5 hour MTB ride in the lakes, just about to head out of the door.

Low level stuff though, not risking the tops with the forecast wind this afternoon. Extra socks and gloves will be in the bag though…..

Another bum butter fan here, especially as the bum/knob/asshole jokes were flowing ludicrously fast at Charlies stand at the cycle show. I was totally unaware there were that many bum related puns…

That’s pretty normal for an HD3. I replace mine up to twice a year with Enduro max BO bearings. The bearing seals are totally exposed to everything, even a hose pipe can push water past the seals with ease, so they are going to get knackered pretty quickly. It’s very much designed by those Californians who haven’t lived in a British winter. Bearing lifetime is a shortcoming if the frame, but I’ll accept it as it is such a brilliant Bike.

Scud – many thanks for the offer. Unfortunately I’m in the genuine Mecca of the Lake District. It would need to be an online code or a phone call as it’s not in stock anywhere but their own warehouse. No friend or family working for Aviva either that I know of.

Price matching is off the cards as they are the only UK retailer with stock, there should be more inbound to the UK, but I’m being impatient with the weather and a knackered jacket.

Looks like 4% cashback through Quidco. Better than a poke in the eye, but I was hoping for a little more if possible!

Just called Mojo to get a DPD tracking number (need to redirect DPD to a local pickup shop due to a change in plans tomorrow so need the reference number) and there’s an automated phone message saying they’re closed for staff training until 3pm today, but it’s now well after then. Hopefully they’re having a get together and firming up plans so nobody is made redundant etc.

The article above is very confusing – Mojo haven’t commented, but the journalist knows what their future business model is? Either there’s been an industry bulletin from Mojo behind the scenes, or it’s unofficial info from a grapevine/unverified source.

TF Tuned are hopefully just hinting they has stock left if anyone needs FOX products asap. Odd way to do it though, and really hope it’s not them being underhanded.

Sorry, idiot moment, bottom swing is correct. Clamp band is the highest point.

Nope. Money is showing as a pending transaction on cc though. Had confirmation of order email.

Same on my card, it showing as a pending transaction so all looks like it’s going through. I ordered over the phone, and the chap said there will also be a DPD notification once it’s shipped. Once the DPD notice come through then I’ll be a lot more certain is all OK. (Oddly it’s a touch cheaper than expected as I also ordered bushes, hardware and the £20 labour charge to change the travel on an X2 – but then a quick calculation/guestimate could mean that the extras have gone through around cost price too).

Sherpa ti here, with a 3×9 drivetrain on it! You’ll need a top pull high mount front derailleur to clear the rear tyre (very short chainstay and big wheel), It works perfectly, and I’ve squeezed a dropper remote onto the LHS of the bar with some custom mount fettling.

I also grabbed one and want it to be changed to 57mm stroke. Did you have to pay any extra? I couldn’t get through to them on the phone.

They asked for a ‘small labour charge’ to remove the bottom spacer and up the travel from 50mm to 57mm (it is an identical shock). Total cost of £20 for the labour was quoted, which if fair given it’ll take about an hour to hunt it down, strip the bottom can out, rebuild, test and repack.

They were on the phones at 4.30 this afternoon (I called and grabbed an X2 with a mod from 50 to 57 – it was theoretically the last one). I’ll see what turns up in the post.

I do feel guilty scavenging on their remains, but then they have made the offer rather than me force them into a deal. It means I can cancel my upcoming service plans and resell my current shock for no overall loss, should essentially be a free service.

I believe the standard STW answer in this situation would be ‘hookers and coke’……

Very nice little gps. Last time I looked it didn’t support a 1 second recording interval, so cut the corners a bit on the mtb.

Steady shift to working from a debit account with supplier credit account. I.e. setup a £5k credit account with supplier and then run your accounts in the Black all the time. Not best practice to use a main supplier on a credit card, might as well run a totally solvent buisness

2×11 for exactly the same purpose. lovely spinny legs to twiddle up anything then a bigger isn ring to move along at pace on the easier bits. I’m actually using a 25t oval onto a 42t rear, the oval is really nice for long ascents.

Pushing hard and grinding on my knees just doesn’t work, they’ll ace pretty badly if I grind on them for too long, but spinning can be done all day without the slightest issue.

Your choice is pretty sensible in my books.

You can try, but the front derallier is only rated for a 10t difference in chainring size. It should work but you might find that when in the 24t ring and the smallest cassette cogs that the chain rubs or touches the bottom of the derallieur cage. In theory you shouldn’t need that combo as you’ll have popped up to the 36t ring by then.

It can only not work, so give it a go as it’s only a postage cost you’ll be risking (if you end up ordering the 34t down the line)

The rings are available separately, and occasionally come up on eBay. Usually it’s the German online sellers that have them as 2x is much more popular on the continent. The price can be eye watering, but then you’re talking retail xtr pricing.

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/shimano-xtr-2-speed-chainring-fc-m9000-9020-34t-as-529948

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/shimano-xtr-2-speed-chainring-fc-m9000-9020-24t-as-529942

I did order some from Oz too. With the gift of some from here plus what’s in the way I’ll hopefully have enough for the supplier to get it back in stock.

If anyone is really desperate, the the ‘Holy Cow’ lube is reportedly as good as the extreme stuff.

I was looking at these today and thought they were a bit skinnier than the outgoing version. Bit annoying as I’d really enjoyed the bigger volume, but then the newer compounds are meant to be an improvement so is it a case of narrower blow up but the same performance? I can feel a single tyre purchase coming on to test the water before buying a few for the fleet.

Spoke to the importer at the cycle show today. There was a 1 month delay as the labelling was being changed (now non flammable) then disaster hit in Houston with the recent storms and flooding. There are 2000 bottles of extreme lube in Houston port that are paid for by the uk distributor, but are stuck until the storm devestation clears up enough to get the stock to the uk. There was genuinely 1 bottle on the stand for display only, and not for sale! Sounds like it’ll be here in a few months……

24-34 up front and an xt 42t out back. Any lower and you’re below the point of balance. It’s what I run currently and it will crawl up anything.

I’m on a standard fenix 3, and absolutely love it. I’ll probably change over to a 5x at Christmas if santa consideres me to have been good enough.

I do love having pretty much every outdoor gadget in one, whilst it being wearable enough to go everywhere with me on a daily basis.

There are lots of product keys available for office 2016 (which includes word) for about £7. A well known auction site can be searched for office 2016 product key with a lot of results. Just use the key and the official download link. Each time the key authenticates in microsofts servers without fault.

Fudge, you’ve possibly just booked a seat in my house for Christmas dinner – email sent

Out of stock at the cycle clinic

Anyone using rock n roll gold lube? There is some of that around, and although not as wet focused, it sounds like it might be ok?

B*lls! The greatest chain lube in the world isn’t available just as autumn hits.

Suggestions for the nearest equilivant?

We bought our last iPhones direct from apple. They do an interest free monthly payment plan over 20 months with all warranty etc held with them. Then converted our phone contract to sim only. It has worked out cheaper over 24 months to do this, and there is no phone company to worry about if the phone goes wrong. Just book a genius appointment and wander into any store for gaurenteed service. I’d never buy an iphone through a network company again now we know how much better it is direct with apple.

Sherwood has less ascent so he might find it more manageable, plus the red loop is pretty easy (loads of kids make it around without any issue). It’s a nice venue too, and is usually less busy than Dalby.

Best deals tend to be in person or via a real world LBS for fox forks. I’d suggest calling around as I’ve never found the online dealers to be the best for fox suspension products.

Not sure of the local name, but the scenes over the lake are on the eastern side of derwent water, heading east down into Manesty. That rough track looks stunning for a blast down, might have a look if it can be added to the ever growing borrowdald route we have a habit of doing. So so much good riding around there, especially if you can hack a lot of ascent.

2nd the Stanton Sherpa, you described it exactly!

Maybe time to buy a complete wheel? Cut out your hub and sell that separately (no idea why, but some hubs sell for more by themselves – especially hope ones!). Lots of hope wheels around 2nd hand at the moment (seamless plug that I might have a couple of pairs).

If it’s all been backed off and retightened properly, then I’d be suspect about the rim condition. A new set of nipples and spokes might sort it, but you won’t know until some money has been risked.

It might be recoverable, but will mean backing off every spoke, checking if the rim is in a reasonably true condition, then tightening everything up from scratch back into true and tensioned.

I’d personally take the opportunity to change out the rim and spokes, that way you’ve removed any bad history, plus you can pick a nice new mk3 rim…..

Edit – previous poster read my mind!

I’m in the habit of buying reverbs that are playing up, then doing a major service on them myself with a full service kit and updated IFP. Of the 5 in the house, none have even hinted at playing up after a service. The major point is to grease the heck out of the bushes.

History and reputation says they’re not reliable, but the fact that they’re so cheap to acquire used, parts are easily available and they’re not hard to do a major service on means that they’re still my first choice. Add in the reliability I’m seeing after a bit of work and I can’t see a reason to buy anything else.

If reverb isn’t on the menu, then I’d go for the fox transfer.

Wera are still a go to brand, we eat thousands of them (not literally) and they do last compared to others

superlube – synthetic grease thats totally water resistant. Into my 3rd year of it on the bikes (maybe 4th) and the CK bottom brackets are running like new (they get grease fished every 3 to 6 months depending on the bike).

stans race here. It might be good luck, but I’ve not had a puncture since it went in many months ago. As for it needing topping up, then I’ve not noticed it drying out any quicker than normal stans, and that lasts over 6 months itself.

We have orange in one of the wheel sets as we needed some in a hurry following a tyre swap (huge slash in the sidewall, not sealant would have saved it) and can’t say I’ve noticed any difference to the normal stans.

I have the aftershocks titanium, as a female they’re great for lone biking, and not as faffy as just one earbud. Great for on – road as well, as you can hear the metal engines of death around you 🙂

I was in a similar situation back end of last year, my Mum has breast cancer. Never really got on that well until the last few years, and my parents have never been there for me when I needed them. I have siblings they drop everything for at the drop of a hat, but I was left to ‘get on with it’ because they had some twisted notion I could cope. Whilst I can, it would have been nice to have that support, but hey ho. Emotions happened in their own good time (over 6 months later), and my big thing has been to be there for her & Dad. Its been temping to tell my parents to do one really, and have to say I wouldn’t actually feel bad about it. However, Im not them, and decided I would behave in the way that shows who I am, despite them. Been there for Mum as much as I can, and its actually been quite rewarding in a way, to see how much she appreciates it all. Made it worth the initial resentment 😉

As others have said, theres no right or wrong here, it is what it is. You’ll feel what you’ll feel the you feel it, just remember if it does hit you hard at some point to look after yourself too.