What are /r/ukbike's favorite Products & Services?

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New to cycling. Started a couple of months ago on a nasty old MTB off ebay. Treated myself to an upgrade from Decathlon in the sales

Riding locally at the moment, did 17 miles yesterday - https://www.strava.com/activities/477151137

It's the first time I've ridden a bike in at least 15 + years and I am addicted. I'm trying to get out at least 3 times a week but the awful weather is preventing me at the moment. It's bloody muddy out there:

Imgur

https://www.amazon.co.uk/100-Greatest-Cycling-Climbs-Cyclists/dp/0711231206/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?dchild=1&qid=1620657113&refinements=p_27%3ASimon+Warren&s=books&sr=1-6

Check out Simon Warren’s books. Even if you disagree his rating of some climbs (many do!) they’re at least a great place to start your climbing adventure! Enjoy - there’s little better than the sense if accomplishment from taking on and beating the best and worst of British hills!

Every now and then this comes up and shows how poorly it was reported. Basically that study still showed that cyclists breath in more pollution per minute during a busy 4km route in Leeds (~1.09m per minute
vs ~.95m p/m in a car), but got to their destination quicker and don't spend as much time in the "pollution bubbles" caused by traffic because they can filter or use bike paths.

Bright LEDs have gotten a lot cheaper recently so £50 will easily get you some good lights. Kind of hard to list the best lights as there are so many of them.

A cheap set like this on Amazon should be fine for most people. I picked up these planet x ones a while ago although swapped the back one for a knock off Fly6 camera light from Aldi.

Jesus that Nolan bloke could do with cycle commuting to work. At his weight, he's going to collapse and I hope someone who has seen the section that came before the cycle hate (CPR demo) stops to resuscitate his hate-filled grotesque body. The other panellist even admits that cyclists are going twice the speed of cars, this is literally the reason why it makes sense to cycle. Then they wheel a few mixed clips of crappy drivers hitting cyclists, car dooring and the like. Then a useful moron moans about being delayed by some cyclists on her summer day, then claims a few twitter trolls are the end of her life. These fucks are so obvious, people want segregated cycle paths so we don't have to get overtaken by idiots like on this show.

I like to think most people would think that George Hook is being an obnoxious piece of shit on that TV show. A lot of the audience could do with getting on bikes, they are crippling the NHS by sitting in their cars and they have the cheek to blame bikes for all their problems.

If you want to see to fresh, it's from 47:00

Got another response from Bernard Atha

>1. I understand your frustration. If you can let me have evidence of your complaints re car parking on double yellow lines or the cycle lanes please let me have them and I will find out why you never had a reply.

>2. I am keen on prosecutions when persuasion and social responsibility have failed to achieve observance of the rules.

>3. As a colleague of John Illingworth it would be impossible for me or Lucinda Yeadon not to be made regularly aware of the needs of cyclists.

>4. Thank you for your approach. I wish more cyclists would make a similar effort

>5. I do not need to cycle to realise the dangers thereof but thank you for the offer,

>Bernard Atha.

I now have this amusing image in my head that John keeps banging on about how good cycling is to anyone that'll listen in the office :P

To which my response was:

>Hi Bernard,

>Thank you for your reply.

>I sent the complaints via a web form on the council site, so can't really show any evidence of what's been sent.

>Do you know where I can send these complaints in the future, I don't want to annoy or hassle the wrong people, but I do want to continue to report things to the relevant authority.

>I'll be updating my public dropbox folder each time I spot something:

>https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5pk84ckxhs0rwju/BPdqGSm5Dz

>John sent me a very positive email back, something I was not expecting. If you see him in the office, tell him I said thanks again.

>Again, thank you for your reply.

> Motorists see cyclists and just have this automatic trigger to overtake. No assessment of the situation involved; just "I see cyclists, must overtake".

MGIF

I always enjoy ending a ride at a coastal town and Whitstable is really nice and not too crowded.

Followed this route - https://ridewithgps.com/trips/51237721

First 15 miles or so are the usual slog through traffic and A roads but at one point you veer off and go through some absolutely stunning and quiet lanes. There was one solid 30 minute stretch where I didn’t come across a single car. No major climbs and last 20 miles or so are mostly flat so not too bad on the legs.

Took a packed lunch with me and sat on the seafront eating it at the end - bliss! Easy train back to London to either Victoria or St Pancras (Strava thought I teleported back, hence the straight line).

Completely depends where you are starting from in London. What's your starting postcode?

In the Berks and Bucks area try to avoid the Bath Road.

Avoid Slough and other main towns if you can help it. Windsor is an exception though it has a good local network for bikes.

Look at adapting the Palace to Palace 45 mile route if you're coming from central or south it's a nice route. Maidenhead is a short ride from Windsor.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27063832

Or the 90 miler if you want to go hill hunting https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27063844

Guess your after info from someone who knows the route, but in case you'd be happier with a route creator that's better than google, then the following will help.

Google is not really interested in Cycling and much of their data is simply wrong. Best routing software/websites use OpenStreetMaps for their data.

CycleStreets produces some of best routes, but can be biased towards cycle tracks some of which may not have great surfaces. It suggest the following for your journey https://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/61087781/#balanced

The komoot app & website also uses OpenStreetMaps, but allows you to make a choice between touring, road cycling & mountain biking. In other words attempts to take into account surface. So if you choose road bike your more likely to be kept on good roads. The app is becoming very popular. https://www.komoot.com

Cheaper than a shed you could just buy a plastic bike-box.

For instance this one on Amazon seems to have decent reviews. May as well just get one right off the bat rather than wasting time on covers - it's also a real faff to put covers on/off. If you're using the bikes regularly eg for commuting, it makes a huge difference to be able to just easily put them away.

You could buy something like these for your pump and put it anywhere you want. I have it as low down on the seat tube as I can get without fouling on the pedals/crank arm, I found it very secure.

From my experience the kryptonite holder is terrible and I just preferred to keep the lock in my bag if I'm bringing it with me.

I got the Amazon ones and they're the same. The listing just had incorrect dimensions.

Cleaned the disks and then put in the new pads and the brakes work well now. Kept the old ones just incase, probably only need a clean. But the Amazon ones are £10 for 4 sets so they're worth replacing.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0855N33HV

There's the link for anyone that stumbles across this thread.

> Open Cycle Map Netherlands vs. UK

If you actually look at the situation on the ground, those are not all cycle paths - the purple routes seem to be more rural, quieter and with a 40mph limit.

There's a network with numbered nodes and routes between each one, for example:

https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/42300745#map=14/51.2908/3.9648&layers=C

https://goo.gl/maps/TMXx5Bsq22vUc3cb8

Of course it also helps when the Netherlands is flatter, and they've built cycle paths along their main roads.

https://redditenhancementsuite.com/

I guess it might be a bit light on actual description of what it does. Basically, you can block users, tag users, filter keywords, filter out sub-reddits on the /all page, switch between different accounts easily, etc. Way more things in there than I've ever had a wish to use. I use it mainly to filter out irrelevant subs.

Thanks for the advice, it doesn't have to be Halfords thats just what I default to for bikes lol.

Would you say a new or even used Voodoo/Vitus is better than say a used Giant Full Sus at the same price point as Giant seems to be a liked brand?

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/giant-anthem-x2-full-sus-mountain-bike.-medium-ali-frame./1379079234

There's a video on the kickstarter page of them cycling down some steps. As usual it's hard to say how much rattle that really causes. We really want test to destruction to see how far they'll go.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1238747394/double-o-a-simple-safe-secure-bike-light

>The expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect

-Oxford Dictionaries

A bit clearer.

The word you are, in fact, looking for is coincidental. A common misuse of the word ironic.

Thanks for the quick responses. Will check out them links.

I've had a look at the Triban as well as the Giant Defy. Should I be looking to pay around £250 for a 2014 Defy 3 in good nick?

Found this as well, what are your opinions on it?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GT-Series-4-Road-bike-56cm-/162382441629?hash=item25cebf6c9d:g:NloAAOSw44BYlLQG

And this:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/Norco-Valence-A3-2015-Mens-Road-Bike---Large-Aluminium-Frame-(58cm)----Carbon-Fork/1219570584

The second I posted in /r/dartmoor I got your comment ah ha! I did the Princetown/Barrtor loop today, my urban hybrid did pretty well for most the journey but the last half or so back up to Princetown (clockwise) it was way out of its comfort zone, should have stolen my dads hybrid which front suspension and larger tyres. Here's my Strava from today if you're interested.

And that's cool, I did the Granite way a few weeks ago and I'd love to do the whole Dartmoor way but I don't really have the equipment and the time at the moment.

EDIT: http://www.reddit.com/r/dartmoor/comments/2v894v/perfect_day_for_a_cycle/

Most of south london (myself included) goes out on at the weekends, leaving houses, converging at crystal palace and then heading out on the same roads from there.

Here's the Dulwich Paragon intro ride: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/15424651

It's a good starter for SE london: Out from crystal palace to west wickham, up layhams road, up beddlestead hill, and pause for a flapjack at the top of the north downs ridge.

From there, some people turn left and left to tatsfield, then from there cudham, downe, and up anerley hill to cadence bike shop at crystal palace for a well earned coffee. Some people go left and do a loop of Woldingham school, climbing back up Gangers Hill up to the ridge of the north downs.

Others go down the main road, turn left onto pilgrims way, then turn right into westerham or brasted - from there you can tackle Toys and Ide hills to the south - and on your return go up one of the equally completely shit Brasted or Sundridge hills.

If you want to stick around for some more hills and then get the train back, Sevenoaks is nearby.

Hi. I have a Wahoo Element Bolt but I all Wahoo head units have the functionality.

If you scroll to the bottom of this webpage it gives you instructions on how to sync the Wahoo and Komoot.

Then on my Wahoo Bolt I naviagte to the Route page and press the sync button. My Bolt connects to my wifi and syncs with Komoot.

If you don't want to sync with Komoot directly then you can export the gpx, import it into the Wahoo element app, pair the Wahoo head unit to your phone, via bluetooth, and the route will be added to the Wahoo head unit.

I rode the towpath from Slimbridge to Gloucester recently, with a detour along the green in Frampton. It had been dry, and 30c road tyres were fine, even carrying camping gear. The towpath is all on one side, and there are quite a few bridges, so you should be fine. If you decide against the canal, there are quiet lanes that cover most of the distance, with only about 3 km where you have to go on the A38.
Check out my Komoot route if you want: https://www.komoot.com/tour/224847403?ref=wtd

It depends where in London you are, it's not all flat. I commute from Caterham, in Surrey, and can get in a couple of 14%'s on my way in (to Canary Wharf), going over Sanderstead and Sydenham Hill / Crystal Palace. Though I can also cycle through the valley, and Penge to avoid both climbs for more of a rolling course. All in all though it's only really pan-flat close to the river. Wikipedia has a good list of climbs.

Ah okay. The partial chainguard should stop most crud flicked up from the front wheel from ending up in the chain, so I personally don't think you would need the chain cleaner or lube that others are advising. Just take it into a shop once a year (this is advisable to do anyway) and they will clean and regrease the drivetrain for you.

A lock is definitely advisable. For that style of bike I would advise getting a frame lock (here's an example) for short stops, and then a chain for longer / higher risk situations. You can get some frame locks which allow a chain to be plugged into them, which makes things a bit simpler as you only need one key for everything. You would need some tools and a bit of your own time to fit such a lock though.

Panniers would be a good upgrade, but maybe see how you get on just with the basket for now. Otherwise I think you just need to get out there and enjoy riding!

I think the Abus Ugh rack bracket would work nicely for that... I've got one for attaching the lock, but I imagine you could attach the tripod with it too. I think it would clamp one tripod leg, so you'd need a strap to hold the rest of the legs closed.

I'm using this one from Amazon, it fits in my bottle cage a bit loose, but it's working well. Hot coffee on a ride is highly recommended!

Wahoo app for bluetooth sensors works great.

I used successfully in the past xertonline workout player for Android with ant+ and Bluetooth. I am not sure if it is still available on the free plan though.

This is an open source, simple app that was recommended to me but I haven't used it. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.atrainingtracker

Following the similar apps you can see some, such as this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.twom.bico

For ant+, unless you have a rare phone that supports it, you will need a dongle. I connectedil mine with a standard usb-3 to usb-c adapter. Not idea how well it works.****

Are there holes near the wheel dropouts at all?

If there are you can get one of these to allow a "traditional" pannier rack

Amazon link you will want to check diameters etc this is just an example

If you don't, topeak make This rack which could be useful - you do have to buy their special bags though. I have used one of the slidy bags for 7 years to commute and highly rate it. Although I have always had one of their "normal" pannier racks for it. The max weight it can take is 7kg though....

i've got Giro lace up road shoes with an MTB cleat on but i had to buy a base plate add on because the sole was completely flat, this made it more like and MTB sole and made it easier to walk on other than that they are fine for me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00NEZS1MW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

OK, can confirm I had 2h45m out of this one tonight:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B089QB81VT/

I only just bought it, I wanted to put the SJ4000 in the car because it has better options. The Piwoka only has basic options but it kept going the whole ride. The GoPro was off when I got back, not sure if battery or because I fumbled switching it on.

I think it just became too iconic. "Zen and the art of ..." has entered the language. I've heard people describe it as awful philosophy (I wouldn't know; seemed fine to me) and I saw an interview with a woman who said it was a deal-breaker if her date said "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" was their favourite book. Probably a lucky escape for him.

> I saw an interview with a woman who said it was a deal-breaker if her date said "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" was their favourite book. Probably a lucky escape for him.

Ha, yea if a deal breaker is over a single book. Dude got off lucky!

If you want to improve the surface information CycleStreets gives you I can recommend you StreetComplete. Very easy to add missing informations to OpenStreetMap with it.

I personally recommend an android app called Locus Pro, it's a little expensive but worth every penny, never needed a cycling GPS. I use a Roswheel phone holder with a portable phone charger inside. This is assuming you have an android device with GPS, but I have saved myself a lot of money using this setup and I just thought I'd share :)

these are the ones we always recommend at our shop. you can service them easily and one of our coworkers has been using the same set for 6 years on his daily bike and never had an issue.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/RSP-Unisex-Adult-Sealed-Pedal/dp/B00IPDVEHM/ref=sr_1_2?c=ts&keywords=Pedals&qid=1670252872&refinements=p_89%3ARSP&s=cycling&sr=1-2&ts_id=550021011

also, if you don't like the studs, you can remove them

Hey, I had a similar issue when switching from a backpack to a pannier rack + trunk bag.

I ended up getting one of these to hold one of these.

There is a centre mounting point that you could use in that hole. It also comes with (I think) two cable-zip ties (or just use your own) that you can use to help tie down the rest of the mount.

I think this is your light? If you still have the rubber insert bits I think it might on the horizontal bar of your rack. They're usually for attaching to the seat stays (the narrow bits of the bike frame). If you don't have them you can use some insulation tape, packing foam or something to make the pole wide enough to fit.

Just make sure you can see the light clearly from both sides - if you can't I'd maybe consider getting a 2nd light or try my suggestion of attaching the light to something sticking out of the pannier bottle holder. :)

I use these too - I currently have four, one on every member of the families bikes.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TEMINICE-Rechargeable-Waterproof-Headlight-Bicycles/dp/B07ZLMRQXF?

They are simple, durable, waterproof and bright enough for unlit cyclepaths.

On Amazon they appear with different brands, the mounts differ but the lights are the same and each fit the other mounts. The manufacturer is MagicShine.

This is the only one on my initial search that I could find - I think for under 40 quid you'll be pushing it. There are more choices at Wiggle if you expand your budget to under £50... you could always pay for next day delivery if you need to know when it will arrive.

You could get a stand like this, or a wall mounted solution if you have the space.

What about this one:

https://www.amazon.se/-/en/gp/product/B0068FAU7O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ANU9KP01APNAG&psc=1

Yeah this thread has convinced me to just get a respectable track pump. Is the entry level Lezyne a decent enough choice? £38 or should i fork out for the admittedly much prettier wood handle £50 bad boy

If it reassures you somewhat, I've just purchased a second hand bike (not an e-bike) which I've been busily fxing up and servicing in the evenings and weekends which has hydraulic brakes (disc). I'm mechanically minded in general but also quite new to bikes, I did have some reservations about how I'd manage with the hydraulic side of things but I've found it pretty straightforward to clean the pistons, bleed and repressurise the system, and generally calibrate the brakes, much easier than I generally find mechanical rim brakes on my wife and daughter's bikes. I had to buy some hydraulic fluid (twice as I knocked the first bottle over on my garage floor) and I bought an ezmtb kit from Amazon which I've been pretty impressed with.

I have a handlebar mounted bottle cage, so space is limited. I was able to mount a light behind the front brakes, and I use this bell to save space.

It's taken be back to a quite clean space on the bars, So I still have space for a food pouch.

Here's a link which includes a cockpit photo. There's nothing on the bar behind the pouch.

I had a crisis about how much space got taken up a few months ago and tried to hard to clean up 😂

Nice solution! I went with some cheap p clips that are really secure - highly recommended if you need something that'll cope with heavier loads (I went on a full laden tour around the Isle of Arran a few months ago and they were perfect). Out of interest, how are those Decathlon bags? I was so close to buying them before my girlfriend got me some fancy bags. Here's my beautiful beater with the clips and bags.

Also, are there any good traffic-free routes in Beds you'd recommend? Ma u/myrealnameisboring lives in Cranfield and I wanna do some riding when I visit.

I use Rhino Goo to clean my bike its really good and its cheap, don't buy Muc-off brushes you can find cheaper ones. You can just clean your chain with a stiff bristled brush you don't need a fancy chain cleaner.

I did a similar-sounding route for years, it's fantastic. My top tips:

• you want unfortunately heavy, puncture proof tyres. Reflective sidewalls are quite nice to have too.
• at least 2 red lights on the back, I used to keep 3 so one could fail or bounce off without me noticing and I'd still have 2.
• one really bright, rechargeable front light (I love these: trelock lights on amazon) plus a little one you can leave on flashing and use as backup.
• full length mudguards.
• keep a track pump and a couple of spare tubes at work.
• Thick gloves and overshoes or winter boots. I love my lake winter boots, I used to keep work shoes in my desk.
• I love my paramo cycling jacket in winter. Look for new 'seconds' on eBay.
• Ortlieb panniers are indestructible and completely waterproof. Laptop will be fine in a padded sleeve.
• If you live somewhere it doesn't rain *that* often, rainlegs are quite effective.

Idea 1, a frame bag which will be nice to store wallet, phone etc in: https://www.wiggle.co.uk/vaude-triangle-frame-bag

Idea 2, an alternate mount from Kryptonite: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000NOO40U/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A78KJF5XDCZ5M&psc=1

And down vote for asking a question? Poor form Reddit...

You can buy a wooden pegboard to cover the area of the wall that the wall mount would be on.

Personally, I like to clean my bike if I've been out in the rain or mud too long. I keep a Tool Bottle on the third bottle mount on my bike. In it, I keep some wipes, sponge etc to clean the bike.

I think reading The Miracle Pill really did it for me.

I really just wanted to be able to do my daily errands while also getting a bit of exercise, save money longterm (overall substantially cheaper than a car + no petrol/car insurance), and not contribute to road noise and pollution. "Be the change you want to see" and all.

Cycling for me has always been a leisure activity. Now it'll also be utilitarian.

this stuff is proper good: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rhino-Goo-Fast-Action-Cleaner/dp/B07HM1LRYV/ref=sr_1_5?crid=88GAV28M5NNW&keywords=rhino%2Bgoo&qid=1658832298&sprefix=rhino%2Bgoo%2Caps%2C72&sr=8-5&th=1

And a park chain cleaner https://www.amazon.co.uk/Park-Tool-CG-2-4-Bicycle-Cleaning/dp/B07Z8JH85V/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=park+chain+cleaner&qid=1658832378&sprefix=park+chain+%2Caps%2C67&sr=8-8 These things are well worth the money. When the park chain cleaning gunk is used up, refill it with rhino goo.

Thats your drive train sorted. Rinse it off, dry on an old shirt or towel and apply some muc off dry or wet lube depending on conditions.

You can dilute the rhino goo with water as a general use cleaner but the muc off concentrate is good value. A cheap dish brush and a bottle brush will deal with the frame.

If you're feeling fancy, get some silicon shine spray, spray some on a cloth (keep well clear of the disks!) and rub the frame down. Makes it smell nice and stops dirt sticking so much.

Get a helmet obv, gloves for comfort and cycling glasses go along way.

If you find yourself enjoying cycling and end up doing more Velo 2 has been amazing for me.

Neither design is great for rotational adjustment.

That's definitely a huge range for fore / aft though. And side to side is provided by the two parts of the cleat

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SHIMANO-SM-SH51-Mountain-Pedal-Cleats/dp/B000R2MYB4/

(to the extent that it's not blocked by the tread of the shoe)

I got this bad boy as my headlight:

Victoper Wesho Rechargeable Headlight with 3 Lights 4 Modes, 6000 Lumen Super Bright LED Lamp, Hands-Free Flashlight Head Torch for Running, Camping, Fishing, Cycling, Hiking, Waterproof https://amzn.eu/d/gYQAKcg

And this as my taillight:

OLIGHT RN 180 TL Rear Bike Lights... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B091GQND5F?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I’m lit up better than a Christmas tree wearing a hi-vis jacket on the sun

Sure thing, it was this camera. Well it was the 1080p model. It lasted a few years, daily commutes.

The battery lasted around 1.5-2 hours. Not great but worked perfect for most of my rides and commutes.

I'm just about to pull the trigger and buy another, this Go Pro is driving me crazy. Heck the cheap camera came with a full mounting kit and 2 batteries, the Go Pro had nothing.

I’ve tried a bunch of cheap phone mounts from amazon. The best one I’ve found was one similar to this

No bother!

That's shit about the frame; it's not nice to have write something off like that. Better than it failing at an inopportune moment and losing your teeth though!

If you come up against a rounded out hex bolt in the future, it's possible to get them out using a dedicated extractor tool or in a pinch you can use a torx bit of a slightly larger size, hammered in, as an emergency option.

The loop on the left side of the "ramp" for each bike, that presumably you're meant to lock to, seems poorly positioned. Other racks of a similar design that I'd seen either have this further forward, so a lock can more easily reach the frame from that position, or the loop can actually rotate into the desired position. Maybe you'd have more options if you put the bike in back wheel first?

My concern here would be that some of the potential locking points look like they would be easier to cut through than a decent lock would be. I'm assuming this is at a train station or similar, if I had to leave my bike somewhere like that for more than a couple of hours using racks like these, I'd probably use one of the top racks and lock the frame around the rack itself with a chain (this is the chain + padlock I use).

Go dutch. Great for commuting and pootling about. Search ebay for "Real Classic" in cycling, like this one, which is the posher version with dynamo, lights and extra gears.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363814336511

Then spend the rest on a good lock and a fresh saddle.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00IYAZDY6

Sorry only just saw your reply.

It was this one - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ryobi-R18SDS-0-Cordless-Rotary-Hammer/dp/B00VEU9JZC

But you can only use SDS drill bits as its not a normal screw (right word?) chuck. You just slot them in

I think you can buy SDS drill bits but they are not cross compatible and probably more expensive

I've got a UrRider and use it on my gravel bike. It's fairly good. It sits quite close to your seat so you end up a bit bow legged. We used a Hamax on the rear but my son outgrew that and much prefers the UrRider. I much prefer it too, it's much more sociable and enjoyable being able to talk. He got too big for it when he was 4 and a half, although he's quite big.

It is better on a mountain bike but perfectly usable, if a bit more cramped, on a drop bar.

I also have a miniature human, I have had difficulty with what to do.

This is what I'm currently considering.

Oxford Unisex's Little Explorer Top Tube Mounted Child Seat, Black, Ideal for Ages 3-6 Years (22Kg Weight Limit) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XXJT5SJ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_97XM9P01RAGFCR2HM40X

Depends how aggressive the bike geo is as to whether that will work.

I don't think anyone's mentioned a bag to put all your essentials in. I use a Topeak Aero Wedge Pack, but plenty of others make them too.

Draper Redline 68037 15 mm Metric Combination Spanner https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B013I03G0Y/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_GM33T76AY1NX86SS7MCB

Been using this for past year. Bit cheaper.

Very good for torquing down bolts and steel track ends.

This might work for you: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bosch-2607017160-Screwdriving-Ratchet-Pieces/dp/B0071IK9CI/

Just remove the bits you don't need for your bike and put the ones you do in a watertight container

>The metal will likely be trivial to cut through compared to the locks, it's unlikely to be hardened steel. Though locks through the wheels and having the two bikes locked together will make them awkward to carry away. First of all I'd ask your landlord, in writing, to fix that door. I'd also see if you can get some more secure parking sorted, and/or some CCTV. A simple Ground/Wall anchor will be much more secure, and might allow your bikes to be stored a little more out of the way; does need to be drilled into brick or concrete though. Another ground anchor option is few large chain links submerged in a bucket of concrete; theoretically moveable, but manoeuvring a bike and a 30kg bucket of concrete will be bloody hard work. > >Definitely register them both on bikeregister.com, you can do it straight away with just the frame number. That makes it harder to sell to someone honest if they happen to check, makes sure you can prove ownership, and will allow the police to return your bike to you in the (admittedly very rare) chance they seize it as stolen. Further to that, you can buy marking kits which act as further deterrent, because they'll make the bikes very difficult to sell directly. That said, many stolen bikes are shipped abroad and/or stripped for parts, which makes marking the frame less of a problem.

30 kg ≈ 964.50000 troy ounces

^^^[WHY](/r/UselessConversionBot/comments/1knas0/hi_im_useless/)

The metal will likely be trivial to cut through compared to the locks, it's unlikely to be hardened steel. Though locks through the wheels and having the two bikes locked together will make them awkward to carry away. First of all I'd ask your landlord, in writing, to fix that door. I'd also see if you can get some more secure parking sorted, and/or some CCTV. A simple Ground/Wall anchor will be much more secure, and might allow your bikes to be stored a little more out of the way; does need to be drilled into brick or concrete though. Another ground anchor option is few large chain links submerged in a bucket of concrete; theoretically moveable, but manoeuvring a bike and a 30kg bucket of concrete will be bloody hard work.

Definitely register them both on bikeregister.com, you can do it straight away with just the frame number. That makes it harder to sell to someone honest if they happen to check, makes sure you can prove ownership, and will allow the police to return your bike to you in the (admittedly very rare) chance they seize it as stolen. Further to that, you can buy marking kits which act as further deterrent, because they'll make the bikes very difficult to sell directly. That said, many stolen bikes are shipped abroad and/or stripped for parts, which makes marking the frame less of a problem.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this one - https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005YOMCCQ - it gives a very friendly and old fashioned style Brrring which is always well received by pedestrians (unlike my previous Ding-er bell), while still being surprisingly loud and resonant at full ring.

That's more of a "keeping bikes upright" rack than a secure locking facility. Putting aside the fact it only really lets you lock up a wheel, it may not even be hardened steel. In which case it'll be easy work for an angle grinder, or possibly even bolt cutters. You can test that by taking a file or a hacksaw to it; if it does anything more than a light scratch it's not secure.

I'd ask if you can install a ground anchor, which along with a chain lock will do a much better job of keeping things safe.

> I can't remember a pollution warning in the winter before

I mean, it's not that uncommon for pollution to peak in winter, for an explanation see this article for example. Whether there is an official warning is something that depends on whether such warnings are a thing at all as much as it depends on pollution levels. I really really doubt London air quality used to be better, so I think they just didn't usually warn people about it given that it was just bad most of the time anyway.

Many thanks /u/Yacoby for the specific trail recommendations! I will only have a couple days to ride, possibly only one, so I'd love to get on a top-notch trail, rather than an average one, and I don't mind a bit of a drive to get to it. I'll be on vacation. Time to do some Strava and Trailforks homework.

/u/kidill : I live in Salt Lake City, UT, so my rides typically have lots of hills, but not too much mud. Plenty of dry, rocky desert and mountains in Utah. Here are some examples of what I would consider a 'good' ride. Not something that I do everyday, but not something that would exhaust me or that I would struggle to finish: JEM Trail and Flying Dog

> And no, you cannot cycle at 40mph anywhere in Great Budworth other than the steep hill down to the A559, and if you do that you're a lunatic because the junction is still on a steep slope. The article is just full of bullshit.

My guess is that someone went on Strava and found this segment https://www.strava.com/activities/391279980#9378765764

So yes, one person has managed to reach 40mph (just), somewhere not far away from Great Budworth. However, the top four times for that segment were all done on the same day, and I'd be willing to bet that the road was closed for a race.

EDIT: It was the "Manchester 100". Also, my maths was wrong, his top speed was slightly under 40mph.

If you see something missing, create an OpenStreetMap-account; login with it and add it yourself. All the data goes to OpenStreetMap, the database that also powers OsmAnd, maps.me; mapbox, komoot and so many other sources.

With other words, if you add a missing drinking water spot or a missing bicycle pump, it'll probably be also added into you favourite cycling app at the next update of the app.

I use something like this caliper gauge

Totally get your concern, even in the quietest of villages I still fear my bike will be stolen - there isn’t always a place to lock the bike, but if your just nipping into the shop, you could lock your wheels up with these little portable locks (I’ll link them below). They should stop anyone being able to immediately cycle off with your bike.

Hiplok Z LOK COMBO Multi-use Security Tie & Bike Lock https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079P5Y7KK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_BP4XYZRDCBDEHC9EG6CB

But honestly, you’ll probably be fine just posting the bike up by the shop door/window and running in, some even let you wheel the bike in the door!

> like the old railway between Victoria Park and Stockton Heath - it has those incredibly annoying barriers every few hundred yards, for absolutely no reason I can discern

I try to to this loop - https://www.strava.com/activities/520256035 - a few times a week after work and I fucking hate those gates!These type - http://imgur.com/Z32kgRl - are a pain in the arse too

Having him drive with you the entire time might be overkill. Could you set up a few points where he'll wait for you? If you do have a mechanical you can't fix, you can give him a ring and he won't be too far away.

Though you can also do it self-supported, like an audax (Audax UK has this 200km New Forest event, which is this route). You can stop at a pub or a cafe to buy some food and refill bottles, service stations are good stops during the night, and most cemeteries will have a tap if you just need water.

Yes it does depend on where in the country you are, and some places are better for it than others. What helps me optimise my off-road routes to minimise the amount of time spent on roads in between them is the opencyclemap.org map layer in komoot. Which shows bridleways as bright green dotted lines, cycleways as blue, and footpaths as brown. And then you can trace your route along those green/blue lines. You might discover some decent local off-road routes you didn't know existed.

I live in Edinburgh and find it really cycle friendly around town as there is a fairly extensive network of old railway routes and separated cycleways. The surrounding areas are also absolutely fantastic for leisure cycling

https://www.openstreetmap.org/search?query=edinburgh#map=12/55.9465/-3.1883&layers=C

Alas, not cheap (but not London prices).

I'm a big guy too (6"4 and must be around 18 stone) so it's a real struggle for me.

It's the second part of it that gets me, the first bit past the brewery isn't that hard. . . but the second part of it gets really steep at the top. It doesn't help that I face it after 8 hours of manual labour either.

One weekend I'm thinking about going out for a group ride with these guys: https://www.facebook.com/leedscycle they do a steady paced 10 - 15 mile cycle each weekend, you should come along.

My main bike has it handlebar mounted below a Garmin mount using the Ghost mounting kit. I also have a helmet mount for when I'm using any of my other bikes.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/barracuda-vela-3-hybrid-bike/1416311882

The frame is 21 inches. What size is it means? Google websites says various sizes... L or XL? I am 182cm tall The seller said he is 5 foot 10 and its suits his height

I ended up going to a local 2nd hand bike store with my friend and ended up buying a road bike for £200:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/mint-condition-fully-serviced-dawes-56-cm-sti-gearing-system-700c-road-bike-/1408865122

Probably not as good of a deal but it felt really fun to ride (I have no experience anyway so I wouldnt know better) and atleast I can take it back to him incase anything goes wrong. Mainly excited to get riding!

Not massive but I do have quite a few uphill and downhill bits in the commute. Should I look for road bikes instead if I do have hills?

There are quite a few in my area for around 150-200 but I don't know what I should really be looking for. There is also a shop that fixes up and resells bikes for around 150-200 as well.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/raleigh-pursuit-54cm-road-bike-......-like-new/1408912407

https://m.facebook.com/marketplace/item/480057879952509/

What would you think about ones like these?

That's great advice!

Do you happen to know anything about Vitus? e.g. https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/vitus-razor-road-bike-2018-with-shimano-claris-56cm-frame/1387160844

​

Yeh, its mental literally no one puts the frame size, let alone the groupset. Sometimes they don't even put the brand! Thank you :D

Hi all, come across an ad for the above bike and am wondering if it’s worth the money for the specs and age (I believe 2014 model Boardman CX Comp).

Link for ad: https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/boardman-cx-comp-road-bike/1377989720?utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_content=app_ios&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ios_social

Edit: I believe these are the specs as stock:

Approximate Weight (KG): 11.5kg Cassette: Shimano HG50 - 11-32t Chains: FSA Velo Compact 50/34t - 175mm Front Brake: Tektro Lyra Mechanical Disc Brakes - 160mm Front Hub: 9mm QR - 32 Hole Front Mech: Shimano Sora - 2 Speed Gear Shifters: Shimano Sora - STI Geometry: Boardman Cyclocross Handlebars: Boardman E4P - 400mm(S) 420mm(M) 440mm(L,XL) - 31.8mm Headset: FSA No.10P 1.1/8" - Semi Integrated Pedals: Wellgo Platform - 9/16" Rear Brake: Tektro Lyra Mechanical Disc Brakes - 160mm Rear Hub: 9mm QR - 32 Hole Rear Mech: Shimano Sora - 9 Speed Rims: Mavic XM319 - 32 Hole Saddle: Boardman E4P - Chromoly Rails Seat post: Boardman E4P - 31.6mm - 350mm with offset Stem: Boardman E4P - 100mm - 31.8 with +/-7 degree rise Tyres: Schwalbe Tyrago Kevlar Guard 700c x 37c

I can't believe you did a C2C including Hardsknott. How did you not die? This was my almost single-day c2c - we failed to get to the coast near Newcastle due to a GPS error and then my knee failed near Kendal stopping us from getting to Morcome as we planned. So, close I guess

I followed a route I found on RidewithGPS (pretty much this but starting from SE London instead https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27155753). Agree that the first 20 miles or so were miserable. Pilgrim’s Way and maybe the last 10 miles or so were great though. Sea views made it all worth it in the end

take a look at RidewithGPS.com and once you are in, the top right of the map you can choose OS cycle map to show all the bridleways and green routes.

you can also search its database for routes near you that others have uploaded with filters such as off road etc.

There's a good selection of local routes on my club (Huddersfield Star Wheelers) ride with GPS page. https://ridewithgps.com/groups/Huddersfield-Star-Wheelers-HSW

Definitely better heading anywhere but East unless the weather looks really grim on the tops.

I’ve done Exmouth to London in two days but it was part of a longer trip so my stops were less than ideal; ~80 miles along the coast to Poole, then ~130 up to London. I mostly followed the A35 for the first leg, picked mostly for expediency of planning and navigation but wouldn’t recommend it. Some killer climbs on busy narrow roads at the Devon end of things, but it got the job done. The second leg I’ve a much tidier route as I’ve done London > Poole a few times and tweaked a bit – https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30443698?privacy_code=3U4Hsp7RqC7hWAWg. As a sensible self-contained two-dayer I’d probably aim to camp or B&B somewhere in the New Forest as probably about half way and there’s a good few options.

This might be a bit more off road than you'd prefer, but on a dry day, this will be nice: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/5839024

Here's a route out to Beckenham that uses mostly off road or quiet roads, too: https://www.strava.com/activities/581361495

I can't speak for the quality of the bike itself, but if you look on facebook marketplace there are a couple there for half that price.

You might need an account to see these, but here's one in Portsmouth for £54, and here's one in Pontefract for £52. You'd have to collect, so not sure if either of these is good for you.

I've only ever had experience with the reflective jacket that I own personally, the Trespass Zig, but I'm very happy with its quality. It's breathable, and is super reflective! It's quite affordable too.

Amazon link

Not sure if it fits your requirement of "subtle during the day" - I'm assuming you mean not garish yellow or green? Unfortunately the nature of being a reflective jacket means that it will always be a bit shinier than the average jumper

I'd say head to gumtree etc and have a look at the second hand market.

I used a Carrera Vulcan to commute on for 2 years, which I then replaced with a Boardman Hybrid when my commute distance grew to 10 miles.

With Schwalbe Marathon tyres and a rack/mudguards it hasn't put a foot wrong in the 3 years I've owned it.

I paid £500 new at the time, sure you'd find a second hand one for £250 or under

There's alot of them for under 250 of any are nearby

https://www.gumtree.com/search?featured_filter=false&q=boardman%20hybrid&search_location=england&search_category=bicycles&urgent_filter=false&sort=date&search_scope=false&photos_filter=false&max_price=250

Beginner rider, but I'm in good shape fitness wise.

I'm going to be cycling to Amsterdam (200 miles or so), so I'll definitely be putting it through its paces. I've linked a few bikes below, could you let me know what you think of them?

Also this:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/Giant-Defy-3-ML-road-bike/1218377756

Thanks.

Thanks! That ad seems a bit dodgy though, very similar bike, same ad title and description, etc. for £100 less:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/specialized-globe-20-silver-folding-bike-bicycle-hi-spec-exceptional-condition/1164412015

The one you linked on ebay, but in gumtree: https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/specialized-20-folding-bike-bicycle-hi-spec-exceptional-condition/1169897474

I Use a garmin 800,can get cheap know. Can run maps,which i find good when have to follow a route i make up on pc.When only have a arrow to follow,found not every turn is indicated. on long rides like this. https://www.strava.com/activities/165519260 run a power monkey along side.Nice a compact,can be taped to stem.Gives extra 10 hours.Cuts in when battey get low.

Peak district is a favourite of mine. Catch a train to Hathersage or Edale via Sheffield and choose from several bike friendly YHA hostels. Yes, it will be hilly, but very picturesque! Here's a route from Cyclist Magazine: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/12137468