Cycling UK Forum

It is one thing to be against something another to have a solution to it. So far I can not see how anything UKIP has brought to the table amounts to a viable solution. Unless you are thinking about unilaterally leaving the EU. That is one solution but would take a big hit on our economy. I know that because I used to be involved in exporting around the world and can say Europe is a nice place to do business. Russia I hate with a passion, they are too beaurocratic which really eats into profits. America is nice but if you get lumbered with duties then you have problems. Fortunately we got around it by shipping into Texas and using a bonded transport company to on-ship by land to Mexico thus avoiding US duties. It is still bad enough that if you supply into Federal funded projects you have to use US flagged carriers no matter how much the extra cost/delay. If we were outside EU we would be unlikely to get the EU duty waiver immediately pricing my old employer out of the market. Plus US/EU deals no longer apply plus all the other EU to other nation deals too. Leaving EU is a sh1tstorm I hope I never get to see.

So if you don't leave the EU how are you going to solve the immigration issue UKIP has? Free movement of EU citizens account for the majority of immigration into UK. WE can not stop that. That leaves UKIP with no ideas I think.

beardy wrote:

If nothing else it would kill the thread

No need for that, they are all sent to a ghetto that nobody has to go to.

Can we create a ghetto for hi-viz threads too??

Seriously that road from Settle to Skipton past Cold Preston and other little settlements is a nightmare at the best of times if you are behind a large vehicle. It is a bendy road so most drivers only manage 50mph at most more like 40 but trucks will do as low as 25-30mph at times. Add in any snow, slush, rain or standing water (yes that road can flood at times) and you have a real nasty drive.

I often go to a place near Wetherby and drive time is between 1.5 hours and 2.5 hours depending on what I am behind on that stretch of road. It is seriously that bad. That is before weather factors come into play too (the 1 hour difference is based on good driving weather and is solely based on speed of traffic through that section of road). One autumn drive home in heavy rain in the dark once took me 3 hours. That was when flooding and detours meant it took me twice what a good quite day's drive would take.

Aaah! Personal choice should decide this. We all have our views and evidence doesn't always decide things for us so just let us say this, "I wear/do not wear a helmet because that is my choice!" and leave it at that.

There is no point in debating anything helmet related as it has all been said before by brighter wits than ourselves.

I wish there was a really easy way to just paste all the English language helmet debates that have been held online right into each new thread that opens up. If nothing else it would kill the thread as it would take forever to scroll down to the end, assuming there is no easy way to skip to the end damn! idea foiled!! Mind you it would probably crash the site;s servers with the size of the entry.

Can I just congratulate the people involved with this site? What a good idea to move ALL helmet threads into a separate containment zone for us idiots who still read them. Keeps the rest of the forum free of helmet contamination.

PS it seems you might need to do the same for hi-viz threads too!!!

My understanding is a highway can be used by any vehicle except certain classes of roads (a pedestrian can be considered a vehicle I was told if there is a reason for walking in the road - our school used to have a procession along the road, scout marches on remembrance sunday, etc.).

My understanding of in road cycle paths a solid line (usually with a red surface) means cars should not enter the cycle path but there is no reason why a bike can;'t ride outside if there is a reasonable need to do so. Of course most cars ignore red surface and solid lines to ride or park on cycle paths so I reciprocate with a few cyclepaths by riding on the road. One near me is a pointless path to avoid a mini roundabout that is no more or less safe to ride around in traffic than the cyclepath next to it (up the kerb with the need to stop and cross a side road to proceed).

I am only guessing but would assume even if I am wrong the police won't bother enforcing it.

irc wrote:

Vantage wrote:

Tonyf33 wrote:Saying a helmet offers no protection is like saying shoes offer no protection. But I wonder how many people would turn up to their doc with cuts and blisters if not for the minimal cushioning from shoes.

Actually going barefoot is perfectly possible without injury. When I was a child in Canada my siblings and I often didn't wear shoes during the summer holidays. The skin pretty soon toughens up and injuries are very rare. But then the two things are not comparable anyway. If I was constantly putting 17 stone of weight on my head against varying surfaces while cycling I might wear a helmet. I'm not. Shoes increase comfort while helmets reduce comfort.

PS Can I say what a breath of fresh air it is being in a forum where there can be a civil discussion unlike the current thread on another forum where I'm called "stupid" and told I should pay for any injuries sustained while cycling (whether the driver is at fault or not.)

Went to uni with a guy who never wore shoes. He stopped wearing them in the summer of his first year and never went back to shoes. Never had cuts or issues like that. Guess his feet toughend up fast. That was Leeds BTW which is not exactly a small city and after a night out back then glass in the centre was an issue since they had not gone to plastic bottles and glasses back then but they were all still glass.

BTW i tried it for a while that same summer. It actually feels nice to be barefoot even in a city. I doubt I would have enjoyed it in winter though. I have also tried it walking in the Lakes, A nice walk up around buttermere on a nice day. Plus other ones near Shaop, Bampton and haweswater. Other guys were doing it too. ALthough I only started doing it after a longer than usual lunch stop I fell asleep to wake up without fell shoes. I just took off my socks and carried on until my mate gave me the shoes back (prank fail). I put them in my bag and carried on walking to the surprise of my mates. Shoe wearing is overated I think at times. You should try going without.

Just testing, wonder how many do get away with saying stuff like that? Happens in all walks of life so doubt UKIP people are whiter than white on this prejudice.

Apologies for the colour based phrase, I did type another phrase but realised religion was involved. Seems I keep putting my foot in it with UKIP. I just can't get over perceived racism in that party. I guess it has a lot to do with immigration being a main part of their policies. It is hard to have a party that is tough on immigration without racism being a potential accusation against them. Besides hypocracy springs to mind considering that statement a while back about the huge percentage of immigrants in the UK when you use that really wide definition (something about immigrant if one of your parents is not 100% of born in the UK stock). That definition (wish I could remember it) actually puts a lot of UKIP people as immigrants including IIRC Farage. My memory is slipping so I apologise for that half remembered thing about UKIP immigration poster which was shown by the UKIP hating media (my take on Beardy's view on commentary in the media about UKIP) that was hypocritical.

At the end of the day there will be UKIP MPs and MEPs around so people need to accept them. How relevent they will be is the question. However even Beardy must admit there are a few cranks either in or have been booted out of the UKIP (whether Tory, Labour originally). Like the dodgy UKIP potential high flyer who went to Labour IIRC. As soon as the party got a whiff of the defection started releasing spin about an investigation into behaviour and them being on verge of being kicked out. UKIP are learning spin and becoming a proper party I feel so proud of them!!!

My view on Ghyllside was it kind of catered for those who knew what they were about in touring. You know, the sorts of people who specify their own builds up, one step from a full custom made tourer that is. Every bike was too expensive for me (touring bikes that is) and it is too small to have much stock in. No way to test ride before buying but I assume most of their customers either know what they want or go with their advice if buying a cheaper/hybrid bike.

Although I have only been in there about 6 times over 10 years. They range from very helpful to I know you are going to buy from Evans so I will only be polite. A bit unfair perhaps. I will try and get there saturday and give them a real try out.

Manchester is one place too far for me (even though it possibly takes me less time to get there than Harrogate would). Harrogate is kind of only just out of the way to visiting family so there is some justification for going there. Ambleside is somewhere I end up passing every weekend it seems. There is a surly retailer in Lytham according to the Surley website but that Lytham shop tends to stock those Dutch style trikes with a box on the front (usually with kids sitting in it on the photos). That or e-bikes (glad they don't hop on the apple bandwagon and call electic bikes i-Bikes at least).

Debating the Miners' strike and UKIP = thread drift as interesting as the reminisces of a couple of miners is. PS I did mining engineering at Uni after the strike and pit closures at a time when African mining sites were no longer as keen to take on UK graduates. No NCB job and having to try and get lucky in the Uk quarrying industry led me to move to Metallurgy and Materials Science. Best thing I did although I do miss the chance of learning about explosives in that one job I nearly got in quarrying. Big bangs are good yes!!!!!

UKIP are a serious party, well a serious pain in the backsides of the two main parties for sure. That is the only good thing about them IMHO. I guess that means I am not the guy from the street. If I start calling black people darkies and talk about floods being God's punishment for homosexuals will that get me a top UKIP position and make me one of UKIP's man from the street? Or whatever guff they claim.

No don't take my comments about Spa as negative, I suspected that they are a proper aladdin's cave of a LBS with a traditional approach to customers, i.e. face to face or through that new fangled thing called a telephone!! I nearly went back to remove my comment about them in case it was read as a negative. I honestly believe from what I have read that they are the retail version of an experience if you are a true fan of bicycles and especially touring. None of this cycle boutique just a small and committed staff (probably who grew up there or have been working there for decades) and a large stockholding of touring related bits built up over decades of trading. You have a 30 year old touring bike made by some guy in a bike shop called Bob or Fred with old fashioned kit they'll have the widget you need or can fix it for you. That sort of LBS.

Seriously intending to call them. I reckon they'll know how to sort out a tall lad with no idea of what he really needs all at a price point that would embarass you if you went to one of the boutiqu shops or a mainstream place.

BTW anyone know the best way there from Skipton side? Been through that way cutting down to Wetherby once as a passenger but never been to Harrogate from this side before.

What is a touring bike fit?

I am wondering because a touring bike is one option for my "one bike". I'm guessing it has a more upright feel to it like a hybrid based on an MTB. The weight is less on the arms and more on the seat/pedals (using your core muscles). I'm also thinking it is a longer wheelbase bike than other road bikes with longer chainstays and since it is likely to be a steel frame it could be a more open main triangle. I am tall so will need the biggest size of whatever bike make and model I choose so with the touring bike I am guessing it will look a really big frame due to the thinner steel tubes and more open main triangle (that is what my ancient steel road bike looks like, larger than it;s true frame size due to thin 501 tubing and large main triangle). I could be wrong.

For heavy loads 36 hole wheels, a triple with top chainring of 46 or 48 and bottom say 26 ish. Cassette is the classic 11-32. Mech disc brakes these days if closer to £1k budget or v-brakes at lower budgets. Steel throughout except at budget end where you might get Al frame and ChroMoly forks for comfort. Chainstay is 445cm typically and STA is 72 degrees. In the largest frame size (typically 60cm) a reach over 600cm I;m guessing is needed.

Sorry Jimstar79 if I have taken over with this question about what is a touring bike fit (and related summary of spec as I see it). Perhaps I should start own thread.

BTW I'm on the same bike journey as you are I suspect, a tourer but perhaps a tourer more capable of rough roads. Also in the NW England I think. I am hoping to take a trip to Spa cycles soon as I can get a pass out from family duties at the weekend. Although I am not impressed by their lack of reply to a website/email enquiry. I can only guess it failed to go through.

My last bike was about 6 months old and my partner's was about 4 or 5 years when I had no choice but to leave it out in very heavy rain. After 2 hours of torrential rain I went out of the tent and checked the bikes. They had never looked cleaner since they were new!! Although my newer bike had a layer of surface rust on the chain pins. Not a problem I just rode it for an hour and no more rust. I think I take a bit of lube and that is it. I am sure that unless your trip is months and months then your bike should be stronger than a few nights of rain. Especially since on a proper tour you'll have the bike made to cope with it, it is like they're designed to take rain, muck and grit.

If we are car camping we have a large 4 bike cover to go over 2 bikes and a child trailer but it is way too heavy for a cycle tour. I think on a tour I would only worry about lubing the chain and keeping the seat dry for my comfort. Other than that my touring is likely to be close enough to a proper bike shop to solve serious issues.

In the bike shops I've been in all the racks show 25kg max load. One bike I looked at came with metal mudguards with a rack that uses the guards for extra strength, that had 45kg max loading. Thorn cycles do a tourer capable of handling 45kg and use a tubus rack IIRC. I'd think for most bikes 25kg on one wheel is enough.

I'm looking for a commuter/tourer/general road and easy off road leisure riding. Been looking at gravel bikes or adventure road bikes, others call faux CXers. Like of genesis cdf or Croix de fer. The tour de fer looks a good bike. It's a cdf with longer chainstay length I think. Not sure if it's the best for you but I'm tempted. My LBS is a bit sniffy about Dawes. The bike mechanic said he hates them from the maintenance side because every one he has to work on has been in a bad state. He doesn't think they're any good nowadays. The sales guy agreed. Said their boss bought a load expecting them to sell but they didn't. Now rotting in a warehouse apparently but could still bring them in if I insisted.

I'm debating getting a tourer or a gravel bike. Purpose commuting but aim to tour with it. Plan to check out ridgeback bikes. Their world range of tourers look good to me but I don't know enough.

Wheelbase is a decent shop but I get the impression unless you have over £1000 to spend they've not got much I feel. Limited tourer range. I'm from north Lancs so been looking for a new bike myself so checked out most or all bike shops in the area. Not many tourers stocked if those adventure road bikes or CXers are not your thing.

Vorpal wrote:

Tangled Metal wrote: I don't force my kid to wear one (no point because at 9 months he knew how to operate pretty much all forms of quick release buckles and what point is a helmet in the canal?!!!

My son ate his!

I didnæt realise he had even taken it off, but when we got home, I saw that he was gnawing on it. There were several large bites taken out of the polystyrene. It was funny, though I worried a little bit about how the polystyrene would go through. It didn't seem to do him any harm, and I learned my lesson!

Teething time it is a risk but our lad just found other things to bite. Besides the helmet ends up strapped to the back of the child seat in the first 10 minutes, we have got used to catching it early on now so we don't have that ride back looking for it now. Once off it stays on the back of the seat. His big thing now, after taking the helmet off that is, involves tapping the back of the parent riding the bike. I think he taps to go faster. Adrenaline junky I think. He has a pretty funky Giro helmet I think with those two red LEDs on the back as part of the strapping. That was the helmet that lasted the longest on the head but he takes it off to play with the LEDs now.

BTW plan to get a £30 helmet when I gert my new bike. Think I will start wearing one again. The newer helmets I have found are actually a lot nicer to wear, they are the ones more rounded that the oval shape I think they used to be. The one I will get is one size fits all but it fits me like a head glove. Seriously nice fit for any helmet let alone a £30. At that price and fit I will become a Yes in this poll shortly.

reohn2 wrote:

Tangled Metal wrote:What is that bike?

The one in the photo is Pinnacle Arkrose,and that particular model doesn't have enough gears for most folks.

So you managed with an Arkose. Would you ever want to try a pannier rack on it? Short chainstay and all.

I've seen some interesting faux cx bikes (as it is seemingly called by ppl on here) with chainstays of 430-435 and angles of about 72 down to one at 71.5 degrees (can;t find it now I;'ve lost the link). With what i think is the ETT length of 605 in one case. Would these figures result in a useable commuter with racks or are they likely to be another tankslapper waiting to happen??