Plastic Disc Between Cassette and Wheel

[HLaB]

It's the noise, isn't it, like those oversize tail pipes on Suburu Imprezas (and wannabees) shouting 'look at me' for the terminally insignificant

And you turn round and they are usually driving a sh1tty vauxhall nova. If I drove a car that bad I wouldn't be wanting to attract attention to it

 

[colinr]

It's not a bloody fashion show!

Next thing you'll be saying that commuting isn't a race. I don't believe a word of it.

 

[Gixxerman]

Next thing you'll be saying that commuting isn't a race. I don't believe a word of it.

No issue with being "competative" on the commute.

The point I was making was that all the bike snobbery does my head in.
I have a standard Trek 7.3FX with M520's, gel seal cover fitted and cheap alloy bottle cage + 1L Wiggle bottle.
My gear consists of some padded baggy shorts that I got from Wiggle for £25, a Man Utd training top which I found (which BTW is superb as it has excellent wicking performance), some Lidl shoes, cheap sports socks from Sports Soccer and some padded weight training gloves.
Can I ride faster and longer than a fair few better kitted out riders on road bike exotica? You bet ya!
I don't want to seen as one of the "all the gear, no idea" brigade.

 

[John the Monkey]

I don't want to seen as one of the "all the gear, no idea" brigade.

Which ironically, is a form of inverted snobbery, surely?

 

[youngoldbloke]

I just read the pie plate rant - it's almost enough to make me get a pie plate for my (soon to be purchased) single speed/fixed bike (I put it like thatr as I suspect the fixed side of things will be much subordinate to the SS side) as the blog calls the 'Fixed pie plate' apocryphal

You'll need two then, won't you? - one each side .

 

[colinr]

Does this count? (it'll take a lot of pie)

 

[youngoldbloke]

I have my pie plate still attached. As are my wheel reflectors and frame size sticker. Is it dorky? Do I give a f**k!

Will my bike be any better to ride if I take them off? Not really.
Just bloody ride the thing. It's not a bloody fashion show!

- just try it - you'll be amazed at the difference, and it will be even better if you wear proper cycling shorts too, and take that gel cover off your 'seal' - how cruel is that?

 

[Gixxerman]

Which ironically, is a form of inverted snobbery, surely?

Is it? I didn't think so.

 

[hobo]

Twas out on me Carrerra road bike and popped into local bike shop to ask if i could borrow their track pump. Was greated with friendly sniggers when was noted that it was a Carrera.
Left the shop to continue on my ride thinking ; it may only be a Carrera but who out riding all day and who's the one busy working all dayso they can pay for that expensive bike?

 

[colinr]

Friend of mine bought a second hand Virtuoso and it's really very nice. Yellow one, attractive silver Ritchley finishing kit. He's jolly quick on it too (of course my Orbea is far cooler and faster )

 

[hobo]

I do alot of riding on cheap bikes

 

[Rob3rt]

Ride it fixed first, just in case you get tempted to stay with SS and miss out on all the fun! Fixed pie plates would be cooler than cards in the spokes, I just don't get that one at all.

It comes from alleycat racing where you would collect a card from each of the suits, one from each checkpoint.

Same with flyers in wheels, again comes from alleycats, race number on a card specific to alleycat shoved in the spokes, people kept it as a momento of the races they took part in I guess.

Now its fashionable. Which is why its the cause of bitching, those who race and keep the cards for their spokes think you should "earn" spoke cards not just stick them in and they bitch if you just stick stuff in there.

Personally, they would just annoy me, wouldnt have them even if I had "earned" them!

 

[NickM]

Half the joy of cycling for me is working hard, but well, to conquer a hill or to go fast on the flat. The other half is the payback, having earned some altitude, of freewheeling down hills.

I gave fixed gear road riding a good trial (nearly two years of commuting and occasional other outings), but I just don't get it for road riding

Nobody seems to know who invented the freewheel, but I think he deserves to be made a saint.

 

[colinr]

Thanks Robert, never knew that.
And hammering down hills* on fixed is exciting, until it becomes terrifying

* I live in Norfolk and this word has a different meaning here.

 

[NickM]

* I live in Norfolk and this word has a different meaning here.

I come originally from Norwich - Mousehold Hill on fixed, anybody?

Noel "Very flat, Norfolk" Coward was a London ponce and knew nothing!