The Velotard Thread.

[Keef]

Halfords do Ebike hire was £101 ( yea I know, why not £100) deposit for 6 hours ( it was when I was there, May get longer now) prebook through the website then just turn up at your local store with 2 forms of id away you go, you get it refunded back on return, gives you an idea of whether to take the plunge or not.
Wolverhampton shop had mountain bikes and hybrids when I was there.

Don’t buy an ebike from Halfords though, buy from somewhere that knows e-bikes and how to fix them, and get parts for em.

 

[EpsomWolf]

That’s a really good point about servicing and repairs.

Got talking to a random guy coming out of a bike shop in Battersea with one of those cool Vanmoof e-bikes. He was saying it’s a fantastic machine, but needs a surprising amount of servicing and ongoing maintenance and with the closest shop being miles away from him the toing and froing had become bit of a pain in the arse.

I think if you’re offsetting the e-bike costs against fuel/commuting savings then they can really stack up but ownership still comes at a price.

Nice urban bike though the Vanmoof:

 

[machin05]

Did carbon belt drives ever really take off? I know IKEA made a single gear bike with a carbon belt drive but it had to be recalled as there was a risk of snapping I think.
Anyway, a single gear, carbon belt drive ebike shouldnt need much maintenance at all, as long as you have somewhere dry to store it. Brake pads once a year and bearing every 5 or something like that, you'd have thought.

 

[lemonjelly]

E&S seem to ignore the bike option repeatedly in this article which seems a bit odd;
https://www.expressandstar.com/news...ar-in-regions-radical-new-transport-strategy/

In other news took my bike for an assessment today. Looking at £130 bill i reckon, for all cables, new chain, new derailleur, new cassette, new rear brake pads etc. @Keef hurry up and get that van mate! Gonna have to book it in for sometime soon. Might see if I can get past februarys payday.

 

[North Shropshire Lad]

To make you feel better LJ, got my 4x4 back from the garage today. It only went in to get a lower front suspension bush as it was an MOT advisory. Bush and arm complete unit. £440 inc VAT and labour. For a rubber bush in reality.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I imagine I will be considered very eco-friendly next month. Most of their cars are monster engined.

 

[lemonjelly]

Didn't get past febs payday, & the bill was over £150, but probably worth it to get the use of my big ring back (fnarr!)

In other news, I see the sun & heil have instigated an online campaign against Dan walker arguing it is his fault a car veered across a lane and hit him, because he should have used a broken glass filled underpass. Moral of the story is the roads are for cars and no one else kids!

Then this is even more depressing
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-64750776.amp

 

[Tredman]

There does seem to be a bit of a war on Cannock chase, dog walkers in particular have been getting angry if you cycle or run past them. Got called a cunt the other week for running past slowly

 

[EpsomWolf]

I cycle and walk the dog on the common every day and see it from both sides. I’ve come to the conclusion there are just arseholes on all sides, but it’s generally the speed of bikes in shared spaces which is the main cause of confrontation.

All of that is really amplified with the increase in gravel bikes. Those guys are buying those things to…. well, go very fast off-road, and from experience going way too fast for shared spaces. They get pissed off having to slow down for dogs and walkers and the walkers feel unsafe from these things hurtling about.

I’d like to ride Cannock Chase and am assuming there are shared paths and dedicated bike trails, but if there are cyclists travelling too fast in shared areas I’d likely side with the walkers on that one.

 

[machin05]

Bikes and pedestrians can't share a space; be it trails, pavement or pedestrianised areas. It's too dangerous for all involved. It's only ever done that way as a cheap way to create 'infrastructure'. I'd rather cycle on the dual carriageway than on a designated shared space on my commute.

 

[Sniffer]

Just a shout of "coming through" or something similar would be fine for me if a jogger or cyclist is about to come past. You don't always hear them so it can be a bit of shock if you have no warning.

 

[lemonjelly]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-64824436

 

[machin05]

Pedestrians and cyclists don't mix

 

[Tredman]

Any suggestions for bike cleaning? Can't run at the moment so took my bike on some of the Chase trails i usually run - went well but errr mud.

 

[EpsomWolf]

Any suggestions for bike cleaning? Can't run at the moment so took my bike on some of the Chase trails i usually run - went well but errr mud.

View attachment 7017

I took Keef’s advice (on the previous page) with the all weather lube.

To be honest at this time of year a long clean is pretty demoralising knowing you’ll be back to square one next time out on the bike, but not much choice really. I try at least to keep the drive chain clean and lubed though, but you often just think ‘fuck it’ and end up doing the whole thing anyway.

One of the guys in the club has his bike protected in some sort of protective coating which costs £££’s but still has to rinse it, and then you might as well wash it anyway….

Beginning to think there’s no ‘best’ way, just different levels of thoroughness dictated by time. Hate to feel the grit grinding the drive chain so the bike tends to get a quick hose with decent degrease and lube of that as mentioned.

Looks like you had some fun for sure, would love to ride Cannock, I’m sure will one day. This is the morning after Wednesday’s night ride which was great fun too:

Edit: Meant to say you did very well to keep traction in wet and muddy conditions with those tyres!

 

[Tredman]

I only stacked it once

 

[lemonjelly]

I try to do mine every week/fortnight. in winter I can only really do it at weekends, and weather impacts that, but i try to do the chain and train regularly.
When the bike gets bad, it does no harm imo to get the pressure washer on it if you have one?
other than that, it's a watering can, bucket of soapy water, couple of cloths and brushes, and elbow grease.

 

[machin05]

Any suggestions for bike cleaning? Can't run at the moment so took my bike on some of the Chase trails i usually run - went well but errr mud.

View attachment 7017

You got a hose? Start with that...

 

[EpsomWolf]

You got a hose? Start with that...

I keep a brush attachment on a hose permanently connected to an outside tap. At the end of a ride just ride straight up to it and everything washes off in 2 minutes as the mud is normally still pretty wet anyway. Tooth brush with degreaser on the drive chain to get the grit out and a quick run over with Keef’s all-weather stuff. Whole thing is done in less than 5 mins and the bike is good to go for the next ride.

That wouldn’t be enough for the obsessives but it’s a decent balance that seems to work well enough for me at least.

Very much depends on the level of OCD what sort of time you want to invest, but yeah, a hosepipe (with brush) is very little faff and a good place to start.

 

[Tredman]

Flipping brakes are squealing again, if anyone has a cleaning plan which stops that it would be great.