Chain off, rear wheel trashed

[Pete Biggs]

Martin Wilson wrote:

>> The guard is so large to protect the spokes from the derailleur.
>
> Yeah I thought of that and then I thought that it couldn't actually
> help in this regard thinking of the kona as the spokes are obviously
> further away. Also if the spoke protector is doing its job and
> preventing the chain from getting caught between the
> freewheel/cassette and spokes then the derailleur won't be near the
> spokes. However with regard much thinner wheels I could see this
> having some benefit I suppose. Personally I would have thought a
> smaller diameter spoke protecter would be preferable at least for
> mountain bikes which are much more likely to get abused anyway and
> need such a device.

Spoke protectors vary in diameter. I think I've seen some small ones,
which perhaps would have suited your bike better.

The ones I hated most were the giant metal ones. Oh that noise as the
mech rubs it :-(

~PB

 

[Peter Grange]

In article <[email protected]>, Pete Biggs <pblackcherry{rem
ove_fruit}@biggs.tc> writes
>
>I think there was more of a need for spoke guards in the old days with
>cheap derailleurs that worked poorly, and perhaps still now with
>kids/beginners. But serious damage doesn't usually result even if
>something does go wrong, and usually you can tell that something has
>started to go wrong and do something about it.
>
Usually perhaps. I don't recall the problem ever happening before, and
certainly the first indication of any problem in this case was when the
back wheel stopped. No prior tinkling or similar. I don't know if some
overthrow is possible coming down three or so gears. I was only changing
down to stop at my front door, a procedure I go through every time I
come home, but perhaps different to the "normal" change down, being on a
hill for example.
Still, if it had to happen somewhere better 10 yards from the house than
miles from nowhere.
The irony is that if it hadn't been such a nice day I'd have been
stripping down, lubricating and re-assembling the transmission
yesterday. Ho hum.

--
Peter Grange

 

[Jim Easterbrook]

In article <[email protected]>, Simon D wrote:
>
> It will if the mech or hanger has been bent. As Pete has said, the only
> reasons a mech or a chain go into a wheel are:
>
> 1/. The mech or hanger is bent
> 2/. Component(s) are very worn
> 3/. The rear mech is out of adjustment

4/ The derailler hanger has a casting flaw and snaps in two. Happened to
me, many years ago. Needed new wheel, derailler, and pannier rack.

> In these circumstances a spoke disc may help you. I've never liked them, but
> I have to admit that my reasons are mainly aesthetic. I've never had a wheel
> badly damaged by a rear mech going into it, in 200,000 miles of cycling.

I can't claim that distance, but I have had a failure that could not
reasonably have been predicted and did damage that a spoke disc would
probably have prevented. I think they're useful.
--
Jim Easterbrook <http://www.jim-easterbrook.me.uk/>

 

[jtaylor]

"MSeries" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> They make bikes look like toys. I really shouldn't be possible to derail
the
> chain in this way especially with modern indexed gears.
>

It's actually easier - the cogs and chain are thinner and so a smaller
mis-adjustment will allow overshoot; they wear faster and so become sloppy
sooner; and the chain is more flexible laterally to start with.

Nobody _needs_ more than 5 cogs on the rear.

 

[MSeries]

jtaylor wrote:
> "MSeries" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> They make bikes look like toys. I really shouldn't be possible to
>> derail the chain in this way especially with modern indexed gears.
>>
>
> It's actually easier -

Perhaps your experience differs to mine. I strongly disagree with you. If
the stop is set correctly the chain will not overshoot. If your bike is not
adjusted properly then all bets are off.

> the cogs and chain are thinner and so a smaller
> mis-adjustment will allow overshoot;
> they wear faster and so become
> sloppy sooner; and the chain is more flexible laterally to start with.

Yes but the chain doesn't jump on its own, it's the mech, operated by the
user that causes the problems.
>
> Nobody _needs_ more than 5 cogs on the rear.

true but irrelevant.

 

[the.Mark]

jtaylor wrote:
>
> Nobody _needs_ more than 5 cogs on the rear.

There is a difference between _need_ and _desire_. Just as well really or
we'd all be on the same type of bike and would have nothing to discuss in
URC.
--
Mark

1x1 wheel, 3x2 wheels & 1x3 wheels.

 

[Danny Colyer]

the.Mark wrote:
> 1x1 wheel, 3x2 wheels & 1x3 wheels.

Just what is your 1 wheel, anyway?

And has anyone here thought about attending a uni-meet (or is even aware
of them)? There's roughly one a month in Kidderminster and one a month
in Exeter. A couple of weeks ago I went to my first one for 3 years.
Hopefully I might get to a few more over the next few months.

Details:
Exeter:
Keep an eye on <URL:http://www.uk.unicyclist.com/swum.html>


Kidderminster:
Saturday 27th November 2004
Saturday 12th December 2004
Saturday 22nd January 2005
26th February 2005

The venue address is:
Wolverley High School
Blakeshall Lane
Wolverley
Kidderminster
Worcestershire
DY11 5XQ

Time:
11.00am - 8.00pm

Cost:
£10.00 Adults £8.00 Under 16's, Students*, OAP's

Now with 2 halls to practice in!!! + 3 hours of Uni-hockey!!!
There will be the usual morning workshops for beginners, intermediates
and advanced, games, uni hockey and basket ball. There will be a
dedicated area all day just for beginners and people wishing to practice
new tricks.

Please go to the following URL for directions.
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=382967&Y=280106&A=Y&Z=1

Program for the day will be:
Hall 1 (Practice Hall)
11.00 - 11.30 Arrival & Set up
11.30 - 12.00 Warm up
12.00 - 13.00 Beginners & Intermediates Workshops # 1
13.00 - 14.00 Practice time/Lunch/Rest
14.00 - 15.00 Beginners & Intermediates Workshops # 2
15.00 - 16.00 UUU Certificates/Practice
16.00 - 20.00 Practice space


Hall 2 (Main Sports Hall)
11.00 - 11.30 Arrival & Set up
11.30 - 12.00 Warm up
12.00 - 13.00 Advanced Workshops # 1
13.00 - 15.00 LOCAL MUNI RIDE!!
14.00 - 15.00 Advanced Workshops # 2
15-00 - 18.00 Unicycle Hockey (Still with practice area)
17.00 Food/Chips order at 5.00pm*
18.00 - 19.00 Games
19.00 - 20.00**Free Practice Time


--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
<URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

 

[Pete Biggs]

jtaylor wrote:
> "MSeries" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> They make bikes look like toys. I really shouldn't be possible to
>> derail the chain in this way especially with modern indexed gears.
>
> It's actually easier

No it's not because non indexed levers don't have a stop so you rely more
on the mech's limit screw.

> - the cogs and chain are thinner and so a smaller
> mis-adjustment will allow overshoot; they wear faster and so become
> sloppy sooner; and the chain is more flexible laterally to start with.

All academic as those differences are small. Overshooting the inner rear
sprocket so much that the chain comes off is not easy on any system.
There needs to be something unusual or seriously wrong with the bike for
it to happen.

~PB

 

[Jon Senior]

jtaylor [email protected] opined the following...
> Nobody _needs_ more than 5 cogs on the rear.

From experience, more than one cog and a freewheel is luxury. But we
don't all ride fixers.

The major advantage of a large number of sprockets is a wide range with
small steps. Not necessary for pootling, but very useful if you want to
keep to a optimal cadence at speed.

Jon

 

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, the.Mark wrote:
>jtaylor wrote:
>>
>> Nobody _needs_ more than 5 cogs on the rear.
>
>There is a difference between _need_ and _desire_. Just as well really or
>we'd all be on the same type of bike and would have nothing to discuss in
>URC.

No, because different people need bikes for different things.

 

[the.Mark]

Danny Colyer wrote:
> the.Mark wrote:
>> 1x1 wheel, 3x2 wheels & 1x3 wheels.
>
> Just what is your 1 wheel, anyway?

It is a unicycle with a 20" wheel. To be honest I have no idea what make it
is. The better half got me it for my birthday in July. She got it from
Windthings, a kite shop in Edinburgh. It says Cionlli under the seat but
apart from that there are no other markings. I have only ever managed a few
feet on it so far, in the process of wearing out a bald patch in the lawn.
--
Mark

1x1 wheel, 3x2 wheels & 1x3 wheels.

 

[Danny Colyer]

the.Mark wrote:
> It is a unicycle with a 20" wheel. To be honest I have no idea what make it
> is. The better half got me it for my birthday in July. She got it from
> Windthings, a kite shop in Edinburgh.

Almost certainly a Taiwanese job, then, sold under a variety of names
depending upon who's selling it.

When I used to work in the Boggle juggling shop we sold them as
Bogglefingers, because they were imported jointly by Boggle and
Butterfingers.

(The cheekiest rebranding I've seen is the "Thorn" unicycle. Last time
I looked they hadn't even bothered to remove the Pashley decals, though
I notice they seem to have changed their supplier now).

> I have only ever managed a few
> feet on it so far, in the process of wearing out a bald patch in the lawn.

If you've got a patio you'd be better off practising on that. Grass
isn't good for learning to ride a unicycle, though it's better than carpet.

--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
<URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

 

[Dave Larrington]

the.Mark wrote:
> jtaylor wrote:
>>
>> Nobody _needs_ more than 5 cogs on the rear.
>
> There is a difference between _need_ and _desire_. Just as well
> really or we'd all be on the same type of bike and would have nothing
> to discuss in URC.

While I have in the past ridden a bike with a Sun Tour Alpine freewheel, my
knees would no longer take kindly to such cavalier treatment. So while I
may not need more than five gears, I sure as hell kneed them.

(dies)

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
World Domination?
Just find a world that's into that kind of thing, then chain to the
floor and walk up and down on it in high heels. (Mr. Sunshine)

 

[the.Mark]

Danny Colyer wrote:
>
> If you've got a patio you'd be better off practising on that. Grass
> isn't good for learning to ride a unicycle, though it's better than carpet.
>
We used to have a patio but our conservatory (Helen's sewing room) got
put there. I could use the front drive but I'm not quite at the stage
where I want to show off.

--
Mark

1x1 wheel, 3x2 wheels & 1x3 wheels.

 

[iarocu]

"the.Mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Danny Colyer wrote:
> >
> > If you've got a patio you'd be better off practising on that. Grass
> > isn't good for learning to ride a unicycle, though it's better than carpet.
> >
> We used to have a patio but our conservatory (Helen's sewing room) got
> put there. I could use the front drive but I'm not quite at the stage
> where I want to show off.

I am considering getting a unicycle on the basis that
1. it looks fun
2. After getting a tandem I will not be allowed to buy another
expensive bike for a while.

So. Can anybody learn to ride one? Which unicycle would be suitable
for outdoor use for a 6ft3 rider?
Iain

 

[Danny Colyer]

iarocu wrote:
> I am considering getting a unicycle on the basis that
> 1. it looks fun
> 2. After getting a tandem I will not be allowed to buy another
> expensive bike for a while.
>
> So. Can anybody learn to ride one? Which unicycle would be suitable
> for outdoor use for a 6ft3 rider?

Yes, anybody can learn to ride one (well, anybody with a decent sense of
balance, anyway). It's not like learning to ride a bike, I would
describe it as more like learning to walk again.

What would be best really depends on what you want to use it for. For
someone of your height, I wouldn't recommend anything smaller than a 24"
wheel unless you want to get into trials.

If you want to play hockey then get a 24" (the maximum wheel size
allowed by the rules).

If you want to ride in parades then think about a 20" (a smaller wheel
is easier to ride slowly).

If you want to go offroad or use it for transport then get a 26" or a 29".

If you go for a 24" then my personal recommendation would be a DM
Ringmaster: <URL:http://www.unicycle.co.uk/ringmaster.htm>

Dave Mariner builds unicycles like tanks. They're not light, but you
won't break them easily.

If you want a 26" then the Pashley Muni is good VFM:
<URL:http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=101>

There are better muni's, but they're expensive.

For something bigger, DM makes a 28" Ringmaster, or the 29" Nimbus looks
rather nice:
<URL:http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=473>

I wouldn't recommend anything bigger than 29" for learning on. Normally
I wouldn't recommend anything bigger than 26", but long legs have their
advantages.

For learning, Charlie Dancey's book looks good (it was written some time
after I learnt to ride, but anyway I was impressed by it):
<URL:http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=126>

When I started, I learnt lots from the FAQ:
<URL:http://www.unicycling.org/unicycling/faq.html>

--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
<URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine