Barry
www.worldwidecycles.com
Sam Bennett on RTE News !
4 12 2009Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: 2012 olympics, irish cycling, sam bennett
Categories : sam bennett
Singapore Spam !
19 11 2009There must be a huge cycling community in Singapore as we seem to receive one of these about once a week . This came in this morning from a lovely fella in Singapore once again ;
Dear Sir or madam
I’m currently looking for partnership business that will be able to supply road bikes parts
I have observed that your company as supplier for road bikes parts
I want order these items below:
-Campagnolo Record 11 Speed Groupset 2009 qty:4
Our store need that stuff because we have so many order from our costumer
for this stuff.
About the payment method, I choose credit card for that,Because it’s more
faster.
Please give me your best price of items and please Calculate the shipping
cost by FedEx or UPS to Singapore
I am waiting for your early reply as soon as possibble
Kind Regards.
Ariel Pratama
I wonder whos’ credit card the bould Ariel intends to use to pay for the stuff !!!
Barry
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Tags: singapore
Categories : worldwidecycles
Runkeeper update !
17 11 2009After my previous post I received some good tips from Jason from Runkeeper and @damianb on twitter re. extending battery life . Today I turnerd off the wifi and pressed the sleep button on the Iphone and gained power . I started a 3 hour spin on 85% and still had 27% when I got home .
I also used headphones and whilst listening to my itunes library of music every 5 minutes a nice American lady would talk over my music informing me of my time , distance and pace in minutes per kilometre . At first I didn’t quite know what to make of her but after a while I actually looked forward to her soothing way of keeping me informed of my progress . This also means that the big drawback of having your bike computer in your back pocket is somewhat overcome . I think it could be very useful for interval training too ( not that you would be doing intervals at this time of year ) .
It was too wet to give the picture geo tagging a good test out but I look forward to that on my next outing . Once again I had the iphone stuffed into a neoprene cover in my back pocket and there was never a problem with loss of gps signal .
One thing , though that I would like to see is an auto stop start function . This is useful when any bike computer is on the bars but would be almost essential when it is stuffed into your back pocket .
So far the runkeeper application , I downloaded the pro edition after trying out the free version first , is impressing me very much , but for the time being it is still a compliment to rather than a replacement for my Garmin edge 705 .
Todays spin ;
http://runkeeper.com/user/Worldwidecycles/activities
Barry
Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: Runkeeper
Categories : Apple Iphone 3gs, Runkeeper
Iphone 3gs v Garmin edge 705
16 11 2009The Apple Iphone is a fantastic gadget . It has applications for just about everything . It can determine what gear you should use to ride up aple d’huez at 70 rpm in under 1 hour (shiftit ) , the distance , profile and location of almost every famous climb in Europe ( icols ) , and what length spoke you need for a 32 hole shallow rim ( spokecalculator ) .
It also has a number of gps enabled applications which give very similar information to many bike computers . One that I am using at present is runkeeper . A few years ago , before garmins entry into the bike computer market , this would have been revolutionary . No wires down to a speed sensor on the front fork and the ability to see your actual training spin on a google earth map would have set the cycling world on fire . But Garmin are in the cycling market and their edge 705 offers these features and so much more .
The edge is a full function complete bike computer with gps mapping and is very easy to download . You can have up to 8 display units on the homescreen or a live map with up to 3 display units or an altitude profile graph with 2 units .
The display units cover everything from all measurements of speed , heart rate , distance and cadence to altitude and percentage gradient .
The Iphone runkeeper application just gives speed , distance and pace , ie mins. per mile or kilometre ( living up to its RUN keeper name ) . However it also allows you to listen to your music library , take photos and geo tag them to the location where they were taken . It downloads to your Twitter , Facebook , bebo or whatever account you choose as soon as you get home and press send . The Garmin has to be hooked up to a laptop to do this .
So they are both useful cycling gadgets , but which should you bring with you . Personally I’ll be bringing both . I love the Garmin and wouldn’t get on the bike without it . But I like the interactive nature of the Iphone application and will use this too .
Suggested improvements for the Garmin are none . It’s never going to be a phone , a camera or a music player . However I would love to see a bluetooth heart rate strap for the iphone , a waterproof bike mount and a bigger battery life . I was down to 10 % after a 3 hour spin yesterday . Also an application with the functions of the Garmin including gradient should be possible .
Watch this space !
Here are the downloads of yesterdays 3 hour spin on both ;
Garmin ;
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/18906327
Runkeeper on Iphone ;
http://runkeeper.com/user/Worldwidecycles/activities
Barry
www.worldwidecycles.com
Comments : 5 Comments »
Tags: apple iphone, garmin edge 705, Runkeeper
Categories : Apple Iphone 3gs, Runkeeper, garmin edge 705
10 years and still going strong !
9 11 2009On this day 20 years ago the Berlin wall came down . Sean Kelly was the world’s number one cyclist and Martin Earley had won a stage of that years Tour de France . Greg Lemond not satisfied with winning that years Tour beat Kelly in the World championships ( I don’t think I will ever forgive him for that ). U2 were rattling and humming and Ray and I had competed in the Lada junior tour of Ireland on the Tipperary Cidona team .
On this day 10 years ago we fulfilled a dream that we had envisioned years before in the back corner of a school classroom . We opened our own bike shop which we called Worldwide Cycles .
Over the past 10 years we have had the privilege of dealing with some very accommodating and helpful suppliers and the pleasure of working with a great bunch of customers , many of whom have become our friends .
The shop , for us is not just a way to make a living , but a complete way of life . We are still as passionate as ever about everything to do with cycling and enjoy meeting all of the different types of cyclists that are on and off the roads .
We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who have supported us over the years and hope that we have done our very best to give you value and service which has helped you to enjoy riding your bike .
On a personal note I have to say that it has been a pleasure working alongside my best mate Ray each day and that I look forward to another 10 years side by side .
Here are a few pics. from over the years ;
Thanks again everyone !
Barry
www.worldwidecycles.com
Comments : 8 Comments »
Tags: worldwidecycles
Categories : worldwidecycles
BSO – Bicycle Shaped Object
9 11 2009Last Thursday evening the BBC consumer affairs programme did a feature on BSO’s ( a term coined in the UK ) details of which can be found here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/11/flat_pack_bikes.html
These ‘bikes’ do have a place in the cycling society by getting more people on bikes and catering for people who are under financial pressure in these recessionary times . However correct assembly is vital . Most BSO retailers try to push this on to the consumer but when their own tv ads (asda) , catalogues (smith’s toys here in Ireland) and display bikes have the front fork fitted backwards they are doing a dis-service to their customers .
Smiths toys winter 2009 catalogue page 208 ;
This was in recently for a puncture repair . Obviously we turned the fork correctly before the customer came to collect it .
If you do buy a BSO some common areas to look out for are ;
Left hand crank loose , which very quickly causes damage and may need to be replaced or just fall off .
Brakes improperly adjusted : all brake blocks should come into contact squarely with the rim when pressure is applied to the brake lever . Check plastic levers for cracking which could lead to failure under braking pressure .
Make sure all wheel nuts are tightened with a proper wrench . Same goes for seat pin collar and pedals .
Handlebar stem bolt should be very, very tight , as should saddle clamp bolt .
Tyres should be inflated to 40 psi .
The gears should be properly adjusted but this does require a certain amount of bike maintenance experience . However any ordinary person can check if the chain pops over the top of the inside sprocket or off the bottom sprocket . If it does this can be remedied by adjusting the two screws on the outside of the rear deraileur clockwise .
However , if you buy a BSO and are not 100% sure if you have assembled it correctly ask someone who knows about bike assembly to take a look before you ride it .
Barry
www.worldwidecycles.com
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Categories : worldwidecycles
Kelly’s Advice
9 11 2009
Barry
www.worldwidecycles.com
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Tags: sean kelly
Categories : sean kelly
How Much ? for a bicycle !!
2 11 2009Sometimes , when you meet someone who is not a cyclist and they ask how much your bike is worth the reaction can be quiet amusing . In general , the information that a regular guy or girl has a ‘bicycle’ worth anything from two to twelve grand is responded to in a tone of incredulity . eg : ‘Four grand for a bicycle !! , sure you’d buy a fine car for that .’
Last week in the shop when I was showing a customer a hybrid with a price tag of €399 he replied ‘ Ahsure ’tis only something for knocking around that I’m looking for , sure me car isn’t even worth four hundred euro ‘
What , I wonder would ordinary people who think a bike is something ‘for knocking around on’ think of the prices paid for some of Lance Armstrongs’ bikes at an auction in New York last night .
First up came the ‘Hirst’ bike which he rode on the Champs Elysees whilst finishing third in this years tour .
This sold for $500,000 !!!!!
Next was the Kenny Scharff TT bike from the Giro ,
a bargain at $45,000
Then the Nara which he rode during the Annecy TT at this years tour .
This made $200,000
After that was the ‘Shep Fairey’ ( sounds a bit like little bo peeps sheep dog ) .
$110,000
The ‘KAWS’
made $160,000
‘Marc Newson’
sold for $110,000
The ‘Stolen’ TT bike which was recovered after being stolen at the Tour of California
sold for $130,000 ! ( It would have made $100 on the Streets of San Jose )
This Ferrari is for sale on carzone at present for €65,000 ,
Sure , you wouldn’t even get a bicycle for that !!!
Barry
Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: Lance armstrong bike auction
Categories : lance armstrong, worldwidecycles
If you need some inspiration watch this
23 10 2009
Comments : 1 Comment »
Categories : worldwidecycles
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