La Flamme Rouge off topic discussion

magicbastarder · 09-12-2021 11:48pm

https://twitter.com/edwardlamb/status/1468681269722636294

buffalo · 10-12-2021 5:11am

It's crazy how well looked after the DublinBikes are compared to the regional schemes: https://tripeanddrisheen.substack.com/p/corks-bike-share-scheme-whats-the

koutoubia · 10-12-2021 2:48pm

Strange things happening.

In the last 10 days I placed an order with Wiggle and Challenge tyres.

Challenge delivery from Italia arrived super quick. 2 working days.

Wiggle in about 3 working days.

Last night recieved an email from Wiggle apologising for the delay in delivery and are looking into it and will refund my paypal if not solved. There was no link in the mail and havent logged into Wiggle since the email arrived.

I have just got an email from challenge pretty much saying the same thing but containing the link and with a discount code.

I havent clicked the link nor logged into challenge.

My spidey senses are now tingling.....I think I used Paypal on both and my Revolut card is linked there and needs to be topped up manually.

Something nefarious going on?

Fighting Tao · 10-12-2021 2:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118300873#Comment_118300873

Possibly. If you hover over the link you may be able to spot if they are not from either of the websites. Either way, I’d change the email, PayPal, Challenge and Wiggle passwords and turn on two factor authentication.

10-12-2021 3:06pm

Have it in the back of my mind that wiggle had been hacked earlier this year?

Don't click the link, go to the web site via a new tab and manually typing the address and do as Fighting Tao suggests.

magicbastarder · 10-12-2021 4:15pm

anything obvious like the link in question not being to an expected URL?

koutoubia · 10-12-2021 9:19pm

So just off a Facebook messnger chat with challenge tyres and they have confirmed that the email is genuine and I can avail of the discount.

magicbastarder · 11-12-2021 1:24pm

walked down to the botanic gardens this morning, and on the way i spotted a broken glass - one of those chunky ikea ones - in the cycle lane, so swept the chunks right into the side of the kerb, out of the way. coming home an hour later, couple of lads were about 50m past the spot changing a tube, so clearly i didn't spot all the glass.

Wishbone Ash · 11-12-2021 6:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118295029#Comment_118295029

Reminds me that, a couple of months ago, my brother informed me that he got himself a mountain bike. He a farmer and doesn't really cycle as such so I just presumed he'd gotten a bottom of the barrel €250 BSO job for farting about on. Turns out he spent €5,000 on it and said he might upgrade the wheels. I was gob smacked.

magicbastarder · 11-12-2021 7:23pm

i suspect i had a part in my boss spending that much; he's aiming to go sub-10 hours in the ironman; and was saying he wasn't sure if he could justify the investment in a new bike (his previous one is 10 years old i think).

i (jokingly) made the point that if his goal is to go sub 10 hours, and he finished in 10:07, he might regret not having changed the bike; i.e. also would have to consider the return on investment of all the time he'd spent training, whether the time is a bigger investment than the money. hopefully he'll finish in 9:58 or something like that so could go away happy thinking the bike (rather than all his training!) was what made the difference.

Seth Brundle · 12-12-2021 9:51am

CianRyan · 12-12-2021 11:22am

Didn't want to start a new thread on it so...

I'm looking to join a club, south Dublin area that's welcoming to someone that wants to build their fitness (read: is slow) and has members around their own age ,(30's).

I can see CSS' club, Orwell and Bray are doing spins in my vicinity but I'd like to get a gauge on them first if I could.

Any advice?

cletus · 12-12-2021 9:30pm

This is probably an exceedingly long shot, but here goes.

I'd seen this knife a while back, and got a serious case of the wants, but never got around to looking at it.

Saw it again in a recent Terry Barentsen video, and figured I'd go look for it. Almost impossible to find, except for one French shop, where it works out at €55 including shippings. So the question is, has anyone seen one around cheaper, or, unlikely as it may be, has one they want to sell

couriers-united-knife_1_b53ed45d514f67bbb96afff3dec8c1bc.jpg

crosstownk · 12-12-2021 10:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118308444#Comment_118308444

Many clubs will happily let you join them on a couple of spins before you make up your mind. Usually there are different groups that ride at different speeds so you can select the one that suits your pace best and then work from there. Probably best to contact each club via their website, FB, etc. to get specific details.

Wishbone Ash · 13-12-2021 10:06pm

I had an NCT appointment this evening and just as I was nearing the NCT center the EPC light came on and the car went into limp mode. I nearly vomited but crawled in anyway and parked up resigned to the fact that I had failed before the test started. Somehow it must have rectified itself as it didn't come back on during the test. Phew!

(It failed anyway but for an easily rectified item - offside headlight beam misaligned due to incorrectly fitted bulb).

Luxman · 13-12-2021 10:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118317274#Comment_118317274

Sell it and buy a new bike :-)

secman · 13-12-2021 11:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118317274#Comment_118317274

Shimano relieved...not their fault this time 😉

Fail probably due to underuse I suspect !

crosstownk · 13-12-2021 11:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118317274#Comment_118317274

So you have a VW (or a VW group vehicle). It's been a fair few years since I worked with VW but sometimes that light can come on for no obvious reason and can reset after a restart. If it persists then you'll need to have your dealer/mechanic check for stored fault codes that should pinpoint the issue.

magicbastarder · 13-12-2021 11:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118317657#Comment_118317657

yeah, WA is not having much fun mechanically it seems.

Wishbone Ash · 14-12-2021 12:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118317657#Comment_118317657

Perhaps underused in previous years but not this year.

Wishbone Ash · 14-12-2021 1:01am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118317719#Comment_118317719

Audi 😉

monkeyslayer · 16-12-2021 11:23am

Do Chainreactioncycles ship to Rep. of Ireland without all that brexit crap? My inbox says vat and import charges are included but i dont trust them. Anyone used them recently?

ednwireland · 16-12-2021 11:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118329864#Comment_118329864

yep. bought a few things off them recently no issues.

just checked 3 orders since july when the rules changed. no problems.

16-12-2021 4:02pm

https://twitter.com/nlinireland/status/1176171556961234944

Anyone know the brand or style of bike in that photo? It looks fairly ideal for commuting in a suit.

Idleater · 16-12-2021 4:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118331582#Comment_118331582

Workcycles.com

16-12-2021 9:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118331699#Comment_118331699

Top man, thanks.

I know it's a minor thing but I bitterly regret that that style of bike isn't our preferred method of commuting by bike here. Racers are crap for a commute, imo.

eeeee · 16-12-2021 11:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118333109#Comment_118333109

I'd have to disagree, I commute on a track bike, fixed, it's absolutely perfect for me.

Different strokes for different folks.

crosstownk · 16-12-2021 11:51pm

I'd also disagree. I've been commuting on a road bike for years. I find it great - comfortable and nimble enough in traffic.

Earlier this year I started using my old hybrid as my commute has shortened to 4km. The hybrid is perfect for the distance but I don't like it - it has flat pedals and that's why I use it.

As @eeeee said - different strokes....

breezy1985 · 16-12-2021 11:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118299176#Comment_118299176

Usage is lower so I assume so is the money spent on repairs. Just added new sites in Limerick out to TUS (LIT) so there is still investment

17-12-2021 12:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334125#Comment_118334125

I'm not disagreeing because you are of course right, but as i've gotten older I've started to appreciate stability over speed (which was always marginal for me anyhow....). For what i need (short distances wearing a suit) dutch style bikes are just handier. The lack of a cross bar on the above bike would be handy (again as i get older and feel more likely to rip my clothes getting over the cross bar...)

On an upright bike it's easier to land on your feet if anything happens, ime. (I did once come off my racer suddenly and somehow leap over the handlebars to land on my feet beside busy traffic so I am a changed man...)

17-12-2021 12:31am

I've been in a a position where I've had a hybrid and a road bike "go from under me" over the years on a few occasions and yeah I'd rather that happened on a hybrid or Dutch style bike it's always ended better for me !!!!

17-12-2021 12:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334213#Comment_118334213

The bikes were badly designed from the off, imo (crap saddles that hold water, crap gears that don't hold and baskets that didn't hold anything either). They were noticeably inferior in quality to the Dublin bikes too.

So from a bad position they were made even worse by terrible maintenance. It's luck of the draw whether you'll get one that works and even if you get one that works, there's no guarantee it'll work safely (I can cycle a bike with no gears or brakes but do I want my kids on those type of bangers? not really). Even thinking about them now i remember even the handlebar grips were of poor quality.

And that's assuming the station itself is operational, which isn't always the case either.

I'm amazed the contract was renewed a few years ago tbh. I doubt any serious review of it was done because if one was carried out all those flaws would have been obvious.

breezy1985 · 17-12-2021 12:41am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334464#Comment_118334464

I didn't know they were a different type bike to Dublin. I've never heard of stations not working in Limerick and when I pass I've not seen any problems but I wouldn't be a user myself

17-12-2021 12:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334422#Comment_118334422

Yeah, pretty much. I just view them as safer for the rider (I know that safety comes with a slight loss of manoeuvrability and speed but it's a trade off that's worth it, imo). If the majority of commuters used them we'd all be a bit safer and possibly make it easier for "vulnerable" potential cyclists to commute by them too.

17-12-2021 12:51am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334482#Comment_118334482

I'm going to seem like a bike nerd when I'm anything but (though I did build my favourite racer but anyhow...) but the differences are relatively subtle, saddle, gears, lock, handlebar grips and basket, afaik. In all those the Dublin bikes are of better quality imo. The Dublin saddle for example is (iirc) more solid which means it's easier to dry and harder to crack, the Limerick ones soak water. The Dublin lock is attached to the bike and has a key. the Limerick ones are coded and can be removed (and who can remember the code that you get told for a few seconds when you check out the bike). The baskets are fixed in limerick now but originally weren't cages so things could fall out the side. the Dublin bikes have plastic handlebar grips, which feel clean to use. The Limerick ones are rubber that stick to your hands etc. Just cheap all the way through.

The gears are very different. I could be wrong, but iirc, the Limerick ones are more resistance based whereas the Dublin ones have defined settings (not sure on this, doesn't matter as the gears are usually broken on Limerick ones).

I reckon the Limerick bikes are probably a bit lighter too.

breezy1985 · 17-12-2021 3:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334484#Comment_118334484

How would we "all be a bit safer" ?

Hybrids are fine but I certainly dont feel safer on a Dutch bike like that one. I find them clumsy and therefore far less safe

17-12-2021 10:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334969#Comment_118334969

In my experience (and as was pointed out, everyone's preferences are different) you are less likely to go arse over tit if you come off a Dutch bike, or come to a sudden halt. I've never found them to be clumsy, maybe a bit more cumbersome which can prevent you squeezing through tighter spots in traffic but that's rare enough for me (and ideally would be rare for everyone with proper infrastructure).

breezy1985 · 17-12-2021 10:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118335440#Comment_118335440

I just found "IMO" and "everyone's preference" incompatible "we would all be safer". I looked like you were insinuating that aero road bikes are a danger to everyone on the road that's all.

17-12-2021 10:31am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118335532#Comment_118335532

I know, I'm like one of those Democrats who's going to come along and seize everyone's guns in America... I won't rest til other bikes are off the road and out of harms way...

People have preferences and that's totally fair. Fixies work for some people, racers for others etc. I was making a general comment that I think the bikes we generally use to commute are sub optimal for commuting. I was reading somewhere (here maybe?) that the Dutch have different verbs to describe the cycling they intend to do (something like commuting vs sports-racing), it's a useful distinction, imo.

magicbastarder · 17-12-2021 10:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118335532#Comment_118335532

an aero road bike would be pretty crap for commuting on though.

when i commuted, i did so on a road bike, and one reason was simply down to the length of commute. a 5km commute will be a very different kettle of fish to a 20km commute, which i was doing.

breezy1985 · 17-12-2021 10:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118335568#Comment_118335568

Do we not do similar by saying commuting, leisure and racing ?

17-12-2021 10:41am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118335602#Comment_118335602

We* use the same bikes for all 3 activities though (admittedly I wasn't clear on that).

*Well, i don't, I have different bikes for different occasions, which is probably true of most posters here, but generally etc.

ARX · 17-12-2021 10:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118334172#Comment_118334172

That's rather the point though, isn't it? Yes, a road bike or a fixie is great for whipping up to speed quickly and slicing around stationary vehicles, and it's fun, but to most people (people that have never heard of Strava) that would sound more like an extreme sport than a safe and relaxing commute.

breezy1985 · 17-12-2021 11:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118335598#Comment_118335598

I've commuted on traditional frame shape road bikes (race bike) and am now on a Trek Domane 2 sportive fit bike. Both were absolutely fine on a 5km commute.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118335686#Comment_118335686

I've heard of Strava but don't use it or any equivalent and you don't have to whip up speed and slice around vehicles on a road bike. It's not that hard to have a safe and relaxing commute on a road bike. Serious bang of "fellas flying round paths at 70kph scaring old grannies" off this

magicbastarder · 17-12-2021 11:05am

my point was a 5km commute is fine on a road bike, if that's what you want, and fine for a 'sit up and beg' bike, but for a 20km commute, the latter won't be fun, or comfortable long term.

lots of non-'cyclists' who just want to get to work would probably be happier on the sit up and beg bike for shorter distances.

breezy1985 · 17-12-2021 11:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118335777#Comment_118335777

That makes perfect sense.

17-12-2021 11:20am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118335747#Comment_118335747

Ah here, serious projection going on there lad. Don't think i've mentioned paths or grannies at all, nor do I particularly factor either into my cycling.

I want an Ireland like I've experienced in the Netherlands, where everyone (virtually) has the option of cycling to school or work on safe cycle lanes.

Out of curiosity, why do you think the Dutch prefer upright bikes to racing bikes for commutes?

breezy1985 · 17-12-2021 11:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118335864#Comment_118335864

I was quoting the post from ARX not you. Cycle lanes have nothing got to do with the bike you ride on them again you are insinuating that road bikes would make these lanes unsafe.

I do believe that if we had lanes like the Dutch more people would cycle and many of them would cycle uprights but it's the lanes and riders that increase or decrease the safety not the bikes. I don't think anyone currently on a road bike would make the switch though

17-12-2021 11:43am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118335906#Comment_118335906

how did you get that i think road bikes make cycle lanes unsafe?

I don't, even slightly, think that.

breezy1985 · 17-12-2021 12:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118336011#Comment_118336011

Because you appear to be linking safe cycle lanes to a certain kind of bike.

Don't be worrying about what other cyclists cycle or what they feel safe on and worry about yourself. We won't "all" be safer on your preferred choice

La Flamme Rouge **off topic discussion**

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La Flamme Rouge off topic discussion