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"JohnB" wrote in message
... I can imagine some threads even longer than we get now arguing merits or otherwise of h*lm*ts and even whether such a subject has a place in an FAQ. On the other hand, if the questions genuinely are frequently asked, it's a good way to ensure a consistent and accurate reply. Instead of being helpful to a 'newbie' asking a question, we'll have curt "Refer to the FAQ" answers instead of the more useful help that was requested. Advocatus diaboli and all that, would "please see the FAQ at ....." be more or less desirable than a helmet thread? My vote is a No. A vote? Has democracy broken out on Usenet? Who knows where that could end... http://www.avidorstudios.com/r137.html -- Guy === WARNING: may contain traces of irony. Contents may settle after posting. http://www.chapmancentral.com |
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Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
In case you're interested and/or didn't know, Simon Ward has emailed me to say that he is no longer the official FAQ keeper for this NG, and the FAQ is essentially in abeyance. There are those who think FAQs are obsolete, but I'm not one of them (not least because they act as a sort of homepage for a Usenet group). I have it in mind to resurrect the FAQ and update it. But not if anyone else wants to because I have plenty of other things to do with my time. I could also host it on my free ISP webspace (not my home server which can be subject to arbitrary outage, e.g. when I decide to break it trying to apply an update). Unless anyone else has a robustly hosted site where they would be prepared to host it (several possibilities spring to mind). Your thoughts? My thoughts: 1) massive FAQs don't get read and are worthless. 2) short welcome FAQs [1] posted regularly [2] are essential 3) I would be willing to contribute in both time, content and server space as well as linking from my signature. 4) however, I wouldn't want to do it all on my own - group effort please [1] a few pages at most, easy on the eye and valuable content only - check the welcome faq of uk.people.bodyart to see the idea [2] once a fortnight perhaps? long enough not to bore but regular enough that most newbies will see it in their initial post downloads. -- Dnc |
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Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
In case you're interested and/or didn't know, Simon Ward has emailed me to say that he is no longer the official FAQ keeper for this NG, and the FAQ is essentially in abeyance. There are those who think FAQs are obsolete, but I'm not one of them (not least because they act as a sort of homepage for a Usenet group). I have it in mind to resurrect the FAQ and update it. But not if anyone else wants to because I have plenty of other things to do with my time. I could also host it on my free ISP webspace (not my home server which can be subject to arbitrary outage, e.g. when I decide to break it trying to apply an update). Unless anyone else has a robustly hosted site where they would be prepared to host it (several possibilities spring to mind). Your thoughts? My thoughts: 1) massive FAQs don't get read and are worthless. 2) short welcome FAQs [1] posted regularly [2] are essential 3) I would be willing to contribute in both time, content and server space as well as linking from my signature. 4) however, I wouldn't want to do it all on my own - group effort please [1] a few pages at most, easy on the eye and valuable content only - check the welcome faq of uk.people.bodyart to see the idea [2] once a fortnight perhaps? long enough not to bore but regular enough that most newbies will see it in their initial post downloads. -- Dnc |
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Simon Mason wrote:
I would say that the fully searchable nature of Google Groups means that a faq is virtually obsolete now. I disagree. An FAQ can be a huge document if you want to put lots of helpful stuff in it. Having it on a website where it can be fully indexed, and which can be referenced in one or more posters' sigs several times a day will encourage people to look at it much more than if they have to search through gooogle to find it, then spend 3 hours reading it to find the one bit of information they want. -- Stevie D \\\\\ ///// Bringing dating agencies to the \\\\\\\__X__/////// common hedgehog since 2001 - "HedgeHugs" ___\\\\\\\'/ \'///////_____________________________________________ |
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JohnB wrote:
Instead of being helpful to a 'newbie' asking a question, we'll have curt "Refer to the FAQ" answers instead of the more useful help that was requested. I can't say I've noticed that in any of the other newsgroups I frequent, many of which do have FAQs. What it does mean is that for the (occasional) clued-up reader, they might visit the FAQ first and not ask the question at all. It can also provide interesting reading for people with too much spare time on their hands :-) There is no reason why we would become unfriendly and just answer questions with "RTFFAQ"; I'm sure most people would continue to give the same level of detailed and helpful answer as they do now. -- Stevie D \\\\\ ///// Bringing dating agencies to the \\\\\\\__X__/////// common hedgehog since 2001 - "HedgeHugs" ___\\\\\\\'/ \'///////_____________________________________________ |
#16
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This is the most recent copy I have found.
uk.rec.cycling Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) List Last updated: June 27th 1997 This FAQ is edited and maintained by Simon Ward ) Updates and additions should be sent to Boring Legalese Message Unless otherwise cited, the information presented in this FAQ was written by Simon Ward. His opinions are not, and should not be construed as being, representative of the other contributors to this document. Neither the FAQ maintainer nor any of the contributors will be held responsible for any harm or damage arising from the use or misuse of information presented in this document. A text-only version of this file is also available via anonymous FTP. Any sections of this document appearing as red text are updates or new additions (HTML version only) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following people have contributed useful information to this FAQ (in alphabetical order): * James D. Annan ) * Bryan Attewell ) * Peter Crighton ) * Paul Crook ) * Phil Cunningham ) * Chris Hayes ) * Robert Hague ) * Andrew Henry ) * Michael Hoath ) * Gary Marland ) * Neil Marshall ) * David Nulty ) * Alan Paxton ) * Stewart Russell ) * Ian Snowdon ) * John Swindells ) * Rik Wade ) * Simon Ward ) * Matt Wenham ) * John B. Wilkinson ) If you want to see your name here, all you need to do is supply some useful input. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Questions ... * 0. What is uk.rec.cycling? * 1. A Brief Guide to UK cycling organisations * 2. I want to buy a custom frame - who can I contact? * 3. What UK cycling magazines are there? * 4. I want to get my bike(s) insured - how do I go about it? * 5. What cycle routes exist within the UK? [UPDATED] * 6. I'm after a book on cycle maintainence - which should I buy? [UPDATED] * 7. What are the rules concerning bikes on trains? * 8. What good mail order outlets are there? * 9. What's the situation regarding LED lights? * 9a. I'd like to buy a dynamo for my bike - which should I buy? [UPDATED] * 10. What is a DataTag? [UPDATED] * 11. Where can I get information about races and other cycling events? * 12. I'm very small/tall and can't find a bike to fit. What do I do? * 13. I'd like to go on a cycling holiday - who offers such things? * 14. Which panniers should I buy? [UPDATED] * 15. I'm going touring for the first time - what should I take? * 16. What is the `End-To-End'? How do I go about doing it? * 17. How can I go about transporting my bike(s) on my car? * 18. I want to buy a trailer/trailerbike for my child. What is available? [UPDATED] * 19. Is there a definitive way of determining correct saddle height? * 20. I'm looking to buy a new saddle for my bike, what would you recommend? * 21. My chain keeps skipping on my cassette/freewheel - what should I do? * 22. Are there any UK cycling e-mail lists? [NEW] * Appendix: Useful Addresses In addition to that little lot, information is desperately required on UK cycle routes and good cycling books. Both these sections are somewhat sparse at the moment, and I'd like to rectify this in short order. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- .... and the answers 0. What is uk.rec.cycling? uk.rec.cycling is a USENET forum for the discussion of topics relating to cycling in the UK and (to a lesser extent) Ireland. It does not contain the American bias of groups such as rec.bicycles.misc and rec.bicycles.tech. Discussion of all aspects of cycling and human-powered transport is welcomed. This FAQ will be posted to uk.rec.cycling on a quasi-monthly basis and is maintained by Simon Ward ). Copies are also available on the World Wide Web at http://halibut.york.ac.uk/faq.html The scope of this FAQ is purposely restricted to issues relevant to cyclists in the UK and Ireland. For more general information you are referred to rec.bicycles.misc and rec.bicycles.tech and their appropriate FAQs although the occasional private messages which do appear are generally well received, provided they're posted in a sensible format. Commercial `spam' type messages will not be well received, neither will `Make Money Fast' schemes, which are illegal in the UK. 1. Contact addresses for UK cycling organisations. There are a large number of cycling organisations in the UK, catering for all disciplines and abilities. A non-exhaustive list is given below, and further additions are always welcomed: * Cyclists Touring Club (CTC) 69 Meadrow Godalming Surrey GU5 3HS Phone: (01483) 417217 WWW: http://www.ctc.org.uk/ The CTC is perhaps the most well known (and certainly the oldest) cycling organisation in the UK. It was originally founded to increase awareness of cycle touring, but in more recent years has broadened its emphasis to cover all aspects of cycling and cycle campaigning. Although it is a national organisation, the CTC is split into a number of District Associations (DAs) which organise rides and events on a more local level. Membership of the CTC confers numerous benefits, including relatively cheap cycle insurance. * AUDAX UK Peter Coulson 57 Hartwell Road Ashton Northampton NN7 2JR WWW: http://www.audax.uk.com/ AUDAX UK exists to promote non-competitive long distance cycling (100km+) and organises events in all parts of the country. AUDAX rides are not meant to be races, but can be thought of as bridging the gap between touring and racing, with certain elements of orienteering thrown in for good measure. Routes for events take the form of a loop or a point-to-point and riders must complete the course within maximum and minimum time limits. Numerous `controls' are placed en route, and a rider must have a card stamped at each of the controls. Despite the often long distances involved, AUDAX events are fairly informal affairs, and most of the shorter runs are well within the capabilities of reasonably fit cyclists. * British Cycling Federation (BCF) National Cycling Centre 1 Stuart Street Manchester M11 4DQ Phone: (0161) 230231 * British Cyclo-Cross Association (BCCA) 14 Deneside Road Darlington County Durham DL3 9HZ Cyclocross events have a lot in common with motocross events eg. a circular course involving different types of terrain, obstacles and large amounts of mud (usually). A typical cyclocross race lasts for an hour, and the aim is to complete as many laps as possible. A lot of cyclocrossers ride specialised 'cross bikes although mountain bikes are welcomed at most events (people have been known to take part in 'cross events riding modified tourers, too). Cyclocross in the UK is governed by the BCCA (British Cyclo Cross Association) and in order to avoid paying entry levys, competitors should carry a BCCA Competition Card. In addition, `on the line' entry is possible at many 'cross events. * Trail Cyclists Association (TrailQuest) Raycomb Lane Coddington Ledbury Herefordshire HR8 1JH Phone/Fax: (01531) 636247 24hr Info: (01531) 632650 WWW: http://www.comtecil.demon.co.uk/ * British Mountain Biking National Cycling Centre Stuart Street Manchester M11 4DQ Phone: (0161) 2302301 Fax: (0161) 2310591 WWW: http://www.bmb.org/indexx.html * Road Time Trails Council (RTTC) RTTC Assistant National Secretary T. Bracegirdle 65 Kenmore Road Whitefield Manchester M45 8ES (John Swindells) wrote: "There's no headquarters as such (methinks), but the handbook says it all. Handbooks may be ordered, (UKP4 cheque payable to RTTC) by writing to the above address" * English Schools Cycling Association (ESCA) Keith Edwards (Public Relations) 59 Jordan Road Sutton Coldfield West Midlands B75 5AE Susan Knight (ESCA General Secretary) 21 Bedhampton Road North End Portsmouth PO2 7JX (Addresses taken from '95 handbook.) -- [mh] * Tandem Club Peter Hallowell (Secretary) 25 Hendred Way Abingdon Oxfordshire OX14 2AN "They have area groups similar to the CTC. Have depts to deal with: Non-technical sales; Touring; Technical advice; Technical sales. Magazine is bi-monthly (on tape for sight impaired). Rides organised on area basis. Links with international tandem club." [mh] * British Human Power Club (BHPC) Dennis Adcock (Treasurer and Membership) 29 Chequers Hill Amersham Bucks HP7 9QD PHONE: (01494) 721088 WWW: http://www.ihpva.com/ Quoted from the BHPC quarterly magazine: "The British Human Power Club was formed to foster all aspects of human-powered vehicles - air, land and water - for competitive, recreational and utility activities, to stimulate innovation in design and development in all spheres of HPV's, and to promote and to advertise the use of HPV's in a wide range of activities. And to have a good laugh while doing it." Neil Marshall ) writes: " The club runs a series of races through the summer all over Britain which provides everyone with the opportunity to compare bikes and if you ask nicely try them out. If you are fit and have a sleek bike you even have the chance of winning a race but most people go along for the fun of it." * The Rough Stuff Fellowship 12 Avondale Road Edgeley Stockport SK3 9NX PHONE: (0161) 429 7858 WWW: http://www.rsf.org.uk The Rough Stuff Fellowship (RSF) was formed in 1955 in order to cater for the interests of cyclists who prefer byways, drove roads and bridleways to roads. The RSF website has a large selection of off-road routes both in the UK and abroad, and current membership stands at around 1000. 2. I want to buy a custom frame - who can I contact? Custom built frames are consistently in demand by discerning cyclists, and there is a bewildering choice available. Perhaps most well known are the likes of Bob Jackson and Chas Roberts. Having a frame built to-spec is not cheap - the materials themselves can cost several hundred pounds and then there's labour to consider on top of all that. Even so, a well built custom frame will literally last forever. Frame builders don't necessarily restrict themselves to touring or road frames, many will build custom MTB frames too (Bob Jackson certainly builds MTB, as does Chas Roberts) The list below is far from complete, but contains a list of framebuilders that have been recommended by the readership of uk.rec.cycling. * Bob Jackson Unit 1 9 Union Mills Dewsbury Road Leeds LS11 5DD Phone: (01132) 341144 * Dave Yates/Joe Waugh M. Steel Cycles Old Northumberland Yard Howden Wallsend NE28 6ST Phone: (0191) 234 4275 * Mercian Cycles 7 Shardlow Road Alvaston Derby DE2 0JG Phone: (01332) 752468 * George Longstaff Albert Street Chesterton Newcastle-Under-Lyme Staffordshire ST5 7JF Phone: (01782) 561966 * Chas Roberts Cycles 89 Gloucester Road Croydon Surrey CR0 2DN Phone: (0181) 684 3370 * Islabikes (Isla Rowntree) 252 Halesowen Road Cradley Heath West Midlands B64 6NH (specialises in tourers, bikes for women and trailerbikes) * Paul Donohue 12 Peel Street Bishop Auckland County Durham * Graham Weigh (see entry for Deeside Cycles) * Robin Thorn (see entry for St.John Street Cycles) * Brian Rourke Cycles 20-24 Waterloo Road Burslem Stoke-on-Trent Staffs PHONE: (01782) 835368 * Dave Lloyd 37 Clayhill Industrial Park Neston Wirral L64 3UG PHONE: (0151) 336 8797 FAX: (0151) 353 0601 It's also worth pointing out that if your bike is in need of a repaint, a large number of framebuilders offer a respraying service (for a fee, of course) There are a number of frame materials available, ranging from good old steel up to titanium and carbon-fibre composites. From time to time, cycling magazines run articles on the pros and cons of various framebuilding materials, though the general wisdom will be summarised here (WARNING: anyone well versed in metallurgy will probably have a fit when they see what I've written, but ...) * STEEL - Alloy steel is the `traditional' frame material, and is still the material of choice for many touring bikes. Steel tubing comes in two general flavours, plain-gauge and butted. Plain gauge is exactly that, with the tube wall being the same diameter along its length (usually 0.6-1.0mm - it doesn't sound much, but it's enough!), whereas butted tubing is slightly thicker at either end where lugs are fitted. As anyone who owns a steel framed bike will tell you, it's fairly heavy, but despite that, there are a lot of advantages. The first of these is that steel is quite flexible, in other words you can dent a steel frame quite badly, it'll still be rideable and the chances of the damaged tube breaking are fairly small. Secondly, it is fairly easy for a framebuilder to replace individual tubes on a steel frame should one break. Steel bikes give a fairly `gentle' ride compared to, say, aluminium, as a result of the flexibility of the material. Reynolds are probably the most well known manufacturer of steel tubing, with a bewildering variety of tubes on offer. Some of the more common ones are listed below. The list below is far from exhaustive, especially as Reynolds have withdrawn certain tubesets (notably 653) and introduced new ones.Reynolds also have a website at http://www.reynoldsUSA.com/ which contains technical information about the different tubesets. * 531 - Probably the most well known of Reynolds' tubesets, 531 is a fairly `standard' tubeset. For most practical purposes, there are two types of 531 tubing, 531C and 531ST. 531C is a more lightweight tubeset which is commonly used for light-touring and AUDAX bikes and also some track bikes too. 531ST (Super Tourist) speaks for itself, a heavier gauged tubeset designed with loaded touring in mind (Dawes' touring bikes, the Galaxy and Super Galaxy are made of 531ST, for example). A third variety of 531, 531 Millenium, is available through selected framebuilders (notably Dave Yates and Paul Donohue) and is marketed as a more `up to date' variant of 531 (read into that what you will! -ssw) * 708 - 708 is a special tubeset manufactured by Reynolds for Raleigh, for their Royal and Randonneur touring bikes. To the best of my knowledge, 708 isn't available generally, although Royal/Randonneur framesets (sold as the the Raleigh Gran Tour) are available from Raleigh. The fact that it's used on touring bikes indicates that it is suited for loaded touring. * 653/753/853 - the `state of the art' tubing for road machines. The x53 framesets are subject to special heat treatment. As you go from 653 to 853, the weight decreases and the price increases. 853 road frames are extremely desireable items. It would seem, at first glance, that 653 would be a good tubeset for building a light touring bike, though this is NOT the case. General concensus of opinion is that the x53 frames are eminently unsuitable for loaded touring of any sort. PROS: Can be quite cheap, easy to repair, very durable. CONS: Heavy, ride can sometimes be quite `lively' Whether or not the `liveliness' of a frame is a disadvantage or not is purely a matter of perspective. Most people would want a touring bike to have rock-solid handling (and many do) whereas road frames tend to be a little more unforgiving. The ride quality of a given frame is an essential consideration when it comes to buying a bike. * ALUMINIUM AND TITANIUM - In the quest for lighter bicycles, titanium and aluminium have become popular. Although there are no truly mass produced titanium frames available (plenty of custom options though), aluminium framed bikes are fairly common (eg. anything by Cannondale is apt to be Al-framed). Dealing with titanium first, it's lighter than steel, and considerably more resilient, both in terms of strength and corrosion resistance, although it is notoriously difficult to weld (hence the high cost of Ti frames) - many Ti bicycle frames are built of aerospace grade titanium alloys of varying compositions. Aluminium is lighter than both titanium and steel, but has the disadvantage (in some peoples eyes) of giving a rather stiff and unforgiving ride. It is also prone to quite catastrophic failure if overstressed - when steel would bend, aluminium just breaks (the more knocks that an Al frame takes, the more likely it is to fracture) Like Ti-frames, aluminium frames are generally made of aerospace grade alloys which are capable of taking some fairly serious abuse. PROS (Al): Very light CONS (Al): Prone to brittle fracture if over-abused, stiff ride PROS (Ti): Lighter than steel, doesn't brittle fracture CONS (Ti): Expensive, difficult to work with * CARBON-FIBRE - Carbon-fibre frames aren't really frames in the true sense of the word, since the nature of the material lends itself more to monocoque design (eg. the Lotus Superbike). Carbon fibre components are really composites, since carbon itself is fairly brittle stuff, so the fibres themselves are bound into a matrix, generally epoxy or thermoplastic materials in order to increase the strength - sometimes Kevlar is bonded into the matrix. That said, it's generally regarded as being the last word in terms of strength and lightness. It's also the last word in cost, and carbon fibre frames are generally beyond the reach of most people. Despite the cost, carbon fibre components are fairly common eg. in some forks and aero wheels (such as Spinergy's). Graeme Obree has recently manufacturing carbon fibre components such as tri-bars and bar-ends (for more info: Obree Products Ltd., PO Box 8260, Irvine, Ayrshire, KA11 2DA) Although carbon composites are very strong, sunlight, heat and chemicals can degrade the matrix. Once fibres have broken or pulled out of the matrix, the material is permanently weakened. The working life of a carbon fibre frame (as opposed to components) is open to question, but certainly it won't be as long as, say, an equivalent steel or aluminium frame. PROS: Very light indeed, has a certain pose value. CONS: Carbon-fibre widgets are very expensive, and carbon-fibre matrices are easy to damage. 3. British Cycling Magazines. Look on the shelves of any decent newsagent and you'll see a whole plethora of cycling magazines aimed at all levels and disciplines. Unfortunately, most UK cycling magazines have a bias towards one particular discipline, and there doesn't appear to be a `general' cycling magazine available, although `Cycling Plus' comes pretty close. Given the popularity of mountain and all-terrain bikes, there exist a large number of publications such as Mountain Bike UK (MBUK) and Mountain Bike World (formerly MTB Pro). Racing and cyclocross enthusiasts are well catered for by `Cycling Weekly', which contains a comprehensive results list for both road and MTB events and a burgeoning MTB section. Cycling Weekly also carries some excellent product reviews. Touring enthusiasts aren't left out either, the most well known publication being the CTCs magazine `Cycling Touring and Campaigning' (CT&C) which appears on a bi-monthly basis. As well as articles on touring, CT&C contains excellent articles of general and technical interest. AUDAX UK members receive the organisation's magazine `Arrivee' on a quarterly basis. * Cycling Weekly, Cycle Sport (weekly/monthly) IPC Magazines Kings Reach Tower Stamford Street London Email: WWW: http://www.ipc.org * Cycling Plus, Mountain Bike World, Mountain Biking UK (all monthly) Future Publishing Ltd. http://www.futurenet.com/ * Cycle Touring and Campaigning (bi-monthly - free to CTC members) CTC Cotterell House 69 Meadrow Godalming Surrey Phone: (01483) 417217 WWW: http://www.ctc.org.uk/ * Bike Culture Quarterly Open Road Ltd. FREEPOST Stockport SK2 7YG Phone: (0161) 483 7657 EMAIL: WWW: http://www.bikeculture.com/home/welcome.html 4. How do I get my bike insured? Cycle insurance is a real can of worms, and it definitely pays to shop around to try and find a policy which suits you as well as the insurers. Most of the `high street' insurance companies offer cycle insurance only as part of a household contents policy, subject to certain restrictions (see below). Very few companies offer specific cycle insurance, but these will be covered later. As has been mentioned, most household policies will offer cycle insurance, although a lot of them have upper limits on the value of the bike being insured. This varies from company to company, but is typically around 500 pounds. This is all very well for most people, but if you have a large number of cycles or even a single expensive one, it can cause problems. Experience has shown that most insurance companies are prepared to negotiate. In general, cycle insurance will not be valid: * if the cycle is damaged during a race (the BCF offer third-party insurance anyway) or during commercial activity (eg. working as a courier) * if the cycle is left unlocked in the open. * if the cycle is stolen from your home and there are no signs of violent entry. * if the theft is not reported to the police (the company will normally ask for an incident number and the name of the officer performing any investigation) Nearly all policies will deduct a certain amount from any compensation to cover wear and tear. Some insurers offer compensation for accidental damage, some do not. No company that I know of will pay out if your bike has been `stripped', whether locked up or not. Also, not all policies apply if your bike is damaged overseas, so if you plan to go abroad, it's wise to check that your policy will be valid. Most policies offer worldwide cover for a limited period (usually three months) and one (Commercial Union) offered cover in the UK and the EC by default. A couple of cycling organisations, the CTC and BCF, offer third party insurance to their members. BCF insurance normally covers riding taking part in BCF sanctioned events. The CTC policy is more general, and provides yearly cover for cycles with `no-claims' reductions in premiums after the first year as well as accident cover within the UK. AUDAX UK offer third-party insurance for the duration of their events. It's also worth remembering that the cost of your premium will depend on where you live, with so-called `high crime areas' (usually London, Manchester, Liverpool, Oxford and Cambridge, sometimes other places too) costing considerably more than so-called `low-crime' areas. A good rule of thumb is that you can expect to pay about 10 pounds per 100 pounds of value of the bike for `low crime' areas, two or three times that for other areas. When calculating a premium, don't forget to add insurance premium tax (2.5% at the moment, 4% from April) - also be aware that some policies (notably the CTC policy, there may be others) have a weighting for MTBs, since they are more likely to be stolen than touring or road bikes. In addition, some insurance companies will not offer policies to students, irrespective of where they live (the definition of `student' varies, but it appears to mean anyone between the ages of 18 and 24). The only insurance company that will definitely insure students is Endsleigh, but their is an upper limit of 350 pounds on their cycle policy. For contact info for insurance companies, check out your local Yellow Pages. Many of the big companies have Freephone (0800) numbers. Be aware that in order for your policy to be valid, you must send a copy of the original purchase receipt for your bike (or an independent valuation) to the company, and certain companies won't insure bikes that aren't `tagged' (eg. with a DataTag) James D Annan ) writes: "Fern Financial Services (01483 797068) provide cover for tandems and other bicycles, at a sensible price. Several people who we have spoken to have found that they can insure their house contents _plus_ tandem, through Fern, for less than they were paying for house contents alone (many house contents policies have unrealistic upper limits on the value of a tandem). Highly recommended. Cover for single bicycles is also competitive." 5. What cycle routes exist within the UK? Whilst the UK doesn't have an extensive network of cycle paths like, say, Belgium or the Netherlands, there has been a recent increase in the number of dedicated cycle routes in the UK over recent years. The environmental charity Sustrans (http://www.sustrans.co.uk/) has been developing a national cycle network over the past few years with a view to having it fully operational by the turn of the century. Perhaps the most well known cycle route in the UK is the Sea-To-Sea (C2C) route from Workington in Cumbria to either Wallsend (near Newcastle) or Seaburn (near Sunderland). This route, also maintained by Sustrans, takes the rider through some of the most spectacular scenery in England. Links with B+B establishments and Youth Hostels en route mean that the route is doable at any pace you wish. There is also an unofficial C2C route page available. Paul Crook ) wrote: Two obvious routes that spring to mind are the Camel Trail in Cornwall and The Tarka Trail in North Devon - both ex railway lines. The Camel Trail runs from Padstow on the North Cornish coast, inland to Wadebridge along the Camel Estuary then heads along the river Camel in the direction of Bodmin and finally ends at a Car park at Poley's Bridge (I'm not sure where this is having never gone all the way to the end ). Think it's about 17 miles total length, very scenic - coastal views followed by wooded valley. Bikes can be hired at Padstow and Wadebridge. The Tarka Trail is about 18 miles and runs from Barnstaple train station (catch a regional railways train from Exeter, St. Davids). It finishes up in Great Torrington after passing though Bideford. "Tarka the Otter" countryside as in the book. Bike hire at Barnstaple. Michael Hoath ) also writes: It might be worth adding that the Tarka trail is impassable by tandem or anything with a trailer and I understand that part of the Camel Trail is to be closed. For those of a more adventurous turn of mind, there's a good deal of cycling to be had in many of the National Parks, with the Yorkshire Dales, the Peak District and Exmoor being particularly popular - information can generally be had from tourist information bureaux. On another level, a privately collated list of rides in Northern England, `The Thousand Hills', is being made available by David Nulty - more information can be found at his web-site, http://www.redrocks.demon.co.uk/. For those people who do a lot of urban cycling, your local cycling campaign or council may provide maps of cycle route free of charge (York certainly do, I'm not sure about others -ssw). Dome Publishing Ltd. produce cycle maps of the following areas: Birmingham (City Centre and Suburbs), Bristol and Surrounding Area, East Kent (Canterbury and Ashford), Glasgow (City Centre and Suburbs) and Oxford. In addition, the London Cycling Campaign publish (published?) a book called `On Your Bike: Guide to Cycling in London' - I have no idea if this is still available (perhaps someone from LCC could clarify this one?) 6. What books are available on cycling? There are numerous books on cycling in general, take a look in your local bookshop and you'll see. Obviously, books of routes for various parts of the country are available, and the Ordnance Survey have recently published a series of books of day rides of varying difficulty. Questions on maintainence often crop up, and rather than address the solutions to common problems, which will probably be found in one of the rec.bicycles.* FAQs anyway, I'm going to list a series of maintainence books. Compared to books on general cycling, maintainence books are rather thinner on the ground, but those that exist are generally good. More often than not, looking something up in a book will be far more useful than posting a query to the newsgroup and waiting for an answer. (Note, the list below is very incomplete, and probably won't be updated until I've unpacked all my books when I've moved house! - ssw) * `The Bike Book' (Haynes) From the publishers of the famous car manuals, this somewhat glossy book tells you how to fix just about any fault you're liable to encounter when on two wheels. Lots of illustrations and easy to follow instructions take some of the chance out of even difficult repairs - definitely recommended. * `The Bicycle Wheel' by Jobst Brandt (Avocet, ISBN 0-9607236-6-8) Any regular on the rec.bicycles.* newsgroups will know of Mr. Brandt, since he's written the definitive book on bicycle wheels. If you're even considering building your own wheels, this is a must have. Definitely not for the non-technical, but indispensible nonetheless. An equally good Web-based guide to wheelbuilding can be found on Sheldon Brown's WWW pages (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/biz/hub/wheelbuild.html). It's worth noting that this book is available in English and German. The ISBN number for the English version is given. * `The Bicycle Repair Book'' by Rob van der Plas (Bicycle Books, ISBN 0-9332015-5-9) An inexpensive book on cycle maintainence, mainly let down by the fact that it's incredibly out of date when compared to, say, `The Bike Book' (I have the second edition - I'm not sure whether it has been updated -ssw). That aside, it's useful for those of us who have older bikes or bikes fitted with retro components. Not as lavishly illustrated as `The Bike Book' but useful for mechanical newbies due to the thorough writing style. Good, but not brilliant. By far the best source of cycling books in the UK is Bicycling Books: * Bicycling Books 309/311 Horn Lane London W3 0BU Phone: (0181) 993 3484 Fax: (0181) 993 1891 On the web, a number of the larger Internet bookshops carry books on cycling of all types: try The Internet Bookshop (http://www.bookshop.co.uk) and Blackwells in Oxford (http://www.blackwell.co.uk/) 7. What is the situation concerning bikes on trains? Since the railways have been privatised, the entire British rail system has become extremely fragmented. As a result, so have the conditions regarding carriage of cycles. Different TOCs (Train Operating Companies) have different rules, although a few general guidelines exist: * Reservations must be made in advance, so you need to know what train you're travelling on. Usually, a `cycle fee' of three pounds must be paid. This does not give you the right to travel with your bike. A fee made must be paid for each complete trip, not each *leg* of the journey (eg. if you have to change trains twice, you still only pay three pounds) - Carriage of a bicycle on a train is at the guards discretion. All that said, a great many operators (mostly PTEs, Strathclyde in particular) still carry bikes for free. * Space on certain trains will be limited. Most provincial trains are one or two-car multiple-units (`Sprinters') which nominally have space for two cycles (or one loaded bike, in my experience -ssw). Some TOCs (notably Anglia) have refurbished their multiple units to take up to six cycles. InterCity trains (run by the likes of GNER and West Coast) have proper guards vans, and space on these isn't really a problem (Great Western Trains are currently refurbishing the guards vans in their HST sets, whether this is good or bad news is anyone's guess!). It is still advisable to book in advance. * Certain TOCs in London and the South East have restrictions on which trains cycles can and cannot be carried on. Cycles are not conveyed at all on certain parts of the Underground during peak hours (Victoria line?) * Many TOCs will not convey tandems or recumbents *at all* (this will probably be the case with many services, where space on trains is at a premium. I can see no reason why a tandem or recumbent cannot be conveyed in the guards van of an Inter City train -ssw) * Most folding cycles are considered as standard luggage providing they are conveyed in a folded state. In this case, the cycle fee is not payable. A lot of railway companies now have pages on the Web, and information on their regulations governing cycle carriage may (no promises!) be found on their web pages. An index of TOC homepages can be found at: http://www.rail.co.uk/ In addition to this, RailTrack have their own website from which travel information can be obtained, although there is little, if any, information on cycle carriage: http://www.railtrack.co.uk/ whether you'll find information specifically for cyclists is open to question, but contacts for the TOCs are given so you can pursue your own enquiries. Some TOCs (specifically GNER, although others may be doing so) are actively seeking the opinions of cyclists as to provision of cycling facilities, so things may improve in the near future. For cyclists travelling abroad via the Channel Tunnel, cycles can be carried on Le Shuttle by prior arrangement, and bikes are carried on Eurostar via the `Esprit' parcel service. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that the bike and its rider will be on the same train. Cost is around fifty pounds (from: Ian Snowdon ) A good guide to the current policies of the different TOCs (which seem to change with depressing regularity) is available via the Cycleway Homepage. A similar guide to Bikes on Ferries can be found at the same site (this info can also be obtained from the CTC handbook) 8. What good mail order outlets are there? If you can't get something from your local bike shop, it's logical to turn to mail-order. There exist a lot of mail-order outlets in the UK, although opinion is divided over which are good and which aren't. Several outlets are regularly mentioned in uk.rec.cycling (for a variety of reasons - this list is not here to say which are `good' and `bad', you can draw your own conclusions), and a list of these is given below. Most of these companies advertise in cycling magazines (eg. Cycling Plus, Cycling Weekly, CT&C) * St.John Street Cycles 91-93 St.John Street Bridgewater Somerset TA6 5HX PHONE: (01278) 441502 FAX: (01278) 431107 WWW: http://www.sjscycles.com/ * Ribble Cycles 6-8 Watery Lane Preston Lancashire PR2 2NN PHONE: (01772) 687722 FAX: (01772) 687733 * Deeside Cycles Transport Hall Nelson Street Shotton Flintshire CH5 1DH PHONE: (01244) 831110 FAX: (01244) 812067 EMAIL: WWW: http://www.business.u-net.com/~deesidecycle * Geoffrey Butler Cycles 15 South End Croydon Surrey CR0 1BE PHONE: (0181) 688 5094 FAX: (0181) 680 2068 EMAIL: WWW: http://www.pavilion.co.uk/cycle/ * Parker International Lilyhurst Industrial Estate Abbey Road Sherriffhales Shropshire TF11 8RL PHONE: (01952) 676777 FAX: (01952) 676234 EMAIL: WWW: http://www.parker-international.co.uk/ * Edinburgh Bicycle FREEPOST 8 Alvanley Terrace Whitehouse Loan Edinburgh EH9 0LY PHONE: (0131) 228 1368 FAX: (0131) 229 4447 EMAIL: WWW: http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/ * Freewheel 153-154 Briggate Leeds LS1 6NH PHONE: (0113) 245 6867 FAX: (0113) 244 8662 EMAIL: WWW: http://www.freewheel.co.uk/ * Wheelbase Staveley Mill Yard Staveley Kendal Cumbria LA8 9LS PHONE: (01539) 821443 FAX: (01539) 821445 WWW: http://www.wheelbas.demon.co.uk/ * Swallow Tandems Llangedwyn Mill Llangedwyn Oswestry Shropshire SY10 9LD PHONE: (01691) 780050 FAX: (01691) 780110 EMAIL: WWW: http://www.swallow-tandems.co.uk (If you want to know anything about tandems, check out their web site) * Settle Cycles The Station Yard Settle BD24 9BD PHONE: (01729) 822216 * Spa Cycles 1 Wedderburn Road Harrogate North Yorkshire HG2 7QH PHONE/FAX: (01423) 887003 Good source for Stronglight and TA components, and touring kit in general. Also (along with SJSC) one of the few sources of Suntour components in the UK. * CTC Shop - same address as the CTC Good source of clothing, luggage etc. You don't have to be a member of the CTC to take advantage of the shop, and they welcome personal callers. Along slightly different lines, Francis Thurmer offers a mail-order service for `hard to find' items such as deep-drop brakes and other bits of `retro' bike equipment. His address is given below, and a 25 page catalogue is available on request (enclose an SAE) * Francis Thurmer CYCLES PLUS 225 Desborough Road High Wycombe Bucks HP11 2QW 9. What's the situation regarding LED lights? The Road Traffic Act states that for use at night, a bicycle must be fitted with front and rear lights that conform to the appropriate British Standard (which isn't exactly held in high esteem by many people!) or a suitable European equivalent. There's a general conflict of opinion as to whether LED lights, particularly those with only a `flashing' mode, conform to the British Standard, being as an LED isn't a `steady' source in the same way that an incandescent bulb is. Despite that, many LED lights are built to Dutch or German standards, so should technically be legal in the UK - more information can be found in the February/March issue of the CTC magazine. All that said, LED lights are widely used because they're available fairly cheaply, are very visible and can go for a long time before the batteries need changing. There have been no reports of anybody being prosecuted for using LED lights on their bikes. Despite the quasi-legality of LED lights, having solely LED lights on your bike (especially one of those green `headlight' jobs) is not a good idea. Indeed, a large number of people use LEDs as backup lights, either with a dynamo or with more conventional lights. Although it's common sense, riding at night without lights is not only dangerous, it's also illegal. There are a number of useful sources of lighting information on the Web: AUDAX UK have a useful lighting resource section at: http://www.aukhawk.demon.co.uk/lite/lights.htm which, although it is aimed at long-distance night riders, contains some very useful information and links. Also, Andrew Henry maintains a bicycle lighting FAQ at: http://www.bath.ac.uk/~bspahh/bikelights/lights.html 9a. I'd like to buy a dynamo for my bike - which should I buy? Although dynamos could be seen as `old technology', they are very popular, particularly with AUDAX riders and the like, for the obvious reason that they don't require batteries. There are two common types of dynamo, the traditional `sidewall' dynamo which fits to the forks or seatstay of the bike and is driven by a roller which makes contact with the sidewall of the tyre, and the `bottom bracket' dynamo, which fits underneath the bike and is powered via a roller which makes contact with the rolling surface of the tyre. Hub dynamos are also available, in which the dynamo is built into the hub itself. Fitment of such requires rebuilding of the wheel, and some problems have been reported using dynamo hubs with quick-release wheels. The most commonly used bottom bracket dynamos are made by Union and Sanyo, and used in conjunction with an appropriate light, are pretty reliable above about 5mph. Some people have reported that BB dynamos are very prone to slippage in wet conditions, although the Union system circumvents this by using a roughened strip on the roller. BB dynamos aren't particularly difficult to fit, but care must be taken to ensure that the roller makes a good contact with the tyre. Typical prices for BB dynamos are between 30 and 35 pounds, and are available from most good cycle shops (St.John Street Cycles regularly advertise BB dynamos in their magazine ads) There are a number of sidewall dynamos on the market, the commonly available types are the AXA-HR, the Union Turbo and the Nordlicht. The Nordlicht is recommended by the CTC, but it has been reported that it can be difficult to obtain (although it is available from the CTC shop). From personal experience, the AXA-HR is a common choice with local cyclists, since it's fairly cheap, fairly foolproof and very reliable. It also has a built-in voltage regulator, which is handy for those people who are developing home-brew lighting systems but don't want to spend their time replacing blown halogen bulbs. The Union Turbo is similar, but (if memory serves) lacks the voltage regulator, although a headlamp is available with such a device installed. Installation of sidewall dynamos can be a little tricky (it's a classic `three hands' job!) and like BB dynamos, good contact with the tyre is essential in order to avoid slippage in wet conditions. Also, fitting a dynamo to a seatstay (rather than a fork blade) can be extremely difficult if you have a rear rack fitted. Use of a sidewall dynamo carries the price of increased wear on the tyre sidewall, which can sometimes lead to the sidewall splitting, with potentially nasty results (usually the wheel locking). Many tyres (in particular the Continental Top Touring/Top Touring 2000 and some Hutchinson tyres) have a sidewall strip, and if a dynamo is being fitted, the roller should be made to contact this strip, where the sidewall is thicker. A good sidewall dynamo usually costs between 10 and 20 pounds, which generally includes appropriate bracketing and lights. Union products are available from most good cycle shops, although in case of difficulty, their UK distributor is: * Marwi UK Ltd. Carnaby Industrial Estate Lancaster Road Carnaby Bridlington North Humberside Phone: (01262) 671942 It's a well-known fact that standard dynamo lights go out when the bike stops, and LED lights are ideal backup for dynamo users (many people mount a pair of green LED lights on their forks). It is possible to get lights which remain illuminated for a short time after the bike has stopped. The Lumotec+ is a front lamp not unlike the standard Union lamp but contains a yellow LED which remains illuminated for a while after the bike has stopped and visibility is said to be good. A similar rear light, the 4D-Light is also available. Although both the Lumotec+ and 4D-Light are expensive, they're probably worthy consideration by people who do a lot of night-riding. They are available from the CTC Shop. AXA also manufacture a rear dynamo light with LED standby (the Optica 1) which is available from Spa Cycles in Harrogate. Finally, for those having trouble mounting dynamos, the CTC shop stock a gadget called the `Dynoshoe' which is designed to safely support a dynamo. Another version, the `Dynoshoe LT', which also supports a lamp, is also available. Both these devices use a cantilever boss as the main support (thanks to Brian Attewell for this info) 10. What is a DataTag? A DataTag is a small transponder which is inserted into the seat tube of a cycle, which emits a unique signal which can be detected using the appropriate equipment. The DataTag was originally developed by Yamaha for use in motorcycles, but was adapted for pedal cycles. Once a cycle has been `tagged, its details are entered into a national database which is available to the police in the event of a theft (the police also have equipment which can read `tags, apparently). A DataTag is a deterrent, not an anti-theft device. Theft of a DataTagged bike should be reported to the police and the DataTag division of Yamaha (the appropriate procedure is given upon registration). DataTag is a nationally recognised cycle-coding systems, which is useful when it comes to getting your bike insured. Around 6000 bike shops in the UK can fit DataTags, and the kit costs around 25 pounds (you can either do it yourself or have it fitted at the shop) which includes the cost of registration of your cycle with Yamaha's DataTag division and several frame stickers (indicating the DataTag code number and a `DataTagged Bike' sticker). Reregistration of a Datatagged bike (eg. if it's sold) costs ten pounds. Further details should be available from: DataTag Electronic Identification Systems Yamaha Motor (UK) Limited Sopwith Drive Brooklands Weybridge SURREY KT13 0UZ Phone: (01932) 358000 Fax: (01932) 358030 Note that the above address is for Yamaha, from whom general information about DataTags can be obtained. For more specifics, such as registration queries, changes of address and theft reports, the NPR DataTag Division should be contacted directly. Their address is: NPR DataTag Division 1 Marina Court Castle Street Hull HU1 1TJ Phone: (01482) 222070 11. Where can I get information about races and other cycling events? In general, information about events rarely gets posted to the newsgroup (unless the event is one of the big Tours), although a couple of CTC DAs post information about forthcoming rides. This is not to say that posting race/results info is frowned upon, it just rarely happens.For information about forthcoming races on a national scale, your best bet is to pick up a copy of `Cycling Weekly', which has a comprehensive race listing (both TTs/roadraces and MTB events) and results service. Cycling Plus also has a `diary' section, but as C+ is a monthly, the listings aren't as complete as those in CW. If you're after local information, you could do a lot worse than looking in your local cycle shop, especially if they're the sponsors of a local club. If you're actually wanting to join a cycling club, again, the local bike shop owner will generally point you in the right direction A list of AUDAX rides is available on the AUDAX UK website (http://www.audax.uk.com/) 12. I'm very small/tall and can't find a bike to fit. What do I do? Most `off-the-peg' cycles come in a range of sizes, the size being either the length of the top tube (generally given in centimetres) or the centre-centre distance between the bottom bracket shell and the top of the seat tube (generally given in inches). It's a popular misconception that people of a given height should ride a frame of a particular size, although there's an element of truth that very tall riders require large frames eg. I (ssw) am 6'2" and ride either a 23" or 23.5" road frame - this doesn't mean that every other cyclist who is 6'2" rides a 23" frame. All that said, if you happen to be outside the `normal' height range, you can have extreme problems buying a bike, even moreso if you happen to be a woman. Generally, the largest commercially available frames are in the 25" ballpark, which would probably suit someone who is either well over six feet tall or has very long legs. For road/touring frames, the smallest sizes are in the 18"/19" region, but even so, they're designed with the male anatomy in mind. MTB frames tend to be smaller, and a reasonable rule of thumb is that you can get away with an MTB frame 2-3" smaller than an equivalent road frame (I've seen MTB frames as small as 14.5" -ssw) People who are small (ie. less than, say, 5'2") have additional problems, notably with things like cranks and brake levers (especially brake levers with STI). Dealing with cranks first, 170mm is a fairly standard size, which is OK if you're an average person. Getting larger cranks is fairly easy, but getting short cranks can be a nightmare, and modifying existing cranks is not a trivial task (Highpath Engineering, better known for their transmission components, offer a crank shortening service). However, Robin Thorn (of St.John Street Cycles manufactures crank-shorteners which bolt onto the host bikes crank (without damaging it) effectively reducing the crank length. Using these, it is possible to alter the crank length between 118mm and 154mm (for a 170mm crank). Similarly, brake levers are set up for `normal' sized hands, so if you have small hands, you're in trouble (this is apparently a big problem with STI/Ergo levers), although short-reach brake levers are available. Generally, if you're shorter than about 5'2", a custom frame is possibly the only way you'll get a bike that fits. Most framebuilders can build very small frames, and Isla Rowntree (Islabikes) specialises in building bikes for `petite' women (eg. 700C wheels, short cranks, short reach brake levers etc.) . Female cyclists may be interested in an article which appeared in a back issue of CT&C a while back (no date, sorry!) which road-tested a series of `petite' bikes - all the women who took part in the test were 5'4" or shorter, if memory serves. In addition, at least one company, Bicycle Belle, deals specifically with equipment for female cyclists. Much the same applies if you're extremely tall - even if an `off the peg' frame seems right, the top tube may be too small and the ride will be cramped and hence uncomfortable, leaving the often expensive option of having a frame built `to spec'. It's worth remembering that if you do have to go via this route, framebuilders probably have a fair amount of experience in building frames for extremely tall/short people. The overriding thing to remember is that a frame should feel comfortable, especially if you're planning long distance riding, otherwise you've basically got something that's ill-fitting and unrideable. 13. I'd like to go on a cycling holiday - who offers such things? The definition of `cycling holiday' varies from person to person, and it can be either a `proper' cycle tour or an organised holiday with a group of people. Holidays of the latter variety will be considered. The pace of an organised holiday can vary, ranging from gentle pottering around the countryside with like-minded people to a full-on winter `training camp'. There aren't many companies that offer proper cycling holidays, although Bicycle Beano (Bicycle Beano, Erwood, Builth Wells, Powys, LD2 3PQ - email: ) offer cycling holidays in Wales and other parts of the UK, and have a very good reputation. In addition to this, the CTC operate a series of tours in various parts of the world, and at various parts of the year, a listing of which is generally found in the January issue of CT&C magazine (as well as on the Web at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...n/ctctou97.htm). You have to be a CTC member to go on such tours, but in general they're extremely well organised, and offer a number of options for riders of different abilities (I haven't heard anything bad said about them -ssw) Alternatively, there's the `training camp', a popular choice both with roadies and MTB-ers who want to train during the winter months without falling foul of British weather. Training camps aren't quite as bad as they sound, but they do allow riders the chance to go on train with some of the world's top pros in places like Majorca and Lanzarote. When you go to a `camp', there's no obligation to do all the rides, and you can do as much or as little as you wish. The February '97 edition of `Cycling Plus' has an interesting, if somewhat short article on training camps, for those who are interested. 14. Which panniers should I buy? For carrying luggage on a bike, assuming that you have the appropriate racks, panniers are hard to beat. Unfortunately, there are a number of different makes on the market, with widely varying prices. The general concensus of opinion is that there are three makes worth considering: Ortlieb, Carradice and Karrimor. Some excerpts from a recent thread on panniers follow: Garry Lee ) wrote: "Carradice is NOT waterproof. I've a Carradice saddlebag which is fine but need a binliner inside it. Very tough otherwise. I have Ortlieb bags (Rolltop rear panniers) and handlebar bag. These are totally waterproof, dead easy to put on and off etc. They are bright red. Aargh! Get dark green in preference. Disadvantage. Only one compartment. Bottom line. Ortlieb, by a whisker." Simon Ward ) wrote: "I use Carradice Super-C panniers for stuff like shopping, taking stuff to/from work as well as for touring. I've had my rear panniers for about 4 years and they're still going strong, as are the front panniers, although they don't get as much use. The only problem with them is that they're not *that* waterproof, on account of being made of cotton duck - showerproof yes, but definitely not deluge-proof." Robert Saunders ) wrote: "Another possibility might be the Karrimor Aquashield (I think that's what they are called). These are the welded seam, single compartment panniers with the roll top. They come in two types, one with a flap lid over the roll top closure, the other without. I use a pair of the former to carry sleeping bags when tandem touring. They appear to be totally waterproof, most recently tested May/June 1996 in a wet tour in Scotland. Again, not compartmented, but what panniers are? (other than a side pocket I mean)." The general concensus is that if you want truly waterproof panniers, go for the Ortliebs, or if your wallet can't stretch that far, Karrimor Aquashield would seem like a cheaper alternative (there's not a lot of difference between the price of Ortlieb and Carradice Super-C panniers). Carradice panniers, although very good, are only showerproof at best, necessitating the use of binliners if you want to keep things dry! (my opinion, YMMV -ssw) Ortlieb have a web site, although it is heavily frame-orientated and dislikes Mosaic intensely. The UK distributor for Ortlieb is: Lyon Equipment Ltd. Rise Hill Mill Dent Sedbergh Cumbria LA10 5QL PHONE: (01539) 625493 FAX: (01539) 625454 Carradice are reachable at: Carradice of Nelson Westmorland Works Nelson Lancs BB9 7BA and finally, Karrimor can be reached at: Karrimor International Limited Petre Road Clayton-le-Moors Accrington Lancashire BB5 5JZ PHONE: (01254) 893134 (Factory Shop) WEB: http://www.karrimor.co.uk/ In addition to Ortlieb, Carradice and Karrimor, the `Freedom Bikepacking' range of luggage is being sold by St.John Street Cycles under the name of `Thorn Luggage'. This represents good value for money, and although maybe not as waterproof as Ortlieb bags, they are better value than Carradice - possibly good for commuting purposes. Smaller articles of cycle luggage such as frame packs and under-saddle wedge packs (very handy for keeping tools in) are available from a number of companies, notably Trek and Cannondale, and Marin have recently introduced a rather smart range of cycle bags. `Traditional' saddlebags are made by Carradice, the `Camper Longflap' being popular with both tourists and long-distance riders (it has the capacity of a pair of front Super-C panniers ...) 15. I'm going touring for the first time - what should I take? Luggage for touring is a very personal thing. Somebody asked a similar question (`What should I take?') on rec.bicycles.misc last year and there was a veritable deluge of replies and luggage lists. What you take on a tour depends on a) how long the tour is going to be and b) how paranoid you are. I [ssw] have a tendency to overpack, but a list of what I'd take on a short tour (say, a week or so) is given below: TOOLS etc. * Toolkit (2x10mm combination spanners for brakes, 4/5/6/8mm Allen keys, crank extractor, HyperCracker, spoke wrench, puncture kit, tyre levers, spare batteries, small adjustable spanner and spare set of brake blocks) * Spare spokes (taped to one of the seatstays) * Spare inner tube (or two) * Grease (kept in an old film container) * Cable ties (multitudinous uses!) For extended periods out in the sticks, I'd include a spare chain (and cassette, if I'm feeling truly paranoid!). If you're got a Shimano equipped bike, the HyperCracker is an invaluable tool, and is infinitely lighter and less hassle than a chainwhip and spline remover. All of the above fits nicely in an old bumbag or under-seat wedgepack. (side note: For those people who are lucky enough to be riding non-Shimano equipped bicycles, the Hypercracker is a splined tool for removing cassettes on the road. The tool is placed in the cassette lockring, and the frame provides the necessary leverage to undo the lockring when the pedals are turned - it works very well, although isn't recommended for use with aluminium frames as people have reported that the tool can dent the chainstay) An alternative is to buy one of the multitude of multi-tools that are on the market. The Cool-Tool[tm] is the best known (contact: Ison Distribution, (01223) 213800) and consists of an adjustable spanner (narrow enough to adjust cones at a pinch), 4,5,6 and 8mm Allen keys, a chainlink remover and a 14mm socket. Optional extras include a headset adaptor and a crank extractor. Alternatively, the Topeak Survival kit contains most of the features of a Cool-Tool[tm] within a small box which clips to the bike frame. The `Survival Kit' also contains a puncture repair kit. OTHER STUFF: * Two pairs of cycling shorts * Two or three sets of underwear (ie. undies+socks) * Spare pair of socks (in case you get seriously soaked!) * `Decent clothes' (ie. pair of jeans and a couple of T-shirts) * Sandals or flip-flops * Sunblock (!) * Toiletries * A space blanket This little lot should fit nicely in one large pannier, leaving lots space for miscellaneous bits and pieces in the other pannier. If you're running with two sets of panniers (ie. front and rear), it's quite easy to fit a sleeping bag into one of the front panniers and keep tools etc. in the other front pannier (most people I know who have handlebar bags generally use them for keeping a camera in, plus wallets, keys etc.) For those who are taking a tent, it makes sense to attach it to the top of your rear rack with bungee cords. As far as loading goes, try and distribute the weight 60/40 rear/front so that the steering isn't affected too much. Before you start off, take the bike for a short spin to make sure that nothing rattles too much and the handling of the bike is OK. If things don't feel right, don't hesitate to repack things. If you're using a handlebar bag, don't forget that they can have a pretty drastic affect on steering. Also before you set off, make sure that your brakes are in good working order. Stopping a laden bike (especially with two sets of panniers) takes longer than stopping an unladen bike, especially in wet conditions. Be prepared to stop in good time and apply the brakes gently - it's not impossible to pull a laden bike out of a rear-wheel skid, but it's damned hard work! 16. What is the `End-To-End'? How do I go about doing it? The `End-To-End' is possibly the ultimate UK cycle route, and it is exactly what it says it is, a trip from one end of Britain to the other (Lands End-John O'Groats, or vice versa) covering, on average, about 800 miles (1300km). Needless to say, it's a fairly popular charity ride (recently completed by Phil Liggett and a number of others) and it's also a fairly popular ride for people attempting to break records of various kinds (the current record is held by Andy Wilkinson, if I recall), and no doubt riding the length of Britain would make the good basis for a cycling holiday, either solo or as part of a group. The `End to End' isn't administered as a `proper' cycle route in the strictest sense of the word, although the CTC do publish their own `suggested' route (details from them). For members of AUDAX UK, it's possible to do the run in a number of different formats, ranging from 8 consecutive rides of 200km to their `Tourist Award', in which the 1360km must be ridden in less than 2 weeks (details are published in the AUK Handbook). Most other people just get their maps out and plan their own route. There are a number of `End-To-End' reports on the Web, and if you're planning on doing the ride, reading such reports can be quite informative, as well as giving a few hints on how to approach such an undertaking. The URLs of a couple of these reports are given below: Paul Smee's End-To-End Tour Report End-To-End with Bicycle and Three Others [NOTE: A Web search for `John O'Groats' will turn up quite a few End-To-End tour reports, but be prepared to wade through a bit of information about John O'Groats itself!] 17. How can I go about transporting my bike(s) on my car? In general, there are two types of bike rack, roof-mounted and tow-bar mounted. A recent thread on roof-mounted carriers yielded this article. Information of tow-bar mounted carriers is given below. Michael Hoath ) wrote: "I would suggest Thule. They are better made than anything else I have ever used or seen. I load mine with a tandem and two solos. No problem. Bike carrier. I couldn't afford the Thule ones. I suggest you buy the best you can afford though. Forget the upside down ones. They wreck your bar tape and saddle. They are also difficult to use if your handlebars are cluttered with rapid fire shifters and computer mounts. Wheel-out ones are fine. Very secure. But you have to take a wheel out and carry it elsewhere. Wheel in, upright ones are fine, but beware of cheap ones. Go for something that looks as though the designer thought about the frame clamp. Also, make sure that the wheel mounting place offers a strap to secure the wheels. Halfords do two upright, wheel-in racks (to the best of my knowledge). The more expensive one is (I'm pretty sure) about 30 ukp. This one offers two frame clamps for round or oval down tubes. The wheel clamps are strapped. The rack is also very easy to fit. My only doubt is the rivets that fit the hinged frame clamp to the main part of the rack. I might be inclined to replace these with a more substantial bolt, washers and self locking nut. Anyway, this is the sort I use at present and it's fine. Put a strap around the hinged clamp bar to hold it down against the rack when not in use. Otherwise it jumps about. A note of caution. (Five in fact). 1. Be careful when tightening the frame clamp. Aluminium and other lightweight frame tubes could easily be crushed. 2. I always secure the bike with two further staps at 45 degrees between the chainstays (rear horizontal forks) and the roof rack itself. The whole lot becomes more secure. 3. Check the roof loading limit for your car. Bikes on the roof car have a nasty effect on handling. 4. You'll be surprised how easy it is to forget the bikes are up there and drive under a low branch. 5. Check your car insurance. Arno straps. Self locking straps made of something tough. These are excellent tie-down straps. They sell them in Millets. They sometimes break though. Failing the roof rack idea, a tow bar mounted rack that supports the bike wheels is very effective. eg HOBO. I never trusted the strap on rear bike carriers. The Cyclists' Touring Club can offer good advice if you are a member. DISCLAIMER: Please note that the information given is based only on my opinions experience, which is limited. I am NOT an expert and you must satisfy yourself that loads are safe. Don't take my word for it, I could be wrong. I cannot be held responsible for any action you take as a result of my opinions given above, they are only offered as help." Much of the above can also be said for tow-bar mounted racks, although these have some obvious advantages, notably that bikes strapped on the back of a car won't affect the handling as much as bikes strapped to the roof, but bear in mind that although you don't have extra height to worry about, you'll have extra length instead! Also, be aware that bikes mounted on tow-bar carriers are going to be very susceptible to road-spray, so removing wheels is a wise move. Both types of cycle carrier are available through most good bike shops. St.John Street Cycles keep a good range, which also includes a tandem carrier. James D Annan ) wrote: "Another frequently overlooked method for carrying bikes on cars is simply to put some roof bars on, pad them, and lie the bike down flat (tying it on of course). This cuts out the surprisingly common problem of driving under low obstacles that the standard upright method sometimes has. We manage a tandem on the top of a Nissan Micra this way - the roof is shorter than the wheelbase so other methods would be difficult." 18. I want to buy a trailer/trailerbike for my child. What is available? Trailers and trailer-bikes are two methods which allow a child to cycle with their parents. Trailers are mostly used for carrying toddlers or very small children, whereas trailer-bikes actually allow the child to pedal along with the parents. For family cycling, trailers/trailerbikes are generally used in conjunction with tandems, although they can just as easily be fitted to solos. Regarding trailerbikes, Michael Hoath ) writes: The most well-known trailerbike is that made by IslaBikes. There are others of older and newer design. When buying a trailer bike, there are a number of considerations: * Method of attachment to parent bike. The ones I have seen attach either by a 4-point rack onto the usual braze-ons, or onto the parent's seat pillar. The rack type would seem to be favourite, providing strength and the opportunity to use saddle bags etc. It is important to follow the setting up instructions provided by the manufacturer to get the position of the pivot right - otherwise handling can be affected. Islabikes can provide a second mounting frame so parents can use the trailerbike on more than one bike. * Wheel size on trailer. Some include a standard 700c wheel. I would favour a smaller wheel with a wide low pressure tyre. This is more comfortable for the child and facilitates the use of a smaller frame size. * Effects on handling. I have heard some people claim the trailer affects handling. Of course it does but not badly and it's not at all difficult to set it up right. * Child's pedals and crank length. Much shorter cranks. Pedals with toe clips are important as the whole stability of your child on the bike depends on feet staying put. * Gears. A Sturmey-Archer 3-speed. Your child needs to be able to keep up with the pedals on the flat and climbing. Believe me, you will need the child's help when climbing at times. The Sturmey provides reliable, low maintenance, effective gears. There is little chance of the chain jumping off, derailleurs slipping, or anything that might cause the rear wheel to jam. The child finds the gears easy to manage and can change gear at virtually any time. * Ability to attach panniers to parent bike. Some manufacturers provide pannier attachments for their trailerbike mounting rack. In the case of Islabikes, the pannier bit is effective and the whole thing looks just like an ordinary rack when the trailer id not attached. * Mudguard attachment on trailer. Make sure that it is possible to fit one. * Mudguards on parent bike. Fit a rear mudguard and flap. Otherwise you child gets a mouthful of road-dirt. * Size range. A small frame with a long seat post and handle bars that move up and forward. This configuration will be useful from an early age to 9 or 10. * Child's comfort. The saddles provided are often a bit nasty. Fit something wide and soft, preferably without a plastic cover (sweaty). Your child will be most comfortable in a fairly upright riding position. This allows them to look around, hold conversations and avoid the constant sight of parent's back wheel. Use soft handlebar grips and narrow-ish bars. * Transportation. Because they come apart, a trailer bike can be transported just as an ordinary bike. * Frame material. Usually plain guage steel. This gives a fairly soft ride. 531 is available. Remember that the child's comfort and enjoyment is of prime importance. There will be extra work for the parent but it is surprising what the child can contribute. (My son managed to push me several miles when my bottom bracket jammed). The trailer produces a strong and enthusiastic cyclist. The above is based purely on my opinions and personal experience. For more information about both child seats and trailerbikes, two of the biggest manufacturers, Burley and Rhode Gear, have their own web sites at http://www.burley.com and http://www.rhodegear.com, respectively. In addition, the Rhode Gear site also contains information about their range of car racks. 19. Is there a definitive way of determining correct saddle height? Generally, an ideal saddle height is one where your legs are almost fully extended at the bottom of the pedalling stroke. This way, the rider is able to put a more power into his/her pedalling. In order to adjust your saddle, it helps to either have someone hold the bike for you, or to prop it against a wall. The following steps are useful: 1. Adjust the saddle height so that your legs are slightly bent at the bottom of the pedalling stroke (an angle of about 170 degrees between thigh and calf is quite acceptable) 2. Take the bike for a quick spin (a mile or so) - if you're having to move your hips from side to side as you pedal, the saddle is probably too high. Adjust as appropriate. If you feel any discomfort, ride home and readjust the saddle (alternatively, take the appropriate tools with you - a 6mm Allen key is all that is generally necessary) 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the saddle is at a height you find comfortable. You should not be able to place your feet flat on the floor without straddling the top tube of your bike (if you can't even do this, your frame is probably too large) Naturally, you won't get the saddle height right first time, and some fine tuning may be necessary. If you experience any knee pain, lowering the saddle by about half an inch may solve the problem, as such pain is often caused by overextension of the leg. Saddle height isn't the only important parameter when it comes to comfortable riding, the orientation of the saddle itself is just as important. Both men and women have a large concentration of nerves in the genital area, and an improperly adjusted saddle can lead to nerve damage (although this is probably more of a problem for men). Most seatposts allow saddles to be adjusted backwards and forwards (along the saddle rails) and up and down (the angle of the saddle with respect to the top tube). Whilst riding, your body weight should be resting on the bones in your pelvis (anyone got the proper name for them?!), which in turn should be resting on the rear of the saddle - if your weight is resting on any other area, you'll soon know about it! The saddle should be adjusted so that your pelvic bones rest on the rear of the saddle. As for up-down orientation, most people will have their saddles either dead level, or pointing nose down slightly. This is a matter of taste, of course - personally, I have my saddle adjusted nose downwards slightly, mainly to keep my not inconsiderable weight off my genitals! Under no circumstances should the nose of the saddle be pointing upwards, otherwise genital nerve damage is a distinct (not to mention painful) possibility. For long distance riding, it is not possible to completely eliminate discomfort whilst riding, although proper saddle setup will delay the onset of such discomfort. Padded cycling shorts are useful, and can be obtained quite cheaply from nearly all decent bike shops - these shorts are generally made of Lycra, and should be as tight a fit as possible (men in particular should wear shorts that don't allow their genitals to move downwards too much). For those who wear `work' clothes to cycle in, it is possible to buy padded briefs (in both mens and womens fits) which are designed not only to minimise discomfort but to be worn all day under `normal' clothes (it is possible to wear lycra shorts under a pair of jeans, but it gets a bit uncomfortable in hot weather!) 20. I'm looking to buy a new saddle for my bike, what would you recommend? One of the most personal aspects of cycling is choice of saddle, and determining whether or not your backside is comfortable is about the most subjective thing imaginable. Nowadays, saddles can be split into two different categories: gel saddles and leather saddles. A gel saddle usually incorporates a layer of gel between the saddle itself and the riders backside, with the gel conforming to the rider and thus reducing pressure on the more sensitive parts of his/her anatomy. Leather saddles are what they say they are, made of leather. Dealing with gel saddles first. In general, they are comfortable, but it is vitally important not to buy a saddle with a plastic cover if you plan to ride long distances, as sweat will remain in contact with your body, leading to skin irritation. Most middle or top-end gel saddles have leather or faux-leather coverings. The San Marco Rolls and Selle Italia Turbo saddles are commonly cited as relatively inexpensive and comfortable saddles, with the Rolls generally getting the thumbs-up from AUDAX riders, who tend to be particular about what they sit on! If you're not wanting to spend loads of money on a saddle, Viscount and Vetta manufacture a wide range of saddles for both men and women (more on womens saddles later) which are both inexpensive and comfortable. When people think of leather saddles, they think of Brooks. Indeed, the fact that Brooks have been making leather saddles since the early days of cycling and are still in business is glowing testimony to their products. It is perhaps unfortunate that leather saddles, Brooks' in particular, have a kind of stigma attached to them, and are generally associated with aged cycle tourists. This is unfortunate, since a well looked-after leather saddle is possibly the most comfortable thing you can put on a bike. A lot of people are also put off by the myth that a leather saddle needs `breaking in' - this is purely a subjective thing, and as with any saddle, the more you ride it, the more you'll get used to it. Brooks saddles are popular with both long-distance riders and cycle tourists, with the Brooks B17 and B66 being commonly cited as good buys. ATB riders are catered for with the Brooks Conquest, a sprung version of the B66 which although looking old fashioned, is incredibly comfortable. Although many Brooks saddles would probably considered too heavy for racing purposes, a number of manufacturers are producing leather racing saddles, including Brooks themselves, who a reproducing the Ti-railed Swift. Because cycling was (is?) viewed as a male-dominated sport, many saddles, like the bikes they are put on, are designed to conform with the male anatomy, and a great many women find `ordinary' saddles quite uncomfortable. Fortunately, a large number of manufacturers produce saddles aimed directly at women, up to and including full-on racing saddles. Georgina Terry is perhaps the best known manufacturer of womens saddles, with the advantage that they're designed for the female, rather than the male, anatomy (the nose of a great many saddles points slightly upwards, which can cause pressure on the more tender parts of the female anatomy - properly designed womens saddles do not suffer from this problem). In addition to their standard range, Brooks also manufacture a saddle aimed at women (the B66 Champion). 21. My chain keeps skipping on my cassette/freewheel - what should I do? NB. In the following section, the terms cassette and freewheel can be taken to be synonymous. The commonest cause of chain skip is chain wear, sprocket wear or a combination of the two. This is a fact of life, and even the best maintained drivetrain will succumb to wear eventually. The symptoms of this are generally the chain skipping over the cassette under load. In many cases, only the most frequently used sprockets are affected (usually the smaller ones). Wear of freewheel sprockets is usually most noticable when a new chain is fitted to a bike, and, more often than not, a new cassette will have to be bought as well (in some cases, a chain has been known to `bed in' to the old cassette, but this increases the rate of wear of both the chain and the cassette). Because of the stretching forces that a chain is subjected to, it generally has a shorter life than other drivetrain components - exact mileage varies due to the type of chain, road conditions etc. In general, a chain should be binned if it measures more than 12 1/8" over twelve links (a new chain should measure 12" over twelve links, the distance measured from the centres of the rivets). Chainrings and sprockets should be replaced when the teeth have a hooked or `shark tooth' appearance. Chainring wear is easy to spot, cassette wear less so, and with this in mind, Rohloff produce a device which allows measurement of how far gone your cassette cogs may (or may not) be. Unfortunately, the construction of current freehub cassettes, especially Shimano, is not conducive to replacement of single cogs, although it is possible given the correct equipment) An equally common, and slightly more tricky to track down, cause of chain skip is a stiff link. This is a likely cause if you experience problems with a new chain and new freewheel/cassette. Personal experience has shown that the best way to isolate the stiff link is to slowly turn the pedals by hand, and the stiff link will generally cause the chain to jump as it passes through the rear derailleur. Curing this is easily done, with the aid of a chaintool, by ensuring that the rivet in the offending link is flush with the sideplates of the chain. It is not possible to completely eliminate wear of drivetrain components (except by not riding the bike) but a generally accepted method of minimising drivetrain wear, thus saving money on new cassettes etc., is to run two or three chains in rotation, cleaning and changing them every 500 miles or so. Good chains, eg. the Sachs SC40 (known as the Sedis `black'), are cheap enough to make this a reasonable course of action, especially if the bike is heavily used. 22. Are there any UK cycling e-mail lists? A number of cycling related mailing lists exist, mostly on the www.cycling.org (http://www.cycling.org/) site. A lot of these tend to be American dominated (so what's new?). The only e-mail list which aims squarely at UK cyclists is the urbancyclist-uk mailing list, dealing with, oddly enough, urban cycling. The list is described thus (info used without permission, but it's on cycling.org anyway): urbancyclist-uk is an e-mail forum for all cyclists in Britain who think that transport priorities in our urban areas need to change. As traffic conditions in our towns and cities worsen, with all the related threats to safety, health and convenience, it is becoming clear that increased cycle use is going to be a key feature of any workable solution to this problem. This list provides the opportunity for discussion of the merits of various kinds of cycle facilities and other ways in which people can be encouraged back onto bikes. To subscribe to urbancycling-uk, send mail to: with the following command in the body of the message: subscribe urbancyclist-uk-digest To unsubscribe, merely change the subscribe to unsubscribe Other e-mail lists archived on www.cycling.org which may be of interest to UK cyclists a * eurobike - General list for cyclists in Europe. When I was last subscribed, there was a lot of discussion about racing, although this may have changed. * bikecurrent - Discussion of bicycle electronics including, but not limited to, commercial and homebrew lighting systems. Useful for nightriders. * bucc - British Universities Cycling Clubs * randon-digest - Long distance, non-competitive cycling and fast touring. Usually contains a lot of contributions from members of AUDAX UK. * touring - information on cycle touring in general. American dominated, but contains some useful information. To subscribe to any of these lists, follow the procedure described above for urbancyclist-uk, substituting the name of the appropriate mailing list. Appendix A: Useful Addresses This section contains the addresses of manufacturers/companies mentioned in this document. The fact that the companies are mentioned should not be taken as an endorsement of their products or services. * Highpath Engineering Cornant Cribyn Lampeter SA48 7WQ Phone: (01570) 470035 * Bicycle Belle 26 Hamilton Avenue Edinburgh EH3 5AU Guy === ** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com New! Improved!! Now with added extra Demon! |
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AOL won't download the post, Guy, as it's too large. Now I know people can moan
about AOL, but it's not exactly an ISP that's only got a few subscribers :-) Cheers, helen s ~~~~~~~~~~ This is sent from a redundant email Mail sent to it is dumped My correct one can be gleaned from h*$el***$$n*$d$ot$**s**i$$m*$m$**on**$s$@*$$a**$*o l*$*.*$$c$om*$ by getting rid of the overdependence on money and fame ~~~~~~~~~~ |
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Doesnotcompute wrote:
My thoughts: 1) massive FAQs don't get read and are worthless. 2) short welcome FAQs [1] posted regularly [2] are essential 3) I would be willing to contribute in both time, content and server space as well as linking from my signature. 4) however, I wouldn't want to do it all on my own - group effort please [5] a few pages at most, easy on the eye and valuable content only - check the welcome faq of uk.people.bodyart to see the idea [6] once a fortnight perhaps? long enough not to bore but regular enough that most newbies will see it in their initial post downloads. -- Dnc FWIW I think FAQs should consist of a list of Questions which are hyperlinks to their answers which would exist either on the same page, a single page of their own or a number of pages. Single page allows all answers to be downloaded and read off line but multiple pages will be easier to update as more Qs and As are added. I must confess to never reading the FAQs for this group until I read Guys post in this thread. (I noticed that it lists Bob Jacksons old address BTW). I'd be prepared to offer some technical help with preparation of the pages and I'd link from my sig when I post using Cycling Forums.com (if possible). I have some spare freewebspace too but not sure how much as I'm planning on re-launching my own bike pages. -- -------------------------- Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com |
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"wafflyDIRTYcatLITTERhcsBOX" wrote in message
... AOL won't download the post, Guy, as it's too large. Now I know people can moan about AOL, but it's not exactly an ISP that's only got a few subscribers :-) No, you're right, it's not exactly an ISP ;-) -- Guy === WARNING: may contain traces of irony. Contents may settle after posting. http://www.chapmancentral.com |
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On Thu, 04 Sep 2003 18:19:56 +0100, Doesnotcompute
in wrote: [1] a few pages at most, easy on the eye and valuable content only - check the welcome faq of uk.people.bodyart to see the idea [2] once a fortnight perhaps? long enough not to bore but regular enough that most newbies will see it in their initial post downloads. Haven't checked the faq you refer to but I think one word you used sums up my feelings. "Welcome". I agree that with archives such as google, the FAQ is becoming less and less useful. But I think a regular welcome post explaining who we are, what urc is about could be what is required. And I think that is something that Guy has gone a long way to providing already on his website. Perhaps also included in the welcome post could be stuff about what we see to be courteous/discourteous, for example frequency of For Sale ads, binaries, TdF spoilers, crossposting to uk.tosspot, HTML A reference to Guy's site for newbie advice on more lighthearted things such as camper vans, bibshorts etc could be included Much of what goes on in urc starts with somebody posting a question rather than a statement. I think that an FAQ could quite possibly kill off some of the threads which keep urc alive. Even posting a question about something that has been discussed thousands of times before (thinking of helmets, lights, insurance) can yield a response that has never been thought of before. I think it would be a shame to potentially cease new answers to an old question. Love and thoughts from Rich x -- If ingnorance is bliss then I am the erm er luckiest thingy in the whatchamacallit. To mail me, change the obvious bit to richard |
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