Competely noob towards all things bike

[Cam_NZ]

I've seen lockers on the upper floors of the AF building. What time you coming in? I've got a stupid KEC lecture at 11am.

Lol stuff kec all together. I got there at 9 this morning and enquired about lockers.... They are under renivation until easter so no option (those are the af ones)

Could lock in onto my bike, hasnt really rained lately so is an option.. Other option is getting a bag or topbox for it.. But they really do look so shit :P...

Theres plenty of bikes so someone must have the solution for me... I could carry everything around but i ride in full gear and that would be alot of shit.

Oh and where do people get changed and whatnot. Just used the library bathroom today and got alot of looks haha

[TheTengTheory]

Lol stuff kec all together. I got there at 9 this morning and enquired about lockers.... They are under renivation until easter so no option (those are the af ones)

Could lock in onto my bike, hasnt really rained lately so is an option.. Other option is getting a bag or topbox for it.. But they really do look so shit :P...

Theres plenty of bikes so someone must have the solution for me... I could carry everything around but i ride in full gear and that would be alot of shit.

Oh and where do people get changed and whatnot. Just used the library bathroom today and got alot of looks haha

I saw one guy wear his leather jacket and carried his helmet....Suppose riding in jeans wouldn't float your boat would it?

Buy a top box....well worth the investment...My topbox was my dads which he bought and never used from like 1995....yes its not as cool but you can use the time you're not lugging around your stuff looking like a twat to make up for the loss of bling factor.

[Cam_NZ]

I saw one guy wear his leather jacket and carried his helmet....Suppose riding in jeans wouldn't float your boat would it?

Buy a top box....well worth the investment...My topbox was my dads which he bought and never used from like 1995....yes its not as cool but you can use the time you're not lugging around your stuff looking like a twat to make up for the loss of bling factor.

Haha nah no jeans for me... for some reason have a fear of getting one of those breaks in the ankle, where the foot is facing the other way :P. So full gear for me... Might have to tie it to the bike for now and see what happens. Can always chain pants and jacket and just carry the other three. We shall see. How much can you usually fit in one of those tank bags?? Or may invest in a pannier bag.. Will check in shop tommorrow

[TheTengTheory]

Haha nah no jeans for me... for some reason have a fear of getting one of those breaks in the ankle, where the foot is facing the other way :P. So full gear for me... Might have to tie it to the bike for now and see what happens. Can always chain pants and jacket and just carry the other three. We shall see. How much can you usually fit in one of those tank bags?? Or may invest in a pannier bag.. Will check in shop tommorrow

my jacket and helmet + gloves inside....and various nicknacks underneath....

fair enough each to their own....you could always make friends with one of the faculty staff and ask them if you can leave your stuff in the corner. Maybe get chummy with one of the lecturers

[Cam_NZ]

my jacket and helmet + gloves inside....and various nicknacks underneath....

fair enough each to their own....you could always make friends with one of the faculty staff and ask them if you can leave your stuff in the corner. Maybe get chummy with one of the lecturers

Yeah was looking at one of those small magnetic tank bags so that i could chuck some stuff in it and make room for my boots or something in my backpack... Other than that at the moment the solution looks like just strapping it and leaving it on my bike for the day. I am yet to find a good looking lecturer :P

[Glowerss]

Yeah was looking at one of those small magnetic tank bags so that i could chuck some stuff in it and make room for my boots or something in my backpack... Other than that at the moment the solution looks like just strapping it and leaving it on my bike for the day. I am yet to find a good looking lecturer :P

Just get a pair of kevlar jeans. They're comfy enough to wear all day in truth. Then just bring a backpack. When I'm working at the northshore campus (work in the student IT department) Boots gloves sunnies fit into the backpack (change into shoes once there). backpack + jacket goes onto back of chair, helmet under chair.

Sides, most classrooms in the Akoranga campus (all of em really) have places you can stash your gear in the corner or on a table somewhere. Shouldn't be any dramas carrying yer gear with you. I've never found it troublesome anyway.

Wellesly campus it's jsut a matter of chaining up your gear to yoru bike. Dunno that I'd reccomend it at akoranga though. Likely to get wet

[Cam_NZ]

Just get a pair of kevlar jeans. They're comfy enough to wear all day in truth. Then just bring a backpack. When I'm working at the northshore campus (work in the student IT department) Boots gloves sunnies fit into the backpack (change into shoes once there). backpack + jacket goes onto back of chair, helmet under chair.

Sides, most classrooms in the Akoranga campus (all of em really) have places you can stash your gear in the corner or on a table somewhere. Shouldn't be any dramas carrying yer gear with you. I've never found it troublesome anyway.

Wellesly campus it's jsut a matter of chaining up your gear to yoru bike. Dunno that I'd reccomend it at akoranga though. Likely to get wet

Ok just came back and got a small little magnetic tank bag and one of those roll out bags. The roll out one ill just use for gear and it can velcro through my backpack straps and sit kinda like one of those roll out foam matress for camping.

Next question is... what do you guys do about transporting laptops and other electronics... I was hoping for a waterproof backpack but apparently none are absolutely waterproof... And i cant exactly take the risk of damaging my laptop. What kind of backpack do you guys use to commute with and how do you protect the valuables???

Cheers

[The End]

Ok just came back and got a small little magnetic tank bag and one of those roll out bags. The roll out one ill just use for gear and it can velcro through my backpack straps and sit kinda like one of those roll out foam matress for camping.

Next question is... what do you guys do about transporting laptops and other electronics... I was hoping for a waterproof backpack but apparently none are absolutely waterproof... And i cant exactly take the risk of damaging my laptop. What kind of backpack do you guys use to commute with and how do you protect the valuables???

Cheers

I've had a Macpac bag for 7 years now. I trust it with my Laptop inside, and I've yet to have it wet in there after a ride in the rain.

[GrayWolf]

Haha nah no jeans for me... for some reason have a fear of getting one of those breaks in the ankle, where the foot is facing the other way :P. So full gear for me... Might have to tie it to the bike for now and see what happens. Can always chain pants and jacket and just carry the other three. We shall see. How much can you usually fit in one of those tank bags?? Or may invest in a pannier bag.. Will check in shop tommorrow

Sorry Cam, that doesnt make sense mate,,,
just how do you think, cordura, or leather pants will prevent a broken ankle more than 'kevlar' lined jeans?
it's the boots/footwear that will help prevent a breakage.. and you can wear just about any type of boots with 'kevlar' riding jeans....

[TheTengTheory]

Sorry Cam, that doesnt make sense mate,,,
just how do you think, cordura, or leather pants will prevent a broken ankle more than 'kevlar' lined jeans?
it's the boots/footwear that will help prevent a breakage.. and you can wear just about any type of boots with 'kevlar' riding jeans....

Think he meant riding full gear including boots as oppose to just jacket helmet and gloves like I sometimes do.

Cam: Unless you're riding for at least 20-30minutes in fairly heavy rain you should be fine. The bag should soak up most of the liquid and excess runs off the outside as opposed to just falling....most water resistant bags will get wet after a while but won't soak and run through unless dunked in water. Obviously with enough time it will soak through and wet the insides but if you're worried just put it in a plastic bag and keep the entry facing downwards so it doesn't leak in. So unless you're planning on going for a swim with said gear you should be fine.

Rubbish bags make brilliant liners for bags. Just twist the top a few times after putting everything in and tuck it down the side.

[bosslady]

Think he meant riding full gear including boots as oppose to just jacket helmet and gloves like I sometimes do.

Cam: Unless you're riding for at least 20-30minutes in fairly heavy rain you should be fine. The bag should soak up most of the liquid and excess runs off the outside as opposed to just falling....most water resistant bags will get wet after a while but won't soak and run through unless dunked in water. Obviously with enough time it will soak through and wet the insides but if you're worried just put it in a plastic bag and keep the entry facing downwards so it doesn't leak in. So unless you're planning on going for a swim with said gear you should be fine.

Rubbish bags make brilliant liners for bags. Just twist the top a few times after putting everything in and tuck it down the side.

you don't even wear undies?

[Tigadee]

Ok just came back and got a small little magnetic tank bag and one of those roll out bags. The roll out one ill just use for gear and it can velcro through my backpack straps and sit kinda like one of those roll out foam matress for camping. What kind of backpack do you guys use to commute with and how do you protect the valuables???

Ventura pack rack and a large top box is better than panniers and a tank bag. Major convenience, like have a locker on the back of your bike...

Any backpack will do. If you have valuables inside like a laptop, make sure you have it inside a plastic bag unless you have a MacPac like The End. Even then, doesn't hurt to have one of those folded black rubbish bags neatly tucked into one of the bag's pockets, just in case... or blow it up and put it into your backpack as a rear air bag!

[Mushu]

I recently bought a nichi tail bag which has gotten wet without leaking but has yet to see heavy rain (tail bag itself was a great buy, it's so much better riding without a bag on your back)
I have a Nike Air backpack about 5 years old has a thick padded area at the back for a laptop. The whole bag is water resistant and there's an extra layer around the laptop pouch.

Well, its your bike and you can do what you want! But the way I understand it, for most bikes, if you do clutchless upshifts perfectly, they're fairly harmless. But if you stuff it up, it can do some harm. Ill leave you with the explanation:

Think of a steel bar that fits into a hole into another piece of metal. Now put the bar under shear by pulling laterally to one side - this is engine torque. Now start pulling the bar out of the hole while continuing to keep it under shear. The pulling is your boot pressing on the shift lever commanding the dogs to disengage the gear from a shaft.........

That steel bar analogy doesn't really hold true, it's more of an explanation of what happens if you force it into the next gear at full throttle which would be stupid, the most important part of a clutchless gear shift (bike, car or truck) is controlling the throttle and coordinating throttle and gears

Clutchless gear changes should not be attempted unless you know how the parts work together, in saying that up changes if done correctly are pretty much impossible to get wrong.

Try it, while accelerating hard, slip your foot under the gear lever and apply firm pressure without trying to force it then just back off the throttle about a 1/4 turn and the lever will happily click to the next cog then all you have to do is get the timing right for the throttle and get ready to do it again.

You have to be accelerating hard to guarantee this will work, and using this technique you will never get that accidental neutral.

Down changing is far more complicated and more likely to damage your gearbox although it can be done with a little practice, with the slipper clutches they use these days you're better off just using the clutch.

Clutchless shifts correctly done are very smooth and very common in racing I'm pretty sure I read the technique in twist of the wrist 2 (I have to get my copy from my brother in law so I can double check I'm not getting references mixed up)

The same is true in a car, in fact if you can get the timing correct, your synchros (kind of a clutch for matching gear speeds) don't suffer any wear at all. And road ranger boxes (trucks) the clutch is completely redundant while changing gears. Bikes use dogs rather than the sleeve arrangement found in other gearboxes but the principal remains the same



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[Cam_NZ]

Yeah sorry just ment the boots. I could get the jeans but it gets bloody hot in the middle of the day at the moment anyway and id probably end up putting shorts on.

Anyway I may look at just getting the rack for my bike, and trying to find a bag for it later on. At the moment i think i've sorted my problem. May see what i can do about a top box, but they are pretty big, and its just something I have to worry about when lanesplitting

Yeah definately going to need another bapack anyway, mine only just squeezes in a laptop. So will just have a look around, maybe better at outdoor shops (macpac, kathmandu)

Cheers

[Mushu]

Boots are a good idea, I can tell you from experience skate shoes really don't cut it if you go down, plenty of people are happy riding in work boots though.

Riding in shorts is not something that would be recommended by any body on here (nobody with any brains anyway) even kevlar jeans aren't really that good compared to goretex or leather but they better than nothing and not really that heavy (I have a few pairs and I tend to wear them almost all the time) just remember that kevlar is useless when wet so get decent wet weather gear as well.

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