How does he do that?.. Danny MacAskill

When I was alot younger my friends and I would gather on our bikes in the little park at the back of our houses. We'd construct ramps out of old bricks and bits of board that we'd found lying around and spend the afternoon taking turns to race off the end...hoping that we wouldn't be the one to fall off and embed six tons of gravel in our knees (which, with a sinkfull of dettol, our mums would have to carefully pick out later). Jumping off the top of that ramp felt like a real achievement, particularly on my mates grifter, which had 3 gears and weighed as much as a car. It's summers spent in the park falling off my bike that make me appreciate how amazing guys like Danny MacAskill are, someone showed me this video the other day and its blown me away- have a look and see what you think

Knitting bikes

I think its fair to say that my partner is as passionate about knitting as I am about bikes. Living with a knitter means that I'm never short of a jumper or two, living with a bike addict means that my partner is forever bored to death with endless conversations about small bits of bicycle. The other day when talking about a couple of bikes that had come in with nasty saddles we got to talking about what the possibilites might be. Up until that point damaged seats were removed and stored in a dark corner of the workshop...until some remedy could be found for their decrepid state. She disappeared and returned a couple of hours later with this solution...

 A fabulous knitted seat cover!

...and in her other hand was this, a bike sock to protect the frame from nasty boots and heavy locks....thanks chicken!

Recycled saddlebag

Sometimes its nice to get away on the bike with no more than a puncture kit and a drink. I used to have a lovely leather brooks tool bag that sat under my seat for exactly this purpose, but age got the better of it and after making a few repairs to the straps i've decided to retire it. Sitting there instead now is my tetrapack saddle bag- made from a recycled milk carton, its cheap, easy to make and less likely to be stolen. Here's how to make your own...

Your going to need, an old drinks container, a couple of old spokes, some gaffa/ duct tape, a pair of pliers, a holepunch and a sharp knife/ scalpel.

using the scalpel, cut into the side of the carton across the two shorter edges and ONE of the longer edges

This should leave you with a flap which (hopefully) will still be attached to the carton, if its not- find another carton and start again!

Next up you'll need to make yourself some buckles, take your pliers and your spoke and bend it into a buckle

Buckle making takes a little practice but is really easy to do, they should look like this (look left) when they're done

Your buckles should be the same width as the straps you're going to make. Using a length of duct tape attach your buckle to one end. I never realised how difficult it was to cut a length of duct tape- after several aborted attempts I ended up asking for help to hold one end.

With the buckle attached and at the top, begin to wrap the length of duct tape around the back of your carton- at the front trim the tape to meet the edge of your carton.

You will now have your buckle attached to the back of your carton. In order for the saddlebag to attach to the seat you'll need another length of duct tape which is attached in line with the first buckle on the underside of your flap.  Stick this around the flap and onto the outside face until the second piece of tape has reached the buckle. 

 Fold over this length of duct tape so that you now have a strip of tape which is joined by its two sticky edges and forms a strip which will fit into the buckle

Your carton saddlebag should look something like this. You now have a saddlebag which is perfectly functional- you can hold the flap closed with a piece of string or innertube tied around the outside.  I use a tag to hold mine closed- if you'd like to do the same read on...

 To hold the flap down (to keep the weather out) you're going to need a leftover piece of spoke, a piece of inner tube, some pliers and some scissors....and some more duct tape!

Stick a piece of Duct tape onto the flap in the middle of your saddlebag

Make a hole in the new piece of tape on the flap. With the flap held closed mark on the main carton where the hole sits, reinforce with more duct tape and make a hole which should then line up with the hole on the flap.

From the piece of spoke cut off two short pieces from which you are going to make a treasury tag, using the piece of inner tube

It should look like this, either snip a small hole 1/3 of the way down each end of the inner tube and thread the bits of spoke through or simply snip the ends and tie a knot.

Here it is, finished and attached to the bike. Due to its un-environmentally friendly plasticied in/ outside, these cartons are remarkably weather resistant...as is the duct tape.

As with most things, its easy to make if you know how- if you get stuck making yours drop me a line and i'll try to help.

Tools you can make...

Like most cyclists, I've a growing collection of tools- some useful, some not, some that rarely get used and others that never seem to leave my hand.

The best of these is my chain retainer- which I use when taking the chain off and stops the chain from springing back when you pop the rivit out with your chain-breaker. It was completely free and made out of an old spoke- why not make your own...here's how

Find a spare spoke and a pair of sturdy pliers

Snip off the end and then bend the spoke, using the pliers into this (look left!) shape. Once you've done this, do the same at the other end. Make sure you tidy up the ends 'cause they'll be a bit sharp.

Thats it, all finished- all you need now is a reason to take your chain off! Enjoy!

Bike wheel fence update....

Last year, in an effort to stop our determined pooch from pooping on everything, we put together a quick fence out of a few bike wheels we had lying around ( click here for the original post). As you can see it still there, the dog hasn't yet managed to find a way through and as a result we've had a bumper crop of gooseberries, strawberries and a few raspberries...Brilliant.

Bikes I wish i'd never sold

Over the years I think I've probably had just about every kind of bike, I've been lucky enough to have had most of the bikes that I'd have ever want to have ridden. Unfortunately I've not always been able to hang on to the bikes that I've bought, usually due to poverty or arrival of Christmas. At one point I had been due to move away and sold the bikes I couldn't justify taking with me...only for the 'Big move' to fall apart at the last minute leaving me with no new adventure and a greatly diminished bike collection. I guess this must be my top 5 bikes that I wish I still had and am unlikely to see again

This was my Sun Supalite, made in Birmingham prior to Raleigh taking it over and ruining it. Not sure of what it was made of but nice and light. Bluemels mudguards, brooks saddle, 5 speed. I still have the wheels and am currently using them on my John Atkins.

I can't even find a proper picture of this bike- I only have this picture taken just after the previous owner had pulled it out of his dad's garage to sell it.







Made (or sold by) 'Two Wheels Good', a bike shop (now closed) up north somewhere (Leeds?) I think. Came with a 531 frame and reasonable bits and bobs- this bike took me to uni and back for 3 years without a whimper.

This is a brillant piece of kit which I bought when I was commuting  alot- its a Rudge Bi-frame. Definitely one of the best full sized folding bikes i've ever ridden. Made under licence from Montague
who I think make bikes for the US military, so proven technology.



  

(copyright Adhiyara)

15 years ago old Moultons didn't seem to command the massive prices that they do now, I never really understood why at time because they are fantastic.







I managed to buy a Moulton Speed and a Moulton Standard for £30 from a guy locally who was clearing out his garage. Brilliant in the city, good for carrying loads of stuff (I moved house with mine) and fast. They've chalked up countless records and achievements- have a look here.

Everyone should own a Pashley at least once. There is nothing quite like riding a Pashley, always comfortable, endlessly reliable and easy to fix.







 I managed to pick up this retired Royal Mail Pashley for £26 in a bit of a sorry state. After a day of cleaning, oiling and puncture fixing it was back on the road again. You can carry a huge amount of stuff on these- I used to use mine to take parcels to the post office once a week- stacked so high that I'd just be able to see over the basket at the front.

Writing this has reminded me of all the other bikes that I wish I'd kept, Tandems, Bromptons, cool MTB's, choppers, racers and the odd 80's BMX. I suppose the reality is though, that if I had kept them I'd be very short of space and probably very lonely because my family certainly wouldn't want to live with them!

How to lock your bike...if you don't like it....

Whenever I stop and leave my bike somewhere, I always hope that when I finally make it back my bike will still be there waiting to take me home again. There have been a couple of times when this hasn't been the case and I was devastated...not to mention irritated as I then had to make the journey home on foot. When I was out and about today I was by the university and decided to have a look at the different ways in which people had locked their bikes with a view to spotting those less well secured- this is what I found...




Firstly if you like your bike, make sure you've locked it to something. This bike was up on its stand with a little lock around the rear wheel. If the lock can't be pulled off- the bike will simply be picked up and carried away.








If you buy a lock and it costs you a £1, chances are it'll only give you a pounds worth of protection. Cheap locks (like the one here) not only have very weak mechanisms but more often than not the metal they are made of is as soft as cheese. If the bike is wheeled backwards and then yanked forward the lock will simply just fall off.



Always try to buy the best lock that you can afford, I tend to use a heavy motorcycle lock, but when I was short of money I used several old cycle chains inside an inner tube. You could also use one of the bike cage or bike storage facilities of which there are several in Coventry.


If you're going to lock your bike, don't attach it by anything that can be removed or cut easily...this bmx had been attached by its handlebars which are easily and quickly undone with an allen key- handlebars are easy for a bike thief to replace. More frequently i've seen bikes locked with a lock attached to a spoke- so easy to cut with nothing more than a set of pliers.






If the only thing you can find to lock your bike to is a small bollard, then take your bike with you. Bikes locked in this way are simply lifted up in order to release the lock.







This bike was seemingly well secured, except for the fact that an older 'D' lock had been used. Although difficult to cut through due to being hardened steel, the locking mechanism in these older 'D' locks is very vulnerable and can be unlocked with the end of a Bic Biro pen...so not only would your bike get stolen, but your lock would get stolen too!



This final bike illustrated a couple of things, firstly if you have a quick release seat post make sure you've locked it or taken it with you as they tend to get stolen. More importantly, if you have a nice bike with a good lock and when you come back to it the tyres are flat- take it home with you, don't be tempted to leave it overnight.




Quite often when a bike is nice and well locked, bike thieves will deflate your tyres or steal a wheel in order that they can return later with more substantial equipment to remove your lock and steal your bike. If you'd like to find out a bit more about locking your bike have a look here

After writing this blog post I noticed an article in one of the local papers discussing the increase in cycle thefts in the city- particularly in and around the city centre- you can have a read of the article here....you'll also find more good tips for securing your bike.

How to buy a second hand bicycle...

Just recently I've had a couple of conversations about bikes that have been bought second hand, these were tales of woe about the things that have gone horribly wrong- usually on the journey home. Buying a bicycle second hand will (if done carefully) get you a bicycle which is cheaper, better quality and longer lasting than the temptingly cheap bikes seen in supermarkets and discount sports shops. I don't buy new bikes, partly because I like old bikes but also because i've rarely had enough money to buy a new bike of a good enough quality.

These are the things I'd check when buying a bike:

The very first thing I would do is check the bike overall, look at the frame and forks- is there any obvious damage, dents or rusty holes-does it look straight? If your instinct is that it all looks a bit wonky it probably is...

At the back of the bike i'd check that the wheel was attached, that it wasn't buckled beyond help, the tyre was inflated and not damaged or perished and all the spokes were present. I would check that the cables (gear and brake) were okay, the deraillieur moved and allowed the chain to pass through it. Finally I look to see that the brakes moved freely and that the brake pads still had sufficient rubber to stop the bike






In the middle I would check the saddle to made sure it was tight on the stem, that the stem was fixed into the frame (with the seat bolt). I would then check the front deraillieur and its cable to make sure that it moved properly, then check the crank to see that it didn't wobble, check the pedals to make sure they turn and aren't dangerously broken...at this point its probably worth checking the wear on the chainset










At the front I would check that the handlebars were attached to the bike and turned freely (no nasty grinding sounds), that brakes and gear levers were unbroken and working, that the cables were in a reasonable condition. I would check the brake pads etc for wear and for any damage to the rim including brake wear, dents, buckles and missing spokes...finally check that the wheel is properly attached and that the tyre is in a reasonable condition.






It sounds like alot to remember, but working from the back to the front of the bike it is logical and easy when you get started. If you try to do most of these things then you'll have a better chance of getting a reasonable bike- that said second hand bikes will invariably have some problems but as long as you know what they are-you can highlight them to the seller, hopefully get a reduced price and then figure out repair when you get home.

If you do decide to buy a new bike its probably still worth running through the list as unless you're buying from a reputable bike shop the putting together, checking and setting up of the bike can be a bit hit and miss. With cheap and second hand bikes, its not (in my opinion) worth buying something with suspension- on the road its not really necessary, it makes your bike heavy and has a tendency to seize.

If you fancy being a bit more thorough you can complete what's known as an 'M' check- you can have a look at my version below but i'm sure there are many others on the interweb- have a look at a few and pick one that works for you.

The twang of a broken spoke...

A trip out yesterday brought with it the unmistakable twang af one of my spokes snapping as I dropped down a pothole- I didn't have anything with me to fix it so wrapped it out of the way. To fix a spoke you only need a couple of basic tools, a screwdriver, an adjustable spanner, a cassette tool and a spoke tool- most people have a spanner and a screwdriver in their toolbox, you can pick up a cassette and spoke tool for around £10 from somewhere like Halfords, well worth buying as you're bound to need them again. If the same thing happens to you this is how to sort it out when you get home...

First strip off the tyre and inner tube and you'll be left with a bear rim. If the broken spoke is on the non-drive side you can simply remove the broken spoke and (with a bit of gentle bending) put in a new one- if its on the other side its a bit trickier as the rear cassette is in the way. Check the rim where the hole for the spoke is to ensure that there's no obvious damage or wear, check the rim tape for wear and damage- replace as necessary.



If you are at home and you have the tools its easier just to take the cassette off- that way you'll be able to pass the new spoke through without bending it too much. Spokes can be bought in the right size quite cheaply from most cycle shops, idealy you should use new spokes- that said I tend to keep a few that i've recycled from other bike wheels.







With the cassette removed it should look a bit like this. Post your spoke through making sure that it goes through on the correct side and follows the pattern of the removed spoke- if you're unsure look to the spokes either side of the one you're replacing








With the spoke back in place re-insert the spoke nipple and take up the slack in the spoke- the more you turn the nipple the tighter the spoke becomes- don't over tighten as it'll strip the threads on the spoke and make your wheel wobble











Now that you have your new spoke back in your wheel you'll need to tighten the spoke. Unless you are very lucky you'll find that (without doing this) when you spin your wheel where the spoke was removed you'll have a slight wobble- if you've reconnected your brakes you'll probably find that it'll catch against one side as it turns. You can do this with it back in the bike with the bike either on a stand or turned upside down.





In order to address your wobble gradually tighten the spoke nipple whilst slowly turning the wheel and looking from behind- you can also use the brakes as a guide. As you tighten the spoke the wobble should gradually reduce and your wheel will once again become 'true' or straight.

This is only the most basic of guides- if you'd like to learn a bit more visit Sheldon Brown for a fuller explanation. Replacing spokes takes a little practice but is far easier than you would imagine- next time you hear the 'twang' have a go at fixing it yourself.

Recycled tyres- Make your own grips

Being a little keen on recycling and alot poor has sometimes lead to some great solutions, particularly when fixing the bikes. I've found one of the trickiest bits to reuse has been the old cycle tyres which are nowhere near as versatile as the inner tubes they protect. Not so long ago I decided to try and make some grips for a bike that I had been given which other than the grips was perfect- very much to my amazement they turned out to be fantastic- have a look...

If you'd like to make your own this is what you have to do...






Cut yourself a piece of tyre roughly about the size of the grip you want to make-











Its easier if you hold it to the handlebar to get an approximate size. When measuring make sure you measure the width properly- too wide and it won't grip the bar, not wide enough and it'll have an irritating gap.









Mark out and drill/ poke small holes at roughly a finger width apart along both sides of your grip sized bit of tyre- its much easier if you drill the holes, but make sure you put something behind it and keep fingers out of the way











You will now have a bit of old tyre with several holes in it- should look a bit like this...











Using a piece of scrap inner tube 'lace' the piece of tyre as you would a shoe- joining the two long edges together- I used an old punch to aid with the poking











It should begin to look like this...












Once finished, tie the ends of the inner tube off and fit to the bike. I've found that the tyre grip grips the handlebar better if you first wrap it with a small piece of inner tube. If you have any to hand- pop a old cork in each of the bar ends to finish it off.



As always I'm assuming a reasonable level of tool competance and dexterity, if you feel you may injure yourself in attempting to make the grips please don't as I accept no responsibility for any injuries resulting.