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kimbo305 posted:Only the rear wheel, though the rear triangle: This is the Sheldon Brown method, and it is pretty safe, imo. He used a mini D-Lock/U-lock. Because the lock is within the rear triangle, a thief would have to saw through the wheel to steal the frame, so unless your frame is super-desirable... Of course if you have a full size D-lock you may have room to go around either the chain-stays or seat-stays anyway.
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Jul 31, 2020 00:52
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Guinness posted:Test rode the new Vanmoof S3 today. Yep, the bell and using an app to turn the lights on and off are such stupid decisions, it can't help but make you worry about other aspects of the bike.
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Aug 6, 2020 13:26
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Entropist posted:Hey guys, Netherlands checking in! Are you all still racing to work on time trial bikes over there in the rest of the world or have some of you seen the light and switched to practical ones? If anyone is after a dutch-style bike in the UK, there are some decent looking ones in the Chain Reaction sale right now for £300-£400. I'm tempted but I'm out of bike storage space in my flat. https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/laventino-glide-3-ladies-urban-bike/rp-prod199735 https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/van-tuyl-donna-n8-dames-urban-bike-2020-/rp-prod199744 nb I posted the step-thru versions for Entropist's benefit, and I'm aware the RRPs are inflated.
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Aug 27, 2020 17:02
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Entropist posted:Biking to work at full speed does not sound appealing to many people, otherwise it'd be more prevalent here. Some people do it, but it is a relative rarity. So I would imagine it's off-putting to many non-cyclists as well and would not convince them that bike commuting is a good idea. Even if they have to cover a large distance, people here usually opt for an e-bike rather than racing to work, judging by what my colleagues do. It's hard (not impossible, but stressful) riding slow in countries where cycle lanes are almost non-existent, and drivers are impatient. I say this as someone who does it (in the UK, I know most of the US is worse.) It shouldn't be this way, but it is.
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Aug 30, 2020 04:06
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If you haven't already you can start buying jeans with a bit of stretchiness for more longevity & comfort. Levi's Commuters are the usual recommendation but people say they've gone down in quality. I get Wrangler Larstons (2% elastane) for £40 in TKMaxx. If I'm going over, say, 10 miles, I wear polyester/spandex hiking pants because jeans are just a bit sweaty and chafey on longer rides.
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Sep 22, 2020 13:37
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As ever it's dependent on distance/effort/riding posture. 2 miles in a relatively upright posture, not aiming for KOMs is a breeze in denim. And you arrive at the bar looking not like a total dorkus.
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Sep 22, 2020 14:33
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bicievino posted:Showing up at the bar in bright colors and with the outline of my dong visible through my shorts is how I make my best impressions, though. I'm a cycling instructor, and my boss has to specify to new recruits not to turn up at primary schools like this. Roadie culture is a helluva drug.
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Sep 22, 2020 15:49
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Fitzy Fitz posted:I just wear regular pants that are softer than jeans Good idea. Sorry if I seemed defensive. In any cycling forum, there are people who don't think you're doing it right unless you're head to toe in cycling-specific gear. The OP sums it up nicely tbh quote:Do I need to dress like a dork? Up to you. Shorter commutes, definitely not. Long commutes, you might feel a lot more comfy.
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Sep 22, 2020 16:17
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Alas, we have to spend the duration making them look over their shoulder and not crash into stuff, and there is rarely time for discussing the salient points and best memes of cycling tribalism.
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Sep 22, 2020 19:58
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Shibawanko posted:no im not talking about asia in general, i only know about how its done in japan (flawed but still better than the uk), i havent even mentioned asia. i just agree with him about that bike commuting in holland is a good model for how it can work en masse, and that it should involve as little lycra and racing bikes as possible Yeah a lot of us agree with you. I do. ITT: many people doing 20km commutes through North American hellsprawls, so advice necessarily focusses on that kind of ride. You'll notice the first post is pretty chill though.
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Oct 22, 2020 00:54
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ExecuDork posted:I find adjusting brakes very fiddly. Tightening the nut on the bolt seems to cause all the parts to move a little, and I don't have enough hands to hold everything still and turn the wrench. This is obviously a matter of practice and attention, which is why I was able to solve this problem in 5 minutes standing in the driveway. Now, I feel like I have to move the lever a bit further than I'd like before the front brakes start to really grip, so this weekend I'll fiddle with them, too. You have cantilever brakes which are a pain to adjust and generally bad in many peoples' opinion. When I brought my first bike with cantis into the bike co-op, they advised me to take them off and replace with the cheapest v-brakes they had. It worked: much easier adjustabilility AND responsiveness. You need to replace the whole setup (incl. levers) though. I've found with some cantis you can, if you're very careful, line up the pads the same way you would with v-brakes (loosen them a bit, squeeze the brake lever and then tighten.) The big difference, as you've found, is canti pads will move laterally as you squeeze them against the rim. But you can tighten them so that they 'stick' a little, then very gently squeeze the brake lever until the pads hit the rim. If you're careful you should be able to get them flush with the rim without inadvertently moving them laterally. Alternatively, listen to Calvin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_tDym0G6zo&t=335s Al2001 fucked around with this message at 12:17 on Oct 30, 2020 |
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Oct 30, 2020 10:57
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Good luck! I've probably renovated a dozen cheap 90s mountain bikes (with the most basic, least-adjustable canti brakes) and I still get very irritated by them!
Al2001 fucked around with this message at 18:16 on Nov 1, 2020 |
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Nov 1, 2020 18:14
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Another lo-tech solution
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Jan 31, 2021 14:31
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kemikalkadet posted:I have that exact sprayer which I turned into a ghetto tubeless inflator. If you take off the long rigid tube, the injector hose from orange seal fits perfectly into the grey nut and attaches to the end perfectly. Before I made it I was trying to devise methods to connect the two to get a good seal then discovered they fit perfectly without any kind of extra modification. This is certainly worth remembering for if/when I go tubeless. Thanks!
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Jan 31, 2021 23:30
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Invalido posted:When I know I'll get rained on for real I just go for the rubber boots, tucked under rain pants. I split the difference and wear some chunky waterproof* hiking boots in very wet or slushy conditions. *because they're laced, they're probably only waterproof up to around ankle height.
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Feb 3, 2021 19:46
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kimbo305 posted:Refreshing and positive thread about someone getting into bike commuting: iirc she does ride a relatively Dutch-style city bike though. Which shows they can be both useful and fun in cities without great cycle infra.
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Feb 14, 2021 14:03
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I looked it up and you're right, the posture is not quite omafiets-level. (most Dutch bikes have gears tho)
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Feb 14, 2021 15:48
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Are you worried about securing the wheel as well as the frame with the U-lock? You can just use the wheel lock, and even if you don't, removing the back wheel it is a pain in the arse with these bikes; I can't think of a single reason a thief would bother. Tether for the front wheel maybe? (might be overkill depending on your area.)
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Mar 14, 2021 15:19
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learnincurve posted:I’m going to go seat tube for the U lock because there is less in the way, front wheel is getting combination lock chained to the bike or railing separately because that’s where the motor is. It’s fully insured against theft, accident or vandalism, so this is really about heading off the insurance company going “well actually” at me - If I’m honest my usual policy is U lock and wiring my janky old ridgeback hybrid with it’s pink and mud panniers next to a much nicer bike, and now I have the bike worth stealing I’m over thinking things. Totally understandable. There's no bike-theft peace-of-mind like having an old junker with a 100% track record of being invisible to thieves 
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Mar 14, 2021 16:20
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I have fatigue/respiratory related long covid, and can no longer cycle up a short hill without getting out of breath. I'm hopeful it isn't permanent lung damage from the main stage of the virus, as it comes and goes to an extent (and actually I was fine for a month after my initial COVID symptoms,) but I'm bummed I've been like this for almost a year, with no real end in sight.
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Apr 19, 2021 21:07
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Best I could find a few years back was £50 a pair. Worth it though.
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May 14, 2021 15:47
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This video is pretty good for getting stiff tyres on (I think it was posted in the last version of this thread or one of the other bike threads.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XUFVrl0UT4
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May 15, 2021 18:38
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sweat poteto posted:but my state allows cellphone use while driving 
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Jun 12, 2021 12:20
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100YrsofAttitude posted:My back is going to be sweat central, it's bad enough with nothing on it, but that's ok. I would strongly recommend going to decathlon and picking up a some panniers/frame bags. You're going to hate yourself wearing a backpack all day.
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Jun 26, 2021 15:09
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Looks nice. This actually reminded me that I was thinking of getting an adjustable stem, because I think my bike fit is off and the angle you have this at would probably be about right (and I've never seen a fixed stem with this angle.) My only issue is the last time I bought a used bike with one, it went a little loose and when I took it apart everything was rounded out. Does anyone know if this is an inherent problem with adjustables?
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Jul 16, 2021 08:25
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learnincurve posted:I have had a few of them and they vary wildly in quality, if you are in the U.K. then the Halfords one is better than any of the random picks off of Amazon I’ve had. Thanks. Yep I'm in the UK so I'll probs get that one.
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Jul 16, 2021 15:32
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100YrsofAttitude posted:Was/Is it just a hipster fad? I only ever see the most cliché looking people riding them here in Paris. I'm guessing at least a few of them are riding old steel racing frames converted to single speed, which are a good toughness/lightness compromise for city use, often cheap, fun to ride, and a lot less attractive to thieves than new bikes.
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Aug 30, 2021 16:52
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This doesn't seem too bad (by UK standards.) The only bike lockers I've ever used were crusty, forgotten relics from the 90s in Leeds. I recently found some on an overgrown path behind Saltaire station. They're free but you have to bring your own padlock and I'm always a bit paranoid the council/Network Rail will suddenly remember they exist and cart them off for scrap. Would be nice to have Utrecht-style bike parking garages at major stations here.
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Nov 4, 2021 22:49
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learnincurve posted:Sheffield has cycle hub (£10 for a key fob 24/7 use) Nice, I never knew. Rollout to every major station in this small country with a very centralised government will presumably happen quickly and effici...nah I can't do it
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Nov 4, 2021 23:04
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Coxswain Balls posted:People say this but from what I've been seeing in my local stolen bike group it doesn't ring true any more, if it ever really did. Really expensive bikes are harder to fence or sell for scrap, and meth den chop shops don't typically have the tools for stuff like modern bottom brackets when they try to scramble parts around. This varies a lot from city-to-city, but I still feel safe locking up my beater pretty much anywhere in provincial England. It's an old touring bike, and basically invisible to thieves around here, especially as their preferred prey (a shiny Halfords mountain bike with a £5 cable lock) is abundant. I occasionally hear of an angle grinder attack on a D-lock, but it's still rare here. I know it happens more in bigger cities.
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Nov 14, 2021 23:26
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EvilJoven posted:The biggest thing with pogies for me is the massive air gap. I have Reynaud's. It really loving sucks when my hands are too cold (it's actually worse as they start warming up again, like 'I think I might scream' worse). When they warm up though they sweat. Eventually sweat will soak your glove and then it doesn't insulate and you're hosed unless you have another pair. With a pogie IDGAF if my hands get sweaty, there's always going to be an air gap. Yep. And for the same reason, if it's cold and wet, bar mitts are the way to go. (Most "waterproof" gloves actually aren't.)
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Nov 21, 2021 21:34
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Chillyrabbit posted:The brackets that come with the kryptonite locks are terrible and move around a lot no matter what. This is mainly true but they work great on my steel touring bike, I have to tighten it every so often on my aluminium bike. Still seems more practical than wearing it or janking it onto the rack but each to their own.
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Jun 30, 2022 19:57
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OMGVBFLOL posted:yeah. some tenderness when you get on is normal and will go away with time. tingling or numbness is bad and means you should stop, now, and adjust the seat. there's very little fatty tissue over your sit bones, even on real fluffy people, so chances are good you can find a setup that works for you. but it's not impossible that you'll have to seek other solutions, bicycling while big does put you in a pretty outlying minority and default solutions may not work for you. I'm a little overweight, but my main problem is having disproportionately long legs/short torso. On a new bike, this seems to always result in discomfort in both my hands and taint. I have a box of various stems and bars so I can change the height and reach until it feels decent. I'm thinking of getting a bike fit even though I rarely ride more than 10 miles at a time.
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Mar 28, 2023 18:27
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Heliosicle posted:Just to pile on another thing: may just be my back/bad backpack but once I switched to panniers my shoulders and lower back felt so much better without stuff digging into them for an hour a day. Riding up a hill with a heavy backpack is the worst. I have a Wald 582 folding basket on my rear rack that I throw my backpack into. It works well. 
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May 11, 2023 12:27
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wooger posted:If you have a flat-ish or downhill route of 5 miles, it isn’t raining, you have mudguards and can chill out and ride easy - yes it’s fine, no chance of breaking a sweat unless it’s roasting hot out. Yep Hadlock posted:How much you sweat plays a big part in it. I might get moist around my helmet pads but it's gotta be really hot (95F for more than 20 minutes) to actually get sweaty I also think this thread must skew pretty heavily towards morning people, because the idea getting up 10, 20, 30 mins early every day to mess with extra clothing/showering... not now, not ever. (Yes I shower the night before work. No I don't smell.) raggedphoto posted:Slowing down is common decency and I have to remind myself sometimes that I don't have to go flat out 100% of the time. Absolutely. As you get older, you realise people have very different levels of eyesight and hearing, it isn't cool to spook pedestrians by passing close at high speed, and if you hit them you should have the book thrown at you.
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May 17, 2023 12:21
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Entropist posted:Buses work fine if they have dedicated bus roads that don't interact with other roads, similar to how light rail works. We have this in some areas of the Netherlands: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuidtangent I've taken this Schiphol-Haarlem and it was pretty good. In the US (and also UK) local government is pathetically averse to taking lanes from drivers (as we know from bike lane discourse) or building bus-specific roads. So anything labelled "Bus Rapid Transit" is likely to be more like a normal, slow bus, than to meet the internationally recognised standard of BRT.
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Jun 11, 2023 13:34
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Troutful posted:2.) My bike is faster than I expected and I'm braking a lot on descents. That's okay to do, right? Do I need to be concerned about "riding" my brakes? As with driving, you should try not to feather your brakes constantly on every descent, as that will create excess heat and wear down the pads faster. Most descents have bends so you should be braking decisively to get around the next bend safely. Having said that: do what feels safe for you. Pads are cheap, just keep an eye on them and replace when needed. Eventually the braking surface on the rim will wear too, and you need to replace the rim (or the whole wheel) before it gets so concave that the structural integrity is gone. You can improve the longevity of your rims by checking there are no bits of road debris (metal, rock etc.) embedded in your pads. Al2001 fucked around with this message at 13:35 on Jul 19, 2023 |
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Jul 19, 2023 13:30
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Quote is not edit, apologies
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Jul 19, 2023 13:31
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Clark Nova posted:I wish they'd make hybrid bikes 1x by default. People who aren't bicycle nerds don't ever seem to want to use their front derailleur at all This is mainly true. I'm sticking to my 3x cos there are some steep hills around here and if you want the most gear range for the least money it's still the undisputed champ. I was going to argue that 1x drivetrains don't offer low enough climbing gears for the old/unfit, but this one with the 26t on the front looks nice (idk why they're calling it a mountain bike): https://www.islabikes.co.uk/products/icon-jimi
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Sep 15, 2023 01:24
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wooger posted:1x is limited in total gear range until you get to 12 speed sram stuff with a 10t cog and a rear cassette the size of a dinner plate. And that’s more expensive than simple 2x so will never be the default on hybrids. Exactly, 8-speed is the most you're going to get on the kind of hybrids almost everyone buys (ie ones that cost less than £600RRP.) quote:That Isla bike looks nice, 26t chainring though surely makes it only suitable for riding up walls, horrible for anything else. That’s smaller than the inner ring on a triple isn’t it? It is extreme but pretty cool to see something obviously aimed at old/less fit riders (I teach adults to ride and I'm sure a lot of them would love it.)
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Sep 15, 2023 11:46
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