Cycling UK Forum

Raynauds Syndrome can be caused by an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). With this, the body temperature is typically a few degrees colder than normal ie: 35 degess against a norm of 37 degress and a low pulse is common. Reference: Your Thyroid and how to keep it healthy. by Dr. Barry Durrant-Peatfield.

A blood test can give an indication of hypothyroidism. The NHS are at times reluctant to treat patients with this, it has taken me many years to obtain the thyroxin I needed. Now much better after 2 months of treatmant. Body temperature may take a long time to get any where near normal. There are also many other side effects of Hypothyroidism, which often are misdiagnosed.


I hope this helps.

Regards Andy

Hi Mervzila

I think you will find the South West Coast Path is a footpath and unsuitable (and illegal) for cycling. There are a number of back lanes in the area, which others may confirm can be quite challenging. Hope you enjoy your trip.

Regards Andy

Hi Simon

I had the same problem, replaced old rims with Rigida Chrina, about a year later had a couple of Pxxxxs, found spokes too long.

Took each drive side spoke from rim,
Screwed nipple onto the spoke then cut a couple of mm from the spoke with cheap wire cutters
Unscrewed the nipple and refitted spoke to rim. My local expert & mentor (60 years wheel building) said what I did was ok.


Now ok, took me along time.

Best of luck Andy

Dawes 1 Down was in the 1999 Dawes catalogue, it was burnt orange with black front forks in the picture, it had Shimano RSX 26/36/46 - 24 speed gears, Shimano Alivio "V" brakes. Mavic 138 box section rims. Reynolds 631 frameset. Looks like it was supplied with racks front & rear as well as dynamo lighting. The RRP was £649.99 as compared to the Galaxy £599.99. Must have been a good bike.

I hope this helps.

Regards Andy

Hello muntjac

Yes I have a local CTC mate with a stoma, lives a normal life, he has had this for 6 or 7 years and at 78 he still cycles several times per week. As far as I know he just carries spares with him. He wears lycra shorts and tops, you do not know that he has one.

Best of luck, hope you can get back on the bike again soon.

Regards Andy

Have checked Landranger 197, there are 2 alternatives (WHICH DO NOT INVOLVE A FOOTPATH) either from Northstoke follow the track to The Burgh then turn south to Burpham and the lane via Warningcamp which finishes with a junction with the very busy A27. OR from Houghton follow the cycle track to South Stoke and a lane via Offham, this looks like a more pleasant route into Arundel. It is a long time since I have ridden these but are 2 possibilities.

Footpaths are for walkers, bridleways are for horses and cyclists.

Hello All.

Wondered if anyone has any experience of underactive thyroid and how it affects their cycling or other activities.
Have you found any alternatives to conventional drugs that help?
Are their any side effects from conventional drugs that might stop you cycling or have they improved your life without any side effects.

The internet is not that great about this and provides too many questions and provides plenty of charletons who appear to promise the earth in exchange for huge bucks. Conventional GP's rely too much on the blood tests and are not really interested in further investigation. Apparantly there is no cure just take replacement iodine for the rest of your life.

I would like to cycle more but spend a lot of time in a state of collapse.

Apparantly this is quite a common condition but noone seems to know much about it.

Many thanks.

Hello all.

I have been using Mr Shimano M520's for some years and have 3 pairs, with the first and second pair the left pedal bearings became loose not long after purchase and after adjustment have been ok.

I bought another pair less than a year ago and the bearings on the right pedal have loosened,( ie: I can feel the pedal moving incorrectly when riding). These have probably only covered 2000 miles max, mainly in dry conditions on the road and still look fairly new.

Tried to remove the pedal outer this afternoon using the special (Shimano) tool, it seems that the thread must have been forced during manufacture. The male thread is plastic and pedal outer (female thread) is alloy. As I am unable to correctly remove the pedal body for servicing, it seems that it is a right off. However I am going to check with the seller (SJC) tomorrow to see if anyone else has reported this problem, they should really be changed under the guarantee.

Has anyone here also had this happen.

Regards Andy

This sounds like good news, someone might buy the 1970's cheapo Carlton & 1980's nice Raleigh that are cluttering up my garage, or do I leave them in the street to get ridden away (stolen)

Have you had your feet checked, if you suffer from pronated feet, (they roll inwards) everything may hurt from foot up to your back. Be carefull of the specialists they are delighted to open your wallet for you, £200 for orthotics + assessment costs from a podiatrist. I paid less than £25 for orthotics from Scholl, much improved legs & back.

Hi there.

There was a CTC holiday some years ago which went Lizzard Point to Lowestoft ( not much difference), most nights were spent in youth hostels which determined the route. Basically it went across to the North Cornwall Coast, across Exmoor to Minehead, then onto Bath, across to Ridgway YH near Wantage, then onto Milton Keynes YH, then Castle Hedingham, Southwold & Lowestoft. This was run by Brian Wood who designed one or two of the LEJOG routes. From memory most of the route was on quiet roads. About 525 miles in 9 days.

I still have the route sheets if you require further details.

Regards Andy

Hi there.

A couple of ideas come to mind. Does it have braze ons on front forks and seat stays for cantilever brakes or just holes on fork crown and bridge between seat stays which would have indicated that caliper brakes were fitted. Personally I use Shimano RX100 long drops on my tourer and find them ok, others might find the need for canti brakes if touring heavily loaded. Also it is worth checking the rear drop out (axle) width, now mostly either 130 or 135mm, a width of 126mm would indicate an older frame and could restrict you to 7 speed, although you can ease the rear drop out to accomodate 9 speed.

I think I am right on these 2 points.

Regards Andy

Spoke our local VCC member today, who is also an Ephgrave owner, in his opinion powder coating is probably not appropriate for such a good & collectable frame. Probably worth the extra money to have it stove enamelled. Powder coating is apparantly difficult to remove.

Hello sequoya

Wondered whether you might know about Paul at Villiers Velo, he is at Rochester in Kent. He doesn't get mentioned much, I have spoken to him, seems very approachable & knowledgable, he advertises in the CTC mag, I do know that he sends his frames to Colour Tech who is the same frame finisher that Chas Roberts uses. Phone 07795 804039 or www.villiers-velo.co.uk.

Good luck, Andy.

Hello All.

Had my first experience of 10 speed derailleur gears this morning, helping a neighbour.

The chain measures 0.75 on the Park chain tool checker, I would normaly start to think about a new chain in a few miles, is this the same for 10 speed.

Is a special chain tool still required for 10 speed chains.

Is the rear derailleur adjustment the same as 7/8/9 speed Shimano, ie; from the second sprocket. This bike has a Shimano Ultrega rear mech.

Many thanks.