GW: you’re right. But so am I!
al.

… actually this deal from Merlin is better – I’m not convinced the CRC deal includes all the bits.

al.

i have BB7 roads and BB5s I ised for many years. The BB5s nearly killed me because I didn’t adjust them – they get a bit crap them suddenly stop working at all because only 1 pad moves, the other is fixed so the disc gets bent and there’s very littel pad contact beyond a certain point. When adjusted correctly, they’re good. If you need to use cables (STI levers) they’re great.

BUT I switched to Deores after the BB5s nearly killed me. And hydraulics self-adjust, have 2 moving pads, blah. Very good.

BUT at SSWC Aviemore, the morning after a discussion with Jeff Jones on why he uses BB7s on his wonder bikes (“you can’t lose all the fluid and be helpless if you have cables”) – I got on the bike and found I’d lost all the fluid in my rear brake due to a loose banjo! Cue DIY brake-bleed kit.

BUT that doesn’t really happen much and you can get good hydraulics for sweeties now:
CRC has LX for £50 an end, wrong levers but easy to swap

All in all I’m off the BB5s.

al.

It’s true that the 456 geom is better. It’s intended for a longer fork so I suppose it has a steeper head angle, so when the front’s lifted higher the head angle’s what you’d expect. I initially did this to a DMR Sidekick frame, it was great on uphill switchbacks but wandery on the downs & great big turning circle. I rode the 456 like that for ages last summer, might build it up again.

Got a proper “clown bike” now though…

al.

So, is it “ask allan about his bikes” day? Second so far…

Here’s my very entertaining 4569er. RC31 fork.

al.

The Inbred 456 in the picture has 29er wheels on from on-one with Conti 700×32 Twister tyres. The clearance at the seatstay bridge is fine, but you wouldn’t get much bigger tyres on.

al.

Works great. Remember 26″ wheels are only called that because they’re approx 26″ diameter with big tyres on. 700c with skinnys are about 26″.

al.

Aha! Thanks Daveells.

these must be what I was riding today

Cheers, a.

Hmm, Ive had a look and these are not quite “it” I don’t think. The ones I’m thinking of are a constant (slight) curve…

al.

ta. thought so. funny you have to use a little shim with more gears isn’t it?
al.

Thanks guys =)

I got the 661 Kyle Strait jobs, £40 from CRC.

I’ll wear them Thu, post a review after that.

al.

A superfit runner at work organised a runners vs riders round the East Pentlands and a couple of us were involved in the trial run and the race. There were about 50 people in the race, about half/half and the runners won. It’s the old hare & tortoise story, they’re dead steady.

The main thing I could not do at all, was push the bike up mad hills. My CALFS! OUCH! And I’m a singlespeed guy. I thought I had good legs, but there’s muscles in there I’ve obviously never been introduced to…

Tell you what though, we may well talk endlessly about kit, but so do they. At least there’s a fair bit of kit to talk about on a bike – our otherwise interesting and attractive runner frieds talked about SHOES for a very very long time. Shoes. really.

al.

I’ve ridden and maintained my bikes since I was 8 or so – I’m 40 now.
I NEVER replaced a BB until ISIS came along. Suddenly I was replacing BBs every few months. I now have 6 different BB tools. IT’S A SCAM.
Here’s a picture of a disintegrated Truvativ BB I took a few years ago. Marvel at the TINY TINY bearings.

I too have gone for external, and I think the Shimano HTII stuf is good. You can replace the bearings for very little with a bit of determination and a hammer.

But, what was wrong with square taper? Nothing. At. All.

I spent a lot of money. Who won? Truvativ mostly.

al.

Ah, well. Thanks for setting me straight.

Why are they good then?

al.

So if PayPal took my cash I’m in am I?
What a blimmin panic we had earlier!
al.

http://www.tubelesswheels.com

Stanley knife with tape wrapped round so you don’t slice your fingers. But I usually just use scissors cos the little bit of tub causes no probs and guarantees you can use the same strip when you change tyre. If you use rim-brakes then fair enough Stanley knife.

al.

The beer one’s really good though.

SSUK08 had a really nice wee birdy logo on the website but they used the hairy monster one.

That fighting one is crap though, I’d not wear the T-shirt.

And like someone said, it’s all bikes it’s all good. Unless it gets unfriendly.

al.

The lawn is priority number none. What bulbs do you recommend? al.

Rear mech: really? It’s a front triple and a rear 10, so I think it’s correct.

al.

Yeah, this is the one. You can’t see it in these pics but the paint’s very patchy. Anyway, I was in B&Q tonight and I got a can of matt black spray for £5r, so maybe the powder coat’ll wait til post-credit-crunch…

al.

BTW, (before someone points it out) the fact that I’ve built a budget bike where the seatpost+seat are worth more than the frame+wheels is not lost on me…

al.

The bastards.
al.

Aye, the big stuff is professional groundworks but the re-surfacing and the intricate stuff (Mushroom Pie) is 100% spade work. With 4 kids I don’t pick up a spade as much as I’d like, but we should all go once in a while, you’ll be very welcome.

http://www.glentresstrailfairies.org/

al.

“They” have to look after it cos it’s so blimmin popular the raw surface erodes really fast. Also it’s the “Manchester United” of trails – if you want quirky natural etc etc then go ride your own local stuff. “They” are unpaid volunteers.

al.

Why’s it bad then?
al.

This was the “killer app” for me. I never wanted a bells & whistles mobi until rosqo showed me this on the phone he blagged. So, I got one. Top tip, start your recording then switch apps to Nokia Maps. Live on-map progress plus Sportstracker recording. Neato.

al.

Clink: that’s going to be lovely! I just used cranks I had, nothing particularly short. He is very big for 7yo, but it’s amazing what a 50mm stem with seatpost at zero, seat forward can do. It feels TINY when I swing a leg over, and as above I rode it for years.. I think I’ll use it to (finally) learn to wheelie… before he does!

al.

Desf – hi there! Yes, I commuted on that for a good while. Did my wrists in because I had it with DMR Sidekick rigids on. Great to have these oldy-but-goody forks.

Cheers, al.

Roughly a 14″. My bikes are mostly On-One and I’m dead sure one of (ex)- Brant’s 14″ Inbreds would be perfect. It’s a Handsome Dog XC-01 though, and as you can see fits wee lads…

al.

Thanks psychle, he’s been round glentress green + blue on it rigid, so I think Inners is next 😉

a.

thanks all. It’s a steel frame. I think that makes it easier? I’m dead near Haddington so i’ll check that out.
Cheers, al.

No. You can’t get guaranteed delivery, and it’s dead expensive.

When I first got rid of a few bits, a bloke in Slovakia won a frame. I was all niaive and looked into it, but he didn’t reply and then a friend explained the “non-delivery” scam. So, I did nothing and nothing happened. I’ll re-list it one day, I have ‘UK only’ now.

I do buy little electronic things from Hong Kong, never had a bad experience there. Great for stocking fillers!

Cheers, al.

I think they were initially a bit silly but they’re dead good now. The Gary Fisher full-sus 29ers in the LBS look fab.

I rode a Singular at SSUK 08 and promptly bought one. Fan-blimmin-tastic. I’m 5’7 or 8 (wife insists 7, fnaar) and a “medium” Singular Swift (the smallest size) is perfect. I got an Exotic carbon fork for Christmas from said wife and now it’s even better. It’s been my winter commuter in training for Strathpuffer, and now it’s going to be stripped down to be a SS for Glentress ambles.

Cheers, al.

He does that, I thought it was going to happen in last year’s TdF. He’s up & showboating waaaay before everyone else has given up. But he doesn’t lose…. (to my limited knowledge).

I think he’s genuinely amazing, very un-British of me.

al.

Aye well, what do you get for £25?

And BTW, the rubber things keep a load of crap out and should be on all suspension thingies. Exposing the seals to mud for fashion’s sake is rubbish.

You’re right though it looks Asda-price 😉

al.

i love that squirrel =)

Very “Land Rover chic” in the new blue.

al.

Aw, c’mon it’s not that bad…

%}

Bongo al.

Look, here’s another picture. Maybe you prefer this?

I got a blag copy of Home off my pal and it’s worn out. No “look at me, look at me, look at ME” riding, just excellent real people. Very local for me too. After the top reviews on this thread I’ve popped over to the Dirt School web (which, BTW, is here) and ordered both. Who says pirating kills sales? It made me buy!

al.

Ah, that’s clear as mud then.

Basically it’s a cash disaster. Hmm, that is really bad. Luckily I have 5 On-Ones already so I don’t need any more.

Good luck grumpy bloke!

al.

Nutts old boy, qu’est que c’est les Straits?
al.