Cycling UK Forum

Thing is though, that in places like China there is a massive increase in , for instance, car use and thus the pollution that goes with it. This is not because they need cars - they managed quite well with their bikes before, but because they see having a car as buying into a progressive Western model: it shows that they are successful.

Therefore, our power use might be small when compared to what the "developing" east are doing but our influence is not. If we cut down on our excesses and make "Greenness" the new fashion then there is a potential to influence those beyond our borders and thus change the world. The act of me recycling my newspaper may have little physical effect in itself, but me being seen to recycle _could_ be the key to making the planet a better place for people to live.

When you say the handlebars are seized, do you mean that they are seized in the stem or that it's actually the stem that is seized in the steerer?

If the former than I can't see why they need a grinder, just soak with wd40, undo the bolt and force the two halves of the clamp apart while wiggling the bars in the stem. Unless you mean that it's the bolt that's seized - then just drill it out and retap the stem. (I'm assuming it's not a front loader). If the wiggling doesn't work try a bit of heat.

If the latter then lots of WD40, a bit of heat and a big lever.

Just wondering if there should be a link back to the main CTC home page from the forum as I can't see one anywhere. Thus, anyone that does a web search that drops them straight into the forum and becomes interested in the CTC can then easily navigate to the CTC homey to find out what it's all about.

No, when they did cycling Proficiency at my school i bunked off to, er, go out on my bike. Couldn't be buttocked with weaving in and out of cones in the playground when there was the whole wide world out there to cycle in

The Vikings colonised Greenland more than a 1000 odd years ago. They called it Green Land because it was green.

Naaa, they called it Green Land because it was a dingy 'orrible icy place and the only way that they could get more settlers was to "big it up" as a good place to go.

However, it's true that we have had localised hot and cold phases through out history, e.g. the Medieval "mini-ice-age". However, the difference appears to be the speed that the planet is warming at the moment.

Oh lordy, found out that I was the youngest person on my Section's Sat morning run. The one bloke who I thought was younger than be turned out to be a year older (all that cycling must be good for the complexion).

Tis' a bit worrying - I mean, when the present senior generation finally hang up their wheels (and I hope that isn't for a considerable time) the numbers of some DAs/Sections will be serverly depleated.

thirdcrank wrote:Si



I think the fact that they now share a niche in history with Universal sidepulls; toeclips, shoeplates and straps; down tube gear levers; and wing nuts for wheels says something about the general experience. They were OK in their day. In my opinion.

Ay-up, we'll have no bad mouthing of DT shifters - still superior to STI for certain uses

Here's Frankenbike, my SS based on a Zaskar frame and Girvan CrossLink Carbon fork.

Given up on flying.
Don't use the car if I can help it and if I do use it them my car does 70+mpg at cruising speed.
Commute, when i do it, by train or bike.
Looking to get an allotment soon so my food won't need transportation in lorries or storage in heated shops.
Recycle such as I can.
Never use the central heating (much to Mrs Si's annoyance).
etc

Have to agree with Terry.

I see touring as a ride where the ride is more important than getting to the destination! Could be 6 months of wild camping in the back of beyond, could be catching a quick 15minute spin before starting work.

If by Weinmann centre pulls you mean those that have the straddle wire on top (but aren't cantis as they bolt into the bridge/crown) then I've heard lots of people criticise them a lot. Which I find strange as I've just put an old set on my SS and they work just as good as the new Shimano 105 dual pivots that I have (if not better). Likewise, I had them on my old Carlton tourer and they were great.

Maybe this is another one where time spent setting up and using the right pads is repaid generously?

To centre the brakes turn only one screw or turn one screw in and the other out (but remember that you are facing the other way when you swop sides ). The screws move the mounting in which the spring sits and thus add or remove tension.

However, if you have no joy with the screws, then on the side that has the pad nearest the rim, simply unhook the spring from the upper retainer, bend it out a bit and re hook it - have a squeeze of the brake lever, see if they are centred yet and repeat as necessary.

I tend to always use this latter method when out on the trails as fiddling with cruddled up screws is too much hassle.

I knew someone who had the old version of the MTB one (I believe the BB comes in road or MTB, or rather: Vbrake pull or standard pull - make sure you have the right caliper for the the type of lever you are using).

He liked it a lot as it was fairly simple and hassle free. Not as good as a hydro but did the job.

In some ways it might be good that there is so much over priced exotica on offer. Those that may have regarded bikes as either kids' toys or poor peoples' transport now may start to see them as vital life-style accessories.

But, being someone who has owned a super-bike in the past, I thinkt hat there is definatly a case of diminishing returns with the more you spend. To really take advantage of a £4000 bike I think that you have to be a much better cyclist than me!

And to be honest, my scrap heap flyer can take me to all the places that many superbikes can take their riders, and I don't have to worry about it getting a bit of dirt on it either

David wrote:Trying hard not to shout "I'm Sparticus" and wondering how many would be offended if I did an Ian Dury

Emily :- 20ish year old Diamond Back Ascent

Nice - my first and my fourth MTBs were Ascents. Infact I've still got the second one, but having trouble removing the BB. It started out as it came from the factory, then got changed to a tourer, then a commuter, then an MTB singlespeed and is currently awaiting a rebuild as either a tourer or SS again.

Always have a soft spot for Ascents as it was this bike that I learned MTBing on and that I did much exploring on, back when there was only one kind of MTB: the kind that you rode everything on, not all these seperate flavours that they have these days.

But I must admit I always lusted after a Diamond Back Axis!