Chopping without flopping

Yeah, I might start training. Hmm.... ponders

Just so there's no need to start another thread...
What's best for chopping down bars? Hacksaw or pipe cutter?
I have some risers I'd like to shorten but don't fancy bodging them up again like the last ones I cut into.
Anyone used a pipe cutter?
Anyone have one I could borrow swiftly?
Or is it time to get out the hacksaw?
cheers.

Either really.

If you've got a pipe cutter (one of those cyclindrical shaped things with the whole in the middle that you twist around the pipe, yeah?) that would probably be the easiest because you wouldn't have to clamp the bars in a vice or something.

But the pipe cutter will probably only work with flat bars. And they are usually only designed for copper pipes, not aluminium handlebars :P

So on the basis of that, I'd probably say hacksaw, actually. Just clamp it in something or get a friend with large arms.

hippy
The couple of Hillingdon TTs I've done (yeah, nothing like Obree-level racing I know) seem pretty lax on rules so it wouldn't surprise me if he got away with anything. It's Obree after all!! :)

Errrr....

you mean that being Obree they tried every rule in the RTTC book to see if they could DQ him, don't you?

The RTTC are notorious for DQing anyone that is any good. Not just GO but also Alf Engers. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf_Engers

The RTTC. Tough on time-trial crime, tough on the causes of time-trial crime.

winston Loads of couriers and "fixed wheel enthusiasts" have super high saddles and way low bars....apparently emulating track riders, but you won't see anything like that at the track in reality......sometimes they turn up at HH, but their positions are so extreme they can't even reach the drops and they wiggle round with their hands on the tops wondering why they can't keep up....if you can't reach the drops why have them?....purely to pose

Don't mean this guy do you?

Tofu is a long way from having the most extreme bike I've ever seen and a very long way from being the most extreme person I've ever met.

i haven't been riding on the road for very long (only months!) but from my limited observations of other riders it seems nobody uses the drops even when they have them?
in this windy weather i seem to be on the drops for 60-70% of the time. saddle is nearly a foot higher than the bottom of the drop too.

I use mine.

I use them for climbing, sprinting, and attacking head winds.

I don't use them in heavy traffic as I like being more upright for visibility (so people can see me and I get a better view over cars) as well as having the front brake ready should anything amiss look like it's going to happen.

MrSmith bikes are bikes

are they fuck.

I use the hooks all the time. My stem is 6.5 cms below my saddle, and I use shallow drops, putting the bottom of the bars around 8" below my saddle (on all my bikes!).

12" sounds a little steep, but it kind of depends on how flexible your hip/lumbar region is, and how long your upper arms are.

Nelson's arms are about as extended as Tofu's are in the photo above, and he is in the hooks.

Buffalo Bill I 12" sounds a little steep, but it kind of depends on how flexible your hip/lumbar region is, and how long your upper arms are.

I'm a lanky git with long arms and body. flexibility depends on how much stretching i do. :-)

Buffalo Bill I use the hooks all the time. My stem is 6.5 cms below my saddle, and I use shallow drops, putting the bottom of the bars around 8" below my saddle (on all my bikes!).

12" sounds a little steep, but it kind of depends on how flexible your hip/lumbar region is, and how long your upper arms are.

roughly this, bend over and touch your toes

saddle = stem can't touch toes
fingers to floor 5-10cm drop saddle to stem
palm to floor 10-15 cm

I can press my fingers and thumbs to the floor but not my palms

Yeah, but this is not a great measure because it assumes that you round out the lumbar area on the bike, whereas it's better to keep the lumbar area tucked in.

It's a yawn, but the best way is to actually get a fit done. Only £70 or whatever. Cheaper than a new bike, and it will definitely improve your ride!

asm i ride bar-less, stem - less, seat -less, pedal - less... indeed i ride bike-less at the moment.

if this trend towards minimalism continues this soon would be a running forum.
London fixed running forum
I wouldnt mind. I run too for exactly that reason.
but ashamedly very little equipment to talk about ("How are your new shoes? Nice! and yours ? "). Just do it (no advert intended)
Thats why runners forum talk about nutrition so much I guess.

Have you uys ever had a 'biking high' ? Runners high is a myth too to me. I normally just hit the wall at 33km...

eeehhhh Yeah, I might start training. Hmm.... ponders

London marathon next year ? Start running NOW ! If you have 45km (per week) under your belt without any problem. Then START your marathon training.
say byebye to gf & mates and drinking vor the last 15 weeks..cause you either be running or tired.

Buffalo Bill [quote]hippy
The couple of Hillingdon TTs I've done (yeah, nothing like Obree-level racing I know) seem pretty lax on rules so it wouldn't surprise me if he got away with anything. It's Obree after all!! :)

you mean that being Obree they tried every rule in the RTTC book to see if they could DQ him, don't you?

The RTTC are notorious for DQing anyone that is any good. Not just GO but also Alf Engers. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf_Engers

The RTTC. Tough on time-trial crime, tough on the causes of time-trial crime.[/quote]

Well I'm not up on all the politics. All I know is that the small club-level events seem to ignore rules about club clothing, wearing of helmets, etc.
Cool article about Engers too. Ta!

MrSmith i haven't been riding on the road for very long (only months!) but from my limited observations of other riders it seems nobody uses the drops even when they have them?
in this windy weather i seem to be on the drops for 60-70% of the time. saddle is nearly a foot higher than the bottom of the drop too.

Where though? In London traffic I don't want to be down that low - I like to look over a car in front of me to see what's going on in front of it. I also have brake hoods to ride on.
Out in the Chilterns on a club run I'll drop to the drops haw haw especially today when four of us fscking shelled the group so one guy could get back to watch golf or something?! It was attack after attack after attack. Great fun!

where?
the straight bits between lambeth north kennington and stockwell
garrett lane when i have the bus lane all to myself
chiswick high road
wimbledon park road
and sawyers hill richmond park into that poxy headwind.

The only time I bother with drops in London is: bad headwind, chasing someone down, forgetting I'm not on my road bike - so I don't have to look fast :)

Todd Just so there's no need to start another thread...
What's best for chopping down bars? Hacksaw or pipe cutter?
I have some risers I'd like to shorten but don't fancy bodging them up again like the last ones I cut into.
Anyone used a pipe cutter?
Anyone have one I could borrow swiftly?
Or is it time to get out the hacksaw?
cheers.

hacksaw is fine, however most people can not cut a straight line in wood for toffy let alown in metal (same technique I know but you have to pay more attention). So if you are not comfident use soem pipe cutters.

i have used both, and find the pipe cutters are very quick and leave a straight smoothish end, far better

hacksaw is fine, however most people can not cut a straight line in wood for toffy let alown in metal (same technique I know but you have to pay more attention). So if you are not comfident use soem pipe cutters.

Cheers Tommy. I'll be giving it a go later. Cheaper to buy a new hacksaw blade than a pipecutter so think I'll go that route. A cutter could be a good investment though. Not sure how they'd handle chromed alloy bars. Think I'll head over for a chat at the plumbers.

if you haven't got a hacksaw you could melt the end off with a blowtorch or welder maybe.

dominiclincoln if you haven't got a hacksaw you could melt the end off with a blowtorch or welder maybe.

hahahahaaha