Noob First Ride - Comments/Questions

gingernash
gingernash Posts: 123
edited September 2010 in Road beginners
Took my bike out to Richmond Park for a few laps on Saturday for first major ride. I have a few comments/questions arising from it:

- I have never had Presta valves before. I have a small pump (Rocket pump) but struggled to pump anything into the tyres. Do you put the pump head all the way down the valve or just attach it halfway say?

- Is the reason why all my leg hair (and other hair :? ) pokes through my shorts because I am wearing cheap shorts? Cannot imagine very pleasant for spectators.

- That London Dynamo lot seem pretty hardcore.

Comments

  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Did you unwind the top part of the vavle?, TBH, I struggle with hand pumps and road tyres, and use a track pump.

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  • Weejie54
    Weejie54 Posts: 750
    Yep, you need to unscrew the small barrel at the top of the valve before attaching the pump.

    tube_gen_presta.jpg
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    gingernash wrote:
    - That London Dynamo lot seem pretty hardcore.

    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... don+dynamo
  • gingernash
    gingernash Posts: 123
    Yep unscrewed the cap at the top.

    Touched the valve to let a small amount of air out. When I put the pump all the way down the valve I could not properly pump it as it got stiff at the bottom of the pump action. If I put if about halfway it is a free pump action but it sounds like the air is escaping.
  • timmyflash
    timmyflash Posts: 526
    With my track pump, it sometimes takes a couple of goes taking it off and on again before air starts to flow through - maybe the same thing.
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  • bilirubin
    bilirubin Posts: 225
    softlad wrote:
    gingernash wrote:
    - That London Dynamo lot seem pretty hardcore.

    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... don+dynamo

    Lol, reading that thread just made my lunch hour pass in a flash, I bet a few keyboards were trashed when people were posting replies.
  • gingernash
    gingernash Posts: 123
    Pump problem sorted! Combination of lack of patience and pump being annoying small emergency one. Will definitely buy proper one for home.

    Couple of follow up questions though:

    - Should you be able to touch the brake levers when your hands are on the drops?

    - When standing up or giving it some going up a hill, my cranks etc appeared to be creaking a bit. I am a fairly stocky bloke (5,8 and 84kg). Is it normal for them to creak when putting weight through them?

    Cheers!
  • dmch2
    dmch2 Posts: 731
    gingernash wrote:
    - Should you be able to touch the brake levers when your hands are on the drops?

    Yes, what sort of levers do you have? Many have some form of adjustment or spacer to make them closer for people like me (us?) with short stubby fingers
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  • gingernash
    gingernash Posts: 123
    shim tiagra.

    i saw in cycling + this month they had a guide on how to do it for DA so maybe i will try that for the tiagra then

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