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Single Speed - Myth or Magic? Specialized Langster

During 2008 I also stumbled across another revelation for a 40 year old.

Bikes with only one gear, Single or Fixed speed Bikes.

Well they've become very trendy of late with most retailers stocking the Langster, Charge Plug or similar town, city aimed Single Speed bikes so I thought I'd post my thoughts and FAQs.

Yes I realise they are my views but I've done several 100 miles on a Langster now and call myself an keen cyclist.

Are they any good?

Yes - they brilliant for trianing and fuss freee commuting

Why?

Well the single speed machine is simpler. It frees the mind while cycling with no worrying about what cog or gear to selectg up or down. While it is initially harder up hills you soon learn to keep the momentum up and climb rates accelerate rapidly. They are also maintenance free except for Brakes and a bit of oil now and then as well as quieter, smoother and more efficient.

Whats fixed speed like?

Not for everyone. Terrible for me - it's difficult to master but has a cult like following. I tried it on several occassions but the danger factor of downhills and reaching for the water bottle meant that I soon reverted to the single rather than fixed speed. The Langster has a flip flop arrangement.

Would you buy another?

I already have, after doing several hundred miles on the Langster I bought a cheap eBay cruiser for everyday knocking about use and it's equally simple and very enjoyable. I'm also planning to make more from old parts.

Whats the Langster like?

Fantastic - but then I am a Specialized fan. The balance of Equipment, price and specification are unmatched and mine is the trendy 2007 brown model. I love it.

Give it a try, pick one up from ebay and you won't look back.

Cadence discovery - Cateye Astrale 8

Another minor discovery after years of cycling.

Cadence - the speed your legs go round is important.

You always knew this right?

But you were never quite sure whether slow or fast was best?

Well after a winter training session I needed a rear wheel sensor/bike computer to monitor speed and distance as my traditional wireless one didn't do anything when perched on a Bike wheel.

Well I stumbled upon the Cateye Astrale 8 which had both rear wheel sensors for speed/distance as well as separate Cadence sensor measuring RPM.

After cycling into work intially at around 60/70 RPM I decided to read up.

I found out from some reading that most advice points towards spinning faster - up to 100 RPM and beyond.

Apparently Lance Armstrong advocates up 120 RPM but he is an exception rather than the norm.

Why?

• Well it helps you maintain momentum
• Damages the muscles and knees less
• Keeps you from getting worn out quicker

So I've settled on monitoring the gears and progress to attain around 90RPM and it really makes quite a difference. My average speed is up and my climbing is better on the inclines.

Go get a Cateye Astrale 8 and try it out for yourself. I got mine for £30.

Heres the official spec..

The Astrale 8 is the standard for wired speed and cadence, now with a larger display and new design. Speed is picked up from the rear wheel, allowing you to measure your speed even while training indoors. Comes standard with universal handlebar and sensor mounts for quick, easy set-up.

Functions
Cadence Current Speed Maximum Speed Average Speed Trip Distance Odometer Elapsed Time Clock

Features

Rear speed sensor Auto start/stop Auto power-saving mode Universal magnet and sensor Programmable display Universal speed magnet and sensor Universal cadence magnet and sensor Speed display up to 300kph/185mph

Specifications
Handlebar mount size: 22-32mm
Sensor mounts: 11-55mm
Battery: CR2032
Rear wheel mount speed cadence wired sensor
Wired transmission distance up to 55 inches or 140cm

Puncture tips

Well after my first couple of weeks commuting 30 miles a day I got hit by a couple of Punctures on the Rear wheel. So I thought I'd post a couple of obvious but nevertheless crucial tips on repairing them.

1. Don't bother with patches - inner tubes are cheap, carry two everywhere. I've had mixed results with patching with both glue and glueless, never been that successful. Far easier to wrap one up in an elastic band and carry in your underseat bag.

2. Carry Gloves - those lightweight latex ones, dead cheap from B&Q and save all the brake grime and wheel grime during the process.

3. Always check the tyre for Thorns - After taking the Tyre / Tube off, 8 times of 10 something will have stuck through the tyre wall and will re-punture again if you don't remove it. I've done this twice and it's very annoying.

4. Always partially inflate tube before fitting - Give it a pump or two before putting it into the Tyre. This way you'll avoid pinching it or it getting wrapped up on itself on the way in.

5. Upgrade your tyres - If you can afford it upgrade to a similar width of tyre with Kevlar or what Specialized calls Armiddillo casings. They are loads better, I cycled thie whole of the UK with these without a single puncture.

Hope thats helpful.

Lands End 2 John O'Groats

I just noticed that I hadn't covered the major trip I did in 2007 from Lands End to John O'Groats. I completed this mamoth trip on my current daily stead - Sirrus Comp, which is testament to the toughness of this machine.

Not a single puncture or mechanical issue and it's probably on it's 3,000 mile or so now in 3 years.

Well that trip which took 8 days and 4 hours and covered 905 miles is fully documented on a seperate website if you're interested on the following website and Blog

http://www.arewethereyet2007.co.uk/ - lots of pictures, county by county etc.

as well as full day by day blog at

http://teamarewethereyet2007.spaces.live.com/

Read the blog if you've got the time as it'll take you through the pain and the ups and the downs all in one go.

Satnav on a Bike - you're kidding

Well yes - I am officially Mr Techno, Shopper suspect no 1, Mr Consumer - whatever.

I went shopping again pre Commuting for a device that could both help me navigate the Route into Manchester as well capture all the Bio data, speed, heart rate etc.

After a quick chat with a cycling Buddy Paul - he recommended the Edge 705 as he'd been using a previous model and it's a hit.

After using a cycle computer forever, the Garmin is a significant upgrade - and not a cheap one at circa £200. But the extra facilities and clear display plus the ability to download rides and performance to a pc and then onto Google Earth is great.

I've not stretched it to the limit yet but the ability to download GPX data from websites such as Bikely allowed me an error free trip into a Major City following in another cyclists footprints. Data is simply downloaded onto a Micro SD card and you set the unit to follow a previous route.

Not sure about the mapping other than following routes but I'll see as I am in the early stages of planning a dash round Ireland later this year.

So far though, very robust, good Battery life and great tracking. Save up.

Rackless paniers for commuting

Well the first thing to figure out when cycling to work is how you'r going to move your stuff.

Two options become obvious:

1. A Rucksack

2. Rack and Paniers

I've had a bike with a traditional panier system for some time and it's been handy for local shopping, fish and chip runs and the like but it is bulky and fairly ugly and the rack has to be fitted permanently.

I've also tried the Backpack route, which is cheap and simple and definetely works. Downsides are a sticky back and again some balance issues on the Bike. Also pulls on the shoulders which start to ache after a while.

Well I found an alternative in the nattily entitled Knog Dog range from Australia.

In essense they offer a variety of Rackless Paniers - which clip to the Bike frame with sturdy clips and then can be stored when not in use off the bike leaving the whole frame clear, clean and rack burden free.

The one I bought was the £109 item which fits several shirts, undies, socks and a Laptop and Power Supply and works well.

Of course balance on the Bike is effected and extra caution is required when sprinting along but on balance it's a great solution as it can left off the bike and in the office until the end of the week and leaves others standing.

Recommended - seek it out.

Meanwhile here is the Manufacturers spec:

Manufacturers funky website : http://www.knog.com.au

Rackless double pannier bag.Super light weight internal bag frame slips smoothly and securely into three nano small frame attachments.Handmade wter resistant construction using heavy weight 1200D fabric with taped and sealed seems.Water sealed zippers all round keep dust and water out.Wheelside, waterproof hardwearing tarp and a full wrap raincoat.Drape your threads over and ride crease free.An extra tough padded 'no fleck' laptop sleeve vertically fits laptops up to 15.5", there are pockets for your mp3, phone, pda or bike tools.Internal organiser pockets and a zippered rear pocket complete the inside.Can be unzipped to the full length of your clothes. Hardware allows you to wear you NEAT DOG left or right handed.

I'm back and I'm a Commuter!

Well I've returned to my little Cycle related Blog for anyone listening.

I've started a new job with an Office in Central Manchester which means that I can for the first time become a bone fide Cycle commuter! the round trip is around 30 miles which is just about perfect from my home in Cheshire.

The first day was rough - weather raining and cold and I had to figure out the logistics. i.e. how do you get yourself, a new shiny Laptop PC, Shirts, underwear and socks plus all the bits of clothing needed for the daily cycle onto a Bike for 7:30am and work out a route to a major City Centre with roads like the M60, A34 and A57 all in the way.

On top of that where do you park, how do you get clean and ready to work and do you have enough energy to make it back home after a working day.

Well I managed it through some forward planning and of course some new toys which I will endeavour to cover and provide tips and equipment recommendations for others that are like minded.

All will be revealed.

Wireless Bike Computers

I’ve been using these for a year now and I think they are great value so thought I’d post a link here.

You can buy them from eBay in the UK and as a Wireless fully functional device they are faultless and have the unusual feature of temperature display which is handy on cold days.

LeJOG 2007 update

We're getting closer to finalizing a date barring a few personal and work calendar clashes so it'll be mid July sometime with a bit of luck.

After a meeting with my buddy we've decided to ditch the campercan idea and opt for the B&B route instead. This way we can take a car which makes it an easier proposition for a driver and will add some fun back into the tour with a Beer at the end of each day with a beer at the end of each day.

We may have a third cyclist coming onboard but still to be confirmed.

I've also set up a separate website covering the news and progress towards this marathon goal which can be found at http://www.end2end.thecheshirecarriagecompany.co.uk hosted by one of our sponsors.

More sponsors and support required though so don't be shy to come forward.
If you have any gear you'd like us to carry - cycling related - and review on this site then please get in touch via a post on this blog or through the main site and link above.

I will also look to embed this Blog into the site so that I can update and edit while on the move. Just got to figure out the best way to acheive.

Sportsdo and GPS tracking

I've solved the problem of online tracking, route tracking and all from the Bike seat.

I bought a Matchbox sized GPS for £20 off eBay and paired it to my Smartphone - this is an Orange SPV C500 which runs Windows Mobile 2003 - to provide activity tracking.

After searching microsoft.com I stumbled on a great little solution to the software and online side of things called SportsDo - http://www.sportsdo.net. These guys originally developed Software for skiers but realised its general purpose application for Runners and Cyclists.

After an install of the Software £50 I tracked a few walks and rides before finding an upgraded GPS unit from the same supplier which provides enhanced i.e. in the pocket GPS. The original unit dropped out and in and caused spikes but still a very neat introduction and backup.

Basically you load the software onto the phone. Connect to the GPS via Bluetooth (sometimes a little fiddly) and then start a new activity.

The software then picks up all movement via GPS and collects the data on speed, duration and the following:

1. Calories
2. Route tracing
3. Altitude
4. Time spent
5. Speed

It then allows you to upload this to the online Sportsdo Portal and for an extra £5 a month you can keep this online log going.

The upgraded GPS SiRF II currently costs £45 and is excellent. So for £100 problem solved in a very neat fashion and as well as an added boost to keep training during the winter it will be great on the LeJOG.

Specialized Sirrus Comp 2007

Well in light of the planned LeJOG (Lands End to John O Groats) trip this June July I thought I'd treat myself to an upgrade on my faithful Sirrus Sport.

After much deliberation and spec reading I settled on the Sirrus Comp 2007 model from Specialized which add the following key upgrades from my trusty steed:

1. Carbon Front Forks
2. Carbon Rear - Seat Stays
3. Zertz Inserts for more damping

I figured I'd need all the help I could get on the long days in the saddle planned this year.

I've now completed a few rides on it but the grit has already killed one chain so I've reverted back to the Sport with it's mudgaurds and dour grey colour for the Winter training period.

I sold the Allez after around 100 miles on the road as I could not adjust to the more aggressive down in the drops position and lack of steering control after a couple of thousand miles on hybrids.

The Sirrus I think is just as fast and benefits from a more relaxed geometry for my advanced years i.e. 40+.

End to End next!

Met with Paul last night and we decided to give the Lands End to John O'Groats a go in the summer of 2007.

It's around 800 miles and will take around 10 days I think.
We're planning to ride for a charity and have a few ideas already.

We're also planning to hire a campervan so anyone who wants to drive it could well find themselves a job! May 2007. More soon.

Giant Expression N3

Looking for a bike to encourage your lady partner onto the road with you?

Then I think this is it, the Giant N3 Expression. It's uncomplicated, comfortable, well equipped and has a tep through frame with twist gears to help on the hills.

Search it out but a very nice and reasonably priced machine £230 in the UK.

Specification:


FRAME ALUXX aluminium
FORK HiTensile steel, rigid
BRAKES Shimano Nexus roller brakes
WHEELS Aluminium rims, Shimano Nexus hubs
DRIVETRAIN Shimano Nexus 3 speed
SIZES 15, 17, 19, 21"

Specialized Allez 2007

Well I thought I'd upgrade as per my last post, so I ummed and arred and then research the Specialized range and decided on a racing road bike in the form of the current Allez Triple.

Well I got it and started to ride but have concluded that for my style and distance of riding:

20 mile ride cross tarmac, country lanes
once, twice or three times per week

That the Sirrus Sport is a more apt machine and so I'm going to downgrade again and seek another upgrade within the Sirrus range. This might not work for everyone but I hope my view helps some in a similar situation.

Specification

Frame
A1 butted alloy frame tubes
Fork
Carbon blade, alloy crown and steerer
Stem/Bar
3D Oversize
Transmission
Tiagra & Sora either double 16 speed or triple 24 speed
Brakes
Dual Pivot
Wheels
Jalco GX460 Sealed Bearing Hubs Straight pull spokes
Tyres
Specialized Mondo
Post/Saddle
Carbon round / Specialized Comp
Colour
Black/Silver

Price RRP £529

Specialized Sirrus Sport 2006

I bought a Specilized Sirrus Sport Hybrid this year - 2006 model in Grey and thought I'd post a few thoughts.

I'd been riding a Specialized Expedition purchased in the US which rekindled my interest in cycling and got me into the regular 12 mile habit which I've now expanded to 25 miles on a run.

The Sirrus Sport is a great bike with a compact frame, excellent geometry and great speed and weight without the ramped style of a road racer with drops. The gears Shimano Tiagra are smooth and fast and the suspension seatpost is a real boon.

I'm 6'1" and the 58cm frame is a tad on the small side - specialized call this Large and it's fine with some adjustments. I've added Shimano SPD clips, a wireless computer (TWINS from eBay) as well as dual bottle cages.

The tyres are very robust and in 1800 miles I've had not one puncture from the standard specialized Nimbus despite copious country lane mileage.

I did the C2C on the machine in May 2006 and it was difficult to fault, being speedy, comfortable and ruggid all in one.

Verdict - Recommended - time to upgrade.

Coast to Coast on a Pedal Bike?

Well I'm just back from Cycling across the whole of the UK in 3 days with my pal Paul.
The C2C trip is a signed route of tracks, roads and off road sections and covers 150 miles. We started in Whitehaven and ended in Sunderland with ceremonial wheel dipping at both the Irish and North Sea - quite a trip.

I'll post a few pictures once I've got them from Paul but for now I though I'd post a few tips for anyone considering doing the same to give you a head start:




Questions and Answers

1. Can anyone do it? Yes but only if you're fairly fit and and can climb hills on a Bike, it's a fair ride and 3 days makes it comfortable. Only try it in a shorter time if you are exceptionally fit and keen. I cycle 3/4 times a week with distances of up to 27 miles and I found it fairly easy and didn't need to walk an inch. Take 4 days if you're not fit and take it easy and walk up the hills.

1. What sort of Bike should I take? A Hybrid Road Bike is best in my opinion. I did it on a Specialized Sirrus Sport. i.e. one with some tread on the tyres but not a mountain bike or out and out racer. Unless you want to go up and down the mountain trails, which we avoided, then a mountain bike would be a drag due to the extra weight and energy lost through suspension (although some may argue it'd make a comfier ride) None of the journey is really severe enough to require a mountain bike though, other than the optional off road sections.

1. How did you get your luggage across? We used the services of The Sherpa Van project which picked up and dropped our bags at each of the guesthouses then ran us and our bikes back from Sunderland to Whitehaven in around 3 hours. An excellent fuss free service.
2. Where did you stay and were they any good? Night one we stayed at Motherby House then one night at The Rookhope Inn which both did great breakfasts and offered a friendly place to sleep.

1. Memorable moments? Glass on the track at Whitehaven, getting to the top of Hartside and Black Hill which are both 2,000 feet above sea level. Kids with airrifles shooting into the river on the way into Sunderland - needless to say we sped up and got out of range quickly, whizzing along at up to 40 mph on some empty tracks, the waskerley way, beer and lunchtimes, completing the journey in Sunderland.

1. Punctures? No not me as my tyres are resistant, Nimbus Flak Jacket, but my pal Paul suffered 4 on his thinner racing tyres. Lesson from this is to take spare innertubes with you and some basic tyre levers and tools to allow for quick changes - latex gloves help keep the oil off too! I stuffed two spare tubes in an underseat bag but didn't need them I have read of one chap having 7 on the 1st day so better safe than sorry.

1. Food and Drink on the Bike? Take plenty of Energy or Fruit and Fibre Bars or Cake Slices or Bananas although eat them quickly as the Bananas get bruised on the bike. Take water with powdered energy additive to keep you going on the hill sections.

1. Would you do it again? Yes - although getting good weather is the key, it would be miserable in the Rain. Great views, tranquility excercise, Beer and Food and a great little break from the realities of daily life and a sense of real achivement!

1. Other tips? Go early or late season as mixing it with lots of other cyclists and walkers could be a drag. Go mid week rather than weekend. Buy the Definitive C2C Guide from Amazon and the Sustrans C2C map. Watch out for Glass on the tracks and Kids. Stop for an Indian meal on the way home in Penrith rather than do Motorway food.

Useful C2C resources

• http://www.c2c-guide.co.uk - great guide site
• http://www.sherpavan.com - transport of bags bikes and people
• http://www.motherbyhouse.co.uk - guesthouse night one
• http://www.rookhope.com - pub b&b night two