FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast April 15th Manchester to Blackpool 2011

[frank9755]

With some smooth talking, a small amount of cash changing hands and delft diversionary tactics the five of us and Frank’s dismantled bike found ourselves sat together in 1[sup]st[/sup] class. Some enjoyed more beer - despite Virgin Trains disintegrating bags resulting in several cans exploding on the buffet car floor......

Very funny post, Mick!

Alas I didn't take a picture of it, but another handy tip for those travelling without cycle reservations (or with cycle reservations but for different trains) on Virgin Trains is that additional bicycle rack space is available at each end of the First Class carriages, behind the last row of seats.

For anyone thinking otherwise as a result of 'Teef's attempts to spread mischief, I must have it known that I was a fully paid up member of the 'keep Adrian in First Class' appeal fund!

 

[Aperitif]

Very funny post, Mick!

Alas I didn't take a picture of it, but another handy tip for those travelling without cycle reservations (or with cycle reservations but for different trains) on Virgin Trains is that additional bicycle rack space is available at each end of the First Class carriages, behind the last row of seats.

For anyone thinking otherwise as a result of 'Teef's attempts to spread mischief, I must have it known that I was a fully paid up member of the 'keep Adrian in First Class' appeal fund!

The 'evidence' of your 'Crative Luggage Class' remains to be displayed Frank. Suffice to say that I claim the 'Keep Mick in 1st Class for free' prize, by using my usual excruciating charm and mis-use of vocabulary to shoo her away! (Another failed chat-up line)

I feel great today - something must be wrong. I have been walking in the sun...maybe that's it?

 

[mistral]

For Mick Mistral, and indeed anyone else who like me thought on the way down into Blackburn "These wheels are more than two years old now, I wonder how thick the rim braking service is", these dentist's calipers are the sort of thing I was attempting ro describe after a) no sleep and b) three pints of whatever it was we were drinking.



Edited to spell braking in the proper sense

Thanks, ordered a set already!

 

[dellzeqq]

Simon says 'Check your bike'. He says it before every ride. Adam says 'Thoroughly check your tyres, regularly'. We're all not expert mechanics but, little by little we learn how our bikes feel, sound, ride - and observe what other people have done to maybe make their ride more comfortable... some things just happen, and 'a snowball arrives at the bottom of the hill'. New bike, new set up, unfamiliar to rider, different terrain, sometimes demanding shifts, and unfortunate combination - who knows what happened? so no- one is culpable - apart from Brian, for not having used the right screw in the right jockey wheel, and thern not using the right washer with the right ... ah who cares, that's why we do it!

absolutely. If I'm honest, though, I cannot remember the last time I checked the stop screws on the derailleur. I imagine that if I felt the chain trying to slide off when I tried to change down I would have a look, but, then again, I'm not always sure what gear I'm in, especially at night. Which one of us hasn't looked for a lower gear than we've got on a steep hill?

As for the screws on the jockey wheels - all I can do is shake my head. The four of us were simply not on the case.

I'm a bit disappointed in Miranda, though. Brian rode 65 miles home with a cracked shoulder. Would it have been too much to ask for her to ride with us to Blackpool and buy the Mechanics a drink?

 

[frank9755]

For Mick Mistral, and indeed anyone else who like me thought on the way down into Blackburn "These wheels are more than two years old now, I wonder how thick the rim braking service is", these dentist's calipers are the sort of thing I was attempting ro describe after a) no sleep and b) three pints of whatever it was we were drinking.

Edited to spell braking in the proper sense

When you get slept out properly and the effects of that absinthe wear off altogether, you might want to change 'service' to 'surface' as well!

 

[theclaud]

Which one of us hasn't looked for a lower gear than we've got on a steep hill?

That'll be something to do with having a cassette that looks like the end of a corn cob.

 

[Aperitif]

That'll be something to do with having a cassette that looks like the end of a corn cob.

Corny cobblers! I feel a 'Frank chat-up line' coming on...

 

[Aperitif]

absolutely. If I'm honest, though, I cannot remember the last time I checked the stop screws on the derailleur. I imagine that if I felt the chain trying to slide off when I tried to change down I would have a look, but, then again, I'm not always sure what gear I'm in, especially at night. Which one of us hasn't looked for a lower gear than we've got on a steep hill?

As for the screws on the jockey wheels - all I can do is shake my head. The four of us were simply not on the case.

I'm a bit disappointed in Miranda, though. Brian rode 65 miles home with a cracked shoulder. Would it have been too much to ask for her to ride with us to Blackpool and buy the Mechanics a drink?

I call as witness the honourable 'Life of Brian'. Warder - would you kindly bring him from the cells of yacf to testify in my defence, thank you.

 

[frank9755]

absolutely. If I'm honest, though, I cannot remember the last time I checked the stop screws on the derailleur. I imagine that if I felt the chain trying to slide off when I tried to change down I would have a look, but, then again, I'm not always sure what gear I'm in, especially at night. Which one of us hasn't looked for a lower gear than we've got on a steep hill?

In my experience if it goes out of adjustment it happens only gradually and the first thing you are aware of is a jangling sound as your mech just catches on the spokes. I suspect Miranda's was way out to just ship the chain off altogether. Given Claudine's comment above (about advising her to hold back the lowest gears earlier in the ride) and that her previous ride had been to the flatlands of Cambridge, it might be that she hadn't tried the shift onto that largest sprocket before (or if she had, it would have been under much less of a load).

The other thing that I noticed when I first saw Miranda's bike was that whoever set it up had taken off the plastic spoke protector (aka dork disc) which, while not looking cool, is there to prevent such a thing happening. If she'd had the bike set up in Halfords they, bless them, would have left that in place.

 

[Mice]

absolutely. If I'm honest, though, I cannot remember the last time I checked the stop screws on the derailleur. I imagine that if I felt the chain trying to slide off when I tried to change down I would have a look, but, then again, I'm not always sure what gear I'm in, especially at night. Which one of us hasn't looked for a lower gear than we've got on a steep hill?

As for the screws on the jockey wheels - all I can do is shake my head. The four of us were simply not on the case.

I'm a bit disappointed in Miranda, though. Brian rode 65 miles home with a cracked shoulder. Would it have been too much to ask for her to ride with us to Blackpool and buy the Mechanics a drink?

I cant wait to buy the (fabulous) Mechanics - and several other incredibly kind people - a drink.

I am obviously a wuss!
Brian clearly is not.

FNRttCers are the best.

M

 

[Aperitif]

Think that bit was 'discovered' Adrian - but yes, still check it over.

 

[Aperitif]

In response to Adrian's request to see more frankness on the boards, here is the intrepid one complete with luggage. (At rear.) Apart from the fact that it was Advanced Deception, with a soupçon of rudery thrown in - a good result.

And here's the man, insisting that there is a shot of the words 'First Class' - just in case there was any doubt. We had our own WC too - which proved handy. Now, what was that about the WC floor... can't remember? and I'm grateful to Mick for reminding me about the incident of the pram in the nighttime. What a horror story.

All cuddly and innocent.

 

[Aperitif]

What was the name of the station that we used, for our convenience, ultimately, please? I seem to recall it had a poetic sort of name... 'Poesia concreta' maybe, but poetic nevertheless.

 

[Mice]

In my experience if it goes out of adjustment it happens only gradually and the first thing you are aware of is a jangling sound as your mech just catches on the spokes. I suspect Miranda's was way out to just ship the chain off altogether. Given Claudine's comment above (about advising her to hold back the lowest gears earlier in the ride) and that her previous ride had been to the flatlands of Cambridge, it might be that she hadn't tried the shift onto that largest sprocket before (or if she had, it would have been under much less of a load).

The other thing that I noticed when I first saw Miranda's bike was that whoever set it up had taken off the plastic spoke protector (aka dork disc) which, while not looking cool, is there to prevent such a thing happening. If she'd had the bike set up in Halfords they, bless them, would have left that in place.

Miranda, make sure that whoever looks at your rear mech knows that the jockey wheels had to be removed and put back. I'm sure that the actual wheels and bolts ended up back in the right place because we know that it is impossible to put them in the wrong one. If the washers are different though, with the best will in the world, they could easily have ended up swapped, unless that is also not possible.

Thank you for your advice which I will of course follow. I will book the bike in for review/service before I use it again. I was advised to remove the plastic clip things on the spokes (if that is what dork discs are?!) as apparently they can come off and damage the spokes. I will have them put back on again.

Your comments gratefully received (apart from the one about not going to Blackpool to buy the beers!). I did put in some hill practice prior to this ride - including this week when on Monday I did Hyde Park to Highgate and back with three consecutive trips up Swaines Lane (Highgate) stopping at the top only to take a photo) along with two other routes up to the top and on Thursday two trips up to Crystal Palace on the way back from Epsom. And I did use all the gears (I think!)

I will also ask them to run through the best time to actually change gear - I think I am doing this too late which is obviously a factor.

It is indeed a learning curve. I was going to say I have no regrets but that's not true. My only regret is finding myself interrupting everyones ride and needing assistance - and quite supreme assistance it was. Oh and of course not continuing the ride to buy the Blackpool beers.

But I did have a ball.

And as soon as the doctor says so - I will be back on wheels again. And I cant wait!

 

[dellzeqq]

In fairness I've not seen that happen to a bike since I was a kid. I think you were let down, Miranda, and that it's a very, very rare thing. I've certainly never had it happen to me, and I've ridden all kinds of bikes, going back to the days of triangular rather than parallelogram derailleurs.

And I don't think that you should worry overmuch about when to change gear - on that same hill I forgot I was in the big ring, went all the way down and then shifted to the smaller ring while standing up. Obviously the best thing to do is to change at the front before the climb rather than after, because that is where problems can occur, but you didn't do anything wrong on that climb at all. You simply looked for a gear you didn't have - which we've all done before - and the stop screw wasn't there to stop the derailleur moving over.