Calculate Watts, Cafe Locks & C02 Flats | GCN Tech Clinic

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I'm not doctor Ollie - but I am a chemical engineer :) . I had the understanding that CO2 permeation on butyl/latex is not a matter of particle size but of chemical solubility - CO2 dissolves better on a carbon polymer than nitrogen/oxygen. Junius David Edwards & S. F. Pickering. "Permeability of Rubber to Gases". Scientific Papers of the Bureau of Standards. 1920 (!) And yeah, CO2 is practical for inflating things because you can get away with a relatively low pressure container that can inflate practical things - it is easy to condense. There are small containers that carry high pressure air (e.g. backup SCUBA tanks) but they are very heavy because they are rated to 3000 PSI which requires a much thicker wall and present much higher risks if breached so are much less attractive for bicycle use.

I think the zip tie locks are good because it stops an opportunist thief jumping on your bike and riding off with it whilst you are inside ordering a coffee. If you are in a group fine, no lock needed as someone can stay outside but as a solo cyclist I think a light lock definitely has it's place.

I was washing my bike in the shower, but my partner wasn't a fan of it. So I bought a 2 gallon (7.68l) pesticide bottle that has a pump and hose. Fill it with water, and I take it down to the street and can spray the bike off, soap it up, and then rinse it off at the end

Re. cafés and locks: I leave my bicycle in sight and clip my helmet strap across the wheel spokes -- which would slow down a grab-and-run attempt long enough for me to catch up with it.

Speaking of bike-friendly cafes, a few that I have visited have a little bucket of locks that you can borrow.

For the lock question: best thing we can do is to ask for businesses to have a dedicated safe bike park in every chance we have...only when businesses understand that safe bike parking means more clients they'll invest on it. Also, tip for the washing question: If you can't use the shower for whatever reason, you can use a big manual pump spray bottle to wash the bike and a collapsible bucket for the water refil and do it in the parking lot.

On bikes with quick release wheels, I've always just undone the back wheel release and if anyone jumps on the bike to take off, when they pedal, the rear wheel is pulled forward out of frame and stops immediately. Usually though, I bring my bike with me into a store or Cafe or leave my mate to watch it.

Hot tip: Buy a Knog Scout as a bike tracker & alarm. Loud enough to deter bike thieves. And double down with an Airtag in your saddle bag or a stealth Airtag holder mount.

CO2 does bleed massively faster than air. Simple solution. Pump your tires with air when you get home.

Love the dramatic re-enactment in the b -roll 😂

Seeing Ollie take temporary custody of a Canyon Aeroad and a Pinarello in recent weeks has given me an idea for a series of GCN videos. Rather like the “Our Cars” features in motoring magazines, how about featuring each presenter in turn showcasing their bike collections. I’m sure there would be an interesting mixture of old bikes from their racing days, practical ‘beaters’ and the bikes that are loaned by manufacturers?

Something to add…CO2 can react with some sealants and solidify within the tire if left in there. I’ve always recommended that you vent the CO2 out when you get home and replace with air.

Washing tip: hand spayer for window sill flowers. You really don't need more than a liter of water for a full cleanup

For when we plan on going for a walk away from the bike, I'll take along a small cable lock of reasonable strength, and long enough to stretch around 3 of our bikes. When not in use, it coils up, and it fits in a medium-sized saddle bag, or can easily coil around the seat post (at a small aero penalty). No it won't stop someone from spending a while to decode it or a pair of bolt cutters, but it will stop the strongest yank or any smaller cable cutters.

It was so nice to see Jon's cameo on GCN Tech!

I have a lot of peace of mind by always carrying a cable lock wrapped around the seatpost that lives on each bike. I use it whenever I go into a shop whether its for 3 minutes or an hour+. Without locking it up, it only takes a jerk 5 seconds to ruin your life for weeks.

Move to Thailand. I visit cafes during my 90 km/day rides and leave my bike outside with no lock. But then Thailand has a reputation for tough jails, Buddhism (which discourages materialism) and is, by far, the safest country of the 68 to which I've been.

9:24 Best thing I bought is a low-pressure cleaner like the Kärcher OC3. Runs on rechargeable battery and has a tank for water. Even better, you can fill it up with warm water. No damage to your bearings, but has enough pressure to get off the dirt even without soap. Chain is clean within 1 minute (soaked with biodegradable cleaner). Easiest, quickest bike cleaning ever.

Possible alternative to a lock I’ve tried recently is the Knog Scout Bike Finder & Alarm - super light and thin and slots in between your frame and bottle cage. When you ‘arm’ it from your phone it plays a decent alarm upon any movement, perfect for nipping into a cafe - also can track it from your phone too.