My Orange 5 is a 26er, as is my old Patriot. My P7 is a 26er, as is the old one hanging up on the wall. My MTB tandem is a 26er as well. Mind you, my Jaspa (replica 1920’s road bike), is a 29er!

I’ll be sticking with 26in wheels until I can’t. I’ve been riding MTB’s with 26in wheels for nearly a quarter of a century and they haven’t suddenly turned rubbish. Neither did I suddenly realise I’d been doing everything wrong and that 29ers were the way forward when I’ve ridden on them. To be honest, they’ve just felt like MTB’s to me.

I resent being forced into changing for the sake of marketing. I appreciate that everyone who’s invested in 650b or 29er needs to justify their purchases, but why should I be forced to buy into it as well?

Grrr! :x

Having just finished the book, I’m with ‘Rene59’. I’m going to climb out the window and run away!

C.

I’ve been wondering the same thing about all my 26in kit. All my spare forks and wheels are 26in, but nowadays the frames I like are all 650b.

Would I die if I put 26in wheels on a 650b frame, or would it just steepen the head angle a wee bit, the equivalent of dropping my current fork’s travel from 150mm to 130mm?

B.

Mrs Beagleboy’s last mountain bike (before she gave them up completely for a Pashley Princess :roll: ), was a Carrera Vulcan. She’s 5ft 4in and I think she went for the 15in frame. Her thoughts were that it was the comfiest mountain bike she’d ridden, if not the lightest or best specced.

If you do fancy going for the Vulcan, keep an eye on the Halford sales. We got here bike for nearly half price if I recall. That’d give you lots of spare cash to get some nice shorts, jerseys, gloves and a helmet to make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable.

B.

Can I suggest to anyone who is put off by the toilets in North America that you never travel in Africa. You really won’t have a very pleasant time.

Hole in the floor at a roadside cafe in Greece. There wasn’t even a handle or anything to hold onto! How are you supposed to squat down over a hole without a handle to hold onto! More to the point, how do you get back up again!!! 8O

Bugger… :cry:

Waiting for my DNA gel to finish running. In fact, I might just go and image it now! Fingers crossed the damned cloning has worked this time. Watch this space….I’m excited….are you?

Hi Hobster,

All I can think is that my Evolve crank arms are older than yours. I’ve got nowt but the bog standard 8mm crankarm bolt for drawing everything together. :?

Hi Hobster,

What’s this 10mm Hex Puller Cap you’re on about? All I’ve got is the 8mm crank bolt. Have I been missing something all these years? Actually, before everyone who knows me posts up pointing out the obvious, maybe I should qualify that last bit. Have I been missing something from my bottom bracket setup all these years? :lol:

B. 8)

Can the axle wear out? It’s not a ‘side to side’ (inny – outy), wobble. It’s definitely an uppy downy, backy forwardy sort of wobble. :D

My ‘Race Proven'(it has the sticker on the top tube, so it must be true), 2001 model Patriot has been ridden in many guises and I’ve loved every one of them. It’s currently half built as a downhill bike, but still has less travel than my current Five!

Wouldn’t part with it, because I love it to bits, even though it’s stupidly heavy and steers like a cow (I call it Ermintrude to reflect this). What’s really special about this bike is the memories of grand days out, the crashes and the laughs.

It’s a keeper!

B. 8)

Until I was well into my twenties, whenever I read a book or news story that mentioned an ‘estranged’ spouse, I thought they were talking about mental cases. I honestly thought they were talking about folk who’d gone mad during the divorce and been put in the looney bin. :oops:

13/13 …phew, I felt under a wee bit of pressure there as I work in a genetics lab and came very close to using the “Duh!” word on the atmospheric composition! :oops:

Hey Fervouredimage

I’ve pretty much given up on Snowboarding in Scotland, the infrastructure is shonky, expensive and the snow unreliable. Oh, and I live near Stirling, two hours drive away from the main ‘resorts’.

Here’s where I spend my money…Bansko in Bulgaria

1.Return flights from Manchester (including extra allowance for my snowboard) £250
2.Return transfer from Sofia to Bansko £30
3.Six day lease of a two bedroom apartment, five minutes walk away from the gondola that takes you up the mountain, £218 shared between four of us which works out at £54 each.
4.Six day lift pass £126

So this season’s holiday is going to cost about £460, added to that of course is food and drink but a two course meal and four beers averaged about £6 last time.

Finally, the resort is perfect for beginners, and really good for snowboarding. Have a look at the first week in February and I’ll even buy you a beer mate. :wink:

What defines a roadie? As far as I’m aware it’s…..

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

Beagy, always happy to help clear things up! :wink:

The best bit of kit I’ve ever used for keeping the chain and cassette clean, yet lubed up nicely is this.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Scottoiler-AFS-Bicycle-MTB-Chain-Oiler-Kit-Active-Fluid-System-SCT600-/370638805324

The Scottoiler uses a replacement bottom jockey wheel with a tube going into it that’s linked to an oil reservoir via a ‘squid’. When you squeeze the squid (I kept mine strapped to the underside of the top-tube), fluid is pumped from the reservoir, down to the rear jockey wheel and from there onto the chain as you pedal. The lube is water based, and the idea is that in the dry the lube keeps your chain…well, lubed. When it rains though, the water based lube is washed off, and the rainwater itself lubricates the chain and cassette. Once you get home, run a dry rag over the chain, then squeeze the squid and put fresh lube onto the chain. As it’s water based, and thus, non-sticky, dirt doesn’t collect on the chain and cassette. They look as clean and fresh as they did when they first came out the packaging. I’ve gotten nearly 2yrs out of a chain and cassette combo using this system, where normally I have to replace the lot every 6 months (I live in Scotland…it’s a bit soggy here).

Give it a go, I reckon you’ll struggle not to be impressed.

Beagy :wink:

If you can hire a bike, then jump on a train to Stirling (about 45 minutes from Edinburgh), I’d happily skive off work for a day to show you around some of the best natural trails that Central Scotland has to offer.

Check the MTB forum of http://www.stirlingbikeclub.org.uk for pics and drop me an email or a note on here if you’re interested.

Craig :wink:

p.s. I am in no way fit, nor particularly handy on a bike, but I can shout directions really loudly from way back there. :lol:

The Orange 5 first, then the Gyro (which I do quite like the look of), and lastly the Giant. The curvy tubes on the Giant give me the heebie-jeebies, sorry.

Definitely the Five is the nicest though. Although I may be slightly biased. :D

Hey beagleboy,

Where you get that science T shirt from? like it!

It’s from http://www.shotdeadinthehead.com

I must be one of their best customers. :oops:

One of these

and one of these

I’ve got a pair of sports glasses from Specsavers. They look like bog standard riding glasses (three replaceable lenses), but have a clip in prescription insert. I’ve been using them for about a year now and think they’re great. Living in Stirlingshire, I still haven’t figured out what the dark black lens is for though. :P

It’s raining here in Glasgow, been doing so non-stop since I started working here in 2004. Not expecting it to ease up anytime soon. :roll:

My Jaspa was only the 3rd one they’d sold when my wife bought it for me last October!

Frame is a replica of a 1920’s track bike with Brooks B17 saddle, and Brooks hand wound leather grips. Hub brake on the front and a 2 speed kickback, coaster brake hub on the rear that still tries to kill me everytime I go out on it. It doesn’t half fly though!

Or, my Hope Mono Mini levers are anodised blue with ‘Beagleboy’ laser etched on them. Can’t be many around like that! :lol:

I’ve been Type 1 for 19yrs now, having got it for my 24th birthday. I’m on four injections a day, not wanting a pump as the idea gives me the heebiejeebies. Only real issue I have is a long running battle with low hypo awareness. However, all my riding buddies look out for me in that respect.

Recently, my doc told me to halve the amount of insulin I take before heading out on a ride (I would normally reduce my dose by a third to a quarter), and I reckon this has made a noticeable difference. I’m no fitter or slimmer, but I seem to be riding longer and faster before I blow up! 8)

Just remember that you control it, not t’other way round. Get out and enjoy yourself dude!

Craig xx

My Orange O2 hardtail. I sold it to a new member of the bike club, not having met him, but wanting to encourage him into the ‘club family’, I sold him the frame for a bargain price. He then had it stripped, painted black and turned it into a commuter. The epic adventures I had on that bike, the blood I spilt riding it, only for it to end it’s days as a commuter.I’ve never sold a bike since. When they’re retired they go up on the wall of my garage. Haven’t heard from the guy either,(I seem to recall he was banned from here for sectarian comments), and I can’t say I miss him. :(

You are remembering to undo the hollow 10mm bolt that’s in there? Then like the others say, a 1p used as a plug should do the job!

A wee bit on the rough side, not as grumpy as that :roll: fella though!

B. :D

:D

Thanks guys, needed cheering up and you’ve done the job nicely.

B.

Finished with Huey and put the Wonderstuff on. Now we’re talking!

I remember running once. It was for a bus in 1984 I think. Decided it wasn’t for me. I am a ‘chunky’ lad and one must think of others when breaking into a run. The sight of all that ……mass…jiggling around….bleurgh!

Eaten anything?

Pies, all winter. :cry:

I found a bottle of Tesco’s ‘Premier Cru’ Champagne in my wee fridge (sorry had to stop and flip the record), and now I’m half way through a bottle of Rioja that a workmate gave me today.

Basically I’m drinking to try and flush away the guilty feeling that I should have been riding my bike, but the weather has been so shite that I have completely lost my love for it. :cry:

I really, really need some nice weather.

I’m very proudly British, and quite frankly don’t think that Scotland would be the nation it is if it wasn’t part of the Union.

I had to watch all the ‘better off’ kids go on school trips when I was a young un’. Never bothered me that I was one of the few left behind, and I’ll stab anyone in the eye (Goon style), who says otherwise!

B. ;-)

I really don’t get this ‘eco-warrior’ bashing nonsense. :roll: The last time I looked, mountainbiking involved riding bikes in the countryside, therefore anything that impacts negatively on the environment has a knock on effect to the enjoyment of my hobby. My local trails have over the years been the victim of idiots who’ve cut down trees and pulled up saplings to make lines easier for themselves. It’s selfish, doesn’t take into consideration the fact that others might actually relish a challenge, and ultimately it has had a detrimental effect on the trails.

I’d love to meet these guys, and quite honestly don’t think I’d be as polite and reserved as the chap who originally started this thread. We live on such a wee island, where pretty much every bit of countryside must be considered multi user, that selfish knob ends should be pulled up for their actions.

It’s also quite interesting to see how over the years, many of these selfish fools seem to have congregated on this forum. Maybe the cull should start here. :twisted:

Yep, when I close my eyes and think about it, I reckon I do all of the above Digby! :roll:

I’m gonna try and look where I want to go, a bit like on the bike I suppose, from now on! Ironic as I’m always telling off my learner ski mates for looking at their tips all the time!

Thanks for the hints dude, I’m away to dig out that book/dvd combo and have another look at it before the holidays!

B. :D

Do you mean balanced as in the same angles +/- on each binding or balanced as in having a centred stance?

Sorry Digby, should have been clearer. I think I’m pretty centrally planted on the board, but yes I was wondering if there was any handling or performance gains to be had with more evenly balanced angles between each foot. I’m always looking for any little advantage that would make my toe edge turns less terrifying! 8O

I think I’ve always had a fairly high angle on my front leg because my old board was quite narrow and my boots were huuuuge! I’ve now got a longer, slightly wider board and dinky little Burton Moto’s so am interested in what the costs / benefits of different angles might be if you see what I mean. The explanation that you give for a greater angle on the leading foot makes perfect clear sense to me, but I’d never really thought about it that way before, cheers!

This is actually quite interesting stuff. I’d reckon I’m beginner/intermediate and riding a 166cm Forum Symbol with around +18 and I think about -9. Most of my riding is on piste, but I was at the point last year where I was starting to duck into some of the trees.

Other than comfort, is there any performance / control benefit to making my stance more balanced? I’m heading out on hols in three weeks, but going to Braehead for one last play tomorrow night so I might take my bindings tool along with me and have a play!

Like Binner’s, I’ve been a subscriber from issue 1 and still have them all in a box in the garage. Been absolutely hooked since the article in issue 2 (maybe) about riding in the mud, then detouring through the town on the way home to proudly display the silliness of our hobby!

At the time I thought I was alone in this dirty habit! :lol:

6ft 1in on a 20in frame here. I broke my old 18in Orange 5 at the top tube seat / tube weld because I was riding it with so much seatpost showing.