Workshop - Fix A Flat

This is repetition of the same workshop that we had conducted on  09 June 2012. This workshop is open to everybody.

After this session , you will be able to

a) Understand the types of flats and ways to prevent them.
b) Dismount and install the the front and the rear wheels properly
c) Fix a flat (detecting punctures, patching them up )
d) Change a tube.

When : 03-Nov-2012, 9.30 am - 10.30 am.
What : Workshop on flat fixing and changing tubes.
Fees  : Free !
Location : The Bike Affair store, Kondapur

 To register, please send a mail to krish@thebikeaffair.com with subject 'Fix-A-Flat' . Mention your name and contact number in the mail.

HCCC 2012/11 - 75 km Mass Start Road Race

The November 2012 Race  is almost here. This time a mass start Road Race. The 75 km race is going to  be the longest that has been ever been organised by HCC.

When   :    Sunday, 04Nov2012
What    :    HCCC 2012/11 - Road Mass Start
Where :     NH7
Distance :  75 km
Start point/meeting point : 20 km from Medchal(towards Nagpur), NH7. More details coming soon.
Race Fees    :  Rs.300/rider.
Registration : Registration and bib allocation will be at 6.30 am at Start/Meeting point. Race starts @7.15 am. To register for the event, you will need to RSVP here. Race fees will be collected on venue(before start of race).

Rules:

• The race is part of the 2012 racing season.
• This is a team race. We encourage riders to be part of a team/form your own team.
• Each team can have a min of 3 riders and a max of 6 riders.
• Drafting behind a fellow rider is allowed. Drafting behind anything else will result in disqualification. The rider will also be banned from participating in the next 3 HCC races
• By participating in this race, you automatically accept the race rules listed at http://hyderabadcyclingclub.in/hcc-races/race-requirements/
• All participants will be required to sign an indemnity bond before start of the race.
• Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent (who will have to sign the indemnity bond and take all responsibility of the participant)
• Helmets are mandatory

What will be provided?

• Rider Bib numbers 
• First aid and service of a doctor @ race venue in case of emergency
• Basic snacks and water  (before and after the race)
• There will be one Feed Zone at around 45 km mark where rider can pick up/refill bottle of water. The station will have some basic snacks  as well.
• There will be amateur photographers taking pictures
• With help from fellow riders and volunteers, we will arrange carpooling from different part of the city to the start point of the race.
• Sphere Fitness and Sports Pvt Ltd (Distributor of Sigma Sports, Vredestein and 4ZA), Zixtro and Akslen have very kindly agreed to support the races. They will be giving away  podium freebies. Stay tuned, there's more to come:)

We also need volunteers to help the organisers. So if you are not looking to participate, but would like to volunteer or play photographer, do send a mail to  racedirector@hyderabadcyclingclub.in . We would be glad to have you. As a volunteer/photographer, you are will receive

• A Safety vest/HCC volunteer T shirt
• Any expenses made towards organizing the race would be reimbursed - especially fuel.

For any race related queries, send a mail to racedirector@hyderabadcyclingclub.in 

Workshop - Bike maintenance

Please note this session  is exclusively for riders who bought their bikes from TBA

When :  27th Oct  2012. 9 am – 10.30 am
Where : TBA, Kondapur
Fees :     Free!

We are going to tell and demonstrate you a few things that we feel every bike owner should know.

• Daily check ( before every ride) - Things to check on your bike before every ride. This should help you get the best performance from your bike.
• Basic Maintenance – A few things that you as a rider should be aware of. A perfectly maintained bike will enhance the life of your bike as well as the way you enjoy your rides.
• Preventative Maintenance – When should you change your brake pads? Is your chain worn out? Are your tires all right? Is there anything wrong with that headset on your bike? Read the signs and act before it is too late.

Number of seats are limited. If you are interested, drop in a mail to krish@thebikeaffair.com with subject - "Workshop - Bike Maintenance", mentioning your full name  and  contact number.

Zixtro Shell - First impression

Recently at TBA we came across a very attractive and innovative saddle bag - the Zixtro Shell. The hard body, the bright matt colors, the quick release mounts, and the absence of a Zipper won our accolades. Here's a quick review of the Shell.

Zixtro Shell in Red

Zixtro Shell in Black

Zixtro Shell in Yellow

The quick release Z lock clamp sits on the saddle rails. The locking mechanism is very simple and  tool free.

The clamp fits snug , and  is compatible with most saddle rails. The only case when it might have a problem is if the saddle has been pushed to the very end of the saddle rail.

The Shell looks tiiny, but can easily hold two 700x23 tubes( btwin  ones here), a minitool , a set of tyre lever,  and some money.

The elastic band is useful in holding a little bit of money or small items

We like the fact that instead of the usual fiddle prone zips, you just need to close the wrap around velcro strap. 

With the clamp installed, putting it  on and taking it off is a breeze. Re installing the Z lock mount is also quite fast, in case  you want to switch the Shell from one bike to another. Another option  would be to invest in an extra set of quick release Z lock mounts and leave it on your other bike.

Once mounted, the Shell doesn't move around. Have tested it over some rough patches of road, and the Shell has proved to be quite reliable. Although we haven't ridden in rain, it definitely looks waterproof.  Zixtro claims it as an all weather case. Lastly, the hard molded body gives you that extra bit of confidence if you are going to throw in a phone or camera.

The rear light holder ( to fit in the rear light) works well. Unlike many other saddle bags, the light remains steady and doesn't droop; thanks to the solid body and the holder

Rarely does a saddle bag impact the look of a bike in positive way. The Zixtro Shell is probably one of those rare ones. Available @TBA and other dealers across the country in multiple colors. Priced at Rs1390.

Workshop - Fix A Flat

Remember the day when you got up early, ready to go out on a ride only to realize one of the tires has a flat and the puncture shop is not gonna open anytime soon ? Or the hour long walk that you had to take to the nearest puncture shop with your bike when you were stranded on the road?

Not anymore. After this session , you should be able to
a) Understand the types of flats and ways to prevent them
b) Dismount and install the the front and the rear wheels properly
c) Fix a flat (detecting punctures, patching them up )
d) Change a tube


When : 09-June-2012, 9.30 am - 10.30 am.
What : Wokshop on flat fixing and changing tubes.
Cost : Free
Location : The Bike Affair store, Kondapur

Please note, this is a hands on workshop. We have a stack of used tubes for you to locate and fix the puncture  before we certify you as the puncture guru:) Don't forget to get Tyre Levers along . Sandpapers, glue and patches will be provided. To register, please send a mail to krish@thebikeaffair.com with subject 'Fix-A-Flat' . Mention your name and contact number in the mail.

Review - Sigma Lightster

The Lightser is Sigma's latest entry in the India market among battery powered LED lights. With a bright beam, thoughtful design and sub 3k price tag, it  bridges the gap between price and performance to a great extent .

Sigma Lightster  ,Photo credit - Dipesh Pradhan

  . 

Appearance: The Sigma Lightster takes 4 AA cells. This makes the light a little bulky, but it has been designed well to distribute the weight equally. One of the previous lights that we used - the Sigma Pava - we thought was front-heavy (the light would slip down when you hit a pothole and you needed to pull it back up again). This one, on the other hand is nicely balanced.

Sigma Lightster - Position on handlebar  ,Photo credit - Dipesh Pradhan

Build Quality: Plastic body with a rubberized coating, but feels solid. The clamping mechanism needs special mention. Like most Sigma lights, this one comes with a 'tool-free mounting clamp and removable bracket. It is a nice feature if you are sharing the light with your buddies. Taking it off from one bike and installing it on another bike is a breeze. 

Sigma Lightster - detachable clamp  ,Photo credit - Dipesh Pradhan

Sigma Lightster - fitting the clamp  ,Photo credit - Dipesh Pradhan

However, there are two limitations of this clamping system that one should be aware of.

a) The light needs to be installed as close to the stem (on the handlebar) as possible. This is because it can't be panned horizontally, unlike some of the higher end Sigma lights like the Karma Pro. This means, it would be really tricky to use this light if you have a handlebar bag, or for that matter, anything else on your handlebar.

b) While testing the light on rough and un-tarred roads, the light slipped down on one or two occasions, but we could adjust the angle again without having to stop the bike. Also, to keep it really secure (so it doesn't slip) you need to press the clamp very hard. And if you do so, taking the light off  needs some force.

Brightness/Illumination: The Lightster has been rated at 20 Lux  by Sigma. It has a focused and powerful beam with a squarish beam pattern. We felt the beam pattern is great if riding on decent or good roads where it gives you confidence to ride at a higher speed. When we tried the light on broken and  un-tarred roads, we wished it had a broader beam pattern, which would have made tackling potholes or choosing a line easier.

Sigma Lightster - Beam Shot ,Photo credit - Dipesh Pradhan

Details : Time : 11.30 pm, Location : Hyderbad, Focussed 20 metres away from source

Modes: The light has just the On/Off modes. No intermediate brightness or blinking modes.

Burn time:  Although the website says that the burn time is 20 hours, in our test, the intensity went down after 10 hours of continuous usage. And after 15 hours, it is unusable (tested with brand new Duracell AA Alkaline batteries).  But a 10 hours burn time can definitely be tagged as 'very impressive' for a light which is as powerful as this one.We had also tested the brightness for a continuous period of 5 hours and didn't notice any significant drop in brightness.

Other features:

a) There is a charging socket inbuilt in the unit. This means  if you are using rechargeable cells in the unit, you would be able to charge them without taking them out. The charger and rechargeable Sigma batteries  will be available in India in very near future at additional cost. We were told by Sigma India that the charger is recommended to be  used only with Sigma rechargeable AA batteries.

Sigma Lightster - charging socket  ,Photo credit - Dipesh Pradhan

b) There is a battery status indicator, which glows red when running low on battery.

c) The 2 openings on the side of the light which Sigma refers as 'side windows' are very thoughtful. They make the rider more visible at road intersections where the light is seen from a 90 degree angle.

Cost: Rs. 2700

Summary: There aren't many sub 3k battery powered lights in the Indian Market which are suited for road bikers, and this is what makes the Sigma Lightster an interesting proposition to riders. The bright beam lets you ride without sacrificing your speed. However, if you ride on mud roads and badly broken roads,this may not be the best option. 

Raman Joins TBA

Around 2 years back,  a young chap had come down to our store, asking for suggestion on a road bike. After debating on the options for a week, we ordered the trek 2.1 for him. He turned out to be a somebody who always wanted his bike to be in a perfectly tuned up condition. And that meant every other other week we would receive a call from him. Sometimes it was some very minute RD adjust, at other times it would be  that illusive 'not so smooth feel' of his bottom bracket. Its been a while since then.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are thrilled to announce that Raman Garimella,  a mechanical engineer from BITS and member of AP state cycling team is now part of The Bike Affair family. We are sure his critical approach and attention to smaller details would help us take TBA to the next level. Post trainng, he will be in charge of the Torque Wrench and will be leading the Tech Division .  He can be reached at raman@thebikeaffair.com