A random thread for things too unimportant for their own thread...

[Gubbins]

To make sense of the above comment.

Never too early, especially as I want to be out on it on either Xmas Day or Boxing Day. I'm current thinking eMTB today, analogue tomorrow, then eMTB the day after.

And for Luke @Rutland Cycling

Good for you.. wish I could do the same![emoji55]
I often think an (to use your excellently descriptive word) analogue bike for rides without too many hills.

 

[flecc]

Good for you.. wish I could do the same![emoji55]
I often think an (to use your excellently descriptive word) analogue bike for rides without too many hills.

And even with hills for me. I clung onto unpowered cycling in the hilly North Downs as long as I could until age finally beat me. No assisted cycling has ever given the pleasure that unpowered riding always gave.

Others here are clearly finding similar, EddiePJ and d8veh to name but two of a number of members who still use unpowered bikes at times.
.

 

[EddiePJ]

I must admit that I am currently having far more enjoyment from riding unpowered bikes, than I am powered ones.

The downside is that after Ditchling Beacon, I live at the highest point in Sussex, so any riding either starts or finishes with a climb. The average elevation gain over any given ride is 1,200ft for every 10 miles of riding.

For various reasons my interest in ebikes is pretty low at the moment, and I've done hardly any riding of late, choosing to ride my pedal bike instead.
I can't begin to pretend that it is an easy option, and the length of ride is considerably less, with my knees often play up, but it is making me smile, so that is the main thing.

 

[anotherkiwi]

If I have the means later I would like to have an un-powered trike with skinny road tyres and as light as possible as well as a pedelec one.

 

[Steb]

If I have the means later I would like to have an un-powered trike with skinny road tyres and as light as possible as well as a pedelec one.

I have a Hase that's almost like that. I find the crux/obstacle/problem that makes me look for a fast pedelec (at present)and not use it is lifestyle/mindset. You live in France so this may not apply,but I find life in an Anglo Saxon reality involves always being in a flaming hurry. In a parallel world I live in Nice and always have 45 minutes or more to leisurely enjoy going anywhere and enjoy the way unassisted cycling bends time

 

[Gringo]

I'm stuck in the de-electrified zone.
My old cube/Bosch has gone and the new one due sometime in January.
For now it's analogue only for me I've put some mudguards on my pedel only bike and I'm enjoying a local circular ride, 8 to 10 miles of cycle paths and a few farm tracks, a bit muddy but fun and mostly flat I've been out the past 3 days and I'm hoping to get out every day over the hols.
When the new bike arrives I won't be held back by the surrounding hills

 

[SHAN]

If I have the means later I would like to have an un-powered trike with skinny road tyres and as light as possible as well as a pedelec one.

A friend of mine has a Hetchins tricycle, it's beautiful, as it has all the same intricate lugwork as the two wheelers, but it is absolutely frightening to ride fast.

 

[anotherkiwi]

A friend of mine has a Hetchins tricycle, it's beautiful, as it has all the same intricate lugwork as the two wheelers, but it is absolutely frightening to ride fast.

The wheels are the wrong way around! For a delta trike to work you need to increase the wheelbase.

 

[SHAN]

The wheels are the wrong way around! For a delta trike to work you need to increase the wheelbase.

60 years of design evolution probably counts for a lot.

 

[flecc]

60 years of design evolution probably counts for a lot.

Yes, you're probably right:

 

[SHAN]

Yes, you're probably right:

This is worth a read.
Nauticus in Scotland: A Tricycle Tour of 2,462 Miles, Including Skye and the West Coast (1882)

 

[grldtnr]

60 years of design evolution probably counts for a lot.
View attachment 22601

Conventional trikes are notoriously difficult to master, I wasn't aware Hetchins built trikes, possibly built by Higgins or some other builder then finished by Hetchins,
I lived not far from Hetchins, when they moved to Southend , by that time,buisness was run by his son Alf, who had no interest in bikes except the profit,his builder Denny was around but on his last legs

 

[SHAN]

possibly built by Higgins or some other builder then finished by Hetchins,

Mates bike's rear axle etc, is apparently a Higgins mod to a standard Hetchins frame. I got offered one a couple of years ago, but declined. Its current owner has fitted heavy forks and a front hub drive motor, it works well.

 

[Gringo]

Washing your kit ?
OK so cycling every day (& getting sweaty) I'm getting through my clean kit very quickly. Obviously all base layers get washed every ride, having several means I always have a clean base layer but what to do with outer layers ? my soft shell mid layer gets damp from the inside but if I wash it Daily it's not always dry for the next rid !
What do others who ride daily(& get hot) do ?

 

[anotherkiwi]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Naked_Bike_Ride

 

[Nealh]

As it's xmas thought of food comes to mind .

Sainsbury's Ham hock, leek and tarragon pies are really nice though there steak and ale is very bland.
On the other hand Iceland do a superb flavoursome steak and ale pie laced with Theakston's Old Peculiar, an ale pie where the ale comes thru to the taste buds .

 

[SHAN]

What do others who ride daily(& get hot) do ?

May be just me, but I don't have any problems as long as I don't wear man made fibres. My winter wear is usually a Merino wool long sleave vest, wool top, and a double Ventile jacket. If things get really cold I carry a Swanndri shirt for back up. Also, possibly due to years of cycling, if I stay at my natural cadence, I don't break sweat. I've tried microfiber tops, and for me, they don't work.

 

[Gringo]

, if I stay at my natural cadence, I don't break sweat

I can do that but I'm not cycling for transport but for fun & exercise
if I don't break a sweat I might as well be Sitting at home in front of the TV

 

[Gubbins]

I can do that but I'm not cycling for transport but for fun & exercise
if I don't break a sweat I might as well be Sitting at home in front of the TV [emoji14]

I have a few cycling jerseys/tops/jackets, most from aldi which keep me warm but soon get wet inside. I have two expensive lightweight italian ones I bought overseas when on holiday which no matter how much i sweat they seem to wic it away. In winter I wear those as a base layer with the aldi ones on top and if I get over warm the outer garment goes in the saddle bags.
At the end of the day if you want to get all wet and sweaty you will end up being stinky as well.

 

[SHAN]

I can do that but I'm not cycling for transport but for fun & exercise

There lies the "problem" then. If you cycle for transport you don't need exercise, and spend more time in front of the TV.