FNRttC FNRttC to Brighton 8th May 2009

[Aperitif]

does a bike have a back as such?

Of course silly - Lance Armstrong wrote 'Just Put Me on the Back of the Bike' didn't he!

 

[Radius]

does a bike have a back as such?

Rear triangle.
Rear n.
- Area at the back / 'behind' / arse (col.)

Radius - that's what I thought. You'll remember that we come down from Tooting Bec Station and turn left towards Mitcham. The Tail End Charlies will come along, and they'll let you know that you can set off again. If you're really keen you can do the same thing at Coulsdon, where we turn right on Chipstead Valley Road - but that's a longer wait by far.

Sounds fine

 

[clivedb]

Can we have a bit of earnest discussion on the merits of pre-talced inner tubes please?

Yes, I advise you to be earnest about this or you may suffer my fate last year after experiencing a puncture - my spare inner tube, tyre and wheels were all mocked mercilessly - the shame, the shame...

 

[dellzeqq]

Yes, I advise you to be earnest about this or you may suffer my fate last year after experiencing a puncture - my spare inner tube, tyre and wheels were all mocked mercilessly - the shame, the shame...

there you go again - the wheels were brilliant, the tyres were.....damn tight, but fine, but the tubes, Clive, the tubes.

Group rides are one thing, but I do wonder how many of us could do our own changes with one set of thumbs, if we were on our own. Mercifully I can recall only one puncture on my bike when I was on my own, but it was when the tyre was brand new, and it was a real struggle to fix.

This may be old age, but I don't remember tyres being so hard to fit back in the seventies.

 

[Tynan]

this talced tubes talk serious?

I fancy myself as fully competent at repairs and changes on the tube front, gawd knows I've done enough

I am a creature of built up areas with street lighting at worst, usually a shop window so i suppose inky lane might be more demanding, sure I've put tubes into wet tyres though

 

[Mista Preston]

does a bike have a back as such?

Andy are you riding up from Bromley and if so can I join you as i dont know the way

If not I will work out the trains.

Clive

 

[arallsopp]

If you can follow a map (rather than my back wheel), I can post our normal route from Dripping Tap to HPC on bikely / bikehike / whatever.

Its not that tricky. Bromley Hill, left at Lewisham, right at Vauxhall, straight over Victoria, stop at the arch.

Won't be today though. Bit mental at work.

 

[dellzeqq]

Mike E
Bed and Breakfaster 1
Bed and Breakfaster 2
Bed and Breakfaster 3
Flying Dodo
Dan Br....er
Simon L (another one)
Steve R
Helen B
Adrian C
Marilyn B
Julian D
Stuart A
Rob H
Davywalnutwhips
tdr1nka
Zoe F
Radius
Aperitif
John G
Jane G
User10571
Martin S
Clive B
Louise L
Jane D
Dan B
Tim H
Sitting Duck
redjedi
lee 1010
Greg C
Marna G
Pete G
Katsura I
Des O'D
Peter C
Rich P
Tom Gr y
Tynan D
Tanya G
Andrij B
Sarah T
John F
Paul M
Dan P
Isa T
Iain C
Peter M
Alastair M
Steve D
Rob F
Alan L
Frances C
Mark H
Mista Preston
Alan C
Kat I
Fred S
Tom S
Charlotte B
Liz N
Alex B
Eric B
Paul B
Colin A
Will1985
David G
Gill C
Matthew S
Adrian B-H
Richard G
Bob Cvr
Jim R
Eddie H
Peter K
Kathy P
Tim P
Matt J
Tim K (brother of Peter, above)
Paul C
Phillipa G
Iftkhar H
Shane G
Ibrahim S
Richard C
Sol F
Lee G
McBludgeon (there being two people of almost the same name....)
The Mysterious Pavel
Andrew L
Adrian M
Matthew B (another speedskater - how many does that make?)
Toni Z
Thomas F
Tom H
Senan D
Tom G
Christian B (who came on the very first FNRttC in April 2006)
Naveed I
turning down riders right, left and centre now. Bum!

 

[mike e]

Weather ok down south today? Metcheck, now back up and running, would suggest a dry and fine week with pleasant temperatures. However up here in Hull it is cold wet and damp as it mainly is in the North!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

What is with the butyl rubber and talc fetish? Is this part of the roadie cult initiation that ends in 'a-rack?'-'NO!-phobia. (Ta dum!) and running weirdly thin tyres to counter rolling resistance whilst being more than 1000g overweight.

Seriously - I've changed lots of tubes on MTB's in the dark at night in the rain in a howling gale up a mountain off road covered in mud slime and cow crap miles from anywhere and never ever have I felt the want of some talc. What have I been missing out on?

As for the nodding sages; I say stuff 'em (but not to their faces if they are actually offering to change my tubes) not that long ago they would have shared knowing looks and imperceptibly shaken their heads if said tyro turned up on anything that didn't have a steel frame and a leather saddle

and somehow I know I'm going to live to regret posting this.....

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Weather ok down south today? Metcheck, now back up and running, would suggest a dry and fine week with pleasant temperatures. However up here in Hull it is cold wet and damp as it mainly is in the North!

clear blue skies at the moment in the middle of sussex

 

[dellzeqq]

those that have no problem with changing tubes should bring what they want - but most people have some difficulty, particularly with the thinner tyres (I have a 20mm Conti tyre I've never been able to get on). And that's where the TECs come in, because they want to get the show on the road as quickly as possible.

Sometimes we can relay the rider back to the group, even as the group moves on - it's not unknown for a 20-25mph chase to claw back a five minute defecit (bear in mind that some rear wheels are easier to take out than others). But, then again, sometimes the cyclist with the puncture is obviously not going to be able to achieve that kind of speed, so the TECs will call ahead and the ride will find a quiet place to stop. But as someone who has fixed, or helped to fix, quite a few punctures for other riders at the back of a Friday Night Ride to the Coast I want to give the TECs every advantage - if for no other reason than keeping them sweet, so they don't get tired of the idea of helping out.

When you think about it, it's a bit of a liberty asking people who turn out for a ride just to have fun to take care of other riders. I'm surprised that I haven't had people turn me down.

 

[Will1985]

The old sages aren't going to like the look of a deep section wheel then... I've never thought of talced tubes - the mess in my back pockets would be horrendous. I'm with dellzeqq on the 20mm Conti - a bitch to put on and didn't last anywhere near as long as my 23s.

I'd be happy to do some pulling back if necessary - think of it as training!

Does HPC to Brighton make 100km? If not I'll start my counter from Euston or climb Ditchling twice

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Dellzeqq I stand corrected and bow to your pre-talced mightyness and all round sageness in all things FNRttC related, especially as I'd have to ride down the beacon to hit the speeds required for a FNSttF (Friday Night Sprint to the Front). Feel free to curse me to the heavens if I puncture and to issue a curt "Tell him to fix it himself" should the air mysteroiusly vanish from one or other of my tyres

I guess I'm being thick but how does the talc help you get the tyre back on? I've seen an MTB'er or two use a tiny bit of soap in the wet to ease a tight tyre back on the rim but can't see how a talced tube helps. and latex mtb tubes always seem to be talced for some reason. But I haven't owned a 'proper' road bike since 1981!

 

[dellzeqq]

it just makes it slippy, and reduces the risk of pinching, and reduces the effort of getting the tyre back on - although, as with many things, four hands are so much better than two. Don't get me wrong - some non-talced tubes are better than others, but some that I've seen are real horrors - they're almost sweating rubber.