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PMed about wheels.

Pics don't work. May need Facebook account for them possibly.

True (blindspots)

I did understand though that the extra weight makes them less suitable for cycling where you don't have any mirrors so you have to look/turn head all the time.

Also, weight and no vents.

In a way motorcyclist have similar issues that cyclist have, bad roads/legally blind drivers affect them much more than cars drivers. Maybe there's room for cooperation?

Hey another Ciocc! I got a 1978 San Christobal frame, looking for parts atm :)

The research jury is also still very much out. You'd need a big set of comparable data for people having similar accidents as similar speeds, one group wearing a helmet and one not to draw conclusions on head injury.

Helmets are not designed for collisions with cars but falls under your own steam. They're not like motorcycle helmets which can absorb a lot more energy but are also very heavy and not suitable for use on a vehicle with no mirrors (headturning...)

As cars are the major commute risk for me and cycling a mile is as safe as driving a mile I refuse to wear a helmet for commuting. It makes cycling look like some extreme sport which it isn't. And the helmets give an illusion of safety against car crashes.

I nearly get sideswiped by a car then a women at the traffic light pulls up and advices me to wear a helmet just in case. Yeah, that would've improved his driving on a give way to me t-junction would it?

BTW rant applies to commuting, I would wear one with a high fall risk though eg mountain biking on holiday, very bad paths cycling, icy roads etc.

I pinged them about winter tyres, they were out of stock but the customer rep tried to find me alternatives and was very friendly.

So, I've no issues with them. Their touring bikes are also very good value/quality. Maybe it depends on who you get?

I guess phoning the police, seeing them show and give thief a bollocking/fine not satisfying enough?

They're as much use as a Disprin canoe over here, but supposedly some areas they actually go after bike thieves.

It's been a while since I went fixed (about 8 months) but love it. It's especially great in slow moving start/stop traffic.

Two tips (aside from not trying to coast...)

1: Sensible pedals. I use SPDs. Anything that feels good and keeps your feet TIGHT on the pedal. The more they are locked to the pedal the more control you have over speeding up/slowing down.

2: Dig your hands/arms into the handlebars (if you come from riding loose with most weight on the backside) as you need something to push off against if you pull against drive direction to slow down. Within reason of course don't fully lock the elbow but be ready to push against if needed.

The rest, good front brake for Mr White Van Man/Suicidal Pedestrians/Monday Morning Bus Driver, don't start on 52/14 and other boring sensible stuff which is no doubt already posted :)

Wetting leather carefully helps breaking in so does saddle oil have links if you want to go that way.

Some people have a brooks bum and some need to do hard breaking in...

Missed the classic and brown look bit sorry.

Would check sitbones in any case as too wide can also be umcomfy as you then plant the weight on the wrong place.

Ladies saddles are shorter as women used to all wear skirts ergonomically it doesn't matter and I prefer longer men saddles.

Check sjs cycles they are touring orientated you may find something there with the right look?

I've a specialised avatar on my tourer comfortable immediately. It's a mans saddle they do female versions too.

Not sure if that's what your gf likes look wise but it works for me.

Measuring sitbones is a good idea if she hasn't already. There's a way to do that involving sitting on Alu foil can post link if you want.

Knee length socks, SPD sandals and beards modelled on those customary for American Civil War infantrymen all have a significant aerodynamic drag, which we have been told is more important than weight up to a 6% incline anway, so touring bikes may as well be made of something suitable for attaching magnetic Scrabble tiles to.

You forget the harmonica to keep oneself entertained while camping in the wild. Wind drag on them things is lethal.

Crud LA cycles way to big for me, I got a touring frame from them and it's very comfy and the fillet brazing is superb. Can recommend their work!

I guess the OP is possibly by now wondering what to do after two million different opinions :)

For touring with light loads on roads in Europe a 700c carbon bike will be fine, just keep an eye on it so it doesn't get manhandled or bring it yourself.

For heavy loads/crappy roads or far away places, steel with 26" wheels is still the touring consensus. You pay for that in a heavier frame/rims, but people on tours generally aren't in a big hurry to get anywhere :)

Well then I guess the question is: What frames/brands/parts can you buy for sure knowing the material won't fail?

And some very boring engineering thing on crash properties on carbon would be interesting perhaps.

All materials can and will fail under the right circumstances. The only way to assess this with carbon is ultrasound (as you won't get big dents/cracks) which is what they use in the aircraft industry.

Risk of an instant failure is very low, I guess it depends on how you weight needs VS risks. Do I need a carbon frame for my riding? No. So the very small risk of damage that I miss that results an instant frame/fork failure and me biting the road isn't worth it for me. If you are a road racer on the other hand...

RE touring Luddites: It's part true (I hang out on touring forums) but it's part also because again if you travel and take your bike with you on a plane/train there is no way of telling how fucked up it's been treated by handlers. Metal? Dent warns you. Carbon? No way of knowing.

And yes brazeons are harder to do on carbon, as somebody pointed out, touring bikes generally have a lot of them.

RE the video he said both forks need replaced. But notice how the carbon fork looks like it is still OK? And you may end up riding away happily and encounter fork fail?

I'd still personally not ride carbon myself as frames near the trainstation etc. as exposed to people doing fuckknowwhat trying to get their bikes out of the much too narrow areas.

I stand corrected on the strength in one direction. I know, a so-called troll admitting she's wrong! Wow...a internet new.

That carbon touring bike is...interesting. But yeah you may be right that nobody wants it after they've seen bust carbon.

Well, carbon is mega strong and much stronger than metals in ONE DIRECTION ONLY

Hence my note that if you can expect knocks on storage it's not the best material to use, as if it fails it fails totally and you may end up on your face. Hence touring frames are not made from carbon.

The rest is up for discussion and I never owned a carbon bike, so I can't comment. If you have a safe storage for it, knocks shouldn't be an issue.

Thorn cycles in England is specialised in touring bikes (steel) and they do very large frames on some models if needed. http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/models.html

They do Audax bikes that carry light loads and are comfortable all day that may work for you :) Carbon forks can be fitted to those.

I got one they're very good/comfy and come with a fan forum of experience touring people.

Ridgeback Panorama is another touring options, so is Dawes and so is Spa Cycles. But never used any of their brands.

One note on carbon: Don't use if you can't park bike safely as knocks can damage it more easily than steel. If you want to ride this all year round for commuting and don't have a safe parking area it might not suit your riding.

If this is built by who I think it is (LA Cycles staff they build for 18bike co and specialize in fillet braze) I got a Thorn XTC tourer from them their work is excellent. This bike is too big for me as a short arse, but I can't recommend their framework enough!

Thanks :) SWRV UK site had them but only for kids which is still the case :S

Levis not sure...it's water resistant I believe, if soaking down you still get wet. But you can't have breathing + full water resistance. Gore says they do, well Paclite is a little better than a plastic binliner but not much :) The touring forum consensus was you get wet either from sweat or rain if it's really bucketing down.

Also those fabrics are expensive and probably they don't sell in small batches, so might not be handy for you atm. There's a competitor to Gore, and Gore has better stuff than Paclite but again not sure they will sell small rolls.

It also rarely buckets down on the way to work so spray proof might be what commuters buy anyway.

The manfriend has SWRV water resistant trousers, I can ask him how well the proofing lasts?

Hey good luck with the venture :)

My two cents:
Can't get technical trousers... SWRV/Levis only do blokes (which never will fit me, I take a bold curve model in Levis...) and the UK shops don't do water resistant fashion trousers either.
For tops, I end up changing top anyway at work. Even in cycling tops that wick sweat the top will still have some smell.

So trousers like SWRV, Jeans and Warehouse style skinny trousers etc. that are waterproof/repellant with practical touches like pockets, lock loops would get my vote :)

RE coats, I just end up wearing Gore Bike wear. A short nice waterproof jacket would be good, but I despise the mandatory hi-vis. Dots of reflective material are spot on though, or turn-ups that reflect.

And maybe make some cycling hats when at it? People can flash out more cash for accessories if just right. I can't find a Gore belgian cycle cap, wool gets soaking wet, and things like trouser straps and other nice "decoration" items can also be good.

Wow amazing work :)

Just out of curiousity where did you get it chromed? Can only find Argos and Bob Jackson and chroming is very expensive there.

Love the paint details over the yellow and the stamping on BB blue looks nice too :)

Thanks for the tips, found an old catalogue with changeover and got a phone number from a Campagnolo/Vintage parts enthusiast that works for costs, not profits.

See if I can reach him.

Brake drilling hole seems to be recessed, eg newer type. So just after change-over in 1979 might be correct.

And have to make call on all Nuovo, or Super. Looks wise not much difference that year...bar flutes on the seatposts on Super. Mechanically both are sound too.

Well, lots of things to learn but it's fun :)

Going vintage and just going to learn to live with friction shifting :)

I had a look on Fleabay, no joy yet with vintage components on a whole bike. More modern Campagnolo easier to get, eg a vintage Ribble etc. If you spot something feel free to post :) Am in UK.

But...there's 1974 Nuovo Record parts on fleabay that may finish for a reasonable price...

Nuovo OK or does it have to be Super I wonder? As I read up, apparently both are fine the Super just made some small changes to save weight. (Fluting...drilling...)

Super gets you ++++look points of course...