Cycling UK Forum

Jon and Nigel's discussion is useful. I would take issue that motorists don't own the roads; they do and we do but they always give the impression of owning ALL of it.

Regarding cycle insurance for everybody... it is here already in the case of the hit and run driver,
of whom there seem to be mor all the time.

I had no idea that I could get compensation from the Motror Insurer's Buerau as avctim of an accident apparently withpout anybody to claim against.

Those funds come from the pocket of EVERY motorist in the form of a levy on their insurance.
Unfortunately a new regulation requires the victim to repay the NHS for costs of Surgery which in my case would amount to £10,000 or
more. this reg came in last year and they say that applications have fallen to a trickle.

I have continued with mine bcause I have an issue with the surgeon, who did even more damage to my leg. It would be one way of not suing him.

Unfortunately the surgeon is also wise toi this new reg and has impugned my good name
in the hospital report to the MIB.

Nigel and John: how about some help with further thought on this subject. It is a deep
philosophical and legal issue.

Private insurers pay a levy to reimburse
the National Health??? Is that state insurance for the motorist by the back door, or is it privatisation of the national health in that instance, with very little regard for the individual victim??

Gar

Szegerely is right too. Although a ready-made frame is cheaper, a custom builder can ensure that your existing components will fit (not to mention the rider), which may be more economical overall. And I'd also favour Mercian, not only cos I'm a Derbyshire lad but also for their superb enamelling, and since this is kind of an old-school sort of bike and that is their forte.

To be fair, this is in Easyjet's conditions (has been for more than a year) and those of most other airlines. So we've all got to get used to the idea that we'll generally have to bag or box a bike to fly it these days.

From a campaigning perspective there are a number of good reasons why it would be unreasonable for CTC to object to that:

1: Maybe yours isn't, but bikes are generally oily and dirty. We try to avoid getting that oil onto our own panniers, so it's a bit unreasonable to expect other people's suitcases to take their chances of acquiring a dab of it during the airport baggage melee!

2: We must also consider the finer feelings of airport baggage handlers.

3: Most cyclists protect their bikes somehow already when flying, so it's perceived as a normal and reasonable thing to do.

It behoves CTC to nevertheless ensure that the form of covering required is not unduly expensive or awkward for a cyclists to carry to and from the airport, and that it is readily available.

Most (if not all) carriers accept a simple bag of heavy-duty polythene, indeed BA originated the practice by providing such bags free to any cyclist checking in with them (still available at Gatwick I believe). To help cyclists travelling with other airlines and from other airports, CTC has sourced a supply of similar bags which are available from the Shop: (A href=" http://www.ctcshop.com/product.jsp?style=29977" target=_blank>product CT224</A>. These bags cost only £4 (£3.60 to members) weigh under 1kg and can be rolled up small enough easily to carry, to leave at your first night's stop for later collection – or to post to your destination if undertaking a one-way trip.

St John Street Cycles are listing the B90/3 saddle on their mail order web-site at:

http://www.sjscycles.com/

Are you sure it's what you want though? It's described as a heavy duty 'delivery' type saddle. It's also rather expensive to try on the off chance it would help. I've used cheaper and lighter sprung Brooks saddles without problems.

I had a tumble and scratched the front fork of my beloved Hewitt Cheviot. I found it quite easy to get a pretyy close match in a car touch up paint which has the advantage of a purpose made applicator etc and the repair on my bike is very difficult to see, even if you're looking for it.

I've often thought it would make sense for the major manufacturers to make touch up paints in their main colour ranges (Bianchi blue etc) but I'm not aware of anyone doing it.

Mick.

Brittany Ferries have their cat running to Caen, I don't know their prices, but that take you direct to the D Day beaches and is my favourite place Pegasus Bridge with a brand new make over, 10 minutes ride along the canal from ferry port..

Regards

Chris

Easiest would be a steel fork made to specification by any good British framebuilder.

I believe there are a few carbon forks made for trekking bikes with all the fittings you seek: available in Germany if not here. Cyclo-cross forks are a possibility, but will lack the low-load carrier fittings.

Or you could have a matching titanium fork made in China by Xian Changda. It's weird that Airborne don't make their own Ti forks, as it's an ideal material for that purpose and they make great play of their design prowess in all other parts of the frame.

I've been using twin Cateye Stadium Halide front lights - they are pretty good with a burn time of around 3 hours. On dry roads their illumination is superb, but on some wet roads - especially some of those with severe subsidence - they could do with being even more powerful.

For the rear I use twin Vistalite Nebula 5 LED lamps.

Hi Brian

I had my commuting/touring bike handbuilt with a Rohloff hub by Bob Jackson cycles of Leeds at the beginning of the year. So far i've commuted 14 miles 5 days a week and done several long day rides but no tours.

It's excellent for hard use there are no mechs to go out of adjustment or sieze up with roadsalt and maintenance is minimal. Travelling by plane, train or bus should be less stressfull as there's not much to break with rough handling. The Thorn Raven is tougher still with mountain bike components but maybe heavy and with a higher rolling resistance than a road bike?

Where do you live? If you're near leeds have a spin on mine and see what you think.
MBR magazine tested the Thorn Raven a few issues back , try their back issues dept.
dave

Hi Brian

I had my commuting/touring bike handbuilt with a Rohloff hub by Bob Jackson cycles of Leeds at the beginning of the year. So far i've commuted 14 miles 5 days a week and done several long day rides but no tours.

It's excellent for hard use there are no mechs to go out of adjustment or sieze up with roadsalt and maintenance is minimal. Travelling by plane, train or bus should be less stressfull as there's not much to break with rough handling. The Thorn Raven is tougher still with mountain bike components but maybe heavy and with a higher rolling resistance than a road bike?

Where do you live? If you're near leeds have a spin on mine and see what you think.
MBR magazine tested the Thorn Raven a few issues back , try their back issues dept.
dave

Glad you have opted for the SPD kit. Most SPD pedals are supplied with the release tension set somewhere midway, leaving you to adjust harder or easier to exit. I have always chosen to reset the tension to the easiest (taking care not to go too far and dismantle the spring mechanism). I think that really should be the default setting, as it suits novices unused to the release process, and allows veterans to adjust to their preferred release tension. A novice in our group suffered a fractured thigh after having a dealer, a racing guy, set the pedal release to his preference - which was suitable for racing, not for a novice touring or commuting in traffic.

I am glad to hear those remarks from civilised Brits.
Doggie lovers have some weird ideas about doggie rights.

Cornish sheepdogs probably get kicks in the ribs sometimes. They are so intelligent about human ways!

Aniseed is always useful. The problem is then solved way before you even need to think about it.

They just do not know you are there.

By comparison: to understand bird ethology
you have to realise that their eyes are 10x more powerful than a human's

Dog ethology; they smell you and start barking
way before you SEE them

Aniseed prevents their use of smell.
They smell nothing at all if you use it on your bike gear somewhere.... a halo of non dog odour!!

The anti hunt people used to use it .
they also had various sprays which I don't
know enough about... probably aniseed sprays.

Gar

I bought a dog dazer for my next trip which will be to the Med and back from Roscoff. Having tested it on my dog, other people's dogs, next door neighbour's howling cat , at car boot sales etc I have come to the conclusion that it is probably just going to be excess baggage. I have cycled around Brittany and Ireland before now and have been chased by dogs.I carried a small bamboo cane under a luggage elastic and , if my speed was too slow I merely took out the cane and raised it in the air. Farm dogs seem to be used to human beings with sticks. They always immediately stopped in their tracks. The only place this hasn't worked is in Cornwall where I live. There is something about cornish sheepdogs. Probably a limited gene pool. A full sized bike pump would probably have the same efffect, but you don't seem to be able to get hold of decent ones which don't snap the first time you use them.

I am thrilled to have some replies to this
as I am equally delighted with the bike.

I might say yhat given my poor upper body
strength before I got it, I rather wish that I had always had one, then I would not have needed pec implants to impress the girls.

No but seriously, it does not seem to have any effect on the upper body musculature to me,
but then I have never noticed my leg muscles getting so either. You have got what you need
and no more.

It IS hard work going uphill but Varna produce a 24 gear version and lowest is essential on steepest. I have tried it on some of these Dorset
hills which go straight up the side and with the HANDBRAKE for a rest every few metres it is not too bad.

There is a very distinct technique to the trike bike
as all hand bike riders will tell you. You have to ride from the thighs and put your thighs into the G (gravity) diagram as well.

If you only use your wrists and arms then it is much harder. Varna make one for people with less movement in their thighs, bless 'em.

I dod look at the Denver colorado dealer/maker who produces a hand and foot cranked quadribike, which was a little out of my bracket at £4000 signed and delivered, but I may get that next time.

Colin Chapman (Lotus) made his own quadri and put the covering on it to reduce wind resistance when he was 13. It went like the bats out of hell and we all thought it was a real car!! May he Rest in peace..

They are doing that with solar powerd jobs in Oz now, but they have got the sunshine already.

Gar

If you allow the police to do nothing, then what are you going to do? If you take retaliatory action yourself, then the police will surely take action - against you! If you do nothing, then you allow the continuing spiral of lawlessness on the roads.
As mentioned previously you need to be "assertive". As far as the police are concerned that means being a b****y nuisance. Insist on an incident number. Pursue progress on a regular timescale, don't let things lapse. When all else fails, get a written response as to why they will take no action, then go to the local police complaints body, and copy your MP and the local media. Put the spotlight on the issue. Don't let them hide their incompetence. Just remember that you pay their wages - it's your community charge! You have a right to the services you pay for.
These are the issues that the CTC was founded to pursue. The CTC could help matters by providing all cyclists with action packs to deal with the failure of police to properly carry out their responsibilities.