Silly Commuter Stats

will3

barry_kellett wrote:

I will be replacing the levers too Will3. CaneCreek do a nice drop bar V-Brake lever.

.

Ah of course, single speed and all that :roll:
I'm still waiting for drop STIs to have v-brake compatibility, as I think this is the only reason they're not used on CX bikes.

cjcp

I think I have to drop the cable hanger close to the brakes to stop the squealing and judder.

mudcovered

cjcp wrote:

I think I have to drop the cable hanger close to the brakes to stop the squealing and judder.

That usually works yes I got lucky with my Kona as the judder and squeal dissappeared when I switched to the Kore brakes on the front.

You can get hangers that bolt onto the fork for a few quid.

Mike

jimmypippa

salsajake wrote:

especially if you normally cycle. I really get wound up now when I have to drive in rush hour. Part of my brain is thinking 'filter through' and the other part is saying "you can't, you have to sit with everyone else". grrrrr

That's me too.

Most of the time I would be faster by car (probably by about ten minutes each way)

But... I would spend a lot of time sitting still in traffic, and every so often get a massive hold up. The unreliability is what is so annoying when I use other forms of transport.

cjcp

mudcovered wrote:

cjcp wrote:

I think I have to drop the cable hanger close to the brakes to stop the squealing and judder.

That usually works yes I got lucky with my Kona as the judder and squeal dissappeared when I switched to the Kore brakes on the front.

You can get hangers that bolt onto the fork for a few quid.

Mike

Cheers. I've got Avid Shorty 6s atm. I'm happy with them - though not necessarily the Avid pads - so I think it's the toe-ing and the hanger.

itboffin

Just a few short miles before I start taking some serious places :twisted: :twisted:

mcmullej

Gah. Feb is going to be a disaster.

Funny thing is I've been spending just as much time on the the bike, or at least doing bike stuff. Just not getting the miles in.

Trip to Afan last weekend was... life-changing. Just an awesome awesome way to spend a day or 3.

Gorrick & Brass Monkey races etc - no better way to knacker yourself on a bike whilst covering a grand total of 12 miles or something.

Rained off tonight. Weather looks... inclement fro the weekend. Where are the miles going to come from?

Canny Jock

cjcp wrote:

mudcovered wrote:

cjcp wrote:

I think I have to drop the cable hanger close to the brakes to stop the squealing and judder.

That usually works yes I got lucky with my Kona as the judder and squeal dissappeared when I switched to the Kore brakes on the front.

You can get hangers that bolt onto the fork for a few quid.

Mike

Cheers. I've got Avid Shorty 6s atm. I'm happy with them - though not necessarily the Avid pads - so I think it's the toe-ing and the hanger.

I have a spare Kona-style fork hanger I can drop you in the post for pennies (well, a couple of pounds) if you like.

Specialized were very helpful and sent me one of their new fork mounted 2010 hangers for my 2009 Tricross Comp for nothing. Nice people.

will3

A trifle [ahem] windy this morning.
Still it should be 52x11 for a good portion of the way home :P

salsajake

will3 wrote:

A trifle [ahem] windy this morning.
Still it should be 52x11 for a good portion of the way home :P

You are lucky - other way round for me - pushed in by an 18mph wind, looks like I'll be fighting a 30mph plus one head-on all the way home. Still, by the time I get there I might finally have made it into the top half of the table! Ince - here I come again!

itboffin

It's very tempting to jump on the TT and head in the direction of the wind for as long as the legs/wind lasts then call in the "support vehicle"

will3

itboffin wrote:

It's very tempting to jump on the TT and head in the direction of the wind for as long as the legs/wind lasts then call in the "support vehicle"

Silly commuter sailing?

Not quite cricket, that.

itboffin

will3 wrote:

itboffin wrote:

It's very tempting to jump on the TT and head in the direction of the wind for as long as the legs/wind lasts then call in the "support vehicle"

Silly commuter sailing?

Not quite cricket, that.

Hey it's outside on a bike and i'd be pedaling, well within the rules, tailwinds are so rare that MUST (new bylaw) be used at every opp.

plus is gusting to 50mph :shock: now if I could just find a descent in the right direction

will3

So if you find a hill, freewheel it, get driven back the the top in your "support vehicle", rinse and repeat x 100, that'd be OK?

Search your feelings....

CiB

itboffin wrote:

Hey it's outside on a bike and i'd be pedaling, well within the rules, tailwinds are so rare that MUST (new bylaw) be used at every opp.

plus is gusting to 50mph :shock: now if I could just find a descent in the right direction

Concur. If we can accidentally miss a junction and inadvertently do an extra 5 miles going home just to get a few miles on the board, riding some distance just for the tailwind is admirable. Or Quality, as CJCP said the other week.

Pffft. I like that word.

CiB

will3 wrote:

So if you find a hill, freewheel it, get driven back the the top in your "support vehicle", rinse and repeat x 100, that'd be OK?

Search your feelings....

What sort of jessy freewheels down a hill? Come on.

will3

CiB wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Hey it's outside on a bike and i'd be pedaling, well within the rules, tailwinds are so rare that MUST (new bylaw) be used at every opp.

plus is gusting to 50mph :shock: now if I could just find a descent in the right direction

Concur. If we can accidentally miss a junction and inadvertently do an extra 5 miles going home just to get a few miles on the board, riding some distance just for the tailwind is admirable. Or Quality, as CJCP said the other week.

Pffft. I like that word.

Oh I've no problem with going downwind, but a true sportsman would then battle back into it to return, not wimp out in a car :roll:

itboffin

CiB wrote:

will3 wrote:

So if you find a hill, freewheel it, get driven back the the top in your "support vehicle", rinse and repeat x 100, that'd be OK?

Search your feelings....

What sort of jessy freewheels down a hill? Come on.

+1 stone hill for even suggesting in, in fact -1000 miles from his YTD :twisted:

Last year whilst out walking of all things with the family, we came across a man of middle years dressed in lycra with a rather expensive looking carbon MTB on the roof of his car, now we were at the top of Combe hill (a mother of a hill) this human stain had driven to the top to cycle down then have his wife who was in the car meet him at the bottom and drive him back up, what a complete and utter loser!

Surly one of the best parts of a road descent is knowing you just climbed that hill and therefore are entitled to the descent?!?

will3

itboffin wrote:

CiB wrote:

will3 wrote:

So if you find a hill, freewheel it, get driven back the the top in your "support vehicle", rinse and repeat x 100, that'd be OK?

Search your feelings....

What sort of jessy freewheels down a hill? Come on.

Last year whilst out walking of all things with the family, we came across a man of middle years dressed in lycra with a rather expensive looking carbon MTB on the roof of his car, now we were at the top of Combe hill (a mother of a hill) this human stain had driven to the top to cycle down then have his wife who was in the car meet him at the bottom and drive him back up, what a complete and utter loser!

Surly one of the best parts of a road descent is knowing you just climbed that hill and therefore are entitled to the descent?!?

Absoultely.
And the best bit about battling into wind for 30 miles is knowing that you're about to turn round, stick it in a big gear and fly home. Rather lost if you call the support vehicle for the into wind leg!

I take it this chap was about to ride down the road on said MTB? Otherwise I believe that might be the sport known as "downhill MTB".

itboffin

will3 wrote:

itboffin wrote:

CiB wrote:

will3 wrote:

So if you find a hill, freewheel it, get driven back the the top in your "support vehicle", rinse and repeat x 100, that'd be OK?

Search your feelings....

What sort of jessy freewheels down a hill? Come on.

Last year whilst out walking of all things with the family, we came across a man of middle years dressed in lycra with a rather expensive looking carbon MTB on the roof of his car, now we were at the top of Combe hill (a mother of a hill) this human stain had driven to the top to cycle down then have his wife who was in the car meet him at the bottom and drive him back up, what a complete and utter loser!

Surly one of the best parts of a road descent is knowing you just climbed that hill and therefore are entitled to the descent?!?

Absoultely.
And the best bit about battling into wind for 30 miles is knowing that you're about to turn round, stick it in a big gear and fly home. Rather lost if you call the support vehicle for the into wind leg!

I take it this chap was about to ride down the road on said MTB? Otherwise I believe that might be the sport known as "downhill MTB".

Yep the road, okay so it's .5 mile with several 25% but even so. If he was planning to do it off road he'd need a lot more suspension and armor it's a steep drop off.

salsajake

itboffin wrote:

will3 wrote:

itboffin wrote:

CiB wrote:

will3 wrote:

So if you find a hill, freewheel it, get driven back the the top in your "support vehicle", rinse and repeat x 100, that'd be OK?

Search your feelings....

What sort of jessy freewheels down a hill? Come on.

Last year whilst out walking of all things with the family, we came across a man of middle years dressed in lycra with a rather expensive looking carbon MTB on the roof of his car, now we were at the top of Combe hill (a mother of a hill) this human stain had driven to the top to cycle down then have his wife who was in the car meet him at the bottom and drive him back up, what a complete and utter loser!

Surly one of the best parts of a road descent is knowing you just climbed that hill and therefore are entitled to the descent?!?

Absoultely.
And the best bit about battling into wind for 30 miles is knowing that you're about to turn round, stick it in a big gear and fly home. Rather lost if you call the support vehicle for the into wind leg!

I take it this chap was about to ride down the road on said MTB? Otherwise I believe that might be the sport known as "downhill MTB".

Yep the road, okay so it's .5 mile with several 25% but even so. If he was planning to do it off road he'd need a lot more suspension and armor it's a steep drop off.

nah, body armour is not a pre-requisite, I've never worn it. You also don't necessarily need suspension to handle steep/ rocky / big drop terrain. I grew up mtb'g in the lakes in the days before suspension forks, riding bridleway stuff with drops and natural rock steps and so on on a full rigid. You are limited with what you can do on a hardtail but for MOST places in this country, hardtails are perfectly adequate. Had to laugh at Cannock Chase, Follow the Dog trail last year, I was trying to get past a guy for an entire section and at the end he said "god, you were pushing me through there, and you kept up with me on a hardtail!" He was on a full-sus Specialised with one of those brain things. If he had actually had a brain himself he would realise that the reason I was 'keeping up' (actually trying to pass) was BECAUSE I was on a hardtail, not in spite of it! If I can ever afford trips to the alps then I'll get a FS rig, but until then 100mm travel at the front will do nicely thanks.

itboffin

In the interests of science and because I need to get something from the hardware store, I just popped out on the hybrid into the wall of wind, jeez that was hardwork on the way home however I barely even needed to turn the pedals

Tailwinds ARE ace!

Oh and that's two more miles today

will3

itboffin wrote:

In the interests of science and because I need to get something from the hardware store, I just popped out on the hybrid into the wall of wind, jeez that was hardwork on the way home however I barely even needed to turn the pedals

Tailwinds ARE ace!

Oh and that's two more miles today

What sort of jessy freewheels down wind? Come on.



+1 stone hill for even suggesting in, in fact -1000 miles from his YTD

Sewinman

My prediction for 2010 winner is 'FixedWeasel' - his daily commute is a total of 43.5 miles. :shock:

salsajake

Sewinman wrote:

My prediction for 2010 winner is 'FixedWeasel' - his daily commute is a total of 43.5 miles. :shock:

I don't think that's particularly exceptional in the company that will be chasing the top spot, unless he does it day in, day out. I do just under 40 miles 3-4 times a week, weather and work commitments permitting, but I doubt I'll be in the top 30 even if we don't have any more new entrants. Also, the guys chasing top spot do good miles in the week but then go on to do big sportives and the like at weekends, there is simply no catching them!

ince

I do just under 40 miles 3-4 times a week

:? and I was in hope of staying ahead of you Salsa, my 80 mile weeks just won't do. Looks like I need to find a longer way home and get out more on the weekend.

itboffin

will3 wrote:

itboffin wrote:

In the interests of science and because I need to get something from the hardware store, I just popped out on the hybrid into the wall of wind, jeez that was hardwork on the way home however I barely even needed to turn the pedals

Tailwinds ARE ace!

Oh and that's two more miles today

What sort of jessy freewheels down wind? Come on.



+1 stone hill for even suggesting in, in fact -1000 miles from his YTD

You're a marked man :twisted:

salsajake

ince wrote:

I do just under 40 miles 3-4 times a week

:? and I was in hope of staying ahead of you Salsa, my 80 mile weeks just won't do. Looks like I need to find a longer way home and get out more on the weekend.

Look out behind... :twisted:

itboffin

Right the sun is out i'm off to clock 900 YTD perhaps a little more, must break 1000 YTD by Sunday.

Clever Pun

Sewinman wrote:

My prediction for 2010 winner is 'FixedWeasel' - his daily commute is a total of 43.5 miles. :shock:

Rich158 and Will3 are very similar distances...

I find doing 30 miles a day knackering getting out at the weekend is hard enough without jelly legs. Saying that, winter miles etc

My target is 7000 miles for the year I'd like that to keep me in the top ten...we'll see