Education We Like to Ride Bicycles

cheers, theres one around the corner from me, so i'll nip round on my bike tonight!

 

http://youtu.be/GpRD8I4BmTU

great channel, learnt a lot from this guy.

 

I'll be honest: he is annoying, grating, and personifies a lot of what is wrong with the the image of a modern mechanic. While seemingly knowledgeable, his persistent usage of incorrect terms, ham-fisted techniques, and poor explanations in combination with somewhat questionable advice does not make me feel comfortable recommending him or his videos. If you are looking for good advice presented in a professional way, check out Park Tool's channel, though I will admit that they don't exactly have the widest of selection at the moment.

Or feel free to just ask me, obviously. Psst: my new camera does good video


This is what my commute in to work was like this morning.

 

Umm yeah.. Didn't know it's possible to lose a brake pad without noticing.

Turns out it is. What the hell is it with me and rear brakes, they just never seem to stay alive :<

 

Can anyone recommend a hand pump with a guage?

 

If you mean a general pump this is amazing

 

Lezyne do a few nice models, and I've yet to find a way to break my Micro Floor Drive HPG.

 

Talking of pumps can anyone recommend a pump that also uses CO2 cartridges?

Like the blog as well Malvolio.

 

That's what I'm looking for.

 

can any recommend a helmet for everyday use??

its mainly for me plodding out either up the coast from me on roads and footpaths, or up the cycle routes which are just gravel paths.

dunno what prices are, but around £30?

 

Getting a helmet is just as personal as getting a new pair of shoes. Go to your local bikeshop - tell them of your needs and they should be able to let you try helmets in different sizes, price brackets and weights. If it's just for recreational use you can get a somewhat uglier/heavier helmet as they will be cheaper.

My helmet was a cheap one, it is ugly as sin but I don't mind people bumping it at the train so in essence it fulfills it job as it protects my noggin.

 

Whilst I've not had much hands-on experience, some of the nicer designed ones I've seen have been from Topeak, but I cannot say I've ever heard anything good - ever - about any of the ones on the market currently. Seems to be a rather rare and new thing to have both in one, so I'd probably hold off for a year on one. However, they do intrigue me and may very well warrant a purchase in the near future, so a review could be a thing in a month or two...

And thanks! I'm still working out how I want to utilize it, and working with my new employer on boundries and if they want to have any sort of a say in things, so the next year will be interesting.

Also, new series time! Commuting Through Cyclery Utilization. (advice for commuters, particularly new ones)

How much credence would you put into advice for a particular type and brand of undies? Helmets are much the same, because though I could drone on and on about how much I love my Specialized S-Works Previal, this helps you in no way as to if it'll fit your noggin comfortably. Pop over to the biggest shop you can and try on a few in your price range and see which is the most comfortable. If you are concerned about features - adjustable straps, vents, attachments - then there is wiggle room for advice, but fit should be your biggest concern given what you've said above. However, brands I would directly recommend to try first would be Specialized and Gyro, as they both do very economic helmets with good ventilation and strong feature set.

Another option would be to look into a multi-sport style helmet, as they tend to take a bit more of a knock about than well-ventilated bike helmets. Nutcase offer a very solid (though heavy) helmet at a reasonable price in a huge variety of designs and colours. Variable foam inserts, massively adjustable straps and retention systems combined with a one-handed magnetic closure make it rather nice, plus they're introducing more size options for the new year. Big, in your face, and will take a beating, but won't leave your neck feeling too happy.

Bit of a rambling, but hope that helps.

 

Ohai previously unvisited thread & thread occupants.

I'm considering a bicycle purchase for at least part of my daily commute - Doing my part and all that.

Only looking to dip my toe in the water though at £1000 absolute max (Paltry I know, I've seen amazing-looking framesets alone going for 8 times that) but to be honest, even lower is better; as I bet I only stick with this for 2 or 3 weeks!

So, I love my balls and wonder if full road will be too much for a mere novice to handle. I've been looking at hybrids, but they seem uninspiring?

Help me out friends!

TSB

 

Will your commute be across city only? or offroad at all?

 

Hybrid isn't always the best choice, as it is designed from the ground up to be a compromise, rather than a solution. Look for a more upright or commuting-oriented road bike if that is what you are after, otherwise consider something from the likes of Linus, Gazelle, or one of the "casual" series bikes from a large manufacturer like Trek, Specialized, Opus. For the kind of money you are talking about you can get one heck of a bike that will do you well for years to come, but only if you get something you actually want to ride.

So as you accurately pointed out: avoid what is going to end up being uncomfortable. Machines built for speed will absolutely be the wrong way to go because they don't tend to be nice on your body, and are difficult to maintain for daily use. Choose something versatile that fits your needs (which are what, exactly?).

Anyway, as has been rehashed in this thread time and again, the best advice is to just go to your local shops, see what you feel comfortable on, take it for a ride, then we can talk about comparisons between models, which will work better in the long run, which will have better components, and which is best value for money.

 

from your reply there, do i take it all helmets offer the same level of protection, and your just haggling over name, features, weight and design??

 

Thanks for the advice, i'm currently looking at a Topeak Two Timer or I may just plump for the Specialized CPro2 AirTool pump which is CO2 only. But I think I'd prefer to have a pump as a back up.

This all stems down to me cutting down on the things I carry. I'm used to doing all day XC rides and taking a good few spares. When I do my shorter rides I find my self carrying the same amount of gear; which isn't necessary.

 

Yes and no. Testing standards for foam hats are so obfuscated that even from my position, dealing directly with the manufacturers, it is next to impossible to tell which is objectively "better" in a particular type of impact. However, it is extremely rare to find a helmet that isn't rated by a local standards body (like the CPSC), which is about as close to being sure it'll do something in a crash as you'll get.

For some idea of just how bad the industry is getting: a few months ago I was dealing with a rep for a helmet company the shop I was working at was thinking about bringing in, and during the discussion I brought up a very common standard - "multi-impact" - to see if the helmet in question complied to it. Not only was the rep not familiar with the standard, he couldn't even tell me what testing bodies had certified it. Needless to say I didn't have a favourable opinion of the company after this.


@RevDarny: Have one or two set loadouts for your bike as standard, cutting it down to bare minimum. For example nearly all of my bikes have frame mounts for a hand pump, and a under-saddle bag for a spare tube, tyre levers, and a multi-tool. Cannot slim things down more than that! When I need more equipment with me my loadout changes and packs are swapped, but it still follows very much the same idea.

 

So:

Having picked up my Specialized Allez Sport yesterday I got on my Carrera fury this morning to ride to the station as usual.

Didn't see a 5 series stop at the lights in time.



This is why you ALWAY wear a helmet. I only started wearing one to the station last week, and today it saved my life. I always assumed if I got hit it would be because a car was being stupid but today I took my eye off the ball for literally 2 seconds (thanking a kind car that let in) and whallop.

 

Ouch mate, hope you're not too badly off.

You ran in the arse a car and done that how fast were you going! +1 Awsome power point for you -1 observational point