Birmingham Bike Polo (Wednesday nights / Sundays - info in the thread)

Thought dan wasn't coming cos of his chainring

Sorry guys, massivley disorganised for my Paris ride tomorrow so am gonna have to bail out tonight to get packed etc. I'll be back for next week however free wheeling all over your arses!

Pistaboy tshirts were printed at http://www.teetshirts.com/t-shirt-printing/ pretty good service all in all.

Will try and get a few photos up after I return...

can we get 6 for sunday?

1. danwentskiing (any time after lunch)
   

1. danwentskiing (any time after lunch)
   
2. Ben ^likewise
   

I'm away on Sunday, sorry.

2 people!?! pfft.

i've just put a new brake lever on my bike which makes it feel mint, too. i may go and practice in kingsheath park on sunday, ben, if you fancy it...

Im putting together a polo bike, but need your help Dan. Its got a isis bottom bracket and the crank keeps coming loose. Think it might need a spacer, or perhaps im using the wrong kind of bolts. I also need a new front tyre as its all wobbly and fraying. Can be worn down, I dont care, as long as its not bulging.

Looks like this right now:

Ive realised that stability would probably be improved if I put a rigid (therfore shorter) fork on. It would probably also be better with a granny ring set up but for that It might be even harder to get the correct chain tension. I have a Magura rim brake which I could theoretically put on the front, but ive also lost the bolts for that too!!

what a nail!

could work for polo though, i'd think....

usually if a splined crank keeps falling off, it's fucked. not much to be done really. you could try replacing just the crank, but if it's happened a few times already, you may find the b/b spline is also not what it should be. i hate splines.

i'd look out for a cheap square taper triple and use the granny ring to get you somewhere around 40 gear inches. i'll keep my eyes peeled, but i haven't got anything at the moment. gear inches will have to play second fiddle to magic-ratio in this case though, unless you run a tensioner/old derailleur. one guy from equipe (euro champs) had a derailleur and suspension fork on his bike.

your pole worked great for the euros by the way (but nik-nak shaped now) - i'll try to get a mallet to you with the other one next week.

It was a lot of grief putting it together as it is! I had to take apart a cassette to get some cogs. Then had to break and rejoin a chain like 8 times to get the right length. The wheel also started out pringled, so there was a fuckload of truing to be done. Also a lot of cable/brake fiddling.

I actually have some square taper cranks, but was keen on using these stylo's as they are amazingly light - it seemed a shame not to use them for something. To use any of my square taper cranks Im probably going to have to buy a new bottom bracket and crankbolts.

Also, Ill just reitirate. I really need a front tyre for it! Somebody *must *have something spare. Perhaps in the bin at OYB?

26" slick? i'll have a nose around. i could also get you some crank bolts.

I'm down for some shooting practice a la polosynthese

I can play for a bit tomorrow til about 5pm. I definitely need shooting practice!

those dropouts look easily tough enough to file out some space for chain tensioning...

ben/hash - shall we say 2pm start tomorrow? highgate? one more and we could do more 2 v 2s...

ben/hash - shall we say 2pm start tomorrow? highgate? one more and we could do more 2 v 2s...

I can be at highgate for 2.30pm.

i'm in. ben too. maybe one more will show up for 2 on 2, if not there's other stuff we can do. i'm just keen to try my new brakes!

ok see you there. pastry lover- you said you need forcing to play...hope to see you there.

Just saw this, I'm on my way down.....

EDIT: maybe not bike malfunctions......

good little session - 2 on 2s with myself, shamim, hash and ben were bloody exhausting. playing without a goalie and just a small goal is actually really fun...

Yep, I feel like i'm understanding shooting a bit better now, good few games.

i reckon you've improved loads in the last month or so - playing better opposition helps so much.

try more variety of shots, though: b/b, acute angles, reverse shots, wheelie goals etc. when you watch good teams they can score in a variety of ways, and not many goals are scored with straight-on slapshots, it seems.

good session apart from the racism...finally my mallet made contact with the ball when I took shots. sunday sessions are good for me.

good session apart from the racism...

Good for you Shamim, stand up for your rights!

Polo tonight!

1.dan_lj

Polo tonight!

1.dan_lj

1. danwentskiing (bringing your helmet dan, and your pipe fin)