Author Topic: On the commute today (Read 2372432 times)

GruB · « **on:** 19 November, 2009, 06:28:15 pm »

a man in a foreign registered small white car-derived van pulled alongside me and wound down his window. My 'spidey sense' was not tingling so I listened when he said "Your rear light is the most effective I have ever seen. Well done".
The power of Dinotte.

Jacomus · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 November, 2009, 06:38:21 pm »

Excellent! I was only today telling my colleague about the time I pulled up next to a man inna Volvo, gestured for him to wind his window down (smile on my face, to signal I wasn't going to be an arse). He put his window down and before I could speak, came out with "whatthefuckdoyouwantfuckingcyclistcuntallfuckingthesameiwasntevennearyou before putting his window up and giving me the finger. Indeed, he had given me plenty of room and overtaken at a sensible point and speed, however, it was pissing with rain an he had shut the bottom of his overcoat in the door, subject to all the crap off the roads that his front tyre kicked up.

The embarrasment on his face was well worth me shouting to him why I had stopped

MSeries · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 November, 2009, 10:16:55 am »

On my commute today: I deported much later than usual and knew I'd be with alot more other traffic than usual. The first set of traffic lights, at cross roads were not working. I rode up the RH side of the queue to the front as usual and gingerly started to make my right turn. A van was approaching from my left to turn right into the road I'd just come from. I spied a car behind him. I hovered in front of the van waiting for the car to pass. We made eye contact he passed and waved in acknowledgment

At the bottom of the hill I got to the front at the lights, timed my arrival so I could do a 3 second trackstand then crossed to join the almost stationary queue. Got to the RH side of it and rode all the way to the roundabout, about 1 mile. Hovered then merged in to the traffic on the roundabout, another car let me in

Pass the main bottleneck then time to move left to make my exit. A car had entered and was on my left, I was turning right so had to move from the inside lane. Strong clear signal, deliberate move, car didn't change speed,let me in front, MSeries exits with thumbs up and wave of thanks to driver

.

clarion · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 November, 2009, 10:25:08 am »

You're hallucinating, lad! Go have a lie down in a darkened room...

GruB · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 November, 2009, 08:51:41 pm »

I had to leave an hour earlier today due to a day trip on work purposes. The journey started in darkness but the lack of cars was excellent. I may just make this 'my time' to leave from now on.

I had a head wind to work and a lesser head wind on the way home. That is annoying.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 November, 2009, 09:08:44 pm »

First day of commuting after over a month off the bike. God I missed it. I went through the usual symptoms of a long lay off over the past few weeks: feeling like I really needed to burn energy off, palpitations, and then a bout of fidgets that I reckon is my body's last ditch attempt to get me off my arse before it turns down the metabolism and lays on flab.

It was great! I just wanted to keep going and going. Didn't want to overdo it though, as all my tendons and muscles haven't been used for ages and I'm no spring chicken. After the shower at work I felt great... full of the joys of being alive and very positive. Gotta love those endorphins

clarion · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 November, 2009, 09:39:25 pm »

I left work an hour late and rather disgruntled.

One hour of swift fun later, I was home with the fastest time of the week, and having done my 40km for the first time since Monday. Big smiles.

GruB · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 November, 2009, 09:34:13 am »

I left home and at the first mile mark noticed I had forgotten my drink bottle so went back and got it.
It was very very head windy, gusty and wet. I was suited and booted for the conditions though so did not really mind.
Got to the farm at the 18 mile mark just in time for the massive herd of cows to exit the dairy onto the road to walk down to their field of choice for the day. There was a female farmer at the head of the line. I normally wait until they come out but this was the main herd and they are quite used to me now so I mixed in amongst them. It was quite good as she took them a good 400 metres along the road and I was able to hurry them up a tad. She said thanks as I was cut loose at the end.

urban_biker · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 November, 2009, 09:57:01 am »

I left home, got halfway up the road and discovered that my bottom bracket had half unscrewed itself. So much for my ultra reliable fixed gear bike.

It turns out that the Miche primo BB on my Condor has a bit of a reputation. Now I have to drill out the centre of my Shimano freewheel tool so that I can tighten it up! A trip to Condor being a bit much for us provincials.

vorsprung · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 November, 2009, 10:07:41 am »

Put the schmidt wheel off the audax bike on the commuting bike as the commuting bike shimano wheel is fubar

At the same time I adjusted the front brake, just because of normal pad wear

This morning it was very wet and as I left chez vorsprung I did adjust the brakes again to make them more bitey, they weren't very impressive

Got up to the top of Blagdon Hill and the brakes still seemed a bit rubbish. It was wet but they were worse than I'd expect. I thought maybe if I gave the back brakes a bit less cable that might improve things overall. So I stopped and got the tools out. Then I noticed that the right front brake block was completely loose and it was a wonder the brakes did anything.

So I avoided a brakeless descent down a 2 mile long hill

Zipperhead · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 November, 2009, 02:50:53 pm »

Quote from: urban_biker on 23 November, 2009, 09:57:01 am

It turns out that the Miche primo BB on my Condor has a bit of a reputation. Now I have to drill out the centre of my Shimano freewheel tool so that I can tighten it up! A trip to Condor being a bit much for us provincials.

Do you know how to cure it? I can't get mine to stay in place - perhaps the easiest solution would be to throw the BB away and put another more sensible one in.

My commute today was lovely and peaceful (well, the bike was). I replaced the BB on my Pompino over the weekend, the one that was in there had sort of died - the bearings were ok, but one of the bearings was detached from the shell and it was making awful noises.

Greenbank · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 November, 2009, 02:56:06 pm »

Quote from: Spartacus on 23 November, 2009, 02:50:53 pm

Quote from: urban_biker on 23 November, 2009, 09:57:01 am
It turns out that the Miche primo BB on my Condor has a bit of a reputation. Now I have to drill out the centre of my Shimano freewheel tool so that I can tighten it up! A trip to Condor being a bit much for us provincials.

Do you know how to cure it? I can't get mine to stay in place - perhaps the easiest solution would be to throw the BB away and put another more sensible one in.

My Campag bb/lockring tool fits my Miche Primato BB without modification.

I've never had a problem with it coming undone and the bike has done 17,000km now. It's been loosened and tightened 4 or 5 times over its life.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 November, 2009, 03:47:55 pm »

How does that Miche BB work? Is there a lock ring for each side?

Zipperhead · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 November, 2009, 03:53:46 pm »

No, it doesn't have a lock ring on either side - imagine a regular cartridge bottom bracket, but both sides are like the left hand side.

The first time mine came loose I noticed because one of the crank bolts started touching the rear fork where the entire thing had shifted left.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 November, 2009, 03:55:54 pm »

Quote from: Spartacus on 23 November, 2009, 03:53:46 pm

No, it doesn't have a lock ring on either side

So what are you tightening against when fitting?

Greenbank · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 November, 2009, 03:56:48 pm »

There's a picture of a Miche BB here:-

Miche Primato Track Bottom Bracket Only Â£12.59

There are just the 3 parts; the two black cups, and the rest of it. The independent cups allow the chainline to be adjusted within a few mm or so.

Martin109 · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 November, 2009, 03:56:58 pm »

I've got two of these. No problems on one bike, but the other has to have the BB set off centre in order to get the required chainline, but I deal with this by putting on a lockring to at least hold that side*, and keep an eye on the other.

Edit: *the side that protrudes, that is.

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 November, 2009, 04:02:17 pm »

Quote from: Greenbank on 23 November, 2009, 03:56:48 pm

There are just the 3 parts; the two black cups, and the rest of it. The independent cups allow the chainline to be adjusted within a few mm or so

Saw that pic and wondered if there were unshown parts. I'm amazed that stays put.

dasmoth · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 November, 2009, 04:05:11 pm »

Mine's recently started making annoying clicking noises every revolution of the cranks while under power. Or at least I think it has -- most of the rest of the drive train has been eliminated from my enquiries now. I'll find out tomorrow when the appropriate tool arrives (Wiggle claim they posted it this morning, so fingers crossed!).

Assuming the noise is one of the BB cups starting to come unstuck, might it be worth trying Loctite or similar when I put it back together?

teethgrinder · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 November, 2009, 06:48:58 pm »

Miche Primato

I had some Miche Primato hubs. They have a reputation for the flanges to go bang. It happened to me once and two others I know of.
Also, the bearings were OK for a while, but they weren't that good. Especially in the wet. They made a right racket for some time and developed quite a lot of sideplay.
If the BBs are the same quality, I'd avoid unless desperate. They maybe not the worst that money can buy though.
I'm very fond of my cheapo Campag sealed BBs. They are the best BBs I've ever used. At least the Miche BBs are pretty cheap.
If it's giving you hassle and you ride a fixed, I wouldn't bother trying to sort it out when you can buy a decent Campag one which if my experience is worth anything, will be very reliable and last a very long time. Easily 20,000 miles.

Quote from: Spartacus on 23 November, 2009, 03:53:46 pm

No, it doesn't have a lock ring on either side - imagine a regular cartridge bottom bracket, but both sides are like the left hand side.

The first time mine came loose I noticed because one of the crank bolts started touching the rear fork where the entire thing had shifted left.

If you can't use lockrings, then I'd use some threadlock. If that doesn't work, I'd bin it and buy a Campag.

GruB · « **Reply #20 on:** 23 November, 2009, 08:38:48 pm »

Getting back on track now people

On the way home I had an ace tailwind so I romped the journey in

teethgrinder · « **Reply #21 on:** 23 November, 2009, 08:51:06 pm »

Quote from: Grub on 23 November, 2009, 08:38:48 pm

Getting back on track now people

On the way home I had an ace tailwind so I romped the journey in

We were on track.
Track cycling components to be precise.

GruB · « **Reply #22 on:** 23 November, 2009, 08:52:48 pm »

I didn't think my pun would be missed.

GruB · « **Reply #23 on:** 24 November, 2009, 09:20:51 am »

I forgot to mention that yesterday I met the driver of the Astra that took me out in April. We met at the same place as the accident. I have learnt to take more care at that location to be aware of mistakes made by others.
She too has learned not to cut across static traffic with a blind view of cyclists on the inside track.

All good. I nodded and smiled.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #24 on:** 24 November, 2009, 09:28:22 am »

Lovely, inspiring thread.

Unfortunately I have nothing current to add, except to echo Pimping Thea's comments. Unfortunately it's going to be another month or so for me.