Cycling UK Forum

Hello: Thanks for all the replies. Even quicker than I expected. I should be able to find something suitable from that lot.
JJF

I am thinking of getting a replacement car with sufficient luggage space to take a bike with front wheel removed. Some time ago there was a thread which gave a website listing capacities, including length. I think it was a site primarily for wheelchair users. Can anyone point me in the right direction please. I have searched without success. Thanks.

The OP is a little concerned at being seen riding a "lady's" bike. I hope that I can give a little encouragement. Many years ago I wanted a cheap bike to commute to the station. I saw an advert in a shop window for a cheap bike. I bought it and used it for about 25 years. Nobody ever commented about a man on a woman's bike. It never entered my head that anybody would notice or care. It did the job well and that was all that mattered.

It wasn't in the least bit busy when I cycled thro' there (Bourton -on-the-water etc). In 1957 iirc.

I have a spare saddle lying on the shelf in the shed. When I thought I would swap it for the one on the bike I found that the rails on the 2 saddles were different distances apart. ie they weren't interchangeable. That would appear to mean that if I was going to buy a new one I would have to specify the rail separation. Adverts for saddles don't show this. Have I missed something?

Contrary to what is said in an earlier contribution to this thread, donation does not stop at age 70. There are donors of whole blood well into their 80s. Whether there are 90s I don't know.

My experience of booking a place is unlike some experienced here. The booking system has worked well and I have been seen at the appointed time. There are two centres not far away and I can book at either.....so if one is fully booked I opted for the other.

I haven't noticed a reduction in cycling ability after donating but I am a bit cautious for a week or so.

When I lived in east London I read that their Maryland, (next to Stratford where the olympics were held) was named after the US Maryland rather than the other way round.

It has been my experience that problems are not specifically a UK problem. I have sometimes found that the availability of good storage wasn't a problem. The problem came when trying to release the bikes.
Small hotel in Switzerland. After breakfast went to get bikes from garage. "Unfortunately the manager has the garage key and he has gone to town." After pacing up and down for a few minutes I decided to investigate. Tapping fingertips along the ledge above the door brought the spare key to light.
Hotel in St Malo. Bikes locked in garage right outside kichen door. After breakfast it turned out that the garage belonged to the restaurant next door. They didn't open till lunchtime....and we were heading for the ferry. Several minutes of panic. Fortunately the cleaner came in earlier and I had to go down the street to hurry her from a neighbourly conversation.

You would expect bike security to be recognised in Denmark. But, the "garage was occupied by builders' materials". So I had to lock my bike to a poor quality bike stand in the front street. Similar experience in Holland.

In Gloucestershire. "You can lock your bikes in the garage but it won't be opened until the gardener comes in at midday".

In recent months there was a thread about fitting bikes in the back of cars. It included a website which gave internal dimensions of cars. Can anyone direct me to that or similar website please.

Dingle?

Possible step-through choices have been mentioned in Cycle mag recently. Feb/Mar 2019 gave a review of the Islabikes Janis and mention of their Joni and Jimi. In Aug/Sep 2019 an article described a Bristol Bicycles Touring Step-thru tourer.

In answer to mjr's questions
The most recent occasion was June 2016.
I was charged the difference between a foot passenger and a cyclist with bike. ie looking at today's prices that would be £5.
It wasn't written in a rule somewhere. Whether the person in the booth would do the same today I don't know.

I have in the past bought a Dutch Flyer ticket without cycle provision. On arrival at Harwich join the queue of cars in standard cyclist manner. At the passport/boat ticket booth ask for a ticket for bike. This has been provided without comment.

On the matter of train travel to Harwich, the vast majority of trains don't require reservation. You just turn up and get on. No payment. I have never seen a crowd of cyclists but I tend to travel midweek.

I'm looking for info about 20" tyres. At present I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus 20x1.35.
However I find them virtually impossible to put on and take off the rim. I'm accustomed to being able to take a tyre off with 2 tyre levers and put it back again with bare hands, and if necessary, a small amount of washing up liquid.
I have found these Marathons extremely difficult to manage. I have bought a device like a large pair of scissors which enable me, with great difficulty, to replace a tyre.
Can any users of 20" wheels please tell me of tyres which are easy to put on and off.

IGICB = I go, I come back.