Cycling

There's no problem at all to leave a bike resting on it's front forks with the wheel off . Don't worry about having entry level Shimano stuff. Their entry level stuff now is almost as good as the Tour de France guys were using only a few years ago and the main improvement as you go up the range is lighter weight and those kind of weight savings really only matter for competition use.

Michael.

 

Well done Batfink, sounds like you got some useful extras there. Don't let it gather too many cobwebs over the winter!

 

First journey to work that has actually been warm since last year, so a good time to drag out this thread.
I'm sure you have got your tyres sorted by now, but just to add that I have been happily using these on S.Devon (ie wet and muddy) roads for a few years now and have had no braking problems. Big surprise was when I replaced one last year and finally bought a tyre pressure gauge. I had no idea what a properly inflated tyre was. In fact I still don't as I usually give up at about 60 psi rather than carry on to 90 (I know, get a track pump).

 

arr but at least now you know that your tyres are not inflated properly, before it was only a guess ;-)

 

Just for the record, it hasn't been gathering cobwebs. It's been mainly weekend use so far, but I try to get out a least once per week (roll on summer when I can get out more!)

 

90 psi!
I run mine at less than 30, but then I do only do off road at the moment, and it's incredibly muddy..

 

I started to pay attention when I wore through the side wall on the rear, while there was still tread (or what passes for tread) in the centre. Yes the ride is now harder but also faster (brake blocks cheaper than tyres?). Are you really using s-licks off-road?

 

Right, well this thread is a blast from the past. Its been my first week on the bike this year, got a new cycle computer, lights, helmet and other bits oh and a new (to me) bike, well its one I got a while ago but was too lazy to do the work on it to get it up and running.

Got myself one of those Reevu (warning, crappy ASP site will only work in IE), helmets, which has a intregated rear view mirror, which I am finding very useful.

I needed some new brake blocks, so I found some old ones as a pattern as asked my wife to pop in to town to get some replacements. So she goes into Halfords (ya I know!) and asks them for the brakes, shows them the old one, and she come home with ones for a BMX, these MUPPETS couldn't tell a brake block from a bottom bracket. I would have got them from wiggle, but I couldn't find the exact match, they only seem to have the ones with stems on where mine are fixed witha Alien key bolt.

Anyway yep, cycling rules and it feels great to be back on the bike, might go some way to reducing my spare tyre, that seems to have developed recently, must be something to go with my age!

 

No, certainly not!
I've got some Specialized Fatboy slicks on my spare MTB wheels, but never use them as the racer (with semi slicks) is much, much faster on road...
I use Panaracer Fire XCs on the MTB, in tubeless form. Haven't had a puncture for ages, and it saves about 200g unsprung weight per wheel.