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Welcome to Velo Vision magazine, covering specialised bikes, cycling as transport and human power. It's a quarterly dose of cycle inspiration.

The current issue is Issue 16. The next issue is out early March 2005.

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Velo Vision office now reopened


Emails are being answered, orders sent out, and normal service is resuming - back in the office...

Back! Will post updates here shortly - had a great break, and Ireland is lovely for cycling :-)

Please be patient while I work through replying to hundreds of emails and letters...

Peter Eland

****

I'm off to Ireland for a cycling holiday with my girlfriend - we'll each have a folding bike, as the original plan to take a tandem seemed too fraught with transport difficulties. Many thanks to the folks at GoBike for shipping me a bike at very short notice...

- I'll try to keep an occasional eye on this site, and I have spies to tell me if anyone's being naughty or libellous or whatever. So don't be!

- While I'm away feel free to use the online shop to order back issues, renew your subs etc - but note that orders will not be sent out until I return.

And thanks to everyone who wished me a happy holiday. I'll post a brief report when I get back :-)

Peter Eland

Posted on 19 April 2004

Your comments ...


  • From: Seamus (sdk_etc) on 02 April 2004
  • Almost time for the holiday song then Pete.
    Another two hours for me, 2 weeks off, and then for all those folks with 'proper' jobs...

    I'm on holiday and you are not,
    doo-dah, doo-dah.

    I'm on holiday and you are not,
    doo-dah, doo-dah, day.

    Well, I was going to go over to Belgium or Holland via Hull but that ferry operator has increased fares by approx. 100% this year so I'm not.

    No idea what I'll be doing instead at all.


  • From: Arch (@work) on 02 April 2004
  • No banter for two whole weeks! How will we cope? Pete, you need an automatic story posting machine, that says something neutral like 'Dutch man invents thing', or 'English Person writes book', so that Seamus can tell us he's going to review it in the next BKN, Roger can tell us how much more handsome it would be if he did it, Ralf can tell us why it shouldn't be made in aluminium and I can post something not quite to do with the subject, and slightly acerbic.

    Happy holidays Pete!


  • From: Norti Rascal (@hmp.com) on 03 April 2004
  • Bum!


  • From: cheeky rascal (@hmp.com) on 03 April 2004
  • Jason Patient is really a girl!


  • From: miss jase ([email protected]) on 04 April 2004
  • good to know that I'm not forgotten. It's a kilt not skirt I wear.


  • From: Marquis d'Egville ([email protected]) on 04 April 2004
  • Really, how unPC it is Ms, not Miss

    (Though if you have a proper (Mac) computer you are still allowed to be 'Miss')


  • From: Ralf Grosser ([email protected]) on 05 April 2004
  • How to make a Kilt.
    Take a piece of tartan, und stick a needle and thread into it, untill you have "Kilt" it.
    PS: make shure the needle is not made of Aluminium!


  • From: Acicula ([email protected]) on 05 April 2004
  • Nowadays the best needles are made from titanium or carbon fibre, though I believe some people still argue in favour of steel - but whatever you do avoid cast iron or common or garden plastic.


  • From: Arch ([email protected]) on 05 April 2004
  • I've never seen Jason in a kilt...

    I wore a kilt once, to a 'Come as a member of the opposite sex' party. It was the only time people ever saw me in a skirtlike piece of apparel. Drafty though.


  • From: Leicester's richest (cycling historian) on 05 April 2004
  • So, in the proposed picture, you'll not be wearing your jeans and not not wearing your skirt.

    I know what I mean.


  • From: Arch (@herdesk) on 05 April 2004
  • I believe that's the idea... Any more word from the emininent photographic gentleman?


  • From: Mat in sunny Leicester ([email protected]) on 05 April 2004
  • In Peter's absence, here a story about ://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20040403/mathtrek.asp">square wheeled bike. It's very good!


  • From: Mat ([email protected]) on 05 April 2004
  • O, no html allowed. Try
    http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20040403/mathtrek.asp


  • From: andy Scaife ([email protected]) on 06 April 2004
  • Well I believe our comments record is 60, before Peter deleted the item. we could always amuse ourselves off-topic (how much further off-topic can we get than kilts?) and give P some work to do when he gets back.
    Here's my first digression......


  • From: andy Scaife (bored@caffe-nero) on 06 April 2004
  • ...... At this year's York Rally, I will (pending Peters approval) be running another little VeloVisionaries Piss-up. It would prob leave the site arond 6.30 or 7 to give the traders time to get ready. Not too far or too fast, so kids can come too. (for the locals, either the ship or the roebuck/crown - wadddya think?).


  • From: him again... (forgetful@myage) on 06 April 2004
  • ..and there may be a prize for the person on the most inappropriate machine, so get thniking.


  • From: Antony (at pedalcars dot info) on 06 April 2004
  • > I will be running (a) VeloVisionaries Piss-up. (...) Not too far or too fast, so kids can come too.

    Am I the only one to spot an irony in this quote?

    ;-)


  • From: Tom (Tom@compofcyclistsetc) on 06 April 2004
  • If we bring the ZEM we'll win hands down. Woss the prize then??


  • From: Wobbly John ([email protected]) on 06 April 2004
  • The ZEM seems a very sensible machine to take - or even the conference bike - at least only the 'driver/captain' need stay sober(ish).

    You have got some competition to contend with - I'll be coming! Now which machine? A wobblebike?, the Spincycle? the Ekib? (see http://xntrick.co.uk)


  • From: antony (again) on 06 April 2004
  • Tom, if you're taking the ZEM can we borrow the Conference?

    We can put any sprogs we collect in a KMX or three and tow them behind. Or is that beside, or in front? I'm never quite sure on the conference...

    :-D


  • From: Wobbly John (@it again) on 06 April 2004
  • So long as that Square wheeled bloke don't come!


  • From: antony (once more) on 06 April 2004
  • Or maybe we'll use a racing pedal car. Totally inappropriate for a p-up, given there's just the one seat, no luggage space and up to four drivers per car...


  • From: Roger t Hilldodger (@cyclemagic) on 06 April 2004
  • The Vomit Comet could be made available. It's an upright trike with three eccentric wheels. I win!


  • From: ian fardoe (@wolvesonwheels) on 06 April 2004
  • Ill be stopping at the york rally hopefully as part of a detoured lejog, so any oppo for a pissup sounds good to me.


  • From: Wobbly John ([email protected]) on 06 April 2004
  • Roger

    Re: Vomit Comet - Why don't you ask 'Square-wheel-man' what shape the bumps need to be to get a smooth ride?


  • From: Arch (still@work) on 06 April 2004
  • Micro tandem anybody?

    Or Horse? Mind you I don't have a horse to offer.


  • From: Silverback (sb@h/ass.) on 06 April 2004
  • John do you also make time travel machines?
    Your last update on your site is 29/4/04!!


  • From: Arch (sarcheretc) on 07 April 2004
  • Only just got round to looking at the square wheels thing. Seems like the ideal vehicle for cycling across Medieval ridge and furrow fields (formed by years of ploughing the strips rented by each tenant). Incidentally Roger, apparently Leicestershire is the county with the most surviving fields of this type...

    How off topic can you get?...


  • From: antony (once more) on 07 April 2004
  • Something that struck me the other day, seeing all the chat about hub gears on unicycles:

    Why has no-one ever made a recumbent unicycle? (or, have they?)

    Project for you, John?


  • From: Wobbly John ([email protected]) on 07 April 2004
  • Nothing new in cycling they say! http://www.unicycling.com/garage/recumben.htm


  • From: antony (...) on 07 April 2004
  • That's just an upright with the pedals out front! It's no more recumbent (less, looking at it) than my office chair. My idea of recumbent is for the rider to be in a, um, recumbent position, not sitting bolt upright.

    Bum further forward, shoulders further back...

    Then someone could build a low-racer version with a 12" wheel. ;-)

    Or maybe not. How about a micro-uni, using a wheel from a micro-bike, and some really, really short cranks?


  • From: Tom ([email protected]) on 07 April 2004
  • Competition Ha! There's always our BMX freestyle sofabike...

    We're finishing shows in Liverpool and Newcastle, so I'm not sure which megas will be knocking around. Those that are available will be out for some silliness though, I'm sure. (Don't tell Jim...)


  • From: Wobbly John (Yada@yada) on 07 April 2004
  • Micro-uni - been done - one up for sale on ebay last week! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3669232475&category=16170


  • From: A (...) on 07 April 2004
  • OK, I give up...

    :)


  • From: Wobbly John (at@@@@@) on 07 April 2004
  • Ok - The ideal vehicle for the Velovisionaries p-up: http://www.fietscafe.nl/

    Tom, Andy, How about we find out how much they would charge? Do you think the CTC would approve?

    John J (looking forward to being even wobblier in June)


  • From: Ralf Grosser ([email protected]) on 07 April 2004
  • Instead of building a recumbent Unicycle, how about reviveing the Idea of the monobike.
    A monobike is a large wheel, that the driver sits and pedals inside.
    Some motorised, or pedalpowered have been built, but never with great sucsess.
    The ceap version of this I rode a a kid. We would climb inside an emty automobile tire, and would have another child send us rolling.
    Steering was done by shifting the weight, and vision was very limited.
    Often we would afterwards say "Hello again" to our last meal!


  • From: Moultoneer-Ride-Frankfurt ([email protected]) on 07 April 2004
  • Moultoneer-Ride-Frankfurt 18. April
    10:00 Frankfurt Germany meeting at the old Cityhall the Römer.
    Rode from Frankfurt to Hanau, for Moulton bikes only.


  • From: Arch (Etc@etc) on 08 April 2004
  • I've seen the picture of a single Fiets cafe before, but never the whole fleet! Wow.

    I suppose it would require people to go fetch it, but based on Company of Cyclists experience, the machine might travel as a bike on a ferry...

    Someone would need to come up with a suitable pub name and temporary sign...


  • From: Antony (...) on 08 April 2004
  • http://www.fietscafe.nl/
    Now that's cool.

    For a name, how about "The Wobbly Wheel"? Or, "The Beer Engine"?

    Bagsy me not drive...

    Ralf, some of us looked at monobikes a couple of years ago. Scrapheap Challenge build a couple (powered) in one episode and someone around here (Roger?) found some links to some human powered designs. Look like a lot of fun!


  • From: A (...) on 08 April 2004
  • Search Google for "monowheel"

    This is the first link:

    http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/TRANSPORT/motorwhl/motorwhl.htm


  • From: andy scaife (amazed@response) on 08 April 2004
  • Oh lord what monster have i created here?
    We're up to 41 though, so doing well, and have got as far as cafes and medieval farming systems. I'm VERY pleased!
    I think if Peter declines to have a ride/piss-up in Velovision's name, we'll be having one anyway. I might get the local paper along if we can assemble enough engineering eccentricity together.
    The embarrasing thing is that I haven't got anything wierd on the go at present. Better get busy. Anyone bringing an Ordinary?


  • From: andy scaife (clutching@straws) on 08 April 2004
  • I gottit! I'll bring a BikeRescue recovery trailer with a set of training rollers on it, then a volunteer 'rides' a bike on the trailer. Could see how many CTC-Types think we've invented a new form of drive system.


  • From: Arch (etc@etc) on 08 April 2004
  • Hang on, it was a prize for the most inappropriate vehicle, yes? How about a 6.5 tonne, bright green, diesel, converted ex-mobile library from Invernesshire?


  • From: Arch ([email protected]) on 08 April 2004
  • By the way, I've got a new set of shiny chrome forks on my hack bike, which means that the basic frame and the rack are the only original parts left. And now that I have cantis to replace my centre pulls, I can stop...

    Seamus sends his regrets, but can't find a computer that will let him contribute. I've offered to post for him, but obviously he only wants to say shockingly libellious things about me, as he hasn't taken me up on the offer...


  • From: A (...) on 08 April 2004
  • Sue, your ex-library does at least have a purpose and could pick up the stragglers, so it's not as totally inappropriate as...

    A Vauxhall Nova.

    With alloy wheels, low profile tyres, a "performance" exhaust pipe that sounds like it's got rusted holes in it (oh, sorry, is it supposed to sound like that?), a stupid bolted on rear wing, broken (sorry, "lowered") suspension and a sunstrip across the windscreen that says "motorsport" even though the owner wouldn't know a real racing car if it hit him at 140mph. Then backed up for another go.

    Definitely the most pointless and inappropriate vehicle possible, for any purpose, including "being a vehicle".


  • From: Arch (s@work) on 08 April 2004
  • I dunno. You could keep chickens in it.


  • From: A (...) on 08 April 2004
  • They'd have to be blind and tasteless chickens.

    I forgot about the assorted bits of fibreglass selotaped onto the body panels that generally do nothing but add weight and make the aerodynamics worse.


  • From: Arch (about to go home) on 08 April 2004
  • Pedal powered pub name: The Pump and Saddle?


  • From: Arch (definitely going soon) on 08 April 2004
  • You don't know. Chickens might really like Novas with loud exhausts...

    Right that's it. Off for a long weekend. Unless I come in to do a bit of bike fettling...

    Happy Easter all!


  • From: Roger t Hilldodger (@cyclemagic.) on 09 April 2004
  • Right, that's it, I'm off to build a shed.


  • From: Arch (back@her desk) on 13 April 2004
  • Well, what a nice day. And here am I stuck inside in the office. Never mind, I get out for an hour on a horse later.

    Did everyone have a nice holiday weekend? How's the shed Rog?


  • From: andy ascaife ([email protected]) on 13 April 2004
  • Well the Horse would be a better contender that Kermit or any of his friends. I want to talk to Tom about entering a pink electric-powered Citroen H-van! Those chassis look about the same size, and the bodies will swop over quick enough....(sorry to those who don't know what the hell I'm on about!
    I thibk I will have to remind everyone that cycle bariers may well be included on the route. Help will of course be given to tricyclists.


  • From: Tom ([email protected]) on 13 April 2004
  • Sacre-Bleu!Hands off my shed Andy! I think there might be mileage in a cycle-barrier with wheels and pedals... -John?


  • From: Arch (backinthesaddle) on 13 April 2004
  • Ooh, I got a bigger horse today, not my normal lazy short legged one. Nice canter.

    Coming back to the office, I carried my riding crop in my right hand, sticking out into the road, and do you know, every car gave me a nice wide berth. Could this be the ultimate safety feature? And if anyone does come too close, you can whack 'em. I have yet to test the theory in town though...


  • From: A (...) on 14 April 2004
  • Darting back to the Nova theme and traffic, anyone else hear (today) about the research by the RAC Foundation that indicates the louder your car stereo is turned up and the faster the beat of the music being played, the more likely you are to speed, jump red lights, suffer road rage and crash?

    Gosh, who'd have thought it. People with loud car stereos are more likely to drive like tw(i)ts!

    Did someone get paid to work that out?


  • From: Arch ([email protected]) on 14 April 2004
  • My Mum and I once had a stereo contest with a Nova type at some lights - they had boom-boom music going, and we turned up the opera on Classic FM until our ears bled.

    There is some pretty obvious research going on out there isn't there? What are my chances of getting funding for my PhD on Medieval Animal Husbandry?


  • From: A (...) on 14 April 2004
  • Pretty good, I'd have thought.

    Maybe the Royal Armouries would like to help you out?


  • From: Arch (very tired now) on 14 April 2004
  • Hmm, probably not - they might not see the value of metric and non-metric variation in sheep and cattle between the 8th and 16th centuries with regard to the emergence of regional breeds. They tend to go more for guns and jousting and stuff.


  • From: Tom ([email protected]) on 14 April 2004
  • Aha! Zem Jousting! They used to joust with 2CVs when 2CVs were less rare...


  • From: Arch (perkingup@the thoughtofacurry) on 14 April 2004
  • ZEM jousting, the next big idea for the York Rally and or Cyclefest...


  • From: A very wealthy (cyclinhg historian) on 14 April 2004
  • Seamus is right (in a private email) you're all a load of skiving gits and only post here when you're at work.

    Is that how you spell skiving? I'm too lazy to look it up. Maybe I should use some of my huge wealth to employ someone.


  • From: Wobbly John ([email protected]) on 14 April 2004
  • That's the same Seamus who last posted 2 hours before he finished work for two weeks then, is it?


  • From: Arch (yes,@work) on 15 April 2004
  • Well, I would post at home, but having no Internet access there, it would be a bit difficult...


  • From: andy scaife ([email protected]'ll.have.u.know) on 15 April 2004
  • So do we conclude that there are now fewer than ten people contributing to this site? Apart from zem-jousting, when did we last mention bikes? If anyone is int. there is a Moulton Ride from York this Sunday. Contact me on 07745 482959 or 07780 586097.


  • From: Crispin ([email protected]) on 15 April 2004
  • **Public Service Announcement**
    This week's New Scientist has a short inteview with David Gordon Wilson - apparenty he developed the modern recumbent bicycle.
    It's on p47 is you wish to save yourself from buying a copy of the mag.
    Crispin


  • From: Arch (ontheroadagain) on 15 April 2004
  • Right, I'm off to South Lincolnshire for two days, so it's up to the rest of you to push the total comments over 70 before Pete gets back... Have a nice weekend, and think of me, Charlie, Jase and Jim, trying to control the younger residents of Holbeach on a community bike ride...


  • From: A (...) on 15 April 2004
  • > From: andy Scaife ([email protected]) on 06 April 2004
    > Well I believe our comments record is 60, before Peter deleted the item. we could always amuse ourselves off-topic (how much further off-topic can we get than kilts?) and give P some work to do when he gets back.
    > Here's my first digression......

    (Many posts later)

    > From: andy scaife ([email protected]'ll.have.u.know) on 15 April 2004
    > So do we conclude that there are now fewer than ten people contributing to this site? Apart from zem-jousting, when did we last mention bikes?

    ###
    Um... Isn't that what you were trying to achieve in the first place, Andy?

    I think we can conclude that there's fewer than 10 people assisting you in your quest; everyone else is waiting for a new cycling item to comment on!

    Maybe you could start bikecommentsrescue.com, where you pedal around the web getting conversations like this one back on topic!

    ;-)


  • From: David Hembrow ([email protected]) on 15 April 2004
  • For those of us too lazy to consider walking as far as the news agent to read their copy of New Scientist, they've helpfully put the article online here:

    http://www.newscientist.com/opinion/opinterview.jsp

    It's pretty short.


  • From: John Turvey (....) on 15 April 2004
  • Don't know about building a shed - i have spent most of the last week demolishing a dry-stone shead and rebuilding a garden wall where the shed used to be (note for scoffers MY definition of sucessful dry stone walling is it is successful if it is still standing the next day) - I now have a HUGE heap of left over stones.

    Cycling input - I did ride my Greenspeed 70 miles each way to the site of the big heap of stones.


  • From: John Turvey (...) on 15 April 2004
  • And this is the 70th comment (unless someone else gets in before me) - mind, we still have a few days before Peter gets back - how abount trying for 100?


  • From: John Turvey (...) on 15 April 2004
  • And this is the 70th comment (unless someone else gets in before me) - mind, we still have a few days before Peter gets back - how abount trying for 100?


  • From: John Turvey (...) on 15 April 2004
  • That David Gordon Wilson has got a lot to answer for - I first heard of reumbents when I read about the Avatar 2000 in the May 1982 issue of Bicycle - I resisted the lure until 1995 when I got my Peer Gynt (similar to the Avatar 2000) and from there it has been downhill all the way onany one of my 8 recumbents!


  • From: John Turvey (...) on 15 April 2004
  • Opps! - sent the 70th comment twice by mistake - anyway, we are now up to 73.


  • From: Tim Kirk ([email protected]) on 16 April 2004
  • http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/bbc_parliament/3623089.stm

    BBC having a talking point thing about mandatory cycle helmets.
    Probably worth posting some comments...


  • From: andy scaife (aiming@100) on 16 April 2004
  • Ahh... the avatar 2000! My friend Nick Hyndman in Sheffield has one, and he won't sell it to me for my retirement museum project. It's Barbie-pink, though, so maybe it's better off in his flat, out of sight of God's good clean people!
    Prof Wilson was instrumental in my renewed interest in cycling though. After reading the first Encycleopedia and gwetting hooked, I bought the 'Bicycle' video in which he features, and the film of one of the early 'practical vehicle trials' fired me up! "I've just GOTTA have one of them!" I said to myself. Anyone else have the video? how about Steve Robert's Behemoth? or Richard Ballantine testing the sociable bicycle?
    "The gentle wheeling of Free Spirits" is how the narrator (David Yip) described cycling. Still one of the best cycling quotes I think.


  • From: Wobbly John ([email protected]) on 16 April 2004
  • David Gordon Wilson sparked my interest in recumbent bikes after I saw him on an Open University program (I later took the design course the program went with).

    I MUST get out on the bike on Sunday - Question is, do I:

    Blast round the single track at Brandon forest on an MTB?

    Join the local club social ride (road bike)?

    Ride to Cambridge with local hand-crank cyclist Arthur Cutter? He's doing it for charidee to coincide with London Marathon that he has not been allowed in. I'll probably ride the M5 recumbent for this one.


  • From: Carlton Reid ([email protected]) on 16 April 2004
  • Helmets? Martlew? Hmm. Check the public-access articles here for a run down on the story to date...

    http://www.bikebiz.co.uk/daily-news/article.php?id=3975


  • From: Anthony Shingler ([email protected]) on 16 April 2004
  • Bringing up the Avatar topic, where do all the old recumbents go? There must be loads in storage partly dismantled so that parts can be used for other projects. My lecturer at Uni had Bluebell (i think that was it's name, only ever seen blurry pics) in his shed gathering dust, stored there since it had been experimented on using active aerodynamic fins and rudders to help it corner and sail. It would be interesting to revive some of the older bikes for some display or a retro race/speed trial?


  • From: a wealthy (cycling historian) on 17 April 2004
  • Tried to get some of the historic racing/record breaking recumbents for last years Spokesfest, but had little success.


  • From: Andrew Sutcliffe (as see) on 18 April 2004

  • From: andrew sutcliffe ([email protected]) on 18 April 2004
  • Sorry. That wasn't a blatant attempt to up the comment count, just typing without due care and attention. My comment was, where is the velocar that later became the recumbent to be banned by the UCI? Does it still exist? Has it gone to the great scrapheap in the sky?


  • From: wealthy cycling historian (from Leicester) on 18 April 2004
  • Quiet a few Mochet Velocars were built and plenty of them are still around. I saw one at a VCC auction a couple of years ago - seem to remember it made around £1300.


  • From: John Turvey (.......) on 18 April 2004
  • AFIK, the Bluebelll is actually an Avatar - the fairing was built on top of an Avatar - it may well be the same Avatar as featured in the 'Bicycle' article which was written by Richard Ballantine as I recollect that he was involved with the Bluebell


  • From: Tom ([email protected]) on 19 April 2004
  • He was indeed. Isn't Bluebell on the cover of VV issue 1, with some further remeniscences by Richard inside?


  • From: Tom ([email protected]) on 19 April 2004
  • Oh, and as far as famous bikes go, we've got the Mike Burrows Amsterdam hanging on the wall outside our, (indoor, secure) office...


  • From: Seamus (etc) on 19 April 2004
  • What a wonderful way to start the new term; face ballooned outward and a sorely inflamed gum. A vist to the doctors and from March it's appointments only instead of the just turn up as it's always been. Luckily I was in for ten, "gum infection," he said and prescribed antibiotics and a trip to the dentist, that'd be the one I've attended since childhood who now says I'm not on his list, FRACK.

    Phoned NHS Helpline and I'll be seeing a dentist on May 16th.

    Ballantine imported an Avatar 2000 for himself and it featured in, "Bicycle," and later, "Bicycle Action," with the Bluebell fairing designed, I think, by Derek Henden. The team was The Nosey Ferrets racing Team.


  • From: Seamus (etc.) on 19 April 2004
  • No Tom, the Avatar isn't on the cover of V V 1. It's issue 2.

    Posing on the Mistral in the warm sunshine at Brayford Pool in Lincoln on Saturday morning, two surprised voices called out. Two blokes who reckon they're the only recumbent owners in the city, with a Velocita and an Optima Rider, very nice.

    There's also, quite unusually for Sustrans, and excellent route out of the city alongside the canal and on a disused railway track. The bridge crossing's a bit tight though they got their Optima over it OK.

    My gum hurts a lot now. It's worse when I smile.


  • From: John Turvey (...) on 19 April 2004
  • As far as famous cycles go, does not the esteemed MD of CoC own one of the very first Windcheatahs - it has the chainrings on the left (though no longer has the handbuilt front gear mech)


  • From: Arch (s@etc) on 20 April 2004
  • So, who's going to be the last one to post here before Pete puts up a new story. By the way, I saw our esteemed editor refered to in a US mountain biking magazine as Peter Elan - we think this makes him sound like a rather raffish high class gent, probably owning a sports car... ;-)


  • From: Marquis d'Egville ([email protected]) on 20 April 2004
  • Now that Peter is back, we can ask what the penalty is for 'typing without due care and attention' - in the good old days it was amputation of the fingers, but nowadays it is probably just having your VeloVision subscription reduced by one isse (and cancelled on a second offence)


  • From: . (.) on 20 April 2004
  • www.karbyk.com/b_partners_velovision.htm
    "In 2001 a new magazine was born. It follows us around the Recumbent world. It was born thanks to Peter Elan, ex partner of Bike Culture and Encycleopedia which unfortunately is not even on sale."

    www.redfish.com/Yak/links.htm
    "Claude has agreed to contribute articles for Peter Elan's new magazine, Velo Vision. Peter used to be editor of BCQ and has worked with Claude on previous articles."


  • From: andy scaife ([email protected]) on 20 April 2004
  • Returning to the 'innappropriate vehicle' prize... it was decided at the pub on sunday(on a v wet Moulton club ride) that Sue's horse is not a cycle, so it can't come UNLESS we can teach it to ride a bike. All attempts at designing a treadmill device just finished up looking like a car, till John suggested drilling a hole through each hoof, and inserting an axle for a noe-sided hub. I reckoned that strapping a unicycle to each leg would do the job just as well. Josh suggested fitting ratchet deviced to the unicycles so the horse could propel itself along, rollerskate-style. Any futher developments on the idea?


  • From: andy scaife (he'[email protected]) on 20 April 2004
  • On our wet Moulton ride, we passed some travellers camped by the road. At the pub, John asked if anyone had seen the old Moulton frame by the caravans. Needless to say, we diverted that way on the way back. £4 changed hands, and a complete Moulton in decent nick was strapped to my rack and towed the 8 miles home, trailerbike-stylee. An hours clean-and-service has produced a perfectly good hack bike, in totally original 'factory' condition, just a bit scruffy round the edges. SCORE!!!


  • From: andy scaife ([email protected]) on 20 April 2004
  • Incidentally, to anyone who reads 'Bicycle Business', I am NOT and never have been, a paramedic! It was nice to be quoted alongside Lance Armstrong and Ralf Hutter though (dunno bout Alistair Campbell!).


  • From: Arch (@lunch) on 20 April 2004
  • Wheels on a horse...
    I seem to remember that there was an entry in the competition to design the first railway locomotive which featured a horse on a treadmill and called the Cyclopede . It failed to apply any of the rules of the competition, and was disqualified.
    Drilling through the hoof material would be do- able, but not the bone underneath. I think any sort of roller skate would be disaatrous, since all the horses I've ridden have occasionally had problems coordinating their feet with only shoes on....


  • From: Tom ([email protected]) on 20 April 2004
  • How jammy is that, Andy? ;-)


  • From: Arch (still@lunch) on 20 April 2004
  • Oh, and I forgot, I've always thought it would be cool to have a pantomine horse ride a tandem. If you offset the cranks, it looks a lot like galloping. You'd need to adapt the costume a little, to accommodate the arms of the pilot. Any takers for the VV ride? I would, but I'm a bit allergic to tandems.


  • From: A (...) on 21 April 2004
  • > all the horses I've ridden have occasionally had problems coordinating their feet with only shoes on....

    It's not limited to horses. I've been known to have similar trouble!


  • From: andy scaife ([email protected]) on 21 April 2004
  • There is a cyclopede in the National Raiulway Museum (which is in York like anything else worth doing). The panto horse idea could run. you could fit chopper handlebars to the rear of the tandem to hide the stokers hands. stoker should be able to hold onto pilot's waist, pillion-stylee and avoid handlebars altogether.


  • From: amdy scaife ([email protected]) on 21 April 2004
  • My first delivery with Loadbikes (or Wheel Alt as it was then) was a beanstalk and two pantomime cows to the Theatre Royal. Non British readers are now wondering what the hell we are talking about, because they don't have panotmime, lucky people!
    ONE HUNDRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ah that feels gooooooooooooooood!


  • From: Seamus (etc) on 21 April 2004
  • And now to add to add to their confusion, they'll be going to their search engines and eagerly pasting in, or typing, "panotmime."

    Nice one Andy.

    Off topic, has anyone heard owt of Rabid Jason since he went to Wisbech (I think)?


  • From: Arch (s@you know the rest) on 21 April 2004
  • Or Amdy even... ;-)

    As for Rabid Jason, he came back to York with us from Holbeach (wrong county Seamus), having enjoyed a few beers, accompanied a mother and son at snail's pace on a community bike ride, taken some photos of Charlie's feet (Don't ask!) and had a stunt rider practise 'How low can you go' over his face. (Hello to the MAD team if any of them are out there!) What a life we Company of Cyclists Operatives lead.


  • From: Tom ([email protected]) on 21 April 2004
  • Get On With Your Work!


  • From: Jim M (****) on 21 April 2004
  • WHAT DID I TELL YOU TWO AT THE STAFF MEETING?


  • From: Seamus (etc) on 21 April 2004
  • In the interests of
    *word slyly slips from my grasp just as I'm about to use it, frack-it*
    'thinginess' I looked up, "panotmime," on google and got 25 hits, whereas the proper spelling got 306,000 hits.

    coo, only 89 days until the summer holiday. antibiotics working, swelling subsiding, little pain, only the odd bit of extreme nausea to contend with now.


  • From: Whisper it: 'Arch' (yes@work...) on 21 April 2004
  • Here's Jase's latest poser:

    You know those board things you get at the seaside with fat ladies painted on them that you put your head through to have your picture taken?

    What are they called?


  • From: Lord Elpus (@elpus manor) on 21 April 2004
  • Norma and Edna

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