Cycling chat

[tractionman]

hi folks,

 

As well as matters railway, my other key interest is cycling.

 

I guess I am not alone in this, looking at the occasional comments on RMWeb.

 

So it seems a good idea (I hope) to open a thread on 'cycling chat' for those of us who like a bit of pedalling!

 

Pictures of bikes, tales of/from the road, musing on cycling attire, kit etc welcome, plus friendly advice and ideas?

 

Here's my current bicycle on a day out around Strangford Lough and one of me and bike from a more distant age when locos were still blue!

 

 

 

 

cheers,

 

Keith

[30801]

I got rid of all my bikes except for this one.

It's a former Royal Mail Mailstar refurbished as an Elephant Bike https://www.cycleofgood.com/elephant-bike/

I keep it so it can become my main transport when the revolution comes.

 

[08221]

Always loved cycling, got a decent mountain bike to ride on Cannock Chase, but this is my favourite bike - so much fun to ride out and always gets lots of smiles and comments from people!

 

[Killybegs]

The great thing about mountain bikes is that you can get to some great spots like this one high in the Lowther Hills in Dumfriesshire and it's great fun coming back down.

 

[Classsix T]

Bought a new bike for my new job. Last work commute was Shank's Pony and train but I've never driven and job is clear across town. Really enjoy it and mean to use it for leisure time too. Sometimes wonder how some car drivers hold a licence but, meh.

 

It's a sensibly priced Claud Butler 18-speed. Was up and down the rear sprocket on the middle ring initially but have gained enough fitness to now be permanently on the big ring.

 

Wondering whether to put bigger gears on the rear actually. Perhaps I should have gone for a road bike rather than an mtb but I didn't fancy skinny tyres and lighter construction.

 

C6T. 

[Nearholmer]

Good idea, this thread.

 

My favoured type of cycling is "path touring", which has lately become called "gravel biking" following US fashion.

 

At the moment, I have two 'proper' bikes on the go besides a "shopping and local" one: a steel-framed tourer for longer excursions on half-decent paths and roads; and, a cyclocross bike, which is good for shorter runs, especially over rougher ground and bridleways (I was using it for longer rides too, but it’s a bit harsh after a couple of days).

 

I returned to cycling properly when I ceased to work full time five years ago, and it has become key to mental and physical wellbeing.

 

Here are the two bikes, in the same spot on the South Downs, two years apart almost to the day.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by Nearholmer

[Classsix T]

6 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Good idea, this thread.

 

My favoured type of cycling is "path touring", which has lately become called "gravel biking" following US fashion.

 

At the moment, I have two 'proper' bikes on the go besides a "shipping and local" one: a steel-framed tourer for longer excursions on half-decent paths and roads; and, a cyclocross bike, which is good for shorter runs, especially over rougher ground and bridleways.

 

I returned to cycling properly when I ceased to work full time five years ago, and it has become key to mental and physical wellbeing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disc brakes Kev, how do you get on with them? Genuinely interested.

 

C6T. 

[Nearholmer]

On 05/11/2021 at 20:09, Classsix T said:

Perhaps I should have gone for a road bike rather than an mtb but I didn't fancy skinny tyres and lighter construction.

 

I wouldnt go back to rim brakes, but they all seem to have different characteristics.

 

The cyclocross bike has SRAM Rival hydraulic-disc, which are bl@@dy brilliant. Totally controllable, very powerful if you need it, and not the slightest sign of snatching.

 

The tourer has Shimano cable-disc, which is a lot better if ever you need to fix them at the roadside, but to me they lack power, so you need to go carefully downhill with a load on.

 

My good lady has Tektro hydraulic discs on her hybrid, and they are truly awful, very snatchy and lacking in controllability, sort of "on/off". I suspect that these are lower end of the range ones, and that top-end Shimano ones are better.

 

BTW, if you want the combination of a very robust frame, ability to fit wide tyres, and a better set of gear ratios for road use than you get on a typical mountain bike, you could do worse than look at a cyclocross or gravel bike. In those pictures above, both of the bikes are fitted with heavyweight 37mm tyres, which cope with every surface except clay-mud and soft sand, where something knobblier is needed, and don't produce vast amounts of drag on smooth tarmac.

Edited November 1, 2022 by Nearholmer

[PMP]

23 minutes ago, Classsix T said:

Disc brakes Kev, how do you get on with them? Genuinely interested.

 

C6T. 

I find them excellent. Early versions were cable operated and a PITA, hydraulics are leagues apart from them and (IMO) rim brakes. I am the last of the late brakers though so the power and retardation especially in the wet makes them a no brainer now. I would go for quality though and floating discs rather than single piece rotors. I’ve warped two sets of cheap single piece rotors but that may be my ‘style’.

I ride gravel and mountainbike all cannondale  ‘lefties’. The gravel suits me with its crossover of touring and cyclocross geometry, and I run specific gravel tyres.

The other thing I’m doing is swapping over to tubeless tyres on all three I ride. The convenience in terms of lack of punctures (so far) has been worth it.

 

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by PMP

[jbqfc]

28 minutes ago, Classsix T said:

Disc brakes Kev, how do you get on with them? Genuinely interested.

 

C6T. 

when i change from an MTB to a road bike with hydraulic disc brakes the first time I stopped I nearly put myself over the handlebars as they where so much better the rim brakes also they work just as good when it is wet

I wish i had change to a road bike lot sooner for my 5 mile commute so much lighter and better road handling took 5 minutes off my commute 

my bike is nothing flash an 18 seed pinnacle which is an evens cycles own brand 

John 

[Classsix T]

Thanks for the replies fellas.

The bike isn't something I'm looking to spend a fortune on. My previous history of bike ownership has been:

Raleigh Striker

Raleigh Bronze Burner

Raleigh Ace (5-speed "racer"?) 

 

Only one of those was brand new, the current one is literally streets ahead in terms of build quality and I can't fault it. I do think I'd benefit from a pair of smoother road tyres and like I say, higher gear ratios. I can't ever see me using the smallest crank ring. Ever.

What can be bolted on though is another matter. My town is fortunate enough to having kept hold of one independent bike shop, down three mind you.

 

C6T. 

[30801]

1 minute ago, jbqfc said:

when i change from an MTB to a road bike with hydraulic disc brakes the first time I stopped I nearly put myself over the handlebars as they where so much better the rim brakes also they work just as good when it is wet

 

First time I braked heavily with hydraulic disks I stood the bike on its front wheel but it always felt perfectly controllable.

 

TheElephant bike has hub brakes which don't feel so nice but they're maintenance free and they work in the wet.

[Nearholmer]

Another thing about brakes:

 

The style of the hoods makes a huge difference to comfort and controlability. If you change from mountain bike to drop bars, you are likely to find that you spend a lot of time "riding on the hoods", using them to contol the steering etc, and on some designs the bit you hold is very short and narrow, and the sticky-up bit doesnt stick up far enough, which makes your hands uncomfortable and insecure. The SRAM ones are very good in that respect, and allow you to lever the bike around all over the place on rough/steep paths ........... which, er, may not matter if you ride on the road all the time.

[PMP]

8 minutes ago, Classsix T said:

Thanks for the replies fellas.

The bike isn't something I'm looking to spend a fortune on. My .

 

C6T. 

If fitting disc brakes was one of the things you had in mind, the forks and rear frame will need the mounting points. If they’re not there they can be fitted, but it’d be a welding job by a frame builder and repaint of the worked area. 

[TheSignalEngineer]

40 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

BTW, if you want the combination of a very robust frame, ability to fit wide tyres, and a better set of gear ratios for road use than you get on a typical mountain bike, you could do worse than look at a cyclocross or gravel bike. In those pictures above, both of the bikes are fitted with heavyweight 37mm tyres, which cope with every surface except clay-mud and soft sand, where something knobblier is needed, and don't produce vast amounts of drag on smooth tarmac.

On the railway trails I'm using my wife's old steel framed Orange P7 which is now about 16 years old. It still has the 3x9 gears on it which gives enough range for quite big hills and I can get it up to near 25mph on the road. I have fitted 50mm Continental Double Fighter tyres which are robust, smooth enough it in middle to have low drag on tarmac but nobbly enough round the edges to give better control on loose or wet surfaces.

[Classsix T]

3 minutes ago, PMP said:

If fitting disc brakes was one of the things you had in mind, the forks and rear frame will need the mounting points. If they’re not there they can be fitted, but it’d be a welding job by a frame builder and repaint of the worked area. 

Just a general question on the efficacy of discs and their usage actually. The block rim stoppers on my ride are more than adequate. Enough to throw me off if I chucked it all in, but perfectly controllable. I did worry during the first of the two downpours I endured going to work, but the brakes performed adequately.

 

Bear in mind, I'm not looking to go particularly quickly anywhere. Energy preservation is how I cycle. The incumbent gears are out of tune with my preferred cadence, and I can literally "feel" the resistance of the knobbly tyres I've got on!

 

C6T. 

[Nearholmer]

2 minutes ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

smooth enough it in middle to have low drag on tarmac but nobbly enough round the edges to give better control on loose or wet surfaces.

 

I tried those, and found them terrifying when cornering on tarmac, because it feels as if you are riding on the knobbly ridge round the edge. All a matter of personal likes and dislikes, I guess.

[PMP]

14 minutes ago, Classsix T said:

 

Bear in mind, I'm not looking to go particularly quickly anywhere. Energy preservation is how I cycle. The incumbent gears are out of tune with my preferred cadence, and I can literally "feel" the resistance of the knobbly tyres I've got on!

 

C6T. 

I’m not a ‘gear head’ by any stretch! Tyre technology is moving really fast, and you might find some benefit there. My gravel bikes came fitted with slicks which despite that sounding a bit mad were quite grippy off road. I’ve changed one to small knob panaracer tyres with big + change in off road grip and little degradation on road. Getting a good set of tyres matched to your riding style will mean less effort/more ‘speed’. If you can feel the drag from your current tread, next time you change them have a look at different tread patterns. Different compounds make a difference too but that’s proper geek fest material!

https://road.cc/content/review/panaracer-gravelking-sk-tyre-227022

Edited November 5, 2021 by PMP
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[Killybegs]

I have had disc brakes on my last two mountain bikes, cable on the first, hydraulic on the current one (which is an eMTB) and they are great. I have two sets of wheels, one pair shod with Shwalbe Marathon Plus MTB tyres (which are bullet proof) for tarmac and gravel (but not great on trails) and one pair shod with tubeless tyres for when I am out on the trails.

 

 

 

[TheSignalEngineer]

41 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

 

I tried those, and found them terrifying when cornering on tarmac, because it feels as if you are riding on the knobbly ridge round the edge. All a matter of personal likes and dislikes, I guess.

They felt a bit strange at first until a couple of rides on roughly stoned tracks rounded the knobbles a bit

[Butler Henderson]

For a dedicated forum I can recommend Cyclechat which seems relatively devoid of obsessives.

[njee20]

Perhaps unsurprisingly from my profile picture, cycling was very much my main hobby for 15 years before life got in the way, I got bored of it taking up so much time and just stopped enjoying it as much! Still try and do a bit here and there to keep a semblance of fitness!

 

As we’ve delved into a brake discussion I’ll carry that thread on…! I find on a flat, dry road then rim brakes are more than adequate, almost indistinguishable in fact. However add in any variable - steep hill, wet road, long descent and the discs are night and day better. On a mountain bike discs all day long!
 

I took a road bike to the Alps a few years ago, and opted to take my heavier disc-equipped bike over my ‘nice’ bike with rim brakes, and it was incredible! Things I’d not even thought about like hand fatigue - my two friends were really struggling at the bottom of long descents, whilst I could just casually brake with one finger the whole time. They did get sufficiently hot on a particular descent that a piston failed, but still worth it!

[Nearholmer]

29 minutes ago, Killybegs said:

Shwalbe Marathon Plus

I use those, or the near-equivalent Continental Contact Plus. Heavy, but (touch wood) only had one puncture in 5+ years. 
 

TBH, I value not having punctures very highly, and am happy to sacrifice some other things to get that.

 

IMO, there is no perfect tyre if you ride on a wide mix of surfaces, it’s all about finding a compromise that works 80%+ of the time. If you ride very largely on one sort of surface, it’s probably easier to find an ‘ideal’.

[Classsix T]

Re: tubeless. (and bear in mind that my cycle development updates come via watching Le Tour annually) I asked my BiL who was heavy into cycling for a while why not just have solid tyres? There's enough technology involved in rubber compound integration to negate any need for nitrogen injection or rider comfort surely?

 

C6T. 

[njee20]

They exist - Tannus are probably the most notable brand. The ride quality is said to be woeful, and they’re heavy (first hand information from a friend who returned them after a couple of hundred miles of swearing). That’s a ‘performance’ orientated model too.

 

I’ve been using tubeless on my mountain bikes for 20 years. The lower pressures and improved grip makes it a very easy decision. On the road I’m just not convinced. I’ve dabbled a couple of times, but it’s just more hassle, and doesn’t really seem to reduce punctures. Or rather I don’t get enough that a reduction is meaningful.