Tales from today's commute....

[Kookas]

When the cable snaps, the mech will go to the smallest sprocket regardless, as that's the way it works. If the break is other than in the shifter, you can use the broken end to jury rig it into lower gear. Extract the broken end, with nipple attached from the shifter. Remove the broken bit from the mech. Feed the bit from the shifter into the mech, such that the nipple jams in the cable adjuster. Push the mech across to a middling gear. With your third hand(!) clamp the cable onto the mech, so the mech stays in place. Fine adjustment, to stop that nasty rattling noise, is achieved by twisting the cable adjuster.

We did this to The Claud's bike on an FNRTTC, albiet with a whole new cable, after her shifter eat the old one. It was Adrian's idea

I'd do that but it did snap at the shifter - pretty much precisely so, as the broken cable sticks out of the shifter-end of the outer. Still, a cheap and easy problem to fix, so with any luck I'll have the bike running again by tomorrow evening, if not sooner.

 

[gaz]

Got a flat on the way home. Now a note to all, learn how to use a new pump before you need it, took me nearly 5 mins just to work out how to use it :S

Vid?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6CqdLd1-wU

 

[Andrew Brown]

When the cable snaps, the mech will go to the smallest sprocket regardless, as that's the way it works. If the break is other than in the shifter, you can use the broken end to jury rig it into lower gear. Extract the broken end, with nipple attached from the shifter. Remove the broken bit from the mech. Feed the bit from the shifter into the mech, such that the nipple jams in the cable adjuster. Push the mech across to a middling gear. With your third hand(!) clamp the cable onto the mech, so the mech stays in place. Fine adjustment, to stop that nasty rattling noise, is achieved by twisting the cable adjuster.

We did this to The Claud's bike on an FNRTTC, albiet with a whole new cable, after her shifter eat the old one. It was Adrian's idea

I seem to remember another fix is just to use the limit screws to move the mech up the block?

 

[Tim Hall]

I seem to remember another fix is just to use the limit screws to move the mech up the block?

It's very unlikely that the limit screws will have enough travel to move the mech far enough. They're not very long after all.

 

[BSRU]

When the cable snaps, the mech will go to the smallest sprocket regardless,

Assuming it's not a top normal mech.

 

[BSRU]

Interesting ride this morning, had a squirrel attempt a rabbit impression by rushing out in front of me and then stopping to have a look, fortunately it moved just before I squished it.

First proper SCR for ages this morning , guy on a road bike(maybe carbon will check later) who I have often seen riding, caught me at a junction just after a cycle path( I always ride very slowly on cycle paths).
He obviously assumed I was slow and decided to go in front up an short sapping drag, ideal opportunity for me to check out how good he was. I struggle up the drag, not because it was too hard just it was very difficult to stay behind(due to traffic) because he was slower than me, I could see from the gear he was in he was struggling a little.
Eventually the opportunity arose to pass so I did slowly. He tucked in behind to take advantage of my draft.
On the flat moving at a reasonable pace I decide it's time to change up to the big ring to see what he's made of but he's already off my back wheel. So I thought sod it, big ring give it some welly and I disappeared into the distance.
He may read this as he had a good view of my CC jersey, for a while
I'll enjoy watching that later

 

[Biscuit]

Once again the barn owl was at Paines Manor. This time flying in front of bike for about 1/4 mile then off onto a tree stump.
We stood and looked at each other for a while. Then I moved off, Owl rotating head to follow me into the distance.
Beautiful sunshine lit image of Owl. What a magnificent bird.!!

 

[Andrew_P]

Not much to report a few squeeze passes but the weather fully compensates. Used the tailwind for a bit of a recovery ride, just as enjoyable as the blast yesterday. Lastly and more importantly my bike is still gleaming from its wash and polish on Sunday, yes Sunday!! Cannot remember the last time my bike got to Thursday looking the same as it did on Monday.

 

[thefollen]

A chap on a recumbent passed me on Waterloo Bridge (Southbound) yesterday at around 17:55 and shouted something about my legs as he did haha; couldn't quite make it out for the wind noise in my ears! Was on the hybrid in regular clothing heading to a pub in London Bridge.

 

[Cycleconvert]

Cloudy commute this morning with a headwind, still a pretty good run though and for the first time I didn't have any drivers coming too close. Drivers of South Oxfordshire, I salute you.

 

[Matthew_T]

This mornings commute went a little insane at the end. I decided to blast the last 5 miles to college and ended up with an averaging 18mph and bumping the overall average up to 16.1mph. I was really flying.
Weather wasnt as sunny as yesterday but the wind was exactly the same.

 

[Frood42]

Another cold windy commute this morning, but the sun is starting to show through again, so hopefully another lovely afternoons commute.
A slow recovery ride today, as my legs are starting to feel a little tired.

One complaint, all the traffic that is about this week, I have been having to do alot of filtering and waiting in traffic.
It's not like I am cycling in central london, I am cycling on the country roads around Epping and Loughton
Although I do try and console myself with the fact that the close passers are stuck in traffic while I sail by and away

Liked the CycleGaz video of all the cyclists on his route, a little bit jealous I don't have some others to cyclists to play with.

 

[HLaB]

Flew to work this morning (well as fast as the 13.5kg fixie with heavy d'lock allows) 16miles in under an hour (16.5mph), then I met congestion outside Stanground College but I managed to cut through that and by a mile later (the London Road Road Works) I got the average back up to 16.4mph. Then drafted a bus through them keeping the average up. Then disaster struct, less than half a mile later as the bus was getting up to a good speed, the chain jumped off and wrapped itself round the rear axle. After a minute or two trying to untangle it without success I decided to walk the last mile to work carrying the bike; as my right shoulder still testifies.

Edit: managed to un jam the chain over lunch refused to come out by hand (trapped between the sprocket and the wheel) but I managed to workout I could get enough slack in the chain to get the wheel off, swap the round the chain to in front of the axle (rather than round it) and use mechanical advantage. No amount of pulling when it was wrapped round the axle would free it but with mechanical advantage it was easy. That probably makes no sense but the important thing it worked; I'm left with a severely twisted link but I can wheel the bike home

 

[theMec]

Not as sunny as i was expecting this morning and had a bit of a headwind to contend with pretty much all the way. Still managed 21 miles in a decent 1h30 and beat a PB in the process - not too bad for me! Saw some sort of massive bird of prey swooping in a field - that's as techincal a description as it gets i'm afraid...

Looking forward to the ride home when hopefully the sun'll be out.

 

[fossyant]

Left a little late this morning, so direct route into Manchester. Bumped into a neighbour and had a brief chat about a friend of ours whose cancer had returned, and is terminal - he's in his early 40's with three kids.

Rolled into Manchester early, so grabbed a coffee and flapjack. Quick hours meeting and back on the road shortly after 10 and back to the office. Lovely out. Not a bad way to spend half the morning. Off to find some lunch.