This might also be of interest to nostalgic old Stroudies:
https://www.stroudlocalhistorysociety.o ... dal-power/
Search found 6235 matches
- 28 Mar 2024, 7:33pm
- Forum: Does anyone know … ?
- Topic: People from the Stroud CTC west area, can you remember?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1899
- 28 Mar 2024, 7:28pm
- Forum: Does anyone know … ?
- Topic: People from the Stroud CTC west area, can you remember?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1899
Re: People from the Stroud CTC west area, can you remember?
I used to buy parts from Tindall's – though I can't remember the correct spelling – and in 1985 bought my first brand new bike from Pedals, which was run by a bloke called Colin, I think. Tindall's was by then run by someone else – maybe Gilbert's son? Or maybe someone who had taken over the business from him. Pedals was a far more accessible shop, which you could walk into, actually see bikes and ask about them. Tindall's was a dark cave which produced mysterious components and greasy spanners, a delight for the senses. By the way, Pedals wasn't always based where Cytek is now: it started there, then moved across the road to a shop set back a little from the road – I can't remember if it was directly opposite (now a private house) or the site that is now the "original factory shop": https://maps.app.goo.gl/SMYiFMZUSX1czQrY6
Here's an old (1980s I'd say) photo of Tindall's:*
https://www.facebook.com/stroudareaphot ... 38/?type=3
I also road with the Stonehouse Wheelers shortly after that, so maybe 1985 to 87.
*It actually says 1988, doh!
Here's an old (1980s I'd say) photo of Tindall's:*
https://www.facebook.com/stroudareaphot ... 38/?type=3
I also road with the Stonehouse Wheelers shortly after that, so maybe 1985 to 87.
*It actually says 1988, doh!
- 28 Mar 2024, 2:13pm
- Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
- Topic: Over-powerful LED lights
- Replies: 101
- Views: 6801
Re: Over-powerful LED lights
Any inquiry into headlamps that restricts its research to crashes, whether fatal or not, is going to be useless. The largest effect of overly bright headlights is probably to alter people's behaviour by avoiding roads (including as pedestrians) after dark.Jdsk wrote: ↑28 Mar 2024, 11:15amI don't think that they are sufficiently detailed.axel_knutt wrote: ↑28 Mar 2024, 11:13am 1. I wonder whether police stats are sufficiently detailed to reveal an effect that may be small in terms of all-cause road deaths but quite large in terms of deaths related to headlamp design. I also think that any advantage of better visibility will have been consumed in the form of faster driving rather than reduced accident rate, and that that possibility won't have been researched.
...
Jonathan
- 26 Mar 2024, 10:01am
- Forum: Does anyone know … ?
- Topic: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.
- Replies: 195
- Views: 24433
Re: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.
I think this is as much or more to do with social perceptions than any particular industry or retail. It took Western markets several decades to accept that Japanese cars and electronics were as well made and designed as their European or American counterparts. We then repeated the process, slightly faster maybe, with Korean goods. China has been the workshop of the world for the whole of this century, so far, yet we still disparage these items with terms like "Chinesium" – sometimes justified* but often ignoring the high quality products from China, under Chinese and Western names.edocaster wrote: ↑25 Mar 2024, 11:34pmWhile my answer was primarily to supply the citation, it did interest me that without it, Bonzo Banana's claim would disappear into the ether (of course, I'm sure BB could provide more solid evidence too). It wasn't extensive research on my part, but I did go down a rabbit hole of seeing just how difficult it was to reach something resembling (what I believe is) the truth, at least on the English-language internet.Bmblbzzz wrote: ↑17 Mar 2024, 1:09pm So that would make Marin an Indonesian owned company, with HQ in Switzerland and design based in California, operating in over 40 countries worldwide. Like a great many companies, it's impossible to ascribe it one single nationality. How does that related to the state of retail in UK?
Instead, what you get is years of industry journalists repeating press releases, and not really doing any actual digging. Forums often aligned with these interpretations (Marin only use Insera Sena as a manufacturer, etc), because they had limited information. But also, it seems it wasn't really in anyone's interests to present a direct set of facts. Marin, the bike industry, industry journalists, Insera Sena themselves - why would they? After all, people will pay more for a Marin than a Polygon.
What was rather amusing was this quote: "Vanek couldn't say much about the new owners except that Minestone is a private group that does not own any other businesses that would align with Marin. 'It's not like some other acquisitions recently where we would become part of another group. We will still manage ourselves.'" (https://www.bicycleretailer.com/north-a ... acquistion) - the first half is, strictly speaking, true I guess.
While none of this has anything directly to do with cycle retail in the UK, it does demonstrate to some degree the abstraction from the physical product and its production which the (Western) cycling industry has reached. While this is certainly not the only industry where a large markup can be extracted based solely on brand perception, cycling is marketed as a lifestyle activity, hence is discretionary. It's not a part of a wider, unified industry, like power tools might be to DIY. Hence cycle retail rises and falls based on one activity and its popularity. But the industry has wedded its pricing structure to the segmentation demonstrated above. I think this backs the industry into a corner, where they can't upset the pricing hierarchy.
*And that low quality seems to be often driven by marketing rather than manufacture; Western and Chinese marketing, from Amazon to Temu.
- 26 Mar 2024, 9:56am
- Forum: Does anyone know … ?
- Topic: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.
- Replies: 195
- Views: 24433
Re: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.
I've only twice ordered items from Evans. Both times I opted to collect from the store and there was no charge. However, one occasion they sent the wrong item, then it turned out they didn't actually have the correct item in stock anywhere. These were both within the last ten years.
- 25 Mar 2024, 9:16pm
- Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
- Topic: Is this terminal?
- Replies: 50
- Views: 2534
Re: Is this terminal?
I had not heard of the carcinogenic dangers of carbon fibre dust, so I'm glad this has been brought to our attention.
- 25 Mar 2024, 5:46pm
- Forum: Fun & Games
- Topic: English Language - what "Does your head in" ??
- Replies: 2256
- Views: 126403
Re: English Language - what "Does your head in" ??
The egg was laid in Devon but the chicken was raised in Cornwall.
- 25 Mar 2024, 12:36pm
- Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
- Topic: Escooter trial to start
- Replies: 351
- Views: 37580
Re: Escooter trial to start
The hire bikes seem not to get left in such stupid, and dangerous, places as the hire scooters; perhaps because their larger size makes users think about the parking a bit more?
- 25 Mar 2024, 10:54am
- Forum: Does anyone know … ?
- Topic: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.
- Replies: 195
- Views: 24433
Re: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.
The Swiss connection is that that is where their HQ is. Presumably that's a commercial decision. As for design, maybe it's in America, maybe it's in Indonesia, likely it's dispersed; but what has any of that to do with the state of retail?
- 25 Mar 2024, 10:45am
- Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
- Topic: Escooter trial to start
- Replies: 351
- Views: 37580
Re: Escooter trial to start
The answer to which seems to be not as many as the Voi scooters, which in turn was not as many as the Yo bikes. Though it could just be that the Tiers, being a greeny-bluey colour, are not as easy to see under the water as the pink Vois and yellow Yos.simonineaston wrote: ↑25 Mar 2024, 10:24am The only trial I know of here in Bristol is the one where they see how many Tier bikes they can heave into the river Frome...
- 23 Mar 2024, 1:22pm
- Forum: Does anyone know … ?
- Topic: Custom made handlebars
- Replies: 6
- Views: 576
Re: Custom made handlebars
I believe this bloke might make custom handlebars: https://www.clandestine.cc
- 19 Mar 2024, 12:45pm
- Forum: Does anyone know … ?
- Topic: Would it be unreasonable … ?
- Replies: 42
- Views: 1701
Re: Would it be unreasonable … ?
I've left it on deliberately rather than forgetting about it, but equally, I haven't chosen to leave it on. It's just that the switch is unreliable so I leave it on all the time rather than be unable to turn it on at night. It doesn't flash and I have it aligned flat; if it's dazzling, it means the bracket has slipped and I'll appreciate being told. I don't greatly appreciate the dramatic tuts some cyclists (never, IME, walkers – I did once have a comment from a dog walker on a railway path, but it was "That's the best bike light I've ever seen") give on tow paths and railway paths, but I don't really pay attention to them either; and they're far fewer now. It's just like DRL on cars really.cycle tramp wrote: ↑19 Mar 2024, 8:35amI think you've left your front light on..... and there's no evidence to actually suggest day time lights actually work....
- 18 Mar 2024, 8:20am
- Forum: On the road
- Topic: Dangerous mudguards
- Replies: 37
- Views: 3559
Re: Dangerous mudguards
It doesn't need to leave exposed metal – there are designs, including ones from SKS that actually work, where two plastic parts separate. Noting also Colin's point that both risks are minimal.cycle tramp wrote: ↑18 Mar 2024, 8:05amI can see your point of view- but in doing so that would leave the end of an exposed metal rod pointing towards the rider, who may or may not be falling towards it....
..despite the probability of this not happening.. its still going to be enough for that sort of break away stay design to be stopped in its tracks by the companies lawyers....
- 17 Mar 2024, 6:54pm
- Forum: On the road
- Topic: Dangerous mudguards
- Replies: 37
- Views: 3559
Re: Dangerous mudguards
Having the breakaway at the mudguard end of the say seems more sensible in terms of the flailing spoke potential mentioned earlier. Does it affect the functioning, perhaps due to reduced leverage?
- 17 Mar 2024, 1:09pm
- Forum: Does anyone know … ?
- Topic: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.
- Replies: 195
- Views: 24433
Re: Cycle Retail In Meltdown.
So that would make Marin an Indonesian owned company, with HQ in Switzerland and design based in California, operating in over 40 countries worldwide. Like a great many companies, it's impossible to ascribe it one single nationality. How does that related to the state of retail in UK?