[BVT]

I was bike touring in a remote part of Spain a while back and came across an unconscious cyclist lying in a pool of blood.  Really nasty head injuries, and it was an anxious wait trying to look after him until the professionals arrived.  Something had gone into his front wheel at speed on the descent and sent him over the bars straight onto his head.  A helmet wouldn't have left him completely unscathed (nose and lips ripped off), but the really dangerous looking hits around the temple and front of his head might have been ameliorated.  After that experience it was never too hot for me to wear a helmet - it only takes a second to wreck your life and that little bit of plastic might save you.

No idea what happened to the chap I found, the last i saw of him was being carted off in an ambulance.

[fatkid2000]

I really don't understand people that don't when a lid when cycling. There are numerous stats around that claim to show that you are no better off wearing one than not. Granted people die from chest & abdominal injuries caused by bike injuries and thus a helmet would have made no difference - however if your head is involved in the accident at least a helmet may make some difference & maybe even save your life. There is a chap where I work who had a crash on an Alpine descent - and suffered a major head injury - he had his temporal lobe removed on one side and is now disfigured due to the skull they removed at the time. He admits he was f***ing lucky and was lucky to be riding with 2 anaesthetists and had an operation seldom performed in certain parts of the UK. He was wearing a helmet and would have certainly died at the scene had he not been. You may look stupid wearing one, but at least it may make that little bit of difference.

I ride in a Spesh 2D Decibel - really comfortable and amazingly light. I think there are other helmets with better vents but I like the comfort this helmet provides.

[fatdoc]

Ok, mate at work just read this over my shoulder...

and asked


"so, how many of these lot wear a helmet when climbing?"


Not too shabby a question I thought.

[squeek]

I always wear a helmet trad climbing.  I don't wear one bouldering, just like I don't wear a cycling helmet on my turbo trainer.

[fatdoc]

 

[fatkid2000]

I always wear a helmet trad climbing.  I don't wear one bouldering, just like I don't wear a cycling helmet on my turbo trainer.

I'm in this group as well.

Mind you I remember a guy who came into the Northern with a head injury and ended up having surgery who had been bouldering, not sure how far he fell but it was less than 3m. Then again there was a lady admitted to ITU this weekend who tripped over and banged her head on a kerb stone - sometimes shit happens. If we didn't take part in these activities we'd all be boring, divorced and probably indulging in other risky activities.

[chappers]

what about these?:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=SHIMWHFR875

[fatkid2000]

what about these?:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=SHIMWHFR875

They've had good reviews - but I've never ridden a pair of big S's wheels.

Me want......http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/article/mps/uan/3339

[chappers]

question:

how good are planetX wheels? the model B? anyone ride these, percy?
they seem really light for not much money, will the build quality be anywhere near shimano?
(i am willing to spend 400 quid, but i would rather not!!)
cheers, chris.

[chappers]

forget that, i have just found the bit on their site that refers to higher spec wheels...

[fatkid2000]

I remember somebody asking on here about the 'bike to work' scheme being offered on the NHS - apparently the Northern General / STH trust in Sheffield is starting to do it from September. Has anyone bought a bike with the scheme?

[tlr]

To follow on from the helmet discusion, I noticed the other day that the accursed JE James has some pretty hefty reductions on Met helmets, including the Stradivarius 199 at half price (down to £75). I think I might just get myself one of those.

It was me asking about the NHS bike to work, but my missus is in Rotherham, so it might not help her.

There was an amusingly crap discussion on Breakfast this morning about helmet wearing, not the best debate in the world.

[fatkid2000]

Regarding the bike to work scheme, just thought it may help if one local trust is doing it - it may make it harder for another to flatly refuse to take part. On the face of it, it seems a good scheme - but I'm sure there must be strings attached.

[Palomides]

Regarding helmets, the "more likely to be hit" report is this one 

Also regarding helmets, I recently bought a new one which is made with a process called InMold. Without doing any research at all I suspect that this is some way of bonding the plastic shell to the shock-absorbing stuff in the mold it's formed in, thus giving more strength and allowing more ventilation.

Very nice, however, if anyone is thinking of buying a helmet with big, lovely, cooling airvents then make sure that there is insect netting. Mine doesn't and now that summer is here, I regularly have the un-nerving sensation of something bouncing off my scalp then wriggling next to it. It's surely only a matter of time before my head scoops up a bee/wasp/sparrow.

[webbo]

Regarding the bike to work scheme, just thought it may help if one local trust is doing it - it may make it harder for another to flatly refuse to take part. On the face of it, it seems a good scheme - but I'm sure there must be strings attached.

we've got one here at humber m/h trust its with halfords.i think it was about 10% discount and some tax evasion thingy,also i think there was a £1000 limit.
it didn't seem that good but as i wasn't looking for a new bike i didn't pay that much attention to it.

[fatkid2000]

Here we go again with a drug infested tour
http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/tour-flash-manuel-beltran-accused-of-doping-17501
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/7502763.stm

[fatdoc]

Regarding the bike to work scheme, just thought it may help if one local trust is doing it - it may make it harder for another to flatly refuse to take part. On the face of it, it seems a good scheme - but I'm sure there must be strings attached.

we've got one here at humber m/h trust its with halfords.i think it was about 10% discount and some tax evasion thingy,also i think there was a £1000 limit.
it didn't seem that good but as i wasn't looking for a new bike i didn't pay that much attention to it.

would get me my next mtb frame thou...

[webbo]

i suspect riding what mark cavendish is on at present might be a worth while purchase as it appears to be the fastest bike in the world over 200 metres.
even after its done 180k to get there.

[Palomides]

You'll have to wait til next year to buy one

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/2008/probikes/?id=mark_cavendish_giant08

http://www.bikeradar.com/racing/article/pro-bike-giant-unveils-proto-2009-tcr-advanced--14592?img=2

[chappers]

well i bloody did it.
the southern uplands sportive was a great event, well organised, one for the 2009 diary. the course was long at 105miles, and had two very hard climbs in it, one at 20% for a mile, and another at the end for a mountain top finish.
it took me 6hrs and 19 mins, which i am pretty happy with for my first sportive.

question: i spent quite a bit of time on my own, i found it hard to get a group going because everybody rides at such different speeds, is this useual? i am used to riding in a bunch on club rides and found this harder because people rode on their own!

[Duma]

Effort chappers.

Question:
For <£1k, I'd like to build something w/gears for the road. Now I realise that you can probably save by getting the whole thing and taking advantadge of the big boys buying power, but I like the satisfaction of putting the bits together myself. It'll prob get used around town for erranding a bit, So things I'd like are - not bling to go some way toward security - this'll be locked up in town a fair bit; something reasonably light and responsive for a bit of playing at being a roadie (not really, just would like to get some more milage in than is practical in the fixed); rack/guard mounts might be nice too.
I'm thinking an alloy frame for the stealth thing, making up on decent but understated bits.
Current thoughts: something like this for the frame, groupset, wheelset, reckon I can finish off for under a grand.
Am I way off track? If so why?

[chappers]

yeah, that looks ok...maybe think about a ribble frame, they are designed by terry dolan (i think) and may well be cheaper??

i am interested in SRAM gears/brake leavers. can i put a set straight on my kuota (105 group) or will it involve all sorts of faffing about??

[Percy B]

Duma - it looks fine, but beware the cost of all the other bits you'll need to finish the bike off - bars, stem, seat pin, saddle, bottle cage, pedals, cables, etc. can end up adding a couple of hundred quid to you're budget if you're not careful.

Chappers - the SRAM stuff is awesome and works well. You should have no problem mixing some bits with your Shimano kit - it is all compatible more or less, although if you want SRAM mechs then you'd be better off with the SRAM shifters too for problem free shifting. Most of my drivetrain is Ultegra, but I have a SRAM cassette just because it has much better ratios for me (ie: 26-11) and have had no problems at all. No faffing required!

[fatkid2000]

If anyone fancies punishing themselves over the weekend - I've still got my place in the legbreaker sportive to give away. The entry is for the short course - but even that looks pretty harsh. I can't go due to working nights. 
 
Although above your £1K limit - I've got one of these kitted out for winter use. Its Ti - really nice to ride, and the boys at Sundays know their stuff. I ride it to work and train on it during the summer - although I don't know why I bothered taking the mud-guards off.
http://www.sundaybicycles.co.uk/September.php

[fatkid2000]

I'm looking at doing L'etape or La Marmotte next year. Does anybody know the entrance process, and how likely I'll get a place?

Anyone care to join the training hell that will take place over the winter?

I'm also wandering how I'm going to train for the thing. On paper the average gradients don't look too bad, but its the length of the hills that worry me - 18Km at an average 7-8%. I can get over all the hills in the Peak / Lakes on a 53/39 but these are often steeper and pretty short. So I'm guessing compact chainset with some large dinner plates on the rear!!! Any advice appreciated and if anyone else is serious about entering get in contact -  fatdoc??? - Stop all this XC lark.