All posts by Andy Henderson

Update to venues and café list

27 May 2025NewsAndy Henderson

When we first built the site, most ride destinations were expressed as villages or towns. Most riders took a picnic lunch. It therefore made sense to keep a café list separate from ride destinations.

These days, ride leaders are more likely to nominate specific outlets. I have therefore merged the café list into the list of ride venues which now specify:

Whether a venue should appear in the café list; and
Whether it is open or closed

I also took the opportunity to prune some entries.

All new cafés, restaurants, pubs, etc added to ride venues will get added to the café list automatically. Please continue to use the forums to let ride leaders know about new places you discover.

Please let me know if you find a venue has closed. I can update our entry and that will flag a warning to ride leaders thinking of going there. If you think we're missing a venue, you can now check the café map in case you have misspelt the name, or the name has changed.

Andy

Changes to the web site

20 May 2025NewsAndy Henderson

We've made a few web site updates:

New Cycling UK-inspired branding
Ability to switch between showing runs by type, and by date
More detail about ride destinations
Better response to replies to our emailer

Continue reading →

Results of the 2025 photo competition

13 January 2025NewsAndy Henderson

Thank you to all our entrants, and congratulations to the winners.

Continue reading →

Puncture repair crib sheet

25 September 2024FeaturedAndy Henderson

These notes are intended as a reminder of what to do if you get a puncture on a ride. They are not intended as a tutorial - there are plenty on the Internet and we run occasional hands-on sessions. For simplicity we have not attempted to describe repairs to tubeless tyres.

We strongly suggest you practice at home before you get an issue on a ride. In particular, make sure you have the tools you need for the job.

What you need

You will need:

Pump - ideally one with a gauge to make sure your tyre has a decent pressure. Most pumps can work with the two common types of valve:

Presta (the ones that don't look like a car tyre valve) and Shrader (the ones that do) however, make sure your pump works with your valves and leave it configured correctly for when you need it. It's worth an occasional check to see if the pump is working if you don't use it at home regularly.
Optionally, A CO₂ inflator. It is a faster and easier way to inflate your tyre but there's no indication of how much 'puff' remains, so you could be left with an under-inflated tyre. In any case, you might run out of CO₂ if you have multiple punctures. Best practice - especially if you're riding on your own - is to carry a pump even if you use CO₂.
Tyre levers - you don't want cheap, floppy tyre levers. Instead they should be rigid plastic or metal.
Spare inner tube(s) - best practice is to carry at least two with you in case of multiple punctures. You need to be sure they are the right size for your tyre. Our general practice is to replace inner tubes rather than repair them on the road. That saves time for the ride. You can then repair them at home, or discard them.
A sharp point - to help remove objects embedded in a tyre.
Spanner/Allen key - necessary only if you need one to release your wheels.
Optionally, a Specialist tyre seating tool - there are a variety of tools to help you get that last bit of tyre over your wheel rim. Practice at home will tell you if you need one.
Patches - a bit "belt and braces" but, if you run out of inner tubes, self-adhesive patches give you a quick fix.
Not necessary for simple repairs, but a tyre boot might get you home if you get a bad cut in one of your tyres. I carry a stout piece of inner tube; alternatives are a £5 note (any other denomination will do) or a piece of toothpaste tube (see here for more details).

If you are unsure what you need, please ask for help before it becomes an issue for you.

If you get stuck...

If you are on one of our rides, someone will usually stay with you to help out if necessary. If you are uncertain, it's important you try to fix the puncture yourself - that's how you learn.

If you are on your own, consider asking a passing cyclist for help. Look for someone that appears to have bags that might contain tools. Most people will be happy to stop and help if they can.

Use the crib sheet without the internet

The page you are reading now works as long as you are connected to the internet.

We have provided a version that runs on a mobile phone even if it is not connected to the internet. To use it go to this page on your phone:

www.portsmouthctc.org.uk/unpuncture

That will automatically load the page into your phone. You will also see instructions for creating a shortcut from your phone's home screens so you can quickly get back to it when you need to.

These are the main steps. Click any heading for more information...

Get to a safe place

Make sure you are off the road and not in danger from traffic. This may mean walking until you can find a gateway or lay-by.

In inclement weather consider whether it's worth walking a short distance to find somewhere dry, like a bus stop, to carry out repairs.

Consider re-inflating

If your ride has felt spongy for a while, the tube has not fully deflated, and you're reasonably close to home then you might get away with re-inflating the tyre and sorting the problem out when you get back.

That will take less time, but ask your fellow riders if they think it's appropriate. If you have to stop a second time you'll end up delaying the ride even longer.

Presta valves have a screw-in valve core that can become loose. You can detect that by trying to unscrew the valve core, or using some spit on the valve to find bubbles after partially re-inflating. If that's happened you can tighten the valve core and get away with just re-inflating the tyre.

Remove the wheel

Release the brake calliper

Either:

Use the lever on the calliper to open it; or
Unhook the cross-piece to remove tension on the calliper.

That's not necessary to remove the wheel but you won't be able to refit a fully-inflated tyre.

Remove/loosen the wheel's axle

Depending on your wheel type you will need to:

Loosen a quick-release axle (skewer) by lifting the lever and unscrewing it until it's loose enough to allow you to remove the wheel (you don't have to remove the skewer which stays in the wheel); or
Use a similar technique to remove a quick release through-axle; or
Use an allen key to remove a through-axle; or
Use a spanner or allen key to loosen retaining nuts.

Disconnect the eBike motor

There will be a cable connecting the motor in the wheel with your battery and control unit.

There's normally an in-line plug and socket. Pull the two halves apart to separate them.

Remove the wheel from the frame

It should simply slide out.

Remove the wheel from the frame

Put your gears to the smallest cogs front and back. That will make it easier to remove and refit your wheel. Pull the derailleur towards the rear of the bike and slide the wheel out disengaging the chain as you go. Note that some SRAM derailleurs have a small retaining button to keep them in the open position.

Disconnect your gear change cable from your hub gear. There is usually a linkage that allows you to do that. Unfortunately, we cannot provide explicit instructions because different manufacturers use different methods.

Remove the tyre from the wheel rim

Push the tyre away from the edge of the rim. If the tyre has been on for a while, it adheres to the rim making it difficult to remove.

Start opposite the valve. Insert a tyre lever between tyre and rim, fold down and hook onto a spoke to keep it in place.

Use a second tyre lever or a specialist tool to unseat the rest of the tyre by running it around the circumference of the wheel.

Do not remove the tyre from the wheel - keeping it in place could help you find the cause of the puncture (see on).

Remove the inner tube

Remove the dust cap and any retaining ring from the valve. Push it through the hole and pull the tube away from the wheel.

Try not to turn the tube - that could help you find the cause of the puncture.

Try to find the cause of the puncture

You don't want to fit a new tube only to find you puncture again. Bear in mind there could be multiple possible causes so don't stop at the first one you find.

Inspect the tyre

Look around the outside of the tyre for something sticking out, or embedded in it.

Feel around the inside of the tyre.

If you think you've found the cause, overlay the tube onto the tyre aligning the valve with the valve hole and look for air escaping at that point (see next section). If you don't find it, you should keep looking.

Inspect the tube

Pump a fair amount of air in the tube and:

Listen - you can hear the air escaping from a substantial puncture
Feel around the tube with bare hands
Use your lips - they are more sensive that your hands
Immerse the tube in some water if there's some readily available, and look for bubbles

If you find where air is escaping, overlay the tube onto the tyre aligning the valve with the valve hole and look for an object in the tyre that might have caused the puncture.

Can't find the cause?

You might not be able to find the cause of the puncture. That can happen if glass, for example, gives you a puncture and falls out again.

More likely, however, you've missed the cause. Try asking fellow riders to look for you. Otherwise, be prepared for a tense few miles of riding before you are sure the cause has disappeared.

Fit new inner tube

Remove the dust cap and any retaining ring from the new tube's valve.

With one side of the tyre fitted to the wheel:

Partially inflate the tube to make it easier to fit
Push the valve through the hole on the rim
Work around the tyre pushing the tube into the body of the tyre
Make sure the tube isn't twisted and avoid getting it dirty (grit can puncture a new tube)

Fit tyre to the wheel rim

Before you start, look for the U-shaped well at the centre of the wheel's rim. Later on you'll probably need to push the tyre into that well.

Seat the tyre into the rim and work around both sides of the tyre fitting it into the wheel. This is easy to start with, but gets progressively more difficult until you get to the final bit.

Make sure you don't trap the inner tube between the tyre and the rim.

As you get to the end it can seem impossible that the rest of the tyre will fit. Work around the tyre pushing it into the well of the rim you spotted earlier, keeping tension in the tyre. This gives you more tyre to play with at the final part.

Some tyres - especially folding ones - fit quite easily. Others are more stubborn. Use your thumbs in a rolling motion to get the final bit of tyre onto the rim. If absolutely necessary, use a tyre lever or a specialist device to get it on.

There is some debate about whether to start reseating the tyre at the valve, or opposite the valve. Either works. My personal view is that starting opposite the valve gives you a few extra millimetres for the final bit.

Make sure both sides of the tyre are inside the rim all round and that you haven't trapped the inner tube.

Re-inflate the tyre

Replace any retaining ring you removed from the valve - it can help you fit your pump.

For Presta valves (the ones that don't look like car tyre valves), undo the seating screw.

Fit your pump and inflate the tyre. From time to time, check the tyre is still seated inside the rim and the inner tube is fully enclosed.

If fitted, use your pump's gauge to bring your tyre pressure close to normal. In any case, try to remember to check the pressure with a track pump when you get home - their gauges are more accurate.

You might hear a loud snap or crack as the tyre seats itself. That's normal.

Remove the pump, tighten the seating screw on a Presta valve and fit the dust cap.

Refit the wheel

Simply slide the wheel into the forks.

Take care to fit the rotor between your brake pads without bending it, or dislodging the pads.

If the wheel won't fit between your brake pads, you need to release the calliper - see 'Remove the wheel' above. You might be unable to fit your tyre between your brake pads even if the calliper is released. You'll have to let some air out, fit the wheel, and re-inflate (next time, fit your wheel first before re-inflating).

Pull the derailleur towards the rear of the bike. Push the wheel into place.

The smallest of your sprocket's gears should engage with the inside part of the chain.

Take care to fit the rotor between your brake pads without bending it, or dislodging the pads.

If you have a SRAM retaining button on the derailleur, pull the derailleur back to disengage the button once the wheel is fitted.

Align hub motor and reconnect

There will probably be positioning lugs to ensure the motor is fitted correctly. You might need to rotate the wheel until it slots into place.

You will need to reconnect the motor. That usually involves pressing the two halves of the cable together. There will usually be a way to ensure the two halves are correctly aligned (or you won't be able to fit the two halves together).

Reengage the brake calliper

Either:

Use the lever on the calliper to close it; or
Re-hook the cross-piece to put tension into the calliper.

Re-engage hub gears

Reconnect them, usually with the provided linkage.

Replace/tighten the wheel's axle

Depending on your wheel type you will need to:

Tighten a quick-release axle, securing it by pressing down the quick release lever (you might have to screw it in or out to get the tension right); or
Use a similar tequnique to replace a through-axle; or
Use an allen key to secure an inserted through-axle; or
Use a spanner or allen key to tighten retaining nuts.

Reseat the wheel into drop-outs

You probably turned your bike upside down to remove and replace your wheel.

If your wheel fits into slots in the frame (i.e. it does not use a through-axle) it might not be fully seated, affecting your ability to change gears. Put the bike right way up, loosen the wheel retaining mechanism and re-tighten it. That will ensure the wheel's axle is fully into the slot.

Clear up and check your bike

Before setting off...

Take a good look round to make sure you don't leave any litter, tools, stuff you took off the bike, any clothing you removed.

Check:

Your brakes are working correctly
Nothing is rubbing your wheel or tyre
Your gears change correctly

Return your gears to a suitable setting for starting off so you don't get a nasty surprise when you try to pedal - especially if you're on a hill.

Enjoy the rest of your ride.

Virgin Media/NTLWorld issue

9 May 2024NewsAndy Henderson

I'm seeing a lot of rejected emails from Virgin Media and NTLWorld - they're the same thing.

It didn't take a lot of googling to find that it's a general problem, not specific to us. Bounce messages say the Virgin Media/NTLworld email servers aren't responding.

Bearing in mind that:

Virgin Media / NTLWorld is losing interest in its email service
Before we switched to Amazon Web Services for our email, it frequently falsely reported our emails as spam

It could be time to switch email providers.

Setting up your own email address with its own domain allows you to switch broadband suppliers without having to change your email address. I've had the same address for decades having switched several times.

There are loads of suppliers that can provide the service. FWIW, I use IONOS. A big benefit is that it sends me a daily email telling me about any messages that have gone to spam.

Portsmouth CTC AGM 2024 - Papers

24 April 2024Club businessAndy Henderson

I've added some detail to the AGM event description here.

If you are attending the AGM next Tuesday, please take a moment to read through:

The minutes of the 2023 AGM
My proposed annual report
Heather's proposed financial statement
The agenda which includes a motion from Clive Dakin

We will not be presenting the detailed minutes/reports at the meeting.

There will be a brief presentation from Alex Cuppleditch of Cycling UK (and a PCTC member) following the AGM. She will summarise this presentation and answer any questions you might have. Please take time to page through the slides before the meeting.

Click the 'Open in new window' button to see the presentation full screen.

If you'd like to order a meal for the following social, we can offer:

Haddock and chips: £6.99
Cod and chips: £12.99
Sausage and chips: £6.98
Veggie burger and chips: £9.58

In hindsight we should have rounded those amounts up to whole pounds. Please bring exact money with you or be prepared to lose 1 or 2p.

You have until Friday to let Ian Hewitt know what you'd like either by email ihewitt8@btinternet.com or at 023 9241 2941. Alternatively you can bring your own.

Andy Henderson
Secretary, Portsmouth CTC

Change to club jerseys

15 March 2024NewsAndy Henderson

At the last committee meeting we agreed to investigate an alternative supplier for our club jerseys.

Up to now we've used Force GB, but we have been increasingly concerned about its viability:

It's advertised sales email address doesn't work
It's web site is no longer available
Production of the jerseys was reliant on a single individual and has ceased while he's not available
We've been told we need to order a larger number of items per order - meaning a longer wait for people ordering jerseys while we accumulate an order

As an alternative, we're investigating Owayo:

A long-established supplier
Allows ordering of single items
Allows you to order items directly
Many of us have the Hayling Cycle Ride jerseys supplied by Owayo, and the quality is good

Owayo has a different product range to Force GB. You can see the jersey range here, and the gilet and jacket range here. Those pages also provide specs for the available clothing.

Continue reading →

2023/24 Photo competition results

12 January 2024General interestAndy Henderson

Members who attended to vote on the entries found their decisions particularly difficult this year as photos were to a high standard.

The winners were:

First place: Wilf Forrow who also wins the photographic competition trophy
Second and third place: Paul Hailwood

Wilf won by a single point!

You can see the winning entries below. Click any image to see a larger version.

Wilf Forrow's entry

Paul Hailwood's second place entry

Paul Hailwood's third place entry

Bonking and cycling don't mix

24 August 2023Bikes and accessories, FeaturedAndy Henderson

Andy Henderson describes a potentially dangerous condition you might encounter, what to do about it and ways to prevent it.

In cycling we talk about 'bonking', in running they talk about 'hitting the wall', the medical term is Hypoglycaemia. Your body runs out of readily usable fuel. You are close to fainting on the bike, with all the dangers that could result. It's a condition that usually happens on rides that are demanding because of length, hilliness, weather, or maybe all three. Or, maybe, you just ride too long without stopping.

When you get close to bonking there are a number of symptoms. The main one is extreme weariness. You might be pedalling on the flat but you feel like you're going up a steep hill. Any effort is difficult - even just turning the pedals. I get a nasty feeling in my stomach - a lot like nausea. You feel like you can't carry on. The feeling is hard to explain but, once encountered, it is unmistakeable. It can come on suddenly without warning. Although I've not encountered them, sites also list symptoms including:

Loss of focus
Loss of vision or impairment
Cold flashes throughout the body
Shaking
Sweating
Heart palpitations

Please take action...

... if you see someone weaving for no reason and they're complaining of extreme tiredness, maybe they're even incoherent. They might be about to faint.

The problem needs to be tackled, and the rider might not be in a good state to recognise what is happening.

You need to stop and get off the road as soon as it is safe to do so. Ideally, someone should stay with you. This is not a good time to be on your own.

When you bonk, your body has got very low on glycogen. It has little left to run on - and wants to shut down. You need some quickly-absorbed carbohydrate. I carry fruit pastilles (not the sugar-free kind). Energy gels will also help (but I can't stand them). A can of coke will also work. Basically anything with easily-absorbed sugar. If you’re lucky enough to bonk within a stone's throw of a café then that’s another option.

Obviously you shouldn't try to get going again until you've given your body time to get some glucose into your bloodstream. When you do get going, keep another rider behind you (if possible) looking out for a recurrence. Take it very easy. If you are a long way out, consider finding a railway station or calling for a pick-up. Otherwise, go straight home.

Avoiding the condition

If you Google "cycling bonking" you'll find plenty of good advice some of which does not apply to the type of cycling we do. The basics are simple:

Fuel up before you start the ride
Top up your energy as you go
Drink plenty

Giving blood...

... can result in similar symptoms to bonking. Although blood plasma is quickly regenerated, your red blood cells (which carry oxygen around the body) take longer. And that time increases with age. In effect it is reverse EPO. It's not the same condition as Hypoglycaemia, but it has similar effects.

Have a decent breakfast that includes slow and fast release carbohydrates. Starting a demanding ride on an empty stomach is asking for trouble. Many use porridge with sugar or syrup. If it's a long ride you'll need to have a decent lunch (not a lot of fatty food, however, that can slow glucose absorption). I know some riders have a pint of coke (virtually liquid sugar).

Take something with you to top up your energy as you go. And take every opportunity to drink - small, frequent sips are best - gulps of water tend to trigger the 'pee response'.

Some use energy gels. I use this stuff added to my water bottles. That's a triple whammy:

Hydration
Energy supplement
Replacement of electrolytes (lost through sweat)

In summary

Please don't let any of the above put you off distance riding. As long as you are comfortable on your bike and you are aware of your body's needs, bonking won't be an issue for you.

Take care of your fellow riders and be on the look-out for problems they might be having.

And enjoy the ride.