Cycling UK Forum

CliveyT

[XAP]Bob wrote:HR activated auto gears already exist...

do they pick up adrenaline as well? Last thing you need when SMIDSY pulls out in front of you is the bike crashing through the gears to match your new HR

CliveyT

Tangled Metal wrote:Also does anyone know how to rent or get one of those bike box lock ups at stations? If they're hard to get will it be a big risk to chain up a tatty old looking bike overnight?

Any advice in general?

Probably the real question is "how much of a pain is it if/when it gets stolen" I had a bike locked up overnight at Cambridge station for over 6 months without losing it but I only had a 15 minute walk should it go missing.
Since moving to within cycling distance I've still kept the bike for those occasions I've needed to leave it somewhere less safe overnight and twice I've had someone stick their lock through my frame as well. Unfortunately both times I was faced with either a 2 hour walk or £20 taxi ride

CliveyT

The alternative way round- my wife does basketry and has just made a bike basket-
and now she has to get another bike to fit it on

CliveyT

Old inner tubes get used as the hinges for the top of bird boxes.

My front light and a white sheet have been used in the past for a quick (and surprisingly effective) demonstration of moth trapping

CliveyT

simonineaston wrote:That was my first thought - as a fervant hubdyno convert... but why have a dyno on a bike fitted with a stonking big battery?

so you can charge the battery up when you don't need the lights?

CliveyT

Part from when I have to (attempt to) appear smart then I wear shorts all year round both on and off the bike. Having worked for some time in Finland this country just doesn't feel cold any more. Only time I where longs for fun is when I go back to go cross country skiing

CliveyT

Slowroad wrote:And do you remember old-style jumble sales??

They still have them in my village. 2pm start and the queue will be down the road by 1:45

CliveyT

None around me but I remember a time when my (then) wife to be was living in Kegworth and phoned to say she'd had great fun cycling through the edges of the (now much wider) river Soar.

followed a couple of days later my a phone call to say the bike wasn't running so well any more- could I take a look at it

CliveyT

Funnily I was thinking exactly the opposite. I don't usually say hello on my usual commute apart from a nod to the 'regulars', but then that's into the centre of Cambridge and (particularly during term time) I'd get a sore throat if I acknowledged everyone.
I cycled down to Abingdon last weekend and with only two exceptions I exchanged greetings with every cyclist I saw (including each one of a train of 7 that passed me)

CliveyT

I think some of these competitions are the type where if you're good enough you get a medal so there can be many silver medals in the same competition. Then if you hold the competition every year and you don't update your label/ re-enter every year.....

CliveyT

spend_day wrote:
iandriver wrote:I don't know anyone in Cambridge who regularly locks one up it town that hasn't had a bike stolen. Organised gangs come into town to steal bikes.

Yeah I am a bit worried about this but I'm just gonna get a couple of good locks. My new jobs right in the heart of cambridge.

I think I've just been lucky but then I live out of town with secure storage at home so I only have to worry about my bike while I'm at work. Even on my site covered by CCTV bikes do get nicked but its generally one off thefts rather than the bulk haul them off onto the back of a lorry that happens at some places in town. So where you leave it is important. After that, it's already been said that town/dutch bikes are less desirable (I keep one for overnight stays/ railway station etc). I'd also suggest two cheaper locks of different types rather than one. The extra time taken to attach two locks is still less than the time to walk home when your bikes been nicked.

CliveyT

Cambridge still has winds, and some of the old terraced streets can be very effective wind tunnels. My regular commute into Cambridge is on a singlespeed and whilst I love it I have been known to direct more than a few rude words in the direction of the weather gods. I would have a look around at some of the second hand shops in Cambridge (pm me if you want any suggestions). The students have gone so they will be a bit quieter and have a good selection.
An old fashioned town bike with hub gears also has the advantage that it's less attractive to thieves, but you are still going to have to put some of your £200 towards a decent lock

CliveyT

fausto copy wrote:Right chaps (and chapesses) I was watching the tour highlights yesterday and the peleton were something like 60 seconds behind the leading group. There were 30k to go to the finish.
So, in order to catch the leaders (and pass them on the line) how much faster (in kph) would the peleton have to go than the leaders?
I'm sure my maths grammar school teacher would be horrified that I can't work it out, but it's his fault for spending too long on factorisation (and him being a Liverpool supporter).

fausto.

Edit: Perhaps this should be in the "does anyone know" section.

Further edit: Do we need to factor in actual speed?
If so, let's say that the leaders are travelling at 40kph.

not much faster at all- the way I worked it out (and I'm sure there's a quicker way )
60s @ 40km/h= 2/3km
the leaders have 30km to go @ 40km/h= 45minutes
therefore the peleton have 30+ 2/3 km to go in the same time
and that equates to 40+8/9km/h (40.8888888 )

CliveyT

Mick F wrote:No problem!

Anyone going over to France via Plymouth and wanting to park the car and go as a pedestrian or cyclist should read this thread. Free parking, and you get the train to Plymouth.

Plymouth (North Road) station to the ferry port:
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/BRTWebUI/Course/811495
This is the basic route, there are cycle-friendy routes but I don't know them because I don't use them. If it were me cycling to the ferry port, this is the way I would go. It's not everyones cup of tea to ride on the main roads with the traffic, but I'm ok with it.

Good luck guys and bon voyage!

Maybe a bit longer but a bit quieter and a bit more character to get off @ Devonport and come around that way? I assume the Gunnislake trains still stop there?

CliveyT

Mick F wrote:Pity you're towing it with a car.
With four people and a four-up tandem, you could do away with the car!

Any road up, that is an excellent use of an old horse box!
Well done!

now there's an idea. I looked at the first photo and thought 'there's no way he'll be able to tow that'

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