First time out on my £10 ebay bike.

[BMR]

Hi as some of you know I bought an Apollo Outrage off ebay for £10 not had any use since new 2 years ago. As the tyres were flat when I bought it I was going to change the tubes but after blowing them up tp 40psi (which it says on the tyre sidewall, is this not a little low for road use?) I had to take a customers car back for her (I run a car repair business) so I undid the quick release on the front wheel, pulled out the seat and stem and loaded it into her hatchback. When I dropped the car off I built the bike up, put my cycling jacket and mac tools red/black padded work gloves on (remember I repair cars), posted her keys and invoice through her letter box and set off. I had decided not to use the roads, so down a grassy stepped footpath onto a loose gravel track quite steep (supprised myself I didnt come off) over a railway bridge the along the canal tow path back to my workshop. Stopped a couple of times at locks to chat with narrow boat people. Time taken 1 hour, distance 5 mile. I personaly dont think that was too bad considering my chats were included in the time and I was rather careful on the tow path as I cant swim. Now I cant wait to get back out again.

 

[summerdays]

Its nice how when you are out on the bike how you can stop and talk with folk you meet.

 

[mr Mag00]

you claiming that bike back on the business?

i always talk to ppl i meet on the mtb esp the dogs who starting barking and end up licking my hands

 

[BMR]

Yes I am trying to get Mr Brown to give me some tax back being as I am doing what he wants me to do (FAT CHANCE OF THAT) I have talked my daughter into going on a 20 mile canal path ride with me in a few weeks time starting at Langley Mill where my workshop is along the Erewash Canal to Trent Lock, have a drink there (2 nice pubs) then along the Beeston Canal through Attenborough Nature Reserve to meet the wife at Castle Boulevard retail park where we can load the bikes up and get transported home. Will take some pics and tell you how many times I come off when I have done it.

 

[Trillian]

in answer to your tyre pressure question, 40psi is above average for inflation rate.

As I ride a singlespeed I put my tyres to about 50 so they're very hard for road riding to the off road trails, i then drop them to about a min of 35 depending on terrain, sandy i'll keep them higher, gravel i'll drop to 35 and about 40 for all round use.

remember a mountain bike tyre grips by flexing round the terrain and thus it needs to be able to distort / flatten a bit in contact with the ground.

it does vary from tyre to tyre tho.

 

[BMR]

Thanks Trillian the info is appreciated mind you with my weight I can flatten an over inflated MTB tyre so it grips.

 

[RedBike]

I have talked my daughter into going on a 20 mile canal path ride with me in a few weeks time

Take plenty of inner tubes. There's often loads of hawthorn hedges beside the canals.

 

[Trillian]

my rule of thumb is to ride slowly up a kerb, if the tyre deforms to the point of possibly banging the rim if you were riding quicker then a bit more air would be good

the doorway of my flat works brilliantly

should be a slight distortion of the tyre

 

[BMR]

Thanks for the pointers guys, cheers

 

[snakehips]

A tenner , excellent , hope it gives you a lot of good service.

I got a kids bike for a quid on ebay a couple of years ago (nobody else bid) and it's given a lot of pleasure to some young people already and still going strong


Snake

 

[BMR]

You know I have 3 bikes all of them off ebay all mountain bikes, one £38, next £10 (like new) and my new plaything a Shockwave XT950 which was brand new, bought as a present for a guy who was too small to ride it, I now it had never been ridden as the discs were unmarked £80. I know these have a bad name amongst some riders but I am sure its not the bikes fault but the assemblers at H-l-f-r-ds as the cones were not adjusted, the gears were not adjusted and the handlebars loose. All fixed, plus ratchet shifters and I have a very useable MTB.