Dr Ferrari's Camper Van (off-topic discussion)

doozerie · 07-08-2013 1:54pm

@Jawgap, If you can it might be worth approaching the retailer re that crank. I'd assume a manufacturing defect is the cause of it snapping, they/SRAM should replace it for you in my view.

Zyzz · 07-08-2013 2:04pm

couerdelion wrote: »

Which is your KOM?

smacl · 07-08-2013 2:17pm

My youngest had been at me for awhile to get a bike with gears, after too much grunting going up the hill to Marlay park. A quick mooch on Adverts.ie found me an old 5 speed Raleigh Cassis for €45 needing some work, on sale just up the road from me;

and it being the summer hols, a project was on. The frame was ok apart from a small amount of rust, the tyres were shot, the canti-brakes total cack, and the chain pretty rusty. Most importantly, my youngest daughter can't abide pink. So our shopping basket filled up with new V brakes €24.49, 2 x semi-slick tyres €24.98, bar grips €4.95, chain €7.79, personalised decals €4.60, blue spray paint €11, spare bottle cage from shed, and lots of elbow grease from my daughter and I (free). Total build cost €122.81, and after a number of evenings of sanding, spraying, snipping, adjustment and we came up with this;

and while she's hugely proud of it, it's too damn big! Loan of a rack anyone?

Squidgy Black · 07-08-2013 2:52pm

When will courier companies have a tracking system that actually works?

Once again I'm sitting here refreshing the DPD tracking system which hasn't been updated in over 36 hours, and still says the package travelled a mere 90km since Monday.

Tonyandthewhale · 07-08-2013 3:14pm

Anyone ever heard of krapf bikes? I'm after buying one from my local record shop...

ford2600 · 07-08-2013 3:26pm

doozerie wrote: »

@Jawgap, If you can it might be worth approaching the retailer re that crank. I'd assume a manufacturing defect is the cause of it snapping, they/SRAM should replace it for you in my view.

I agree. Did you have from new?
Shouldn't be failing there under normal wear and tear.

rollingscone · 07-08-2013 4:05pm

ford2600 wrote: »

I agree. Did you have from new?
Shouldn't be failing there under normal wear and tear.

Unless Jawgap's thigh muscles are rubbing audibly as he strides bowlegged into the store...

Squidgy Black · 07-08-2013 4:17pm

Maybe Jawgap's Robert Forstemann.......

petethedrummer · 07-08-2013 4:29pm

Anyone ever get sleep paralysis? I only ever experienced it twice. Mad stuff altogether.

http://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2013/aug/05/podcast-science-weekly-sleep-paralysis

joker77 · 07-08-2013 4:51pm

petethedrummer wrote: »

Anyone ever get sleep paralysis? I only ever experienced it twice. Mad stuff altogether.

http://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2013/aug/05/podcast-science-weekly-sleep-paralysis

Yes. Maybe once or twice a year, since I was a kid. Very very unpleasant.

I don't get any of the hallucination, or crushing, or weird stuff like that.

What happens is that I'm on the edge of sleep - either falling asleep or just coming to. I'm awake in that I'm conscious, can hear, but am completely unable to move. Paralyzed, but very uncomfortable with it - the need/urge to be able to move is huge, hence why it's so horrible.

My way of dealing with is to concentrate really hard, and summon all my focus into one sudden jolt. This is the technique I've used since I was a kid. That jolt has to be strong enough to wake myself up.

And if the first jolt doesn't work, it's a sickening feeling, because it takes probably several minutes again to be able to re-focus and repeat it.

As I say, it's horrible.

Edit: just listening to that podcast now. Triggered memories as a kid of screaming for my mother, but making no sound.

Squidgy Black · 07-08-2013 4:55pm

Had it once, we were camping down in Wicklow and there was some fairly heavy rain bashing against the tent so it was hard to get to sleep. Horrible feeling, you don't have a clue what's going on for the first few seconds and it's only when you try and move or speak that the panic sets in.

rollingscone · 07-08-2013 5:12pm

Just had the annoying experience of stopping a Dublin bike to get off the road but being blocked from doing so by some over eager man wanting to board the bus 5m before the stop.

The bus driver then demonstrated his lack of manners and cop on by beeping me repeatedly while I tried to politely bypass the dopey ped.

petethedrummer · 07-08-2013 5:29pm

joker77 wrote: »

Edit: just listening to that podcast now. Triggered memories as a kid of screaming for my mother, but making no sound.

ooops sorry.

I only got it is as an adult. I thought it was odd. Just pinned to the bed by an invisible force!

Harrybelafonte · 07-08-2013 6:41pm

petethedrummer wrote: »

ooops sorry.

I only got it is as an adult. I thought it was odd. Just pinned to the bed by an invisible force!

Yep, go through periods of getting it almost every night. Have had it since I was a kid but only realised it was a "thing" a few years ago. Was actually relieved to see I wasn't the only one.

Jawgap · 07-08-2013 7:27pm

doozerie wrote: »

@Jawgap, If you can it might be worth approaching the retailer re that crank. I'd assume a manufacturing defect is the cause of it snapping, they/SRAM should replace it for you in my view.

ford2600 wrote: »

I agree. Did you have from new?
Shouldn't be failing there under normal wear and tear.

Yes - had it from new, and worth an email to see if I can get something!

rollingscone wrote: »

Unless Jawgap's thigh muscles are rubbing audibly as he strides bowlegged into the store...

Wobble and flap together more like it!

valleyoftheunos · 07-08-2013 8:42pm

Does anybody have any tips for removing a reluctant crank? Have my crank puller and all my puny strength behind it but no movement. Its an old enough bike, probably about 20 years and the cranks wouldn't have been touched since it was put together.

rollingscone · 07-08-2013 9:08pm

Does anyone know off the top of their head what size Giant Hybrid frame would suit someone 182cm/6ft?

I take an L but I'm 188/6'2"

Mr. Grieves · 07-08-2013 9:39pm

valleyoftheunos wrote: »

Does anybody have any tips for removing a reluctant crank? Have my crank puller and all my puny strength behind it but no movement. Its an old enough bike, probably about 20 years and the cranks wouldn't have been touched since it was put together.

Square taper I assume? The usual advice is to loosen the retaining bolt and cycle up a hill in a high gear and the crank will work its way off. Is it the drive or non-drive side?

I have been meaning to do this with my left crank which I stripped the crank-extracter threads on. Haven't done it yet cos there's nothing actually wrong with the crank, it just doesn't match the righthand one.

edit: apparently this will wear the crank so don't do it if you intend to re-use it. The bottom bracket spindle supposedly will be fine, but I'm not so sure, another reason I've been a bit slow to try it.

Bunnyhopper · 07-08-2013 9:43pm

valleyoftheunos wrote: »

Does anybody have any tips for removing a reluctant crank? Have my crank puller and all my puny strength behind it but no movement. Its an old enough bike, probably about 20 years and the cranks wouldn't have been touched since it was put together.

WD40 or something like that. (Might not be the best for the bottom bracket, but if the crank's done for anyway…)

Then I'd try a bench-mounted vice. Clamp the crank puller in the vice and use the entire bike frame as a lever.

Try not to fling the bike across the shed/garden/garage/kitchen

valleyoftheunos · 07-08-2013 10:06pm

Cheers guys

Mr. Grieves wrote: »

edit: apparently this will wear the crank so don't do it if you intend to re-use it. The bottom bracket spindle supposedly will be fine, but I'm not so sure, another reason I've been a bit slow to try it.

That destroyed the Crank I want to replace with this one so be careful if you are trying it;).

Bunnyhopper wrote: »

WD40 or something like that. (Might not be the best for the bottom bracket, but if the crank's done for anyway…)

Then I'd try a bench-mounted vice. Clamp the crank puller in the vice and use the entire bike frame as a lever.

Try not to fling the bike across the shed/garden/garage/kitchen

Have basted it with the WD40, going to let it soak a little and try again tomorrow. I don't have handy access to a bench vice at the moment so going to bring out my old friend Mr Lump Hammer to do some gentle persuading.

ThisRegard · 07-08-2013 10:12pm

joker77 wrote:

Edit: just listening to that podcast now. Triggered memories as a kid of screaming for my mother, but making no sound.

I still get it as an adult. I'm fully aware of what's happening and in my mind I'm shouting the house down for my wife to wake me. One night when I eventually woke I asked did she not hear me shout? She said I was moaning, not shouting like I thought I was, and thought I was having a sexy dream!

Now she knows to give me a shove to wake me.

BofaDeezNuhtz · 07-08-2013 11:44pm

petethedrummer wrote: »

Anyone ever get sleep paralysis? I only ever experienced it twice. Mad stuff altogether.

http://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2013/aug/05/podcast-science-weekly-sleep-paralysis

Yeah use to get it every now and again as a kid.
Worse ever was I was dreaming one night that I was
out playing wearing one of them snorkel jackets remember them ha?
'Neways the hood was closed up and stuck and I couldnt get
it down and it was hard to breath in it etc.

Woke up to find I actually was suffocating face down in the pillow
but paralysed face down in the pillow with my arms by my side.
Took me a good 5 mins to move my body while I sucked air as hard
as I could thru the pillow. Nasty nasty feeling for a child to go thru that,
suffocating but unable to do anything about it. :eek:

buffalo · 08-08-2013 1:25am

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Yep, go through periods of getting it almost every night. Have had it since I was a kid but only realised it was a "thing" a few years ago. Was actually relieved to see I wasn't the only one.

Likewise, I never knew it was a thing - had it a few times as a kid, put it down to nightmares. Until it escalated and I woke up in hospital one night after a seizure. Very confusing affair, to go to bed and wake up in hospital - feels like a weird dream. And then the nurse accused me of faking to get off school! haha!

petethedrummer · 08-08-2013 1:57am

joker77 wrote: »

it takes probably several minutes again to be able to re-focus and repeat it.

I'd say what feels like minutes in dream time is probably just seconds in real time.

midonogh · 08-08-2013 7:09am

rollingscone wrote: »

Does anyone know off the top of their head what size Giant Hybrid frame would suit someone 182cm/6ft?

I take an L but I'm 188/6'2"

I am 5'11 and very comfortable on a M. At 6ft I would say you are border line M/L and either would do.

valleyoftheunos · 08-08-2013 10:15am

Just had my latest near death experience with a careless driver on my morning commute. I'm quite sure that it was his fault, last minute left hand turn, brake signal and turn all within very short order of each other. Presumably without checking his mirrors properly as he would have seen me if he had.

Despite that, I know that I will be reviewing the incident in my head for the rest of the morning, trying to remember exactly where I was on the road, where he was and what the exact sequence of events trying to be sure of who was at fault.

Its a pointless exercise (except for possibly learning some lessons about anticipating driver behavior) but does anybody else do it after a close call?

NeedMoreGears · 08-08-2013 10:28am

Yeah - I'd run through the sequence in my head afterwards for much the same reasons you've outlined. At this stage I seem to be getting so perfectly brilliant at awareness/positioning etc that I conclude its always the stupid drivers fault - so some recalibration of my opinion of myself may be in order!

Beasty · 08-08-2013 1:01pm

Speaking of close calls :eek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HZiE0fvHIo

Jawgap · 08-08-2013 1:22pm

Motorist who ‘deliberately hit cyclist while drunk’ says it was all a joke

A young driver who tweeted that she deliberately knocked a cyclist off his bike while she was drunk has said it was an ‘awful joke’ that got out of hand.

Daisy Abela from Bromley in southeast London boasted on Twitter that she was driving while ‘still drunk’ and hit the cyclist after having a ‘full on’ argument with him on Saturday morning.

rollingscone · 08-08-2013 1:29pm

Thank Zod for twitter is all I'll say.

Dr Ferrari's Camper Van (off-topic discussion)

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