Search found 2111 matches

by james01
8 Apr 2008, 10:30am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: 52x12
Replies: 19
Views: 1575

The best you can say about mega-high gears is that they give you a "feel-good" factor, kidding you into thinking you're adding significantly to an already fast descent.
by james01
8 Apr 2008, 10:23am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Fast tourer gears
Replies: 28
Views: 3337

CJ wrote:For most people to enjoy riding even the lightest of bikes on quiet lanes in the more scenically interesting parts of this country, they'll need to partner a compact double with a wide range mountain-bike cassette. .

Exactly. A lightweight bike isn't a passport to easy climbing of steep hills.
A 180lb rider on a 20lb racer will be only about 5% faster up a 15% slope than his counterpart on a heavy 30lb tourer (you can ignore tyre resistance etc at low speed on steep climbs, nearly all your energy is being spent on defeating gravity) . So the lightweight rider needs pretty well the same gears if touring in country which is going to involve some hard ascents. My own motto is to gear for the worst, you usually end up needing that granny gear after all.
by james01
6 Apr 2008, 3:06pm
Forum: Cycling Goods & Services - Your Reviews
Topic: New saddle from Lidl
Replies: 16
Views: 5959

fatboy wrote:Cycling jersey for a fiver. Not the most stylish but then again nor am I! I'll find out what it's like tonight.


What are you planning to do in it that you don't do in the daytime ? :oops:
by james01
4 Apr 2008, 1:52pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Ancient Dawes Galaxy - what to do???
Replies: 11
Views: 1427

Nostalgia can make you want to keep old bikes going, but restoration can run up big bills. Compatibilty of spares can be a real pain, & of course it get worse year-on-year even after you've completed the overhaul. I'd go for a modern replacement, but good luck whatever you decide.
by james01
4 Apr 2008, 1:23pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Rants 1 and 2
Replies: 9
Views: 1192

Re: Rants 1 and 2

cranky1 wrote:
My first rant is that cycling is too good. The calming influence it has make it impossible to go from a state of everything is well with the world to one of screaming apoplexy at the actions of a some nutter on the road. !!


Having a loud car horn sounded at me unfairly when I'm happily cycling along turns me into a very nasty piece of work.
by james01
3 Apr 2008, 9:21am
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Unsafe and illegal cars
Replies: 15
Views: 2600

Re: Unsafe and illegal cars

paulah wrote:
james01 wrote:
gilesjuk wrote:One car had windscreen tint which let in 30% light, the legal requirement is 70%.

.


Glass makers have striven over the centuries to achieve near optically perfect glass with near 100% efficient light-transfer. Then along comes a moron-driven fashion for blacked out windows in vehicles!
I make no apologies for this rant. I've experienced several near-accidents while cycling, walking and driving thanks to this idiotic fad.


can't comment on the particular driver, but in some countries it is legal to use tints when prescribed for medical reasons - kerataconus (which I have) would be one of these as we find most light conditions unconfortably bright and wear sunglasses most of the time including in the office. There's little difference between this and having the windows tinted instead.


If you need to wear sunglasses to protect against bright light, you can remove them when twilight conditions apply & you need to maximise light transmission. You can't do that with tinted windows.
by james01
2 Apr 2008, 5:08pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Report police for bad driving? (Near Everton Stadium A580)
Replies: 25
Views: 3523

WesBrooks wrote:road sign in France advising of minimum clearance to give bikes? .


I'm pretty sure it was Ireland, and advised drivers to give 1.5 metres passing room to cyclists.
by james01
2 Apr 2008, 2:44pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Roadside litter
Replies: 46
Views: 5283

Littering is disgusting, full stop.
The sooner we get the police to apply zero-tolerance, as in some US states, the better.
by james01
2 Apr 2008, 2:40pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Unsafe and illegal cars
Replies: 15
Views: 2600

Re: Unsafe and illegal cars

gilesjuk wrote:One car had windscreen tint which let in 30% light, the legal requirement is 70%.

.


Glass makers have striven over the centuries to achieve near optically perfect glass with near 100% efficient light-transfer. Then along comes a moron-driven fashion for blacked out windows in vehicles!
I make no apologies for this rant. I've experienced several near-accidents while cycling, walking and driving thanks to this idiotic fad.
by james01
2 Apr 2008, 11:12am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Park chain checker
Replies: 30
Views: 6731

PW wrote:I'm with Mick, a steel rule with inches & 16ths. If a nominal foot measures 12 1/16" centres between pins it's scrap. I don't often change cassettes.


Agreed. A precision measuring tool, however well designed, is subject to numerous potential inaccuracies (including "operator error"). The simplest method of all, which admittedly means removing the chain, is to suspend it next to a brand new chain & compare lengths.
by james01
1 Apr 2008, 2:37pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Motorway Cyclist
Replies: 28
Views: 3082

[quote="Mick F"] the first married couple to be seen in bed together on TV were Fred and Wilma?
Also, Wilma's pregnancy was the first to be shown all the way through.

quote]

I used to watch the Flintstones as a child, I don't remember seeing the conception episode. Maybe Fred turned out the light, he was always a gentleman.
by james01
1 Apr 2008, 2:01pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Motorway Cyclist
Replies: 28
Views: 3082

Crock of Gold wrote:
james01 wrote:
Crock of Gold wrote:
I have always wondered why Barney Flintstone and Fred never ride a cycle but are happy to propel their car via foot/leg power.

.


Are there no depths of inaccuracy to which this forum will not descend ?
Fred's surname is indeed Flintstone. His neighbour, however, is Barney Rubble.


:cry: Sorry Barney and Fred


The town of Bedrock accepts your apology.
by james01
1 Apr 2008, 11:58am
Forum: On the road
Topic: Motorway Cyclist
Replies: 28
Views: 3082

Crock of Gold wrote:
I have always wondered why Barney Flintstone and Fred never ride a cycle but are happy to propel their car via foot/leg power.

.


Are there no depths of inaccuracy to which this forum will not descend ?
Fred's surname is indeed Flintstone. His neighbour, however, is Barney Rubble.
by james01
31 Mar 2008, 12:24pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: 1960s MOULTON - advice please
Replies: 3
Views: 608

1960s MOULTON - advice please

I've seen an ad in a shop window for an SA-geared Moulton in working order. Sounds ideal as an interesting local runabout. Any tips about what to check? (I vaguely remember rumours about disintegrating rear suspensions on these bikes).
by james01
30 Mar 2008, 11:57am
Forum: On the road
Topic: Motorway Cyclist
Replies: 28
Views: 3082

thirdcrank wrote:in the early '60s when two French onion sellers were stopped by the police cycling on one of the then rare motorways in England, festooned with onions.


Ah, those were the days, when onion men really rode their bikes. Now every other posh deli has an old utility bike outside, festooned with onions, but never going anywhere, usually with flat tyres.