Aha! The Sun's had a go…

The Sun editorial

Cheers, al.

How old is it? The gritty bits in it should aid the gumming up. But if it's old then this won't work so well. But really, just pop it off, clean the back of the hole and pop a normal patch on the inside. Works a treat because the pressure is pushing the patch onto the tyre.

Cheers, al.

Dez: In my experience the fluid can dry out and that's fine. The gunk has sealed the rimstrip to the tyre, it's bomb-proof.

There's no thorn-proofing once it's dried but there's no pinch flats, period.

al.

I really like my CBs, but I too have had them spontaneously disintegrate. Kudos to 2Pure who replaced them with a better model!

2Pure: What is it that goes wrong? I think it's the outer bushing that's not a bearing. Is there any way to tell they're about to go? Why don't CB change the design to be inner + outer bearings? Would cost more, would avoid this bad press.

PSA: If anyone wants to give CB pedals a go, CRC have Smarties for £16 just now. I just bought a(nother) set just because I need cleats and buying pedals (inc cleats) is cheaper than buying cleats!

Cheers, al.

I have a Kaff and a Pompino. They're essentially the same, with gear hanger and cable braze-ons on the Kaff. I have my Pompino set up with a front disc and Maxxis Larsen Mimo CX 700x35c tyres. Previously using Conti Twister 700x32c.

There's pretty good clearance (I wouldn't go bigger than 35 though) and it's an absolute blast. Highly recommended!

Cheers, al.

A lunchtime ride about a year ago (snow on the hills!)[/url]

You can't go wrong with an On-One Inbred.

al.

Funny nobody has mentioned my favourite thing – the silence. There's no chain-slap, no gear grinding, no slackening off to help the gears change. You just beast it and it works. The ride out on a SS event is really nice, there's nearly no mechanica noise at all. SSWC Aviemore in 2007 ride out through Rothiemurcus Estate was beautiful – and silent.

I also like that I use my upper body way more with SS. I really noticed my shoulder strength improve when I started SS all the time, reason being you're up & over the front in climbs standing all the way and pulling through your shoulders and down your back. I don't much enjoy climbing on a geared bike but I love climbing SS, it feels so efficient.

Passing geared & suspensioned bikes on the way up Glentress is always a morale booster =)

Cheers, al.

Must be fun working for an outfit like that. Not.

These things are top-down. The policy is set at the top and the sharp practice is at the counter.

I have no experience of this lot because stories like this keep cropping up.

At least Halfords are just incompetent instead of evil like this lot.

Cheers, al.

Thanks for this thread folks, I got a new bike too and so I've ordered 1m off Duane. I reckon 1m x 100mm will do 3 bikes: that's 100 1cm x 10cm strips (obviously) which is quite a lot.

Cheers, al.

So, the bike is great. I didn't mention the few niggles I had because Halfrauds issues is nothing to do with the bike itself. So, I'll have a gripe to cheer myself up.

To be fair, I phoned up and said "Do you have a Bm FS Team small? I juts need to try it for size, if it's OK I'll take it home." But I would have expected them to have tightened the handlebars and seat in a roughly straight position, and maybe even tightened the headset and front maxle. They didn't, so I fixed all that. Anyway, took it home, checked all the bolts, it was fine.

Couldn't stop the gears skipping today, stopped 10 times on the way up trying to spot it, tightening, loosening, couldn't fix it. Then eventually tried running the chain through my fingers – aha! a seized link. Tried bending it to fix it but nope. Once home tried with a tool, nope. (BTW, It's a Shimano chain on SRAM chainset. Must have a cheap job-lot they need rid of).

I'm tempted to put the bike back to the shop to see if they can find the problem! That would be evil though.

So, I've got SRAM powerlinks in the post I'll replace the crap link with the powerlink.

al.

Stuartie,

querulous

is an excellent word.

inference

ia another one.

circumstantial

well, what can I say!?

inexactitude

Ambassador, with these words you are spoiling us!

rigorous

Ah, now I see you are an honest man who has been slighted.

Verily, al.

To epicyclo: Yes, SS at puffer. Trusty 853 slidey Inbred. Trusty ancient RockShox Duke fork I can service with stuff from Asda (I exaggerate, but not much). A chain. Some wheels. You know.

al.

It's not that bad at the back – forward of the seat tube. But at the front, same as all.

al.

> "Do not use a Lizard Skin…"

Wow, really? I suppose the folding of the membrane might force stuff into the seals, but only if there's stuff there to be forced in. If you remove & rinse the cloth between rides then what's there to be forced in?

Anyway, what about silicon sprays and the like? I worry that suspension units aren't designed for minging UK winters.

al.

Which one? My Pomp has been SS this year because I've used it more offroad then it's previous road commuting when it was fixed. My Inbreds are SS (I have 2, one is for sale). So: every day, sometimes 2 SS bikes per day!

I recently got a bit into full-sus bikes, change from a previous "not for me" attitude, and you need gears on those beasties. But on a rigid/hardtail? No, you don't.

And races with beer in are very good.

al.

Thanks fontmoss for the 'bump'. I've gone and ordered more Stans based on my experience and price. Seems to me this could or even should be very combination-specific. If your Bonty tyres are held together with glue that's very sensitive to ammonia or whatever's in Stans but say Contis aren't.

The front tyre on my much-ridden-at-Glentress Inbred has a hawthorn in it (from an East Lothian ride). I've come to regard the thorn as part of the tyre, it's been there for ages, worn smooth and causing no problems. I noticed it when doing a 'pop off the bead and pour it in' top-up with Stans. I was in a hurry and given the battering this tyre has taken I reckon it just adds character 😉

It hasn't disintegrated, and it's kind of funny. Of course it could go anytime, but I don't "feel" it will. And if the tyre survives until its tread is gone and needs replaced, then it's an illustration of "the power of tubeless" =)

When I mentioned the Caffe Latex foaming action to a friend, he said car sealants do this. Do they? I never heard of it. But I know nothing about cars.

Cheers, al.

Oh, this is still rolling! So, my (latest) tuppence: "The Web" has been a request/response thang since the beginning (call it Web 1.0). You request a resource via a URL (a web page, ie some HTML) and it in turn includes some resources (images, later came javascript, later came CSS). This is rendered to be usable. And that's it. You read, scroll, click to the next page.

Then Web 2.0/AJAX/etc came along and we can do stuff on the page with little requests firing in the background, with useful results – also via HTML, JS, CSS but with XMLHTTPRequest. This is Flickr, Google Docs etc. This is basically an app and I'm happy to use CPU to power it.

And then there's entertainment media, such as last.fm, YouTube, iplayer etc. I get the page, it loads a flash player and streams media, I watch. Again, I am happy to use CPU.

And then there's STW. A basic Web 1.0 app but with blimmin useless media whose sole purpose is to attract/distract me. But seeing as it's a highly specialist site with many repeat visitors, flashy Flash ain't going to swing it. It has no advantage. It's just an overhead for the user. It puts people off.

So: Comments in this thread are either "my computer's fine, I'm happy and (by inference) wouldn't click on a low-CPU page version button in my preferences if it existed" and those who say "You either provide a low-CPU version I can select in my preferences when logged on, or I have to block ads – I have no choice you're eating my CPU".

Go on Go on Go on Go on Go on Go on Go on….

Cheers, al.

Grahamb: You're no-doubt correct. But like for example IE6 CSS compatibility, the fact of inefficient hardware/software combinations is out there and your users aren't upgrading. So, you have to have a couple of versions at least. Many sites now have a 'mobile' version, and for old PCs that's great.

How about http://m.singletrackworld.com (doesn't exist, don't click it!) with minimal everything, that can be used on a little screen or on a crap old PC.

Same idea as http://m.traintimes.org.uk/ vs http://www.traintimes.org.uk/

al.

In case this gets read later, I found this thread after I started another one… and at the end of my thread 8) there's a response from Mark (Administrator).

Here it is: http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/stw-flash-ads-ate-my-computer

So, it's a bit better now.

al.

East Lothian. I lived in Edinburgh for 12 years and didn't think of going East, but it's blimmin lovely. Do the castles – they're laid out perfectly for a car tour. From Edinburgh, go along the coast towards North Berwick. Stop in Dirleton, marvel, explore, get a weekend pass for Scottish National Heritage, lunch in the lovely pub across the road.

Then on through NB, and stop at Tantallon, marvel, explore, back in the car. Continue on to Tyninghame, stop in the tea shop for tea + scones. Then pop into Knowes Farm Shop for fantastic local produce – and feed the chickens.

Next castle is Hailes, Just the other side of East Linton, tiny and a jewel. Then take the path from Hailes south to the walk to the top of Traprain Law, Roman remains, astonishing views, marvel, explore.

Next stop I'd recommend is back into East Linton for beer + dinner in the Linton.

If you've got another day, drive up to Whiteadder Reservoir from Garvald and wander about there on the Herring Road tracks. Lovely, very very quiet, and back via Gifford for tea shops/pubs.

Also don't overlook the coast – the beaches at Belhaven (West of Dunbar) and Tyninghame (between Dunbar and North Berwick) are easy to get to, deserted once you get 15 minutes from the carpark, and just beautiful.

Here's the great little Walking in the Lammermuirs pamphlet from the Scottish Rights of Way Society.
http://www.scotways.com/scotways_assets/files/045_lammermuirs_map.pdf

And here's my pictures of the route (admittedly on a bike!) from a month ago:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allankelly/sets/72157622343213717/

Cheers, al.

Many Thanks! Glad to have helped in my small way 😉

A quick test: no ads (won't say how?!?), Firefox CPU == 6%

Turn on ads, Firefox CPU == 60%

So, that's much better than my previous browser-freezing 90-95% but still quite a lot. Leaves enough overhead for the browser to function which is the important thing.

Cheers, al.

I'm totally converted to tubeless. No flats. I used to pinch flat all the time, now I literally ride tyres from new til they wear out with no flats in between.

I put this site up to spread the word: http://www.tubelesswheels.com/. People write to me all the time and say "thanks", it really does work. 🙂

I recommend CO2 for initial inflation.

Cheers, al.

So, to me (as a web professional) it's pretty easy: every advertiser (CRC, Charge) sets up their full-bandwidth videos and low bandwidth (static) equivalents. At the moment, CRC want me to know they have a sale. OK, an image will do it. Charge want me to know that they are cool. Again, show me a picture.

And then, give the user a choice, set it with a cookie. When I come in from my clockwork laptop, I get the low bandwidth site. When I view from my Cray, I see the videos. Everybody is happy.

Alternatively, send threatening email to everyone who takes the time to provide constructive criticism. Like what we all got today. Thanks.

Cheers, al.

The browser locking up is a bit of a nuisance.

al.

Wow! Did Juggles and Monkey get it together?! What a happy outcome if they did!

al.

I dunno. I'm 5'7 or 5'8 on a good day, and I'm about to buy a 16" Orange 5. I test-rode a few at Glentress, one visit each (thanks Edinburgh shop The Bike Chain!). I tried an 18" Orange Blood – great, but a downhill rig, and a similar sized Orange ST4. They had their good + bad points. What sold me on the 5 was the versatility (I can climb standing like I do on the SS, and descend like a fat teenager) and the "flick-ability". I think the flick comes from the size.

I felt slightly cramped in the bike, but the flicks sold me.

al.

From experience: the P7 sliding dropouts are fatally flawed and will fail you repeatedly, finally dumping you with a load of heavy metal that a moment ago was a rideable bike and is now just a load of metal- in the middle of nowhere. Cue Deliverance scenario.

Buy an On-One "proper sliding dropouts that work" Inbred…

…Except you can't cos they don't do them any more (they do horizontal dropout bikes AFAIK).

Ah-ha! But I have an original white DN6 (ie steel) slidey that is for sale with SS and geared dropouts.

A very very fine bike for sale, I may break it if you're polite.

Might suit you?

al.

How come riding a bike makes you a cyclist? This is a skill (balancing) most people learn when they are pre-school, and most people abandon when they earn enough to use a car.

The typical really bad cyclist is a very occasional cyclist with no awareness of their responsibilities to themselves or others.

al.

Thanks, I was thinking about it but this thread has confirmed it's a waste of time! I'll spray-hammerite my frame to get through winter and in spring pay for a strip + spray.

Cheers, al.

Ooh, you bitch! Get a job.

AntM: Oh, come in for a dram!
al.

We have the cottage next to the start line booked =)

Ah, hell on wheels and heaven in front of a wood fire.

Repeat.

al.

I'm in =)

Solo, 2 buffs.

al.

120 seconds and counting…

Mr Rat: hats off to you!

al.

EEk! Well, my sliding dropout Inbred will be for sale if you want? My s-d 853 Inbred is NOT for sale!

al.

My beloved Dinottes use rubber rings, and they're still going strong (the rubber rings that is). So, all in all sounds excellent. I'll sleep on it, hadn't actually meant to buy lights…

Having said that, last week I bought 3 sets of these for the family at £10.50 each: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Smart_5_LED_Front_and_317_Rear_Light_Set/5360026000/ (hmm, it's gone up to £14). For school + back commuting they're excellent for that money. 54 reviewers can't be wrong! (?)

Cheers, a.

Seems good. And the mount's good too is it? There's a few of these powerful lights are let down by rubbish mounts.

Cheers, al.

Actually I'm always saying (well, often) that having no cover on your delicate parts is just asking for grit to get under the sleeve – oo-er! So, I rather approve of concertina condom things.

Can TBC (LBC) get them? Or is it an interweb gig?

al.