Cycling: issues/noticeboard

[DJKillaQueen]

The main problem with indicators currently on the market are that the lights are nor far enough apart and there are no front indicators...so pretty useless really. Wiring could be put inside the frame if holes were drilled for it. On a motorbike, indicators and lights are placed to be very noticable. It is imposible to do the same thing on a bicycle because there's so little of it....i.e. just a fame and wheels. And on racing handlebars where would you put indicators?

Dynamos are no good as they don't work unless you pedal (so no good at junctions) and their luminance depends on how fast you are pedalling too. I personally hates dynamoes because they add friction to the whhel and make the cycling harder.

My idea would be to invent flashing gloves and mitts. With maybe a switch in the forefinger. Then at night, the hand signal would flash. I currently have gloves though with reflective stipes that will light up in any car headlight.

[Ladymuck]

woofmarkthedog Wrote:

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> Cycling TopTip?

In all the years I've been cycling I've never had to change handlebar grips. Do they usually wear out then? These are pretty though...

[Ladymuck]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

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> Dynamos are no good as they don't work unless you

> pedal (so no good at junctions)

You can buy dynamos with stand lights which will continue to give off light for a short while after stopping (e.g. at junctions, traffic lights etc.).

[DJKillaQueen]

Grips do wear out if they are made of rubber becuase some rubber corrodes after a certain number of years. And they are easily replaced.

[Applespider]

Speaking of being lit up like a Christmas tree, I've just picked up some cool spoke reflectors

Lidl are selling packs of them for ?4.99 (on Amazon, similar ones are ?15 with delivery) - during the day, they just look like grey straws on your spokes but at night, they reflect - and from some videos online that I've spotted, really make the wheels glow. Now to figure out the pattern to use to get a similar effect!

[Ladymuck]

Wow! I want some!

[DJKillaQueen]

Yeah me too...must rush down to Lidl tm (is it the one in Peckham?)

[Ladymuck]

Applespider Wrote:

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> ...during the day, they just look like grey straws on

> your spokes but at night, they reflect...

Presumably one doesn't have to remove the spokes in order to slip the "straws" on?

[DJKillaQueen]

no lol.....

[Ladymuck]

Well thank goodness for that...

[Applespider]

They just click on - the straw has a split in one side that you push onto the spoke and it clicks into place. They do have to be rounded spokes rather than flat ones.

Not sure which ones will have them - they went on sale on Thursday. I asked someone closer to a Lidl to pick some up for me.

On another note, anyone going to the Skyride this weekend? Is it worth a jaunt into town?

[Ladymuck]

Did anyone go to the Skyride? Was it good? (Or not?)

[taper]

Question for fellow cyclists: Is the Southbank Thames path between Tower Bridge and blackfriars now open to cyclists? I recall southwark or the Mayor or someone had banned it. But this morning when I was down there were a lot of cyclists using it.

[DJKillaQueen]

Technically no cyclist over 14 should ever ride on the pavement anywhere and can be fined for doing so....but certainly the South Bank pathways from London Bridge to Westminster are used by cyclists without any incident so I can't see why from Tower Bridge it would be any different.

[taper]

Further investigations have suggested the tube strike is responsible for the number of cylists out this morning. Part-timers. Pah.

Also, I've learnt there are various areas where you can and cannot cycle on the river path, but that there is no path-wide ban. The position on pavement cycling in general is rather complex and there's no outright ban. See here - http://www.bikeforall.net/content/cycling_and_the_law.php for the full skinny

[Ladymuck]

Tube strike?

[karter]

Ladymuck Wrote:

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> Did anyone go to the Skyride? Was it good? (Or

> not?)

Nope but did try to get out some Barclays hire bikes in town the day before but it would not have it.

[Ladymuck]

karter Wrote:

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> Nope but did try to get out some Barclays hire

> bikes in town the day before but it would not have

> it.

What do you mean?

[karter]

Ladymuck Wrote:

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> karter Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Nope but did try to get out some Barclays hire

> > bikes in town the day before but it would not

> have

> > it.

>

>

> What do you mean?

not yet a member so could not get the bikes out just with a credit card. :-S

[Ladymuck]

Ah! I'm not sure how it works (as I always use my own bike), but have you looked at the website?

[ianr]

Did you know you can watch the BorisBike docking station statuses and stats change, minute by minute? http://data.london.gov.uk/datastore/inspirational-uses

[Ladymuck]

Blimey, that's useful! So no out of order docking stations at the moment. This could be addictive!

[karter]

Ladymuck Wrote:

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> Ah! I'm not sure how it works (as I always use my

> own bike), but have you looked at the website?

Been trying to find out costs on that website LM but my computer is not having it either now. Geekoid techie advice possibly needed.

[Ladymuck]

Gawd...sorry can't help you there...you know how thick I am re. technology. Can anyone help karter please?

[Ladymuck]

Actually karter...just got this...all you had to do was click on costs LOL!