Search found 548 matches

by boink
29 Sep 2022, 11:25pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: SRAM Rival 1x11 trigger shifter?
Replies: 3
Views: 317

Re: SRAM Rival 1x11 trigger shifter?

Thanks. Great advice there and I'm all for slumming it with a solution that saves momey and works. Next step is finding the right mechanical disc brake levers Planning on Moloko, Velo orange crazy bars or Denham bars for varied hand positions.
by boink
27 Sep 2022, 6:40pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: SRAM Rival 1x11 trigger shifter?
Replies: 3
Views: 317

SRAM Rival 1x11 trigger shifter?

Just ordered a new Planet X Kaffenback 1x 11 drop bar bike, which uses SRAM Rival double tap brifter. I'd like to fit a trekking bar to for more varied hand positions on commutes and longer weekend trips. Is this what I need shifter wise? https://www.sram.com/en/sram/models/sl-700-b1
by boink
17 Sep 2022, 8:21am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Gates belt drive bike stockists uk?
Replies: 8
Views: 1612

Re: Gates belt drive bike stockists uk?

Jupestar wrote: 16 Sep 2022, 10:15pm Think about the cost. For a belt drive. New cog = new belt. It's not arbitrary..... My guess it's £100+ to do those two parts without labour. Chain < £10.
Fair point. I do realise there'd be significant cost. Priority 600 is exactly what I'd like out of the box, with a wide ranged Pinion gearbox, but US direct sales only, and too expensive. The Apollo looks good too with an Alfine 11 hub. Searching for something similar over here in UK hasn't yielded much beyond a Genesis 'Day One 'that either they don't make anymore or no-one stocks.
by boink
16 Sep 2022, 6:38pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Gates belt drive bike stockists uk?
Replies: 8
Views: 1612

Re: Gates belt drive bike stockists uk?

MelW wrote: 13 Sep 2022, 11:28pm My OTOH has a Cube Travel Pro with Shimano Alfine 8 gears, Gates belt, mudguards, dynamo and lights. AFAIK it has been trouble free. He likes it very much. He got it from Wiggle about 3 years ago.
Thanks, I have looked into these and they do seem to tick a lot of boxes. The thing I'm not sure about is gearing for hills with panniers etc. I need to do some research on changing cogs front and or back to reach a touring bike level bottom gear. I could presumably pick one up and swap out the alfine 8 for an 11 speed. Be interesting to hear from anyone who's done this and changed cogs to get a lower climbing gear plus bigger overall range.
by boink
5 Sep 2022, 9:12pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Belgium based 7 day camping trip - any ideas?
Replies: 14
Views: 773

Re: Belgium based 7 day camping trip - any ideas?

Thanks. I'll check out Bruges to Mons and Elzenfield.
by boink
3 Sep 2022, 11:25am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Gates belt drive bike stockists uk?
Replies: 8
Views: 1612

Re: Gates belt drive bike stockists uk?

Thanks Jupestar. Look's great and well within budget.
by boink
2 Sep 2022, 4:09pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Gates belt drive bike stockists uk?
Replies: 8
Views: 1612

Gates belt drive bike stockists uk?

Looking at a cycle to work scheme buy this year, and like the idea of a carbon belt drive bike. Only room for one bike and ideally it needs to work for me as a commuter and in the summer months as a light tourer. I'm talking 60 mile gently rolling or flattish routes not off road stuff. In a perfect world it'd come with a dynamo to support phone/Garmin and light charging. Not bothered about steel or alloy, brand or colour particularly. My budget will be up to 2K so Shimano hub it is.

Grateful for any tips on stockists who might be able to supply something suitable. Particularly interested in German bike importers/stockists.

Thanks in advance.
by boink
24 Aug 2022, 8:18pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Belgium based 7 day camping trip - any ideas?
Replies: 14
Views: 773

Re: Belgium based 7 day camping trip - any ideas?

Thanks all. Some great info and ideas on places to visit there to help me with the always enjoyable dreaming and figuring things out part. Closest I've come to Belgium is changing trains a while back..and 'In Bruges' .Didn't realise there were issues with Eurostar so that's something for me to consider and the Dunkirk idea is very helpful Simon. Can you recall name of the monastery Jonathan?
by boink
23 Aug 2022, 7:38pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Belgium based 7 day camping trip - any ideas?
Replies: 14
Views: 773

Belgium based 7 day camping trip - any ideas?

Looking at summer 2023 and a reasonably relaxed self supported camping trip from UK via Eurostar, with start and end points in Brussels, Bruges, maybe Amsterdam. Looking at around 70 - 80 km per day, with a bit of art. culture, food, half decent campsites and interesting beers along the way.

Grateful if anyone has info or insights to share re any bespoke or eurovelo based routes that I could look to for inspiration. Totally open to ideas, Last trip was pre covid, Rhine route and it's about time I started looking forward to something new. Thanks in advance!
by boink
28 Oct 2021, 11:09am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Stolen bikes. Do they ever come back?
Replies: 43
Views: 3303

Re: Stolen bikes. Do they ever come back?

Thanks for the replies. Good to hear about some happy reunions. She definitely won't be leaving a bike outside in future, and on the plus side I've got at least one Xmas present idea.
by boink
27 Oct 2021, 8:44pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Stolen bikes. Do they ever come back?
Replies: 43
Views: 3303

Stolen bikes. Do they ever come back?

Daughter in Moston, Manchester had a Calibre Dark peak gravel bike stolen at 4.00 Am earlier today. Kept outside in back garden temporarily, under rain cover and held to railings by 2 Kryptonite locks...but determined scumbag with a bolt-cutter managed to take it. Not phased at all by security light. Captured on camera but pics too poor and blurred to be of much use. I know this kind of thing happens all the time and the natural reaction is to post images of the bike on FB, check market place and Gumtree etc (after contacting the police), but just wondering if anyone has ever managed to actually track down and retrieve a stolen bike?
by boink
17 Jun 2020, 7:03pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Absolute beginner needing advice
Replies: 41
Views: 5767

Re: Absolute beginner needing advice

Had same on a nice hot day in France some years later, quite refreshing..but when you've got a couple of hrs or more to do on a miserable day in the UK - or your setting off in it, knowing it's going to be raining all day - it's character forming!

Panniers got soaked inside. Lejogers nowadays don't know they're born with these new plastic banknotes.
by boink
17 Jun 2020, 6:48pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Absolute beginner needing advice
Replies: 41
Views: 5767

Re: Absolute beginner needing advice

Need to get out in that, because you will be lucky not to experience at least one during your ride


That's made me laugh. Got the soaking of my life in Devon, day 2 of my lejog. Got so wet that at one point we stopped at a little chef and tried to ring out socks and T shirts then put them under a hand dryer. Tiny video clip here gives an idea of just how wet it was. Hours of it..in August!

http://blazingpedals.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-08-05T00:21:00-07:00
by boink
13 Jun 2020, 12:56pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Absolute beginner needing advice
Replies: 41
Views: 5767

Re: Absolute beginner needing advice

thirdcrank wrote:
I fancy most of us would agree that even starting from zero, anybody in reasonable health who's prepared to do some riding to build up their abilities could do this. Pizzaman was something like 27 stones IIRC when he did it.


Very do-able, definitely. Lot (fitness wise) depends on how you intend to do it, eg mileage per day and so on. It is important as others have said to get a bike/bars/gearing you're happy with. Lots of people will tell you that the hills were all fine and they never got off once...and while that may be true, I was able to do a 70 mile day in Staffordshire but still had to climb off a fair few times, especially on first 2 days and in Forest of Dean as I recall. This was partly because we got lost a fair bit (no garmin) and ended up staring at cornish streams after taking daft shortcuts. Some climbs there I think Chris Froome might struggle with! Shap and other longish climbs I'd dreaded were actually OK.
by boink
11 Jun 2020, 8:43pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: Chamois Creme ???
Replies: 30
Views: 9829

Re: Chamois Creme ???

I alternated a bit between inside out cotton boxers (avoiding the seams) and carg o shorts one day and shorts with a pad the next. Cream on pad 1 day, cream on skin the next day. My mate never needed cream. Cotton boxers and cargo shorts. He is a Welshman though. Tough lot. Another friend did a 14 day lejog....1 pair of lycra shorts with pad and cream. Didn't wash them once, just kept reapplying cream. We're all different.