Cycling chat

[Nearholmer]

I have very mixed feelings about cycle lanes. Certainly in the towns round here that have them they are often spectacularly, dangerously ill-maintained, and blocked by parked cars or delivery vehicles. They function mainly as a place for motorised vehicle drivers to harry cyclists into, rather than riding-locations of choice. In some towns they are doubtless great, but not anywhere near here.

 

Shared-use paths and trails on the other hand, I absolutely love, seek-out, and go for miles on.

 

But, we are spoilt here, because within the city where I actually live it is possible to go everywhere and anywhere on shared-use paths, both for practical and leisure purposes, and two NCN routes give N, E, S & W routes out onto quiet country roads.

 

Highway authorities can have a huge influence on cycling in their areas by how well or badly they cater for cyclists. I will single-out Hertfordshire as working very hard to discourage cycling, by sheer neglect of the paths and cycle lanes entrusted to its care.

[airnimal]

We had a good ride today on the Middlewood way to Bollington.  It was only a round trip of about 25 miles but it was good to get out. We had dinner at the Poaches Inn in Bollington which serves excellent food and good beer. At this time of the year I struggle to get out because I suffer badly from the cold so any miles is a bonus. 

Edited November 8, 2021 by airnimal
Poachers Inn not Poachers Arms. I'm going mad.

[big jim]

This is no doubt a thread I can contribute to over time, as some may know I chart my bike rides in my weight loss and work threads  (it looks like most posters on here post in those threads anyway) but I’m sure I can add here too

 

for those who don’t know I’ve got an electric assist bike that I’ve had since June and have covered about 1450 mile so far using it to commute as well as a few leisure rides, done lots of ex railway lines in the area, leek and manifold, Stoke to biddulph, ironbridge to Bridgnorth as well as a few trips further afield such as Carlisle to silloth, cockermouth to Keswick, longbridge to reddich and bromsgrove, I’m a bit limited by the battery range but normally get 25ish miles from it, I carry the charger with me in the frame bag so if I can top it up en route in a coffee shop or on the train I will!

 

had an issue the other week where the motor and Ecu burned out after I’d had the rear cassette swapped over for a taller geared one, been replaced now and has been fine since 

 

also have my mums old RooDog electric bike that Dominic uses, we’ve done a few trips out together, I had to use it the other week while mine was off the road, at first I didn’t like it but after a week I really enjoyed using it, it was actually better geared than my bike and I was quicker on my commute route

 

The main reason for buying it was to get fitter and help with my weight loss, it’s certainly some that, if you have seen my weightless thread I’ve lost almost 6 Stone, no doubt the bike being a big contributing factor to that, and I’m getting to see parts of the country at a more leisurely pace!

 

ive only come off it twice (so far) and been knocked off it twice by cars, fell sideways while turning slowly on a slippy path last night and landed on my knee (then a bit later went over on my ankle on some ballast on the same leg so that’s aching this morning!) 

 

carerra

 

roodog

 

just fits nicely in the loco

 

 

[Michael Edge]

51 minutes ago, big jim said:

This is no doubt a thread I can contribute to over time, as some may know I chart my bike rides in my weight loss and work threads  (it looks like most posters on here post in those threads anyway) but I’m sure I can add here too

 

for those who don’t know I’ve got an electric assist bike that I’ve had since June and have covered about 1450 mile so far using it to commute as well as a few leisure rides, done lots of ex railway lines in the area, leek and manifold, Stoke to biddulph, ironbridge to Bridgnorth as well as a few trips further afield such as Carlisle to silloth, cockermouth to Keswick, longbridge to reddich and bromsgrove, I’m a bit limited by the battery range but normally get 25ish miles from it, I carry the charger with me in the frame bag so if I can top it up en route in a coffee shop or on the train I will!

 

 

25 miles seems a very short range although I don't know what sort of bike or battery it is. I sometimes ride Judith's Ezego in the winter and this can easily do 70 miles in normal use. I did 60 miles on it recently, including crossing the Pennines (over Saddleworth against a very strong wind), still 2/5ths battery left at the end.

This is the Ezego, slightly modified with butterfly bars, seen here alongside the Festiniog last summer - it's a very nice bike but I still haven't worked out where to fit a bottle cage on it.

My usual bike on the right is an Orbit Ventura tourer which I have been riding since 2003, it's not very light but it's very comfortable and can go most places on 28mm tyres. I've done 33500 miles on this now with no mechanical attention apart from tyres, a new chain every 3000 miles or so and I've changed the cassette twice (last one very recently). Two broken spokes, in the same wheel when the bike was fairly new, nothing since. The only big change I made was to replace the near useless cantilever brakes with V brakes - I found out how useless the cantilevers were on the first fully loaded (an extra 30kg or so on it) tour in the Italian Lakes......

[Guest]

1 hour ago, big jim said:

just fits nicely in the loco

 

Random bicycle wheel visible through the side of the loco is a nice detail for someone to model...

[Killybegs]

On 06/11/2021 at 17:06, spikey said:

Has anybody ever successfully used one?

 

They can be a bit hit and miss. When we bought our new wheels with the tubeless tyres fitted, the latex free sealant worked pretty. However I was unable to source the same product later and the 'environmentally friendly' substitute was useless. As we are running Continental Mountain Kings I decided to use Continental's own sealant. To date, this is performing well with no loss of pressure. The rims and tyres did need cleaning before changing the type of sealant.

[Nearholmer]

I’m probably missing the point badly here, but what is the advantage of tubeless tyres for ‘ordinary’ use?

 

I sort-of get it for those people who either road race or road ride with a view to maximising their average speed, so every gram not carried up hill helps, but for the rest of us?

[Pete the Elaner]

1 minute ago, Nearholmer said:

I’m probably missing the point badly here, but what is the advantage of tubeless tyres for ‘ordinary’ use?

 

I sort-of get it for those people who either road race or road ride with a view to maximising their average speed, so every gram not carried up hill helps, but for the rest of us?

 

They are supposed to be more puncture resistant, so less time changing tubes.

It is recommended to still carry a spare tube in case you get a puncture which the sealant will not cope with.

I have never used them myself so I refuse to make a judgment, but I have heard of some who have used them really like them.

[njee20]

6 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

I’m probably missing the point badly here, but what is the advantage of tubeless tyres for ‘ordinary’ use?

 

I sort-of get it for those people who either road race or road ride with a view to maximising their average speed, so every gram not carried up hill helps, but for the rest of us?

They’re actually no lighter, generally. As said, the primary advantage is puncture resistance - the sealant inside the tyres seals many would-be puncture holes. You get a slightly more supple (and faster) ride too, and you can run lower tyre pressures without fear of pinching and inner tube.
 

On the mountain bike I love it, bags more grip, fewer punctures, very good. On the road I’m just not sold though! It’s interesting the technology is very gradually drawing the technology-averse professional peloton away from tubular tyres though (which have an integral inner tube and are glued onto the rims). 

[spikey]

1 hour ago, Michael Edge said:

25 miles seems a very short range although I don't know what sort of bike or battery it is. I sometimes ride Judith's Ezego in the winter and this can easily do 70 miles in normal use. I did 60 miles on it recently, including crossing the Pennines (over Saddleworth against a very strong wind), still 2/5ths battery left at the end.

 

Well good for you.   I'm not A Cyclist, I'm just a bloke in his mid-70s who rides a bike everywhere, every day on roads in a hilly locality.   The range I get from my pedelec depends on the amount of assistance which I call for from it, which depends primarliy  on the amount of grief that my arthritis is giving me, but I'm perfectly happy with 25 miles.

 

ETA - Ref sealants, I obviously failed to make it clear that I was talking about the pressurised cans of sealant which are supposed to seal a hole and inflate your tyre.   It's those that have never worked for us.

Edited November 8, 2021 by spikey

[Nearholmer]

1 hour ago, spikey said:

pressurised cans of sealant which are supposed to seal a hole and inflate your tyre.  

Completely useless, IMO.

 

When I used to commute, and cycled to and from the station, I tried them as a “get you home”, and was entirely disappointed. Just a lot of mess, and still pumping up every five minutes. It’s the sort of thing you do in desperation when it’s dark and raining, and the alternatives are a five mile walk or changing a tube at the roadside.

 

TBH, I eventually gave-up cycling to and from the station in the dark part of winter …… when I got into my fifties it was just too much like hard work either end of a twelve hour day!

Edited November 8, 2021 by Nearholmer

[njee20]

 

Yep, I used to carry Innivations “Seal & ‘Flate” which were one of the combined Co2/sealant canisters and they were indeed rubbish! I also left one on the front seat of my car in summer and it exploded. There was an impressive amount of sealant inside when exposed to the air! Made a hole into the glovebox too. 

 

[Nearholmer]

Sorry! Laughing was a bit unkind.

[AER_2263]

3 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

I’m probably missing the point badly here, but what is the advantage of tubeless tyres for ‘ordinary’ use?

 

I sort-of get it for those people who either road race or road ride with a view to maximising their average speed, so every gram not carried up hill helps, but for the rest of us?

 

There's no advantage to rolling resistance or weight by running tubeless.  If that is your primary concern then tubular tyres or latex tubes are used. The only advantage to tubeless when racing is that a puncture might not end your race. You can run lower pressure, so in theory, there is improved comfort and you won't get a pinch puncture from rough roads or potholes. As with a lot things on the bike, it is great until it doesn't work. If you have to carry a spare tube and tools then there isn't really any advantage in my opinion. I have a couple of sets of wheels setup with GP5000 tubeless and I am happy to use them for shorter rides. Anything long and/or away from civilization I'm not sure I'd be setting out without a spare tube and tools. I have had one puncture on tubeless where a thorn pierced the tyre completely, the sealant had dried up during Summer months and I didn't keep on top of it. Also, on some wheels getting the tyre off/on to fit the tube can be a nightmare because the tyre has to be so tight on the rim and you need more tools....  

 

You pay your money and take your choice.

 

 

[big jim]

Regards the mileage 25 is about the norm for a commute type ride as I’m in my work gear, heavy clothing, backpack with railway stuff in, steel toe cap boots etc 

 

If I’m having a leisure ride and I’m dressed lighter with no heavy backpack it will touch 30 miles if I’m lucky depending on the Terrain, which when I got the bike I thought would be more than enough as I’d only use it to go from home to the station but 5 months in I’m now thinking that if the cycle to work scheme is running again next year to upgrade to the new carerra which has a supposed 70 mile range which will open my cycling adventures out further, so glad I didn’t go for the cheaper 20 mile range bike though! 

[njee20]

5 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

Sorry! Laughing was a bit unkind.

Not in the least! It was moderately farcical! Luckily it wasn’t a particularly nice car, or I’d have been somewhat more annoyed!

[njee20]

4 hours ago, AER_2263 said:

 

There's no advantage to rolling resistance or weight by running tubeless.  If that is your primary concern then tubular tyres or latex tubes are used.

 

 

I mean we’re getting into the EM/P4 of the bike world of course, but I would argue in favour of rolling resistance for tubeless, albeit marginal. 
 

Bicycle Rolling Resistance (https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews) test this sort of thing, and the tubeless equivalents of any tyres outperform standard clinchers, and all the best performing clinchers are super light or crazy expensive. Years ago I had Grand Prix SuperSonics, they were lovely, but were down to the canvas in 500 miles. 

Edited November 8, 2021 by njee20

[Nickey Line]

As a touring cyclist of over 40 years standing and an ex-commuter cyclist, I guess it's time I joined in here too..

 

I was fortunate to be able to retire early and have upped my yearly mileage to between 7- 8000 miles, hope to get to 5 figures in a year sometime... 

As for the brakes/tyres discussion, I became a convert to hydraulic discs 5 years ago and would not go back. One advantage not already mentioned is that they don't wear your rims out!

Tyres... I use Continental Gatorskins and I rarely get punctures. The trick is to inspect them regularly and remove flints, bits of glass etc. BEFORE they go through! I do this at least fortnightly, more often in the winter.

 

Here's my favourite bike, easily the best ride I've ever had...

 

 

It's titanium framed, with carbon forks, glides like a Rolls Royce...

[Nearholmer]

That looks like a seriously good bike.

 

I’m sure everyone is the same, in hoping to find “the ideal bike”, and I’m certainly in that place currently. My cyclocross bike turned path tourer is a harsh ride, I think because of the aluminium frame and the big steps between gear ratios, but wonderfully manoeuvrable and with brilliant brakes. My steel touring bike is superbly smooth, with nice little steps between gears, but is too long and has iffy brakes. What I really want is a cross-breed of the two, ideally for free!

 

Antway, I’m suffering bike envy now.

[Bernard Lamb]

22 hours ago, Nickey Line said:

 

Here's my favourite bike, easily the best ride I've ever had...

 

 

 

It's titanium framed, with carbon forks, glides like a Rolls Royce...

Very nice.

I do like the titanium/carbon combination.

Although coming from a racing background I ride all carbon, currently an Orbea, Orca. A bit harsh at times but a good saddle choice helps. Oddly enough a cheap Spoons Charge is what I use for general riding only using the expensive carbon job for special outings.

I do find the modern trend for shallow bars a bit odd, being brought up with the bottom of the drops being in line with the bottom fork race. As the drops are hardly ever used it makes no odds but I find it allows you to vary the angle of bend of your forearms when you are doing so.

Bernard

[kernowtim]

To offer a contrast, my most used bike was this heavy Apollo that I was given by a colleague, managed a few thousand miles on this over the last few years, I try to cycle to work as it is only a few miles and car parking is an issue, I also wanted to lose some weight! 

I also have an old Dawes road bike, a halfords dutch style and a selection of shopper type bikes, the dearest being a Raleigh Pathway folder that cost £32.

Earlier this year I decided to treat myself to my first ever brand new bike, and chose a trek Marlin 7 MTB to replace the worn out Apollo, the hydraulic disc brakes certainly are sharp and work well but I find the gearing too low for cycling on the flat, have got a larger chain ring (hopefully) on the way! 

I use the free strava app to record my routes, almost 1900 miles done this year. 

 

[spikey]

1 hour ago, Nearholmer said:

I’m sure everyone is the same, in hoping to find “the ideal bike” ...

 

Found mine - https://batavus.dk/elcykler/harlem-ego/damecykel/herrecykel#herre 

 

The only slight annoyance was that no sooner had I bought it (and the ladies' version for my Lady Wife) than the importers stopped importing them due to Batavus not being up for the post-Brexit paperwork and whatnot.  Still, in practice most of the cycle parts are available over here anyhow, there's ways and means of getting the ones that aren't, and there are places in the UK that service and repair Yamaha motor units.

 

So that's now #1 bike, me being pretty much in my dotage.  Comfortable riding position, 8-speed Nexus with ideal ratios for this neck of the woods, 5 levels of assistance, first class engineering throughout, great brakes that are a doddle to maintain, very efficient lighting, prop-stand, stem lock to keep front wheel pointing ahead when loading up carrier(s), nurse's lock, and above all else, the luxury of a full chaincase.

 

It's also the only bike I've ever bought on which I haven't had to change the saddle!

[PMP]

On 08/11/2021 at 10:23, Nearholmer said:

I’m probably missing the point badly here, but what is the advantage of tubeless tyres for ‘ordinary’ use?

 

I sort-of get it for those people who either road race or road ride with a view to maximising their average speed, so every gram not carried up hill helps, but for the rest of us?

As others have commented there’s two benefits. Lighter weight, no inner tube, thus reduces the overall wheel weight too and does give a benefit in better handling. If looking at it as a pure weight saving then the fastest way to achieve that is less pies. On my Slates one is set up tubeless, the other standard. The tubeless wheels are noticeably lighter in your hand and the turning in response in particular is noticeably better on tubeless. It felt a very different and improved ride after fitting. Punctures are far fewer, I’ve had none in my tubeless since fitting, the carcasses are generally a stronger construction in terms of materials. The difference on my mtb has been remarkable, with ‘matched’ Maxxis front and rear tyres (tubeless rear) the grip and handling is noticeably improved.

Because I’m a thorn magnet the front will be changed to tubeless in the near future.

I’ve not had a puncture yet with tubeless, so can’t comment on their practicality for repairs, but this past month I’ve had four front punctures on the mtb, and none on the rear. I don’t believe that’s down to luck.

 

Edited November 10, 2021 by PMP
Spellin

[PMP]

16 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

. What I really want is a cross-breed of the two, ideally for free!

 

Look at gravel designed specific bikes and you’ll probably find something that suits.
This is a medium Slate, geometry is a cross between cyclo cross/race and road so a good compromise between stability and fast response. 27” 650b 42C wheelset set up, Shimano Ultegra gears, carbon lefty suspension fork. 

As with most cycling categories there’s a bit of a pile on now the ‘genre’ is established, but with a good look at the market you’d likely find something that is almost ideal based on your ‘wants’ list above.

Edited November 10, 2021 by PMP

[Nearholmer]

2 hours ago, PMP said:

Look at gravel designed specific bikes and you’ll probably find something that suits.

Yes, the “space” where what I need seems to exist is in “gravelly bikes”, but I’m not up for carbon or aluminium, because if I buy another bike it needs to last a decent length of time (if I can manage that myself), so the most attractive option is steel, and the most suitable I’ve seen so far is the Genesis Croix de Fer in the lightest steel (825 I think).

 

The idea of having one fork instead of two just seems plain daft to me, but then I am an engineer.

 

The challenge is to persuade someone to buy my touring bike for most of what I bought it for ……. TBH it was a mistaken purchase, I am never going wild-touring where I need to lug 40kg of gubbins (handles brilliantly when loaded with that weight of shopping, BTW). Any takers?