Cycling UK Forum

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Very interesting and helpful.

It's the only the rear spokes that are pinging. I also have a 32 spoke Open Pro, fixed, wheelset, put together by Condor in London, are they have worked brilliantly.....no breaks there. This is what is pushing me to think that I've been unlucky with 2 LBSs. I could give Paul Hewitt a ring. I have one of his tourers

A few people mention my wrong choice of rim. I'm a bit lost if I move away from Open Pros. They have served me well, to date. Suggestions then?
DT SWiss? Which model number?
Mavic CXP Pro? (I mention this because Rose do them and I've never had any issues with Rose making wheels)
Exal LX17
Other? .... there must be quite a few....

Many thanks - again!

All
I've ridden quite a number of factory made 32 spoke wheels. No issues. Ever. Geared and fixed. They are all still going strong.

Recently, I've had a few 32 spoke wheelsets made for me at a LBS. (Mavic open pro on 105 or Ultegra rear hubs with dynamo at the front. 3 cross) After the first set was made, the spokes kept on breaking at the hub end and unscrewing at the rim end. I changed LBS and had them remade. Now, spokes are breaking less frequently, but they they are still pinging, one say, every 300 kms, but only at the hub end. (The second LBS used DT Swiss "glue" nibbles.) This is starting to drive me nuts. I take part in audaxes and I now start to worry that my wheels will make it......

After my first LBS expereince, I wrote a post here a few months ago, and the general feling was that the shop a disaster. OK. I took this advice and changed.... but the issue has not gone away. I feel slightly embarrassed to say this, but the first and now the second LBS used the excuse that "I am a powerful" rider and that's why they are breaking.

I cycle about 7500 miles per year, in all conditions. The road surfaces are reasonably good. I tend to complete a 200kms audax in 7h45 to 8h all in. I weigh 90kg and I'm 6 foot 1. I use Continental 4 season tyres, 25 or 28mm on either a VN Yukon during the summer, a Charge Juicer Hi during the winter.

Could this is true and should I change to 36 spokes? (My touring bikes have 36 spokes and they too are perfect - but again - they are factory made(Rose bikes))
Is this just an excuse to mask their incompetancy?
Why would factory 32 spoke wheels still be OK and LBS ones not? Bizarre...
Have I found two bad LBS in a row! ?
Where is the tipping point where 36 spokes should be the norm?

Thoughts? I really want this issue to go away. Many thanks.

+1 for Conti 4 season

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/cont ... aid:789967

www.myactiveplus.com

has half price on all wearable tech. Loads of Garmin, Suunto, Fitbit....

There is a tendency to point the camera lens up the hill, following the hill upward if you will. It's very important to keep the camera horizontal. This is easier said than done because the former is a sort of natural reflex.

Here's a few -
They are not being recommended by me, just a nod to their existence!

http://veloactif.be/entite-pilotes/brillo

http://www.dhnet.be/regions/charleroi-c ... 5aa80f56f0

http://www.pagesdor.be/la-maison-des-cy ... eroi-6000/

Google brings up the train station ("gare" in French) all the time.

If none of these take your fancy, try a bike shop. The word for rent is "louer" and bike is "velo". There are many in Belgium!!

...err...good luck. It's really not a very nice city. Why don't you jump on the train to Bruxelles or Namur (lovely) or anywhere else?

Yesterday some train drivers went to court to argue that blocking the tracks for the workers who wanted to work today, was a GOOD thing.
They won!

On Wednesday the buses, trams and underground were on strike.

It's like living in the UK during the 70s at times. (They are on the street, picketing with barrel fires etc today)

Thankfully, it's a relatively small country and car drivers do acknowledge the existence of cyclists
(But it is a pity that with such a reputation, the cycle path construction and maintenance is shocking and who ever thought that pavé was an excellent road surface, I hope was shot....they are still building cycle paths and roads with the stuff)

Iain,

The Randonneur's club that I referred to published their 2016 Calendar yesterday.

http://files.webklik.nl/user_files/2009 ... r_2016.pdf

The last one of the season is this Sunday - a bit late notice, but I'll be there. It's a huge circular route around Brussels. There are even a few "hills" !!!!

I will do quite a few of them in '16. If you would like an intro or just to join me, then PM me.

John

Having lived in Belgium for a number of years now, good luck ...

The Flems in particular, I find, are a "closed" bunch. It is difficult to mingle and you will be lucky to find a club that is welcoming. One thing worth pushing is the fact that you are English. I went out with the audax "club" that runs in the summer (www.randonneurs.be) and no one said a bean to me for 8 rides until they realised I was English and not French. I broke down once, and not a single person stopped and by then, they did know who I was. I'm currently chipping away at the group and I'm now known as the strange English one! The rides take place all over Belgium...it's a small country!

That said, once you are "accepted" they will be fairly warm towards you. Try bike shops, many do run evening and weekend rides.

BTW, "roads" in Belgium are all classified as roads. So, if you plot routes using GPS, farming tracks, rights of way, cobbled streets, roads, dual carriage ways .... are "roads" so when you plot a lovely little route, don't be surprised if you have to walk part of it! Also, when there's a cycle path, by law, you have to use it.

The Ortlieb handlebar attachment involves threading a cable around the stem/handlebar. Once fitted and cut, it tends to fray so moving the bag from one bike to another will either involve a handlebar bracket per bike or a new wire - they are about £6 a pop.

I wasn't hoping for this, with a brand which has a reputation like Ortlieb.

Jardine - you have me worried now.... it does look beautiful now though! I will be upset if it chips or bubbles.

Des49 - yes, Colour Tech do Robert's frames, which isn't surprising because they are both in South London. Some time ago, David, the owner, mentioned in passing, that he used to do Thorn's too.

My metallic finish cost £170 all in, frame, forks, decals and some other little fiddly bits.

It took him 2 weeks from drop off to collection.

I've just had my Robert's frame resprayed here -

http://www.colour-tech.co.uk/

I kept my eyes on passing cars, choose a colour I liked, which happened to be an Audi. I then went to an Audi garage and asked for a brochure, which I took apart, sending the colour chart page in with the frame. David matched it perfectly. The finish is perfect too. He even painted the branding, it's not a transfer.

More expensive than £100 though. The extensive price list is on the site.

I don't have any knowledge of Blackstorm, as such, but I do have "feel". I bought a decent Condor frame and these forks came with it. I built it and it's a great ride...and there are many cobbled streets around here. No cracks or anything to give it a red flag and it's been going well for 4 years now. Recently I wanted to change another bike's fork so I did not hesitate to buy another one. It was an automatic purchase. To me there is no reason at all to spend a fortune on a fancy fork. I also have a VN Yukon and that came with an expensive fork. I can not tell the difference.

Looks sooooo easy to fit as you can see on this very expensive looking website. Quite a nice idea though and electric bikes are becoming more and more popular.

http://flykly.com/smart-wheel

Any takers?!

I force a giggle out for 10 seconds or so then switch my facial expression to very serious and say "my goodness, I feel sorry for you" and then cycle off.
This let's steam out for me, tells them how I feel and tends to really get up their nose.