Silly commuting racing

jonginge

jashburnham wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

After a cassette change and the original Alex DA22 rear wheel back on my bike - the Fulcrums freewheel hubs tendency to spin both ways was becoming too dangerous to ride in traffic - I felt the thunder for the first time in a good long while.

Please explain!

DDD has some sticky pawls

Fulcrums, going wrong?

DOES NOT COMPUTE.

2+2=5 for a given value of 5.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthre ... 2055515814

il_principe

lost_in_thought wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

Going to Sussex for the weekend and it looks like there's no way of getting the bike down there (short of coughing up over £200 fir a hire car). Not happy at all.

If you'd mentioned this sooner you could have borrowed... next time PM me!

Arggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh damn my feeble brain.

Thanks LiT, very kind of you.

lost_in_thought

JonGinge wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

After a cassette change and the original Alex DA22 rear wheel back on my bike - the Fulcrums freewheel hubs tendency to spin both ways was becoming too dangerous to ride in traffic - I felt the thunder for the first time in a good long while.

Please explain!

DDD has some sticky pawls

Fulcrums, going wrong?

DOES NOT COMPUTE.

2+2=5 for a given value of 5.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthre ... 2055515814

Now then... what is a pawl and what does it do?

jonginge

lost_in_thought wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

After a cassette change and the original Alex DA22 rear wheel back on my bike - the Fulcrums freewheel hubs tendency to spin both ways was becoming too dangerous to ride in traffic - I felt the thunder for the first time in a good long while.

Please explain!

DDD has some sticky pawls

Fulcrums, going wrong?

DOES NOT COMPUTE.

2+2=5 for a given value of 5.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthre ... 2055515814

Now then... what is a pawl and what does it do?

It's a sticky out thing (or three) in the freehub. It's on a spring so allows the wheel to, er, freewheel. They spring up and engage with the rest of the hub when you pedal, producing drive.
Think of a zip tie, easy to tighten but can't undo.

DonDaddyD

lost_in_thought wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

jashburnham wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

After a cassette change and the original Alex DA22 rear wheel back on my bike - the Fulcrums freewheel hubs tendency to spin both ways was becoming too dangerous to ride in traffic - I felt the thunder for the first time in a good long while.

Please explain!

DDD has some sticky pawls

Fulcrums, going wrong?

DOES NOT COMPUTE.

2+2=5 for a given value of 5.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthre ... 2055515814

Now then... what is a pawl and what does it do?

Sometimes when I pedal on my Fulcrums the drive doesn't engage and I'm spinning the cranks with nothing actually happening. Edit: - As Jonginge said the spring won't stick out to connect and provide drive.

When you're setting off at the lights infront of traffic attempting to turn rightand you have no drive to push you forward its bloddy scary. Especially if you've done 20mph+ towards the lights and the driver is expecting you to speed off...

So after that Fulcrum off old wheel back on. I've cleaned the hub, but I've got to open the freewheel hub and clean inside - hopefully its not broken and its just dirt stopping the spring from engaging the prawls with the other thing that makes the whole thing pedal and give me that glorious Fulcrum sound.

Edit: Credit to the Fulcrums, even though they aren't properly working they still spin with an almost perpetual grace and still out spun my other wheels. It near broke my heart taking them off. Beautiful wheels. Fulcrum Racing 5's are the way forward (probably on the Kuota, Argon or Giant).

vorsprung

DonDaddyD wrote:

but I've got to open the freewheel hub and clean inside - hopefully its not broken and its just dirt stopping the spring from engaging the prawls with the other thing that makes the whole thing pedal and give me that glorious Fulcrum sound.

Or you could buy a new freehub body.
Shimano freehubs are a bit of a pain in the arse to get working again
Ambrosio/Hope are easy to work on
Dunno what design Fulcrum have. if you can't see the pawls then it might be a bit nasty

il_principe

vorsprung wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

but I've got to open the freewheel hub and clean inside - hopefully its not broken and its just dirt stopping the spring from engaging the prawls with the other thing that makes the whole thing pedal and give me that glorious Fulcrum sound.

Or you could buy a new freehub body.
Shimano freehubs are a bit of a pain in the ars* to get working again
Ambrosio/Hope are easy to work on
Dunno what design Fulcrum have. if you can't see the pawls then it might be a bit nasty

DDDD get them to a shop that knows Fulcrums - Sigma in Hampton Wick for example. I'd not be messing around inside the Hub unless you know what you are doing...

Bassjunkieuk

Sorry to hear about the wheel DDD, at least now you can use stealth to surprise your scalps I guess!

Diddly squat on my commute this morning, asides from a nice little trackstand the whole thing went by with nothing of note to report - i hate short rides!

benno68

My legs are on fire today plus my shoes are dripping from last night so I bottled it today.

Had a good ride home last night and actually saw a fellow cyclist! An FCN4 peddling like the clappers. Caught him up on the quiet doing about 18mph, said my hello's and then scalped him pulling away up to 25mph (that's a good speed for me). I too was in FCN4 attire at the time, but he looked a good 10 years younger!

Managed to get home in 28mins, only did 7.8 miles but the route included my nemisis, "Leckwith Road" hill which kills my average speed. Weather was blinking awful down here at the time too.

My two boys are home for college and were waiting for me to go to the gym - hence I'm aching like hell today!

DavidBelcher

vorsprung wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

but I've got to open the freewheel hub and clean inside - hopefully its not broken and its just dirt stopping the spring from engaging the prawls with the other thing that makes the whole thing pedal and give me that glorious Fulcrum sound.

Or you could buy a new freehub body.
Shimano freehubs are a bit of a pain in the ars* to get working again
Ambrosio/Hope are easy to work on
Dunno what design Fulcrum have. if you can't see the pawls then it might be a bit nasty

As Fulcrum is a Campag offshoot I'd assume they use a Campag-type design. But I've never had, nor heard of others having, this problem with the original Campag products.

David

cjcp

Benno68 wrote:

included my nemisis, "Leckwith Road" hill

:shock: Leckwith Hill is an evil hill to have on the commute. I don't know what gradient it is, but it just keeps going up, and you can't see the top from the bottom-ish either because of the bend round to the right.

benno68

cjcp wrote:

Benno68 wrote:

included my nemisis, "Leckwith Road" hill

:shock: Leckwith Hill is an evil hill to have on the commute

I feel like giving up on it at that bend near the top but it hasn't beaten me yet. Even with a compact chainset I find it hard going, checked my speed last night and was doing 7mph at one point :oops:

I could go another route (smaller hill) to Llandough but I try to go this way 3 times a week as I'm trying to get fit.

Are you a Cardiff boy CJCP?

rbonegio

My best is racing cars over speed humps... Well not racing actually, but just going fast enough so there's a nice thump when they come by!

I think we should have a Robin Reliant on the list by the way! Are they faster than Scooters?

itboffin

Benno68 wrote:

Are you a Cardiff boy CJCP?

No he just likes Cardiff boys :twisted: :roll:

Sorry CJ I just couldn't let that one pass

itboffin

During my anti social ride this afternoon I claimed a scalp x 2, the goal for today was 88 miles but due to the WIND :evil: this was just not on the cards, 25 miles in I spied the tell tail Hi-viz rolling away in the distance my first reaction was to spin up and claim the scalp but as I was at least 1 mile away poss more and barely into my journey I decided to continue pootling (13mph ) anyway .... I carried on for a couple of miles controlling my pace like a good itboffin.... but in the end I couldn't bare it any more I saw this cyclist duck low (windy as hell today) and sweep left which was my intended route, honest so I upped my speed to normal cruise mode cough cough!! I hung back about 100 ft or so just to validate the kill but to be honest 'she' looked pretty tired on that road/tourer fully loaded with double panniers and handlebar bag+map, never the less I care not when it comes to the beautiful game and majestically swept past and way less than 15mph imparting my usual cheery "hello"

Once ahead I upped the revs a little until the next junction where I have to admit I waited for another look, zoooom she passes down hill and once again going my way, I gave it a min or two then set off again, this time I didn't hang around as the wind was gusting something serious (top of the ridge) I nipped past and settled into a comfortable slow pace not too far ahead half hoping i'd block some of the wind for her, it was nasty and draining. I put the power down on a small climb and used the momentum to carry me to the next junction for a scheduled food stop, honest!

A few minutes later she comes past again sweating and smiling, turns right (my route) this is where we part company, young lady well done dragging you bike up those hills into the wind today but your SCALP is still mine :twisted:

Show no mercy :roll:

tailwindhome

lost_in_thought wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

53x17t = 81.9inches (Cog of Ultimate Doom)

For the GI, much as I jest about it, there is no such thing as a 'good' or a 'bad'... I am riding around in 88.7 at the minute

Bassjunkieuk

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

53x17t = 81.9inches (Cog of Ultimate Doom)

For the GI, much as I jest about it, there is no such thing as a 'good' or a 'bad'... I am riding around in 88.7 at the minute

Indeed, if 81.9 qualifies as Cog of Ultimate Doom I wonder what 88.7 is? Armageddon Cog??
Could be the "Cog of Achilles" ;-)

cjcp

itboffin wrote:

Benno68 wrote:

Are you a Cardiff boy CJCP?

No he just likes Cardiff boys :twisted: :roll:

Sorry CJ I just couldn't let that one pass

Boom boom, tsh.

cjcp

Benno68 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Benno68 wrote:

included my nemisis, "Leckwith Road" hill

:shock: Leckwith Hill is an evil hill to have on the commute

I feel like giving up on it at that bend near the top but it hasn't beaten me yet. Even with a compact chainset I find it hard going, checked my speed last night and was doing 7mph at one point :oops:

I could go another route (smaller hill) to Llandough but I try to go this way 3 times a week as I'm trying to get fit.

Are you a Cardiff boy CJCP?

From Penarth (Merthyr before that, mind).

Oddly, it's not a hill I've done on my road bike. Only ever done it on the mtb and, given the weight of that thing, wondered if I'd ever make it to the top! Whenever I take the bike out in Penarth and fancy doing hill work without venturing far, a combination of Bridgeman Road off the promenade, the two hills either side of the promenade, and the hill coming up from the Marina next to Customs House work a treat. This last bit involves going up one more short, sharp hill if you go left or straight on, but there's a flatter route back into Penarth if you go right.

I wanted to get out to check out the SCR action when I was down there last week, but didn't manage it.

benno68

cjcp wrote:

I wanted to get out to check out the SCR action when I was down there last week, but didn't manage it.

Not missing much I'm afraid.

DonDaddyD

And so my other rear wheel does exactly the same thing as the Fulcrum

NOt as bad its just at that annoying stage of spinning both ways...

vanquished

DonDaddyD wrote:

And so my other rear wheel does exactly the same thing as the Fulcrum

NOt as bad its just at that annoying stage of spinning both ways...

Man that sucks Hope that you're able to sort out one or the other (preferably both) quickly.


Of course, this is *exactly* the sort of problem you don't get with fixed...

*innocent look*

vanquished

I don't get a whole lot of SCR action on my commute, although I did manage to frighten a moped pulling away from the lights near the end this morning, so the only scalp I can logically claim is my own, for a new PB ('...and I'd like to thank the tailwind, without which collecting this award would never have happened...')

Jay dubbleU

Quiet run this morning - didn't see a single bike apart from a roadie going the other way who I see regulalry - we usually grunt at each other. Idiot in a Micra tried to pass me on the left as we were both turning right only to discover that I was turning left into the office car park about 15m down the road - sharp braking on her part - I beamed at her - thought that would probably annoy her most 8)

Christophe3967

A little breezyon the embankemt last night but at least all the roads were open and the wind was blowing the smell of the unwashed in Parl't Sq the other way They've all gone this morning - just 50 or so police vans. Pretty quiet apart from that - never ceases to amaze me what a difference the school holidays make - and the rain we've been threatened with held off again, although the weekend forecast isn't too promising

jonginge

Christophe3967 wrote:

A little breezyon the embankemt last night but at least all the roads were open and the wind was blowing the smell of the unwashed in Parl't Sq the other way They've all gone this morning - just 50 or so police vans. Pretty quiet apart from that - never ceases to amaze me what a difference the school holidays make - and the rain we've been threatened with held off again, although the weekend forecast isn't too promising

Yep. Picked up a couple of drafting fairies at Vauxhall cross. Fair play, though, they did try to pull through after after half a mile or so. It was one of those 'uh-oh, headwind' passes that take an age and then they slow down in front of you coz they can't maintain it

Greg T

Christophe3967 wrote:

A little breezy on the embankment last night

You are not kidding there mon brave....

So I mange to get to Kings Road unscalped but badly degraded. Have no idea who I passed in the process I had lactic acid induced tunnel vision.

Anyhoo

It normally gets better once you get into Fulham / Parsons Green but last night I was feeling grim. I gritted my teeth and pushed on. As I'm slowing for the lights at the end of Parson's Green they turn green on me just as I stop - hate that - a nine foot massive quaded racing snake goes by me like I'm stood still ( this is probably because I was stood still) he's on a Bianchi Pista and I've tangled with him before.

Arse

So I'm resignedly off after him - he's got a massive drop on me and my heart isn't really in it - I'm spent.

However Thor's not a forgiving God so I apply myself just south of crying.

It takes me an age to make up half the ground - the turning into the Col de Putney Bridge - Green for us both.

This is it I think I'm going to do him all ends up on the climb.

Wall of air.

Arrrggghhh - mother it hurts.

I might have made ten metres on him.

As he comes to the lights at the end just before the right turn to teh Duke he turns round and looks at me and his face says

nine foot massive quaded racing snake wrote:

That was hard - I'm hurting

I would have responded with my Peter Cushing Death Head I don't care stare but my eyes were misted with tears and I was panting like a fat old dog in a Sauna.

He disappeared somewhere in Putney leaving me to tangle with a no rucksac roadie on Queens Ride (wouldn't have loved to have done me on the Bolan Death bridge - maybe another night)

Anyroad up - this morning my legs were unresponsive and I'm in active (wuss) recovery however the overnight rain and tribulations of last night have culled the embankment peleton significantly and I only had to bite my lip once and swallow the no pride pill.

cjcp

Breezy indeed, but it doesn't feel so bad when you have the excuse of being in "active recovery".

But I tested the legs in RP last night on the road to Robin Hood Gate and into the headwind. Rode someone off the wheel and caught and dropped another roadie despite having to churn my way up Broomfield in the 53x21.

The manhole covers etc were very greasy this morning, so took it easy, but it was pretty quiet. An extra lap of the Park on the way home I think.

lost_in_thought

@ GT Commiserations, old chap. Bally massive-quadded huns.

What a beautiful day! If it wasn't a tad breezy it'd be perfect.

I had a bit of a slog home yesterday, working hard to stay at a decent (forgot the comp) speed into wind, I suddenly became aware of someone right behind me. Damn, I thought, there's not much in the tank to drop them, but I tried anyway.

Put a bit of distance in, not much, then they were back again, but not overtaking. Cr@p! I'm being drafted! Doesn't happen much out my way, y'see. Anyway, he follows me along until just before Acton railway bridge, then comes up beside me.

A quick check reveals: slim, very fit-looking bloke, full team kit, cervelo. He says 'you're going along pretty well!' or similar and somehow I manage to avoid saying 'FFS you lazy arse you've been drafting a girl on a SS with panniers for the last 2 miles' and manage to say 'thanks'.

Then he b*ggers off, or tries to, I keep him in my sights but get done in by red lights. Curses. Next time, cervelo-boy, next time.

Uneventful ride in, taught an MTB-er a lesson in bike-riding. Doesn't look like rain just yet.

cjcp

Greg T wrote:

This is it I think I'm going to do him all ends up on the climb.

Wall of air.

Arrrggghhh - mother it hurts.

I might have made ten metres on him.

As he comes to the lights at the end just before the right turn to teh Duke he turns round and looks at me and his face says

nine foot massive quaded racing snake wrote:

That was hard - I'm hurting

I would have responded with my Peter Cushing Death Head I don't care stare but my eyes were misted with tears and I was panting like a fat old dog in a Sauna.

He disappeared somewhere in Putney leaving me to tangle with a no rucksac roadie on Queens Ride (wouldn't have loved to have done me on the Bolan Death bridge - maybe another night)

A titanic battle. The problem with a battle along the NKR is the risk of being in The Vomit Zone all the way over BDCS.