Essex Is (Mostly) Flat - Saturday 8 May (from Manningtree)

[CopperBrompton]

Rather early for me! Assuming I make it (which is looking promising), I'll be joining the train at Shenfield at 8:42, arriving Manningtree at 9:26.

 

[Aperitif]

Just a reminder that at least some of us will be leaving Liverpool Street on the 7-30 train to get to Manningtree for 8-31 and Breakfast.

If anyone else wants to participate in a Groupsave, you'll need to be there significantly before 7-30, so we have time to get the tickets, and find and get aboard the train.

Good planning Tim.

Have a good time everyone! The Guinness was lovely last time - for breakfast, and that café on the platform has got to be one of the nicest places. At least there's no trek to the station after 'conviviality'. I need to work Saturday early afternoon which is why I am not peeling rubber on the A12!

 

[redjedi]

I'm afraid I'm going to have to bow out of this ride

My self inflicted bike accident last week has left me with a couple of broken ribs and I'm finding cycling very uncomfortable at the moment.

It's bad enough that I couldn't even face my 30 minute commute this morning, and I don' think a day in the saddle is going to be at all comfortable or enjoyable for me.

So have fun and I'll see you all on the next ride.

 

[Aperitif]

Another crash?

I wouldn't of minded coming on this ride but have to work as well. Have fun evryone.

Luke's going for a 'rename' soon...'redbodi'

 

[Auntie Helen]

I now have a broken spoke (well the spoke nipple broke actually) but can't get it fixed until Monday at the earliest. I shall be cornering and braking very gingerly!

 

[Andrij]

Can't you corner on two wheels?

 

[CopperBrompton]

How long does it take to replace one? I think I have some spare spokes, but won't be there until 9.30am.

 

[Auntie Helen]

I wouldn't have a clue how to replace one myself - I'm going to give the job to the local bike shop. I'm going to order some spokes from ICE, but if you could bring one along that I could get the LBS to fit for me on Monday, I would be most grateful. I could then send you the replacement when it arrives.

It's not actually the spoke that's broken but the nipple, so it's an easy repair - if one has the right nipple!

 

[TimO]

... It's not actually the spoke that's broken but the nipple, so it's an easy repair - if one has the right nipple!

Nipples are nipples, mostly they're all the same.

It's just a bit fiddly to replace, since you need to remove the tyre, inner tube, and rim tape to get to it. If I remember I'll pop a spare nipple into my kit. If you have a flat, it would probably be worth putting a new nipple in at the same time.

Luckily with those wheels, one spoke gone isn't really a biggee, since you aren't exactly going to be taking corners at racing speeds. There's possibly a slight issue with rubbing on the mudguards, but you could compensate for the one missing spoke by tweaking the adjacent ones if you had to. Roundness isn't as important as it would be with a rim braked wheel.

 

[Auntie Helen]

It's not rubbing on the mudguards at the moment - in fact the wheel appears only very slightly out of true (I initially thought it was just the tyre badly seated).

If anyone has a spoke key and some knowledge, we could maybe do some maintenance at the café stop, if anyone knew what to actually do (and if Ben is able to bring the spare spoke). The LBS said that the nipple isn't one they had in stock so may be slightly unusual - apparently the threads can be very different.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Hmmm - can't find the spares, but I'm just about to have a sort-out of my bags, which have got all sorts of junk in them, so maybe they will surface shortly.

 

[Auntie Helen]

Just had a close look at the old spoke - the nipple appears to have corroded and then sheared. I suspect this means there might be a few more doing this in due course so I will definitely put in an order with ICE for some replacements.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Sadly my spokes haven't come to light, which means I know where they went. A friend dropped some of my stuff off at a pub (don't ask), who then promptly lost it. Sorry!

 

[Auntie Helen]

No problem, I shall go with Plan B (ordering them from ICE) and hope that the wheel holds up OK for the next few days. ICE suggested that the wheels are designed for heavy people with loads of luggage so hopefully I won't overstress it...

 

[CopperBrompton]

A neighbour of mine rides one. He is not a small bloke, he has a full (canvas) enclosed fairing and also a rack with luggage. If it copes with that lot, I think you should be fine!