Cycling UK Forum

Add up your combined mileages. It might well come close to the distance to, circumference of, or any other meaningful measurement pertaining to Mars.
By the same measure I think we can ignore Milky Way.

531colin wrote: ↑12 Nov 2024, 6:04pm
I guess about as much extra flex and comfort as you would get by shortening the seat tube to the same point, but a good deal more expense.

And, one might say ‘The sort of innovative and distinctive design that is sought by the discerning rider’…..if not the engineer.

Nearhomer, your argument is flawed because the inclusion of a front mech is a way to achieve more gear options than is possible with a cassette alone. If you want or need more than 13 gear ratios you will not be happy with 1x.
In my case, I was happy with a double ring on my road bikes for many years. After a lay-off of around 8 years and a move to hillier terrain I moved to a triple so it was natural I would do so on a gravel bike. I have never had issues with multiple chainrings and my technical knowledge has allowed me to tailor my chainring and cassette sizes to completely cater for any ride (see my previous post). I know that would be impossible with a single chainring.
However, in my job as a bike mechanic and also as a regular club rider I can say with some confidence that it’s not uncommon for cyclist to struggle with front mechs. They are tricky to use in comparison with rear shifts which are, when correctly set-up, very easy for the layman. It’s easy to mess-up a front shift or leave the chain rubbing whereas it’s almost impossible to do so with a rear. At the risk of sounding condescending- and this is not directed at anyone on this forum - I have been a driver and cyclist for long enough to realise that some people lack finesse interacting with mechanical devices. They will always snatch gear changes and throw you at the seatbelt when they stop. They will forget to change down before they halt the bike, try to change gear under full load or leave the front mech rubbing on the chain. To a large extent modern bikes have removed or smoothed out the issues for them but front mechs continue to be tetchy. For these riders 1x could well be the answer to their prayers.
Efficiency has now come into the argument. And I’m now speaking with my mechanics head on when I say I will avoid modern 1x for as long as I can. I simply hate the 1x 10, 11 and 12 speed set-ups because of the ghastly friction that is completely unavoidable. It’s plainly obvious when you work on them. In the extreme gears you can hear and feel it even on a new or recently refurbished drivetrain. Bikes are beautiful, efficient engineering marvels. To have something so crude, wasteful and inefficient as a mainstream transmission system is, IMHO, a backward step.

This is turning into yet another thread that could be re-titled ‘You can’t please everybody all of the time’.

You can often clarify a bent frame tube from a photo by sighting along the tube from a lower viewing angle. Try and get the screen as horizontal as possible and the lower edge close to your face.

Bow pens are very tricky to use on anything other than straight lines unless you can keep the pen to surface angle constant.

If I was spending that much I would definitely be test-riding before buying.
I mean, does anyone buy a car or sofa or bed without sitting in/on it? At any price?

I have always found him a calming influence and very easy on the ear. He had the ability to draw you in to a subject you might otherwise pass by.
I never knew my grandparents but I’d like to think I’d have shared similar experiences with them.

simonineaston wrote: ↑1 Nov 2024, 11:21pm The old motto is as sound as ever: Dont’t watch? No need to pay!
I love the blood red rubber stamp, complete with faked signature… it's great! IMG_0604.jpeg

Not so much a seal of approval, more a seal of disapproval.

Bonzo Banana wrote: ↑1 Nov 2024, 2:06pm

peetee wrote: ↑1 Nov 2024, 1:22pm Here’s the latest chapter in my 4 year saga.
It came in a red envelope.
I’m really quaking in my boots now.
IMG_4564.jpeg
I let out a particular giggle at their audacious statement or rather, colourful inference, that I would need a license to watch Amazon Prime Video.

I struggle to see how a home visit is a threat, they have no legal right of access and you can simply shut the door in their face completely legally. Just say not interested or words to that effect and close the door. They need to prove you are watching live TV or using iplayer you don't have to assist them in that. I haven't had a TV license for about 7 years and I must admit I'm not hassled myself and had no issues. However I have disconnected my satellite and aerial connection and never actually watch live TV at home so its impossible for them to prosecute me. It's important for those who secretly watch live tv to make sure they don't answer the phone in the evening where someone could overhear a live tv broadcast, I think that is one of the sneaky ways they check for watching live tv in phoning your home without anyone answering on the other side.

I don’t feel I’m on shaky ground at all. They will get short shrift if they ever visit. The whole ‘innocent parties being harassed’ scenario is old news on here and some of us have gone beyond initial annoyance to now treating it as an ongoing source of humour.

Here’s the latest chapter in my 4 year saga.
It came in a red envelope.
I’m really quaking in my boots now. I let out a particular giggle at their audacious statement or rather, colourful inference, that I would need a license to watch Amazon Prime Video.

Pendodave wrote: ↑1 Nov 2024, 10:33am Can I ask about how this is going to be used?
I ended up buying a replacement bracket set from sjs recently to try and set up some mudguards, but it's not exactly what I'd like (though it's kind of good enough).
Does the strip hold a 90 degree bend well enough to stop things wobbling around?
Presumably, it's fine to cut with a hacksaw or similar?

I think the strip is available in different sizes and gauges. It’s going to be a bit clumsy looking but provided the gauge is right it should work as well as a purpose-designed bit of metal.

For me it was getting caught in a sleet shower on the way home from work. It was a warm April day that unexpectedly turned nasty. I was in short sleeves, riding up the Itchen Bridge in Southampton (steep and exposed) and the bright sunshine changed to stinging sleet in seconds. Just as quickly I became extremely cold; I was drenched and sleet was hitting me directly in my face. It felt like it was filling up my eyelids. Fortunately home was 5 minutes away and it didn’t come quick enough.

mattheus wrote: ↑31 Oct 2024, 9:49am

Jon in Sweden wrote: ↑30 Oct 2024, 9:45pm
Triples made sense when everyone was on 6-8sp cassettes, but it's 11-12 now and they are just outdated.

Mate, you're riding a bicycle. In 2024. We have 200mph motorcycles, working jet-packs, single-wheel "hover-board" thingies!

"they're outdated" just isn't a sensible argument, sorry

Quite agree.
In fact if I were to have to reduce my bike collection to just one (almost too dreadful to contemplate) I would almost certainly choose a custom designed drop bar bike with good clearance for wider tyres, a 10x3 or 11x3 gearing and two sets of wheels, one with road the other with off-road tyres and slightly larger cassette.
The Spa Elan I have comes close but the frame is a little less exciting and more bullet-proof that I’d have in that scenario.

Could you make them using lengths of this?
https://www.toolstation.com/galvanised- ... lsrc=aw.ds
One piece around the guard, another looped and pressed onto that with a vertical tab to secure to the frame.