Cycling UK Forum

Why do you want to upgrade from 7 speed? All you end up with is spacing that is too small for normal ridding. It's a racing mentality that is taking over all biking...

Just to add, I always rode 170mm (just by chance) I got a bike with 175mm and I thought it was going to cause problems. Suprise suprise, 5mm isn't a lot. I didn't notice anything. Back to riding a bike with 170mm again, not that I care. Saddle position on the other hand has to be perfect.

I'm doing just over 13 miles in Cornwall so very hilly (915ft there, 1,161ft on the way back). The most important part is comfort. I'm doing it on a Raleigh randonneur. Make sure you have mudguards, everything you could need and good lighting for when it get's dark. Some days I'm thinking about riding and how fast I'm going, but most I starrt do day dream and before I know it, I'm home. It does help that I only work 3/4 days a week (3 days one week, 4 the next. 11 hours a day) so I get "rest days" quite often.

I don't often take my bike on trains but I did 2 weeks ago. We where forced to put it in the bike section. I was only going from Truro to St. Austell.

Croix de fers seem to come up big. I ride 56cm bikes, my current bike is a 57cm (Raleigh randonneur) and fits me better. The CDF just felt a little big.

Brucey wrote:out of interest what pads did you have?

cheers

Stock Avid BB7 ones. But it was bad, I couldn't brake for more than 10 seconds before I was aware of it.

I use bike-discount.de all the time. Last week I got a luxos front light and toplight brakeplus rear light (both dynamo). Everything dynamo related and conti tires seem to be cheaper over there. I guess it's to do with dynamos being bound by law and conti being a German make with manafature still in Germany.

Genesis - Croix de fer.

I don't like disc brakes on touring bikes. They do fade really badly on big long hills. I know because I used to have a croix de fer and it was the only annoying thing about it (well other than it being ugly).

I would say that is a problem, the spokes look too long. I would either
1, Rebuild the wheel
2, get some extra thick rim tape and throw that on over what is there.

I don't think there's any reason to not have "be seen" lights now, they only cost a few quid and weigh nothing

I have sent and recived a few bikes in a box by parcelforce/citylink/tnt, all where fine. If they wheren't that is what insurance is for.

I always use Paisley Freight now. Use to use parcel2go and parcelmonkey but their price's have gone up, guess Paisley freight will follow soon. Posted a bike 2 days ago, all went well.

I did it!!!!!! Just went for a spin (2/3 miles) and it stayed true.

I used the park tension meter and all the spokes where fairly close, within acceptable amounts. It's true within .1mm (guess, but it's very damn close).

Is there a secret handshake to go with it?

meic wrote:This part of the touring/leisure market wants to stick to a GPS that takes a couple of AA batteries and doesnt have a built in battery that can not be changed.

Dynamo!

Most of my non-commuting riding is "adventure riding", I would love the feature for it to find routes for me. Would stop me having to use strava/biketoaster/ridewithgps.