advice

A month or two back after advice on here regarding the Sturmey Archer 3 speed I got an old 1970s ish (maybe older) Peugeot bicycle operational for one of our lodgers. She has been using it a reasonable amount, and after a few more tweaks it is going fine, however she reports that the brakes...

I've found that when I ride my Mercier with clips and straps, the toeclips feel too short, as though I'm pedalling with my toes rather than the ball of my foot. I considered a load of washers as spacers to move the clips forward a bit, but is there a more elegant solution? Picture of the...

Hi, a good friend of mine and my wife, an 81 year old widower, who saw active service with the Paras in Aden in the 1960's, participated in triathlons in his late 50's, and hung his road/tri wheels up some years ago, has asked me about e-bikes. He has now stopped driving, mainly due to eyesight...

Me and Mrs Smoo have never possessed so much as one green finger between us. However, a major reason we moved to this house from a terraced house 15 years ago was because SWMBO wanted a garden, but after buying at the top of the market she very quickly realised she hates gardening :wacko...

I'm going to be using my Dawes Fox to commute to work these fine summer weeks, but I need to replace the tyres. The route is a twelve miler part urban, mostly rural with the obvious danger of the usual detrius on roads / cyclepaths. My regular bike; a GT Outpost is shod with Marathon Plus, as I...

Hi. Have are wished you never had given out advice to someone, only to see it all go wrong for them. With plenty of time on our hands at the moment and many nosey curtain twitchings going on I've noticed my neighbour has been hard at work sprucing his car up. Its been spit and polished for many...

Hi got a Jan janssen steel lugged road bike which needs work nothing major see pics I was thinking about selling would 80 pounds be too much any advice thanks

My wife and I have an Orbit Velocity Tandem fitted with 3x10 Tiagra with 52/38/28 chainrings. I managed to drop the chain off the small chain ring yesterday resulting in some deep scuffing on the driveside chainstay, which I'm hoping is mostly in the paintwork, and the result of inexperience...

After some views - if using two locks do people use a D lock and a chain, or potentially two D locks ? If two D locks is it worth taking 2 makes or both the same make ? The D locks I have are not light, but then neither is a chain and lock. I take the lock/s in a pannier when out so don't...

Currently I have a Polar Ignite watch, hooked up to the Polar app, which talks to the Strava App relatively well for fitness stuff... but I'm not done yet! I want a GPS-type device for the Brompton for when we're cycling about. This is what's needed in my set up - can you help!? - Watch -...

Hi All hope your managing to stay healthy safe and well - whilst H based my partner has started to use my ex demo spin bike - you guessed it not used to cycling yet and finds the seat pictured uncomfortable I’m so proud of her for working out with me in these challenging times and don’t want her...

Just got back into riding around 3 month ago after a very long lay off. Bought a mountain bike which is great but ive decided to replace the front suspension forks for rigid ones. I ride mainly on the road with the odd foray down the cut bank and cycle tracks. Hills are hard work with the front...

Spotted the 2019 version of these reduced and thinking of ordering one as my TSDZ2 ebiked hybrid seems to have terminal issues and rather than spending more £ and time trying to sought it out a proper ebike looks attractive. This seems to be the best deal on the Giant...

I live near the seaside, and would like to do a little metal detecting on the beach. Can anyone recommend a reasonably cheap detector? It doesn't have to be "state of the art", just something for a bit of fun after the day visitors have gone home. Thank you

Hi there. Is there anybody out there having trouble with Strava not operating at all on Huewei phones. Ive downloaded the app 5 times. It doesnt seem to want to work. It perfectly well on my Samsung Galaxy Ace.. Cant work it out!

Today was probably the first time I have cycled in persistent rain and my glasses not only got covered in water they fogged up too. What do people do in the rain to see properly? I can't really stretch to expensive cycling glasses at the moment.

Having recently attended an informative and enjoyable wheel-building course, I set about my first project to build a dynamo hub front wheel. For a touring bike, the components include a Ryde Sputnik 36-hole 700c rim, SP PV8 hub and Swiss DT competition 2.0-1.8-2.0 spokes with 12mm brass nipples...

Last yr the hub on my cx rear wheel went up the spout I bought a replacement but a week later, a nasty infection kept me off the bike for 8 months. Been out on two rides since and got snake-bite flats on both, only to find I had bought a 622x13c rim. Can anyone advise what size tyres I need as...

A relative has asked me to take power of attorney for their affairs. She is fully compos mentis but aged 94 is quite frail. Can't say I look forward to doing it but she is such a lovely person. We already do a lot for her. My wife had power of attorney for her mother but she had dementia so...

Hi, i am nearing 50 and looking to get back into commuting into work 2-3 days a week. The trip is 3-4 miles each way, though there is 1.5 miles of hills, which is uphill on the way home. I was doing regularly till about 6 years ago when i picked up some niggling injuries to my knees, ankles and...

Hi, My daughter has a genetic condition called Sotos Syndrome. Among the many symptoms associated with it are problems with coordination and balance. She enjoys cycling, but trying to get her to ride a conventional bike is tricky, even with stabilizers. We took her to Dulwich Park a while...

I have changed the stem on my 2014 Genesis Volant. As a result I now have a very slight looseness through the headset and I don't know why. It was not there before the change (so it is not the bearing wear). Nor is it like that Volkswagen ad, where something else is loose. The only different...

Hi there I'm seriously thinking about buying a Bianchi Sprint; this comes in both rim and disc brakes. The rim brakes one is £2200 and the disc brakes one is £2800. I know that rim brakes are easier to maintain but I do like the look of the disc brake one. The only small thing really that...

I'm having a garage built, two walls of which will be against an earth bank, which gets very wet. The walls have been built, properly strengthened and I'm happy with that. However the tanking is being put on the outside of the walls before back filling and I've noticed the membrane is a brick...

Like a few of us on here not getting any younger / fitter so thinking of going the E route. The thing that intrigues / concerns / know nothing about is the "post 15.5 sensation" So lets say we have happily pedalled along with assist to the bike assist limit, it is a nice flat road, bit of a...

Hi all I'm looking into trying to save an 80s mercian frame which has a fair bit of surface rust. I was thinking of getting it painted but is there a way to preserve it as it is now with rust and all without it getting worse? It's only original once after all! Thanks

A neighbours friend turned up today and he called me over. His friend has a Halfords Carrera E Bike. He had a puncture and needed an inner tube etc, so I helped. He asked me if I knew anything about E bikes, I said 'no'. He wants to change the bike from a 300 watt to a 500 watt. I understand...

I never thought I would be posting about this subject. One reason is that I have been derogatory in the past about civvie-pseudo-cops. Well, you grow up; traffic police numbers have been drastically cut and driving seems to have got worse. On average twice EVERY week on the school run, my...

As I haven't used my car in over four months, it appears that the battery is now dead - not even enough juice to switch on the radio. I'm looking for both short and longer term fixes for this so give me your wisdom. For starters (geddit?) I'm looking at this Arteck power pack for immediate...

I'm looking at doing a ride in the area & taking in a few climbs, but concerned about how safe cycling along the A6 from Matlock to Bakewell is. Can anyone with local knowledge advise on a safe route, but I would also like to call via Rowsley to go up Rowsley Bank :okay: TIA