The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
TheAllSeeingPie said:
Those would get my money. Sealed hubs will last a big longer without maintenance, better spokes and rim too. Probably not quite as robust against big potholes so might need a bit of care riding them.
Only worry with those is that the hub is an unknown quantity. The bearings can be replaced no problem, but what if the freehub packs up? The one on the original Giant hub went south on me, and the only solution there was to replace the hub (I used a Deore 525). So it comes down to a bit nicer and lighter vs maintainability.
Clean around where dirt can get into the free hub each month and regrease if necessary and it should last a few years. They usually die from the grease inside them getting dust in it and wearing out the pawls, keep it cleanish and it should last a bit longer. Also if it's on cartridge bearings it shouldn't let in so much dirt?
Been noticing my rear tyre pressure going down last couple of weeks. Pumped up yesterday before 70 mile ride to around 100psi and this morning it was at just 70psi. Swapped the tube over and have repaired the old one.
Only 600 miles on the new Michelin pro4 service course tyres..... So a little disappointed with that. Hopefully I'll be good to go for a while now.
Only 600 miles on the new Michelin pro4 service course tyres..... So a little disappointed with that. Hopefully I'll be good to go for a while now.
First commute tomorrow by bike for me. ive signed up for one of the cycle hubs in Manchester city centre where I can park my bike and have a shower - has anyone else used these?
My office is in London and I live in Manchester - I'm getting the train but don't fancy riding in London, hence the bike hub.
My office is in London and I live in Manchester - I'm getting the train but don't fancy riding in London, hence the bike hub.
Stupeo said:
First commute tomorrow by bike for me. ive signed up for one of the cycle hubs in Manchester city centre where I can park my bike and have a shower - has anyone else used these?
My office is in London and I live in Manchester - I'm getting the train but don't fancy riding in London, hence the bike hub.
If it's the one in Piccadilly Gardens, then I know it well - I don't use it, but get all the work on my bikes done at the Edinburgh Bikes service centre there, as it's always quiet and the guys in there are really helpful. Plus I can drop the bike off in the morning and pick it up on the way home.My office is in London and I live in Manchester - I'm getting the train but don't fancy riding in London, hence the bike hub.
If it is that one, I'd be interested to know what you think of it - it was built by one of my clients and they've just built another in Liverpool.
Been riding the road bike lately, around 2,500kms in last 12 weeks and very little on the MTB, a lot of which is commuting. Decided that after a ride yesterday on the road bike I'd commute on the MTB this week, haven't done so for quite a while. Yesterday's ride still in the legs I decided a gentle run down the trail (old disused railway track) this morning just to get to grips with everything again and see what state it's in, ready to ride the whole thing in the afternoon and then aim for 200kms off road this week.
10kms in, new concrete slab from some works going on, not really concentrating, hit edge at oblique angle, underestimate ground dipping to edge, going too fast, half asleep.... you can guess the rest. I've not got a problem falling off, thats part of getting on, but today I landed onto an earth bank, between a block of concrete and a broken brick. Somehow missing both, however the earth baked in Singaporean sun is as hard.
Using my right side ribs to cushion the fall for the rest of my body, was generous of them, if a little ridiculous. An arm would have been better. Since losing loads of weight, I have no padding. Doctor said 'that's really nasty' but concluded she doesn't think I've cracked any ribs, but back for check up Thursday (handy they're in the smae office block). Sitting, breathing, eating, moving, living is very uncomfortable and finally having 2 weeks of no travel and regular weekends meant I could get some quality MTB time in, now I'm struggling to breath. Managed the last 5kms, but since the adrenalin and expresso have worked off it's pretty damned miserable.
I'm rather dissapointed and annoyed with myself ..... Thinking about trying to ride home just to punish myself
Overnight oats for breakfast.
10kms in, new concrete slab from some works going on, not really concentrating, hit edge at oblique angle, underestimate ground dipping to edge, going too fast, half asleep.... you can guess the rest. I've not got a problem falling off, thats part of getting on, but today I landed onto an earth bank, between a block of concrete and a broken brick. Somehow missing both, however the earth baked in Singaporean sun is as hard.
Using my right side ribs to cushion the fall for the rest of my body, was generous of them, if a little ridiculous. An arm would have been better. Since losing loads of weight, I have no padding. Doctor said 'that's really nasty' but concluded she doesn't think I've cracked any ribs, but back for check up Thursday (handy they're in the smae office block). Sitting, breathing, eating, moving, living is very uncomfortable and finally having 2 weeks of no travel and regular weekends meant I could get some quality MTB time in, now I'm struggling to breath. Managed the last 5kms, but since the adrenalin and expresso have worked off it's pretty damned miserable.
I'm rather dissapointed and annoyed with myself ..... Thinking about trying to ride home just to punish myself
Overnight oats for breakfast.
JQ said:
Stupeo said:
First commute tomorrow by bike for me. ive signed up for one of the cycle hubs in Manchester city centre where I can park my bike and have a shower - has anyone else used these?
My office is in London and I live in Manchester - I'm getting the train but don't fancy riding in London, hence the bike hub.
If it's the one in Piccadilly Gardens, then I know it well - I don't use it, but get all the work on my bikes done at the Edinburgh Bikes service centre there, as it's always quiet and the guys in there are really helpful. Plus I can drop the bike off in the morning and pick it up on the way home.My office is in London and I live in Manchester - I'm getting the train but don't fancy riding in London, hence the bike hub.
If it is that one, I'd be interested to know what you think of it - it was built by one of my clients and they've just built another in Liverpool.
The hub is actually pretty good, there is loads of places for keeping the bikes, the changing rooms was nice and clean and plent of lockers outside the changing rooms for me to store my stuff.
The only annoying thing was in the changing rooms - every locker was padlocked up and every single clothes hook had a towel on it. It would've been nice to hang my creased shirt up for five minutes
. I need to get better at folding.All in all, seems well worth the £20 per month already.
Nice ride in this morning. Used it as a bit of a sub-threshold session.
15mins warming up, 3x9mins keeping my heart rate around 152-156bpm (although there was a longer rest before the last effort as I knew there was traffic lights and junctions up ahead. I also did a similar effort up the final hill (not going hard, just a bit tempo) and despite getting to work feeling pretty fresh and having cycled over 100 miles this weekend I averaged 18.5. Happy with that considering I really was going slow during the rest periods
15mins warming up, 3x9mins keeping my heart rate around 152-156bpm (although there was a longer rest before the last effort as I knew there was traffic lights and junctions up ahead. I also did a similar effort up the final hill (not going hard, just a bit tempo) and despite getting to work feeling pretty fresh and having cycled over 100 miles this weekend I averaged 18.5. Happy with that considering I really was going slow during the rest periods
m444ttb said:
Does anyone else have a fairly easy ride to / from work (particularly to) and find they've hit loads of PRs, 2nd bests etc on segments? Can only think I must have lucked in with the wind this morning.
I do, I presume when that happens its because rather than trying hard from the off I actually warm up properly and get going by taking it slightly easierAfter fitting a new BB last week my chainset has moved slightly outboard. I replaced a 118mm UN55 BB with one the same, except with the new one I can't seem to get both 'sides' in flush as before. They seem to bottom out on each other and so there is either a bit poking out either side, or I can offset one side in flush, and one side out slightly? WTF? I thought they were all for a 68mm bottom bracket shell, and the 118mm measurement was from the end-to-end of the spindles. Anyone know what has happened here?
Anyway, to keep this relevant to the thread... because of the aforementioned BB issue, the bike wouldn't shift over as far as the 53 ring, so I span to work in the 39. Probably good training for leg speed, but generally slower than usual overall as I normally spend the whole time in the 53.
(a banana)
Anyway, to keep this relevant to the thread... because of the aforementioned BB issue, the bike wouldn't shift over as far as the 53 ring, so I span to work in the 39. Probably good training for leg speed, but generally slower than usual overall as I normally spend the whole time in the 53.
(a banana)
Well I started working for a new company on Monday 
I commuted via the roads yesterday (between Lymm and Risley via Culcheth for any local to the area) which was fine and is a 10mile each way trip. But a bit of digging found a short cut across some farm tracks which means that the journey each way can be as low as 7miles!
It will mean using the CX bike each day but the tracks are well maintained with hard-core so shouldn't get muddy and so will be ideal for use over winter when the busier , fast A roads are better avoided.
Steve
I commuted via the roads yesterday (between Lymm and Risley via Culcheth for any local to the area) which was fine and is a 10mile each way trip. But a bit of digging found a short cut across some farm tracks which means that the journey each way can be as low as 7miles!
It will mean using the CX bike each day but the tracks are well maintained with hard-core so shouldn't get muddy and so will be ideal for use over winter when the busier , fast A roads are better avoided.
Steve
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