Cycling UK Forum

I would make the adjustment with small front and rear for both double and triple to get as straight a chainline as possible

If safe I use all the road,weaving up and virtually come to a halt when weight is transferred ready for the next forward thrust-very strenuous but effective allowing mini rests between efforts.

My OBR(old boys ride) mates and myself got a late season "away day,"involving the shortest complete circuit of the Lake District taking in hard knott,wrynose,cold fell,whinlatter and many shorter climbs.Two of us,ex four,managed the beasts without dismount,whilst Arthur found the descent very scary.I,d fitted a 26 tooth chainring mated to a 34 tooth rear and I reckon I was at néar my limit.Hauling 12.5stones up meant upper body w as employed to haul on the bars and Arthur found this the hardest thing he,d done.So,extreme steepness,even steeper switchbacks,and a sustained finish demand great fitness from any rider.My choice.

Thanks.I sourced the new cones from a black 105 hub bought as new,shop soiled which appeared identical.Used new 25 gradé balls,3/16,10 each side.Had a 70 miler yesterday so will have a look see if things have changed.Cheers.

Just replaced cones and balls on a shimano 105 hub.Cups look shiny with no pitting.Axle has a stiff spot.Adjusting this out means play on the rim after installing,rather too much I think .My question is,will there be a period of bedding in,new balls-old cups ,after which this issue will recede or disappear?

I did a 5000ml tour in a pair of ex police trousers,obtained from singers army stores,lytham rd,blackpool,cost about 7/6p in 1972.My point is ,of course,that you don,t need cycling specific gear.A trawl round charity shops may be all thats needed.

I got some ss clips off fleabay,3 for around £5 for my old steel mercian.Q.nice.They are fixed with nut and bolt,not just spring clips.

The "take a look" can be used either way .It can even be worn on the right,riding on the right cos I,ve tried it.Glasses weigh 24gms,mirror 6gms i.e.negligible.Brass ,stainless steel and optical acrylic-nice quality item.Just need to practice "the luvvie kiss" with my wife to avoid poking her eye out.

After using a quality handlebar mirror reasonably well,I came across the "take a look" clip on glasses/helmet mirror which I,ve found to be excellent for my style of biking i.e.solo and small groups up to 4 persons.Its usefulness is lessened in bigger groups unless you ride at the back most of the time as I use it mainly to see cars behind.Anyway,in trying to source the mirror in the U.K.,I came across prices varying from £18ish to£55!!!(A....n)T.The cheapest way to get one is direct from the U.S. at £13 or about $18 incl.postage.P.S. I got the compact model.

I used the vice method to remove a freewheel and deformed the hub .New hub needed.

I,ve just perfected a homemade recumbent exercise bike which requires any old donor bike plus a turbo trainer.The frame has to be cut so it can,t be used again and the donor bike frame has to fit the turbo.If anybody is interested I will send more detailed info and photos if you like.

I,ve been having an aching left shoulder for some time so decided to change the setup on my four bikes,raising the bars to saddle height and this has largely sorted the issue.I have three drop bar road bikes,one straight bar mtb .My position is now such that upper body weight can be distributed between hand and forearm which rests on the fore and aft part of the bars which I,ve put additional padding on(drop bars).Long rides,75mls+,can now be achieved in relative comfort.My elbows are permanently bent from an old injury and,on starting cycling in the early 80,s,used to give me a lot of pain,particularly in the triceps.This gradually subsided as they became conditioned/stronger.I believe straight bars are,nt necessarily more comfy.I did the Fred Whitton ride on straights once but never again as you,re stuck in one position.Hope my experience is of some help.

Try googling thurmer123.He runs a website specialising in hard to get parts.I got a rear freewheel hub,new-old stock,an atom-maillard for a winter bike.A cursory glance revealed some large flange fronts.Certainly worth a look.Prices v.reasonable.

Scuse my thickness--why would you lash the wheel to prevent freewheel damage?

I,ve made my own bike carrier from an old front hub,secured to a roof bar lengthways with two U bolts.I,ve uséd it a few times and it appears fine but my question is this---is using a hub and quick release in this fashion sound or not, particularly the force pulling the fork out on cornering(possibly not as much as I reckon it to be)