Cycling UK Forum

I remember an article that compared the number of head injuries that would be avoided if all cyclists wore helmets with the number of head injuries that would be avoided if all motorists wore exactly the same helmets. The argument was that most serious head injuries in cars are caused when the head strikes the side window (the head is more vulnerable to shock in this direction) and that a simple cycle helmet would prevent most of these. I think the estimates were 100:1 in favour of driver compulsion - if what you really want to do is save the most lives/cost to the NHS.

Can anyone locate a copy?

I'd also like to find a photograph from Japan showing (in the same frame) a cyclist without a helmet and a school child walking to school wearing one - again testament to a true assessment of risk.

Ultimately, as recently commented, helmet wearing is so ubiquitous these days that enforcing legal compulsion seems a very unnecessary expense/faff for an over worked police force.

But then again if it is seen as a vote winner it may be game over!

Swallow wrote:I often have back pain and find relief through cycling. Even if I'm struggling to walk I can still cycle.

I have suffered back pain all my life. The only time it doesn't hurt is when I'm cycling. I've moved to riding recumbents and now nothing else hurts either (e.g. bum, writs, neck, shoulders) - bliss!

So poor and so embarassing that I only just lasted the half hour - reached for the 'off' button at least a dozen times. If there's any consolation then surely the next episode can't get any worse?

QUIST wrote:Is there a standard size for spokes on 700 x25 or 700 X 32 touring wheels?

I susect the answer may be no

Thanks in advance

toby

Afraid not, plenty of online spoke length calculators however, though they in turn require detailed hub/rim measurements.

When touring I just carry 2 or 3 spokes that I've worked out are close enough, and a block extractor (spokes always break block side on the rear)

Cheers

Stradageek

Surely anything that causes distraction when piloting a potentially lethal vehicle should be avoided wherever possible? I even find myself turning off background music when I need to concentrate e.g. at road junctions etc. I'll concede that a Satnav is usefull if it is less distracting than reading road signs in an unfamiliar area but I've no plans to buy one. I prefer to check out routes carefully before departure, the wonders of Goole maps and Streetview!

As my previous thread (Cyclorama - The Book) reveals, Jim MuGurn sent me a copy to review.

So as an avid cycle book reader and fan of the old Encycleopedias, what do I think?

On balance I'd say this is a book to dip into and (as it recommends at the end) to pass onto your non-cyclist friends to do the same.

Like Peter Eland's 'Bike Buyer's Guide' it is not a book that reads easily from cover to cover but it contains much that is useful, some thought provoking monologues, and is a good shop window to what is a vast cycling world.

If anything, I miss the big format and big detailed pictures that emblazoned the Encycleopedias and the more extensive technical details - though fewer bikes were covered. When discussing specific models, Cyclorama seems to be more obviously just quoting the manufacturers sales blurb.

So it's like the Encycleopedia but more general and all encompassing. I shall tout it around as I did the Encycleopedias (before they became a bit outdated) and shall probably find myself quoting from some of the diatribes. Would I buy it, yes, it's pretty up to date and would take many hours of internet browsing to duplicate - and it's much eaier to pass around!

Stradageek

I can offer some interesting comments:

To my wife when riding a Kettwiesel Trike

"Sick wheels mate"

To me from the leader of a gang of lads congregated in an underpass whilst passing on my HP Velotechnik Speedmachine

"I'm gonna rob me that bike"

To both of us whilst riding the Kett tandem on a quiet Sunday afternoon

"You're an accident waiting to happen" they drove off before I could add "only if YOU hit us"

And my favourite from a Biker who stopped to look at me lying on the floor at a road juction (I had failed to disengage the SPD's in time and fell gently to the ground - on a recumbent again) he flipped up his visor, looked down at me, saw I was ok, and said

"That's not cool"

and rode off - I laughed all the way home

My wife (4'10") has a 700C wheeled Dawes Sonoran. It has a low step through light alloy frame and Jean loves it!

The only modification we needed was to remove the supplied suspension seat post (which didn't let the saddle go low enough) and replace it with a 'fits into the seat tube' type (from cycological in US - but I think you can get them more easily now). The bike comes with rack, mudguards etc and has seen many years of trouble free service, well worth the £400 asking price.

Cheers

Stradageek (and wife)

Hi, Anyone read Mr McGurn's latest offering, is it worth buying?

I have most of the old Encycleopedias which I find useful to showcase all things cycling to friends and colleagues, interested to know if this is an updated version of the same?

Cheers

Stradageek

Got given a 16" unicycle as payment for a wheel re-build, just being able to ride any distance feels like a major achievement and it is great fun. However I have recently had to invest in shin/ankle guards as when it all goes wrong the pedals seem to unerringly target my ankle bones.

I'm 55 going on 56 and undeterred, targeting the Jubilee BH for my first public outing, wish me luck!

I'm working on as many wildy different types as possible, unicycle (just about mastered it - great fun), recumbent two wheelers (two off, Bacchetta highracer for distances, Speedmachine lowracer for commuting), trike (Kettwiesel for ice, snowand general manic fun), tandem ( 5 wheeler, my wife's Kett and mine coupled together, her front wheel removed) - now where can I get a four wheeler to complete the set?

My justification comes from Mike Burrows book which ends with "Don't own a bike, own bikes, lots of them!"

Cheers Stradageek

Cycled there with the kids a few years ago, two key things struck me, 1) Loads of nice cycle lanes next to the roads and cars that wait for you to cross first at junctions! 2) By UK standards there really isn't enough traffic to justify the cycle lanes. We left Stockholm at 5pm on a Wednesday and the traffic reminded me of 5am on a Sunday in most UK cities. Enjoy!

Helen wrote:My favourite touring keks will be on sale in Aldi on Thursday. I'll be scratching at the door to bag the small size (usually only 2 pairs!)
Tech fabric, quick-drying, zip-off, UV SPF30. For only £9.99!
Yippee!

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_24201.htm?WT.mc_id=2012-04-16-12-15

Good call! I bought a pair and my wife bought two, excellent quality (and fit)

Thanks for the tip!

Cheers

C&J

roadvader wrote:i used to have some endura shorts they were pretty thick,but there must be something on the market that suits you,times move on and there is always something out there improving all the time,you may have luck on ebay etc but i reckon you will have a right time finding the 'exact' same ones!!

Good point, but I live in hope. Anyone seen anything similar?

Ian Raleigh wrote:I'm not saying it looked stupid or anything like that, it did look cool when i passed it
he was being blown about on the road and as i went by him i thought he was doing a slalom.

Maybe we all need to ride these so motorists will smile and give us all a wide birth
http://www.hklightbox.com/pic/pedal-kar ... 04.jpg.htm

Yup it works, I get more good natured banter and metres more of passing space since riding recumbents.

All recumbents wobble a bit because of the lack of scope to 'body balance'; the advantage is that it wakes ups motorists "something that wobbly might scratch my car!"

Also I've a sneaking feeling that a lot of drivers think that recumbent riders are disabled (I'm regularly asked if I am) which makes people more careful.

Nice tale though

Cheers

Stradageek