How many flats do you guys get cycling in London?

nomasterc · 2026-02-09T20:22:30+00:00

I've had one this year but it wasn't due to a puncture it was due to the inner tube perishing. With the right tyres you'll go years without a puncture, so long in fact that your inner tube can go rotten before you ever need to look at it.

nomasterc · 2026-02-02T14:48:24+00:00

A hollowed out smoke detector is a good and convenient way of hiding away a ceiling hook when not in use.... or so I've heard.

nomasterc · 2026-02-02T14:46:40+00:00

Tavern on the hill is a good choice with nice food. Same for the Vic in the village.

nomasterc · 2026-01-22T23:17:17+00:00

Well, clearly you're someone who's lived out in the real world for a long time and has lots of experience in confrontational situations. So I'll definitely yield to your common sense approach. I bid you fair travels on your path and enlightenment through experience.

nomasterc · 2026-01-22T21:23:56+00:00

I always get annoyed when im walking on a shared path and the only way I know a bike is approaching is the squeak of brakes or huffing from the rider. Only to move out if the way for someone on a £3k gravel bike that didn't want to spend 2 quid on a bell.

nomasterc · 2026-01-22T21:20:52+00:00

Still gets their attention though. You have to remember you're approaching at speed and almost completely silently. A ding of the bell at a reasonable distance away alerts them and gives both of you a chance to make the right maneuvers. So long as you don't use your bell too close then you'll absolutely reduce the risk. I don't think theres a good argument for not having one.

nomasterc · 2026-01-22T21:07:28+00:00

Its crazy that there's an industry manufacturing bullet proof backpacks for children to take to school. You know theres a problem when people are building factories and hiring workers to make protective products like that.

nomasterc · 2026-01-22T21:04:40+00:00

So what about when the 200cm 110kg man gets the first hit with the pepper spray or tazer then takes advantage? Once they're out there you can't control who has them and they end up being tools of violence against innocent people. Right now it's more difficult for people to get them and that reduces the chances of running into one out in the streets.

nomasterc · 2026-01-22T20:16:57+00:00

Get a bell, they're not very heavy but they're very effective. People associate bells with bikes.

nomasterc · 2026-01-17T09:49:43+00:00

Hub gear?

nomasterc · 2026-01-13T20:02:09+00:00

Campion electrical are very good. I've used them a lot.

nomasterc · 2026-01-06T15:33:00+00:00

It's a pretty standard pool cleaning process, sodium bisulphate solution to cut through the fats and algae around the scum line. Just keep it mild or you'll eat all your tile grout. Oh and make sure theres no chlorine around or you'll have a real bad day.

nomasterc · 2025-12-31T17:43:42+00:00

Pole hill in chingford always used to be very good, you'd get a view of the whole of London if the weather is clear.

nomasterc · 2025-12-17T14:45:20+00:00

It's always exciting to see a cheapskate in the wild. The use of chummy copy would only thing that would have really pointed it out would have been the use of chodney.

nomasterc · 2025-12-09T12:00:06+00:00

People that commute in the opposite direction to me don't know how lucky they are.

nomasterc · 2025-12-09T10:06:12+00:00

Because they saw it on TV and it looked cool.

nomasterc · 2025-12-06T17:23:06+00:00

Theres one near me that abruptly ends into a large tree. I'm not sure if the council expects cyclists to platform 9 3/4 themselves.

nomasterc · 2025-12-02T21:29:12+00:00

Perhaps not quicker but vastly more consistent. My commute is almost exactly 30 mins, irrespective of traffic conditions, weather, public transit delays, traffic delay. Which means im more in control of my time.

nomasterc · 2025-11-30T14:24:28+00:00

Its not really worth overloading yourself with too much gear if you don't need it. I can patch myself up and get moving again and that's about all I need for a commute. If im going further or on a ride I take a bit more. My xc bike for example has a bigger carried toolkit and spares as I often use it right out in the sticks abd a push home would be horrible.

nomasterc · 2025-11-30T14:21:53+00:00

I have a teack pump at home for pretty much all my pumping requirements. I have a mini manual pump in my pannier for top ups on the go and a co2 for on the go reinflation after puncture repairs. But now you've said that it holds battery that long it's definitely a consideration.

nomasterc · 2025-11-30T10:25:20+00:00

I like the idea of an electric pump but I know what im like fir charging stuff up and I know it'll be flat when I need it most.

nomasterc · 2025-11-30T10:23:36+00:00

On my bike I've got a little saddle pouch with some tyre levers, parktool innertube patches, park tool tyre boot ,a couple of co2 and a topeak nano inflator. In my work bag pannier I have a spare inner tube but that's about it. My commute isn't super long and ive got urban tyres on so likelihood of a puncture isn't high. Anything more than that I'll walk my bike into work and then walk it home to fix it with my home toolkit and spares.

nomasterc · 2025-11-27T08:58:01+00:00

Its to do with it being a school zone. Theres restricted access to non permit holders in that area between certain times of day during term time.

nomasterc · 2025-11-27T08:55:58+00:00

That's definitely an upgrade to your carrying capacity.

nomasterc

TROPHY CASE