Search found 233 matches

by mat_swan
Sat Feb 08, 2020 7:02 pm
Forum: Routes
Topic: North Downs way
Replies: 3
Views: 1845

Re: North Downs way

You should be able to do Ashford-tonbridge-redhill-Guildford by train to get you close, then I think you could get to easy riding distance on the far borough line (not sure how far the Redhill- Guildford trains carry on in that direction). Sadly in this part of the country they trains mostly go in a...
by mat_swan
Sun May 19, 2019 10:18 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: A tale of two jackets
Replies: 9
Views: 2743

Re: A tale of two jackets

Is that why I saw a load of bikes on cars going the opposite way to me on the a9 today? If it’s any help, have you tried double proofing it? I had a (non goretex) dwr jacket that I thought was properly past it- stuck it through a proper tech wash on its own then two reproofer cycles in a row. Still ...
by mat_swan
Thu Feb 14, 2019 9:59 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Looks like another loop bar coming
Replies: 75
Views: 14365

Re: Looks like another loop bar coming

Looks like these bars have been picked up by Cinelli too. Well they look basically the same though maybe not quite as wide as the Jeff or Geoffs. The H-double-tube- handlebar, already appreciated by travellers all over the world http://cinelli.it/en/prodotti/hobo-interrail-en/ More interestingly, t...
by mat_swan
Tue Jan 15, 2019 11:30 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Hunt axle removal
Replies: 14
Views: 3235

Re: Hunt axle removal

This ^ man is definitely a better authority to listen to than me on this subject.
by mat_swan
Tue Jan 15, 2019 10:11 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Hunt axle removal
Replies: 14
Views: 3235

Re: Hunt axle removal

I think they're the same type of novatec shell as superstar, in which case once you've unscrewed the 'cap' end it just takes a bit of a push to get it moving, particularly if you've not taken it out before.

Please don't smack it with a hammer on my advice though!
by mat_swan
Wed Jan 09, 2019 10:52 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Which Exposure bar light for multi-days?
Replies: 20
Views: 3516

Re: Which Exposure bar light for multi-days?

All of those three are plenty powerful enough for general use to be honest. I've just replaced my 7 year old maxx d with a brand new one and it's very, very bright on max. The six pack is quite a chunky bit of kit to carry if you dont definitely need the light or battery life.
by mat_swan
Mon Dec 24, 2018 10:29 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Veloviewer map - explorer tiles
Replies: 794
Views: 138317

Re: Veloviewer map - explorer tiles

If ferries are ok I might take the train!

I've done pretty much all the squares that can be got by 'skimming' the edge of town so at some point I'm just going to have to get up really early and do a lap
by mat_swan
Mon Dec 24, 2018 6:18 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Veloviewer map - explorer tiles
Replies: 794
Views: 138317

Re: Veloviewer map - explorer tiles

Made it up from 7 overlapping 14x14 squares to 3 times 15x15 today. It's mostly road work to expand the square at the moment so it depends if I've been feeling like it. I think 16 shouldn't take much more effort, although one of them is still in the middle of Crawley, then it gets much harder again.
by mat_swan
Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:19 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Help! Testing Dynamo output
Replies: 18
Views: 3072

Re: Help! Testing Dynamo output

Be careful not to run the wheel backwards as this will...
...condense static electricity out of the air to cope with the dynamo contacts in negative polarity. Spin it backwards fast enough and you'd best watch out for lightning.

I would also like to applaud the test setup
by mat_swan
Sun Oct 14, 2018 1:13 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: The post man's been ...
Replies: 11421
Views: 1905786

Re: The post man's been ...

Fair enough, that is a bit of a mess. Thought I'd seen you had one of the green new ones- my mk1 is blue and it was a close call with that and the green, so I quite fancied a green longshot one but they're not doing them any more.
by mat_swan
Sat Oct 13, 2018 7:28 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: The post man's been ...
Replies: 11421
Views: 1905786

Re: The post man's been ...

Metalheart, did you get a sodamax? If so, I am very, very jealous! Don't suppose it's replacing a medium green ls Solaris you want to sell is it?
by mat_swan
Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:27 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Good Luck BBers
Replies: 55
Views: 11161

Re: Good Luck BBers

Yup, best of luck to all, stay safe. Hope you're all having fun in the Star about now! Has everyone packed their emergency inflatable flamingo?
by mat_swan
Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:24 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Boost
Replies: 4
Views: 1604

Re: Boost

You can boost it a little bit (3mm) on each side, 3mm on the rotor and adjust the mech to fit, or do all 6mm on the disc side, space the rotor by 6mm and dish the wheel. You should be able to get either type of spacer for a 240. MRP do some and there were some on sitw that were nice and cheap. Is it...
by mat_swan
Sun Sep 02, 2018 10:14 am
Forum: Anyone playing out?
Topic: London to Brighton gravel route Sat 25th August
Replies: 32
Views: 10759

Re: London to Brighton gravel route Sat 25th August

Other way- bletchingley
by mat_swan
Thu Aug 30, 2018 11:07 pm
Forum: Anyone playing out?
Topic: London to Brighton gravel route Sat 25th August
Replies: 32
Views: 10759

Re: London to Brighton gravel route Sat 25th August

Wave as you cross the a25, I'm only half a mile up the road!
by mat_swan
Thu Aug 30, 2018 10:52 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Mudguards for carbon forks
Replies: 14
Views: 3803

Re: Mudguards for carbon forks

I've found a front mudhugger, being rigid and shaped, gives better protection on a rigid fork- because the flexible style ones get pulled relatively flat where the fork arch should be giving the shape, you end up with room for the side knobs to fling mud out forwards.
by mat_swan
Fri Aug 24, 2018 11:12 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Waterproof Overtrousers
Replies: 24
Views: 4072

Re: Waterproof Overtrousers

Never liked the idea, until a couple of winters back it was wet enough that there was a lot of spray off the front wheel nearly all the time and cold enough that the water constantly chilled your legs. My feet were practically permafrost that winter until a friend suggested I give it a try. I now ha...
by mat_swan
Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:24 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Suggestions for a short tour in September
Replies: 11
Views: 2934

Re: Suggestions for a short tour in September

Oh, and Jameso, if you're willing to share I'd be interested too!

Thanks!
by mat_swan
Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:24 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Will a Revo run a rear light other than a Redeye?
Replies: 11
Views: 3714

Re: Will a Revo run a rear light other than a Redeye?

Pretty sure the revo output is the same as the battery lights ie. 5v dc, as I've run both the redeye and the 'exposure light to usb charger' adaptor off it. It's not really designed to output usb amounts of juice though so the power you get is tiny.
by mat_swan
Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:08 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Will a Revo run a rear light other than a Redeye?
Replies: 11
Views: 3714

Re: Will a Revo run a rear light other than a Redeye?

Pretty sure I've seen Revos with the mounting shoe removed and bolted to a fork crown mount before now if you want to 'permanentise' it.
by mat_swan
Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:07 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Suggestions for a short tour in September
Replies: 11
Views: 2934

Re: Suggestions for a short tour in September

St Malo would be a long time on the ferry for a 3 dayer unless you can time it for two overnight trips. That said, the area is gorgeous if you do go. Last summer we got the ferry to St Malo, the train to near Roscoff and then ambled back very gently over a week, loosely following the Eurovelo along ...
by mat_swan
Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:04 pm
Forum: Routes
Topic: Gravel/off-road route from Richmond Park to Surrey Hills
Replies: 5
Views: 2676

Re: Gravel/off-road route from Richmond Park to Surrey Hills

Annnd I've just realised the date. How did it go?
by mat_swan
Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:03 pm
Forum: Routes
Topic: Gravel/off-road route from Richmond Park to Surrey Hills
Replies: 5
Views: 2676

Re: Gravel/off-road route from Richmond Park to Surrey Hills

Stane street to the bottom of box and up wolverns is what I'd recommend for minimal navigation- on the whole once you're on them you can follow them for a while. If you don't fancy slogging over ranmore ( and you might not, the best descents would be extremely troubling on a loaded bike), you can go...
by mat_swan
Tue Jul 17, 2018 10:55 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Sapim spoke advice
Replies: 3
Views: 1211

Re: Sapim spoke advice

I use d-lights for just about everything other than the big bouncy MTB. Solaris, commuter and cross bike I think have 4 wheels between them using d-lights, quite happily. Full Susser is on whatever the 1.8 butted ones are.
by mat_swan
Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:41 pm
Forum: General banter
Topic: Pump recommendations please
Replies: 55
Views: 11866

Re: Pump recommendations please

I did have the valve core unscrewing issue in the early days (and after one particularly frustrating moment it did nearly get thrown in a hedge) but started doing them up as tight as I could by hand, which seems to have pretty much solved the problem. I've broken a valve core or two over the years w...