cameras, macs,... time for a cycling thread.
Posted by: Dan M on 19 November 2004
Is it me or is it a little slow and/or grumpy in the padded cell of late? You have to worry when a thread on plurals gets 5 checks 
So to liven things up, how about a cycling thread?
Feel free to comment on any of the following:
cheers,
Dan
So to liven things up, how about a cycling thread?Feel free to comment on any of the following:
- That Nixon fork looks way cool - lock it out or set the travel you want.
- TdF 2005 has supposedly been designed to make it hard for Lance, and he's already talking that he might take a year off to pursue other goals. Will Lance do the P-R, Giro and Vuelta?
- What's with Eki going after Tyler's gold medal - "It's not personal" - yeah right.
- Why are the Belgians so good at cyclocross?
- The 10th Annual Cascade Cream Puff registration opens up in Feb. -- who's signing up for the single speed category? 100 Miles - 50% Singletrack - 18,000 ft. of Climbing - 110 rider limit, so Steve G. don't hang about.
- If I were to replace my Gunnar, I'd get one of these made for me http://www.juniper-solutions.com/coconinocycles/
- Is the Pro Tour good for cycling?
cheers,
Dan
quote:
Originally posted by Nime:
Next time remember to back-pedal!
I did...I just ran out of track!
quote:
My mate had a full chrome Bianchi track around '64-65. Mine was a Hobbs "Blue Riband" before going over to a Jack Taylor lugless.
This one's actually brand new...but only available in North America. I bought it from a shop in Canada, and my cousin brought it over with him as hand luggage, so no shipping, import, etc. Thanks to the strength of the pound against $CAN the whole bike cost me £360! (although there are some CF bits added in the photo).
quote:
We used to run around everywere with 110" fixed gears so we could slipstream the buses and lorries between cities. Oh the exquisite pain of "staying on" on those long country straights!
Now the traffic is slower than a bike.
Nime
110"...Hey, thunderthighs!
I have enough trouble getting 88" around 
Cheers,
Tim
_____________________________
Os nid Campagnolo yw hi, dyw hi ddim yn werth ei marcho...
God I absolutely detest those "aero" rims! A nice pair of skinny sprint rims and narrow tubs were the thing back in the mid last century. I tried the ultralightweight wood insert rims for time trialling but always preferred the narrow Fiammes for stiffness in a sprint. A rim wants to be stiff sideways not in the radial direction. That's why the oval bike frames are such crap! Like riding a skateboard off-road! 
Tim's track bike is drop-dead gorgeous. Form follows function and no frills. I'm envious as hell that he gets to play on a banked track.
I was really a lightweight hillclimbing twiddler despite the 68/58 chainrings and the intercity pacing.
Those high gears had their price though. I broke my TA Professional crank set sprinting away from uphill traffic lights and Ron Kitching (the importer) wouldn't honour the guarantee! It was strictly Campag after that.
Nime
Tim's track bike is drop-dead gorgeous. Form follows function and no frills. I'm envious as hell that he gets to play on a banked track.
I was really a lightweight hillclimbing twiddler despite the 68/58 chainrings and the intercity pacing.
Those high gears had their price though. I broke my TA Professional crank set sprinting away from uphill traffic lights and Ron Kitching (the importer) wouldn't honour the guarantee! It was strictly Campag after that.
Nime
And on the subject of Xmas: Here's one I bought earlier:
quote:
Originally posted by Nime:
And on the subject of Xmas: Here's one I bought earlier:
Is that Mick Parry's bike?
suspension and gears are for boys! But I'm still just half a man since I've a freewheel and brakes... 
I just got this one and fitted it with spiked tyres for the winter (which is here already). There's about 2 mm clearence at the back... and with 42:16 I need to keep up the speed!
- - - - -
"the recognition of facts is the beginning of all wisdom."
- J. K. Paasikivi -
I just got this one and fitted it with spiked tyres for the winter (which is here already). There's about 2 mm clearence at the back... and with 42:16 I need to keep up the speed!
- - - - -
"the recognition of facts is the beginning of all wisdom."
- J. K. Paasikivi -
quote:
Originally posted by Steve G:
Is that Mick Parry's bike?
Nope. It's my "Long John".
I have another delivery bike as well with a front carrier and small front wheel. Something about these things appeals to me. Though it's damn hard work making them go!
Nime
quote:
I don't understand singlespeed bikes - what are they for?
for unnecessary pain and a healthy taste of blood in your mouth
Seriously, they're bikes for people with trouble making decisions -- like which gear to use.
Grown up seriously they're light, fast (well, if you're up to it) and reliable in all conditions all year round. And sure, a bit trendy at the moment. But fixies are an outright perversion!
Steve, I had a rigid Inbred ss but it was stolen, and since I felt it was a little too slow (32:16) in real life use, I got my insurance company to get me this one instead. It's great indeed. The name is a little hc, though, won't be riding it in Italy...
- - - - -
"the recognition of facts is the beginning of all wisdom."
- J. K. Paasikivi -
72 inches fixed was the rule for early training way back when.
I ran 55 fixed for a few weeks just to develop some twiddling ability. It didn't help that I lived in hilly country and some of those hills actually went downwards rather seriously. 300 rpm needs some pretty strong toe-clips!
Nime
I ran 55 fixed for a few weeks just to develop some twiddling ability. It didn't help that I lived in hilly country and some of those hills actually went downwards rather seriously. 300 rpm needs some pretty strong toe-clips!
Nime
"suspension and gears are for boys!"
Here's my singlespeed:
The gearing is 39/11 which, with 20 inch wheels and 175mm cranks, translates to 66.2 inches. Only one brake and, being a BMX, that barely works.
Matthew
Here's my singlespeed:
The gearing is 39/11 which, with 20 inch wheels and 175mm cranks, translates to 66.2 inches. Only one brake and, being a BMX, that barely works.
Matthew
You must be terrified of breaking a spoke!
Are those 18mm axles?
Are those 18mm axles?
48 spokes per wheel and 14mm axles -- fairly typical for a BMX which are absurdly tough bikes.
And heavy. Here's my BMX and my MTB together...
... yet the BMX is about 5 or 6lbs (say 2.5Kg) heavier than it's big brother. As well as spokage, there's a slight difference in head angle as well:
BMXs are completely bonkers but the more one rides one the more sense it makes. Plus you can buy the world's coolest BMX for about the same price an MTBer pays for a suspension fork, or a roadie pays for a rear mech.
Matthew
PS If I thought I could remotely get away with it without looking an idiot, I'd very much like one of these:
And heavy. Here's my BMX and my MTB together...
... yet the BMX is about 5 or 6lbs (say 2.5Kg) heavier than it's big brother. As well as spokage, there's a slight difference in head angle as well:
BMXs are completely bonkers but the more one rides one the more sense it makes. Plus you can buy the world's coolest BMX for about the same price an MTBer pays for a suspension fork, or a roadie pays for a rear mech.
Matthew
PS If I thought I could remotely get away with it without looking an idiot, I'd very much like one of these:
quote:
a BMX which are absurdly tough bikes.
It looks like a bike you can throw from the 10th floor, take the lift down yourself, pick it up and ride away...
I had an off-road bike with rubberband-suspended "girder" forks back in the mid 60's. I see they've progressed a bit since then.
Nime
Nime
I'm surprised you didn't order your Domestiques to help chase him down. You do have Domestiques, right?
I rode a wet quarter pipe with wet leaves on it today. Under the circumstances avoiding falling off was a major achievment.
Matthew
I rode a wet quarter pipe with wet leaves on it today. Under the circumstances avoiding falling off was a major achievment.
Matthew