Any question answered...

My father needs to see a chiropractor. He's got a friendly one down in Dorset but is in London for a spell and isn't feeling too comfortable. SE preferable, but he's got painkillers and a freedom pass so travelling is a possibility. Any suggestions?

I am struggling with my tandem rear wheel (drum brake + 3 speed SA hub): I can't find a long enough axle (need the 164mm one I think, for AW 3 speed hub)

Whatever, in the hypothesis I give up with this wheel, I have another tandem hub (I believe it's a tandem one) which I would like to lace to a suitable rim (26X1 3/8). It only has 36 spokes, when the original wheel is 40.

Would that be OK for tandem use? Not planning to go touring, just going short distances, not luggage, just the riders weight...

Ta

L

My father needs to see a chiropractor. He's got a friendly one down in Dorset but is in London for a spell and isn't feeling too comfortable. SE preferable, but he's got painkillers and a freedom pass so travelling is a possibility. Any suggestions?

Matthew Rabin is my dad's chiro:
http://www.croydonclinic.com/TheTeam.aspx

Not that I necessarily agree with all of chiropractic therapies... But my dad swears by him.
He's also Garmin's, so he might be away.

I am struggling with my tandem rear wheel (drum brake + 3 speed SA hub): I can't find a long enough axle (need the 164mm one I think, for AW 3 speed hub)

Whatever, in the hypothesis I give up with this wheel, I have another tandem hub (I believe it's a tandem one) which I would like to lace to a suitable rim (26X1 3/8). It only has 36 spokes, when the original wheel is 40.

Would that be OK for tandem use? Not planning to go touring, just going short distances, not luggage, just the riders weight...

Ta

L

Why do you want to use old fashioned 26x 1 3/8 rims? I cannot imagine any of the tyres that would fit handling tandem loads very well.

36h should be ok, but use a strong MTB rim.

Why do you want to use old fashioned 26x 1 3/8 rims? I cannot imagine any of the tyres that would fit handling tandem loads very well.
36h should be ok, but use a strong MTB rim.

Many thanks for your answer.

The 26X1 3/8 choice is to match the front wheel, and, generally the bike in terms of "period correctness..." The tyres are still easy to source in that size, I even have 2 in advance.
Finally I sourced a very cheap rim. I know it sounds a bit silly, but a modern MTB rim would look wrong on that bike...
In terms of handling, the tandem does use this type of tyres at the moment, and for the intended purpose of that bike (nothing serious), it's good enough.
L

you will be fine. We have a tandem at the rugby club and have done 2 x 150 mile plus rides with 2 amateur rugby players (ie not athletes) on it with 26 x 1 3/8 front and back, both 36h.

just build it up with plain gauge spokes if you are worried. braking is the major concern. We retrofitted some deeeep dual pivot calipers which helps but a drum brake would be a worthy addition

I dont know how much truth there is in the matter, but butted spokes are supposed to be stronger than plane gauge.

The swaging/butting process adds strength to the steel, apparently. There is also a theory that the thinner central section of butted spokes takes more of the stress cycle than the ends, and since spokes are much less likely to break in the middle, this lengthens the spoke's life.

Thicker-than-normal ends may be a good idea though. E.g., Sapim Strong are single butted, 2.0 most of their length and 2.3 at the elbow.

How come no one makes cleats from solid metal? I was thinking about it yesterday and surely they'd last longer for walking on and in general? They'd weigh more but for longer use I'd be fine with that.

my cleats are metal.

Yeah, Shimano SPD cleats last forever.

Also Time ATACs are solid metal, just a softer metal (brass rather than steel).

I meant LOOK cleats

because then Look cant charge you £10-20 for a replacement pair every time a set is worn out.

because then Look cant charge you £10-20 for a replacement pair every time a set is worn out.

thats what I was thinking, but whats stopping a metalworker doing it themselves, making unofficially certified ones?

^because metal cleats would destroy the pedals

Soft plastic cleats (£cheaper) will wear out in preference to the metal and hard plastic parts on your (£more expensive) pedals.

Soft plastic cleats (£cheaper) will wear out in preference to the metal and hard plastic parts on your (£more expensive) pedals.

This^

Even MTB cleats use softer metals to save the pedals.

That makes sense, thanks

Is it possible to get car insurance on a UK-registered car for 3 months, 2 of which will be spent in a foreign country?

Last time I did that, I had to get it insured for the year, and then get a refund (I paid monthly), by telling them it had broken down out there and had been left for scrap.

They seemed quite happy to cancel. Your results may of course vary.

there are quite precise rules about lights/reflectors on bikes after dark. (front and rear white/red light, rear red reflector and amber pedal reflectors are all required by law).

are there any cases where knocked of cyclists have been found at fault or drivers been let off because pedal reflectors were not fitted?

I thought there were specific laws about lights, the rules about reflectors only aply to bikes as sold. So if you buy a bike and take the reflectors off you aren't breaking the law?

Last time I did that, I had to get it insured for the year, and then get a refund (I paid monthly), by telling them it had broken down out there and had been left for scrap.

They seemed quite happy to cancel. Your results may of course vary.

Fair enough. I might do the same, last time I spoke to Co-op, who I'd been insured with before, they told me they're quite happy to cancel policies early and advised me that's what I should do with my home insurance as well, seeing as I was only at the flat for another 9 months.

I might do it, but tell them the truth.

Last time I drove to Berlin and drove there a month before realising I didn't have my insurance document with me. Turned out the payment hadn't gone through properly, and though I'd got email confirmation, I was never actually insured. Oops.

I thought there were specific laws about lights, the rules about reflectors only aply to bikes as sold. So if you buy a bike and take the reflectors off you aren't breaking the law?

Well that's what I thought originally but the highway code says:

It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85).

I've found some clarification from the CTC and in the actual legislation (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/contents/made)

Pedal Reflectors
Four are required, coloured amber and marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned so that one is plainly visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal.

But is any of this enforced? I don't know many cyclists who ride with reflectors so are we all throwing away our defence in the case of an accident after dark? Or is it generally ignored?

So everyone with clipless pedals is breaking that law right?