 15ml north of Apt, so closer than the Avingion shop.. https://www.albioncycles.com/
Delivered bikes to us all the way to Avingon (at some cost, it was about 1/2 day of his time)

Both the above had bikes with racks available, we provided our own panniers and route..
by PT1029
3 Mar 2024, 8:19pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: R & M Birdy wheels question
Replies: 16
Views: 713

Re: R & M Birdy wheels question

What colour is this frame? That will identify which model it is (assuming, of course that it has not been resprayed.)
It is a red one (not resprayed, has transfers on), which in my book says original/early version. It has round tubes, not the hydroformed tubes seen on current versions.
by PT1029
2 Mar 2024, 7:29pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Routing online or via "knowledge" ?
Replies: 30
Views: 1977

Re: Routing online or via "knowledge" ?

I think it depends on how the software rates a route for cycles. In my experience, Kamoot is more inclined to send you along a segregated cycle track by a main road when Ride with gps would send me on a more wiggly (possibly) but nicer route via country lanes.
When I use rwgps to map a route, I always tweek the offering to my preference (sometimes altering the amout climbed vs distance compromise), all part of the route plannng process.

I check our club gpx files before they go on the website. By and large the routes offered are fine. Sometimes I get a route where it is obvious they clicked the start point, the coffee stop, then lunch stop then end of the ride. The resultant route is always different (and not so good) as from those who make their own route.
by PT1029
2 Mar 2024, 7:20pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: R & M Birdy wheels question
Replies: 16
Views: 713

Re: R & M Birdy wheels question

Thanks. It is more the 18" rims, standard hubs can fit (the box of bits has some new Shimano Capreo rear hubs in it (made for small wheel bikes, cassette down to 9t) I need to double check the spoke hole count on the new hubs (32 hole I think), also a Capreo 9s cassette as well.
by PT1029
2 Mar 2024, 5:19pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: R & M Birdy wheels question
Replies: 16
Views: 713

Re: R & M Birdy wheels question

There seem to be some seat posts advertised on line (correct length/diameter, about £70, https://fudgescyclesonline.com/product/ ... 9_x_565_mm).
The only QR/clamp parts on line seem to be for later designs/models, so it might be DIY shims (as per LWaB's post upthread) for someone if they do it up.
by PT1029
2 Mar 2024, 2:29pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Rain and the Sturmey Archer x-fdd hub brake
Replies: 17
Views: 1030

Re: Rain and the Sturmey Archer x-fdd hub brake

I have the 90mm drum brakes on my 8freight. They have always worked as normal in the rain.
The mystery of my brakes is more the opposite, on some damp mornngs (think slight mist, damp atmosphere, no rain), they get seriously sharp, so much so the back brake locks easily (despite heavily laden cargo), and the fork flexes a lot if I put the brake on as usual.
by PT1029
2 Mar 2024, 2:19pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Sturmey Archer 3spd twist grip
Replies: 2
Views: 240

Re: Sturmey Archer 3spd twist grip

Lucky if it still works well. The few ones of that vintage I see (usually 20 X 1 3/8" shoppers) rarely work effectively any more.
by PT1029
2 Mar 2024, 2:15pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Why are bike tyres so expensive?
Replies: 56
Views: 2971

Re: Why are bike tyres so expensive?

May be also for repairing. In the days of having a shop van, getting a (Transit) van puncture repaired was the same as we charged to fit a new tube to a customer's bike. And the transit wheel tyre needed a big thing that sat on the floor to fit (force!) the tyre onto the wheel rim, where we used fingers in the shop to do the same.
by PT1029
2 Mar 2024, 2:07pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: R & M Birdy wheels question
Replies: 16
Views: 713

Re: R & M Birdy wheels question

Thanks. Useful (if annoying!) to know the seat QR spacers are not available separately.
I did a differently worded search later.
I didn't find any rims as such.
SJS have 20 hole rims £5.99 (but the front wheel I have is 24 hole) https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/rims-tape/b ... r-20-hole/ - spec says 355 ETRTO but furher down 371 ETRTO rim dia, - 371 doesn't exist as far as I know, not on Sheldon Brown's chart.
Also some "jumior" rear 18 X 1.75 wheels, from non specialist retailers (ie junior bike market rather than fancy Birdy market) - ETRTO not specified, assuming the correct 18", build the rim onto a decent hub.

The rims and the missing seat post may well be the cost killer for restoring this bike (the transmission spares needed are lurking in the other box of bits), so probably best sell the bike for spares.