Cycling UK Forum

I used to wrap my tent in a large oilskin coat that I wore off the bike, along with a groundsheet and then tie it to the rack top. Now I use a Carradice roll top stuff sack and a few other things go in it along with the tent (usually by Thermarest chair thing, groundsheet and wet stuff). I find this works well as the bag can breath but is waterproof and look pretty inconspicuous too.

I carry a tube but also a pack of Park instant patches just in case. They seem to work really well and i've got tubes that have had years of use after using a Park patch. I'm always on the look out for good nylon levers as I'm forever breaking and loosing them.

cjchambers wrote:On my predominantly rural commute, I quite often find myself being followed patiently by a car driver where it isn't safe to overtake. I look over my shoulder to see how far away they are, if they're pulling a trailer, if there are any other cars etc. And then . . . instantly . . . they overtake! It's as if they treat the shoulder check as in invitation to overtake, without using their own judgement.

Is this genuine, or is it just in my head? And how can I stop it happening?!

I don't seem to have this problem but then, if i know there is another vehicle behind me, I don't look over my shoulder to confirm it or check it out. I feel it's up to them to deal with me. I carry on cycling normally. if there is a tight bend/ hill brow etc where I can see better I will either show them the palm of my hand in a 'no' signal or, if the road is clear, give a thumbs up across my back - this seems to be appciated (although when a big lorry gave me a big blow on his horn in thanks it frightened the life out of the friend who was cycling ahead of me and didn't know I was giving helpful signals). I only look back if I am going to move for, say, a right turn. Looking back always makes me veer right a bit anyway - best to be avoided.

The single item that made the most impact on my enjoyment of cycling was a track pump with pressure gauge. Until receiving this present I had loads of punctures, found it hard to ride fast or long and hated every bump inthe road - all because I wasn't pumped up to a good pressure. As soon as I pumped up the tyres life was fine and I've gone on to enjoy years of happy cycling. Without it I would probably have given up and started driving everywhere!

Don't forget a decent set of cycling shorts either. I found these can make a big difference after years of cheap ones I picked up some (still rather well priced) Pro Gel ones and have never looked back.

I would recomend the San Marco Rolls saddle. I have one on both my tourer and winter road bike and find they are great for long distance.

I've been using a VDO MC1.0+ for a couple of years and havn't had any problems with it and the battery sems fine so far. I've never gone for wireless - it just dosn't seem worht it really.

I've just bought a new Shimano UN54 square taper bottom bracket to go with my new Stronglight Impact chainset and was intrigued to find that it came with the drive side taper ready greased but not the non-drive side. I was always of the school that said not to grease the square tapers but have occassionally done so and not found any problems either way but this seams to indicate that Shimano think one side should be greased and the other dry. Does anyone have any explanations?

CAUTION: Sputniks are a very strong rim however some tyres do not fit to them properly. The Sputnik is suposidly a replacement for the old Alesser Endeavor but is slightly different and tight tyres don't fit to the extent that they form a flatened section that makes the bike bob up and down. Several posters have had this problem with different tyres and i have yet to find one that fits that I like!

See
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=20273
and
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=25908

I think pedal reflectors are perhaps the best safety device for night time cycling after the rear light. Nothing else on the road looks even remotely like the up and down motion of pedal reflectors. They say cyclist unlike any other item. Flashing lights are hard to percieve distance and speed from, rear reflectors are just more red. I just wish they wrapped around to the side too! If you can get hold of them for your prefered pedal then I would go for them if you intend to do any riding in the dark.

Some time ago I lost one of the wheels on my CF Y frame in a similar way. The little lock nut had come off and I had to go searching the road for the bearings . Luckily I was just round the corner from my LBS when it happened and they found me a nut to get me home. CF replaced the axel after a few e-mails. I sumised it was something to do with losing the rubber hub cap but may well be wrong - they never sent me a new hub cap and I don't know where else to get htem from!

I would suggest regular checking of the lock nut but if it does come loose there seems to be nothing you can do to tighten it but at least you'll know there is a problem.

I've not got round to doing it yet but I've often thought that replacing the draw string on my Carradice panniers with one of theose adjustable snmall cable locks that can lock at ny point would be a good way to stop people just rumaging in the bag. it wouldn't stop a determined theif with a knife but the odd drunk or anti social passer by wouldn't be able to just open the thing and have it away with what ever I was carrying.

Generally if leaving my panniers with the bie I dismount them and put the my bike lock through the carry handles too. Normally I'm more concerned about loosing the panniers than what's inside them. Although it was very annoying when some oik pinched my crap rear light from the pocket and I only found out once it got dark!

Cakes! Cakes! Where?

I lke the Pletcher one I have on my tourer.It is solid metal and attaches at the joint of the left chain and seat stay. I find it very useful - especially when I have the trailer on. I also like it in campsites where I can unload the bike right where I want to be then also run my washing line between the bike and the tent and use the light on the handlebars to light the area outside my tent. It works for me.

Thanks for all the replies. I've done the thing with the string and it's fine for some stuff but not macro, same for monopod. At macro level the exposure can be quite long to get the right depth of field. Space isn't a particular problem as long as it goes down to about the length of my packed tent but I would prefer one that could fit into a smallish rucksack. 3 part legs are usually a bit big, smaller tripods don't go high enough etc. I hoped that someone had come across the perfect solution but I guess you just can't have it all so I'll grab a cheap plastic thing from a charity shop and make do - should be fine with a remote shutter release. Thanks again.

Thanks all. I never knew that the size of the middle ring was dependent on the big. Looks like I'll go for a 50-40-28 or 26.