Education We Like to Ride Bicycles

i got a bike a couple of years ago - it's weird what you can and can't spend the money on. I couldn't get any clothing, I could get "safety" gear, like, helmet etc. and pumps, and a lock. I got mine from evans. I couldn't get normal clothing, but I think you can get high viz clothing as it falls under safety gear rather than clothing. I maxed out my voucher on the bike I got, but the bike I got came with £100 of free accessories.

 

Looking on www.bike2workscheme.co.uk which seems right as it uses similar terms to the blurb I got from work, such as 'salary sacrifice' etc., it seems I am allowed to buy equipment only.

Allowed equipment seems to be:

- Helmets.
- Bells and horns.
- Lights.
- Mirrors and mudguards.
- Cycle clips and dress guards.
- Luggage carriers and straps.
- Child safety seats.
- Locks.
- Pumps, puncture repair kits, tools.
- Reflective clothing.

But it does say that it's the employers choice what safety equipment is offered.

From that list I think I could really do with:

- New helmet. I like the skate style ones.
- Lights, front and rear.
- Possibly some mudguards, but I hate the look of them.
- Some trouser straps, brooks do some nice leather ones, as do PDW.
- A waterproof backpack to carry my work clothes.
- A small seat bag to carry multitool, spare tube etc.
- A child seat for my 9mth old son.
- A nice lock. If one of the shops carry the TiGr lock, I'd be tempted by that.
- Lockable skewers. Think these would fall under locks.
- A new track pump would be nice.
- Co2 pump to take with me.
- Good quality multitool.
- Tubeless kit to reduce chance of punctures.
- Wonder if a maintenance stand would fall under tool kit?
- Good quality jacket with reflective stripes. Maybe one for summer and one for winter.

I could probably quite easily spend £1000 on that lot, but at the same time I'd try to be sensible and not go nuts. After all, I'll be repaying the money in the long run via instalments.

 

Some LBS will accept the vouchers and sell you whatever you want. They just list a bike of the same value on the invoice they send to the scheme administrators.

Goes against the T&C but it's a win-win as you're happy and they get paid.

 

Interesting.

 

Most of that should be possible.

I can confirm that I have "never" done this at work as it goes against the rules.

 

Woohoo, new handlebars and stem installed on the Five! Amazingly enough I didn't cock it up either!

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

http://www.cecilwalker.com.au/product_images/e/973/topeak_ride_case__26863_zoom.jpg

So you think it would be possible to build something that would take this mount and make it sit in front of the bike like this:
http://www.bikerumor.com/wp-content...D-printed-garmin-cycling-computer-mount07.jpg

edit:

Scratch that, I've realised you can do that with the supplied bar mount.

 

Stacked it twice while riding Thrunton Woods today Totally killed any flow I may have thought I had and I bottled most of the silly stuff after that as a consequence.

 

Don't worry, I came off at Haldon Forest yesterday, unclipped and moving around a slow corner, I just sort of toppled over.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

 

Good point. I liked the look of the Lazer Street Deluxe in wood or dark wood though. I've always got my XC Giro helmet for hot days.

May still be better than either ripped trousers, or trousers tucked into socks for the times I want to ride in my baggy jeans.

Ok. Prefer not to break any rules really.

I've got a set of security skewers on my XC bike atm. They have a pin in the centre of the allen bolt, which needs a hollow allen key. Not sure how much protection they really offer though. The wheels on my SS aren't anything special, just Paralax hubs on some black Mavic rims (can't remember the model), and some plain gauge spokes.

I should have access to a proper bike compound at work, which will reduce the security risks. One of the guys interviewing me said that it does fill up quickly some days though, so I'll have to check it out first. Whilst my SS commuter is nothing special and the frame is 19 years old (that sounds kinda nuts in writing), and not worth more than £300-350, thieves may still recognise the Kona name.

I've got a compact hand pump, but dislike carrying it around. I want a Co2 pump for XC use anyway, so I'd be prepared to use it for commuting purposes as well I think. I've only had one puncture on my SS, and that was because I forgot to check the tyre pressures before setting off, and pinched my rear tube on a kerb. Not using Maxxis Flyweight tubes would be sensible, but I'm a sucker for saving weight!

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check it out.

 

Questions for you bike Gurus! I'm currently riding a Trek Liquid L55 with a Manitou Minute 2:00 front fork and a 3 way Swinger SPV rear shock, however I have a number of issues I'd like sort out with it which I'm absolutely hopeless with, unfortunately the bike hasn't seen it's fair quota of TLC since it's birth...

1) The headset bearing is worn out, however I can't seem to find replacement bearings online so will I need to replace the whole unit? The unit is a Cane Creek VP-A51A.

2) I realised yesterday that my forks basically weren't rebounding at all, I checked both the pressure in the main valve and the SPV chamber and they both looked fine (80 PSI and 60 PSI accordingly), so next step was to adjust the rebound dial. I turned it and the plastic shaft the knob is attached to fell apart... I've googled online and it was a common fault back in '06, the thing to do seemed to be to replace the SPV with an 'Evolve' unit? I don't think they're available any more so is it new fork time? If so, what kind of price points am I looking at?

3) With my current setup in the middle ring of three in on the front cassette the chain jumps around between gears in the centre two gears of the rear cassette and yet it's perfect on every other gear, which setting should I be adjusting to try and improve that?

Thanks in advance for any morsel of help, Fuus

 

Fuus!

1) The bearing size is 5/32x22A caged bearing, try a shop that sells loads of bearings or Ebay one from a country that still thinks in Imperial. Thank Cane Creek's enormous shop support archive!

2)Chain Reaction has the most wonderful and random assortment of old Manitou parts, if they haven't got what you need, new fork.

3) Try the barrel adjuster on your shifter, get the bike on a stand (or turn it upside down) and spin the pedal and shift the gears. Turn the barrel adjuster on the shifter out a quarter turn at a time and see what effect it has, keep adjusting until the funky shift disappears. Also check the cassette's teeth aren't worn out.

 

1) My google fu has found these: http://bmxtransition.com/La-Casa-Caged-Headset-Bearing-5-32x22-Pair are they right? I expected them to look more like??

2) They do have a replacement SPV for £60 however I've no idea whether it will fit in my fork and there seems to be no guides online so probably new fork time... Any recommendations? My current fork is 130mm travel so does it make sense to get another with that much or could I move down to a more mainstream 120mm?

3) I'll give that a try when I get it on the stand, thank you!

Much appreciated fix-the-spade!

 

Just spent a week cycling around Antwerp! Such an awesome city to cycle around, cars give way to you, you have your own roads. Pretty much the only thing that has priority are cars coming from the right and trams!

 

They look correct, your headset uses (or should use) caged bearings rather than cartridge bearings.

 

Awesome. Thanks dude!

 

fuus, r.e. the rear gears,

1. When it's in the stand check the dropout isn't bent, if it is straighten it using an adjustable spanner, small changes, don't bend it by a huge degree in one go IT WILL SNAP!!! The best way to straighten it is with the correct tool which can cost £100+ so get a shop to do it.

2. If a quick little setup doesn't work, get a new cable thrown in there,

2a. while doing that, flush the outer with lube (most spray tins come with a pipe, pull the ferrel off, open the end of the outer cable with a small screwdriver and blast lube through it.).

No2 usually fixes 90% of crap shifts at work. The last piece of outer (frame stop to reach mech) usually gets bunged full of crap and restricts shifting.

 

I can rule out the dropout right now as I've had that issue before and it was one of the first things I checked.

I assume GT85 is the right tool for this job?

I swear these Shimano systems are SO temperamental.... I bet if I get it on the stand now it will work perfectly, and yet the moment it comes off the stand it will be a PITA again...

Thanks Cookie

 

Yup, if you blast it onto a rag (light in colour) or piece of plain paper you will see a colour change in the stuff that comes out as all the crap is blasted from the outer.

Shimano actually allow for a sloppier shift than SRAM making them easier to setup.

Probably, as the bike will usually perform differently under load. Get it close enough in the stand, then get out an have a little ride doing some fine tuning on the shifter barrel adjuster.

 

SRAM are no better, that's just gears and mechs for you XD

For the record, I never have any trouble with the XT and SLX set ups on my bikes (famous last...).