Stan's rims are simply very nice rims. You can tubeless nearly anything for pennies. I use his excellent fluid and nothing else.

http://www.tubelesswheels.com

Cheers, al.

Thanks all for continuing updates and efforts. If I could muck in, I would. Is there much tidy-up done on the Sunday? We're going home on the Monday so could help on Sunday afternoon (after a bit of sleep!).

mcwyc: That's it really isn't it? "Because it's there" kind of thing. I read a book before last year's I can recommend to anyone called "We Cannot Fail" by Geoff Powter – it's stories of mountaineering single-minded madness. Good therapy =).

I spent an hour riding round the local park tonight with 32×20 and the Schwalbe Snow Studs, very confidence inspiring and defo the right gearing although not that much snow here just now. Got an 18 on there too, just in case.

18t and 20t cogs[/url]

Got home and cracked open the huge tub of Torq energy stuff. Put the new number plate on the new bike carrier. It's all coming together!

Cheers, al.

grizzer – Member

How many co2 canisters to inflate a wheel?

I just use one to get the tyre sealed (usually not a full one) and then use a track pump to get it hard. (oo-er).

Those little cartridges get really cold, watch your fingers!

Cheers, al.

All this speculation's killing me. We can't even travel unless we can offload the 4 kids to 2 sets of relatives, and getting them there safely in this weather is a challenge in itself. Then the drive up to Contin. As niterider says, the campers were parked all the way up the 1st climb, perhaps for a mile or so? If that road can't be used then could a nearby field be used? In 2008 we were dead lucky that the farmer was so accommodating – after the marquee blew away (1 metre tent pegs and all), he emptied the barn to let the event organisation in. Then he spent the weekend dragging people's vehicles in and out of the field. I seem to remember a 6 or 7AM meeting to announce whether the race was on. I arrived on Fri evening to be turned away and camped at the shinty pitch with loads of others, where my car promptly sank into the mud. I never moved the tent, and commuted through Strathpeffer to the start line for the duration of the race. The BBC's Dougie Vipond with his physical, dietary, mental, mechanical trainers & support and great big warm camper van on site beat me by 1 lap (very low numbers : my 6, his 7).

Somehow I entered again the next year. Hmm. And again this year.

All we can do is plan to travel and wait.

Cheers, al.

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/12/?p=3

Moots_snow_bike

Cheers, al.

http://www.tubelesswheels.com

Works great.

Cheers, al.

Trekster: top tip thanks.
Julian: Mine don't beep!

Cheers, al.

I got Schwalbe Snow Studs. They only have outer studs, but they do work. As said above ,you only need itty little spikes not more than 1mm.

On sheet ice they're only useful at low pressures though – you need centre spikes at higher pressures. The Conti Spike Claw 240s are the ones recommended by folks on here with £100 spare…

My tyres & some snowy ride pics:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/allankelly/sets/72157622937828481/

Cheers, al.

So, either it's knee deep snow and we're walking (what's the criteria for a "bike"? Can I carry my 2 y.o's bike round 😉 )

OR it thaws and it's MUD. Cold, gritty mud that eats disk pads.

OR it's in the process of thawing and it's a repeat of 2008 – start ice, thaw overnight to provide 24h of the world's slipperiest surface. That was horrible. At least the gales look unlikely.

Last year was perfect. Apart from me breaking my knee at 2AM. Still, I raised £1000 for Sick Kids Hospital.

Say those prayers!

Cheers, al.

father – Member
I've been riding my Ti framed bike for several years and it still delights me.

Certainly suitable for the larger gentleman.
Here's father showing some style on his Ti steed at SSUK08
😉

More: http://www.flickr.com/photos/allankelly/sets/72157604918078600/

Cheers, al.

Do you know a large lad then?

FWIW (nothing), I've resisted spending more than £250 on a frame. So, the concept of a £1000 frame seems daft. I strongly suspect it's a case of diminishing returns – I have an £80 Alu frame that I think is just great (Hadsome Dog XC.01) and I had another similar that I wore out (Merlin Malt 1). Cheap, cheerful. However I like steel (cos Alu's very stiff due to thick tubes). So, On-Ones then. Lots of them. Mostly the stack-em-high varieties – DN6 tubing – Inbreds, 456, Kaff, Pomp. All great. I had all I needed.

Then they did the 853 slidey Inbred with no cable stops. Ah. OK, I want that. And it is fabulous.

Then they did the Ti 465. And I stopped there. Would I have loved it? Will I still get one one day? Hmm. I love the designs (MOOTS) where the sproing of Ti is used to supply pivotless rear sus. But a standard twin triangle hardtail? I would need to not need the money.

I bet I'd love it though.

Cheers, al.

Thanks Epi. I can make it up my local forest climbs 40×16 but it's a mammoth effort. 48×18 sounds BIG to me. Let's face it we'll be walking the technical stuff anyway. Prob best to take the lightest bike you can for carrying!

Here's the Pomp's current setup:

Cheers, al.

Hmm. Well, we have a nice wee cottage booked in Contin so it'll be a dirty weekend either way…

😉

al + cat.

Hi Mick, hmm 20/40 == 2.0 which is about 5metres per pedal rev.

How much? Like you I might not really use it…

al.

You're going to stand up A LOT more. You're going to use your upper body A LOT more. You're going to be A LOT more smug and irritating.

My buddy told me recently that when we started riding together, the guys thought I was mad/weird on my SS. Then he got one after a loan of (one of) mine. Then another of us got one. Then another.

We all went to SSUK this year and had a great time.

Cheers, al.

Eek! We're worried about getting there. How are the roads?

I've been practicing round East Lothian – today I saw the biggest hail stones I've seen (I'd say 5mm).

Some proper ice: (on the 'Puffer steed with ice spike tyres)…

Some proper snow: (on the girly sus bike with gears)…

Cheers, al.

Well, seeing as it's Hogmanay…

I've SS-ed for many (many) years, both commuting 700c and offroad 26". As others have said, 32/16 (or any other 2.0 ratio) is perfect. I did TransScotland over 7 days on 32:16 and all was well. On 700c (Pompino, drop bars, CX tyres), I'm currently on 2.5 (40/16) which is great.

However, here comes Strathpuffer. I rode 32:16 last year & the year before and it was far too blimmin hard. Also I fell off and broke my knee when I was dead tired in the snow at 2AM, and I couldn't get traction. So, I have an 18 and a 20 in the shed. Depending on conditions I'll start high and get lower.

All that matters is the ratio, so for 32 up front and assuming a 2000mm tyre outer diameter (on the low side of correct) it's as follows per pedal revolution. Multiply this over just 10 revs and you can see why the difference is so noticable in practice:

32:16 = 2.0 = 4m
32:17 = 1.9 = 3.8m
32:18 = 1.8 = 3.6m
32:19 = 1.7 = 3.4m
32:20 = 1.6 = 3.2m

Cheers, al.

It's a known known.
Here's a dead recent example : http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-rumsfeld-makes-5m-killing-on-bird-flu-drug-469599.html

al.

Can we be bothered re-hashing this here? Worth doing if viewers aren't up to speed. Otherwise not.

Loosely: Rumsfeld is the Devil.

OK?

al.

Damn, I missed a lively debate. The Aspartame/Rumsfeld "connection" is far from conspiracy theory, it's simple fact. Don Rump was the youngest (under Nixon) and oldest (under G Bush II) Foreign Secretary. He was described by (mr nice guy!?) Nixon as "a ruthless little bastard".

Fine. We all hate him. But where did the Rumsfeld millions come from? Aspartame. He MADE it legal by force, 20-30 yeaars ago (1977, Rumsfeld as Searle Senior Manager: http://www.rense.com/general33/legal.htm).

Goodnight then.

al & all.
XXxxxx

Goan: Aye, I've got knee pads… And a wife who's going to make me wear them!

Cheers, al.

Ta, I just found that on wiggle.
al.

Well, I cc'd the local paper (East Lothian Council) and I'm star letter of the week! Woo woo. So, it's in the public eye.

We'll see.

al.

Thanks! 853 Inbred, ancient-but-bound-to-work RockShox Duke forks, similar era Hope brakes and hubs, 32 x 16. I've got an 18t and a 20t cog too.

Cheers, al.

Luxembourg! Nearly here. I'll catch him this year…

Thom: you missed it dude.
Pass the red, I'm getting low…
al.

Money is, sadly, too tight to mention. So, Schwalbe at cheaper prices for me.
A pity, I usually buy Conti tyres.
al.

Oh look another snow stud thread. Well, I just had a brilliant time on mine. Loose wet snow is loose and wet, but hard-pack and ice is brilliant. I'm running them ghetto tubeless at about 35 PSI. (they are stiff though, warm them in a bath before fitting!).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allankelly/sets/72157622937828481/show/

al.

Simondbarnes: Those seem to have studs round the middle. Mine have them round the sides. Strange/interesting/whatever….
al.

Hi Thom, These ones are Schwalbe Snow Studs, from wiggle.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Schwalbe_Snow_Stud_Mountain_Bike_Tyres/5360016534/

I ghetto tubelessed them too, just the same as http://tubelesswheels.com/

al.

I'm glad it's not your ex-wife!

Susan Boyle's Dad?

al.

Thanks onion, let's see what he says. He's got a face for radio though eh!?

Cheers, al.

Thanks all for your Shakespearian commentary 😉

al.

Radio Scotland's saying it's the worst flooding for 20 or 30 years in some areas.

We were lucky (so far) on the East coast.

al.

Hmm, I do steam up a lot… 😕

Oh good, thanks. I've got wee metal specs.

I have a full-face but I'm thinking mostly the "Cedric" look with a piss-pot. Especially for Strathpuffer (but that's on the SS).

What's the difference between snow, MX and MTB goggles? I suspect "not much", but I have no idea.

These on ebay look just the ticket, mibbe another colour!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130345474378&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:GB:1123

Cheers, al.

My entirely successful efforts are documented here: http://www.tubelesswheels.com/. I run them a bit over 30 and I've not had an issue with 26" wheels.

I had one nasty off on a LHS berm in a dip on Spooky Wood on a rigid 29er. I knew at the top the pressure was "a bit low" but I left it. Doh. Land off jump, high G's into the berm, tyre rolled off the front rim & I landed on my face. Helmet cracked in half. Still, I just stuck a tube in and rode on.

Personally, it's not low pressure I'm after. It's no pinch flats, no thorn flats, better suppleness at the same pressure I used to use with a tube.

Cheers, al.

I've got the book and the dvd, but I can't finish either it's just too bloody painful. What the industry has done to this great man puts me right off. The story continues.

Bikeradar piece today: http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/graeme-obree-dumps-hour-record-plans-23985?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME

Cheers, al.

When they're loose. Give them a squeeze.

al.

Oh! And there's more…

The bonkers bike
book for bobbies

Cheers, al.