Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Well - as it turns out. I kind of already had one!

I was going to buy a new bike, but more thoughts got me to the point where I realised all I had to do to change my flat bar road bike into a hybrid was change the tyres!

So, I bought a pair of 700x32c puncture resistant jobbies and fitted them this weekend. Also bought some mudguards (great timing there) and fitted them as well.

My road bike is suddenly a hybrid commuter! At the staggering cost of £50 as opposed to the £600 I was going to spend.

I reckon the gearing is very slightly taller as the tyres have a physically larger circumference, but it's not much at all... now I have to see if the rolling resistance makes much difference to the held speed I can maintain.

Wish me luck, it's my first ride home tonight!

jasey

Good luck - remember to keep the speed to under 70

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Well - I've reset the computer for the new circumference, so the 75.9 has gone now

I am going to treat myself though - Cat el610 single shot plus for my front light and some very bright ones for the rear as well

Got my Altura Cropton shower-proof top (v nice) and will also be getting the Nightvision for the colder days at the end of the month as well.

Getting serious about this cycling lark me.

jasey

Getting serious - you seem to be speaking some sort of new language too

I've just started cycling after 10 years absence and have just got the hang of keeping my mouth shut to avoid swallowing too many flies .

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

My boss said that when I was chatting with a customer during a break in a 4 hour meeting last week.

He hadn't got a clue what the hell I was talking about when I was saying things like "got a 48 /34 crank set, with a 32/11 rear cassette". The customer is an ex-triathelete and insanely does the 19 miles down the A6 from Matlock to Derby most mornings!

jasey

Got a haynes manual for Bikes and having read it through twice I'm only sure of about half the components on my Bike.

Oh - well - a couple of afternoons with a spanner and a big hammer I'm sure it will all make sense.

Still - I'm glad cotter pins seem to be a thing of the past - I'm sure they were made of the softest metal known to man .

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

God, Cotter Pins, Me and J4ckos Mate were remebering the weekly trip to the car spares shop for new Cotter pins, the unpleasant feeling when it was on its way out, how other kids just put up with it, the same ones who turned the handlebars on a racer upside down for soem reason.

Snazy

Done the same with the Fisher too, slapped some road tyres on and its perfect for round town. And stick some mud chuckers on it, and its away off road too

Safe journey out there mate.
Reminds me I really should either refit or remove and sell my lights lol

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Cheers Snazy!

Odd thing though - with my 32c tyres, fully expecting them to cause me to go slower, I got a record time home tonight - 54 mins for the 14.2 miles. This included waiting for a family 2 parents, 2 kids to negotiate the weird barrier thing designed to stop EVERYONE (meant to be motorbikes) getting through.

I thought that the fatter tyres were meant to slow you down but I fair flew home. My intention is to get below 50 mins consistently so I'm nicely on the way there. (first time this year was 1:10, so way better now)

Still all is good and I wasn't that out of breath as well.... God help me I might actually be getting fitter!

Snazy

Hmmm fat tyres, with road grip not mud chucker grip will be faster than a semi of smaller width, if that makes sense.

I got teeny tiny tyres on mine at the mo But superb for shooting round the city streets. Cant wait to get back out on it now.

As for getting fitter, oh crikey no, you dont wanna do that lol

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

I took a look at the tyres this morning and they have a slick middle riding section with semi-slick tread immediately adjacent and then full tread on the edges. So you are right - with pressure up at 75 psi (80 max for these tyres) I guess I am getting the best of both worlds.

Gawd - it's nice to do something right for a change!

Snazy

Im rolling on 26x1.50's lol
Pressure was about 55psi last time I filled them.

But the difference in rolling resistance is amazing.

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

This is a fascinating chart:
Tyre sizes

According to the chart, my cycle computer should be set to 2160 for the circumference, but the manual said 2155, and was definitely NOT 2100 by default when I was using 25c tyres.

A nice bit further down about the tyre pressures as well...

austinwrx

its a easy and cheap fix for commuting. Nice one.

gearing may annoy in a bit as you get fitter. MTB gears run out of pace.

and full length mudguards are a must really- otherwise you'll just get caked on the road- not a massive problem when on a mountain bike trip- but rubbish for commuting.

doubt you'll be able to fit them, but you'll find a compromise.

Funkii Munkii

We used to switch the racer handle bars for cow horns ! all the lads riding to school with cow horns, mirrors, tassles and racks, as far from a racer as you could get, easier popping wheelies with cow horns though

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

my bike has a 48 / 11 top gear so if I run out on that one I'll have thighs like tree trunks and calves like baby cows

I've fitted crud frame mounted mudguard on the main pipe from bars to crank and a stem mounted atb style one for the rear tyre. They seem to keep the worst off.

A guy I was chatting to this morning said the 14-15 mph was the 'recovery speed' (whatever that is!) so is a good pace to stay at. It looks like my 14.2 in approx an hour is ideal then

Snazy

Gearing on the Mullet is lovely thanks to a **** up when putting the bike together by Evans. New crankset with different ratio's, seems to cope pretty well on and off road.

Never been a fan of mud guards to be honest, but then never riden to commute, just for leisure, so finishing up soaked or covered in dirt never mattered.

According to the chart my tyres are a 2.01m rolling circ now.

44/11 for me

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

As soon as you commute you see the point of Mudguards and I need some badly, doing without is fine for the weekend warrior MTB types who need a bit of mud to show they have been out but when commuting you just get a wet bum.

14.2 Average, I have done 13.8 over 100 miles since I got the comp, but am switching from the road and partial off road route to the all road one to see what the average on that. Dont want to get to hung up about it and have to stop myself looking at the bloody thing when at speed.

Leslie

Will it go any faster than it did before do you think?

Les

Snazy

lol im not too sure i will actually commute on it. Thought about it over and over, but the roads are too dangerous for my liking at the time of day I travel.
Not quite a weekend mud warrior, prefer trails and coming home dry and clean when possible But a bit of mud never hurt anyone.

I can imagine getting to the office with a wet **** could be a bit of a pain though lol

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, the cycle comp can be a pain for that - you find yourself looking at the stats too much.

Personally I glance down at certain points to see how far 'til home (although I'm now getting better at judging it myself) and sometimes to see what speed I'm doing (when I *think* I'm flying... seeing 20 ish is always nice). Mainly though, it's so I can see what time it is as I don't wear a watch

Wierd swirly gusts here at the moment... going to be a fun trip back again!

Leslie

That fell on stony ground!

Les

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

if you mean the wacky speed I photo'd before - that got asked WAY back at post 2

Leslie

Oh, sorry I missed that!

Les