Over time gear cables can stretch. This will make gear shifting less smooth. If your shifting is feeling sluggish then it can be a good idea to replace the gear cable. Note that it’s very important to not attempt this repair with a cheap pair of ...
Archives for July 2012
Bottom Bracket Removal Guide
One of the repairs being added to our Bike Doctor app (iPhone and Android) is how to remove your bottom bracket. Why, oh why, would you want to do that? The bottom bracket is often the source of many irritating creaks on your bike. If you hear ...
Don’t like cycling along Euston road? Here’s an alternative
The Euston road is busy, crowded, fast paced and now has an Olympic lane sprawled across it. Some “urban warrior” style cyclists love these conditions. Others, prefer the tranquillity of a back route. The joys include less traffic, a more relaxed ...
Where to watch the Olympic Road Race?
The Olympic road race will be the first event after the London 2012 Olympic games opening ceremony. Coupled with Bradley Wiggins Tour de France victory and good conditions predicted, the event should be one of the most watched and, indeed, attended ...
Bike fitting in London
The best bike shops, cycle cafes and events are listed in the Love London section of the London Cyclist Handbook. Today, I wanted to share one of the pages from that section that will appeal to road cyclists. If you are having aches and pains ...
Made In England: The artisans behind the hand built bicycle
Matthew Sowter, a reader of London Cyclist blog, is soon launching a new book around bespoke bike building. With the interest in this topic being high, I invited him along to share some details on the forthcoming book launch. With more and more ...
New Rapha cycle cafe opened
“Located in the heart of Soho, Rapha's Cycle Club will be a home for the sport and culture of road cycling, a meeting place for road riders. Along with live screenings of road races and a full calendar of events, the Cycle Club will be an emporium of ...
Rapha Women’s Merino Review
Review by Katy Beveridge. Also by Katy: Rapha Women’s Softshell Jacket review Rapha Merino Wool Base Layer Review Women’s Merino Jersey Review This bit of kit is has been an absolute lifesaver during this rather glum Summer. Perfect for all ...
The London Cyclist Handbook
A guide to life in the cycle lane Written by the author of London’s most popular cycling blog, and using years of experience and contributions from readers, the London Cyclist Handbook is your complete guide to life in the cycle lane. Early ...
New version of Bike Doctor: Important update for any existing iPhone users!
This is important for anyone who has the first version of our iPhone app Bike Doctor on their iPhone. We are moving it over to new account, so you need to get the new copy! For a limited time only, you’ll be able to move to the new version for free ...
Stopping your bike from squeaking
A persistent squeak, creek or click can be a torturous experience for a cyclist. All bikes suffer from them, from time to time and they are a good wake up call that something isn’t quite right. Today, I’ll be sharing part of the maintenance section ...
Don’t lock your bike to old iron railings
Many of the railings outside old Victorian homes are made of weak wrought iron. Even if you’ve got one of the best bike locks, the thief can easily get to your bike by cutting the iron. Special thank you to London Cyclist reader Daniel for allowing ...
BikeCharge: Reach your destination with your phone fully charged
[box type="info" size="large" border="full"]Update: I've removed the BikeCharge from our eShop because we had a few returns from people who couldn't install it. I've also had a few difficulties installing it to two out of my three bikes so I don't ...
I need a strapline for the London Cyclist Handbook – Can you help?
The launch date for the new London Cyclist eBook is set: 17th of July 2012. But if you want to get your hands on a copy before everyone else (for Kindle, iPad, Google Nexus, laptop or pretty much any digital device) then help me come up with a ...
Re-Cycle is aiming to double the number of bikes it sends to Africa
I got an email recently from Merlin, the founder of Re~Cycle, a London based charity which sends bicycles to Africa. I thought I’d share it around in case anyone wishes to help out with their project. At Re~Cycle we have traditionally not called upon ...
What type of brakes do you use on your bike?
I’d be interested to see what type of brakes everyone is using on their main bike. Therefore, I’ve put together this quick poll. What type of brake do you use on your main bike? When we’ve got the results, I’ll write up an article on the pro’s and ...
What goes in to a bike service?
Today, I took my bike in to Lunar Cycles to discover what goes in to a bike service. Something that has always been a bit of a mystery to me. This is the service frequently used bikes should have at least once per year. Lunar Cycles charge £65 for ...
How to Clean Your Rims and Brake Pads
If your bike is anything like mine then after a couple of bike rides in the rain, the rims and brake pads will be fairly caked in road muck. This greatly reduces braking performance and speeds up the wear on the rims and the pads. To get them ...
Topeak Pannier DryBag DX review
The Topeak Pannier DryBag DX would stand out among any other range of panniers. With the sheer size of it, it comes with certain advantages that put it on a scale of its own. The first thing that is definitely worth noting for anyone considering ...