Cycling UK Forum

I do love a nice straightforward transaction, thanks AM7

I've sent you a pm

You have a pm

+ me too for £10 - this should be in a museum, ideally with public demonstrations on request!

+ me too for £10 - this should be in a museum, ideally with public demonstrations on request!

I use a coconut solid shampoo ( can't remember the name but got it in local wholefood shop, brown cardboard packaging - Amphora brand?) It's very good, lasts for ever & doesn't dry my hair or skin out at all. It crumbles but I just squashed the lumps into a small screw-top tin. Light, handy & miraculously doesn't leak even when wet. (I smear the stuff onto my hair straight from the tin...)

Apologies for late response to comments, been away.

How did you wangle that, what is it?

Social Network analysis is surprisingly useful if you do the kind of research I do with communities; a simple explanation of it is beyond me, but I'm hoping this will change after the course! Wangled it through the university - I "won" an award - sheer luck that it fitted their criteria butI'm delighted, I wouldn't be doing this otherwise with usual expenses & a new house to rebuild

Used to know FfM fairly well, how has it changed?

You've probably seen it as it is now, but after a long hiatus since my early 1980s visits it was unrecognisable a few years ago - the old centre seemed to have been completely subsumed by the financial centre & associated developments, & the rather picturesque residential quarters likewise. I'd already had to come to terms with the replacement of the old wooden trams by the S-Bahn...more efficient but I was so enamoured of those trams.

Warsaw was quite cycle friendly with some good infrastructure.

Great, I'll research a bit before I get there then

I've also been to Vilnius but only for two days, no cycling, and it was back in the late 80s, so only relevant comment would be on architecture and layout (Nordic - Hanseatic influence, and small, compact).

Delighted if still the case - small is good by bike...

They met in Warsaw, the frenchperson thought she was in Moscow and the russianperson thought he was in Paris

Well, I shall keep a keen eye out for confused French & Russian persons in Warzawa then

Frankfurt/Oder is good for cycling by the river, but I suspect you mean the Other Frankfurt

Frankfurt M I'm afraid - I've spent a lot of time there in the past, my last visit a couple of years ago was a shock - I don't think I've ever known a city change that much outside China. I'll just be using the bike as transport there so probably won't be much fun, but had better investigate any bike infrastructure. The Rhine waits for a longer trip...

What are studying in 'Leningrad'?

Prepare to be fascinated: Social Network Analysis...

I've managed to wangle a study trip to St Petersburg, flying out (taking advantage of BA's generous luggage allowance) & travelling back to Wales by train, stopping in the main cities en-route: Tallin, Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw, Berlin, Frankfurt.

I'll partly be meeting colleagues & friends & partly sight-seeing, hence the Brompton. However, none of them cycle so I can't get any sensible advice out of them wrt particular cycle conditions in each city.

Does anyone have any experience of cycling in these places, & is there anything I particularly need to know about taking the Brommie on any of the trains? (I'm hoping it should be pretty straightforward, especially if I stick it in a laundry bag, Dympa or some such). I'm sure something unforeseen will trip me up, so any advice gratefully received!

And me - amazing

Just to add to Robgul's point about knives, we took our Bike Fridays folded in bags as luggage on the Eurostar a few years ago, they searched our "hand" luggage (ie not the panniers that were all stashed in laundry bags) & confiscated my Opinel knife on the basis that it has a locking blade. My partner was waved through with his (large) Swiss Army knife blade as it doesn't lock. The train into Brussels was so delayed we arrived at our destination 6 hours late... In general I do prefer the ride on / ride off aspect of ferries, but go with whatever suits the trip at the time.

As a woman who has travelled a bit in the Middle East I would say cover up arms and legs, especially in populated areas (except Abu Dhabi & Dubai where clothing rules for foreigners are much more relaxed), and most importantly make the clothes loose - standard western fitted T shirts, even with long sleeves, attract too many stares for my energy levels! Also carry a very light scarf to cover your head at times, this can just make life easier in some places. But I'm sure your friends will have one of those from their travels so far, they're indispensable when touring imho.

Less unstable at first than 16" wheels, but I find a bit of weight on the front never hurts

Sympathies with difficulties in trying them -I have no idea what they do in France apart from the popularity of electric motors I see when I'm there.

Personally I just started with a 70s Shopper bike (surprisingly ok but with steel wheels & therefore no effective brakes - not a good long term option), then a super cheap Chinese job (eventually the brake lever sheared off), then a second hand Dahon from a good burgher of this parish, which worked well until the hinges & components wore out. However, by then I knew what I really needed.

Well worth looking second hand for a Bike Friday, & I'm sure that the more commonly available New World Tourist would do what you need to (at the risk of sounding like a salesperson for them!)