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PostPosted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 13:32 
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(Link to previous)


http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewt ... =bike+ride

As with cars – we need to keep our bikes in pristine order and today being the last day of summer :wink: is probably the last chance you get to give a good old fashioned service! :lol:

Your bike has to be adjusted to perform properly and suited to its rider – and like your car, it will give years of troublefree service if you maintain it well,

A bad match can cause a spill in traffic and this accounts for many of the incidents involving cyclists. :cry: Believe me – over a long career the badly matched bike is a prime cause of incident. :cry:

The most comprehensive book on the market is Haynes Bike Book – which explains every part of your bike and how to look after it.

Well – when you choose a bike – look at the frame size – and you should be able to straddle the top tube with both feet flat on the ground when stopped. Distance between saddle and bars should allow you to sit on the bike and reach brakes and gears in absolute comfort.. :)

Now this may seem obvious to most on here but….. you ain’t seen what I’ve seen and dealt with in the course of my career! :cry: :( :cry:


So what to look for…when choosing your ideal set of two wheels.. Well – when we did the bike course – we had to give our inside leg measurements. :o - we do look at details and when we buy police bikes - we make sure they suit the rider. But then we had lessons in hurlting through back alleys and up and down steps! :shock: You have to have the saddle right for that kind of stuff! :shock: :wink: :wink: My wife was most amused when I told her about my day at work that day! She was more concerned about how any "damage" would affect her though! :lol:


Select a frame size ideally 9 inches shorter than your inside leg measurement from – crotch to floor barefoot. And try out several frames with saddle and bars adjusted . Check out the seat tube angles, head tube angles and front fork rakes – this determines the length of the bike and whilst a larger wheelbase gives security over dreaded road humps – you just cannot get the speed up! Racers usually have steep angles but about 72 degree angles suit a commute.

Make sure your saddle height is set to permit the maximum transfer of energy for you to pedal by allowing your foot to descend as great a distance as possible with your leg as straight as possible – and that the saddle horizontal position and tilt give you maximum comfort.

The handle bar height should be in line with the top of the saddle and that the angle slopes downwards to the rider. Test ride a few variables of saddle and handlebar positions until you are happy.

Right – well I’ve kicked off with a few basics for beginners. What do others look for if they are buying a bicycle ?

Also check out this link to check out your basic safety on the road

http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewt ... cling+quiz

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 15:36 
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just to emphasise selecting a frame size. You've given a method to get an approximate size but we all have different ratio legs/height (ie just because 2 people may be 6' tall doesn't mean our legs are the same length). No point having a bike that's a perfect fit for your legs if you're stretching to reach the handle bars.
Different manufacturers use different geometries so a 54cm bike from Trek will be a totally different fit to a 54cm bike from Bianchi. So if you're planning on riding a bit more than just down to the shops on the odd occassion and you want to ensure a bike to fits you properly there is no substitute for going to an experienced dealer and trying a few for size and comfort.


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 19:25 
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Cheers - exactly the input I am looking for! :lol:

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PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 09:39 
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In Gear wrote:
The most comprehensive book on the market is Haynes Bike Book – which explains every part of your bike and how to look after it.


'Tis a very good book, if you start to get into cycle maintenance a bit more, something with more detail could be an idea. I use the above in conjunction with two books by a chap called Leonard Zinn, "Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance" and one for mountain bikes imaginatively titled "Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance"!

I'm led to believe the Park Tools workshop manual is the best there is, but at £300 it's a bit out of my price range.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 11:25 
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sidcup cycles have just started to run the park tool school course:

http://www.sidcupcycles.co.uk/2004/workshop.shtml#pts


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