Cycling UK Forum

£50 ?

Have a look at www.maplin.co.uk - stick "ni-mh" in the search box.

Can get a ni-mh charger including batteries for a tenner !

Some take longer than others to charge though.

You'll see that the batteries are rated - the higher the better.

Nice to hear of others with this problem.I have a clicking pedal and have taken both pedals off,taken them to bits(not so easy with spds) and put them back on.I have since put a spare pair on to make sure that it really is the pedals only to hear other clicks.
Conclusion?we cyclists are hypochondriacs

I had some cheap Vittoria tubulars that had a quite a nice sticky tread (and were still very fast). Perhaps they do something similar in an open tyre?

Some almost slick tyres do have stickier rubber than others. I've got some Continental GP 3000s that feel more rubbery than axial pro's. I was told to use these on banked tracks because they are more grippy than any dual compound tyres.

I've found most rear tyres will spin under specific conditions - eg. big gear, out of the saddle, greasy road and high tyre pressures. If the road is wet I always try to climb with my bum well back on the saddle and use the minumum recommended pressure, or even a bit less.

Hope this helps.

We possibly didn't see Den Helder at it's best because we never intended to stay there but circumstances forced us to, and it rained! We adored Texel though.

Jon; I LOVE your website and have recommended it to others for inspiration! One of the best cycling websites I've seen.

What do others think of CTC using 0870 telephone numbers – personally I think it is appalling to make money out of members contacting their own “not for profit” organisation. Many (most?) people now have telephone tariffs which offer free or discounted calls to ordinary geographical numbers. Non-geographical numbers are always excluded from these deals – see http://www.saynoto0870.co.uk/ for more info – and so calling CTC is costing members more than it need do.

If others feel as I do, then maybe someone with knowledge of CTC’s constitution could suggest how the matter could be raised with the CTC management.

Hi - I want to buy a bike for audaxes, leading up to PBP. I'm not sure what size wheel/trye to go for. Let's set aside comfort and puncture protection for the moment - what I'm after is the most efficient combination of weight/rolling resistance/aerodynamic - at my average speed of around 13-14 mph. Of course, some of the time I'll go faster (I hope!), but I am quite slow overall.

Some people argue that a 26 x 1.5 rolls better than a thinner tyre. Others say you should go for the lower weight and more aerodynamic 700 x 28c. I won't be racing, so not sure how much aero matters - but I do want to expend as little energy for distance covered as possible! What do people think?

I wear a helmet and always have but believe strongly in freedom of choice, and have considered dtopping. The idea of compulsory helmets is outrageous when smoking (yielding a 50% chance of death from related diseases) is legal and driving while using a mobile phone (endangering others) gets only a £30 fine!

Can anyone help or advise, please?

Can anybody recommend a rear cycle carrier for a Mondeo Hatchback 2002 model?

Some suppliers state 'Yes' to suitability, whilst others say 'No', so i thought I'd ask the experienced.

Unfortunately, I've got to drive to a safe cycling location/venue as I've an 8 year old son to consider, and the roads are just too dangerous for him to cycle on.

Any help will be most appreciated.

Thanks all,

Pete

I've been using Continental Contact tyres for the past 15 months/2000 miles.
I seem to get more punctures than with the previous Top Touring. Probably not statistically significant but curious to know if others have any similar experiences.

There are two types of Shimano cleat compatible with their SPD pedals. Single release (SH51) which hold the foot firmer and require a deliberate movement to release. Multi release (SH55) not quite such a firm hold, but are easier to get out of. I’ve been using the multi release and M520 pedals for four years, never had a problem getting out of them even in unexpected circumstances.
Don’t be tempted to buy the shoes mail order, the sizes vary considerably, I’ve found size 44 from one manufacturer is equivalent to 46 from another. All the Shimano shoes I’ve tried have been very narrow, luckily there’s plenty of choice from others.

Spen, your last paragraph mentions a lack of thought for others, that is exactley the problem, coupled with the fact that when a person gets behind the wheel of a car their whole personality changes, and they become extremely jealous about other road users gaining one inch further in the traffic than them, God forbid you cycle past them, either on their inside or legally on the offside, plus a lot of them are fat lazy ******** who think they own the road.

I'm an occupational health and safety manager by profession and follow the cycle helmet debate with some interest.

I am not in favour of making the things compulsory for the reasons others have given. I do wear one but not all the time. My approach in fact is very similar to CJ's. I kid myself its based on a risk assessment - alpine downhills etc - but it's also based on comfort - and anyway I don't always follow the risk assessment. (I've fallen several times but the one time I hit my head quite badly I wasn't wearing a helmet even though I should have been by my assessment! In that case I am convinced the helmet would have led to far less damage).

In these days, when digital cameras are becoming more realistic in price and everyone can have their own website, I wonder if we could not start a members photographic circle.
Those of us who have gone into this in depth could advise others on how to go on and what equipment to buy. Lets have your thoughts on this.

If you want the best, you’ll have to pay Roberts type prices, which are comparable to others of the same quality, Longstaff and Mercian come to mind.
If you want a great bike that doesn’t have to be the best, there’s a lot more options, though I don’t know of any in the SE.
Thorn bikes represent good value. They don’t make any women specific bikes, but the range of sizes and the options for short or long top tubes, makes it unlikely they couldn’t get a perfect fit. Give them a ring, ask to speak to Robin Thorn and you’ll get good advice without the hard sell.
Other framebuilders who could do you a custom fit, at a good price, include; Bob Jackson, Paul Hewitt, Dave Yates, Brian Rouke. Have a Google to see what’s available, all would involve traveling, but the savings might be worth it.

Last year I did quite a bit of research to get cover for my £1700 bike as I was going on a short tour. I checked amongst others my household insurance and some others that I found on the web. I was surprised at the low cutoff levels i.e. they would not pay out for a £1700 bike. Some would not cover you for an accident e.g. damage through hitting a pothole etc. Others imposed ridiculous restrictions even though my bike is routinely stored within my house and in a monitored car-park at work. Others would not cover you if you used it to cycle to work every day!
Finally, I opted for Cyclecover™ Cycle Insurance, which I believe is run in conjunction with CTC, as the only one that covered all the above with virtually no restriction. It was expensive at £136 pa but at the time I considered it essential. I am not pushing it, just offering something that I learned from my experience.
They also give a discount of @30% for a second cheaper value bike.