Search found 4506 matches

by PW
6 Mar 2012, 8:26pm
Forum: Lands End to John O'Groats
Topic: USING A GARMIN 800 TO NAVIGATE SAFE JOGLE ROUTE
Replies: 18
Views: 10616

Re: USING A GARMIN 800 TO NAVIGATE SAFE JOGLE ROUTE

Best paper map is the Phillips atlas, it helps if you do the homework on OS maps first and mark the route on the atlas pages with a highlighter pen. Keep it in polypockets in the barbag mapcase and that's a few Kg saved.
by PW
6 Mar 2012, 8:22pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Do you brew up on a run?
Replies: 51
Views: 7304

Re: Do you brew up on a run?

I put aside a couple of coke cans to make one of those burners but couldn't get a round tooit :roll:
I do occasionally have a brew but it's using one of those army hexy burners mentioned in a recent thread.
by PW
5 Mar 2012, 8:59pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Which chain for a 10-spd 105?
Replies: 5
Views: 1164

Re: Which chain for a 10-spd 105?

Any SRAM 10 will work without problems. Use the KMC split link, it's re-usable, the SRAM 10 speed one isn't. The only difference between SRAM chains of the same speed is cosmetic, or in a couple of cases the weight but that's minimal.
by PW
5 Mar 2012, 8:56pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Triple chainset/rear mech compatability
Replies: 17
Views: 881

Re: Triple chainset/rear mech compatability

Mine's a medium cage Chorus with 48/38/24 and 11-28 10 speed. No fouling at all. The gear hanger is a short one too.
by PW
5 Mar 2012, 8:42pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: The first cuckoo?
Replies: 16
Views: 2408

Re: The first cuckoo?

Cuckoos are still fairly common on the moors 5 miles west of here, we heard them often last summer and even saw a few. If you do a bit of googling they're now heading back N from the Congo, should be with us late April.
by PW
5 Mar 2012, 8:38pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: tempting fate....
Replies: 23
Views: 3791

Re: tempting fate....

There was a famous occasion when the touring W.Indies cricket team was snowed off against Derbyshire in June - but that was in Buxton! ('72 I think).
by PW
5 Mar 2012, 8:35pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: wd40
Replies: 12
Views: 1068

Re: wd40

I use it for cleaning the grinding paste off the transmission, then re-lube with oil. WD 40 will do if there's nothing else, I've even used silicone furniture polish in emergencies, but it's not an ideal lubricant.
by PW
5 Mar 2012, 8:32pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Triple chainset/rear mech compatability
Replies: 17
Views: 881

Re: Triple chainset/rear mech compatability

Try taking the B screw out and putting it back in from the other side. It gets you a bit more adjustment. :wink:
by PW
5 Mar 2012, 2:03pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Gear Choice For touring etc.; what suits you and why?
Replies: 67
Views: 5178

Re: Gear Choice For touring etc.; what suits you and why?

Having been around as a touring camper since the late 70s I think I've evolved through all of 'em. :oops:
52/42 X 6 speed 14-26 was horrific, then it was the 52/36 with the 5 speed 14-34 soup plate, better but you needed to get down the block fast if there was a hill coming - GRAUNCH!
The longest lived system we settled on was 52/40/30 with a 6 speed 13-32. That was a good general set up for day rides in the Peak or camping trips around N France when the kids were little. 2 tooth gaps at the high end up to 4 in the granny gears where you don't want to be jumping 3 changes and a chainring at the same time - (anyone know why that big double change was nicknamed a "Flying Camel"? it always puzzled me!)
When 6 speed screw on blocks started to head towards obsolescence it coincided with the family fleet mostly being worn out, so I did a bit of homework and decided that 9 speed triple was probably the way to go. The 11t small sprocket looked as though it would wear out fast so I calculated the gearing to get a "normal" - for us - 108" top off the 8th gear with the other one as a toy. These days I'd be lost without it when in a hurry.
I'm normally happy with a touring set up of 48/38/24 X 11-34, which will give useful gears into a headwind at the top end, without losing the Warp Drive downhill when it's near pub closing time :lol: and there's still plenty left to get the camping gear over the Bealach Na Ba for anyone who's daft enough to try it.
The fun bike is a lot lighter and doesn't have much carrying capacity, so that one I keep the ratios closer together. The chainset is still 48/38/24, but the back end is a 10 speed 11-28, so it has the top end and most of the racing gears of a competition machine from maybe 10 years ago with a more civilised set of middle ratios and enough to cope with the moorland roads at the end of a tiring day.
by PW
4 Mar 2012, 8:35pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: 11-25 cassette 9 speed
Replies: 39
Views: 3345

Re: 11-25 cassette 9 speed

Suntour used a 14-38t 5 speed with the above mentioned SR 50/36 chainset back in the 80s. That was called an Alpine Gear, I had one.
by PW
4 Mar 2012, 8:26pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Headtube bracket for a basket?
Replies: 2
Views: 385

Re: Headtube bracket for a basket?

The wife's old one used to fasten with 2 leather straps around the bars and another around the headtube. She's moved on to drop barred tourers and clickfix barbags now though!
by PW
4 Mar 2012, 8:20pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: 11-25 cassette 9 speed
Replies: 39
Views: 3345

Re: 11-25 cassette 9 speed

That Claud runs a standard Shimano 105 front mech. Basically a 48T outer ring is on the edge where it'll work with either a road or an mtb mech, which you choose depends on the shifters.
by PW
4 Mar 2012, 8:09pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Starting to tour
Replies: 32
Views: 2781

Re: Starting to tour

Remember it's not the distance that causes trouble - it's trying to do it too quickly. Rough rule of thumb, if you ride say 60 miles in a normal week then as a one off you can do the same in one day. Best probably to start off at maybe half that, then build it up over the course of the holiday. Spend some of the spare time sightseeing or whatever, keep it interesting (a lesson soon learned by beginner family tourists). We all had to start sometime, have fun. :D
by PW
4 Mar 2012, 8:03pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Touring saddle
Replies: 26
Views: 5810

Re: Touring saddle

Have a look at Spa Cycles leather saddles. Very similar to Brooks at much lower prices. You can afford to risk softening one with neatsfoot oil if you think it's too hard.
by PW
4 Mar 2012, 8:00pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Family cycling in France
Replies: 6
Views: 521

Re: Family cycling in France

Check out the up to date publicity blurb from Britanny Ferries. They've always been a good firm in our experience and the area is good for an intro to foreign cycling. Friendly motorists, plenty of places of interest, choice of flat or hills, good beaches, nice summer weather etc. It's where we started way back when our kids were small and we never regretted it.