Newbie questions

Quoted message said:

Hi All

I'm just about to start cycling, and am currently having the bike I
bought 3 years ago (and never used) serviced, ready for use.

Just a couple of questions if I may.

Security: I have two locks. One of those plastic-covered flexible cable
thingies that you can wind through the wheels, and a D-lock. Are these
likely to be sufficient for most situations?

Some D-locks are really good, other really bad. Whatever you use, try
and fill the shackle so it's harder to get a car jack in there. Most
cables are useless, but they deter people from taking the wheels and
leaving the bike.

Quoted message said:

Mudguards: Silly question perhaps, but are they necessary? If they are,
why do so many bikes (including mine) not have them?

Fashion, weight, cost. They are essential if you use the bike as
transport, but your feet may still get wet and there's always a little
bit of "blowback" from the water that the front wheel throws forwards.
Your bum and top half stay clean and dry though.

Zog The Undeniable said:

Some D-locks are really good, other really bad. Whatever you use, try
and fill the shackle so it's harder to get a car jack in there. Most
cables are useless, but they deter people from taking the wheels and
leaving the bike.

And don't rely on a D-lock with a cylindrical key - many have been found
to be vulnerable to a bic biro tube in place of the key.

--
Tony

"Don't argue the matter, the difficulties will argue for themselves"
-W.S. Churchill

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Quoted message said:

Hi All

I'm just about to start cycling, and am currently having the bike I
bought 3 years ago (and never used) serviced, ready for use.

Just a couple of questions if I may.

Security: I have two locks. One of those plastic-covered flexible cable
thingies that you can wind through the wheels, and a D-lock. Are these
likely to be sufficient for most situations?

Depends where you are located. Certainly where I am I see many a bike just
parked & unlocked, or just a single D-lock or basic cable. I do, however,
live in a relatively quiet place. If I lived in a city where theft was a
real problem, I wouldn't be leaving a bike just lying about. Mind you, I do
use a D-lock & two cable locks... If your bike is insured - and if you have
a home contents policy, it probably is - check with your insurers as to what
they deem to be an acceptable lock. For example, I have to use a D-lock (of
unspecified type) and have the bike locked to "an immoveable object".

Quoted message said:

Mudguards: Silly question perhaps, but are they necessary? If they are,
why do so many bikes (including mine) not have them?

It's a Brit thing for bikes to come without mudguards, I think. My everyday
bike has mudguards and they are *essential* in British winters and wet
weather IMO. They do keep a lot of crud from reaching you. My lighter race
bike doesn't have mudguards, but I only use that bike in good weather (such
as this morning). My recumbent has mudguards, but I'm removing these for the
summer. My hybrid has mudguards too. If you don't have mudguards and cycle
in the wet, you'll soon find out why they are essential from the wet
backside you get and the dirty stain of road crud up your nether regions
which can render you looking as if you have a serious case of dysentry ;-)

Cheers, helen s

Quoted message said:

Cheers

Will

wafflycat said:

Mind you, I do use a D-lock & two cable locks

Another (better?) alternative to a D-lock and cable lock is a D-lock and
some locking wheel skewers. The Pitlock and Kryponite ones are most
foolproof, but even the dirt-cheap Tektro "pentagon key" version will
foil the average chav with an allen key. Provided they don't become too
popular...

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Will

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Quoted message said:

Hi All

I'm just about to start cycling, and am currently having the bike I
bought 3 years ago (and never used) serviced, ready for use.

Just a couple of questions if I may.

Security: I have two locks. One of those plastic-covered flexible cable
thingies that you can wind through the wheels, and a D-lock. Are these
likely to be sufficient for most situations?

I'd say so. All I've ever used in 15 years is a D lock. Some tips.
Don't lock it out of the way. This can be a natural instinct to hide it, but
lock it where it can be seen by lots of people.
If you have quick release wheels onbvioulsy you need to make sure they are
secured as well.
I usually lock my bike to railings or a cycle stand through what I think are
called the seat stays. (The two tubes going down from the seat to the rear
wheel.) In particular don't just lock it through the spokes on the rear
wheel. It's quite easy to detach the rear wheel and walk off with the rest
of the bike.

Quoted message said:

Mudguards: Silly question perhaps, but are they necessary? If they are,
why do so many bikes (including mine) not have them?

Necessary. Essential. Vital. Critical. Riding without mudguards in wet
weather/on wet roads is very, very unpleasant and uncomfortable. You get off
the bike looking and feeling like you've had industrial strength diahorrea.
Appalling. And get the mudguards that wrap right round the back to 9 o'clock
too. The sort of thing at the top of this page
http://www.safaribikes.com/mud.htm Mudguards were the best money I ever
spent on my bike.

Some other advice I got when I started riding was: Beware traffic turnign
left. Most people are aware of the hazards of turning right across a lane of
traffic but more than once I've been tempted to squeeze throguh a gap when a
vehicle is turnign left and as the gap disappears due to the shape of the
bus/lorry going round the corner I realise the vioce like Obi Wan Kenobi in
my head saying - Stay back. Stay back. has saved me.

Also I did some CBT motorbike training and rode a motobike for a year or so.
I am a lot more road aware now. Look around you. Mirror. Signal. Manoeuvre.
This goes for push bikes too. If you are a driver you might well already be
better at this than the average cyclist

Roundabouts. Stick up for yourslef. You need to be seen. I used to have real
problems when I started because I treated roundabout lanes like other lanes
and it was very dangerous. Now I move more to the centre saying that this is
my lane whil eI'm on here. Others may have a different view on this. I'm not
saying be aggressive. I'm just saying you need to be seen.

That said really really really don't be put off. I was on some kind of
course a few years ago and I once had to talk about the best moments of my
life, this got me thinking...and I remembered it was a friend put together
my first bike for me from spare parts he had lying around and gave it to me
for free, and I have to say given all the freedom and enjoyment I have got
from cycling since, that moment changed my life.

cheers

dd

Nice one, DD!

DDEckerslyke said:

In particular don't just lock it through the spokes on the rear
wheel. It's quite easy to detach the rear wheel and walk off with the rest
of the bike.

Sheldon Brown actually recommends just locking the rear rim to an
immovable object. Provided you lock the rim at a point inside the rear
triangle, it's impossible to get the wheel out of the frame with the
lock attached, so the bike is secure. Hacksaw the rim? Not easily -
it's under a massive compressive stress. An angle grinder would do the
job, but then you might as well do the lock instead - rear wheels are
expensive components.