Comments for London Singlespeed Society

Comment on Why mountain bikes from Halfords are a bad idea by Bikestorage

Bikestorage — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 09:12:39 +0000

Halfords bikes are not suitable for trail riding, they are far to heavy for a start, we have one, gotta be 35 lbs plus, so too heavy to get up the hills. Also the components are not designed for heavy riding, what do you ecpect for £200??? you hit a log and the wheel will bend, you shift gear hard and quick and the gears will fail… and the brakes???? they are never very good, cheap pads and poor components. Halfords bikes are good for popping to the shops and not much else.

Andy

Comment on iPods and road safety by finsim

finsim — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:15:13 +0000

I also travel around 14 miles each way for work – I like many love my music and cycling – I have never had an accident due to music – is it really that hard to be aware of your surrondings,in fact I think that as a consequence I am probably more alert!! I also listen to music at work in the club etc etc….just use some sense!

Comment on Vélocouture by flackingham

flackingham — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:53:22 +0000

Is the ‘fashion’ for single speed bikes the engineering equivalent to a voluntary lobotomy?

Comment on Am I a total douchebag for riding a Specialized Langster London Edition? by John - Nottingham

John - Nottingham — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:11:47 +0000

Had the langster for around two years now and love it! Got rid of the grips on the bars and put some tape all the way up. Stuck some white Look pedals on along with a white Aerospoke at the front and a white carbon seat pin. Oh, and some decent red tires and it looks awesome! Rode around 240 miles per week on it throughout Winter, but the only trouble is the attention it receives which can get quite annoying at times. Also caught three people potentially trying to steel it so now it never leaves my sight! However, despite some bad press on the web, no one in the whole two years since I bought it has said they dislike it, in-fact, most people take photographs, believe it or not.

Comment on NYC DOT L@@K by Monica

Monica — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:12:25 +0000

Hello there!

I thought you might be interested in Cycle East, as part of EAST Festival 2010!

Cycle East will take people on a tour of East London venues by bike on Sunday 7 March, offering the chance to listen to free music.

Check it out:

http://www.visitlondon.com/events/detail/7370009

Comment on Shirts and jerseys by Andy

Andy — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:44:59 +0000

Hi, Just found your website, do you still have any Merino wool jerseys available? My size is XL (42″ chest) I ride down in Somerset, have 3 rigid SS MTBs and an old ‘61 Claud Butler fixie for the commute to work and weekend ‘club runs’ Many thanks, Andy

Comment on Rapha kills tweed resurgence by borntoolate

borntoolate — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:38:58 +0000

Up here in Gods Own County, we’re SO over Rapha!

Comment on Vélocouture by borntoolate

borntoolate — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:35:43 +0000

…..so tape your bars, plonker! And fit a front brake, then you have much less chance of a fall in the first place. What i’ve seen of the ‘fixie’ fashion victims in london, they dont seem to be wearing their ’special’ cycling clothes at all, unless rolled-up combats and flailing open shirts are now cycle clothing!
Merino for me all the way, but under something civilised, like tweed!.

Comment on Rapha kills tweed resurgence by shoeless

shoeless — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:01:55 +0000

I don’t think it helps that their website blurb alongside the pretty pics claims that the jacket takes ‘luxury urban riding to knew heights’.

£450 for a jacket and they can’t afford a proofreader!?

Comment on iPods and road safety by Harry K

Harry K — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:21:05 +0000

I commute to work each day (14 miles each way) and used to listen to the radio on a set of headphones. I never felt it particularly affected my safety as most potential accidents involved things happening in front of me rather than behind me.

However I recently decided to de-clutter my cycling. I’ve ditched the gears (just removed the derailers and shotened the chain, I’m on a tight budget and am too old to care about how I look!) but I also ditched anything I don’t need to get from where I am to where I’m going.

I slimmed down my travelling toolkit and fit it all in a small bag, I’ve ditched the rucksack and just change into clothes I’ve left at work. I also ditched the radio.

All of this has had a very positive effect on my cycling pleasure. I used the radio to combat boredom, but have found that it was actually distracting me from the joy of JUST cycling. Ditch all the crap and enjoy the unalloyed pleasure of just DOING & BEING.

I propose a new movement of Kharmic Cycling!

Comment on Captain Twatso by Vapor Trail

Vapor Trail — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:31:13 +0000

Oh dear.

I support cyclists in the right to cycle anywhere: pavements, bus tops, road.

Its quite difficult for a cyclist to stay alive whereas Captain Gatso just has to put his right or left foot down.

The rather blatant & so obviouis truth is that the law discourages safe driving of any sort in favour of revenue for the establishment.

Its not enough to take down speed cameras.

Mobile speed cameras should be derailed.

Comment on Vélocouture by Charlie

Charlie — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:43:12 +0000

True true. Those silly little cloth caps are pretty tedious too.

If you want decent technical (i.e. fast drying) clothes for the commute, you could do worse than looking at Decathlon’s stuff. Their own-brand running tops do the job fine and can usually be had for under a tenner. That way, your cycling clothes will be dry by the time you go home, and you won’t stink.

Much…

Comment on SSUK 08 by tom

tom — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:13:15 +0000

thanks! we’re glad you enjoyed it!

you coming this year? guy is organising it in yorkshire…

http://www.ssuk09.com

dooo it.

Comment on iPods and road safety by B

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:10:57 +0000

i’ve cycled round london for 12 years, pretty much every day and almost always with music. I’ve never been hit or come off once. I’d say there’s much more to being safe on a bike than listening to music. I always think the ones helmeted and hi-vized out their mind, wobbling along in the gutter on cheap ill fitting bikes are much closer to the reaper than me. But hey, i might get flattened by a bus tomorrow, feel the risk I say.

Comment on Vélocouture by Tom

Tom — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:41:20 +0000

The only thing you really need is a lid if you stack it.
It’s going to hurt if you’ve got all the kit or not.
I see people riding to work looking like they’re running late for the Tour de France. I can’t afford to look like I’m sponsored so rolled up trousers and a jumper it is.

Comment on Lobster claw brakes hit London by Will Jameson E Coast USA

Will Jameson E Coast USA — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:28:58 +0000

P.S.
Check out Chris Bull at Circle A Cycles – he built my frame/bike http://www.circleacycles.com/
Nice shots in his gallery.

Comment on Lobster claw brakes hit London by Will Jameson E Coast USA

Will Jameson E Coast USA — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:25:07 +0000

Dude, not all New Yorkers are crazy… there are just more of us hence more idiots show up?
What about his bar ends not having end caps? Have you ever seen that accident – lots of blood as it punches a disc of flesh out of the riders side. I think his brakes + the end caps will have the required Darwin Effect and send this guy back to the Tube.
Great site!

Comment on Am I a total douchebag for riding a Specialized Langster London Edition? by andy - london

andy - london — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:25:48 +0000

I have had the london langster for just over a year i need to get some egg beater pedals on it and shoes and you wont help but get fit.

have had so mush fun around london and its a great head turn esp in the mornings with all the toffs with all the gear on and this single speed is keeping up with them. good fun

Comment on Hipster Bingo by Stephen

Stephen — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:54:00 +0000

How many of these do I have to have to qualify as a hipster?

Comment on Music powered bicycles by Emily

Emily — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:40:28 +0000

Thanks Will for linking to our blog chronicling our time filming Blind Pilot’s west coast bike tour last fall (instrumentsalone.com)! For more updates and to view a brand new trailer for the documentary film of Blind Pilot’s west coast bike tour – visit http://www.blindpilotmovie.com.