Cycling UK Forum

A bit late to the game, but we've had a few threads before...
on the bonk:
viewtopic.php?p=793659#p793659

nutrition for cycling
viewtopic.php?p=1766312#p1766312

the bonk & diabetes
viewtopic.php?t=123562

mattheus wrote: ↑12 Apr 2024, 1:24pm

Vorpal wrote: ↑12 Apr 2024, 1:22pm

mattheus wrote: ↑12 Apr 2024, 1:15pm
Man-hours?

staff hours or person-hours, please

I was waiting for that ...

Fair point, of course, but I stuck with the old term, as doing so fits the spirit of the thread, and IMO the question!

(kilometres are so woke, doncha think?? )

And here, I thought that my request fit the spirit of the thread

Pebble wrote: ↑10 Apr 2024, 1:27pm
I wish you could get full accident details through FOI of any road traffic accident, I'm not wanting gory pics or personal details, but how and why would help me understand what goes wrong and how I can better look after myself.

But very often, the names of the people involved are public, or readily available. This means that if you have details of the road traffic crash, you effectively have personal details.

mattheus wrote: ↑12 Apr 2024, 1:15pm
Man-hours?

staff hours or person-hours, please

rareposter wrote: ↑10 Apr 2024, 7:23pm

Pinhead wrote: ↑10 Apr 2024, 3:12pm In PLAIN English....

Talking of plain English...
It's a minor thing but the title of this thread is very alarmist - it almost sounds like a cry for help, an "I'm about to commit suicide!" type thing. Something a bit more descriptive of simply running out of energy on a bike ride would probably be more appropriate...

fixed

Carlton green wrote: ↑9 Apr 2024, 3:37pm

I’d have thought that JDSK would be best placed to comment on the associated health issues. From my poorly informed perspective honey is near enough neat sugar and consuming neat sugar is probably unwise and so for several reasons. I don’t believe in (instant) energy bars but rather something that’s essentially slow / slower release is what I aim for and to eat something before the dreaded ‘bonk’ actually hits you.

There area a few studies that suggest otherwise
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 5214000327
https://www.jmchemsci.com/article_156203.html

Regarding the energy, many people find it beneficial to have a combination of quick & slow release carbohydrates, along with some fat & protein. This one reason that things like flap jacks are good. They have sugar (or honey!), oats and butter or oil. Energy bars do the same thing, possibly with a more scientific approach to determine how much of which.

Airsporter1st wrote: ↑26 Mar 2024, 6:46am I would hazard a guess that the author of that piece lives in or around London, where the majority of cyclists, especially commuters and delivery riders, seem to behave in such a way as to invite the negativity.

And that's why 20 years ago in rural Suffolk, I had idiots shouting obscenities at me for the crime of... riding in the middle of the lane? Or maybe it was because I was pulling a trailer?

Pebble wrote: ↑9 Apr 2024, 9:14am Its just utter nonsense that the dislike of cyclists is a left/right sort of thing.

Of course it is. But politicians have long disagreed upon how to encourage more cycling and whether it should be at the expense of driving. The 'culture war' politics of the like of the Brexit Party, the Reform Party, and some elements in the Conservatives have driven a wedge in where there was previously mere disagreement.

Social media trolls have made this worse, and now there are more idiots shouting obscenities, and fewer folks in the middle, finding compromises, or politely agreeing to disagree.

Pebble wrote: ↑8 Apr 2024, 3:02pm
why would periodic braking help ?
On a long steady slope
a) holding brakes at constant pressure so as speed remains at a constant 20mph
b) repeatedly letting it go up to 25 then braking down to 15
c) alternate harder braking from front to rear brakes but keep speed at constant 20

It is the same amount of kinetic energy being transferred into heat.

Yes, but if you brake for a couple seconds, then cool for a few seconds, you can dissipate the heat more readily. If you drag the brakes, they are constantly generating heat, and have less surface areas to dissipate it.

I do b), though my speed probably varies a bit more than that. If know the descent, I tend to freewheel where I have a long straight section, then brake hard enough before a bend, both for keeping my speed reasonable, and taking the bend. I probably go a bit more slowly through bends than some folks would do, but I am not a fast descender.

ncutler wrote: ↑8 Apr 2024, 9:36am

AndyK wrote: ↑4 Apr 2024, 11:29am (a) would perhaps be excusable; (b) would be a sloppy mechanic in a hurry.

The state of the chainwheel bolt after replacing the out-of-spec chainwheel would I suggest dispell any doubt about whether (a) or (b) is correct:

I would definitely register a complaint.

531colin wrote: ↑8 Apr 2024, 10:33am Am I right to be cynical about finned pads? The fins are on the metal backing, but it’s the friction surface which gets hot?
Interesting, the post above has the opposite advice!!

Fins increase the surface area for heat dissipation. The heat spreads through the metal first, so that's a good place to dissipate heat. Obviously, it would be better to do it on the braking surface, but that's the part that's generating the heat.

Fins on the metal backing will do the most good during braking. When not braking, the the pads themselves will be cooled by the air.

edited to add: that said, fins need to be designed properly to be worth the extra weight. the principle works well in other areas; I do not have direct experience with finned pads on disk brakes

I have ridden a loaded tandem + trailer down long Norwegian descents with only rim brakes.

What I do is
-alternate between front and rear braking and do it periodically instead of constantly or 'feathering' (so my speed can vary somewhat)
-never letting speed get too high
-I try to be aware of how the brakes feel & stop for a cool down if there is any change in the braking performance
-become a slow descender

Some people just stop periodically & feel the rims (or discs). You obviously have to be careful with this, as you can burn your fingers. Discs both get hotter and can withstand more heat

I don't find that many brands fit me well, so I am maybe not the best person to answer this.

But among the shoes that I've worn that work well for flat pedals are Timberland lightweight walking / trail running shoes, and Decathlon MTB shoes.

Decathlon's shoes have generally been good value for money for me. They have a couple of MTB shoes made for flats. Giro do some, too, though I haven't tried them.

I would honestly think that an exercise bike might be better than the turbo? They are a lot easier to get on & off, and easier to use, as well.

Just put it on a light exercise setting and pedal as long as he wants, or use a preset program. No faffing about with gears or turbo setup.

SwiftyDoesIt has been banned for violating forum guidelines, and a couple of posts removed.

A few posts have been removed from this thread. Please argue nicely, folks