Cycling UK Forum

So how is this easier than an old-style freewheel?

My neighbours had two successive bikes assembled by Toys r Us with the forks the wrong way round.

There's a bike in the shed at work - it's not just that the stem is raised above the safety limit, half the expander nut (it's of the angled type) is showing!

Found it! Those who said there must be a bolt are quite right. It's easier to see in the light this evening It's actually one of the ones Park say are rarer - a 12mm bolt accessed from the left side. I haven't managed to shift it yet because it is deep in the hub so I am using the long end of the Allen key just to reach it.

Thanks for the advice. Now any tips on getting it loose?

No, I have looked right through the hub and it is just a tube. However, in response to a suggestion from elsewhere I took off a metal sealing ring and found something very like Sheldon Brown describes for old seven-speed hubs - a screw-threaded bearing cup. Of course I have no tool to remove that, and if I could what is the point? Where would I get a spare to fit? This is, as I said, a nine-speed freehub.

Am I being thick or what? I am looking at a 9-speed hub for a friend. The freehub rotates in both directions Grin

I have bought in some Park allen keys to remove the freehub, but now I try it I find there is no hex socket. I've checked both sides in the hub and tried up to the 12mm key. It looks for all the world as though the freehub is a one-time push-fit design, not intended to be disassembled from the hub.

Has anyone come across this before? It's a no-name hub on a Land Rover brand bike.

I haven't done much with freehubs before, but I have been servicing bikes including freewheels for thirty years and I am well aware of the service instructions.

When he gets his assessment back we may find out what he was supposed to consider - and whether the next generation of engineers are being trained with anything like realistic expectations

Any sensible researcher asks someone who knows about the field. I know more than he does about bikes. He knows more than I do about maths. Good teamwork

Here's a good one. My son is doing a maths degree, and his group have been set a challenge on cycle path design. Basically, how close can a large bush be to a path intersection without causing a safety issue?

He doesn't need help with the maths, but they want to know about bike stopping distances. Obviously they have thought of the empirical approach, but they want to know if published data are available?

If, in addition, anyone happens to know what is recommended regarding placement of objects that block vision at junctions, I don't suppose it would do any harm for them to cite published data on that too, to prove that their answer was reasonable.

Thanks in advance.

We'd be pleased to see you: Hitchin Nomads CC

To be honest my time is also limited. I never get out on club runs. However, it's a good grass-roots club welcoming all standards, and the Tuesday evening 10s are fun as well.

Hope to see you some time!

I'd recommend sending your contributions to Cyclists' Cafes for the benefit of all. They prefer a supporting photo if possible.

Mind you, I've just looked and it's not growing fast. If someone gets evidence that the site is still being developed, please post accordingly.

I'm afraid I still think it's just a reflection of the throwaway society. You used to be able to buy pretty much any small part from a decent LBS. A freewheel with new pawls and springs and no damage to the ratchet is going to be every bit as good as a brand new one. If stripping it provides a way to pass the time after getting home or in a winter evening, and doesn't take that long, why not do it?

I have occasionally done Cheadle (Cheshire) to North Herts via Leek, Ashbourne, Derby and the A6. The northern section is fine - it's a nice road across from Leek to Derby. Getting across Derby is less fun - the ring road and centre are equally unpleasant - but there is a cycle route I believe (would need some more investigation, could probably do that for you).

The A6 used to be a good route but has been ruined by "upgrading" to dual carriageway in the last couple of decades. In any case you'd want to keep a bit north and head for Peterborough via the A6006 and maybe the A606, which was OK when I did it a few years ago. Avoid the A1 and A14!

I think I'd try to cut south of Peterborough and use B roads to complete the trip.

It does depend somewhat on whether you have plenty of time (so use B roads all the way) or need the shortest route. It's worth remembering that, in the Peak District proper, B roads can carry the level of lorries that you find only on A roads elsewhere, partly because of quarry traffic. This would apply if you looked for a more northerly route than Leek-Derby.

I stripped and reassembled a few Regina freewheels in the old days. It wasn't that hard. You just used cotton thread to hold the pawls in place during reassembly.

It was definitely worth it as you could buy new pawls and make an old body good as new.

I work for a different membership organisation, but we get the same queries. The problem is this:

* advertising inserts raise income that keeps membership subs down
* it's more expensive to send some magazines with inserts and some not, than to do all the same

Therefore I can understand why the CTC do as they do, even if it is annoying and a waste of paper.

andwags wrote:Hi

Drossall - I think personal experience is more chance then statistical.

At risk of getting boring, it's the element of oxymoron in your post that makes me so interested in the statistics