Park Street Cycle lockers special offer
Bush
> This Saturday the 26th October, Park Street car park will be having an open
> day (or half day), from 10am to 2pm in order to encourage cyclists to rent a
> locker, which are at present being underused. I am given to understand,
> from Paul Necus, the Park St manager, that instead of £10 a month, a special
> offer will be made of £10 for three months in order to increase usage. I
> have searched www.camcycle.org.uk in vain for an announcement about this
I don't know why you'd expect to find it there, the CCyC has nothing to do
with the running of these, although I'm sure tehy welcome the initiative.
Try CCiC's website.
Paul
day (or half day), from 10am to 2pm in order to encourage cyclists to rent a
locker, which are at present being underused. I am given to understand,
from Paul Necus, the Park St manager, that instead of £10 a month, a special
offer will be made of £10 for three months in order to increase usage. I
can only pass on the information I have from the horses mouth so to speak.
The number given on the Park Street Cycle Park leaflet is 457340 for the Car
Parks Manager, Cambridge City Council, The Guildhall, Cambridge CB2 3QJ and
may be worth a call if you plan on going.
Paul
Douglas de Lacey
>
> This Saturday the 26th October, Park Street car park will be having an open
> day (or half day), from 10am to 2pm in order to encourage cyclists to rent a
> locker, which are at present being underused.
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/events/ gives a little more information:
<quote>
Lights: Don't Get Caught Out, Don't Get Caught
Clocks go back: Lighing and Cycle Security Event at Park Street Cycle
Park. Make sure your lights meet the regulations, and have your cycle
security coded at Park Street Cycle Park, 10am to 2pm. Lights on sale at
discount by Chris's Bikes.
</quote>
Nothing about cheaper lockers but presumably there's some co-ordination
between the two.
Chris' Bikes is pretty cheap at his normal prices, so I expect the
discounts will be well worth looking at. (Pity I already have 2
dynamos)-:
Douglas de Lacey.
stev...@daviesfam.org
Paul <pbird@ntlworld_removethis.com> wrote:
>This Saturday the 26th October, Park Street car park will be having an open
>day (or half day), from 10am to 2pm in order to encourage cyclists to rent a
>locker, which are at present being underused.
How about that if they are still less than 33% used by the end of the year that
the area be returned to car parking.
Cars used to use it, now its like a ghost-town.
Steve
Colin Rosenstiel
wrote:
How often are all the car park spaces taken?
Colin Rosenstiel
Colin Rosenstiel
(Steve Hunt) wrote:
> There have been several times I've wished I could use
> one of the lockers. Several times. Not every day.
> The lockers need to be available for occasional use.
> Evidently few people are interested in renting one on a
> permanent basis. Make the lockers coin operated
> or some other scheme that permits occasional use.
Ought to be possible. Anglia Railways have a key operated locker scheme.
> Oh, and how about actually publicising the
> cycle park? Lots of cyclists do not know the cycle
> park is there.
Now? There are a number of signs but they're not so clear to those not in
the know.
Colin Rosenstiel
Steve Hunt
one of the lockers. Several times. Not every day.
The lockers need to be available for occasional use.
Evidently few people are interested in renting one on a
permanent basis. Make the lockers coin operated
or some other scheme that permits occasional
cycle park? Lots of cyclists do not know the cycle
park is there.
-- Steve
Rupert Moss-Eccardt
I've noticed the sticky labels on the pay and display tickets
now advertise it.
Paul Oter
news:103572390...@demeter.uk.clara.net...
> Oh, and how about actually publicising the
> cycle park? Lots of cyclists do not know the cycle
> park is there.
>
I had a chat to the people at Saturday's event there [1] and got the
impression that they would welcome suggestions as to how they could
publicise it further.
One idea they've tried is to put up notices on the fencing around the
building work in Sidney Street, informing cyclists that there is covered,
secured, cycle parking only a short distance away.
Perhaps they should fix signs or stickers to bike racks around the city
Paul
[1] With several staff and a policeman there all day, I guessed this would
be the safest place in the city centre to park my bike on Saturday! I also
got my bike frame number recorded so the people at Parkside Police Station
can identify it if they ever have cause to drag it out of the river...
Alan
news:memo.2002102...@colin.rosenstiel.cix.co.uk:
Ok how about if still less than 33% used when the majority of Lion Yard
is closed for the Grand Arcade?
Alan
--
SPAM BLOCK IN USE!
Replace 'deadspam.com' with penguinclub.org.uk to reply in email
Jonathan Amery
Paul Oter <Paul_NOTT...@pobox.co.uk> wrote:
>I had a chat to the people at Saturday's event there [1] and got the
>impression that they would welcome suggestions as to how they could
>publicise it further.
I would've come and maybe hired a locker, but my bike was nicked on
Friday night :(.
--
Jonathan Amery. There's an ocean of darkness and I drown in the night
##### Till I come through the darkness to the ocean of light.
#######__o You can lock me in prison but the light will be free,
#######'/ 'And I walk in the glory of the light', said he.
Colin Rosenstiel
alan....@deadspam.com (Alan) wrote:
A fair point to consider in 2004, though the primary replacement (with
free bus service) will be Queen Anne Terrace.
Colin Rosenstiel
Jonathan Larmour
Simon Proven <simon.x...@ntlworld.ptang.com> wrote:
>[Park Street cycle lockers]
>I'd be disappointed if it failed due to lack of patronage; this
>can't surely be down to lack of demand for cycle parking in
>general (the on-street cycle parking is often hard to find a
>space in at the weekend).
I definitely think the subscription basis for cycle lockers is
part of the difficulty. I just don't go to that end of town and
therefore use Park Street often enough to warrant getting them.
At the very least, rather than paying for a particular locker,
it would be better to have an entitlement for _any_ locker, with
a lower annual fee. This would be a much better model while lockers
are spare as you encourage more people to have them. OTOH you have
to have a different sort of lock to allow this: one that only allows
opening by the key that locked it!
Jifl
--
--[ "You can complain because roses have thorns, or you ]--
--[ can rejoice because thorns have roses." -Lincoln ]-- Opinions==mine
stev...@daviesfam.org
Well - there are now no spaces down there.
But- when they were, "most times" there was a space down there, but not
always.
Now when I look down there its not unusual to see NO cycles at all.
Steve
Jonathan Amery
>
>Now when I look down there its not unusual to see NO cycles at all.
>
Better advertising might be good though - there are usually too many
bikes just outside the Maypole for instance!
--
Jonathan Amery. I am a new creation, no more in condemnation,
##### here in the grace of God I stand.
#######__o My heart is overflowing, my love just keeps on growing
#######'/ here in the grace of God I stand.
Jonathan Amery
Paul Bolchover <pb1...@cam.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>That wasn't the question. How often is the carpark _completely_ full? If
>it's never full, then the removal of ~10 spaces would make little
>difference.
>
24 by my count.
--
J.D. Amery. People who were wired into church were like UNIX sysadmins who,
##### while they might not understand everything, at least had some
#######__o documentation, some FAQs and HOWTOs and READMEs, providing some
#######'/ guidance on what to do when things got out of whack. - Stephenson
Jonathan Amery
Alan <alan....@deadspam.com> wrote:
>Isn't that one of the problems with some cyclists, the bike goes where
>they go, even to the extent of riding from shop to shop, rather than
>parking it one place and walking around?
I tend to park mine at the minimum distance from the shops I want to
go to :).
>So parking it in a secure car park and walking around does necessarily
^ not
>appeal.
I'd rather have secure parking in Lion Yard, I'll admit...
Jonathan Amery
Colin Rosenstiel <rosen...@cix.co.uk> wrote:
>In article <rkt*f0...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>,
>
>> I'd rather have secure parking in Lion Yard, I'll admit...
>
>
Ahh, but will that go ahead if Park Streed is deemed a flop?
--
Jonathan Amery. Oh, I have seen stark Tarwin's Gap,
##### and the Trollocs' raving hoarde.
#######__o I have stood fore the Halfman's charge,
#######'/ and walked on death's cold borde. - R.Jordan.
Colin Rosenstiel
jda...@chiark.greenend.org.uk (Jonathan Amery) wrote:
> In article <memo.2002102...@colin.rosenstiel.cix.co.uk>,
> Colin Rosenstiel <rosen...@cix.co.uk> wrote:
> >In article <rkt*f0...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk>,
> >jda...@chiark.greenend.org.uk (Jonathan Amery) wrote:
> >
> >> I'd rather have secure parking in Lion Yard, I'll admit...
> >
> >Patience! It's planned for Grand Arcade.
> >
> Ahh, but will that go ahead if Park Streed is deemed a flop?
It's intended to be a more extensive cycle facility, including a shop and
parking for staff of the new shops.
Colin Rosenstiel
Vicky Larmour
wrote:
> it would be better to have an entitlement for _any_ locker, with
> a lower annual fee.
I agree, except I would still prefer to be able to use them on a one-
off basis. There could be a discount for regular use, though.
> OTOH you have to have a different sort of lock to allow this:
> one that only allows opening by the key that locked it!
Oh no you don't - the annual fee could just give you a token that you
insert into the locker in the normal way that coin operated lockers
work. In fact, if the lockers could be coin operated as well then you
could do both models in one fell swoop - put in a pound that gets
swallowed, or put in a token that cost you UKP20 but gets spat back
out.
Vicky
--
"Bother," said Pooh, "Eeyore, ready two photon torpedoes and lock
phasers on the Heffalump. Piglet, meet me in transporter room
three. Christopher Robin, you have the bridge."
Colin Rosenstiel
alan....@deadspam.com (Alan) wrote:
> Jonathan Amery <jda...@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote in
> news:jij*rH...@news.chiark.greenend.org.uk:
>
> > In article <apit4f$83h$1...@bob.daviesfam.org>, <stev...@daviesfam.org>
> > wrote:
> >>
> >>Now when I look down there its not unusual to see NO cycles at all.
> >>
> > Of course, you don't know how many of the lockers are occupied. :)
> >
> > Better advertising might be good though - there are usually too many
> > bikes just outside the Maypole for instance!
>
> Isn't that one of the problems with some cyclists, the bike goes where
> they go, even to the extent of riding from shop to shop, rather than
> parking it one place and walking around?
>
> So parking it in a secure car park and walking around does necessarily
> appeal.
You have put your finger on the scheme's major design weakness. There are
relatively few cyclists who follow the car driver parking model. Fatally
limits the usefulness of the scheme to me.
Colin Rosenstiel
Colin Rosenstiel
jda...@chiark.greenend.org.uk (Jonathan Amery) wrote:
> I'd rather have secure parking in Lion Yard, I'll admit...
Patience! It's planned for Grand Arcade.
Colin Rosenstiel
SAH
> relatively few cyclists who follow the car driver parking model. Fatally
> limits the usefulness of the scheme to me.
Have you got any statistics to back that up? I always park
my bike once and walk around. And when I get back
after two, three hours or whatever I often observe the same
bike is locked up next to mine.
I don't think cycling from shop to shop is at all sensible. Hunting
down a suitable parking place securing the bike all those times
is surely more time consuming than simply walking around.
-- Steve
Paul Oldham
rosen...@cix.co.uk (Colin Rosenstiel) growled:
I have to say that if I cycle into the city centre to shop I do tend to park
in one place and walk around, because it's too much arse securing the bike
repeatedly. And historically I've tended to park my bike close to Park
Street. So it would work well for me ...
However generally speaking I don't cycle into town to shop, even when I'm
fit, because I prefer to use the bus for shopping trips. So how useful this
data point is must be open question ;-)
--
Paul Oldham ----------> http://the-hug.org/paul
Milton villager ------> http://www.miltonvillage.org.uk/
and FAQ maintainer ---> http://the-hug.org/paul/camfaq.html
"Don't knock masturbation, it's sex with someone I love."
Vicky Larmour
Simon Proven wrote:
> "Paul Oldham" <pa...@the-hug.org> wrote in message
> news:memo.20021029...@paul.the-hug.org...
>> I have to say that if I cycle into the city centre to shop I do
>> tend to park in one place and walk around, because it's too much
>> arse securing the bike repeatedly.
>
> to faff around removing lights etc then I'm far more likely to
> park in one place and walk around. During daylight, I'm more
> likely to switch to cycling between shops and parking nearby
> than if it was dark.
That's definitely a factor for me. Another factor is how busy the
town is. If it's a Saturday afternoon and it's going to be hard to
find a secure parking space, then I'll typically find one space and
leave the bike there while I walk around the shops. If it's a weekday
morning out of school holidays then I'm more likely to take the bike
with me between shops (and not worry about the helmet, bike computer,
reflective vest etc on the short trips between shops).
Colin Rosenstiel
(SAH) wrote:
> > You have put your finger on the scheme's major design weakness. There
> > are relatively few cyclists who follow the car driver parking model.
> > Fatally limits the usefulness of the scheme to me.
>
> Have you got any statistics to back that up? I always park
> my bike once and walk around. And when I get back
> after two, three hours or whatever I often observe the same
> bike is locked up next to mine.
No scientific figures, no. Just years of personal experience and
observation. Plus the fact that I call at several places and don't leave
the city centre by the same approach that I arrived by. I blame the
one-way streets.
> I don't think cycling from shop to shop is at all sensible. Hunting
> down a suitable parking place securing the bike all those times
> is surely more time consuming than simply walking around.
Don't agree. I use my bike as my shopping basket. YMMV.
Colin Rosenstiel
Colin Rosenstiel
(Paul Oldham) wrote:
> In article <memo.2002102...@colin.rosenstiel.cix.co.uk>,
> rosen...@cix.co.uk (Colin Rosenstiel) growled:
>
> > In article <Xns92B66D840655al...@193.150.150.3>,
> > alan....@deadspam.com (Alan) wrote:
> >
> > > So parking it in a secure car park and walking around does
> > > necessarily appeal.
> >
> > You have put your finger on the scheme's major design weakness. There
> > are relatively few cyclists who follow the car driver parking model.
> > Fatally limits the usefulness of the scheme to me.
>
> I have to say that if I cycle into the city centre to shop I do tend to
> park in one place and walk around, because it's too much arse securing
> the bike repeatedly. And historically I've tended to park my bike
> close to Park Street. So it would work well for me ...
>
> However generally speaking I don't cycle into town to shop, even when
> I'm fit, because I prefer to use the bus for shopping trips. So how
> useful this data point is must be open question ;-)
You also live a lot further from the historic centre shops than I do.
Personally I prefer to ride a bike to walking.
Colin Rosenstiel
Simon Proven
park
> in one place and walk around, because it's too much arse securing the bike
> repeatedly. And historically I've tended to park my bike close to Park
> Street. So it would work well for me ...
I think it depends on so many factors. If it's dark and I need
to faff around removing lights etc then I'm far more likely to
park in one place and walk around. During daylight, I'm more
likely to switch to cycling between shops and parking nearby than
if it was dark.
However, even during daylight I have quite a lot of faff as I
wear one of those fashionable[1] reflective/fluorescent tops and
I won't leave the computer on there either, as I've had one of
those nicked before, too.
I reckon that I'm a fairly faff-prone cyclist, so I'm definately
one of the more likely to use the car park facility type cyclist.
Simon
Simon Proven
"Simon Proven" <simon.x...@ntlworld.ptang.com> wrote in message
news:vlxv9.2084$uP2....@newsfep1-gui.server.ntli.net...
PS
[1] By that I mean entirely unfashionable.
Mark Ayliffe
>
> Isn't that one of the problems with some cyclists, the bike goes where
> they go, even to the extent of riding from shop to shop, rather than
> parking it one place and walking around?
*shrug* More so than one does shopping by car, but that's part of the
usefulness of a bike. FWIW good outdoor Sheffield stands suit me very well
for the limited amount of business I conduct in town.
>
> So parking it in a secure car park and walking around does necessarily
> appeal.
I doubt I'd ever use one, even if it was (say) in the old Dorothy Perkins
shop, which would be about the most convenient location for my purposes.
Mark
Mark Ayliffe
> In article <103589700...@iapetus.uk.clara.net>,
> s...@clSPAMara.co.uk (SAH) wrote:
>
>> Have you got any statistics to back that up? I always park
>> my bike once and walk around. And when I get back
>> after two, three hours or whatever I often observe the same
>> bike is locked up next to mine.
>
> No scientific figures, no. Just years of personal experience and
> observation. Plus the fact that I call at several places and don't
> leave the city centre by the same approach that I arrived by. I blame
> the one-way streets.
If I'm visiting several places while I'm in the centre, I might move my bike
once or twice. Not quite to every shop, but saving a bit of a walk back from
the furthest point. IYSWIM.
Mark
Mark Ayliffe
> In article <Xns92B66D840655al...@193.150.150.3>,
> alan....@deadspam.com (Alan) wrote:
>> Isn't that one of the problems with some cyclists, the bike goes
>> where they go, even to the extent of riding from shop to shop,
>> rather than parking it one place and walking around?
>>
>
> are relatively few cyclists who follow the car driver parking model.
> Fatally limits the usefulness of the scheme to me.
Yup, spend the dosh on putting shelters over the city centre racks IMHO. :-)
Mark
Jonathan Larmour
Colin Rosenstiel <rosen...@cix.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> down a suitable parking place securing the bike all those times
>> is surely more time consuming than simply walking around.
>
>Don't agree. I use my bike as my shopping basket. YMMV.
MMDV. I do *want* to use Park Street more, but from my side of the city
centre it makes little sense to go past the city centre and park on the
other side. I don't want to breathe any more bus diesel fumes than I
need to thanks. But if I do need to go to that side, I park there
(mmmm.... Maypole cocktails..... yummmmm).
I hope the Grand Arcade proposal has now got rid of the daft idea of a
big ramp for cyclists, with a grossly underestimated number of cycle
spaces in some overly compact space (I vaguely recall something about it
being some sort of carousel shaped things with the bikes stored
vertically. I might be making it up). The planning dept. web pages are
distinctly lacking in detail.
Hugo 'NOx' Tyson
jifl...@jifvik.org.removethis.invalid (Jonathan Larmour) writes:
> In article <kA%u9.3055$m55.1...@newsfep1-gui.server.ntli.net>,
> Simon Proven <simon.x...@ntlworld.ptang.com> wrote:
> >[Park Street cycle lockers]
> >I'd be disappointed if it failed due to lack of patronage; this
> >can't surely be down to lack of demand for cycle parking in
> >general (the on-street cycle parking is often hard to find a
> >space in at the weekend).
>
> I definitely think the subscription basis for cycle lockers is
> part of the difficulty. I just don't go to that end of town and
> therefore use Park Street often enough to warrant getting them.
Me too.
But FWIW, I'm in the "park once" camp. Exceptions might be "doing" the
Grafton centre and town centre, I would cycle between them.
> At the very least, rather than paying for a particular locker,
> it would be better to have an entitlement for _any_ locker, with
> a lower annual fee. This would be a much better model while lockers
> are spare as you encourage more people to have them. OTOH you have
> to have a different sort of lock to allow this: one that only allows
> opening by the key that locked it!
Like personal safes that many hotels have in the wardrobe; you type in a
PIN of your choice into the electronic lock when you lock it. It can't be
that expensive, or hotels wouldn't do it, IMHO.
Addressing some other comments:
o Why do people feel the need to remove the fluoro jacket when not
cycling? I just keep mine on and who cares what shop assistants think.
Do you change out of your cycling shorts as well or just remove the
courgette? ;-)
o Ditto the helmet for short interludes, TBH. Being too hot is my usual
motivator for removing it.
o Re faff with helmet: I always just pass the D-lock through it and leave
it on the bike. Much faster than putting it in a rucksack and getting
it out again &c.
o Re faff with lights and computer: this is why dynamo lights were
invented. And usually, your LED backups can be modified in minutes, by
cutting off the end of the tine that locks it into the bracket so that a
fine screwdriver is needed to unhook it, and/or adding a cable tie or
self-tapping screw as extra fixation. I'd expect the same to be true of
computers to some extent.
IMHO with a bit of effort and forethought, you really can minimize the
faffing time to just that of actually locking the bike.
- Huge
Jonathan Larmour
Hugo 'NOx' Tyson <hm...@surfingsuggestionx.co.ukx> wrote:
>
> o Re faff with helmet: I always just pass the D-lock through it and leave
> it on the bike. Much faster than putting it in a rucksack and getting
> it out again &c.
I did that a few times before realising that firstly people don't seem to
have much concern for bashing the helmet as they get their own bike out
next to it, and bashing cycle helmets is A Bad Thing; and secondly, if it
rains, the soft pads on the inside soak up the water. Ick.
Most times I end up holding it (or wearing it unless I'm too hot, which is
most times :-)).
Paul Rudin
HT> IMHO with a bit of effort and forethought, you really can
HT> minimize the faffing time to just that of actually locking the
HT> bike.
Indeed. I don't (well, very seldom) wear a helmet. Lights are bolted
onto the bike all the time; The dynamo is an integral part of the
front wheel hub. Any other stuff I have with me goes in a Ortlieb
pannier which can be removed/replaced very quickly.
(Admitedly trailer use does mean it takes a little longer to get
everything locked up since I normally use a second lock for the
trailer.)
--
Oh, FISH sticks, CHEEZ WHIZ, GIN fizz, SHOW BIZ!!
Simon Proven
"Hugo 'NOx' Tyson" <hm...@surfingsuggestionx.co.ukx> wrote in message
news:m3fzuoi...@foo.surfingsuggestion.co.uk...
> o Re faff with lights and computer: this is why dynamo lights were
> invented.
Dynamos have a bad reputation for reliability, and IMPE,
this was justified. However, hub dynamos are a different
breed, and though expensive are excellent. The faffing
for me has been reduced somewhat.
I'm not particularly keen to leave the helmet sat out in
pouring rain and return to find all its padding soaked.
Simon
Mark Coley
> Dynamos have a bad reputation for reliability, and IMPE,
> this was justified. However, hub dynamos are a different
> breed, and though expensive are excellent. The faffing
> for me has been reduced somewhat.
In the past 5 years I've had 2 dynamos. The first lasted about a year
before it melted inside, but the second (all metal) has lasted 4 years and
is still going strong. The only disadvantages are that it is like riding
up hill!
Mark.
Paul
news:ril1sugqfl3d3l1vv...@4ax.com...
> Did anybody manage to rent a locker at the special price? The
> gentleman I spoke to on the number above had no knowledge of the
> offer. Shame really, because while £10pm is a fair rate, I'd prefer
> not shell out £35 to find out if my usage would warrant it. I guess
> the lockers are aimed at those who cycle in every day.
I will reiterate that the offer of £10 for three months stands. I have this
morning spoken to the Car Parks Manager on Cam 457340 who has checked with
Paul Necus and confirmed that the offer is available. Therefore if you
phone 457340 you will be able to hire a cycle locker for £10 for three
months as stated in my original posting.
Paul
Colin Rosenstiel
new...@foobar.clara.co.uk (Bernard Boudet) wrote:
> On a separate note, is it okay to leave a bike at Park Street cycle
> park locked to a stand overnight (or over a weekend)? And how secure
> is that?
Probably more secure than left on a stand in the street.
Colin Rosenstiel
Mark Coley
> > On a separate note, is it okay to leave a bike at Park Street cycle
> > park locked to a stand overnight (or over a weekend)? And how secure
> > is that?
>
> Probably more secure than left on a stand in the street.
Having lived here since 1993, I'm always amazed at the number of bikes
with bent wheels locked to stands. Has anyone ever seen people jumping on
them to buckle the wheels? I assume this is what people are doing, but
I've never actually witnessed it.
Mark.
Alan Braggins
> > Dynamos have a bad reputation for reliability, and IMPE,
> > this was justified. However, hub dynamos are a different
> > breed, and though expensive are excellent.
>
> before it melted inside, but the second (all metal) has lasted 4 years and
> is still going strong. The only disadvantages are that it is like riding
> up hill!
With a slope of less than 1/300 for typical bottle dynamos, and around
1/1000 for a decent hub dynamo. That's not very hilly, even by Cambridge
standards. See http://simon.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/bike/dynotest.html
Vicky Larmour
news:Pine.SOL.3.96.102103...@libra.cus.cam.ac.uk,
Mark Coley wrote:
> Having lived here since 1993, I'm always amazed at the number of
> bikes with bent wheels locked to stands. Has anyone ever seen
> people jumping on them to buckle the wheels? I assume this is
> what people are doing, but I've never actually witnessed it.
I think it's partly deliberate vandalism (which I have witnessed
being done to my own bike as I returned to it) and partly
carelessness. Even in the stands at work, my bike gets knocked over
and not replaced upright fairly often (despite being locked to the
stand). When it's lying in an awkward angle, some pressure in the
wrong place or someone being in a hurry to get their own bike out can
do a fairly significant amount of damage.
Mark Coley
> > In the past 5 years I've had 2 dynamos. The first lasted about a year
> > before it melted inside, but the second (all metal) has lasted 4 years and
> > is still going strong. The only disadvantages are that it is like riding
> > up hill!
>
> With a slope of less than 1/300 for typical bottle dynamos, and around
> 1/1000 for a decent hub dynamo. That's not very hilly, even by Cambridge
> standards. See http://simon.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/bike/dynotest.html
It must be psychological then! Oh well, you learn something every day...
Mark.
Malcolm Gray
> I think it's partly deliberate vandalism (which I have witnessed
> being done to my own bike as I returned to it) and partly
> carelessness. Even in the stands at work, my bike gets knocked over
> and not replaced upright fairly often (despite being locked to the
> stand). When it's lying in an awkward angle, some pressure in the
> wrong place or someone being in a hurry to get their own bike out can
> do a fairly significant amount of damage.
Where possible I use 2 D locks and they seem to stop the bike
falling over faily well. It does get slightly interesting if 2 people
using short locks use one stand though.
Vicky Larmour
I use 2 D-locks (as opposed to 2-D locks :-)) too, one to secure the
bike to the stand and one to secure the frame and one of the wheels
together. On some stands I can make the second one reach round the
stand too, which is obviously even better, but quite rare to find a
stand where that is possible.
Tony Finch
>
>With a slope of less than 1/300 for typical bottle dynamos, and around
>1/1000 for a decent hub dynamo. That's not very hilly, even by Cambridge
>standards. See http://simon.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/bike/dynotest.html
Pity it doesn't mention the Dynosys Lightspin. This is a bottle dynamo
with a built-in battery so that you have a stand-light; but the main
feature is that it's exceptionally free-spinning. I haven't got around
to acquiring one to replace the somewhat shitty one on my Brompton, though...
Tony.
--
f.a.n.finch <d...@dotat.at> http://dotat.at/
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath including the Outer Hebrides. Wind: southwest
3 or 4 increasing southeast 5 or 6.
Jonathan Amery
Mark Coley <mdc...@nospam.cam.ac.uk> wrote:
>Having lived here since 1993, I'm always amazed at the number of bikes
>with bent wheels locked to stands. Has anyone ever seen people jumping on
>them to buckle the wheels? I assume this is what people are doing, but
>I've never actually witnessed it.
>
effect. But since there were lots of them, and given reports I've
heard of the police completely failing to do anything about this I
didn't do anything. I probably should have done.
--
Jonathan Amery. Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek
##### So much to be consoled as to console;
#######__o To be understood as to understand;
#######'/ To be loved as to love with all my soul.
Alan Braggins
Or possibly a worse than average or poorly adjusted dynamo.
More likely you're going a bit slower than normal mostly just because
it's dark which is why you had the dynamo on, but unless you switch
between a dynamo and a battery light and compare directly (or have a
test rig to measure drag) it tends to feel like the dynamo is causing
the slowdown.
Alan Braggins
> Alan Braggins <ar...@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
> >
> >With a slope of less than 1/300 for typical bottle dynamos, and around
> >1/1000 for a decent hub dynamo. That's not very hilly, even by Cambridge
> >standards. See http://simon.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/bike/dynotest.html
>
> Pity it doesn't mention the Dynosys Lightspin. This is a bottle dynamo
> with a built-in battery so that you have a stand-light; but the main
> feature is that it's exceptionally free-spinning.
http://www.pdeleuw.de/fahrrad/lightspin-e.html#messungen
Has some measurements (in English).
http://experte.kt2.tu-harburg.de/Beleuchtung.pdf
mentions Dynosys, and has lots of tables and graphs,
but I don't read German so can't tell more than that.
Mark Coley
Back in July when I was riding from town to Fowlmere and back in
anticipation of the London to Cambridge bike ride, I'd have to put my
dymno on on the way back as there were parts that were quite dark due to
trees, even through there was plenty of evening light (for me anyway). It
was much easier without the dynamo on.
Where does one buy these expensive ones with low drag? When I replaced my
melted one I think I went to about 4 bike shops in Cambridge and none of
them sold dynamos. I can't remember where I ended up buying one though...
Mark.
Malcolm Gray
> I use 2 D-locks (as opposed to 2-D locks :-)) too, one to secure the
> bike to the stand and one to secure the frame and one of the wheels
> together. On some stands I can make the second one reach round the
> stand too, which is obviously even better, but quite rare to find a
> stand where that is possible.
Your bike is a a different shape than mine :-)
I use one long d-lock through the front wheel, frame and top of the
stand.
and one short one throught the rear wheel, frame and stand.
Tony Finch
Ben Hayward had Lightspins when I asked there.
Tony.
--
f.a.n.finch <d...@dotat.at> http://dotat.at/
FORTIES CROMARTY: NORTHWESTERLY BACKING SOUTHEASTERLY 4 OR 5, DECREASING 3 FOR
A TIME, INCREASING 6 IN NORTH LATER. SHOWERS THEN RAIN. GOOD BECOMING
MODERATE.
Patrick Gosling
Mark Coley <mdc...@nospam.cam.ac.uk> wrote:
>with bent wheels locked to stands. Has anyone ever seen people jumping on
>them to buckle the wheels? I assume this is what people are doing, but
>I've never actually witnessed it.
I guess that newer bikes like this have been vandalised, but I believe
this is also the natural result of leaving a bike propped up somewhere
for a couple of years.
-patrick.
Patrick Gosling
Hugo 'NOx' Tyson <hm...@surfingsuggestionx.co.ukx> wrote:
>Like personal safes that many hotels have in the wardrobe; you type in a
>PIN of your choice into the electronic lock when you lock it. It can't be
>that expensive, or hotels wouldn't do it, IMHO.
However, hotels tend to check the rooms out fairly thoroughly after
each visitor, and will charge any damage to the appropriate bill, as I
understand it.
-patrick.