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I'm working on being a better mechanic and have signed up for a C&G course in a couple of months time.

I'd like a bike that I can practice my skills on before then that I wouldn't care about completely borking up. Very much a learn by doing sort of person - YouTube videos only take me so far.

Preferably looking for a pretty standard geared setup - something with gears I can practice indexing and rim brakes I can practice adjusting.

Anyone got something lying around they'd be willing to part with for the cause?

Thanks!

So I just picked up my new H3R from Evans, my first question occurred to me about half way home.

Should the hub be making that clicking noise? Particularly when I backpedal slightly.

Anyone know how seriously I can take the Evans"due in stock" estimates? I've emailed them but no joy yet.

Looking specifically at a H3L, currently "Due in stock 23/08/2020". Can anyone in the know tell me if that's a pretty solid estimate or am I just as likely to be waiting until Christmas? Or is it basically impossible for anyone to say?

Got aggressively beeped out of the way by a big lorry on the approach to Southwark Bridge this morning.

Made my displeasure known as I breezed past in the cycle lane on the bridge. Enjoy your time waiting in the queue, fucker.

Thanks Oliver! Extremely interesting, as always.

Holy shit, I've just discovered a new way for a driver to be an arsehole on Vauxhall Walk.

This time going southbound, which you'd think would mean any drivers would just hold their position behind me, but no, one of London's finest in his seven seater just fully mounted the pavement to pass me within about 8 inches, with two astonished pedestrians as witnesses.

Thanks, peds, for your sympathy.

Taxi had driven off before I could get deets but fuck me that was incredibly dangerous.

Beautiful.

It's not even particularly dangerous - in the vast majority of cases it just results in quite a slow game of chicken.

It's just a prime opportunity for motorists to display the fact that they think cyclists should get out of their way wherever possible regardless of who has right of way.

"Ah, I see a big give way box, a narrow road, oncoming cyclists, shall I give way...? Nah, I think I'll drive at them and assume they'll scatter."

This happened again today at 2 out of 3 give way points on Vauxhall Walk so I drew it.

Fucking sick of being bullied out of the way on this road.

Sounds like you're missing a short cut.

Very probably - but definitely not the case today - he acknowledged that it was two way for bikes.

It's not all bad - I once got challenged to a race along there (in the direction of the motor traffic) by a group of kids from the local estates on their mountain bikes.

"Fam! Fam! Wanna race, fam!"

I was on my Dutch bike and lost, but it was great fun...

"As is always the case, nothing about where the real problem is coming from - Exponential growth in population !"

I think I found Farage's BBC account.

Haven't posted here in quite some time, but have the urge now.

My current commute takes me down Vauxhall Walk - which is one way for motor traffic, but two ways for bikes, with a line of parked cars along one side. There are give way points which the cars never fucking use, expecting oncoming cyclists to be bullied onto the pavement because "it's just common sense, innit?"

Problem is, I'm a stubborn arse and won't be bullied onto the pavement as a point of principle. What tends to happen is the oncoming driver sees me, ignores me, proceeds past the give way point and we end up nose to nose around here

I usually stand my ground for a bit to be purposefully inconvenient and then eventually roll my eyes and give up - which is what happened this morning even though we were at a point on the street with no parked cars where there was actually space to go round me.

This morning's absolute delight of a human being told me he was driving "very respectfully" (perhaps because he didn't run me over?) and that I "wasn't being respectful to drivers" by using the pavement. Hmm...

Am I The Asshole..?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51179688

This is a good one for Comment Bingo.

Moving in with my girlfriend and going from n=3 to n=1. Therefore, 2 bikes to new homes!

1) Cannondale Synapse 105 6, 58cm (I'm 6'2" and it fits well). Very good condition.

I bought this new 4 years ago, did a few big (for me) rides on it and it's been mostly gathering dust since.

£500 ono

2) A quite heavily modified 2015 Genesis Flyer. Much more well loved than the Cannondale. The rear break is gone, stuck some funky handlebars on it and a rear rack. Might be a good pub beater for someone? Or someone might want to take it for parts?

£200 ono

Going from N=3 to N=1, help me value the two I'm saying goodbye to.

• Cannondale Synapse 105 6 (2015) . Bought in January 2016, only been used a couple of times a year since then. Maybe done 500 miles. Will look immaculate once I give it a clean.
  
• A modded 2015 Genesis Flyer(I stuck some funky handlebars on it and removed the back brake). Much more well loved than the Cannondale - used to be my daily ride for a good 2 or 3 years. Coupe of dings in the frame.
  
  

Sorry there wasn't enough space in the hall to take a full pic of the Cannondale...

Peter Hitchens has always been good on cycling. There's a good article somewhere about his opposition to mandatory helmet laws.

Saw a guy driving a school bus in Lambeth on his fucking phone this morning. Couldn't believe it.

He was going in the opposite direction to me so I didn't have a chance to get any identifying information, just enough time to notice the bus had Lambeth Council branding and a school bus symbol.

Rode off this morning forgetting that my gloves were sitting unsecured on my rear rack.

Wondered what the motorcyclist in Streatham was trying to signal at me as he went past.

Wasn't until 10 minutes later that I put two and two together and realised that I'm not getting those gloves back. Barehanded facepalm.

Sadly, I also don't have anywhere to keep one.

One day...

I have indeed!

You're not the first forumenger who has asked me about it with a view to purchasing one, either

I love it to bits - comfortable and virtually bombproof. I can't quite scamper up Brixton Hill like I used to on my SS, but that's just something you have to accept about that sort of bike.

Harry and Kristina (and Scamp the dog) at the Flying Dutchman are great too - really doing fantastic work bringing a more relaxed/utilitarian cycling culture to London. Big thumbs up from me. That shop makes me wish I had a use for a cargo bike so I had an excuse to buy one...

I have long hair too - usually in a ponytail when I ride.

Perhaps it's a factor in my recent lack of driver conflict, who knows?

Absolutely agree with every word of this.

plastic hat dayglo warriors look bloody awful

This thought in particular chimes with my experience of changing riding style...