Search found 3832 matches

by Nearholmer
31 Mar 2024, 1:01pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Trouser crotch wear - serious question!
Replies: 21
Views: 828

Re: Trouser crotch wear - serious question!

The guys at LBS persuaded me to try a very short-nosed saddle when I was trying to find a new comfy one after breaking a rail on my previous. They are all ‘roadies’, had them on their bikes, and promised it would be wonderful.

I found it utterly weird and dislikable, and it proved how much I lever/balance the bike using the saddle nose on my leg when riding off-road, which I didn’t even know I did.

So …… try one, but you might not like it.

Oddly enough, the saddle I ended up with was the Brooks Cambium!
by Nearholmer
31 Mar 2024, 7:25am
Forum: For Sale - Complete bikes ONLY - state FRAME SIZE in title
Topic: Genesis Croix de Fer 30 - medium
Replies: 11
Views: 813

Re: Genesis Croix de Fer 30 - medium

If it helps, I’m 5ft 10.5in, with c32” trouser inside leg, and the Large (56cm) frame CdF fits me very well (so much so that I’ve got two, one with drops, one with flat bars) with the seat fairly far forward on the rails, and a shortish stem (80mm on drops), which yields a touring/gravel stance, relaxed, rather than ‘racey’.

I can also fit the Medium (54cm) frame, with the seat further back and a longer stem.

Basically, at around our height, we’re on the border between the two frame sizes (which, funnily enough, is what the genesis sizing chart says), and the choice between them is down to adjustments and subtleties of “feel”.

So, I reckon that at 5ft 10in, you’d be fine on this given the right seat-setting and stem.
by Nearholmer
30 Mar 2024, 4:58pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The most terrifying words in the English Language
Replies: 9
Views: 396

Re: The most terrifying words in the English Language

Strangely, I was thinking about something similar yesterday evening, and it struck me that if you asked for one thing, and got it, it would probably turn out like one of those genie in the lamp tricks, whereby having what you wished for came along with side helpings of deep trouble.

But, one thing I would value from politicians would be unvarnished, not tainted by delusional thinking, treating us all like intelligent adults honesty (backed-up by numbers).

A good start might be to publish the national budget, in reasonably easy to follow form (pie charts or something), showing income, expenditure, and debt, and send a copy to every registered elector. Many people would either not believe it, or not understand it, but it would be a good start in having adult conversations, and might move us beyond The Budget as a piece of childish theatre and marginal vote buying.
by Nearholmer
30 Mar 2024, 8:20am
Forum: Cycling Goods & Services - Your Reviews
Topic: How long is reasonable?
Replies: 4
Views: 256

Re: How long is reasonable?

It depends on the nature of the failure.

If the failure is one that shouldn’t reasonably have occurred by the date in question, the position is exactly the same, because the law provides protection for a duration that can reasonably be expected given use and maintenance in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

The clutch in my car died completely about six months beyond the 3yr warranty, and after only a tiny bit of politely pointing out that that was unreasonable, I got a new clutch supplied and fitted, and warranty on that for a further year. VW-central reimbursed the dealer too, because they accepted that it was a manufacturing fault, but that wasn’t really “my business”, because the customer’s relationship is with the supplier, not the OEM.

My feeling about this case is that maybe the dealer has got themselves out of their depth, taking on liabilities that they aren’t financially prepared for, which is a bit different from a VW main dealer.
by Nearholmer
29 Mar 2024, 5:15pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Tyre pressures for different width tyres using Silca
Replies: 18
Views: 1042

Re: Tyre pressures for different width tyres using Silca

Ah, you’re right, I was thinking the lower mass was the bike and the upper the rider, but that’s not what they are.

That does seem a bit iffy, because even on a light bike the bike can easily be 10-20% of the total mass.

The tyres are in as compliance, I’ll have to read it again (trying to read on a phone doesn’t help) to see where hysteria loss is in there.
by Nearholmer
29 Mar 2024, 3:27pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Tyre pressures for different width tyres using Silca
Replies: 18
Views: 1042

Re: Tyre pressures for different width tyres using Silca

Brucey,

I don’t think it represents the bike as mass-less, and I don’t think it represents a bike with suspension, only compliance, because if it did the model would need dash-pots, as well as springs, between axles and frame-mass, unless I’m missing a trick here.

Anyway, I was lugging a hefty load of shopping home earlier, and my bike rode more smoothly without noticeable increase in rolling resistance, so I suspect I’ve got the tyres pumped-up too high for normal duty again …… I still struggle to get my head around how low the pressure can be with very compliant tubeless tyres without adding significant resistance.
by Nearholmer
29 Mar 2024, 12:35pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Tyre pressures for different width tyres using Silca
Replies: 18
Views: 1042

Re: Tyre pressures for different width tyres using Silca

Fascinating paper; thanks..

It would be interesting to know how the vibration guidelines were set, and whether riding a bike actually sets-up the same vibrations, in the same bits of the anatomy, as what led to them. I’m thinking of “white finger”, for instance, never having heard of anyone suffer that from cycling, but I don’t know whether there are frequencies, or accelerations, or amplitudes, or durations that set-up trouble elsewhere in the body, or whether anyone has instrumented cyclists sufficiently to measure all the various bits wobbling about(!), because I think we might be a bit more complicated than one mass, one spring, and one dash-pot.
by Nearholmer
29 Mar 2024, 9:46am
Forum: Cycling Goods & Services - Your Reviews
Topic: How long is reasonable?
Replies: 4
Views: 256

Re: How long is reasonable?

Consumer Rights Act 2015, Section 23, I think.

I’d write a formal letter, recorded delivery, setting out the history and your request (repair by fixed date, or full refund), stating that you consider the delay unreasonable, copy to Trading Standards, copy to R&M, and see whether that gets things moving.
by Nearholmer
28 Mar 2024, 9:52pm
Forum: For Sale - Complete bikes ONLY - state FRAME SIZE in title
Topic: Genesis Croix de Fer 30 - medium
Replies: 11
Views: 813

Re: Genesis Croix de Fer 30 - medium

Colour, and everything else.

Surely someone has to buy this at the price!

(It’s too small for me, and I’ve already got two)
by Nearholmer
28 Mar 2024, 6:42pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: How's your weather?
Replies: 1950
Views: 94929

Re: How's your weather?

Surprisingly dramatic. We’ve just had a fair old thunderstorm, with associated torrential downpour, and the wind has been gusting very strong this afternoon. First thing it was brilliant sunshine and a clear blue sky.

(Fifty miles north of London)
by Nearholmer
27 Mar 2024, 10:09pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: "Why is the right at war with cyclists?... "
Replies: 27
Views: 1638

Re: "Why is the right at war with cyclists?... "

Hmmmm ….. have newspapers ever, in the entire history of printing, confined themselves purely to news? I don’t think they have, so probably the best you can expect is that they will have clear delineation between news, opinion, adverts, and the dreaded ‘lifestyle content’. The former broadsheets tend to be reasonably good on that, and the tabloids atrocious.
by Nearholmer
27 Mar 2024, 6:37pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: "Why is the right at war with cyclists?... "
Replies: 27
Views: 1638

Re: "Why is the right at war with cyclists?... "

The thing is, that article doesn’t purport to be news. It says “opinion” in clear red lettering at the very top. Whatever complaints can fairly be levelled at the Guardian, deliberately, or even neglectfully, blurring news with opinion isn’t one of them.
by Nearholmer
27 Mar 2024, 5:04pm
Forum: Health and fitness
Topic: Why are the general population resistant to getting fit?
Replies: 97
Views: 5231

Re: Why are the general population resistant to getting fit?

and sorry to Nearholmer for repeating his ideas. I Obviously haven't read right from the start)
No need to apologise. It was a line of thought that didn’t chime much with contributors at the time.
by Nearholmer
27 Mar 2024, 4:07pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: UK Leasehold Changes?
Replies: 14
Views: 376

Re: UK Leasehold Changes?

^ Thanks.