Cycling UK Forum

I think you have a standard old and obsolete french headset and steerer. If you know of a decent frame repairer you could have the steerer built up and rethreaded to a standard british thread, and then replace the whole headset. This is what I did and it produces a satisfactory solution. (I think the pitch of the thread is 1mm - approximately 25.4TPI which is close enough to enable standard threads to be screwed on due to the slackness from the smaller steerer diameter - but of course not giving a satisfactory fit).

I feel the need to keep riding in the winter months and it would be pleasurable if it weren't for the sinus headache that the cold induces. Does anyone solve this problem without a sudafed diet?. Obviously I wear a hat etc.

DM1

Cycle jumbles are a good source of odd bits and pieces. Just be very sure of what you are intending to buy, although most sellers are pretty straight and will give you advice or point you to someone who is likely to have what you need. Many hours of innocuous pleasure.

Last year I did a charity ride. I have recently received an entry form for this year's ride which carries a disclaimer asking me to agree that "cycling can be dangerous". I'm not happy about signing this and won't be doing the ride. Shouldn't the CTC encourage charities to word their disclaimer in another way ?(I have seen advertisements for these rides in "Cycle" with similarly worded disclaimer).
Audax uk entry forms have a well worded disclaimer which concentrates on obeying the rules of the road, having a properly maintained machine and generally behaving in a sensible manner - wouldn't this be better ?

I presume you are starting from the side opposite the valve- of course this has been discussed on another thread.In desperation (and in contravention of many years of received wisdom) I resorted to using tyre levers to refit a very tight tyre after an unpleasant episode when I punctured on a wet muddy lane. I've been using tyre levers to refit tyres ever since and I don't suffer from pinch puntures (slightly inflated tube and a bit of care but much kinder to my elderly thumbs). I use the thin Michelin levers (drawback is they don't have hooks and fly very well if suddenly released). I've no experience of a specific tyre refitting lever but the obvious drawback (as you have found) is that if it fails you have to fall back on some other method.
As for washing up liquid is it something one normally carries for a roadside repair? I suppose it could double up as a handwash.
Perhaps rim manufacturers should suggest specific tyres for their rims.

The 50 + kph rule works in that cadence isn't constant. As the road steepens your cadence will fall despite changing down to a lower gear. To climb at 8kph (about 5mph) at a cadence of 90 will require a gear of about 18". On a steep climb many people will only be capable of 3mph or less (and in my experience it is still faster than walking and pushing the bike). To maintain a cadence of 90 at that speed would require a gear of about 11", and the effect due to the air flow being small would be rather like using a roller turbo (wouldn't want to do that in the winter with several layers on !). On the other hand those who want to "power downhill" will find that at 60kph they will be using a gear allowing a cadence of about 110 (about 114"). But as I said you need to tweak this to suit yourself, my friend has a steady cadence of 110 on the flat and has a lowest climbing gear of just below 20", I have a lower flat cadence of about the "magic?" 90 but I certainly can't do the 40kph to justify it, my lowest gear being around 22" for loaded touring.
The rule has its origins in racing but if adapted to suit oneself it can be useful in choosing a range of gears.

There is a French "rule of thumb" which suggests that your gearing should be arranged to give a cadence of 50 + speed in kph. i.e. 40kph gives a cadence of 90. 20kph gives 70. On a steep climb you may be only doing a few kph and to obtain the 50+ cadence you will need a very low gear. Easier done with developement in metres but at 8kph I think about a 29" gear.
Obviously this needs tweaking to suit yourself but it works fairly well. I have heard people claim to have a cadence of 100 when climbing but I'm extremely doubtful. If you watch the riders in the Tour de France you can see that the professionals who know all about high cadence climb on very different gears.

You're a braver man than I am GrumpyGit

If you were riding a dawes galaxy you weren't worried about handling characrteristics. When I tour I use a touring bike with front and rear panniers, but if it suits to use a rucksack I can't see (nor have I experienced in the past ) a serious problem. Certainly the people I met seemed to enjoying the experience. There are many other ways than "the CTC way".

I've seen lots of Germans, Swiss etc touring in the mountains with a high range road bike and a large rucksack. I know this is anathema for most ctc members but I did it myself when I was young (with sprints and tubulars). The problem with putting luggage on a bike not designed for it is that you will spoil the handling characteristics.

Try the one (I forget the number) between Tilbury ferry and coalhouse fort. Barred gate, carry bike up and down steps over wall, cross landfill - ideal for bottle prospectors. Interesting industrial landscape
Someone should get an MBE, or have they already got one?

I bought the Stronglight impact triple and have been very pleased with it. I bought it with 48/38/28, but have another set of rings for touring - 46/34/24, I don't think that there are many "road" chainsets which give this flexibility.

I have a friend who has undergone surgery and other treatment for the removal of a facial malignant melanoma. He wants to resume cycling but must protect his face from UV. Sunblock is unsatisfactory because sweat removes it and this also causes stinging on his skin. He found an advertisement for a sun visor in "Cycling" but was informed that it didn't give UV protection. Does anyone have knowledge or experience of dealing with this problem?

I thought LGBT were are part of the community in these more enlightened times. When I was young GAY's were often persecuted and imprisoned for their lifestyle and for this reason most were very good at concealing their sexual persuasions. I'm not sure why LGBT would want a separate grouping - most, to my knowledge (only based on a few individuals) gravitate to a group in which they feel happy, I don't think sexual persuasion is a big issue for many CTC members.