Cycling UK Forum

If you are on someones land I guess that is technically trespass

Ironically we are going away over easter and I won't have my bike with me, so will actually be riding less than I normally do. Hopefully I can make up for it by heping one of my work colleagues to start cycling in as well - probably during May.

I have both helmet and handlebar lights and make sure that they are directed downwards so as not to dazzle. I have the helmet light partly as a back-up and partly to put extra lighting in a higher position to make me more noticeable. I think also a helmet light aids in making eye contact since it shines where you are looking. I have yet to encounter another cyclist with lights that have dazzled me - I see plenty with no lights at all, only just in time on occasion and no doubt will be seeing less of some of them in the future because someone else didn't see them at all.

The seat post on Birdy folding bikes is pretty chunky try contacting them.

I had an issue with my nexus 8 on the trek soho after removing wheel to fix a puncture and then not getting the wheel back on properly. The LBS fixed it by simply adkusting the bearings which had acquired a bit of free play.

Grandad wrote:Like this?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-12675763

I had an identical experience last week on my morning commute into work in Otterbourne. Unfortunately the car reg I gave the police when I phoned it in didn't match any on record - probably got a letter or two mixed up in my mind due to the excitement, death threats can do that I guess. The police have tried to identify the driver but with no luck. Hopefully my new helmet cam will arrive in the post tomorrow for the next time if there is one.

gilesjuk wrote:It's worth carrying a can of WD40 to spray in the face of anyone like this who attacks you. After all, it's something you may need when cycling.

Not on a Carbon drive bike like the Soho

I think I met a close relative of this driver today. After driving aggresivley behind me, then shouting abuse and telling me to pull over so he could thump me he then turned right into the same road I needed turn into and a few hundred yards further on had pulled over got out of his car and grabbed me as I tried to cycle past and hit me on the helmet contuing to shout threats and abuse. I took a not e of his number and said I was going to report him for assault he replied that if I did that he now knew where to wait for me and would kill me. So I reported that to the police too - unfortunately the number I gave the police didn't match any on the database but they said they would try to track him down as they take threats to kill pretty serioulsy even if you don't mean it. They asked me as well what outcome I wanted form this and as I wasn't actually injured realised I wasn't too bothered so long as I didn't actually meet him again I was worried about what he might do in the future to the next person he takes a dislike to. Hopefully they will find him and give him a warning to make hime think twice next time.

I usually enjoy my commute - about 10 miles from Southampton to Otterbourne, typically takes 40 minutes - there have been the odd rough days but not as many as when I used to drive it. I recently used cycle streets to look up alternative routes as I go the easiest to follow most direct route which is all busy roads but haven't got around to trying them out for real.

Consider getting a belt drive fitted bicycle - I have had a Trel Soho since May 2010 doing 95miles a week for my work commute and is still riding absolutley fine.

Welcome to the Trek Soho commuting club - I too love my Soho. I sometimes get that slipping clunk such as you desribe and I am pretty sure it is coming from the hub gear. It usually occurs when I have changed down severall steps quickly slowing or stopping for a junction and then trying to get going again quickly by putting the hoof on. The only problems I have had with my Soho have been partly self inflicted trying to repair punctures on the rear wheel and then making a c**k up of putting the back wheel on. Fortunately my local bike where I bought it has been very good at putting it right and I have now got a Schwalbe Marathon Plus on the rear with a gren slime inner tube. A bit overkill I know but hopefully it means the next time the wheel has to come off it will be for a replacement tyre - unless I manage to completely crunch the internals on the hub gear first. It would be great to start seeing some other CDS equipped bikes in the UK - I'd like a second bike for leisure rides and occasional shopping trips and I like the look of both the Raleigh Alley Way and the Globe Live 3 but the only seem to be available in the US at the moment.

I was dazzled this morning by what I initially thought was the the headlight on a big flying motorbike - the I realised it was the sun

downfader wrote:

volvicspar wrote:Your not paranoid. I've had nothing but trouble this past few weeks. Constant close passes, people beeping for no reason. Driver inches from crashing into me from behind today, I've almost given up cycling!

I'm not giving up just for the morons.

I was speaking to a neighbour the other day, and a couple of seasoned riders at work (all in their 50s, I'm 33). I've recently read drivers on forums say "I used to ride, it must be the rider" when you comment on driving standards, even producing videos. Now these other riders are all pretty level headed, and they drive. They're certainly not anti car or biased, but they all say that something seems to have changed in the past 10 years. Something is going wrong.

In the past ten years cars have got bigger and wider, the roads have got more crowded and I suspect more people are being taught to pass their driving test rather than how to be a good driver.

The first time I went ofr my driving test I failed the number plate reading part and hence the entire. I have always had to wear glasses being short sighted from birth and suffering from nystagmus as well. I had my eyes checked by a consultant opthalmologist who carried out the full range of tests and pronounced my eyesight was just within the required standard. This wasn't accepted by DVLA and they insisted that I had to succesfully repeat the numberplate test in order to keep my provisional licence. I have never understood why reading a numberplate is a sufficient eyesight test and accepted over a proper eyesight test.

KTM690 wrote:Is the Dartford crossing open to cyclists?

Sort of. There is a non-motorway approachroad to the crossing and you pull into a layby where your bike is loaded onto a trailer which is towed through by the police. Did it several years ago on a Trice explorer.