The Tyne and Wear Commuter Thread

anthdci

Long Time Lurker wrote:

Yesterday I found out that it is going to cost £100 + parts. :x

how is it that much? Can you not fit it yourself im sure there will be videos on youtube to follow.

markhewitt1978

£100 + parts? Seriously? Replacing a front fork would probably be < 20 minutes work for a competent bike mechanic.

I must assume they are talking about fixing the one you have? Not worth it tbh, hoy it out.

jomoj

Captain Slackbladder wrote:

jomoj wrote:

Also finally paid a visit to the Bike Hub cafe on the Ouseburn, canny enough with a nice view down the river. Slightly less relaxing heavy duty industrial noise from over the river though. Cake was good though so I'll let them off.

Pass it every morning on my commute...only been in once. I'm not 100% convinced of its location tbf.

My Dragons Den lightbulb moment is replicating it somwhere in North Tyneside...Silverlink or Near Asda along the A191.....anyone in with me?

Yes I know what you mean. I know it's on the c2c / hadrians way but it's just a bit out of the way from foot traffic. You wouldn't just stumble upon it by accident and I'm not sure people would take the trouble to walk up there from the quayside. I wish them well though

I can't see that working in North Tyneside mind, just not the leisure cycle traffic to make it cycling specific. Certainly not by Benton Asda, I wouldnt choose to ride a bike on the A191

Initialised

jomoj wrote:

Captain Slackbladder wrote:

jomoj wrote:

Also finally paid a visit to the Bike Hub cafe on the Ouseburn, canny enough with a nice view down the river. Slightly less relaxing heavy duty industrial noise from over the river though. Cake was good though so I'll let them off.

Pass it every morning on my commute...only been in once. I'm not 100% convinced of its location tbf.

My Dragons Den lightbulb moment is replicating it somwhere in North Tyneside...Silverlink or Near Asda along the A191.....anyone in with me?

Yes I know what you mean. I know it's on the c2c / hadrians way but it's just a bit out of the way from foot traffic. You wouldn't just stumble upon it by accident and I'm not sure people would take the trouble to walk up there from the quayside. I wish them well though

I can't see that working in North Tyneside mind, just not the leisure cycle traffic to make it cycling specific. Certainly not by Benton Asda, I wouldnt choose to ride a bike on the A191

Tyneside No, can't see it working, somewhere along the Coastal Route in Tynemouth on the promenade perhaps.

If you want good cake on the Hadrian's Cycle Way try the little shop near Jubilee Fields in Wylam or Tea & Tipple in Corbridge, it's a far nicer ride heading west into the countryside rather than through the urban sprawl.

Long_Time_Lurker

markhewitt1978 wrote:

£100 + parts? Seriously? Replacing a front fork would probably be < 20 minutes work for a competent bike mechanic.
I must assume they are talking about fixing the one you have? Not worth it tbh, hoy it out.

I'm not a competent mechanic. :P And the cost to fix them, will be (a lot) cheaper than replacing them.
Looking at other forums and the Rockshoxx site, it sounds as if it will need to be rebuilt.
(Which I can't do - especially not in the time I have before my next big ride).

That is the price you pay for riding (and frequently falling off) an MTB. And not being a competent mechanic.

markhewitt1978

Well I was assuming that you would just be replacing it with a static fork; and that the work would be done by the LBS.

y33stu

Was out for a ride on Sunday, round Derwent Reservoir, heading back through Stamfordham as I was casually riding along, a car full of chavs heading the opposite direction started beeping its horn and they all gave me the V's.

Didn't phase me at all, other than got me thinking, how boring and miserable are these people's lives to make that something worth doing? Just don't understand it. Then got me thinking what if they had been going the same way? would they have still done it? Or worse?

And I really didn't expect it in Stamfordham, I'd almost understand it in some places around Newcastle, but not there!

jomoj

some people are just pricks, some of them have cars, don't over think it.

Initialised

Stop at the next phone box, and call 101 and report them say they had cans of lager and you saw the driver smoking something that looked and smelled like a joint. They'll love getting drink and drug tested and having their car searched. They head up into the country side to get stoned on sunny days so chances are you'd spoil their day as much as they spoiled yours.

Also did Blanchland, Park Bank and Meadows Edge down that way on Saturday. Was really nice other than running out of tarmac up Fatherly Hill (the map said it was a road) and getting rained on a couple of times.

y33stu

Good plan @initialised! Next time I'll make a note of the reg.

It was my first ride around derwent, Park Bank is pretty steep! I just wish I didn't have the headwind for the first half of the ride - also thought that the final climb from Stocksfield up to Whittonstall was tough. Surprised there isn't a segment on Strava for that one.

Edit - turns out there is a segment for it - but it didn't show in my ride. never mind.

Initialised

Park Bank is a killer. Steepest road climb I can find in the area. Intake lane was steeper but you run out of tarmac after the first comms tower.

y33stu

I actually think the last 100 yards of the 1st climb over the ryals is steeper than Park Bank - but Park Bank is longer. I might be wrong though.

markhewitt1978

Hmm, I've cycled Park Bank, but it was many years ago now, doesn't stick in my mind as being very significant? How does it compare to Peth Bank, which is my local nemesis.

Initialised

@y33stu: No Ryal Climb vs Park Bank Ryals has a 16% section, Park Bank igoes up to 19% so maybe the sign's hiding in the tree because it is a lie:



Intake Lane is steeper and longer than both, shame it runs out of tarmac at 400m:



I've only done Peth Bank downwards, it's a bit steep.

markhewitt1978

Initialised wrote:

I've only done Peth Bank downwards, it's a bit steep.

Going up is difficult but I actively avoid it going down, just at the steepest bit it curves around the corner, even braking down to 5mph it's scary.

Captain Slackbladder

Been a cracking few weeks weather wise for commuting, cant remember the last time i got a soaking.

Long may it continue.

markhewitt1978

Captain Slackbladder wrote:

Been a cracking few weeks weather wise for commuting, cant remember the last time i got a soaking.

Long may it continue.

Hmm the weekend doesn't look so good

Captain Slackbladder

Aye, might stay dry tomorrow though...rain still forcast for Sunday.

markhewitt1978

Captain Slackbladder wrote:

Aye, might stay dry tomorrow though...rain still forcast for Sunday.

Looks like the morning is the best bet.

Initialised

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Initialised wrote:

I've only done Peth Bank downwards, it's a bit steep.

Going up is difficult but I actively avoid it going down, just at the steepest bit it curves around the corner, even braking down to 5mph it's scary.

Yes, very tricky, can't see far enough ahead to enjoy the gradient.

y33stu

After the weather forecast said heavy rain all weekend, It turned out ok. Got a good couple of rides in Saturday and Sunday morning (before the rain) but broke a wheel. My Easton EA30 rear wheel is gone. Spokes broke through the rim in 4 places. no idea how that happened. Had to ride last 10 miles with the tyre rubbing against the left chainstay and right brakepad. Ordered some Fulcrum Racing 5's from Wiggle, first ride will be the cyclone - far from ideal.

Speaking of which, anyone else doing the cyclone?

markhewitt1978

I'm hoping at the weekend to ride from Chester-le-Street up to Northumberland.

Can anyone suggest a nice quiet and road bike friendly route from Birtley area to Newburn / Throckley area where I can cross the A69 to head North to Wallington!

It must be 15 years since I've cycled that way so I'm not sure about the best way to get there which doesn't involve busy roads, I think there are a lot of new off road routes built since then?

jongooligan

Here's a bit of a rat run. Go down to Lamesley roundabout. Take Coach Rd (the lane that runs parallel and adjacent to the A1). Go all the way to the A692 and take the underpass onto Chiltern Gardens. Follow devious paths Northwards to make your way onto Cypress Crescent then Wilson Street. At the T junction turn left onto Ellison Road.

That cuts out the worst bit of the urban traffic. It's then onto Blaydon via Whickham Thornes. From Blaydon cross the bridge to Newburn and Northumberland awaits. There are off road routes but they're much longer than this.

anthdci

got my new giant defy 1 yesterday, absolutely love it and still haven't had a chance to get my fulcrum wheels on it yet.

markhewitt1978

jongooligan wrote:

Here's a bit of a rat run. Go down to Lamesley roundabout. Take Coach Rd (the lane that runs parallel and adjacent to the A1). Go all the way to the A692 and take the underpass onto Chiltern Gardens. Follow devious paths Northwards to make your way onto Cypress Crescent then Wilson Street. At the T junction turn left onto Ellison Road.

That cuts out the worst bit of the urban traffic. It's then onto Blaydon via Whickham Thornes. From Blaydon cross the bridge to Newburn and Northumberland awaits. There are off road routes but they're much longer than this.

Thanks! That sounds like roughly the route I'd planned, but crossing over the A1, didn't realise you could stay on the Eastern side so effectively. Cheers

tuktuk

anthdci wrote:

got my new giant defy 1 yesterday, absolutely love it and still haven't had a chance to get my fulcrum wheels on it yet.

Sounds nice mate. Get some pics up!

Im in need of a new bike, mine is all but ruined now with total neglect. Im going to get a new one and leave the current one at work to use to get to the gym of a dinnertime.

Captain Slackbladder

Initialised wrote:

Park Bank is a killer. Steepest road climb I can find in the area. Intake lane was steeper but you run out of tarmac after the first comms tower.

Crawlyside was the one that did for me last month on the CTC in a day, no shame in addmitting i stopped for a rest twice
Then again, i did have around 80miles on the legs at this point.


http://app.strava.com/activities/53645576

Initialised

markhewitt1978 wrote:

jongooligan wrote:

Here's a bit of a rat run. Go down to Lamesley roundabout. Take Coach Rd (the lane that runs parallel and adjacent to the A1). Go all the way to the A692 and take the underpass onto Chiltern Gardens. Follow devious paths Northwards to make your way onto Cypress Crescent then Wilson Street. At the T junction turn left onto Ellison Road.

That cuts out the worst bit of the urban traffic. It's then onto Blaydon via Whickham Thornes. From Blaydon cross the bridge to Newburn and Northumberland awaits. There are off road routes but they're much longer than this.

Thanks! That sounds like roughly the route I'd planned, but crossing over the A1, didn't realise you could stay on the Eastern side so effectively. Cheers

I ride the roads to the south/west of Team Valley most days. If you fancy a nice climb, turn off the A167 on to the Lamesley road (Banesley Lane iirc) then after the rail way bridge go left and follow the road up through Kibblesworth, Right at the end, Over the crossroad, to Sunniside, Then Wickham, down Blaydon bank (can hit 40mph on a good day), Stella and over the river to Newburn and on to Throckley.

One of my extened commutes involves most of that.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2769255

BurnziesBike

Hi,

first time back on the bike today since last September, due to ill health. 8 mile each way commute between Sunderland and Birtley.

Blowing out of my @rse a bit, but great to back cyclo commuting !

Burnzie

anthdci

Not the best pictures since it was starting to get dark but I've put the fulcrum racing 5s on, hoping for a nice improvement over the standard wheelset.




has anyone else found the standard giant p-r3 tyres lethal in the rain? I've had the back slide 3 times on the 2 wet commutes I've done on them.