Split second timing

After a ride the other day and a few close encounters with trees, rocks, roots etc - it dawned on me what a difference a tiny input to the steering or a split second in timing can make in life - and especially when riding. I found these two images a while back and I think they illustrate the point rather well!

What are the chances that this did not end in disaster. Would like to know what wheels are on that bike.

Photo credit http://cheezburger.com/6491023616

A good illustration of why obeying road rules is a good idea for cyclists. Lucky, very lucky!

Photo credit http://cheezburger.com/6462123520

Another good free online magazine

Another really nice and free MTB magazine that I found on the net at www.issuu.com

Issue 18 of free online mountainbike magazine 'Wideopen', featuring Iceland with Chopper and Pilgrim, Malaga with Roost DH, Brechfa Frostbite 40, The British Downhill Series Round 1, British 4X Series Round 1, Steve Parr, Josh Lane, TIm Sadler, The Empire MX6 and the usual Regular, Longtermers and Gear

Find out more at http://www.wideopenmag.co.uk

Open publication - Free publishing - More cycling

Video: Extreme Crazy Mountain Bikers

Extreme Crazy Mountain Bikers was the title of this video on youtube - and having watched it I have to agree. Fairly terrifying stuff (in what I think is the French Alps) - not only for the two riders in the vid - but also the slower riders that they are bearing down on at high speed with not much space and rather large cliffs! 

Get a grip.

It seems Karma has been lurking patiently in the shadows, waiting to give me a little pay back for well over a decade.

Many moons ago I watched my little brother crash his bike. As he went off down the road and into a bend, the right hand grip slid off - sending him spiralling into a sign post. I will admit, I laughed my ass off at the time (after checking he was ok obviously) - and there was much mocking about being stupid enough to let you handle bar grips fall of etc etc - but today it turns out its not so funny when it happens to you!

The rain today was torrential, and it must have found its way under the ageing grips on my trusty Saracen, and as I negotiated the torrents freely flowing across the tarmac I felt it start to move. A split second later I was all over the place, one hand on the bars and one flailing wildly holding a perfectly formed, if not completely detached grip in it.

Luckily I did not end up in the drink, and after some crazy running while seated on a bike, managed to get it all collected. To the bike shop. Pair of lock on grips purchased.

Karma must have been almost satisfied with this, but one final sting - Only a few hours later I had to call my brother to let him know I was going to be late for our now weekly expedition into the wilderness and had time to relate the whole sad sorry, allowing him to return a little of the mocking from all those years ago while he helped me finish fitting them to my ride.

Concept reality

We have all seen the amazing concept bikes that have wheels that are sporting the clean lines of spokelessness - they look amazing - floating - and in theory they should work, but could they in the real world. I certainly have not seen any of these super stylish rims at my local bike shop yet - but...

... As the video below proves, they can work - and they look even cooler when on an actual bike that is moving down the road!

Cyclisme quote of the weel (7)

The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man.  Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish.  Only the bicycle remains pure in heart.  
~Iris Murdoch, The Red and the Green

Cycle commuter slang - 1

Captain Dashboard: Cyclist who has grown a forest of doodads on his handlebars. Bells, lights, mirrors, brackets that go to gizmos that are now broken. See also, Handle Bar Ent. 


Bike Ninja: This is the guy who sneaks up on you at night because he has not one iota of reflective gear and his bike is void of lights and reflectors. These people frequently appear out of nowhere and scare the bejesus out of me.


More at http://www.bikehacks.com/bikehacks/2010/03/dictionary-of-bike-commuter-slang.html

How fast have you ever been?

Speed, its exhilarating and as a species we crave to experience it, get addicted to it and some have given their lives in pursuit of its ever increasing thrill!

Speed on a bike is like nothing else, probably the closest thing we can get to that other elusive obsession of flying.

The fastest I have ever traveled on a bike (that I know of) was last week. Using the map my ride app on my phone I recorded a top speed of 47mph (thats 75kph for all you cycle purists out there). To achieve this momentum I required a very long very steep hill (and I think the colossal weight of my bikes frame (and some of my own) may have helped!)

It was great fun and a little terrifying. I was surprised that I had managed this speed - especially as I have rather wide off road tyres on the machine, but the app has been very accurate so far, so I am going to go with it!

I was rather chuffed that I had managed this speed, but it made me wonder what is the fastest that a human has traveled using pedal power alone.

A quick scan of the net informed me of the following:

World speed record for a bicycle on a flat road

Sam Whittingham	2009	133 km/h (83 mph)	Flat surface, unpaced[1]
Barbara Buatois	2010	121 km/h (75 mph)	Flat surface, unpaced (woman)[1

That is on a flat road (there is a video that shows the kind of custom machines used for this below).I

f you want to go gravity assisted like I did then you are talking about over 130 mph. Terrifying stuff - a reminder of just how terrifying in the video below!

Stay safe out there speed freaks!

Close roads to open opportunities for cyclists

A health expert from the University of Tennesse has made a recomendation that roads in UK city centers should be closed to traffic on sunday mornings to promote cycling, walking and other health activities. The idea seems to have worked in other places in the world - but would uk drivers be ready for such a plan? There is a very interesting article about the subject that appeared on The Times website the other day, to read the full details click here.

Olympic cycling and what it takes

There was a documentary about Victoria Pendleton - the worlds greatest female track cyclist - played on the BBC the other day.

It follows British cycle racer Victoria as she prepares for the up-coming Olympics in London (2012), her final competition before she retires from an astonishing career in track racing.

The program gives a glimpse of what it takes to compete at this level, both physically and even more importantly the mental state that an athlete must be in to even take part.

In the documentary she talks very openly about the career that she has almost accidentally fallen into, its  fascinating and well worth a watch.

To watch it on the BBC iPlayer please click here - but hurry, the program will not be there for ever!

Cyclisme quote of the week "6"

"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride." 
- John F. Kennedy

A memory that I could have happily forgotten

One of the unpleasant sides of cycling was restored vividly back into my memory today.

I dont mind riding in the rain, wind is normally fairly bearable - but today I experienced something that I had forgotten about. The scourge that is the 'Thunder bug swarm' (or Thrips as I think they are technically known). Under every tree along my route home was a small buzzing hail storm in insect form. 

What amazes me about these swarms, is they seem to be perfectly spaced along the route as to ensure that even when trying to hold your breath to avoid ingesting this tiny menace, you are sure to get a face full at some point. Fortunately these tiny bugs only seem to come out on the odd occasion when the weather is just right, so lets hope that I don't encounter them too often when out and about on the pedals - either that or I will have to trust in the bandit look bug protection that a buff and sun glasses can offer! 

Getting away from it all

Nuf said?

The technological march

The other day I did something rather silly. I went for a proper off-road ride with other people (not got to the silly part yet!). We had a great ride up and down the muddy trails, soaking in the views (and the summer rain that just seems to keep oncoming). All good things come to an end, and we got back to the point that we would all part company at the end of the ride, and this is where I made my mistake. While bikes were being packed into various transportation devices, while great care not to spread the liberal coating of countryside that still remained on them across the interior space was being taken, the error came. "Can I just have a quick spin on you bike".

At this point remember that I have just successfully navigated my 20 year old steel framed ride across everything they had - so somewhere in the back of my mind I thought that the difference would not be that dramatic. I had struggled to keep up on the steep and bumpys when the speed got greater, and at the bottom of the longest gravity assisted section, I will admit that there was a hint of steam cascading from the front cantilevered brake blocks.

Now I had ridden a few full suspension bikes in the last few years, but never any distance - and more the obligatory - "yes it's very light, yes it rides well, oo aren't the gears smooth" tight circles ridden to show approval of a mates new investment than any actual bike riding.

I knew that my steed was not a lightweight machine - I knew that the modern machines have surprised me when little effort is needed to free them from terraferma - but I will be honest it was even more shocking when swapping from one bike directly to another.

The bike in question was a Marin full suspension - somehow Marin had managed to squeeze a much more robust looking frame, front and rear suspension, front and rear hydraulic disc brakes and several more gears into a larger but hugely lighter machine than mine.

The riding of this machine was also a bit of a revelation (although I did not go far!). The first error I made was to pull the break lever with the same enthusiasm required to pull up the old Saracen. This resulted in me almost going directly over the handlebars as the bike stopped dead. The second realisation was that with such a large level of travel in the suspension, you really don't have to do anything to assist it over large bumps, curbs etc - just hit them and the bike will sort it out for you.

This very short experience has made me hanker for one of these technological marvels, and on closer inspection of the technology on offer, you can begin to understand why these bikes have price tags that you could buy a perfectly respectable car for! And this is my current problem - I am both nostalgic about my old school machine and love riding it - and a bit skint!

My saving grace, is the guy who I borrowed the Marin from also had a go on my steed - and in his words "how the *@!^ did you ride all of that on this thing - it's bloody terrifying".

So my new theory is, no suspension and breaks that don't really work when mud is in the equation means more fun while heading for and into and around the hills - and I shall repeat this mantra to myself over and over just as long as until I have the readies to invest in a new machine.

Cyclisme quote of the week - 5

The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without shocking the entire community.
- Ann Strong from the Minneapolis Tribune, 1895.

All terrain

I have been trying to arrange a sking trip for when the weather gets colder. Maybe I need to take one of these!

Cyclisme quote of the week "4"

When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

First 500!

The blog has reached it's first milestone (well it feels like it anyway). We have reached the first 500 views - although I must admit that the first 20 ish were probably me, before I figured out it was counting my own visits, and I have to change the settings to stop this!

Just wanted to say a big thank-you to everyone who has taken the time to look at the site (thanks, cheers, Vielen Dank, gracias, merci, Dziękujemy za, takk deg, Благодарю Вас) - I have really enjoyed putting it together & I hope you found something of interest on The SecondCycle!

Light up your cycling life

Today is a dark day, literally. You would be forgiven for thinking the sun has not come up, but indeed the rain continues to come down. This often seen feature of the lovely British summer season seems to have become a somewhat permanent fixture in 2012.

What we need in these dark and dreary days, as we dream of the summer sun beating down on our backs as we glide through the rolling countryside, is a little light in our cycling lives.

Luckily modern technology has been able to try its hand in this respect - and if its light and fun your after these two bike lighting systems may raise a smile on that rain soaked, mud splattered face.

Interesting ideas!

Think, anticipate, drive

On my way home today I was overtaken by a black Audi. We were only 20 ft from a red light and a queue of cars, but still the driver though it was necessary to over take me (slowing from 15mph ish) and then immediately break hard.

This is annoying, but hey we all mis judge things occasionally so I could have let it go - that is if he had not then drawn to a stop across the cycle lane meaning I had no way past. This actually didn't matter, because the light had been red for a while so I knew was about to change any second, so was happy to stop in line, and let the legs recuperate.

Unfortunately this purveyor of Vorsprung durch Technik was clearly not paying attention or using the not so mystical power of anticipation, as no sooner had he stopped (in the cycle lane) he turned off his engine - at about the same time the lights changed to green (I am pretty sure that the car did not have the automatic engine cut system). He however didn't notice this as he was looking at a phone, not the world around him. It was left to the auto behind me giving a sharp blast on a horn to wake him from his stupor.

This is a prime example of why riding a bicycle on the main roads has it's concerns. This guy is clearly driving around with no idea and no consideration for anyone else, and one day it will end badly.

Saying all of this - I have also been amazed by the amount of cyclists riding around in a busy town centre chatting on phones - not looking around them and wobbling all over the road. Lets hope these two party's manage to avoid one another hey!

Le Tour

Well 'Le Tour de France' has rolled out for again for a the two thousand and twelve edition of it's 109 year history.

I have watched bits and pieces of this historic race over the years, but this year (as I am back in the saddle), I have decide to try and follow the 3 week, 2,173 mile test of man and machine.

From the first few days, I have been amazed at the speed and endurance these riders have - with the current average speed at just over 30mph, makes my rides seem very slow and very short!

Below is a video showing this years route.

MTB magazine for free

Found this interesting digital MTB magazine online. Take a look at www.mag41.com for more info.

Open publication - Free publishing - More 41

Tweet

Cyclisme quote of the week '3'

Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I have hope for the human race. 
- H.G. Wells

Good luck to Bristol (UK)

The city of Bristol will soon find out if it has been able to become the 'Green Capitol of Europe'.

Bristol is one of the three cities still in the running, of the 18 that originally applied to contend for the official title of 'Green Capitol of Europe in 2014'. Bristol does not have it easy being the smallest of the three remaining contenders, with stiff competition expected from Copenhagen & Frankfurt.

The award comes with no cash prize, but it has been predicted that winning the award could see the city on the top spot benefit from a increase of potential employment in various environmental & green industry job roles.

Now anyone who knows Bristol, will also know that they currently do have a few issues with traffic congestion, public transport etc - but the award is not just about the here and now - it is also about the future, and what the contenders are planning to do to become green. With this taken into account, Bristol actually took the top spot in the first scored round of judging for air quality, noise pollution and climate change.

As well as Bristol being the home for institutions such as Sustrans, The Soil Association, ethical bank Triodos and the Environment Agency, it is also the UK's first and currently only official 'Cycling City'. This means that investment in cycling in and around Bristol is good and will be maintained and that has to be a good thing! (more info here)

Good luck to Bristol in its bid.

Now where was I

My first confrontation

As I mentioned in my last post, on the way back from a off-road ride the other day I was badly cut up by a car - for no reason that I can understand. There were two lanes for traffic going in the same direction, and the car decided that instead of changing into the empty lane it was better to drive past me with only a few inches to spare going considerably faster than I was while going round a bend. This caused me to have to dive into the deep puddles at the side of the road to avoid being taken out.

Now I am not saying that this was a deliberate move rather than complete incompetence - but the driver of said car was obviously spoiling for an argument. At the next set of lights I had caught the car up. I decided to move into the other empty lane. I will admit I did take a rather long, slightly angry look over at the driver as I stopped, but no sooner had shed my momentum, the guys window came down and a shout of 'what' emanated from the dry and comfortable interior and out into the cold and rain.

Since he asked, I thought I would enlighten him on the errors of his ways (as I saw them). He in turn professed that I should not 'hog' the road. I retorted by pointing out that I was only a metre from the curb, and directly to the inside of me was a temporary river caused by the current precipitation, and it would not be safe or pleasant to ride through it as I would not see any pot holes and would more than likely fall off directly in front of him.

I also mentioned that there was a lane completely bereft of traffic that he had been free to utilise at any point for the last half mile or so - and maybe should use the mirrors that Fiat had kindly fashioned him with, as they had done this for use in situations both similar too and indeed exactly like this one.

His only answer to this, "I should have got out of his way"

And then it came - I knew it would at some point, but so soon?, not on the first altercation surely?.

"Well mate, you don't pay road tax, so you have to get out of my way".

Now, I have had a driving license for many years. Since I was old enough to get one. I have had several cars and a motor bike, I am a keen driver and I have loved driving every one of these machines across this country and others and have always seen the ability to do so as a privilege.

Yet in all of that time I have never paid "road tax". Not one penny of "road tax". Never. Nor had he. Nor have you (if you drive in the United Kingdom and are under the grand old age of 92).
Any link between the tax that you pay to use a vehicle and the maintenance of the road network was severed in 1937 - in a process that was started by Sir Winston Churchill. Road tax in no way entitles you to use of the road. The payment to use a car on the road has no direct relation to maintaining the road network, the roads are maintained from funds raised by general taxation at a national and local level. The duty paid for the disc you display is based on the emissions of a vehicle, engine size and age - nothing else.

There are plenty of cars that pay zero, nil nothing in road tax per year due to green credentials - so even if a bike had to display a disc - it would still be free.

Have you ever reported a pothole or other hazard to the DVLA? - or was it the local council that you called?

This kind of attitude is a big problem - there are thousands of references to the same issue all over the internet - so I will not try to fit anymore into this post - but will hopefully come back to it after a little more research.

While I can understand the frustrations of drivers with bikes (there is some shocking and down right dangerous riding going on out there), the idea that a car has more right to be there than a bike is ridiculous and wrong.

I would just like to mention to the driver that cut me up and used this line of defence with me, that I drive a car with a considerably larger engine than the one he was driving - so using his logic - is it ok if I cut him up when I am in it - after all the tax on my sports car is more than his Fiat by a margin - so should I not be getting value for money by ignoring his presence on the road. Equally - would he feel comfortable forcing a VW golf blue motion off the road, or maybe accusing the next BMW 1 series 1.6D driver of having no right to be on his road (both of which pay zero tax per year - click here for more examples - there are lots).

 Sorry mate - but the tax issue is a non starter. There are other issues with cyclist that do have more legs - but not this one - and if you want to pay nothing for fuel and nothing for "road tax" or Vehicle Excise Duty (VED*), you know the one you have to pay to use a car on the road - why not try riding a bike for a bit!


                                 


* "Known formally as Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) or Graduated VED, the amount of car tax you pay depends on the car's engine size or official CO2 emissions and the date of first registration."
The AA

Cyclisme quote of the week '2'

It never gets easier, you just go faster
- Greg LeMond, bicycle racer & multiple Tour de France winner

A week of firsts (or seconds)

This week has seen a few firsts, or seconds if you count my first cycle of riding all those years ago.

The first - err, first, was my first proper off road ride since I got back in the saddle. I have had a few dalliances with 'off road' - across parks, a few small trails in said parks etc etc - but nothing that would allow me to call my self a mountain biker again.

I had planned to go with a few friends who still have bikes - but as the heavens opened and the rain flowed, throughout the day one by one the number of willing participants declined - and when my brother had to cancel due to an old injury making an improptue re-appearance it was down to just me, myself and I.

I decided to go out anyway - but just be a little less adventurous than I would have been with others there to help if the bike, or myself broke down! This is where the app that I have been using and the gps on my phone are a nice backup. As long as I have some semblance of signal, someone can find out where I am with close enough accuracy, that I know I would not be lost for long if I did not check in at the pre-arranged time - err that I had pre-arranged.

I headed out into the countryside, away from the traffic and up a hill. A hill that, I am totally confident is technically steeper than the last time I went up it on a bike - and possibly even the last time I drove up said remnant of ancient tectonic activity. Still - red faced and gently steaming I reached the summit and turned off the road and into the mud!

I had about and hour and a half of peddling around in the rain soaked wilderness, and it was stunning. The rain caused that beautiful mist like effect through the trees - with the gentle burble of water all around me. It was excellent, and reminded me why I loved biking into the unknown in the first place.

Apart from a few other friendly bikers that I stopped to have a chat with about the best routes in the area I saw no one the whole time I was there. I got back to the road in a soaked and thoroughly mud splattered state with a big smile on my face and a feeling of total relaxation (although still with a gentle steaming look).

It's a shame then, that my second first, happened on the way back from this idilic ride.

Almost as soon as I had got back into the traffic, a guy decided to completely cut me up for no reason.

He overtook me while going round a bend - on a two lane traffic system with no one in the other lane. After a quick swerve curb-ward into the deep water, hidden potholes and floating nicities I had managed to avoid serious implications both vehicular and from the pedestrians scurrying from the elements.

What concerned me more was what happened next! - my first confrontation ... but more of that next time.

Bike helmets

Yesterday I had my first near miss. It was my fault and no one else was involved. It appears that doing big wheelies is not as easy as it used to be - and I had to partake in an emergency bail out off the back of the bike before I got inverted.

I had forgotten the ominous feeling when you know that your skill has run out and you are going to part company with your machine.

Despite what the boys say in the (not very serious) video below - I was glad I was wearing a helmet, but it reminded me that I had seen this a few weeks ago while looking to buy one. It appealed to the more child like side of my sense of humour - but I did laugh a lot watching it.

Hope you enjoy!

A history of exploring by bicycle

The bicycle has, since its earliest incarnations, been of critical importance in getting the populous out and about, seeing the world and feeling the freedoms that brings.

I found this great little documentary that covers the history of cycling and how it has grown up to be what it is today.

There are some great looking old machines in it, including the Dursley Pederson - that featured a hammock for a saddle! (and I was thinking my bike was old school).

At a run time of almost 30 minutes, it does take a little concentration and free time to get through, but I really enjoyed watching it.

EXPLORATION

One of the best things about getting back on a bike is the ability to explore! Of course this is true of the car, but it is a different kind of exploration - Local.

There is a road not far from where I live, I have always wondered where it goes - I have never found out - that is until I rode past the other day and thought, lets see. This is the true beauty of the bicycle. Exploring parts of the area that you live, that you just would not investigate on foot or by car. Those little interesting places that you can get to quickly, that are just a little too far to walk to on the off chance!

I have found a cycle route that can take me almost the whole way to work. It is quiet, tree lined and has made my daily commute a real pleasure. I always knew it was there, but it was always faster to take the direct route while on foot.

My return to riding is also rekindling another of my old interests - photography. I plan to start taking the camera out more, with the bike allowing me to go in search of some interesting subject matter. I have added a 'Rides' page to the site, and will be placing pictures from my adventures as I take them.

Here's to exploring!

Rain, rain and just for good measure a little more rain

Well it seems the UK summer is over before it really began (as per usual). From the sun and soaring temperatures of a few weeks ago now we just seem to have water falling from the sky in a fairly constant flow - with a uncanny ability to increase in intensity as soon as I good anywhere near the bike.

This is not all bad though - I actually enjoy riding in the rain, always have. The only downside is when you get where you are going and you are soggy. That I do not enjoy.

There seems to be a art in looking cool on a bike while staying dry and warm - and that art is to not care what you look like.

That is why I have been sporting a lovely pair of silver (yes silver) water proof trousers that I had picked up a few years back at the '24 Hours of Le Mans' motor race, when there was no other option available for enjoying the racing while open to the elements, with nothing other than a few beers for insulation.

While I may look like I have come down with a bad case of the 'Buck Rogers' while I shimmer my way down the road (Urban Cycle Chic they are definitely not!) - I have managed to keep my legs dry and protected from the delightful UK summer.  It's a shame I cannot say the same for the top half of me.

When I saw the giant sprinkler system that was the sky this morning I decided that I should dig out my faithful skiing jacket. Its made up of two parts (waterproof outer and removable warm inner jacket) so would hopefully not cook me, while in theory keeping me safe and dry. The theory unfortunately did not become practice - and I can safely say that the jacket has been faithful for a little too long - and now displays more traits common to a sieve than a elemental protection device.

All of this meant a thoroughly unpleasant morning at the office while I returned to an acceptable level of humidity, and yet another trip to a cycle shop in my lunch break.

On the plus side, now I have the water proofs sorted, it will more than likely be sunny for a while!

Cyclisme quote of the week

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving 
~ Albert Einstein

There's an app for that

While perusing a copy of a cycling magazine the other day I noticed a review of a gps cycling system and it got me thinking.

I am a bit of an Apple purist (have been for a long time - even pre ipod) - so I headed over to the app store to take a look at what is available for the tech savvy cyclist.

There are loads of cycling apps - some great - some odd and some definite time wasters!

I found lots of different apps - I have downloaded some and hope to take about them later, but first I thought it would be cool to start tracking the use I am getting out of the bike after spending all this cash getting it going again - so was looking for something that would do this as the main feature.  

After looking through several options that all looked fairly good - I opted for the cheap skate option and went for the free version of 'Map My Ride'.

The app is great - really easy to set up - and once you have plumed in the details of the kind of riding you are doing and a few facts about yourself (to allow it to calculate the energy that you are burning) it is simply a case of hitting the record button - shoving it in a pocket, and let it record the trip you are making.

 

Once you are done it will show you a map of the ride (which is very accurate), how long you have been riding for, your average and max speed and the approximate calories that you have burned in the saddle. 

The last ten rides are recorded on the app itself - and older rides can be accessed on the main website. 

Another nice feature for me (getting back into riding) is the ability to search other users routes in the local area. It will show you the route as well as the key details for it. You can then follow the same route that someone else has done, so its a great way to find places to ride - and being able to choose how long you want to be out for.

There are lots of other features that I have not used yet, including a nutrition calculation system and sharing options to upload routes and times to various places on the web (I may do this when my times/distances get a little less embarrassing!). It also looks like you can add times to a leader board if you are the competitive type!(same as above).

As I use the app I will try to get into these additional features - but for now I am finding it fascinating just to be able to track where I have been over the course of a week, and I have been very suprised to find that in the few days I have been using it I have clocked up over 50 miles without really even trying. 

If you want to find out more take a look at http://www.mapmyride.com

 

Cycle pins

I planned to have a page of bikes that I liked on this site - but it turns out there is a better way!

I have started a Pinterest board, and plan to share the best of the bike related images that I like on it.

I will be adding pictures of bikes I like, as well as random bikes that I have found that deserve a mention. I will also be adding images that I find that express how I feel about riding. I hope you like them.

To have a look at the images I have collected so far have a look at http://pinterest.com/secondcycle/cool-bikes-riders

Ideas to promote cycling

I found this interesting publication on the web. There are lots of ideas about the best way to more successfully integrate cycling into the modern world - with a focus on cycling and traffic. Some great info and ideas and a very good read.

Open publication - Free publishing - More city planning


There are several more cycle focused publications from this ISSUU user - take a look at CYCLINGEMBASSY for more info. 

Splatter

I have discovered that I need to invest in a few more items before I can use the bike on a daily basis. The first thing on the list is a decent set of mud guards. With the recent good weather turning to rain I have been reminded of something I had forgotten - off road tyres find every tiny piece of debris on the road and chuck it at you! I turned up to work looking like I had been off-roading it in that morning, and that was just a few large puddles (admittedly I do have a slightly child like attitude to riding through them).

Luckily my boss (a keen mountain biker himself) was understanding and I got away with it once!. By the end of my lunch break a set of guards had been purchased and fitted - hopefully they will see of the worst of the grime, and accompanied by a quick mental note that it is not fun or clever to hit the big puddles at speed while on the way to work, and they will still be there when I am on my own time later - I should be able to remain professional.

Self riding bike

Saw this, the bike was obviously made to race, - thought it would be good to share

New Vs Re-build challenge

Noting has fallen off of broken for a few days now - so I am going to go out on a limb and say that the bike is operational again.

So have a managed to repair my old steed for less than the price of a new bike from Halfords? Er no.

What needed to be fitted:

• New left hand crank
• New brake and gear cables
• New front and rear brake blocks 
• New rear cassette
• New chain
• New pedals
• Two nearly new wheels (free! - borrowed!) 
• Lots of bike grease and WD40!

Grand Total: UK£110.94
UK£40.95 over the price of a new bike.

Of course that does not include the price of the tools I have to buy in order to get the old parts off and the new parts on.

• Bottom bracket tool
• Crank puller
• Rear Cassete remover
• Chain whip

Another UK£35.96

So there you have it - I could have had a completely new bike for almost £80 less than fixing my old one. It just goes to show the amazing value you get when buying a bike now! Indeed I could have got two new bikes for the same money!


Do I regret the decision to re-build? Not really - I may have laid out more cash than I had too - invest time and get covered in old oil, but its great to have an old traveling companion back on the road with me - and lets face it, with the cost of fuel today, it will not be long until I have made the entire amount back by switching from car to bike on more of the short journeys that I do.

Now I just need to get out and ride!

Lock down

The bike moves - the next thing I have to make sure of is that I am the only one who is moving it. I knew I needed a lock - but a quick search for reviews on the web through up some interesting a fairly frightening statistics and facts about bicycle theft in the UK.

Over 100,000 bicycles are officially stolen in the UK every year, and this does not include the figure for the ones that are not reported (estimates suggest that it could be 5 times this number in reality!). I thought that the £9.99 lock that I picked up while getting some other parts would be ok - it looked relatively tough - that is until I watched a video that showed a similar one being cut with a pair of garden pruning shears in under 10 seconds!

Bike theft is a growing industry, and after watching "Gone in 60 Seconds - The Bike Crime Wave", a film about bike crime in London, you can understand why. A lot of locks can be cut through in seconds, people stand and watch as bikes are taken, and bikes are very hard to trace back to owners if they are ever recovered.

Locks

Although my ride is not that desirable these days, I would be totally gutted if it were to go missing - so have decided to invest in a decent 'D lock'. I will keep the other cable lock to make sure the front wheel can be locked, as well as the back and frame with the 'D lock'.

Wheels

While parking the bike up I have noticed that loads of people lock only the wheels of a bike, or only the frame. I have also seen a few lone wheels in bike racks!
I have quick release mechs on my wheels (and they are the most expensive looking parts on the bike). So not only do I lock through both the front and back wheel, I have also zip tied the quick releases just to make it a little more frustrating for anyone who attempts to liberate them.

Register and post-coding

My bike had a postcode stamped into the frame may years ago, and this process is still used now. The local police force have days that you can ride up and get your bike stamped with a registration number to help identify it if it does go missing and is found again. This service is usually free of charge, but you would have to check with your local Police Station to see what they can offer.

I have also seen sites like bikeregister.com that offer a comprehensive solution to give you the best chance of retrieving a bike if it is stolen. It seems like a good system, that would not only help to identify a bike - but with the visible stickers on the frame may make a bike thief beside to move on to the next one!

How to lock a bike properly

I found some great films on YouTube about how to lock a bike effectively - but there was one series of videos that stood out above the rest from "Legendary bike mechanic from Bike Habitat New York - Hal Ruzal". In the first video Hal shows how to lock a bike correctly, and in the second he heads onto the streets (of the UK) to rate the how well people are locking their rides up.








More info can be found at http://www.halgradesyourlocks.com

Safety first

The bike works (touch wood) - so now it's time to go and ride it to places.

I have to say I was a little nervous when first setting off into traffic on a bike again. I rarely rode on anything other than country lanes, and relatively quiet towns were about as hectic as I encountered back in the day.

Since then I have had a motor bike and several cars - so am aware that there are very real dangers out there for the uninitiated.

I figure that staying safe on a bike is a similar principle whether you are powered by an engine, or your legs. In my opinion, the best thing you can do is be aware - anticipate problems and ride with confidence. Owning your own piece of road, while being mindful that some other road users are insanely impatient, and choosing a window to let them by - that is also safe for you - is sometimes just a case of holding your nerve, but figuring out your escape route is not always a bad plan!

It has truly amazed me how few people are wearing bike helmets while riding round the city streets.

In order that I was suitably petrified before I went back out onto the roads, I went and frayed my nerves by typing 'cycle crash' into Youtube - this was silly, but I just could not resist.

One of the first videos I watched was a really nasty one (link here - but be advised, there is blood and it's not nice viewing). As the rider in the video hit the tarmac, I got a full sensory flash back - I could smell the unmistakable smell of tarmac at close proximity - and feel the heat of fresh skin sliding across it - and just how hard a road surface is when you fall onto it. Moments later I was compelled to head once more to the cycle shop to invest in a decent helmet and a pair of gloves, just in case gravity decides to give me a quick reminder of who is the boss.

I had borrowed an old brain bucket that my dad had lying around when first retrieving the bike from its slumber, but immediately found that it was past its best. The straps did not stay done up, and it was not the best fit to start with - and would be akin to the usefulness of a chocolate fire guard in any unfortunate circumstance. So a new bonce protector is a must for me. My skid lid of choice is a Bell XLV - so far it has been great - light with enough ventilation that even in my un-bike-fit state I have not yet boiled over.

Riding to work

While trying to become a cyclist again, I have found some interesting stuff on the web. I have plans to start riding to work, and on that note I have found this great publication on www.issuu.com.

Its US based, but the principals still work for the UK and indeed the rest of the world. Its a very interesting read with some really fantastic photography and design, and sums up how I am feeling about getting back on my bike at the moment. This is not the only publication by this obviously talented designer - for more, have a look at katiekingrumford.

Open publication - Free publishing - More biking

moving not stopping - stopping not moving!

It appears in my haste to get back on the road again, I have neglected one very critical part of the process.

Brakes are very useful things if you want to survive the open road. I had set the brakes up so they apparently worked well (with shiny new cables), but it appears that the life expectancy of a almost new (in terms of ware), but 14 year old set of brake blocks is about two days - or 8 miles, before they are turned to dust. Fortunately my carelessness did not result in finding this out while at high speed and was drama free.

It seems there is not a whole lot of choice when it comes to replacement cantilever brake blocks. After checking a few suppliers online, I found that the actual shops in my area only stocked one type of block that would fit my somewhat antique set up. Furnished with new front and rear braking power from a set of Aztec Control Canti B Blocks - the bike stops properly again.

The bike may stop, but now it is refusing to go!

Believing I was now in possession of a fully functional bike once more, I set out on my first proper ride in over a decade. Half way through my 18 mile loop I noticed the pedal was grinding a bit. A few miles (and hills) later it seized completely. Cue a new and interesting riding style that involved a constantly fluctuating foot position, some strange looks and a bit of pushing for safeties sake once I hit heavier traffic.

On closer inspection once home and dry, I can see that my freshly serviced pedals have a problem that I had missed. Two almost inperceptable ball bearing shaped dents in the inner side of the bearing race are causing all sorts of two at a time issues.

The pedal is a lost cause (the inner race is part of the pedal body), so a new set have been sourced and fitted. Hopefully this time I will manage more than 26 miles before something else falls off or decides it would rather be a static object than a moving component. Such are the joys of getting long term unloved machinery in working order again.

Its working!

It all works! New crank fitted, new cassette on the back, new chain, new cables and borrowed wheels and tyres. Pedals, headset, bottom bracket front and rear mech have all been taken off treated to a liberal coating of grease or oil. Brakes and gears adjusted.

Turn pedals - bike moves! Move shifters - gears change! Pull leavers - bike stops! What more could you want.

Its amazing how the familiar sensations and sounds that were so easily forgotten over time come straight back to you. All this time, somewhere in the recesses of my mind have lurked the familiar hum of the tyres on the road - fluctuating with every pedal stroke, the exhilarating rush of air past your ears as you collect speed, the clunk and clicks of the gears as you shift (precision clunks and clicks obviously), the noise of the freewheel ticking away and letting you know that you can stop peddling for a few seconds!

Today the sun is shining, I am back on my bike and I feel free! Today is a good day.

Almost road worthy again

Finally located a left hand crank that will fit the bike, courtesy of my local Leisure Lakes bike shop. They were really helpful, and after having a look at the bike managed to track one down in the stock room straight away. One step closer to fully operational. Just need to take the pedals off and give them a service to see if I can get them spinning freely again, fit the other parts I have tracked down - then give the bike a once over to make sure nothing else is going to fall off and I should be riding again!

Shopping lists and left hand cranks

The bike moves - but is not really safe to use yet. After a quick visit to a few local bike shops I have managed to get hold of a new rear cassette and spacer so the gears and cogs will match.

I have also bought and replaced all the cables on the bike after snapping the front and rear brake cables on my first test ride.

The main problem is getting hold of a left hand crank. I have got a few strange looks when asking for 'just the left side'. I have considered swapping out the whole front drive train with one from another old bike that was sharing garage space with mine - but have found that nothing is compatible due to the very small front cog set on the bike compounded by the bottom bracket mounted front mech.

To use the kit from the donor bike would mean swapping out - the front cogs, front mech, bottom bracket, cranks and pedals. I would also have to change the shifters to match the new kit, the brake levers on my bike are a one piece, so they would have to swapped too -  and for good measure the rear derailleur would also have to be swapped to match the new shifters. After closer inspection I have also noticed that the front mech on my bike is top loading - and the donor bike is bottom. There are no set cable routes on the bottom of my bike - so buying a new front mech is going to be easier than trying to fit these. 


I would gain a few extra gears for all this trauma - but I think on balance I would prefer to have a few more strange looks from bike shops a find a compatible crank! 

Getting tooled up

Its been so long since I took a bike apart, I had forgotten that almost every component has its own specific tool in order for you remove anything.

My bike mechanics is a little rusty - but I remember the basics - and the big advantage now compared to 14 years ago is the internet - within seconds you can find and be involved in a bike repair refresher course on youtube or a magnitude of other excellent bike specific sites. I even found some make and model specific info on www.retrobike.co.uk.

Getting the crank off is my first challenge - the video below from youtube was massively helpful.

The re-build challenge

So, the re-build is underway. The bike now actually moves but not convincingly!

There is a major problem with the crank - bottom bracket and pedals. I spent a little time re-adjusting the brakes to work with the new borrowed rims - rolled down the road to see how they worked and promptly snapped both brake cables (I have seen some sites that recommend you swap brake cables out every year regardless of use, and now I can see why). The brake blocks look new, but not sure if they will be any good after all this time.

I have too many gears on the borrowed back wheel for the old shifters, so I am going to have to get a new rear cassette at some point, and I think judging by the somewhat solid consistency of the chain a new one of those is going to be on the list too. Hopefully a industrial size pot of bike grease, a couple of tools and a little time will be able to sort most of the rest - but we shall see.

The challenge
Looking around on the web I was amazed at how cheaply you can actually buy a bike now. I have set my self the challenge to get the old machine running in the same budget that buying a new one would set me back (and hopefully end up with something as good or better than buying new.

The best deal I have spotted so far was on the Halfords online bike shop - and will only leave me UK£69.99 to play with - Considering this is the price of a fairly decent looking adult bike, I don't think I will look any harder for one cheaper - this may actually be a lot harder than I thought!

We can re-build it, we have the technology

So, after peeling back over a decades worth of dust and grime from the bike with the use of a pressure washer and some engine cleaner I can finally see exactly what I am dealing with. The first issue of wheels has been solved when my brother kindly donated a set of old ones that he had 'surplus to requirement'. The bike now at least looks like a bike again - although the wheels are probably worth more than the sum of the rest of its parts.

I should explain that my ride was retired all those years ago after I managed to crash it - in a big way.

It was a regular occurrence back in the day for a group of us to disappear into the countryside in various parts of the UK for a weekend away biking. It was on one of these trips when my ambition clearly out weighed my skill on a kicker jump at the bottom of a long steep hill. I remember taking off - I remember being upside down, and the clear thought in my head that this was not going to end well!

When I had stopped kart wheeling and finally slid to a stop several meters later, I found that indeed it had not. I got off rather lightly with a dislocated shoulder and a few cuts and brusies - but the bike had faired slightly worse.

Most of the rear spokes were gone or bent - the rear derailleur had found its way through them before being torn off and travelling round the chain smashing the front mech too!

The bike had gone sideways, and started to low side me (with the rear wheel locked by the carnage) - that is until the off slide pedal dug in, changing the plan to a high side. The impact had bent the crank and left a crack right across the back of it.

As well as all of this, the handle bars had done a 360, taking off a lot of the paint from the top of the frame and bending them into a new and interesting shape in the process. The front wheel was also somewhat banana shaped, as was the rear brake lever.

The only plus for me here, is that I bought most of the replacement parts and had actually started to fit them in the weeks after the crash. I was still a little sore in the shoulder, so riding off road was out for a few weeks, and at the time I had just bought my first motorbike. As I let the engine dictate my routes more and more, the bike never did make it back to a fully operational state - until now that is.

Time is not always a healer

I can confirm that 14 years at the back of a garage, under piles of boxes, bits of wood and other forgotten bits of life's lost paraphernalia - does not do bikes any particular favours. The first part of my journey back into biking is to have a bike that moves. Rather essential to this idea is wheels - and that is the first of a somewhat long list of issues that stand between me standing looking at some bits of metal that have the potential to be a bike, and me actually having one!

When first looking at my old machine I must say the idea to just get a new one and start from scratch did cross my mind, and I am sure that as I put new parts on and others fall off (which I remember being a somewhat regular occurrence, even when the bike was in what you might call one piece all those years ago), the decision to rebuild rather than replace may be one that I come to regret, but a new bike would just not be the same, I have a lot of happy memories with this bike, we have done a lot of miles together and I feel like the old girl deserves another chance. Besides, where am I going to find another set of the classic "Mint Sauce" stickers from the mid nineties!

Welcome to The Second Cycle.

In the past few weeks I have resurrected a old friend. A Saracen Hardtrax mountain bike first purchased almost 17 years ago. This once faithful travelling companion has been languishing at the back of a garage for a good 14 years, progressively decomposing back into its original elemental state - that is until a flight of fancy, a nostalgic synapsis firing (and to be honest the price of petrol) must have coincided with some kind of planetary alignment and the decision to save the bike and re-kindle my old passion of riding up and down steep hills in the middle of nowhere was taken. I hope to once again be a cyclist!

The climate for cycling seems to have changed a lot since I last used peddle power (I am definitely older, and hopefully even a little wiser), and in this blog I hope to share some thoughts about whats changed and what is the same, and what cycling is like the second time round.