Not only off-road but single speed. SS on and off-road in the Winter months makes it interesting and good fitness-wise. Most importantly less time spent cleaning the mud off in the **** cold.

As above, narrower tyres helped a bit though.

Thanks widge34!
Not sure I can justify £40 for an extra .2 but good to know they’re around. Presume these replaced the 60tpi 2.25s?

Where are everyone getting big Beavers!?!
I couldn’t find 29 x 2.25 anywhere. Had one on the front for the last 2 years but appear to be sold out most places.

wwaswas – Member

Amateur.[/quote]

Meeting Place, Hove! (Or is it Brighton?)

Been having thoughts along these lines for ages. To the point where it actually hurts when I think about it. Got an old xtr 9 speed mech working fairly well with 10 speed ultegra shifters and an 11-40 praxis cassette with a narrow-wide oval chain ring.

Been contemplating swapping for a 10 speed xtr clutch I’ve got lying around and a jtek shiftmate. Am I looking for a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist? Not dropping the chain and shifting is acceptable. On the other hand the 10 speed xtr clutch looks pretty but the jtek feels like a bodge (though I haven’t tried it yet). Have a feeling that a goatlink would improve shifting but only works with 10 and 11 speed mechs. Why do Shimano make this an issue?

Never ridden suspension but rigid bikes just keep getting better and better.
Back to skinny tyres and clearance for mud though!

Similar experiences for me. Had 4 EBBs so far on Singulars and Jones and all been hassle-free, no creaks ever.
Sliding drop-outs on the Ritchey just seem a clumsy approach, probably my technique but I find them a pain trying to get the right chain tension.

Forward-facing drop outs work pretty well for me if the skewers are tightly clamped or bolted.

Yeah don’t know how I didn’t get the fork off that Pegasus the other week! So close…………

Do you get enough clearance for a Chronicle on a 45mm rim in a Niner fork?

IMG_20160624_173719882 by Matthew Bird[/url], on Flickr

My Ritchey 29er(plus)/650 plus bastard. Love it. One day it’ll have a Niner fork. Possibly….

I run a pop-up café once a month (more in Summer) in Lewes and it works for me cause I like cooking, music, talking bikes and get to do all three on my own terms.
In addition to good breakfasts and coffee we have bike tools, jumble, info etc and people seems to like the balance. Don’t make any money but I cover my costs which is good enough.

Important things to me in a café is proper coffee without the hipster bullshit. A good cinnamon bun is always a bonus.

Have a carbon and alu one. Both been flawless over 3 years through mud etc. After getting a little bit of play in them, got a couple of service kits for £11 each and they’re like new.

Isn’t an Ardent just about the same tyre but lighter? Between 750 and 850g if it’s makes a difference. I’ve got both and the Ardent definitely ‘feels’ lighter. Also running singlespeed rigid.
Only used the CM once. Highjack alert! Available for £10 plus postage.

Beavers. 2.25 front, 2.0 rear. Exo. With the clag round here I value the clearance.

Just taken mine off for the Winter. Great tyre for everything but mud!

Did the same as you with my Swift before I sold it and went back to the original forks. Found them less harsh, better balance for bike overall and never bent a pair!

Ironically now got a P29er with the Exotic forks which are good but looking (for about 2 years) for Niner ones with a straight steerer and sensible length.

Looks good but never had a problem with a crud catcher on the downtube. Thought that was what the bolts were for?

Will try that thanks. Got 2 kits and 2 posts to do. Was going for the vice next!

Been using an old xtr 9 speed medium cage with 10 speed STIs, narrow-wide ring and 11 – 40 cassette with no problems.

Bought a jtex shiftmate thingy to allow for use with a clutch mech after discussion on the ‘tanpan thread’ and realised I was looking for a solution to a problem that didn’t exist!

No orange!

side_view by Matthew Bird[/url], on Flickr

Lifetime warranty
GRADIENT T325//AR
REILLY CYCLEWORKS

Scotroutes – fair enough but your link is to a different bike……

The Tripster is just a johnny-come-lately upstart…..

That Van Nicholas doesn’t have disc brakes and only has clearance for up to 37mm tyres.

This thread is 3 years old, I reckon the other bikes are the ‘come latelys’!

I remember a guy from Reilly (Nerve then) looking at my tripster in a bike shop and not knowing it was mine remarking it was a ‘piece of shit’. Well they seem to be making something remarkably similar now…….

Although I’m on a green one I was running 2.35 Hans D and 2.25 Nobby which worked quite well. Now gone to 1.75 Landcruiser and 1.6 Smart Sam Plus cause I wanted more of a monstercross set up. It’s great! Haven’t had any noticeable reduction in comfort at 30psi. Haven’t actually noticed that much comfort difference between the Chronicle I had on the front initially and the Landcruiser. Using gel pads under the bar tape though so that probably makes some difference?

Glad I bought mine when I did. Would not be able to afford the new one and the changes made don’t make it any more desirable.

Defining monstercross = can of worms. Given up trying to define it, for me it’s somewhere between 40mm and 2.0. And why do we change measurement scales between road and mountain?

Just gone back to monster from drop bar 29er (half) plus…..

God it’s the most fun I have on a bike and suits terrain round here. Right balance of speed, comfort and edginess on and off road.

Finally settled on Landcruiser 1.75 front and Smart Sam Plus 1.6 back. Slightly heavy but sure-footed and still fairly rapid.

IMG_20161022_090903188 by Matthew Bird[/url], on Flickr

Had a Ratchet Rocket for a few years. Fantastic. Multi tools always fell apart on me and their allen keys never felt as well fitting as the ratchet allen bits. Bits can be modified according to needs. Plus they’re much better in tight spaces.

Don’t tell anyone!
Stanmer has too much use now and is suffering for that. Too many people in a small area with the inevitable confrontation between different users.

Had a Paul hub and WI freewheel that never missed a beat. Admittedly gone back to Surly cogs cause I wanted to have a choice of ratios. Suits me better.

birdage – what tyre is the 3.5 29er?

Doh!! – meant 2.5 (on a 45mm rim)

Personally think rim width has more benefits than out and out tyre thickness. Gives a nicer profile. Would rather there were more 29er 2.6/2.8 than 3.0 options.

Not a dedicated follower of fashion but 2.8 650 on the back and 3.5 29er on the front has turned my singlespeed P29er into a bonkers woodland BMXer. Love it!

Be interested in hearing how it pans out or anybody else’s experience. Got a xtr 10 speed clutch mech sitting around doing nothing which I’d like to match to the 10 speed stis. Got a 9 speed xtr mech on there at the moment and it works fine so £35 for the tanpan seems unnecessary unless it works really well.

Put Saints on about 5 months ago on 2 bikes after a few issues with the XT ones. Been perfect ever since but I guess Winter will be the test.

More clearance on the later Gryphons though!

Great bike. A Ti version would be my dream bike. Got a set of wheels with Big Apple 2.35s that I keep meaning to try for fast, bouncy fun!

Think you’d be struggling especially if you need any kind of mud clearance. Haven’t tried it though……. Hans Damph 2.35 which comes up large on a 35mm rim no problem with Chronicle at the front. Think I also had an Ardent 2.4 in there also.

While I can still get the monkey glands it doesn’t matter…

Err I meant the Diamond Ti Plus in that link. Should have been clearer. Got a steel Diamond that I’m very happy with. Have a feeling I’ll have to settle for some carbon Jones bars.

Numbers seldom add up to much :O)

So how many organs would I have to sell for that Diamond Plus?

Just need to get an idea cause it’s a special birthday next year and I can start a fund now and work out what I need to sell………..

Got claggy clay/chalk round here so mud clearance is pretty important. 2.25 Maxxis Beavers worked well on the Jones last winter for me.