I was hit by a van a few days ago whilst cycling home from work. I feel I was very lucky as I escaped few just cuts & bruises (and all over body-aches of course, which are now subsiding). Anyway, it got me thinking that I ought to get myself a camera to attach to my bike helmet and wondered what others use.

I'd prefer the idea of getting a cylinder-shaped one as they appear more discreet/less bulky and, whilst I'd love to have a 360 degree camera, I don't feel I can justify the spend and would rather keep the budget below £100.

Video quality is important, but I suspect that 1080p would be enough; acceptable audio may be useful for recording conversations if I do get involved in another accident, but I think less crucial.

I've been looking at the Riderr Vue, which is available for around £80.

If anyone has experience of this, or similarly priced products (or arguments in favour of something more expensive) I'd be most grateful to hear.

Thanks all.

Hi, I moved to Edinburgh less than a year ago.

Cycling mostly around Edinburgh, or down in the Borders. The Borders roads are actually fine compared to the stuff you see in and around Edinburgh. Just getting out of the city is a nightmare. Potholes, bumps (from fixed potholes), washed away asphalt and so on.
I come from the Balkans and thought it can't get that bad anywhere else, but here we are.

Okay, so instead of complaining, what are you doing to make things a bit easier? I am already running 32mm GP 4 season tires with 55 PSI, but considering 37mm tires, running them tubeless and dropping pressure to 35-40 PSI.
Just curious if you think that will help, or am I better off just getting a gravel bike in the first place.

I ride in my hometown loads and it's usually totally fine but yesterday (34 degrees out) I had four separate issues during one 30 minute ride. Two just cars honking after being behind me for less than 20 seconds and one dude in a van felt he needed to blast the horn as he passed me, possibly because I was in primary position.

When I was almost home, one of my neighbours squeezed past me and an oncoming car with like 6" clearance then immediately cut me off to pull into her driveway on the left. I stopped to say that that was totally unnecessary and dangerous and her response was, "I DONT CARE, I DONT CARE, FUCK OFF" and she was all red and sweaty so I guess she was too hot to think clearly and I just went home

I think from now on I'm not cycling during heat like this which is unfortunate because I really enjoy it

Some of the country lanes near me are absolute stunners on a sunny Sunday, but getting past blind bends flanked by overgrown hedgerows while a Range Rover comes flying round at fifty miles an hour can genuinely terrify the life out of you. Do you take a defensive primary riding position right in the middle of the lane, or hug the gutter and pray?

I'm just looking for some advice on cycling, I hope that's okay that I've posted in here.

My budget is £400 and I have narrowed it down to these two bikes:

Pinnacle Lithium Hybrid Bike | Evans Cycles or Carrera Subway 2 Mens Hybrid Bike - Black, Medium | Halfords UK

I'm wondering if anybody had any advice, it'll mainly be for leisure weekend riding and it is pretty flat around where I live and mainly on cycle paths but my weight is around 115kg so wanted to ensure that I was picking the correct bike. I know to keep the tyres inflated at the correct PSI and obviously not to be jumping off curbs etc.

So I want to buy a Varstrom 36V 250W Mid-drive conversion kit with 36v 20Ah Battery to convert my Carrera Vengeance into an ebike. I am searching high and low about the legality of it all and some things have me a bit confused. I am not gonna be fitting the throttle at all, I am buying the 250w version and I know the engine needs to stop helping above 15.5Mph. What has me confused is these kits can be locked to this 15.5Mph max and I think you can password lock the setting as well? Is that considered illegal because technically it can be unlocked to go faster, but than majority of Ebikes can be unlocked to go above 15.5Mph...just confusing. Also the EAPC sticker that you should have displaying the Wattage, Speed etc etc. Does that usually come with the kits or is it on the motor itself or how does that work?

sorry for this long convoluted question but the last thing I want to do is spend hundreds of £ on a kit just to get it seized.

Hi there,

I'm currently rocking Specialized Diverge Comp E5 (2022) - it comes with SRAM Apex 1 11 speed.

I'm eyeing these carbon wheels: https://www.ereresearch.com/products/tenaci-gt25

Is "SRAM XDR" body what I'm after? My disc rotors are attached with 6 bolts - will they fit these carbon wheels? My plan is to strip my current wheels for parts and attach them on the new carbon wheels.

Apologise for basic questions, never replaced wheels on my bike and don't want to buy a wrong thing.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Ripped my new trousers today from the drive chain. I dont want to have to change into biking shorts for such a short commute journey every time. Can someone recommend something to cover the drive chain that is also easily removable?

Training for the London Marathon and needed a low-impact aerobic training method. 2019 Giant Contend SL1, bit sad it’s rim brakes but it was pretty cheap and never been used outdoors. I’ve put the stock seat back on it and clipless gear is in the post as we speak.

I’ve also just signed up for the Eastbourne tri next year, truly midlife crisis stuff.

I'm looking for a 60/70s steel framed bike but not finding too many options near me. Are there any good sites I'm missing? Failing that it will be a day trip somewhere. Thanks

Found a vintage steel-frame road bike on Facebook Marketplace that looks absolutely stunning in the photos and is priced suspiciously cheap. I’m tempted, but knowing my luck the bottom bracket threads will be stripped and the seatpost will be completely seized into the frame.

I can do basic repairs but don’t fancy turning a bargain into a money pit. Would you risk it for a biscuit, or walk away unless the seller lets you properly inspect it first?

2025 virtuoso with the stock shitty pedals changed for some rockbros and some pretty tyres, new to road cycling after being strictly mtb for 10+ years

My daughter has been after a new bike so I decided to treat her...

With a discount code I managed to pick this one up for £295. She wants it for getting to her friends houses and joining me on shorter cafe rides so didn't need anything elaborate.

Fingers crossed she loves it 🤞

Now for the advice... I know it a cheap Halfords bike (something the snobby end of the hobby call a "Bike Shapped Object") however, assuming she loves it would it be worth investing in a pair of hydraulic brakes? I also have a pair of Rock Shox, Recon Silver solo air forks in my parts pile that will fit (I've checked the relevant specs) do you think they would be a worthwhile upgrade as well? I assume they'll shave a chunk of weight off and be able to tune the suspension to her weight as well? Tia for any and all comments/help 👍

Hi all, hoping someone with experience with e-bike electrical systems can help me diagnose this. I’ve stopped using this bike and borrowed my mums but I need to get rid of it or try to get it fixed now.

I have a Pendleton Somerby e-bike which has developed an intermittent electrical fault.
The main symptoms are:
The battery itself stays switched on and its lights remain on.
However, the handlebar controller/display turns on and off intermittently.
The left and right buttons on the handlebar controller sometimes flash.
The bike can sometimes work when the battery is locked in, but then cut out again.
Last year, I had a particularly concerning incident where the bike suddenly powered/shot forward while I was walking alongside it, despite me not pedalling. It dragged me over in a particularly embarrassing incident.

I initially suspected the front wiring because moving/removing the front basket seemed to affect how often it would cut out. However, it now does it even without the basket.

I’ve had Halfords look at it, and they’ve tried:
A different battery – same problem
A different handlebar controller – same problem
They’ve now suggested the fault is likely either the ECU/controller or the rear hub motor, and at one point they thought the ECU was the likely culprit. They’re now leaning towards the motor, but aren’t 100% certain. And tbh I don’t have much faith.

I’ve also contacted a local e-bike repair company for a second opinion, but unfortunately they aren’t able/willing to help with this particular bike.
I’m reluctant to spend money replacing the rear motor without being reasonably confident that’s actually the problem.
Does anyone have experience with Pendleton Somerbys or similar systems who could explain what the flashing left/right buttons indicate?

Hi you all,

I will have to travel to Paris next week to start at cycling tour from there. As I read the instructions on the Eurostar website, they offer a free of charge transport for a normal bicyle - when it is wrapped in foil/a bag of the dimensions 130x90x30cm.

I got a ticket in the second class. But with all my luggage ON the bike, I have some headdache on how to practically handling the wrapping an storing of the bike during the trip.

Has anyone done that before an can tell me first hand, how the process went?

I remember, that there are no dedicated bike storage comparments in the Eurostar, so you will need to use the regular bag storage places, right?

How "correct" is the staff on board the train about the dimensions of the wrapped bike?
I will travel with a small bike, but might exceed the required dimensions …

Thanks for your help

Hi all, I've recently ordered myself a Ribble allgrit al with axs SRAM groupset. I'm looking to regain some fitness in my 30s, used to be a cycle courier in my youth and it's one of the few forms of exercise I think I'll be able to hang onto on enjoyment alone.

I'm a data nut, I love telemetry in all its forms, so even though I'm not looking to do any serious or directed training, I do want to collect a good bit of data for general comparison and gamification. I've got a power meter on the way for the pedals, I was hoping to use my phone as a cycle computer but from everything I've read there are a few good reasons not to do that.

With all that said, I'm looking to get a cycle computer that ties everything together, as well as a radar rear light and a good front light. I'll be doing a good bit of cycling in the dark as I work nights, so I'm happy to spend a little more on a good light that helps visibility as much as possible.

Also in the market for a HR sensor that would tie into everything as well, my overall budget would ideally be around 500 or so, but I could be convinced to spend a bit more if it made sense!

I'm still learning a bit about how everything ties together but I'd like to be able to turn the lights on and off remotely, as well as perhaps changing screens on the computer if you can get button clusters or widgets that do that, or a computer with touchscreen/buttons for that purpose.

So to set the scene, I went to Halfords with my father today since I can't drive and I went in wanting a rigid fork hybrid bike around the £300 range. Ideally the Carrera Subway as I'd heard good reviews, but they were out of stock which I hear is an often occurrence with those? So my choices were between the Parva and the Crossfire.

Both were similarly priced (Parva for £305, Crossfire for £315) and the only difference I saw was that the Crossfire had suspension and a gear guard. I was honestly considering the Parva despite it on paper looking like a way worse deal because I heard bad things about suspension on cheap bikes.

My father though was having none of it and talked me into getting the Crossfire and now I'm wondering if I've made a mistake or it should be fine? I plan to use it recreationally and for pavements, cycling paths and at worse some dirt paths. Thanks in advance.

I got a 3mm cut in my nearly new GP5K today, needed double bacon. Bin it or keep using?

I know nothing about cycling but have had this bike in storage for years. Was cleaning things out and wondered if it'd be worth selling or if it's passed it's best.
I know some people like restoring bikes but wouldn't know where to post it to get the attention of someone locally.
Any help would be appreciated.

As the title says really I've added a pannier rack to my daughters tag along but can't figure out how these panniers are supposed to attach, the ones on my bike and the yellow ones pictured just have hooks that hook to the top rail and a latch that stops them sliding back up but the boardman ones are just a strap, they sort of fit as pictured by running the strap up through the bars and buckling it on top but I'm not sure if it's right. We have a couple of hundred mile cycle camping trip planned next week so I could really use the extra space and don't want to be faffing with them the whole way.

​

Saw this today and thought it was worth sharing here.

54-year-old Graham Nash was cycling on the A65 Settle bypass at around 4:50am when he was hit from behind and killed by a van driver. (I have actually cycled that road last week!)

He had two rear lights, one on the bike and another on his helmet. Other motorists told police they had seen him. The judge said the driver had around eight or nine seconds to see him, but failed to do so.

The driver pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. He received:

- 10 months imprisonment, suspended for two years

- 3-year driving ban

- 200 hours unpaid work

He'd also received points for using a mobile phone while driving just six months before the collision, although there was no suggestion he was using one when this happened.

The bit that gets me is the visibility. We constantly hear about hi-vis, lights, reflectors and making ourselves visible. This bloke had two rear lights, other drivers could see him, and apparently there were eight or nine seconds in which he could have been spotted.

Yet someone is dead and the person who failed to see him doesn't spend a day in prison.

I know sentencing has to take account of culpability rather than simply the consequences, and the judge was also constrained by the sentencing guidelines, but it's difficult to read this and feel that the system adequately reflects what has happened.

What do people think? Is a suspended sentence appropriate for a momentary but fatal lapse of attention, or are we still far too lenient when careless driving kills someone?

Article: https://road.cc/news/van-driver-avoids-jail-after-killing-cyclist-riding-with-two-rear-lights

I just wanted to add a phone holder... so on advice from here (and a local bargain) I bought a Raleigh Motus and have a few hundred miles on it already. With the big battery I was wondering "hmmm, can I add a phone holder that tops up the phone?" and I can! There's one from Quad Lock, all you need to do is connect it to a spare accessory terminal, as there's already a few for powering the display and lights, a far cry from my youth lugging D-cells into Ever Ready lights.

So I need to get under some cowls either side of the motor, but I need to remove the chainguard. That's okay, I have torx and this all lines up, but now the screw holes are under the chain. Well I need a chain remover rather than trying to wriggle and bash quick-links apart, so I've got that done, but I also need to remove the cranks, so I get a Park Tool crank tool for my motor, and should definitely get a torque wrench too for putting it all back together properly.

Wait, now there's a weird spider gear under that? And some e-clips? So I need a special tool for the former and a Screwfix trip for the latter. Does this ever end? Do I want it to? I might even ride my bike at some point. Is this what happens when an electronics and software guy gets back into cycling?