Pretty much all research done on modern western lifestyle illnesses is either funded directly or indirectly through grants offered by the drug companies who have only one desire and that is to make you pay for something to alleviate the symptoms – if that something turns out to be a drug that you come to rely on for the rest of your life then all the better, why should they offer a dietary cure for the underlying problems causing the symptoms – it is not in their commercial/shareholding interests to offer cures.

It is important to bear the above in mind but equally you should also be aware that those who advise against statins have usually got a book to sell you, in other words both sides of the argument are compromised by commercial considerations.

There is a hotel we work in occasionally where there are urinals on 2 walls. There are 2 mounted so close to the corner that it would be impossible for both to be in use without the 2 users rubbing buttocks together.

Apologies for a Daily Mail link but this might be worth a look at if you haven’t seen it already.

I’m so tempted, hefty car service this month is delaying me wandering into the shop and pressing the virtual buy button!

It’s worth looking out for second hand ones, I paid £500 less than list for one that had done 200 miles and looks like new.

I’ve just bought one of the classifieds that had done around 200 miles according to the previous owner but in fact it looks brand new and still has the original factory chain lube. I’ve bought it to replace the 10 speed Coventry Eagle that I began my off road riding on in 1985 which ended up a little bent out of shape and was replaced with a Rockhopper in 1986. I just wanted a bike that took me back to riding anywhere and everywhere and so far it seems pretty good. I started riding off road as a shortcut to decent roads and really liked the mix. For me it would benefit from lower gearing and I am thinking of going 1×10 on it with a 11-36 cassette and a 9 speed xt or slx rear mech.

Whooohooo!! I’d better get a younger wife then.

Or buy a lot of bikes!

And I should add that I never actually clean the chain, just an occasional wipe over and then more gearbox oil. One of the best bits of running hub gears or single speed.

I ended up with a spare 20L of gearbox oil (it only comes in 25L drums-specific auto gearbox stuff) so I’m determined to use the rest up on something,

I use gearbox oil on my hub geared bike and it does attract the dirt but I’ve had 4 years from a chain and only had to replace it as the sprocket was worn. I started with a litre and probably have half of it left after 6 years so you should be good for 240 years or so.

I have also considered recycled oil from the kitchen but I believe the Rohloff seals don’t like it. Not sure if that is true but i don’t want to risk it.

Thorn
Chain, Gearcables, Chinring, Rohloff Sprocket, Rohloff Oilchange,

Mines nearly 7 years old and I’m still on the original cables. My third chain and sprocket went on at Christmas and my second chainring.

TJ

I’ve still got the front wheel and cantilever brakes from a 1986 Rockhopper. And a Roberts White Spider frame from 1988.

I’ve gone from them to Racing Ralph which I’m pleased with although to be fair this is on a bike that only comes out with the sun. I have another rigid hub geared bike with Mud X permanently attached for the other 364 days of the year.

Swap the seatpost first.

It’s the angle of the dangle that matters. Some 29er’s like the Trance have loads of standover height,it’s lower than the 26″ anthem according to the web site.

Thanks again all, time to start checking the classifieds for 9 speed mechs, hopefully all the upgrading to 10 speed should mean theres a few about. I’m watching a couple on ebay as well.

It works because the pull ratio of 9 speed Shimano mtb derailleurs is the same as the pull ratio for 10 speed Shimano road levers whereas the pull ratio of Shimano 10 speed mtb is different to either.

Rorschach & cp are you using long or medium cages and does it matter? I know in normal circumstances a medium would be fine for a single ring set up but does the combining of road shifters and a mtb mech/cassette change anything? I can’t see how it would but I’d like to be sure.

Thanks

Thanks, for the sake of 2 teeth I’ll probably go with a 11-34 then unless someone comes along to say 36 is working fine for them. That does seem to be the conclusion on other forums but other forums are not STW! 🙂

Thanks guys, I have bleed kit on the way so I’ll try that first. There doesn’t seem to have been any further leaks so it may well be the pressure caused it to leak. At least it’s the rear brake so I’m not too nervous about riding it when it may be a bit dodgy!

Thanks Rorshach, I could go for 11-34 as an alternative.

Edit: A little more research suggests that it will work with a 36 if it’s a shadow 9 speed.

Thanks extremenik I’ll have a look at taking it apart.

£100 to spend on other bits with the Pinnacle as well, you can claim that as your consultancy fee. 🙂

I’ve held and photographed a fully engineered replica Trident warhead, a little more costly and powerful than a puny F1 car. 🙂
The nasty bits were obviously dummy but the rest of it was for real.
Interestingly as long as we photographed it without a scale in the photo it was unclassified.

I run a 29 0n the front of my rigid bike and a 26 on the back and it certainly makes a positive difference but I don’t think that adding less than half that difference would be worth it. And bear in mind that I would have thought that as a rigid rider I’m experiencing the most possible benefit from bigger wheels, I’m sure as you add suspension the benefits would be less noticeable.

We’ll be moving to a couple of new units soon and that’ll be less than 3.5 miles to walk and all but 400m or so will be over the Downs. I currently ride off road to work and actually pass the new place on my current route. I’m going to have to take a detour when I’m on the bike to make it seem worthwhile. I’m thinking I might look at running it once a week for a bit of variety.

Wingnuts and they are great, much prefer mine to a conventional pack.

Er well I haven’t actually been home in order to come back in. Left the house yesterday at 6am should be home by around 9pm tonight. Did manage a couple of hours sleep on a bean bag in 30 minute slots last night though and the coffee is on tap. The ride if I’m in the office is 6 miles 5 of which is off road.

We used to use Gitzo’s, pretty much the definition of indestructible. We did break one leg of one once but that was only when it was hit by a Milan anti tank missile.

Just rip out the window bit 🙄

If it makes you feel better, Wiggo lowered his cadence for his Tour winning season.

I believe that was for the time trials. If I remember correctly he trained at 50rpm with his usual power output in order to drop his tt rpm by around 5rpm after the team had analysed Fabian Cancellara’s technique.

Northwinds – wasters all the way back to the cavemen.

You need that on a t-shirt, it’s still making me laugh 2 hours after reading it.

I thought I’d just update this to say he’s just finished the Cytech 2 at Aylesbury today and is now qualified mechanic. He really enjoyed the course and can’t speak highly enough of the instructor who took him through it, he sounded absolutely exhausted earlier when he called to say he’d passed. So if any one knows of any openings within any bike shops in the Brighton area, anywhere between Eastbourne and Worthing I’d love to be able to help him in passing the info on.

My grandfathers uncle was Henry Bowers who died alongside Scott and Wilson on the return from the Pole and who accompanied Wilson and Cherry-Garrard on “The Worst Journey In The World”

you can even get kinky ones these days, to do all sort with

Where? Do you have a link?

Tommy GoodwinAdolph Hitler was a veggie and look what that weakling managed

In 1939, GodwinHitler entered the Golden Book of CyclingPoland as the greatest long-distance ridertyrant in the world

It is unlikely to turn you into a either a world beater or destroyer. It doesn’t seem to have done either to me in 29 years so you’ll probably be just fine if you give it a go. And it’s not a cult we won’t hunt you down if you try it but decide it’s not for you. 🙂

I liked the pirate ship, you have to sit right at the back facing forwards and for about half a second, you are weightless and its a crazy feeling.

As above but lift hands off the rail and feet off the floor and close your eyes for an extra twist.

Get a cheap wristband off the website. Start on the Big Dipper, Grand National, Wild Mouse and then could move onto the Big One.

Dear God don’t let him go on the Mouse. I can only describe it as being slammed up and down in your seat by a gorilla while another hits you round the head with a lump of 4×2. The only ride I’ve been on where death not only seems possible but preferable! 🙂 I shall still be going on it in June though. I love the Big Dipper and the Grand National, there is something about the wooden coasters that you just don’t get on the more modern rides. The rigid single speeds of the roller coaster world!

Thanks for that. I’ve been using Calibre for a year or so as it’s a great bit of software for managing books but I’d never really looked at the news feed options.

Picked up Shane McGowan’s autobiography at a car boot sale yesterday. Looking forward to starting that; I suspect it will be highly entertaining

I’d be amazed if he hadn’t needed a lot of help in writing that, how the hell would he remember any of it!

Can you also change the frame geometry?

Surely it changes every time you change the wheels. 🙂

He signed my copy of the Rolf Harris Songbook with one of his cartoons, I’ll have to scan it and post it up. I could also tell you my wife’s experience of the signing but the mods would delete it and send me a your a naughty boy e-mail you can’t go saying things like that.