I’m mulling over basically the same thing – whether to go for a 53 bianchi or a 54 cannondale. The 53 felt a bit small but faster to turn and corner on and I could put a longer stem on it. I’m guessing it would be harder to adjust the 54 to feel smaller

there can be a better chance of riding with a larger number of other riders if you pick a popular sportives. Audax rides don’t tend to have so many riders afaik

if you haven’t already looked, this graph is interesting – 4% is historically pretty good
money expert mortgage rate history

I find it remarkable they don’t have a phone number you can speak to someone on

doesn’t the number I gave above work?

Good luck with it – it is pretty crap when people dont reply

there is this number fror them: 0161 408 3222

they do usually reply to questions if you post them on their facebook page.

It can take a day or two but is usually pretty quick to get a reply.

Awful news – sympathies to all the families involved. And well done to those on the vigil.

Not being a city boy, I’m glAd I haven’t come across that system at Bow. Hows it meant to work? If a cyclist has a green light does he/she still have to stop just a few meters up the road at the roundabout entrance proper? Or can they just go onto the roundabout safely?

?

A road 9 shifter will work a road 10 mech. OP didn’t say what he was riding did he?

Looks good to me – well done mate!

Just as you wouldn’t know stuff about what I do for a living – it’s not surprising if people who don’t trim hedges muddle laying and layering etc

The point is the thorns left behind are a costly pain in the arse at the least and it would be nice if people would clean up after themselves

Just cut the hedges less than every year preferably by layering and never never flail hawthorn

I’m only picking on that, not attacking farmers in general

Oh, and if you do flail, clear up the xxxxing mess

So you’d rather see overgrown, hollow hedges with no cover value, and lower biodiversity value?

Or perhaps no hedgerows at all – and let the birds be damned?

Now, now I didn’t say anything of the sort did I ! And there’s nothing in that PDF that suggest flailing is better than alternatives. The paper mostly favours less frequent trimming (than annual) which makes sense

not really joat it doesn’t

I see flailing pretty much as vandalism

its not practical to avoid flailed hedges – as you never know where theyre going to be

I’ve had to replace too many sets of tyres over the years ruined by flailed hawthorn thorns

if they punctured car tyres I reckon the farmers would be stopped by the lawsuits for damages

And don’t suggest laying. It isn’t economical.

= “I can’t be bothered to do a proper job”

1996 M900

Thanks guys – I might go for it then, its to help climb. Will check the octalink thing but I think it is one of those

I find the gatorskins and 4-seasons contis better in the wet than the GP4000s too. The black GP4000s I have seem to slip on white lines, metalwork etc.

In the summer the older Pro3 service course were fine , but probably a bit lightweight for winter.

Conti 4-seasons

Wakerley:-)

<img class=”img” width=”398″ height=”222″ src=”https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQBfpqf9hS32-5Kn&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-vthumb-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhvthumb-ak-prn2%2F1095394_10151729730277913_10151729724737913_7058_1161_b.jpg&jq=100&#8243; alt=””><i></i>

you’re probably right but I haven’t even tried that yet

I guess everyone has their own bling/performance/cost/happiness ratios

Up until recently mine has been roughly at 105/XT level, but I rode an 11-speed Athena bike recently and the gear shifts were really amazingly fast and sharp in comparison (even though I am not keen on the thumbshifters). If you do race then there are points when you (well I) can’t find enough time to shift with some systems

Hey campkoala, no hounding from me – if it felt like that to you, then sorry.

it is a bit of a silly argument, there isn’t an 8-speed system that is anywhere near as good as a new 11-speed set up like Campag Record or Sram Red ( I havent ridden the Shimano version yet). If you haven’t tried a those then you are missing out even though they are ridiculously expensive

as a related question, have shimano changed the cable pull ratio for Ultegra 6800?

I can’t find a definitive answer to that question anywhere online, I’d be interested to know as Shimano 10 speed road mechs had the distinct advantage of being 9 and 8 speed compatible, meaning you could justify a lovely new rear mech and still operate it with your old but functional STi’s…

well I am successfully running a 10-speed 105 rear mech with 9-speed tiagra shifters and a 9-speed ultegra cassette and chain, if that helps? So I think the rear mechs just move by the amount they are pulled by the shifters.

However, I did hear that the pull ratios for the brakes changed at some point as the shifters and groupsets were upgraded (e.g. from 6600, to 6700 to 6800), but how true that is I am not sure.

Chains and cassettes are never a problem but mtb high end 9 speed mechs and shifters can be.

I agree with this and getting high end shifters for the road in 9 speed is also a problem. As I mentioned above, I was forced to downgrade from Ultegra to Tiagra to get replacement 9 speed shifters and I have regretted that, as it does feel like the bike isn’t as good as it once was.

I hadn’t realised that 11 speed hubs weren’t compatible with 10 or 9 speed either, so for me it does feel like time to get a new 11 speed bike and be done with it. I had been thinking of buying a new bike but swapping my old wheels over to it.

Chains and cassettes. Yes sorry I forgot I downgraded my shifters to get 9 speed in the spring.

I have xt but slx maybe just as good ?

On the road I am still running ultegra 9 speed and finding it possible to get replacement parts

Oh good that’s all right then:-) I had images of you trapped out on a trail somewhere deep in the forest having been squashed by letting one of those big-wheeled heavy 29er bikes fall on you 😆

had a mate whose gears jammed just as he tried to pass a horse on a Surrey bridleway and he fell under its legs – not nice

hey JCL – I was beginning to worry something had happened to you, what with this thread going dead for a few days 😆

This is a really old issue – how to pass walkers etc on a path/trail etc.

Most times with slowing down and a bit of common sense there isn’t a problem, although however you do it. it does seem to surprise/terrify some people. (some walkers demand bells, others jump like startled rabbits)

A few things though do tend to cause problems e.g. racing, headphones, and (my real hate) extendable dog-leads.

Edit – oh yeah – give horses a wide berth – they often dont do what you or their rider expects

Sometimes people step left / right without warning.

It’s just a jump to the left.
And then a step to the right.
Let’s do the time-warp again.
Let’s do the time-warp again.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/any-reason-not-to-powdercoat-aluminium-will-i-die-content

great ride, blog and thread! well done to you both 🙂

and maybe also the odd skirting board across the front of the hearth

att vara ärlig skulle jag inte, inte på här

sounding a bit negative there scandalous, oops was that not ‘nice’?

thank you for your post – lovely:-)

thing to remember is the aluminium will be fine for many years even if the paint does flake off