Cycling UK Forum

gaz wrote: ↑16 Jan 2023, 7:49pm

Hibeebiker wrote: ↑16 Jan 2023, 6:51pmHowever the too-low saddle cramps my pedalling style and can cause mild knee pain. I therefore got to thinking - would replacing my bike's 170mm cranks with 175 or 180mm cranks help compensate for the too-low saddle and help me enjoy a smoother pedalling cadence, spinning circles like a proper cyclist again?

Longer cranks will mean your feet are travelling round a larger circle. The low point will be 5/10mm below that of your existing cranks but the high point will be 5/10mm above. It would feel different, there's no guarantee that different would be better.

Dear Gaz, Thank you for taking the time to get back to me. I like the idea of my feet travelling a larger circle. I'll give this a whirl. I can always go back to 170s if this fix doesn't work. Cheers.

Jdsk wrote: ↑16 Jan 2023, 7:12pm Yes, legs are often different lengths.

Hibeebiker wrote: ↑16 Jan 2023, 6:51pm However, knowing I might not be so lucky next time, I dropped the saddle about an inch so when I stop, I can place the sole of my shoe flat on the ground - i.e. no longer on my tip-toes as I learned to ride nearly 60 years ago.

Is that while still sitting on the saddle? How much of the other foot can you put on the ground?

And are you routinely staying seated while stopping?

Jonathan

Thanks for taking the time to reply Jonathan. I sit on the saddle at stop lights with my right leg on the RH pedal and my left leg on the ground. I stay seated when I stop.

I suffered a slipped disc a couple of years ago. It kept me off the bike for a month. To take the strain off my fragile back I fitted a higher stem to raise the bars so I could ride in an upward Netherlands style. This works well for me. However, on a couple of occasions, I lost my balance when I stopped. I wondered if the slipped disc might have made my left leg shorter than the right. Fortunately there was no traffic around when I suffered these sideways 'comedy falls'. However, knowing I might not be so lucky next time, I dropped the saddle about an inch so when I stop, I can place the sole of my shoe flat on the ground - i.e. no longer on my tip-toes as I learned to ride nearly 60 years ago. Riding with the saddle too low kind of works for me in that it ensures I don't keel over when I stop at the lights. However the too-low saddle cramps my pedalling style and can cause mild knee pain. I therefore got to thinking - would replacing my bike's 170mm cranks with 175 or 180mm cranks help compensate for the too-low saddle and help me enjoy a smoother pedalling cadence, spinning circles like a proper cyclist again? I would greatly appreciate any feedback you might have. Thanks.

Thanks for the advice everybody. The reason I was seeking forum-users experience of claiming compensation for a stolen bike is that a number of fellow cyclists have told me that that they were obliged to choose their replacement bike from, say, Wheelies. Also, to clear up any misunderstanding, I used the word 'cash' as shorthand for compensation that did not place limits on which replacement bike I could get. Bankers draft or cheque would do fine. Cheers folk.

I own a bike, built with a Rivendell steel frame and rigid fork fitted with my own choice of components - 29x2" tyres, bar-end shifters, rim brakes, Time Atac pedals, upright bars. If the bike was stolen, I wouldn't be happy if the insurance company insisted on me choosing a replacement bike from their preferred dealer (which I believe is common practice) because no off-the-peg bike would satisfactorily replace the original. Do you know any company prepared to settle a claim with cash to enable me to buy a replacement Rivendell frame and equip it like my present bike?

Thanks for all the advice guys. Despite being a CTC member for years, this was my first post on this forum. I'll know to come back. Cheers.

Has anyone on this forum used an OS Garmin 1:50k Full Country SD Card? My Garmin Edge Touring is pretty useful but I sometimes find the map detail limited, such as when plotting footpaths routes, so OS mapping sounds like a potential upgrade.

Would you say it's worth the steep asking price of £140?

Are there any drawbacks? For instance, will I still be able to access routes already loaded on my Garmin, which I presume are saved on my Garmin's original SD card? Any feedback would be much appreciated.