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#3631 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 11:03 pm
by IslandPink
I hadn't watched the end until just now. I had assumed it was a drone following him to be honest, but it turns out it was some bloke from California. Tom refers to him as the King of Descenders.. not kidding !

#3632 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 4:57 pm
by Mike H
Think I might have got the bike (Cube Touring) set up now, as much as is possible at this stage. Altho I chose a 'medium' frame size according to my height, I have a rather short 29" inside leg so have had to reduce the seat height quite a bit, compared to where it was set when I got it. To get the knee cap versus pedal pivot positon anywhere close (ideally need to be on same vertical line), the saddle is slid back as far as it will go.

Have also changed the saddle – biggerer, widerer, memory foam and springs! Image
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The 'bars have been lowered to match – what you're looking at below, the sticky out forwards bit is called the stem, in the parlance; the upright bit that turns is called the steerer. Above and below the clamp are 10mm spacers. Originally these, plus a 5mm spacer, were all underneath the clamp, so the stem was at max. height. I only discovered this was alterable on finding a YouTube video, seriously I thought the grooves marking the edges of the spacers were just decorative! :shock:

Anyway as shown, the whole thing has been lowered 15mm, which does feel better. The stem knuckle was reduced one notch as well, and the grips' angle tweaked.
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Next, test packing camping gear – about 2 million years ago I got these panniers (they're actually large bicycle saddle bags) originally to go onto the Bantam (they still will), but they work here too (ditto on the AJS Cadwell, so will work on all my solo bikes). They are handmade in Lancashire from waxed cotton, the wax being beeswax. So the blurb said. :D
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#3633 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 6:46 pm
by Ray P
Chapeau Mike.

#3634 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 6:58 pm
by IslandPink
Nice one. A bit in the Carradice mould, then ?
The last time I strapped that much luggage to my bike was around 1993, if i remember correctly !

#3635 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:06 pm
by Dave the bass
Kerrrrikey! I was thinking that too, thats a lot of extra weight.

You'll have legs like tree trunks by the time you've done your tour I bet!

It is touring isn't it, not shopping? :)

#3636 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:54 pm
by jack
Looking good Mike!!

SWMBO and I did a quick 350 miles from lands end to where we live in Kent (5 days) and my rear wheel was like that...

On my trusty 531 tubed Claud Butler, going down a steep hill into, I think, Crewkerne, the rear wheel collapsed under the combined weight of the panniers and my 100kg...

Luckily there was a really good bike shop in town who sorted the bike while we had lunch. They told me that if using panniers, or if the rider is massively challenged, you should use a strengthened double skinned rear wheel (it was a steel wheel).

First time I ever heard of a double skinned wheel, but it has lasted the 15 years since then...

#3637 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2023 6:51 pm
by Ray P
Did another race on Zwift this evening, tough - short but lumpy: 9Km (with 167m of elevation) in 18:13 - average speed of about 30kph and average output of 250W - Phew!

I'm glad I didn't have a load of campng gear on the back!

#3638 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 9:35 pm
by Mike H
IslandPink wrote: Thu Mar 02, 2023 6:58 pm Nice one. A bit in the Carradice mould, then ?
Well spotted sir. :notworthy:
The last time I strapped that much luggage to my bike was around 1993, if i remember correctly !
And it's still barely adequate! I've spent weeks finding ways of trimming it down.

#3639 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 9:43 pm
by Mike H
Dave the bass wrote: Thu Mar 02, 2023 8:06 pm Kerrrrikey! I was thinking that too, thats a lot of extra weight.

You'll have legs like tree trunks by the time you've done your tour I bet!
I't's only about 9 - 10 kg including an extra litre of water. I say 'only', the original idea was a hiking backpack with the full 15 or so kg. (That would be for walking not cycling.) Then it occurred to me a weight should be easier to move if it's on wheels, hence the bicycle. Ditto should also be able to go further. Hills are out of the question at this stage, fortunately much of Lincolnshire is flat. :D Or I might even pop into Norfolk or Suffolk, ditto.

It is touring isn't it, not shopping? :)
Well isn't that uncanny, last couple of days I was thinking I could actually nip up the road to Sibsey shop on the bicycle. :lol:

#3640 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 9:50 pm
by Mike H
jack wrote: Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:54 pm Looking good Mike!!

SWMBO and I did a quick 350 miles from lands end to where we live in Kent (5 days) and my rear wheel was like that...

On my trusty 531 tubed Claud Butler, going down a steep hill into, I think, Crewkerne, the rear wheel collapsed under the combined weight of the panniers and my 100kg...

Luckily there was a really good bike shop in town who sorted the bike while we had lunch. They told me that if using panniers, or if the rider is massively challenged, you should use a strengthened double skinned rear wheel (it was a steel wheel).

First time I ever heard of a double skinned wheel, but it has lasted the 15 years since then...
Wow, hopefully I shouldn't have anything like that. The blurb for the Cube sez the rear rack has max. load of 25 kg, and I'm nowhere near that.

Ta muchly for your interest chasps :thumbleft:

#3641 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 12:16 am
by IslandPink
I just watched the highlights of Strade Bianchi, on Youtube.
The new Bernard Hinault ? ...

#3642 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:09 am
by Ray P
IslandPink wrote: Sun Mar 05, 2023 12:16 am I just watched the highlights of Strade Bianchi, on Youtube.
The new Bernard Hinault ? ...
We've holidayed in Tuscany a few times and it was hard enough to drive some stretches of those gravel roads to get to our agrotourismo accommodation - there's a lot of loose gravel to come unstuck on and sap your strength, so kudos to Pidcock for that ride.

#3643 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:43 am
by Ray P

#3644 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2023 7:50 pm
by Ray P
Enjoyed this collage of some of my hero's victories


#3645 Re: The Audio-Talk Cycling thread.

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2023 4:30 pm
by Ray P
Another vintage offering, this time the '73 Giro - well worth a watch if you fancy a slice of cycling history/nostalgia.