1 – yes, no tape needed (just do valve up tight
2 – you can use levers, just go easy
3 – I’ve only used UST, but should be fine
4 – should be OK if you mount tyre properly – best try it at home first rather than on a cold hill!

good luck

Defo the 14.
Call Islabikes (they’re dead helpful) and they will tell you the same – as verified by most above.
Great bikes, lovely company, neither you nor your nipper will regret it.
😀

GT85 in ‘trigger spray’ 1l works out cheaper and less packaging waste.
Linky

Thanks Blobby – really good to hear.
So, at a roundabout, for example, you reckon it gives you enough info from the ‘wiggly track’ to know which exit to take…?

That’s a substantial fence, very solid.

Those bikes look great all round. Very considered.
Good choice.
Can you report back when you’ve done some big adventures on it?

‘Just Riding Along’ build up great wheels.
Velocity A23 rims (easy to tubeless) onto whatever disc hubs you can afford…

Mine are brilliant, bombproof and light enough.

Great.
Small company, big ideas.
Brilliant.
Cy matters.

My wife reminded me that we were whizzing around FOD this time last year in short sleeves!?

Global cooling?

JOGLE.
First 350 miles were into a savage SW blast.
Totally grim until we saw the funny side.

You’re unlikely to die of heart failure, surely?

No, seriously, you’ll be fine.
Plenty of time between now and then to build up. You need moderate fitness, but perhaps more importantly, some hours in the saddle so you get used to long rides… 12 hours is a lot.

It’s totally brilliant – you’ll love it.

thanks ‘canny1’ – that’s helpful!

pootle and probably ride like a plonker as a result

(loved CTBikemonger’s post)

bump for lunchtime…?

either are great.
A23s for the tyre profile win.

A23 goes well with skinny road tyres – very nice rim.
JRA built me a disc set which I use tubeless for cross, then swap to road tyres.
Great build, decent price, highly recommended.

Rolling stoppies (not to be advised when it is icy).

A 2nd hand inbred frame off these here classifieds was my first bike.
I didn’t realise how ‘dead’ the ride was until I swapped the frame for a Scandal (also from this forum and also cheap).
Both were 26 flavour.
I really advise you to go Scandal instead of Inbred, it is just so much more enjoyable a ride.
I can’t really explain why.

Yes and yes, but you’d be mad to.
Works best at 100 (and in my humble and inexperienced opinion the Scandal is a dream frame).
700 hoops do fit with road tyres, but it doesn’t feel great.

8) Racing is great.
9) Watching someone ride a bike for the first time is a joy.

Quality!
My favourite thread in ages. Well done that lad.

Amazing picture – and love the ‘snow balls’ comment. Genius. 😀

Used them once and they were faultless.

Did they acknowledge the issues of OP…?

When companies get it wrong, it’s always interesting to see how they respond..

done.
bike fit is so crucially important for road… am still fairly new to MTB (under 2 years experience) but it seems less critical…

but for road cyclist an app, or anything that helps sort fit/position is a great idea.

best of luck.

Thanks all.
Very helpful, as usual!

Garden is a state.
But bike looks awesome.

Nice.
You’ll be hooked now.

Thankfully it’s slightly better for you than heroin.

Could be worse.

@ trail rat:
how?
standard reflectors…? reflective tyre wall…?
ta

Great!
I popped by road race cherry there a few weeks back.
Really enjoyed it and will hopefully be on for a few of the winter series.

Wow!

I design products for a living and after 20 years in the trade I’ve never seen an internet forum (or research group) realise the fundamental limitation of an idea/feature so quickly!

‘wwaswas’ nailed it in the first post.
I hope the folk from ‘SPARSE’ buy him a beer…?

Bikes rock.
The more people who ride, the better.

I bought my wife a Genesis Aether for that sort of dollar when discounted.
It’s a great bike, really nice handling frame.
Bits are a fairly basic, but functional.
Looks nice too. That Genesis crowd seem to spec bikes quite intelligently.

If doing a few miles carrying kids, I’d highly recommend getting a bike with gears.

You’re not going to believe it, but I won!

I literally followed advice above, kept in the top few, stayed out of the wind and went all out in the last lap.
Totally amazed! It was brilliant.

Thanks so much for the tips: They really made sense, especially the bit about staying near the front… I dopped back after 25 minutes for a few laps and it was way sketchy riding in a bunched group so I bust a gut to get back into the top 8, which was much more controlled.

Hooked now, so will try another one soon. Am now on a mission to get my 3rd Cat.

Wow! Some great advice. Thanks all.
Will report back.

Would help to understand more about the skip: is the chain wanting to shift up the cassette i.e. move to a bigger cog?
Or is chain skipping down i.e. slipping to a smaller cog?

If the former, try adjusting cable tension.
If the latter, try a new gear cable (inner and outer).

A new cable sorted a similar issue for me on a Veloce 10-speed group with similar mileage.

Continental gator skins or Gp4000s.

From Newport, the old railway line goes all the way east to Sandown – very pretty, no cars!
The Garlic Farm Cafe is a better option for lunch; great food, stunning farm, superb shop – highly recommended.
The Boathouse (Springvale) or The Old Fort (Seaview) are also way better than The Sloop.

Enjoy your pootle – it’s a wonderful place.

MIP if you want any further info. 🙂

Anyone remember that Peter Kay advert for John Smiths…?
(He takes his 55 year old Mum to an old people’s home).

“The kids are scared of your moustache and I want to put a snooker table in your room… now come on… Avanti!”

Done.
Nice and quick.