Cycling..What is it you wish you knew when you started

Marco_Panettone

Hydrocoloid plasters are amazing for grazes as they reduce scarring and speed up recovery. Shave the area around the wound first though, otherwise when you remove them you pull out body hair too!

jaffa30

the price of a decent pair of sunnyglassses I dare not tell the gaffer how much I paid or she may have a little whinge on at me ( dives for cover )

jonparr

If you commute to work on a bike, I would definitely recommend panniers as it saves arriving with sweat poring down your back! Also, if you are taking a change of clothes (for me, a shirt and trousers) roll them up, rather than fold them as they won't come out all creased at the end of the ride.

airtool

Why pay a bike shop to set your gears ?

These adjustments are a “condensed” version of what is stated on the excellent Parktool website, further advice and illustrations can be found there.

setting rear derailleur gear shift
with bike rear wheel off floor (or on bike stand)
Basics
The H and L screw settings on the derailleur set the maximum stop positions for derailleur movement from the large to small gear on wheel. But first the cable tension must be checked, if it is too tight it could affect these settings. To do this place chain on the smallest gear on the rear wheel and make sure that the gear cable adjustment inner wire is slack, loosen on cable adjuster if necessary.
Adjustments screws
“H” aligns derailleur position to smallest gear (screw clockwise moves derailleur inwards towards larger gear)
“L” aligns derailleur position to largest gear ( screw clockwise moves derailleur outwards to small gear)

Setting “H” screw
Place chain on largest gear on pedal and smallest 1st gear on rear wheel (check cable tension ok as above) DO NOT use gear shifters to change gear instead pull inner wire on frame to change gear. Adjust “H” screw to align derailleur with 1st gear and rotate pedal and check changing from 1st gear to 2nd gear and any noise when running in 1st gear. Keep screwing in “H” screw ¼ turn clockwise until gear changing is correct.

Setting “L” screw
The “L” screw sets the alignment of the derailleur to the inner large gear and more importantly stops the derailleur from hitting spokes.
Place chain on middle gear on pedal and then use gear shifter to move chain to second largest gear on rear wheel. Rotate pedal and pull gear change inner wire (not shifter)to change gear from second largest gear to largest gear, adjust “L” screw to set alignment of derailleur to large gear and to check gear change operation and for noise when running on large gear.

Cable setting
You should have set “H” and “L” settings above, the cable tension must now be set to ensure that when you “click” shifter one gear change it actually changes to next gear.
Place chain on largest pedal gear and chain on smallest gear on rear wheel. Whilst pedalling move one gear on shifter and chain should move one gear, if it does not the cable is too slack and needs adjustment which could be on the handlebar shifter or at derailleur. Tighten adjuster gradually until you to get the necessary movement.
Do not check when on large pedal gear and large rear gear because this is generally not used, but finally check all rear gear changes when pedal middle gear is used.

Front (pedal) gear change settings
“H” adjusts large gear position
“L” adjusts small gear position

“L” adjustment
Begin with chain on smallest pedal gear and largest rear wheel gear, ensure cable inner wire is slack and adjust if necessary. there should be a minimum of 1mm gap between chain and inner cage. Check that gear change operation is ok when pedalling by pulling inner cable (not shifter).
“H” adjustment
With chain on smallest rear gear, pull inner wire to move chain to largest pedal gear and adjust “H” screw until there is a minimum 1mm gap between chain and outer cage when pedalling, test gear change from middle to large gear by pulling inner wire.

Cable setting
With chain on largest rear gear and on middle pedal gear, check gap between inner cage and chain which should be as little as possible without rubbing adjust as necessary on cable adjuster which may be on handlebar or derailleur.
You should end up with a setup capable of changing from gear to gear without the chain slipping off, but it is possible when on the largest gear on pedal and smallest gear on rear wheel to have some slight rubbing of the derailleur cage.

Even when completing all of this you may find that the chain may slightly touch the pedal gear cage in a particular gear or a gear change is not quite correct just remember adjust below in ¼ turn increments.
Rear derailleur.
“H” aligns derailleur position to smallest gear (screw clockwise moves derailleur inwards towards larger gear)
“L” aligns derailleur position to largest gear ( screw clockwise moves derailleur outwards to small gear)
Front derailleur
“H” controls outward travel, clockwise reduces gap
“L” controls inward travel, clockwise reduces gap

Also visit Sheldon Brown,s website for good info

Marco_Panettone

You can get rust spots off chrome by rubbing it with wet tin foil. There's some sort of witchcraft involved, but it works!

stevemcol

kwmlondon wrote: »

5. Don't drink and cycle, any crime committed on bike can be the same as driving a car - you can lose your driving license.

Has anyone ever lost their licence for such an offence?
That just wouldn't be cricket.

Marco_Panettone

stevemcol wrote: »

Has anyone ever lost their licence for such an offence?
That just wouldn't be cricket.

No they haven't. It isn't true.

stevemcol

Marco_Panettone wrote: »

No they haven't. It isn't true.

Thought as much. Urban myth.

valk_scot

sillygoose wrote: »

Never ever reveal to my wife (shredded the receipts) that her bike I got is a cheap heavy steel one and mine is more expensive light alloy and thats why I can get up the hills.

Don't necessarily buy the bike your OH tells you that you want, do some research on your own.

Low gears are your friends if you're going to do any sort of serious touring.

When faced with supercilious young men in the bike shop trying to tell you what you need, remind yourself inwardly that you were riding 400km Audax routes before they were in nappies. Just because you look like a little old lady doesn't mean you want a three gear shopping bike, no.

All women should be able to fix a puncture, mend all common problems on the road and do their own home bike maintenance. Relying on your male OH to do this usually means he spends three hours polishing his fancy hi tec alloy bike and two minutes pumping up your nasty steel framed bike's tyres.

Pale pink lycra is not a good look on a bike, you appear not to be wearing anything from a distance.

Brooks saddles are awesome and you can get them wide enough to fit even the broadest of childbearing hips.

If you want to keep up with your other half when out, a sure fire way is to get a tandem.

If you want to slow him down even further clip the baby trailer to his fast hi-tech expensive bike. That will teach him to buy you a cheap nasty bike, no?

Triplet tandems are the most gawkable bikes on the road and turn heads everywhere. With the added bonus of it slowing OH down even more to have two kids and a bike seat (and possibly even a baby trailer?) on one of these. Yes, one man can tow five kids around. Serves him right for buying you a cheap bike all these years ago.

Longstaff racing trikes are awesome. Cost an arm and a leg but hey, it's your turn for the expensive bike, surely?

thelawnet

Brooks saddles are a high theft risk unfortunately.