Chain Reaction Part 2

I've spoken to my resident bike expert and in order to fix my chain I need to use a chain tool like this



(which I have) to remove the "busted-up" link and replace it with one of these



(which I don't). I can also use a chain wear tool like this



to tell whether the whole chain is knackered and just needs throwing in the bin.

Off to the bike shop at lunch, I'll let you know how I get on.

Chain Reaction

Yesterday morning, I rode to work marvelling at how well my freshly cleaned and oiled bike worked. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and each time I changed gear, you could hear the cogs bite with a satisfying clunk, and the movement on the shifters was smooth and definite.

Yesterday evening, my chain decided to explode and leave me to push the bike two miles home.

Not sure if I my cleaning was a little overzealous, or it was all an unfortunate coincidence, but I will be spending the evening learning how to repair and/or replace my chain.

I got a tattoo to commerate the ocassion (only joking, the image is from Louisiana BMX a site dedicated to BMX art!)

I Missed This Last Year...

...so am hoping to catch some of their films this year.

2007 Bike Film Festival

Cycle Theft Chat

Chat online to a couple of coppers and some people from the Home Office, about how to avoid getting your bike nicked.

17th August, 12pm-2pm
http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk/chat/chat002.htm

This Looks Fun

The Hovis London Freewheel is a load of London streets closed to traffic on the 23rd September, for some car free fun.

PS The logo is mine, not the official one :-)

Cycling on the Isle of Wight

Last weekend I went off to the Isle of Wight for a long weekend. As part
of it, my girlfriend (a non cyclist) and I decided to hire some bikes in order to get around and just for it's own enjoyment. Thankfully the Isle of Wight seems a fairly cycle-friendly
place, with plenty of bike hire places and a variety of routes around
the island.

As part of our hire of two bikes from Wight Cycle Hire we got the Cycle Wight pamphlet which lists 13 routes of varying difficulty (they also sell it seperately for £2.99). On the Saturday we chose the Sunshine Trail (12 miles), supposedly named as it orbits the part of the UK which gets the most sunlight per year. It runs from Shanklin through Wroxall, Godshill, Sandown, before returning to Shanklin and mostly runs on cycle-tracks and very quiet roads. The "challenging
off-road" section is basically across a field, bumpy in summer, and
probably a mud pit during the winter months. The route was lovely,
quickly leaving Shanklin for some very rural fields and scenery.



On the Sunday we went for the more challenging Shanklin to Ventnor and
back route, which includes two substantial hills and for a lot of the time sticks to the main road (more appealing than it sounds). Although less rural, it does take you
to Ventnor for a dip in the sea/pint at the (http://www.thespyglass.com/) Spyglass Inn. We also opted for the extension to. It's supposed to end at Niton but we didn't find much there (it was probably around the next corner). Luckily we spotted a sign for a beach cafe at St.Catherine's Point and had a late lunch there.

Oooo, nice

Combining my loves of not getting cold on a bike and peerless Jocko booze, is this great top from the Velo Club d'Ardbeg. I'm looking into doing a holiday up on Islay which will involve some cycling, and will update you with what I do.

PS. Apologies for the lack of updates of late, normal service should be resumed now.

Cycle Lanes Part II

Following the no doubt overwhelming response from readers of this very blog, the government seems to be backtracking on the idea of cycle lanes being compulsory.

Story on Government News Network

"Use cycle routes, advanced stop lines, cycle boxes and toucan crossings unless at the time it is unsafe to do so. Use of these facilities is not compulsory and will depend on your experience and skills, but they can make your journey safer."

Cycle Lane Petition

Cycle lanes are obviously "a good thing", generally making cycling more pleasant and safer. Unfortunately there are now moves afoot (see here) to make it compulsory to use one, when it's there. This is very much a bad thing as far as I am concerned, mostly because it fosters the attitude that cycle lanes are the *only* place for cyclists and encourages the already prevelant attitude that roads are for cars and we are somehow intruding on *their* space.


On top of that they are not always well maintained, kept free of parked cars and often integrate back into the road at rather dangerous spots.

Sign the petition here if you agree (thanks to the Crap Cycle Lanes of Croydon blog for the pic.

Sorry for the lack of posts...

...I've been on holiday. Normal service will be resumed shortly.

Cycling Entering The Mainstream...

...at least in London. The front cover of today's Evening Standard is an editorial piece launching a "New Campaign For Safer Cycling". They want:

1 A real cycle network across London
2. Better cycle lanes with proper segregation
3. Enforcement of special advanced stop lines for cyclists
4. HGVs to be fitted with special cyclist safety mirrors
5. Compulsory cyclist awareness training for all bus drivers and new HGV
drivers
6. Cycle-friendly streets: fewer one-way systems which funnel cyclists
into the middle of traffic
7. More cycle parking across London
8. A police crack down on cycle theft
9. Make safe the Thames bridges: some of the most dangerous places for
cyclists
10. Campaign to alert the self-employed that they can claim a 20p a mile
cycling allowance against tax
11. Better cycle-bus-rail coordination: adequate parking at all railway
stations
12. Cycle training for all schoolchildren and any adult who wants it.

All pretty reasonable, I'd say. Most interesting it shows how much cycling has now entered the mainstream, in London at least, and is no longer solely regarded the preserve of right-on-lefty-types (and I speak as a right-on-lefty-type :-)

Interesting/Alarming Article

Today's Time has an article on a bit of research that shows that (apparently) more women are being killed on the roads by lorries turning left, because they are more likely to obey red lights.

My own way to avoid this (without jumping the red), is to *never* have a vehicle alongside you at a junction; lorry, bus or car. Either stop behind the vehicle at the front of the queue, or nudge out in front where the vehicle can see you (if safe to do so, and you're not peeing off the pedestrians crossing the road). Drivers seem spend their lives suddenly deciding to turn left at junctions, so you don't want to get in the way.

Recumbents

I have to admit, I've always wanted to try out a recumbent (one of those bikes you lie down on, rather than sit up on), to see what they're like and see if you really can go a million miles-an-hour on them. The only problem is that I don't know anyone with one.

However this morning I found London Recumbents, a bike hire place in Dulwich Park who hire them out. They also hire "normal" bikes and provide traffic-free park-area to practice on, which I imagine is great for those who are thinking of buying a bike, but haven't ridden one since they were 13.

I'll report once I've given one a try.

Chopper

I saw this bike in Soho Square today. Whereas my Specialized hybrid is a respectable, non-smoking, middle of the road type bike, this bike has a cigarette stuck to it's lip, drinks, gets tattoos and has a rockabilly haircut.

Possibly the best thing you will ever buy for your bike

Almost every cyclist I know has the following story. You buy a bike and start by using a hand-pump, mostly because you've probably used one before and they only cost about 3 quid. With a reasonably amount of elbow grease you inflate your tyres to what seems like "pretty pumped up".

Then one day you plug in a pump with a gauge on it and find that you've been riding around for 6 months on half-inflated tyres. You now inflate them to the correct amount and the first time you go out on the bike again, it rides like the day you bought it! Nothing will sap the speed you cycle at like riding around on under-inflated tyres.

I currently have one from Decathalon for £20, which works fine but is a complete pain to connect and disconnect from the tyre. I used one of these from Wiggle at the weekend at it was much easier. Definitely worth the extra 10 pounds I think.

PS Don't forget to keep your hand-pump for when you're out and about.

Devon Coast to Coast Prep. Part I

Some friends and I have decided to do the Devon Coast to Coast in June this year, so did our first preparation ride on Sunday. Went for the nice, straightforward 18 miler to start with, the Heron Trail. As most of my long distance rides have been on my own, I have to admit I'd forgotten how fun it can be cycling with other people.

Unfortunately I forgot to take a camera, so have no amazing pictures to display, however we did see some nice, rolling estuary countryside, a baby rabbit, a castle and some excellent mispellings on a pub poster. The route would be of particular interest to bird lovers, as it passes not one but two RSPB bird reserves. Otherwise though it was a most pleasant trip.

Prepostorous Puncture

Last weekend I got a puncture and while feeling around inside the tyre for the tack or thorn that had caused it I found this.

It was almost totally inside the tyre, with only maybe 1mm protruding to the outside world.

This must be a world record for largest item found in a tyre.

Free Bike Checkup...

...in Brockwell Park. According to Lambeth Cyclists

"Lambeth Council has organised a series of Dr Bike's, in Brockwell Park,
run by Cycle Training UK.

There's one this Sunday 18th March 12-4pm. We should be up by the cafe."

Velorution

Velorution is a cool little bike shop with a difference. If you ride in London, chances are you ride (and were sold) something pretty sporty, either something closely related to a racer (something designed for cycling at 40mph through the French country side whacked up on EPO) or a mountain bike (designed for pulling "gnarly" moves in the great outdoors). The Velorution philosophy seems to be that neither of these designs are especially designed for riding around the city in comfort and style, and so they've looked to the Continent for bikes and inspiration (think the kind of bikes you seem in Amsterdam). The intention is that these are the kind of bikes you could ride in your work clothes (not lycra) and need little maintainence.

Some of them are absolutely gorgeous, and it's quite refreshing to walk around a bike shop where most of them have 7 gears, not 27. Unfortunately such style does not currently come cheap, but who knows maybe this could be the beginning of a sea change in London bike culture.

Getting Out of London

One of the best things about having a bike in London, is being able to take it out of London! The best books I've come across so far, are the Philip's Cycle Tours ones. The rides tend to be around the 20-40 mile mark, with a range of difficulties and all of them are circular. The directions are pretty clear and feature Ordnance Survey maps, so if you're used to them, you'll be fine. The book also lists the nearest station so you can get there and back.

My only quibbles are that I would prefer a few longer rides, and that the mix of difficulties varies from book to book (some seem to have more easy or difficult ones than others), so check before you buy that it has the right level for you.

Around South London
Around North London