Uses for cigar tubes; winter gloves

Evening all,

PART I

I bought some fancy peppercorns just now, and they came in a lightweight
screw-capped aluminium tube, exactly the same as cigars come in:

http://www.chiphi-pi.org/b2b/pics/Al...Cigar_Tube.jpg

My gut feeling is that there must be a bike-related use for this, but i
can't think of one! The only thing i know for sure you can use them for is
making rockets.

PART II

I've made it through the winter so far with a pair of thinsulate gloves.
Not very thick (then they'd be thicksulate, wouldn't they?), not
windproof, not at all waterproof, and at times completely unsatisfactory.
I kept telling myself i'd buy a better pair - still warm, but also wind-
and water-proof. Now, firstly, is there enough cold and/or wet weather
left ahead that it's still worth doing this this year? And secondly, does
anyone have any recommendations for a pair of such gloves that can be had
for 30 quid or less? The thing is that i'm a cheapskate; i got the
thinsulates for fifteen quid at the market, and i'm loath to spend loads
more on a replacement. I should add that i'm also lazy, and thus don't
hold with this layering business. And a pair that comes with the moon on a
stick would also be good.

tom

--
Finals make a man mean; let's fusc up and write!

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:27:34 +0000
Tom Anderson wrote:

Evening all,

PART I

I bought some fancy peppercorns just now, and they came in a
lightweight screw-capped aluminium tube, exactly the same as cigars
come in:

http://www.chiphi-pi.org/b2b/pics/Al...Cigar_Tube.jpg

My gut feeling is that there must be a bike-related use for this, but
i can't think of one! The only thing i know for sure you can use them
for is making rockets.

If it fits inside the seat tube you could use it to stash small spares
or valuables.

PART II

I've made it through the winter so far with a pair of thinsulate
gloves. Not very thick (then they'd be thicksulate, wouldn't they?),
not windproof, not at all waterproof, and at times completely
unsatisfactory. I kept telling myself i'd buy a better pair - still
warm, but also wind- and water-proof. Now, firstly, is there enough
cold and/or wet weather left ahead that it's still worth doing this
this year? And secondly, does anyone have any recommendations for a
pair of such gloves that can be had for 30 quid or less? The thing is
that i'm a cheapskate; i got the thinsulates for fifteen quid at the
market, and i'm loath to spend loads more on a replacement. I should
add that i'm also lazy, and thus don't hold with this layering
business.

I guess that rules out my initial thought of a pair of Marigolds to go
over the Thinsulates.

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009, Rob Morley wrote:

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:27:34 +0000
Tom Anderson wrote:

PART I

I bought some fancy peppercorns just now, and they came in a
lightweight screw-capped aluminium tube, exactly the same as cigars
come in:

http://www.chiphi-pi.org/b2b/pics/Al...Cigar_Tube.jpg

My gut feeling is that there must be a bike-related use for this, but
i can't think of one! The only thing i know for sure you can use them
for is making rockets.

If it fits inside the seat tube you could use it to stash small spares
or valuables.

It's definitely narrow enough.

How do you keep things in the seat tube? Take the seat out, i assume.
Don't things fall down to the BB, thus making them tricky to get out
again? Does this plan involve string?

PART II

I've made it through the winter so far with a pair of thinsulate
gloves. Not very thick (then they'd be thicksulate, wouldn't they?),
not windproof, not at all waterproof, and at times completely
unsatisfactory. I kept telling myself i'd buy a better pair - still
warm, but also wind- and water-proof. Now, firstly, is there enough
cold and/or wet weather left ahead that it's still worth doing this
this year? And secondly, does anyone have any recommendations for a
pair of such gloves that can be had for 30 quid or less? The thing is
that i'm a cheapskate; i got the thinsulates for fifteen quid at the
market, and i'm loath to spend loads more on a replacement. I should
add that i'm also lazy, and thus don't hold with this layering
business.

I guess that rules out my initial thought of a pair of Marigolds to go
over the Thinsulates.

It does, but that doesn't stop that being a brilliant idea. Hi-vis too!

tom

--
Finals make a man mean; let's fusc up and write!

In message , Tom
Anderson writes
Evening all,

PART I

I bought some fancy peppercorns just now, and they came in a
lightweight screw-capped aluminium tube, exactly the same as cigars
come in:

http://www.chiphi-pi.org/b2b/pics/Al...Cigar_Tube.jpg

My gut feeling is that there must be a bike-related use for this, but i
can't think of one! The only thing i know for sure you can use them for
is making rockets.


My grandad used to have a bunch of these, he used them for storing
screws and such like. He had a rack like a test tube rack he made for
them.

PART II

I've made it through the winter so far with a pair of thinsulate
gloves. Not very thick (then they'd be thicksulate, wouldn't they?),
not windproof, not at all waterproof, and at times completely
unsatisfactory. I kept telling myself i'd buy a better pair - still
warm, but also wind- and water-proof. Now, firstly, is there enough
cold and/or wet weather left ahead that it's still worth doing this
this year? And secondly, does anyone have any recommendations for a
pair of such gloves that can be had for 30 quid or less? The thing is
that i'm a cheapskate; i got the thinsulates for fifteen quid at the
market, and i'm loath to spend loads more on a replacement.

But you want a better glove that does more, so it's likley to cost
more.....

A friend has some Seal Skinz ones that he seems very happy with.

Thse I think:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Se...cle_Winter_Glo
ves/5360038455

But maybe these:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Se...er_Gloves/5360
021426

--
Chris French

In message , Tom
Anderson writes
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009, Rob Morley wrote:

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:27:34 +0000
Tom Anderson wrote:

PART I

I bought some fancy peppercorns just now, and they came in a
lightweight screw-capped aluminium tube, exactly the same as cigars
come in:

http://www.chiphi-pi.org/b2b/pics/Al...Cigar_Tube.jpg

My gut feeling is that there must be a bike-related use for this, but
i can't think of one! The only thing i know for sure you can use them
for is making rockets.

If it fits inside the seat tube you could use it to stash small spares
or valuables.

It's definitely narrow enough.

How do you keep things in the seat tube? Take the seat out, i assume.
Don't things fall down to the BB, thus making them tricky to get out
again? Does this plan involve string?

Wouldn't be hard to block the tube - a bit of foam wedged down there, a
squirt of expanding foam, a wodge of bubble warp, whatever.

might still be too deep for fishing out though once you leave space for
the seat post
--
Chris French

On 26/01/2009 20:27, Tom Anderson wrote:
PART II

I've made it through the winter so far with a pair of thinsulate gloves.
Not very thick (then they'd be thicksulate, wouldn't they?), not
windproof, not at all waterproof, and at times completely
unsatisfactory. I kept telling myself i'd buy a better pair - still
warm, but also wind- and water-proof. Now, firstly, is there enough cold
and/or wet weather left ahead that it's still worth doing this this
year? And secondly, does anyone have any recommendations for a pair of
such gloves that can be had for 30 quid or less? The thing is that i'm a
cheapskate; i got the thinsulates for fifteen quid at the market, and
i'm loath to spend loads more on a replacement. I should add that i'm
also lazy, and thus don't hold with this layering business. And a pair
that comes with the moon on a stick would also be good.

You could get some ski gloves. At this time of year they are usually
available quite cheaply.

eg I bought these last week for £3:
http://www.sportsdirect.com/Products...es-908338.aspx
They are Thinsulate with a shell that's windproof and presumably fairly
waterproof. They keep my hands warm nicely, though I haven't really
tested how waterproof they are yet.

--
Craig Wallace
http://craig.neogeo.org.uk
http://www.neogeo.org.uk

Rob Morley wrote:
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:27:34 +0000
Tom Anderson wrote:

Evening all,

PART I

I bought some fancy peppercorns just now, and they came in a
lightweight screw-capped aluminium tube, exactly the same as cigars
come in:

http://www.chiphi-pi.org/b2b/pics/Al...Cigar_Tube.jpg

My gut feeling is that there must be a bike-related use for this, but
i can't think of one! The only thing i know for sure you can use them
for is making rockets.

If it fits inside the seat tube you could use it to stash small spares
or valuables.

If they are waterproof, then a spare pair of AA/AAA batteries for lights
could be stored in one. Perhaps a bit of silicon grease to seal the
tread, and a bit of padding to stop the batteries getting bashed.

PART II

I've made it through the winter so far with a pair of thinsulate
gloves. Not very thick (then they'd be thicksulate, wouldn't they?),
not windproof, not at all waterproof, and at times completely
unsatisfactory. I kept telling myself i'd buy a better pair - still
warm, but also wind- and water-proof. Now, firstly, is there enough
cold and/or wet weather left ahead that it's still worth doing this
this year? And secondly, does anyone have any recommendations for a
pair of such gloves that can be had for 30 quid or less? The thing is
that i'm a cheapskate; i got the thinsulates for fifteen quid at the
market, and i'm loath to spend loads more on a replacement. I should
add that i'm also lazy, and thus don't hold with this layering
business.

I guess that rules out my initial thought of a pair of Marigolds to go
over the Thinsulates.

I have two pairs of cycling gloves, a standard pair of sealskinz similar
to these
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Se...es/5360031773/
which are excellent in the wet, even if they get wet inside. They are a
bit tight though.

I also have a pair of Altura waterproof gloves, which are better when it
gets really cold, but not so good in the rain. If they get wet inside
they are horrible.

Martin.

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:20:12 +0000
Tom Anderson wrote:

How do you keep things in the seat tube? Take the seat out, i assume.

I guess I was assuming that everyone rides mountain bikes with quick
release seatposts these days, but of course we don't. :-)

Don't things fall down to the BB, thus making them tricky to get out
again?

Invert bike and shake. :-)

Does this plan involve string?

Drill a hole across the bottom of the seatpin, fit a roll pin or self
tapper and grind flush. I'd use a bit of gear inner wire rather than
string. You can use the same principle to make quick release saddle
theft a bit harder - attach a bit of seatpost or similar to the bottom
of the cable and clamp it up with a bottle boss bolt.

Craig Wallace wrote:
On 26/01/2009 20:27, Tom Anderson wrote:
PART II

I've made it through the winter so far with a pair of thinsulate gloves.
Not very thick (then they'd be thicksulate, wouldn't they?), not
windproof, not at all waterproof, and at times completely
unsatisfactory. I kept telling myself i'd buy a better pair - still
warm, but also wind- and water-proof. Now, firstly, is there enough cold
and/or wet weather left ahead that it's still worth doing this this
year? And secondly, does anyone have any recommendations for a pair of
such gloves that can be had for 30 quid or less? The thing is that i'm a
cheapskate; i got the thinsulates for fifteen quid at the market, and
i'm loath to spend loads more on a replacement. I should add that i'm
also lazy, and thus don't hold with this layering business. And a pair
that comes with the moon on a stick would also be good.

You could get some ski gloves. At this time of year they are usually
available quite cheaply.

eg I bought these last week for £3:
http://www.sportsdirect.com/Products...es-908338.aspx

They are Thinsulate with a shell that's windproof and presumably fairly
waterproof. They keep my hands warm nicely, though I haven't really
tested how waterproof they are yet.


That seems like a very good price, provided you can collect from a local
shop. But the mail order delivery charge more than doubles the price to
£6.95 http://www.sportsdirect.com/StoreLocator.aspx
I'd like to know if anybody makes a cycling specific glove. One that
wont allow water to enter either the arm or hand (via the wrist)
whatever the direction/strength of rain, and possibly breathable too.

On 26 Jan, 20:27, Tom Anderson wrote:

Now, firstly, is there enough cold and/or wet weather left ahead

Yes

does anyone have any recommendations for a pair of such gloves

Two options for the wet:
1) Thin marigolds under your gloves against the skin. Your hands get
wet from sweat but it's warm water running round - like the wetsuit
effect - totally windproof and the original gloves provide warmth

2) On my commuter hack with straight bars (doesn't work with drop
bars) I take the pogies off my kayak paddle and fit them to the
straight bars - you need to attach them to the bars with a piece of
string to the stem so they don't fall off when signalling. If anyone
doesn't know what pogies are see

http://www.desperate-measures.co.uk/...spx?prodid=780

They keep your hands like toast.

Adam