your daily bicycle log

How does a chain stretch (and wouldn't the derailleur compensate)? Sorry to keep asking noob questions, but I'm a noob.

Mark, the metal in each link of the chain will stretch over time, so you chain gradually get longer. Yes, this slack should get taken up by the rear mech, or on singlespeed bikes, you can move the rear wheel axle back in the dropouts to do this (if you don't, you'll end up with a baggy chain that will tend to jump off the chain ring). What will happen though is that as the chain stretches, it'll start wearing down the teeth on your gears in a funny way cos it won't be a proper fit. If you keep replacing your chain when the stretch gets to a certain amount, you can prolong the life of your gears I think.

so you chain gradually get longer so your chain will gradually get longer, duh

You'll find out all about chain stretch when you replace the cassette at the back without getting a new chain, and you'll be wondering why your bike doesn't work anymore.

Ah gotcha. What's the best way to check for chain stretch - or is it really noticeable? I remember on my old bike there was a resistance free split second before the pedals started working which I assume was because of a stretched chain but I guess the problem starts well before you reach this point?

What's the best way to check for chain stretch - or is it really noticeable?

Measure it with a ruler. Should be an inch per pair of links when new IIRC.

I remember on my old bike there was a resistance free split second before the pedals started working which I assume was because of a stretched chain but I guess the problem starts well before you reach this point?

Sometimes this can be down to wear where the crank sits on the axle, but also the top of the chain will be a bit slack when you stop your bike.

Should be an inch per pair of links when new IIRC

This is a pin-to-pin measurement BTW.

Or you could buy a chain wear gauge for, what, $15? $20? It's just a little thing, throw it in your toolbox.

this is the daily bicycle log thread

(1 hr on the rollers 90-100RPM)

One step ahead of you, Grumpy. See Tools thread.

just teasin boo

Cutty = JW-style own-board fascist :)

My Commute, by Hunt3r

White peaks, a pink sky
Make me forget that I have
a boil on my taint.

well done

LAST NIGHT, 11:45 PM, FLAT ON QUEENS BORO BRIDGE. I AS PULL OUT MY TOOLS, I REMEMBER I LEFT MY HAND PUMP IN MY MOUNTAIN BIKE BAG....WALKED TO SHADY GAS STATION IN LONG ISLAND CITY, IT STARTED TO RAIN! REPLACED TUBE, ASKED ATTENDANT FOR QUARTERS FOR THE THE PUMP (50 CENTS, WTF)...HE SAID HE DIDNT HAVE ANY...I BECAME SLIGHTLY UNHINGED, RANDOM SPANISH LADY GAVE ME QUARTERS FOR AIR PUMP. (THANK U MISS).

RODE HOME WET AND ANNOYED.

TODAY, RODE TO WORK IN RAIN. BLAH BLAH BLAH.

Left work after sunset yesterday. Entered Hyde Park at Queen's Gate, rode past the Albert Memorial in the dark, all very lovely. Got to Alexandra gate - gates closed. Had to ride down 100 metres of singletrack(ish) - made me appreciate the need for really proper lights doing mtb at night - and then lift my bike over a waist-high fence. Ah could've been worse.

This morning I managed the Hyde Park corner double - both ped xings in one go. Difficult but not actually impossible, seems to be down to the whims of the traffic light gods.

Tom, is there any reason to go round HPC on a bike? Aren't there alternative routes where you're less likely to die?

I'll be doing two laps of Richmond Park on Saturday, but I have the excuse of my less-fit mate cycling with me so no lap times will be taken. Which is lucky cos I was almost 3 minutes off the pace last time. Damn you, age.

Cycled almost all the way to work thinking I was going a lot faster and riding on higher gears than usual, then realised I was actually on the middle chainring, not the big one. Woe.

Mark, I go across the ped (+bike) (+horse) crossings so it's not dangerous - just really annoyingly timed. Parliament Square and Westminster Bridge roundabout are another story - although traffic's pretty slow around them so they're not that bad.

Someone hit me today. A pedestrian with a magazine. Admittedly I has in the wrong I jumped a red light to get out of the sphere of a taxi that was sitting on my rear wheel. Only just as it was going red as well and as I went across the crossing, a man hit me with a magazine. I was flabberghasted.

haha! i always think ppl are going to shove sticks through my wheels :/

yesterday a lady (on a bike herself) tutted, frowned and shook her head at me angrily for riding without hands (ok i'm guessing that was what it was for, can't think of anything else), i was so surprised i started laughing at her and she looked even more annoyed.

should have given her the finger(s)

Playing chicken with people riding the wrong way in your 24" of allotted shoulder space: C/D? I was tempted on Tues but it didn't seem worthwhile in the end.

If people hit cyclists with magazines for crossing red lights in NYC, we'd need a second police force.

I frown and shake my head at people riding no-handed - in my mind. You reckless young whippersnappers.

Playing chicken with people riding the wrong way in your 24" of allotted shoulder space: C/D? I was tempted on Tues but it didn't seem worthwhile in the end.

i end up doing this w pedestrians who don't look before stepping into the road/bikepath all the time. maybe it's childish (no, definite;y it's childish) but fuckit, i'm not gonna hit them and the shocked little noises they make crack me up. and maybe they'll look next time.

We only did one lap of the park today as my mate rightly realised that 2 laps would leave him broken, seeing as he hasn't even looked at a bike in over a year. Was nice and relaxing riding with a less fit friend, though I did feel like I'd only done my warm-up by the time I came home.

rode down to whitechapel to pick up a new chai, cassette, tyre, brake blocks, to limehouse town hall where there were some nice people who helped me with it all, rode a made-up route home smooooooooth...

Chai? You yuppie :)

No rides today, unless it dries up a bit. Too much eating, instead.

rain saturday :(

90 minutes on the rollers

bought new saddle to replace shot 90s gel POS that came on my roadie
removed old seat
adjusted blinky light mounting
attached new seat
began to reattach seat stem
broke bolt that runs through seat tube while tightening

rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggggggeeeeeeeeeeee

DAN: DOESN'T KNOW HIS OWN STRENGTH

BINDER BOLT. IVE BROKEN LOTS OF THOSE, THEY ARE ANNOYING TO REPLACE!

One and two halves of a 5 mile cross-country loop at Aston Hill. Wasn't much fun - it's an extremely rooty trail and in the rain it's just waayyyy too slippy. And the most exciting downhill section was chalk, which was also fatally slidy. Won't be heading back there until the summer.

4 hours easy easy

THAT'S how October gets done. THe bigger the base, the taller the pyramid and all that noise.

hi five!

easy jaunt to west town bikes for first day of build a bike class. awesome!

man i don't know what to eat on days where i burn 2,500 calories

A COUPLE SLICES OF EGG PIZZA SHD DO THE TRICK.

^^^ my french roommate buys a slice of pizza then throws a motherfuckin egg on it

Eggs with vegetables and goat cheese and a side green salad and corned beef hash and cafe au lait.

One and two halves of a 5 mile cross-country loop at Aston Hill. Wasn't much fun - it's an extremely rooty trail and in the rain it's just waayyyy too slippy. And the most exciting downhill section was chalk, which was also fatally slidy.

Hey Ledge, I've ridden there in the wet (my sister lives in Wendover) and that one steep slippery chalky switchback is NASTY DEATH. Good on ya for surviving.

Well we survived by walking down it... hey ya gotta pick your battles, discretion better part of valour, etc.

Ah, well don't worry, I won't tell anyone...

I set out to find a shortcut through the back of my neighborhood to a bro's place which is only really about a mile away, if I could somehow take a straight shot. I got lost and ended up 3 miles north of his house somehow on the other side of a gigantic 6-lane road that I didn't cross. I did find some railroad tracks though, so if I can retrofit my shit with some kind of theoretical rail-riding gear I am set.

I have seen such a thing, I have I have. For rail-riding on deserted tracks.

^^^ i have, too!

bike frame with an outrigger