Cycling UK Forum

I've got a couple of pumps called Pneu-Force, one a frame fit, the other a shorter version that fits neatly in my ruc-sac. The geezer wot I bought them off made them to whatever length you wanted. They have a novel design that uses the bike frame as part of the pump - a clip on the end attaches it to bike frame when you need to use it, making it into a sort of portable track pump. It was sold on the basis that it was capable of putting up to 120 psi into a tyre quite readily at the road-side, and in my experience I have no reason to doubt the maker's claim.
Unfortunately, I can find no trace of the bloke still trading... I did hear a rumour that the inventor/maker had passed away, but it would be cool if the patent could get passed onto another entrepreneur - there's nothing to touch them in my (humble) experience.

Woody wrote:I'm very pleased with my 'Feathercraft...

I've just had a look at the FC web site - their standard sleeping mat looks exactly like what I've been dreaming of... assuming I get off to sleep in the first place
Only trouble is I can't seem to find a UK supplier - any ideas?

self inflating foam mats (SIFM) can inspire a spirited conversation in themselves
arguments go something like this: they have the potential to give a great night's sleep, as they insulate user from cold hard ground v.well, but are heavier than closed-cell foam mats (C-CFM), BUT biggest draw-back apart from the 30-50% extra weight over C-CFM, is the potential to get a puncture and go flat, thus reducing the user to sleeping on No Insulation At All
Anyone who brightly remarks that cyclists would be ideally placed to fix the puncture and continue with a sound night's sleep has not had their SIFM go flat at half past three in the morning...
Things that have made my, or friends' SIFM go flat include, flint, glass, small piece of barbed-wire, thorns. That said, I wouldn't dream of leaving mine at home, unless I was going somewhere very dusty and stony.

For a thorough background in nerdiness, see http://www.6mpixel.org/en/
In short, this site will back up the assertion that you don't need the latest Mega Pixcel offering to take great pix
You do, however, need to keep whatever you bought cosy and clean... I expect a sock and Sainsbo's best sandwich bag will do a fine job

Have enjoyed reading all your comments, in the light of my mistake - buying a gorgeous FujiFilm s9600 slr-type camera. It's a totally fab mostly manual camera, with a stonking 28-310mm lens, and even I have managed one or two quite good photos. The mistake though was to imagine that I could carry it around happily on a cycle tour - way too big and brick-like It's replacement is a yummy Canon a650 which is just what I should have bought in the first place, being compact, well-made and versatile. (There are several refurb examples available on a certain on-line auction site at the moment...) The remaining issue is one that applies to all cameras, though (as well as iPods, satnav devices etc. etc.), and that is how to keep them clean and dry out on the road...
Well, I think I've found the answer (haven't bought one yet, but "on paper" they look fantastic, as well as good VFM)
- and I don't work for the company!
http://www.aquapac.net/ukstore/erol.html

Oooh...
http://sheldonbrown.com/handsup.html

Thanks for your contributions, all - always glad to start off a lively debate...

Hi Folks,
Call me dim (plenty do...) but is it possible to use a quill-type bar stem with an AheadSet?
My Moulton Pashley TSR, delightful though it otherwise is, is fitted with one of these ghastly contraptions, and I can only just get the 'bars where I want. I'd really like them higher, but there's no room for more spacers on the steerer tube, and the adjustable bar stem has run out of adjustment
Can't I just take the trim plug off the top and pop a quill-type bar-stem down the steerer tube, and retain the AheadSet bearings with a collar similar to the ones used to fix seatposts???

Surely, as these items are designed to be a direct replacement for the filament bulbs, Philips would have taken that into consideration - at £6, I think I'll have a go and see what they're like I'll post again after I've tried one...

Excellent - I knew somebody would know...
It's never plain-sailing tho' - Thanks to the wonderful wacky world of the internet, I have now come to the conculsion that the bulb that goes in my Basta has a cap or base that rejoices under the name "PX 13.5s" and although I see on the list of LED Bulbs made by Philips, on the EuroLight Marketing site, that there are LED bulbs that are "PX 13.5s compatable" I also note that such a bulb "does not have reversed polarity protection, reversed power supply connection may cause permant damage." the note continues... " Please refer to the relevant Product information Sheet when connecting power to the PrideLED."
I'm thinking that the power output of a bottle dynamo might be AC, in which case it is regularly switching polarity - or have I got the physics wrong and should I have taken more notice of my physics teacher, back in the mists of the last century...

Some weeks ago, I stumbled on a website that listed loads of LED light sources (other-wise known as "bulbs"...) including some direct replacements for various filament bulbs. There was one in particular that looked interesting - a replacement for the Osram 6V halogen bulb used in some of the front lamps sold in the bottle dynamo sets (mine's a Basta Halogen 425).
Like a twit, I didn't bookmark the site and I can't find it again
So Folks, my Q. this gloomy Sunday lunchtime is: Has anyone any experience of these LED bulbs in conjunction with a dynamo, and can anyone tell me where to get one?!

Have a look at the Carradice site... the link is to one of their day sacs

http://www.carradice.co.uk/rack-packs/p ... 0bag.shtml

They make good quality products, in a wide range of sizes including some nice click-fix saddlebags.

Thanks, Folks

rogerzilla wrote:What are you after?

Now you're asking !
1) 42 chainwheel for the chainset used on the Pashley TSR27 - mine'll need replacing sooner or later
2) the 38 tooth steel chainwheel/alloy crank I've seen on their web-site
3) twist-grip shifter, designed to use with the recent 8 speed hub
details of all above to be found in the article here...

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~hadla ... update.pdf

a bit out of date now but still a good intro. I see there's contact details listed towards the end

Hi Folks,
Sturmey Archer, under Sun Race ownership, are putting out some nice products these days - I have a very nice polished alloy chainset on my Pashley TSR. Does anyone know how I can find out where the S-A stockists are?

Hi Folks,
does anyone know if I can use Shimano Altus integrated brake/gear levers, with twin triggers, with the SRAM Dual Drive hub/7spd cassette combination I recently got from from my LBS?
As the levers have 3 positions on one side and 7 on the other, I guess they were originally designed for use with front and rear derailluer mechs. - I imagine the rear mech will be compatible, but I was wondering whether the 3 position lever will work with the SRAM hub...