CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
Rode in on my race bike via mechanics to get new chain fitted (racing bike - prefer to get these things done professionally). and went on a ride this lunchtime for a bit of fun.
Now have to cycle good bike home to pick up commuter bike to ride BACK to work to pick up stuff and head to SOs for dinner (no indoor storage therefore the Fenix does not go there). Sometimes I really need to plan ahead more!
Tell SO to move, get new SO, learn how to replace a chain.
Now I've got the '70s learn to swim pif in my head.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1964to1979/filmpage_swim.htm
What services does the "professional" chain fitter offer that this amateur equipped with a £5 chain tool doesn't? So long as you can count links, I don't think there's anything that can go wrong?
Lighting joys compounded after waiting 90mins for light to charge, to then get to Dalgety Bay to discover I had missed the train and had an hour to wait. Cue the long slow dejected cycle the rest of the way to Burntisland.
160 miles of cycle commuting the first week back after 2 weeks off, hurts.
WFB, or should I say Captain Sarcasm, + Kappers I can of course do it myself however I would probably take 10-15 minutes ensuring I had it completely the right length, spend a while using my decent but not amazing chain tool carefully so as not to waste a link, I don't have a stand wich makes the process annoying and fiddly and there is always the chance that you kack hand it and end up with a stiff link. I'd also mess up my carpet.
Bearing in mind my chain on the racing bike costs a fair whack, and that I was riding hard this morning, and that my mechanic did it all perfectly, cleanly and solidly in 5 mins while I had a coffee and a natter I would say I got the pretty solid deal. (note I also didn't actually have to pay for it either) .
What's with this "do it thine self" attitude anyway. I can but I don't always feel it's the best use of time. When I rode Cuba I carried enough stuff to completely rebuild my bike because I might have had to. It was necessary. I know how to cook but I still go to restaurants.
@arobcomp - free is always a good price. A wee natter and a coffee also good. The first time I changed a link I somehow pinged the pin into my neighbours bushes. I am no mechanic.
My colleague was in Spain for Xmas. The apartment had no corkscrew, spare keys, kettle, mugs or glasses. He bought these and left them for the next Brits. The owner explained that no one Has these items in Spain as everyone goes out for coffee, wine etc.
So in conclusion? Everyone is right.
Must admit I'm inclined to take the mtb up to Harts to get him to put a new chain on it since I binned the broken one. I just don't have time to fettle tbh.
Actually the only thing stopping me (beside opening hours) is that I've got a perfectly good chain beside me and would rather not buy another but don't like taking web bits into bike shops for fitting.
Well sometimes I prefer to do it myself because I know if I did it properly. Sometimes I just like to do it myself, like last night when I had a happy hour in the cold and dark back garden replacing chains and stuff. The transmission was gritty and not changing gear properly. Now it's sweet and it all works.
I've also had the odd bad experience with shops. Kinetics and Evans take months to replace a Brompton hinge and I do mean months, six of them in one case.
I use shops for things I don't have tools for because the job is rare and the tool is expensive. In the case of the hinge the reamer is £200. Wheels last me for years and jigs start about £100. I suspect when the Mighty Gow retires I'll start doing that myself as well.
I love stripping SA hubs. They are wonderful things.
I've had some poor experience s with shops but even worse with myself as mechanic! My OH knows to keep clear if I'm attempting repairs on my bike. Sometimes it's cheaper to get a pro in.
OH - Other Half. Took me a moment for figure out that one.
Sometimes I leave a job till she is out and I can do it in the kitchen… it's then a bad idea to post a picture of that on Facebook.
@wfb. More to the point what do you do with your kids while you're engaged in this endless fettling? Have any of them learned your arcane skills?
Well SRD that's one which troubles me. A wee bit.
Boys 1-3 show no interest in taking things apart.
Number one lives in London and shows no interest in riding a bike there even though there is a Boris rack outside his door and I'd be happy to lend him a Brompton for a while. Numbers two and three like riding a bike and will ride one from school when I'm there but the memsahib is reluctant to even let them walk home and has only started doing that this year because of time constraints. Two is 11 and three is nearly 10. They went to Cumbrae last summer and loved it. They now want to cycle round other islands. Bute is a possible, Arran is 56 miles so they might need to work up to that one.
Number four on the other hand can build IKEA furniture and he's only 7. I don't let him do it unsupervised but he knows how to read the plan, find the bits and screw them together. He doesn't do hammering yet.
If I'm taking something apart he wants to know how it's done… and sometimes helps. He's seen tubes patched, brake pads replaced and the inside of 3 & 5 speed hubs. However, he's got a diagnosis of being high functioning autistic and we can't let him walk along the pavement on his own so he can't ride a bike. If he can watch me fettle then he does. He also wants to know what all the bits do. He's had a look at engines now and again but repairing cars has to be outside in the cold and often involves extended cussin' so he doesn't watch that.
If I'm in the garage then they all just play computer games with each other. I'm not interested in computer games so I suppose it's fair that they don't thrill to the improved design of the SA clutch.
You see, I'm the sort of irritating middle class parent who could not cope with 'kids indoors playing computer games' while I was outside doing honest work. But then again, I don't have 4 boys, and I may well lose the will to 'improve' them when they reach that age range. Or not. I have hopes that my New England Puritan stock will prove resilient.
It's not usually shooting games. At the moment they are doing Rome Total War. We hear them discussing how many houses of Rome there were and how to use battle elephants.
Last year there was a show about digging up some Roman cavalry and number three was able to explain all the different bits of Roman army while we watched it.
Sometimes they shoot stuff too.
@WFB, Biketrax in Edinburgh did my Brompton hinge very quickly, iirc it was ready next day. In fact I'm in there tomorrow to pick up the bike after leaving it Friday afternoon to get the back wheel rebuilt (worn out rim) and the SA hub looked at (unspecified annoying rattle) first impressions of their work have been very positive.
It's probably going to BikeTrax the next time I need one. I'd rather dodge two trips so I might see if I could drop it off in the morning and get it later in the day. OTOH the early train might make it more spendy.
The S6L is nearly 8 yrs old and still on its original hinge but it has a lot of play.
Forgetfulness this morning = been sitting in my cycling gear (biblongs, shorts, merino tops, spd shoes) all day.
Thinking about getting a banner saying 'yep, I had a wardrobe malfunction'
I could have loaned you my workwear, Nelly - I'm still getting over this b* of a cold so not yet back on the bike. We're about the same size!
Doh! Forgot me trousers!
No cash
No phone
No Trousers!
Well you'll be easy to 'spot'.
At work at least.
Wore some 3/4 length bibshorts in this morning just in case I fancy a longer scenic commute home.
Excellent plan but I forgot to pack some pants o.O
I foresee a trip to the shops at lunchtime...
No trousers on Tuesday. Had to go shopping very early!
Forgot phone and wallet this morning only realised as I got to work - que another return journey. I was already an hour late... No one seems to have noticed yet.
I remember a few years ago (well, probably around 15!) I got to work and was telling everyone how fit I was feeling and how much easier it seemed today.
My colleague said, "Where's your rucksack?"
I seem to have lost my keys. :-( On the plus side, the security guard referred to me as "young lady" which cheered me up a bit.
"young lady"
Which part did you like best??
Well, surely the "lady" goes without saying! :-o
pmsl.....
but seriously min I hope you find your keys, loosing keys is a right pain.
Found them! Phew!
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