I cut up a fromage frais plastic tub and zip-tied it to my Swift forks. Even permanent markered it blue. Works but it looks shit so might try the inner tube idea.

I use cantis and BB7s and like them both with pros and cons for each. Think riding style adapts depending on what you use. Mind you I happily rode Stanmer with V brakes then went to discs. Then back to Vs briefly and hit just about every other tree.

Yes. After cutting through the mud today on my Swift yes.

Mark your territory but obviously try not to aim at the vegetables. Having tried quite a few things this worked completely. Also kept the foxes out. Also very liberating but obviously bit embarrassing if your neighbours catch you. Not sure if its against allotment rules?

I saw this. At the same time as usual a number of riders also chose to ignore the red lights along that stretch. I don’t mind having to catch up with them again, infact I love it but waiting at the lights while they sail by you know that the drivers are having their prejudices reinforced. ie cyclists shouldn’t be on the road.

Just rode from St Malo to Bordeaux in a week. Agree with most of the upbeat assessment but it sucks pretty badly if you’re vegetarian. What is great in terms of national identity seems on the flipside to be a cultural monoculture preserved in the static Frenchness of my childhood. Great to be able to ride the whole of Brittany on a traffic-free route though. Can’t even get 7 miles agreed in Sussex cause of local politics and no will. Singular Peregrine which is usually monstercross was excellent touring. Highlight for me was hanging on the tails of a courier who very kindly showed me the fastest route through Paris. Lowlight, landing in Newhaven

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IMG_3409[/url] by Birdage[/url], on Flickr

Bordeaux! On a Singular Peregrine if I can actually lift it fully loaded.

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Singular Swift[/url] by Birdage[/url], on Flickr

Lot more beaten up since then and back to the singular forks. All the better for it.

Green oil works for me just fine.

Using square taper BB on my swift and fine. I use longer cranks SS on it than I use normally which seems to work very well.

Got the Midge bars with STIs on my Peregrine and they’re great. Used them for quite a while and think they excel better off-road than on, especially downhill. The only time they don’t really do it for me are longer (30 mile plus?)road rides. Start to feel a bit less confortable than conventional drops. Now if I could only sort out the toe overlap so I wasn’t in danger of coming off everytime I steer at slow speed……..

Just got a Swallow off ebay (bit rude) for my surly and love it. Sure its made me faster then the B17 I’ve been using for years. Comfy from day 1 and on a couple of 25 mile rides. Sure the Swift is equally good though.

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Singular Peregrine[/url] by Birdage[/url], on Flickr

My new build. Loads of fun, and feels fast. Serious amount of toe-overlap and I’m used to overlap, so had to get shorter cranks. Quite a bit of paint chip before being ridden in anger.
Hoping to love it as much as the Swift.

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SSSSMidge[/url] by Birdage[/url], on Flickr

Boring! Changed the bars since.

Also Seaford Bike Festival on the 10th June!

It’s April.

+1 for above.
More likely to come off when going really slow and turning on wet chalk. Kingston Ridge in the rain. Mud X also but really like a Ralph/Ignitor combo when dry.

Racing Ralph 2.25 on the front and Maxxis Ignitor on the back works for me on mixture of road, track and South Downs. Swap the back out for a Mud X when it gets splodgy.

Future Cycles in Lewes have made me some good wheels.

Tightened up a bolt on a seat clamp which snapped and asked them where to get another one. They sent one out FOC immediately which was fantastic. Doesn’t fit though.

I’ve got and tried both on the Swift. Think I find the Exotic ones better for steering through tight stuff but they seem a bit harsh over dry, bumpy open ground. I’m sure the Swift forks were more forgiving and will swap back next week. Exotic for the winter, Swift for the summer maybe?

Used 35s on open pros for 3 years. Sorry what’s the problem? Also used over logs in stanmer park so strength not an issue. I think nearly all of the widest good cross tyres only go up to 35.

Have always found open pros on 105 hubs excellent for durability and weight. Incidentally have a hand-built pair on black 105 hubs for sale. Just rebuilt a month ago. £170 posted. Email for details if interested.

Regularly loop between Littlehampton and Eastbourne on a crossbike and suits me fine. Only get punctures from thorns not flints. Wet chalk is another matter and would opt 29er hardtail. A bell helps too.

Pompino. Didn’t help that I got taken out by a geared bike with rigid panniers who couldn’t deal with me over taking him and then clipped me with said panniers as he cut me up. Transferred to a Cross Check and never looked back.

Like it! Use the midget bars on mine and love them, got to try it to appreciate. Interested to see how the bar end shifter works with mtn BB7s?

Mines set up single speed. Love it and ride it everyday. Its the one I would keep over the 29er and crosser cause as said its great to ride and infinitely capable. Only reason I’d sell would be if I got a Peregrine! Never found the weight a problem.

Laser Large 3 if you can find one 2nd hand, light, loads of room for 2 people and massive porch area, even fitted the bike in. Been using the Go Lite Shangri la 3 recently cause its just so darn flexible, use as a shelter, just use the nest, half roll the floor and have a cooking area.

Tried and tested my friend. 4 legs will survive long after the swivel.

Mainly a sofa, occasionaly a bar stool and I buck the trend at work going for legs rather than swivel.

Mapie, black and white, slight irridescence, (think that’s the wrong spelling) in the black.

Got some on a Swift and can only compare against original steel forks. More responsive steer through twitchy wood trails and overall really like them. Over long day rides think I’d probably find the steel ones less wearing.

On the road I wouldn’t use anything other than the a WI freewheel cause I know roughly the gradients I’m dealing with. Off road, with different conditions, terrain, mud etc I’m changing between 17, 18 and even 19 so cassette hub and cog works better for me. If I didn’t have an eccentric bottom bracket insert I’d probably go freewheel though.

Im sure there are places with more dramatic and demanding landscapes but always feel very lucky living in lewes. Can do offroad loops that take in South Downs Way, river, fast country roads, hills, Friston Forest and Stanmer Park trails, sea, Brighton cafes and Lewes pubs. In one day! I’m a North Downs boy and I love that environment but for off-bike living and diversity of cycling experience I’m where I want to be.

I love riding my orthopaedic shoe pretty much does everything it’s not designed to do but then I love my Swift too. Don’t know what kind of shoe it is though?

Surly Cross Check a bit duff! What the hell?

It’s definately lighter in summer! South Downs mud is very sticky and heavy.

Don’t know what a trail centre is but my cross bike was fine around Stanmer and Friston Forest and faster than mates mountain bikes. Got a 29er cause I was sick of coming off when hitting unexpected roots. Still fall off but not cause of roots.

Off road surly cogs with spacers cause different terrain and factors like mud necessitate changes in cog size from time to time for me. On road WI freewheel and SS specific hub cause its reliable, sounds good and terrain is fairly predictable.

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SSSS2[/url] by Birdage[/url], on Flickr

Now entirely white courtesy of the chalky sticky surfacing some enlightened farmer has laid on the track just above Swanborough on the South Downs Ridge.