The Beacon Message Board

slogfester

Thanks for observations, comments and recommendations chaps. Closer 2nd look in daylight reveals that the Ultegra 6800 brakes are indeed one-piece. They have been fitted the correct way (except perhaps the previously noted slight non-alignment on the RH). They are working perfectly, i.e. nice equal ...

slogfester

During todays B run, some may have noticed that I started to fiddle with my back brake just after leaving Evesham. I had suddenly lost 80% of braking power on the rear. At first I thought someone was playing silly billies at the café and had flipped the quick release on the (Ultegra) rear brake beca...

slogfester

Ed Moss wrote:That is beyond amazing, backwards wheelie, downhill!

On a wet road too

slogfester

Great pictures Charles, thank you.
I'm surprised that Dave H looks surprised that Jules appears to be pinching his bum during the presentation (DSC_8395)

slogfester

Blimey Alan, your bike weighs 44 tonnes

No wonder you're fit

slogfester

Managed to get out this afternoon and very pleasant it was too. However, several times I managed to lock/lose my back wheel under very modest braking/acceleration. The roads are very greasy. I guess as a result of weeks of rain, followed by no rain for a whole 4 days, plus high humidy, plus the usua...

slogfester

VERY off-topic, but my excuse is I don't know Brum very well and the last time I did this was when I was 18! Can someone recommend a local business that will select and and install a new car stereo in my 2006 Ford Fiesta. Don't want anything fancy, but do need bluetooth (for music and hands free) an...

slogfester

It was a empty coach. Sorry, I was speaking Ozstralian.

slogfester

No Steve. A bloody great big bus. And 2 HGVs. I had to get off my bike and jump in to the ditch to let them pass.
Maybe they were lost too

slogfester

Great ride down and back to Chippenham. Outbound: http://www.gps-sport.net/trainings/Home-to-Tytheron-1a_1267340 Nice tail wind going S on Frid. 130km. Made the mistake of using Route 55 / Icknield St down to Redditch. Its little more than a farm track caked in sloppy half-frozen mud (that I ended u...

slogfester

Its not just the toaster that is experiencing problems. Google have apparently updated their maps engine (API) from V2 to V3 and the deadline for developers to upgrade was 19/11/13. Many sites evidently havent.

slogfester

Now a 404

Either its dead or the owners are fixing

slogfester

Can someone please see if they can view the maps tab on

www.bikeroutetoaster.com

I have tried on different browsers and on different devices/OSs and still can't view maps for the past 48 hours.

Thanks

slogfester

Forecast is OK, so I will be off down to Chippenham on Friday and I'd be very happy with some company if any one wants to join me for part of the way? Leaving Edgbaston at 0900. Route is here: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=626209 going through Redditch and Evesham. I think I'll ...

slogfester

The forecast for Weds night training ride is not looking very funny, so here is an alternative:

https://www.glee.co.uk/performers/pedal ... laughs.htm

1930 Weds 20 Nov @ The Glee Club, The Arcadian, Birmingham

Myself and Julia hope to be there.

Barry

slogfester

Thanks Ian.

slogfester

Just looking for a alternative out/back route and used www.openrouteservice.org/ (race bike mode) to come up with this (imported in to Bikeroutetoaster): http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=628032 143 km with a single big climb south of Western Subedge up to Chipping Camden. Is this r...

slogfester

Yes, most smart phones now come with lithium batteries that do not require such re-charge discipline. And yes they benefit from occasionally being run COMPLETELY flat. But this is more to do with (calibrating) the intelligent battery management systems in smartphones. I am not sure if bicycle lights...

slogfester

Phil and Alan Thanks for comments; much appreciated. I checked with another friend who lives in Evesham and it looks like the most suitable/direct way is as the toaster and Alan describes. I'll just go straight through Cirencester. Planning this -weather permitting- friday 22 nov if anyone fancies a...

slogfester

Planning a overnight trip to Chippenham area and need a good on-road route. Bike toaster says this: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=626209 c. 130 km, with climbs south of Winchcombe and Withington. My friend reckons it all looks good south of Cirencester, so no probs there. But wh...

slogfester

Does anyone have a 6v battery charger (for a motorcycle) that I can borrow for a few days? If so, please PM me.
Mine is in Australia!
Thanks
Barry

slogfester

+1 for the Schwalbe marathons. I have not commuted on them, but toured on and off road with +25 kg luggage. Marathon Plus are indestructable, never had a **flat** (c. 6000 km), but slow. We ran the Supremes last tour (1 flat in total of 8000 km) which are faster and handle better, but not quite as g...

slogfester

Today at lunchtime as I was riding SE along Edgbaston Rd past the cricket ground a car side-swipped me and hit my right elbow hard with their left wing mirror as they drove past. Myself and traffic had just pulled away from the Pershore Rd lights, but I was travelling almost as fast as the cars, and...

slogfester

One of the things that added enormous fun and joy to our recent tour of Europe was discovering Warm Showers ( www.warmshowers.org/ ). For those unfamiliar it is a hosting/guest service for and (mostly) by cyclo-tourers. We didnt even know about it until told by someone on the road. We met some fanta...

slogfester

Clive- I'm a bit confused now (doesn't take a lot! ), does the Yukon come with carbon or alloy fork?

What width tyres are most members using in the winter? 23, 25, 28 mm?

Thanks

slogfester

Neil if you have a Android smartphone, just download OSMAnd+ from the Google Play store. It is open source Ware based upon osm. Brilliant. I have been using it for 4 months touring round Europe and it hasn't missed a beat. Downloadable offline maps. Turn by turn navigation specifically for bicycles....

slogfester

Thanks Steve I forgot to add that the hood I brilliant. Attaches by Velcro tab at back so you don't have to drag it with you always (e.g. when its just showers), and it pivots at the back allowing freedom of movement. Stomped up a hill in rain yesterday and -yes- it was hot inside, but it's still 20...

slogfester

Looks like I'll be on the UK for winter :o so need a suitable bike, plus something I can do audax and fast light touring on. Very very happy with my Van Nicholas Pioneer (heavy duty touring), so top candidate for new bike would be a VN Yukon. But I'm all ears on other suggestions as I am woefully ou...

slogfester

Just catching up with the board and spotted my name! My jacket had turned out to be well worth the money for touring. Dry as a bone in all day hard rain, but we are not going fast. Easily packed into the back pocket. But the zip is v stiff. I guess I'll soon find out how it breathes when pushing alo...

slogfester

Congratulations to everyone. V impressed. I was thinking of you all yesterday, especially when the (NW?) wind started to pick up.

slogfester

if you own a smartphone already, download some a free app and viola, you have a sat nav that makes telephone calls

slogfester

Many thanks for comments. I like your idea Phil of joing the Killer. I can pick it up where it crosses the A451 Stourbridge-Kidderminster Rd: http://www.gps-sport.net/routes/Edgbaston-to-Asterton_129255 - I might just drive to Stourbridge rd as route to there from Edgbaston doesnt inspire! - take a ...

slogfester

Trying to plot a route from Edgbaston, Birmingham to Church Stretton. There seems to be no obvious off-main-road route. On the all-terrain tourer (for a fully loaded test), so don't mind a bit of the rough stuff

Thanks
Barry

slogfester

my partner julia

slogfester

Off this summer for a long lazy tour through central and western Europe :) Always keen to hear from others who may have pedalled the same route. Roughly, we plan to start in Tuscany in early June and head north over the Brenner Pass, Austria, Bavaria, East Germany/West Czech, Berlin, Copenhagen. Tur...

slogfester

Or... Why not buy a bike mount (c. £10-15) for your iThing and use it as your primary recorder/navigator? It will do EVERYTHING the garmin does AND make a phone call. Lots and lots of software to choose. http://theiphonecyclist.com/ My smartphone self loads in to 'car mode' when mounted and will ans...

slogfester

hi chris,
my understanding is that the B17 narrow is intended for bikes with drop bars and a more forward position?
thx

slogfester

Just fished the box out of the shed that my bike was delivered in last year and found that it was half eaten by (now fat) woodlice! Need a disposable box for one-way flight. So where is the best shop to get a good quality cardboard bicycle shop from in the central/south Birmingham area? Thanks Barry

slogfester

After 6 months and c. 1000 km I have concluded that my B17 just doesnt fit my derrier. The saddle is too wide and causes pain and chaffing despite trialling various nicks and creams. So...

Can anyone suggest alternative (probaby thinner) saddles for flat bar touring bikes?

Thanks

Barry

slogfester

respect x 10

slogfester

Bars finally cut with said angle grinder. No problems. My mate who did it for me was more interested in the colour of the sparks thrown off!
I belatedly heard from Van Nich who told me that a fine-tooth hacksaw would be fine!

slogfester

Thanks Bob. I went off to Listers @ Redditch (note they have moved from where their website says they are!) and was just about to purchase a couple of 32 tooth blades when a fellow-curtomer who works at a motorbike shop (BJP racing) advised that it was best to use a angle grinder with a blah blah (i...

slogfester

bars are just too long. shipped at c. 60 cm

slogfester

Got to cut a few cm off each end of my Ti bars. Do I need a special blade, or will a standard hacksaw do it? Any tips?
Thx
Barry

slogfester

My last alu framed bike cracked after 4.5 years at the lug join of the chain and seat stays. A friend of mine in Oz who is 55 kg in wet cloths had 2 maybe 3 Cannodale Six alu frames break on him.

slogfester

I blame Blue Peter

slogfester

I've suffered valve stem clicks/creaks. Used to drive me nuts on my Mavics.

Fix by using threaded stems and regularly checking the tightening nut (they work loose) and/or cutting the neck off a balloon to wrap around the stem before insertion in to rim hole.

slogfester

thx matthew, i'll give them a call

slogfester

+1 for reflective loop bands- especially around the ankles. Because of the rotation they are very effective, cheap and light. (Panniers can block visibility from the rear though).
Make sure they are long enough. Most I find in shops would only go around a ballerina's ankles!

slogfester

I should have added that I am running a compact chainset (50/34) which -I am told- significantly decreases chain life. Moreover, I also have a 27 granny (as part of a 27-12 cassette) which again doesnt help things, but I never ever run 27 to 50 or 12 to 34. I dont feel the need for any more gears, b...

The Beacon Message Board

Search found 375 matches

Rear brake pad sheared off?

Greasy roads

Car stereo upgrade

Toaster down?

Pedalling for Laughs

Brum to Chippenham

2 wheels with a mota and a flat battery!

A close shave

Warm Showers

Winter/Audax/light touring bike

Birmingham to Church Stretton

European Tour

Good quality cardboard bicycle box

Alternatives to Brooks B17

Cutting Titanium