Search found 1148 matches

by Bez
22 Dec 2019, 11:54am
Forum: On the road
Topic: Why wear black?
Replies: 784
Views: 33712

Re: Why wear black?

Wearing black on the bike is a no,no for me


Out of interest, what colour(s) are your trousers/leggings/shorts/tights?
by Bez
20 Dec 2019, 4:36pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Why wear black?
Replies: 784
Views: 33712

Re: Why wear black?

They are usually using good lighting, but why put yours at greater risk of being inconspicuous by wearing black?


It may be your opinion (and many others') that black clothing means "greater risk" even with good lighting, but that doesn't make it factually correct. It's one of those things that gets labelled as "common sense", which is basically a euphemism for a cocktail of belief bias, confirmation bias and so on.

Even if it were factually correct that your clothes place you at greater risk even when you're perfectly visible by way of illumination—something which is debatable at best—then you can always say "why not reduce your risk even further?"

Why put yourself at greater risk by not having more lighting? Why put yourself at greater risk by not encasing yourself in a car? Why put yourself at greater risk by walking across the road without reflective clothing? Why put yourself at greater risk when walking along the pavement by not wearing a helmet?

It ends up at the "if it saves one life…" philosophy, which is so staggeringly hypocritical and untenable that it's basically a catalogue of cognitive biases rolled up into one concise piece of performance art.

Dress up in this stuff if it makes you feel better, but it really doesn't solve any problems in the long run, especially if you're teaching kids to put their faith in things which in many scenarios are no more than talismans.
by Bez
28 Nov 2019, 9:21pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Spinup front 'spoke' dynamo arrives....but?
Replies: 20
Views: 1617

Re: Spinup front 'spoke' dynamo arrives....but?

So it costs three times as much as a whole new wheel with a dynamo hub, it's heavier than a new wheel with a dynamo hub, it won't fit all bikes, it won't power lights, and you need a big ugly block on your handlebars…?

Image
by Bez
15 Nov 2019, 1:49pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Google's Tool to see what info they have on you
Replies: 12
Views: 1124

Re: Google's Tool to see what info they have on you

kwackers wrote:The data is supposedly anonymised - that's the crux.


Without going into too much detail (and without wishing to allege or imply that Google is doing anything specific), anonymised data is only anonymised until you combine it with other data sets. If you have the type and quantity of data that Google has then de-anonymising it is trivial.
by Bez
11 Oct 2019, 12:39pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: What Not To Make Bike Frames Out Of
Replies: 35
Views: 1737

Re: What Not To Make Bike Frames Out Of

£5 says someone mentions carbon fibre within the first page of replies ;)

Can I go with caesium? You’ll need good mudguards.
by Bez
8 Oct 2019, 12:20pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Bike frame price increase after order placed and paid for legal?
Replies: 36
Views: 2348

Re: Bike frame price increase after order placed and paid for legal?

mercalia wrote:spread the word about this unscrupulous company, sticking to the facts.


The facts appear to be that their terms and conditions are both legal and commonplace, and that they have done nothing untoward in this case.

So, if you were “sticking to the facts”, on what basis would you “spread the word about this unscrupulous company”?
by Bez
7 Oct 2019, 3:45pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Changing wheel size
Replies: 9
Views: 855

Re: Changing wheel size

Carlton green wrote:I believe that the next standard 700c width increment above 40mm is 47mm, perhaps you have to go to 650’s to get the required clearance but I don’t believe that 650 tyres are a common size whilst 700c’s are widely available.


Plenty of 42 and 45mm tyres in 700c, along with a few stragglers in between. And 650s are very common now thanks to the rise of the 27.5" MTB standard, which led to "road plus". Once that was around, it was only natural that 650b gravel bikes bridged the gap between road tyres and full-on knobbies. In essence, you can find pretty much the same range of styles of tyre in 650b/27.5" and you can in 700c/29", from 23mm up to 3" and everything in between.
by Bez
7 Oct 2019, 2:35pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Changing wheel size
Replies: 9
Views: 855

Re: Changing wheel size

mcshroom wrote:To an extent, yes. My Genesis Vapour is sized for 38mm tyres on a 700c wheel. The diameter of a 650b wheel would allow a wider tyre, but the other area of constraint would be the bulge between the seat stays as Carlton green says. Looking at my current bike when it has 38s fitted, I doubt I would be able to go much wider on the rear, even with the smaller wheel.


Well, yes, that's what I was saying. A frameset designed for both wheel sizes would have the clearance for the wider 650b tyre. But the Genesis Vapour is not such a frameset: it's a 700c bike. So you shouldn't expect it to take a wider 650b tyre, because it hasn't been designed to do so.

Any 700c disc-braked frameset, such as the Vapour, will take a 650b wheel, and some (eg my Trek Crossrip) will take a larger 650b tyre than they will a 700c tyre. But they'll rarely if ever take a sufficiently wide 650b tyre to reach the same outer diameter as the largest 700c tyre they're designed for (and outer diameter determines BB height and trail, and hence pedal clearance and steering geometry). That's the point of a specifically-designed 700c/650b frameset: it's intended to be compatible with usable tyres in both sizes without altering the handling.
by Bez
7 Oct 2019, 1:42pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Changing wheel size
Replies: 9
Views: 855

Re: Changing wheel size

Carlton green wrote:I don’t know what the relative rolling diameters of both sets of tyres are but I’d be surprised if the bottom bracket didn’t sit a little lower with the new tyres - it’s probably not significant and circa 15 mm.


Depends what tyres you use of course, but the design is underpinned by the principle of using a larger tyre on a smaller wheel. So, for instance, a 700x32 comes up the same size as a 27.5x2.0. The clearances of the frame and fork will be designed to accommodate a single outer diameter, with enough lateral clearance to permit the choice of whichever 700c or 650b tyre ends up at that diameter.
by Bez
7 Oct 2019, 12:26pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Another mapping app request
Replies: 10
Views: 715

Re: Another mapping app request

mjr wrote:
Sweep wrote:
velorog wrote:In the UK I am sufficiently familiar with the roads to be able to memorize the route .

You must have a brain - or memory capacity - the size of a planet.

Or just a memory that remembers shapes (such as junction layouts) easily.


Or just ride short routes ;)
by Bez
7 Oct 2019, 7:14am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Another mapping app request
Replies: 10
Views: 715

Re: Another mapping app request

I’ve not used Android for a few years now but I used to sometimes use My Trails by Frogsparks. It has a bunch of options which let you reduce the battery usage. Back in 2012 I used it on a Sony Xperia Active for navigating and recording a 36-hour ride, during which I had to recharge it once from an external battery.
by Bez
5 Oct 2019, 8:15am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: 1-1/8" headsets with split crown race?
Replies: 7
Views: 793

Re: 1-1/8" headsets with split crown race?

KM2 wrote:The split race and sealed bearing must match in angle, otherwise they won’t marry together properly.


But assuming you buy a headset and don’t then start swapping parts with other headsets, that won’t be an issue.
by Bez
5 Oct 2019, 7:50am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: 1-1/8" headsets with split crown race?
Replies: 7
Views: 793

Re: 1-1/8" headsets with split crown race?

Valbrona wrote:We don't know what you mean.


Well, *you* might not ;)

It’s not just integrated headsets that come with split races (they’re not races, but everyone calls them races nonetheless); that component is basically independent of headset type anyway.

Some headsets do come with split races but it’s hard to tell: the FSA XLII for instance sometimes did and sometimes didn’t. However, obviously assuming you’re using a headset that takes cartridge bearings, you can simply take a hacksaw and cut the race. I nearly always do that to mine.
by Bez
4 Oct 2019, 9:50pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: "Gusset" under downtube
Replies: 67
Views: 3669

Re: "Gusset" under downtube

I wouldn't remove it. It's been designed to be there, and an open end is common because a closed gusset creates a stress riser which can eventually cause the tube to crease.

Open gussets do tend to harbour a little rust, yes. But if you want to avoid that then, as above, rather than file the gusset away fill it with something that won't transfer stress to the tube. If grease isn't permanent enough for your liking then I would use framebuilder's putty, Sugru or even some form of glue.
by Bez
4 Oct 2019, 9:33pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Bike frame price increase after order placed and paid for legal?
Replies: 36
Views: 2348

Re: Bike frame price increase after order placed and paid for legal?

Ivor Tingting wrote:I would get a refund, buy from elsewhere then send them a demand for the additional cost you have had to pay to obtain the frame if above £800.


Whatever the contractual status beforehand, that'd be a futile demand.

Still… news to me, but the pertinent bit from the CAB site:

Depending on the company’s terms and conditions, you’ll have legal rights (and a contract) either:
- once you’ve paid for the item
- once they’ve sent it to you
You’ll need to find the company’s terms and conditions to find out where you stand.


So there we go, they're on the level. Presumably not uncommon with items like this which are inevitably going to run at low stock levels and are imported. (And especially QBP products which have been rising in price in the UK seemingly every other day for the last 10 years.)