Echoing the comments here and adding a data point – I’ve got the short bolt on RRP on a Fox 32 SC – bit tighter on a step cast than a bigger fork of course, but all good so far.

The CLUNK when I change to a smaller sprocket under power. Great when it’s my power, harbinger of doom when it’s a strong rider at the front of a chain gang.

Ordered one of these…and a version without the battery, charger, brushes and other bits n pieces turned up, rather than the ‘Full Kit’. Could be a one-off mistake at the Warehouse, but either way it’s going back and be aware that you might just have to traipse down to your local Hermes drop off place with it.

“Shimano’s XT RT76 6-Bolt Disc Rotor provides … Precision cut from stainless steel …”

“Shimano’s XT/Saint RT86 Ice-Tech 6-Bolt Disc Rotor  … Featuring a three-layer sandwich construction of stainless steel and alloy 3-layer to rapidly radiate the heat …”

that’s your difference.

Thinner spokes mean lower peak forces during riding because each individual spoke can stretch and the rim transfers the load across them.

I’d do it. The only difference is how much they stretch when built really, and if you consider that spokes only stretch ca. 1mm when built up, you’re looking at a 0.5mm difference in stretch for 1.5mm vs. 1.8mm, so I doubt it makes much difference in practice. As you say it will change the way the load is transferred from rim to spoke, but almost certainly in a good way.

I just bought an EC90 straight bar from them. ‘Cosmetic damage’ it said – turns up with cracks where the stem had been over tightened. It’s going back with a recommendation that they bin it – quite surprised they would risk selling it TBH.

If I knew then what I know now I should have bought a Kona Cinder Cone as my first MTB. As it was I bought a cheaper Muddy Fox Courier in the sale. No real regrets on that though, I loved the paint job and a MF was a rite of passage for many in the 80s.

I had read that Novatec would be producing microspline from Jan too (apols I can’t find the link right now) – hence Hunt will be able to offer them. That info from Hunt would indicate that Novatec will be supporting their older hubs which is good news.

Although I can’t tell what tyre clearance you get on the XLS, I doubt it would be more than 40mm (probably less). The Chicken is much more versatile from a wheel/tyre perspective so imo much more likely to suit your trail riding intents that the XLS.

Head angle a bit slacker on the Chicken too, which will make it a tiny bit more stable, I doubt it’s a deal breaker though. Nothing to choose on the geometry otherwise really.

Thru axles on the Chicken make it a bit more compatible wheel-wise with any modern-ish MTB you might have.

up a hill, when your power drops, so does your speed.

Edited because I then read the (*) note.

Me. I never take out insurance for european holidays. they only thing that insurance gives you is medical repatriation. Everything else is covered under EU reciprocal arrangements – yes even recovery from the mountains and medical treatment. If you have insurance you might be diverted to private facilities

I am prepared to self insure in the case of needing medical repatriation which either means staying abroad longer until you are fit for a normal flight or paying extra for 2 / 3 seats

I’m all for self-insuring where possible, but I think you should reconsider – 6 ribs and punctured lung in France in March. EHIC covers 80% of the hospital bill, but not helicopters, ambulances home etc. If I hadn’t been insured (£60 a year) the bills that I know about would have been ca. £5000, that’s not including the ground ambulance across France back to the UK.

Similarly I’ve bought two in the last year or so – first was a Zee from SJS, second an XT8000 from FB Marketplace, as the Zee’s are available anymore from SJS. Both were £60-ish quid. Not super cheap, but rings, BBs etc are more likely in your parts bin than square taper/old ring standards.

If time is on your side I’d suggest keeping an eye on ebay, FB etc for a suitable 165mm. Otherwise I think the mainstream new options are XT or SRAM GX. Square taper is SJS or Spa cycles.

Definitely not this then?

Although yes, this is a Starling with chains on opposite sides.

Cycling UK all the way as it actually advocates for MTBs.

BC is essentially just a racing / Olympic track feeder organisation. I’m a member of BC as I race a bit, but I’d rather not be as it doesn’t really do anything for the wider cycling world IMO.

I’m also covered by my home insurance. Interesting point on which one you’d choose to be liable if the worst happened.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/handlebars/jtek-superlight-drop-bar-bar-ends-black/?geoc=US&fbclid=IwAR0xvz7TS7VJ6bHH1wnIhlqexyBxUKBz3qzD63Y2iiToJZYbtzlllQsCF08

I found something similar:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVFoRRDhPrU/

Slightly different Nano models? (Although your post indicates not…)

WTB Nanos here. As much as I love them they are a bit of a PITA to fit & seat – with both Stans Crest and Iron Cross (which are admittedly more designed for ghetto tubeless I believe) and DT Swiss rims in my case. In general I’ve found my Crests to be fine with Maxxis and Schwalbes for example.

Unless you can get up to Cannock by car it’s definitely gravel/road bike territory. As lunge says, plenty of canals and lanes south of BHX.

Totally. Built my 10&12 boys 60fps+ fortnite pcs at Christmas. Dell optiplex 790 8Gb, core i5. Added a cheap ssd and a 750ti, total came to £180 per machine. Quad core, 8gb and check the gfx card benchmarks.

Built a similar machine, similar cost with Radeon 460 that goes even quicker.

Stayed at the B&B here http://www.caegwynfarm.co.uk/ a few years ago. Mile or so from CyB, and obviously convenient for loads more round there. Big mix of accommodation to suit all tastes, bike storage, pub reasonably nearby.

I’d say it’s do-able. Did the other direction on a stag a few years ago, so pub lunches etc, moving time was about 8.5 hrs averaging about 9mph with plenty of non-road. Did about half of Penmachno and 2/3 of Marin trail en-route – using them as part of the route rather than lapping them. Llandudno Junc to Marin trail was all road as I recall – pretty much the same as your Sarn Helen route in fact.

Last year I went with Alpkit Possum frame bag and pod top tube bag, with two water bottles.

I think I’ll do the same this year. Main advantages for me are:
– Plenty of space, so I don’t have to be too spartan, or waste time with careful packing.
– Convenient for costume changes as I’m not carrying anything in my pockets (at least initially), or a backpack.
– Everything is easily accessible while riding, particularly food.
– Battery in the top tube bag for Garmin/light charging.
– I have a carbon fibre seatpost which would be susceptible to rubbing. Not a biggie that one, and can be mostly fixed by tape, but it is a long ride for a seat bag to be swaying around.

I’d never consider any backpack for the Reiver. An already hard ride for 10hrs+ with a pack not my idea of any type of fun.

Previous years I went with big seat pack, top tube bag and pockets. That was ok too, although I kept my Goretex on both of those years as I recall.

I might consider a bag drop this year – the food is mostly too sweet imo. First year was good with plenty of sarnies at the stops, 2nd year my stomach couldn’t take any more and gave up at about 3/4 distance, so I took my own sarnies all the way last year. Glad I did as the food stops were very sweet again. Yes there’s the half-boiled potato stop, that was too late for me, it’s not really that far from the end of the hard stuff.

Having said all that the course is different this year, so that will change the food equation a bit. All the more reason to carry your own supply really.

I’ve got a Gigabyte Brix which is good imo and reasonably cheap.

A Raspberry Pi3 will almost certainly do all you want cheaper though.

The only scenario I can think of where this makes sense is an ex-colleague who can’t approach you directly for contractual reasons has used a recruiter to do the dirty work. Possible?

Although I don’t have an data for this, my feeling is that the biggest ballache will be tyre sealant drying out prematurely.

Hunt wheels use Novatec hubs too, so even *if* they put different bearings in there the freehub will be the same as the Superstar wheels FYI.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carbon-Fiber-Fork-29er-Mountain-Bike-Tapered-Rigid-Fork-15x100mm-Axle-UD-Matt-/111441535370?hash=item19f26ee18a

I got one of these a couple of years ago, from this vendor. It’s been fine – stuffed a USB endoscope camera down its innards, and it looks OK inside vs. some of the horrors that you’ll see on youtube.

Looks like you can go direct now too https://icancycling.com/collections/fork/products/29er-tapered-carbon-rigid-fork-thru-axle

I found out at Kirroughtree last week that 999 will work when the phone doesn’t show a signal

That’s because an emergency call will use any network it can find. e.g. if you’re on EE but have no signal it’ll use O2. 112 is the same (obv…).

+1 for the Swedish.

I’ve got an older version of these.

https://www.shepherdofsweden.dk/sheepskin-slippers/anton-sheepskin-slippers-camel

A cross between Uggs and those slippers that your granny used to wear, which I like.

Oh, and there are much cheaper ways of experimenting than a road link. e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bicycle-Rear-Derailleur-Hanger-Extension-Bike-Frame-Gear-Tail-Hook-Extend-UK-CNC/232681711515?var=532169841005

11-36 is fine with a medium cage mech and 34/50 in my experience.

Hanger length is usually key, which is where the roadlink comes in. You could probably make 11-40 work one way or another.

12-28 1×7 1993 XT with a 40T Superstar N/W ring here, admittedly only on town bike, but working fine, no dropped chains.

Try calling Li Er Lei in:
Street:Wei Shi Xian Nan Cao Xiang Shi Qiao Cun
City: Kai Feng Shi

(source: https://www.whois.com/whois/cutpricee.top)

to find out.

I rode Caen to Draguignan last summer. Similar-ish. My experience:

I used Google Maps to plan the outline route. This will take you along quite a few gravel road/tracks for a start. e.g.:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXFXVdiBENw/?taken-by=tim.branes

Once I’d got to Orleans I pretty much followed the Loire cycle path, which is a bit gravelly, but more importantly car free for 100s of miles. Then over the northern Massif Central to Lyon and down the similar Rhone bike path. Then left at Orange and across Provence.

If you want to avoid traffic and not spend your day navigating the river paths are hard to beat. They’re a much higher standard than the equivalent in the UK.

It would be nice to buy just a couple of cogs wouldn’t it!

Because I’m both fat and lazy I’ve worn 1st and 2nd on my XT cassette past the point of no return, it would be far less wasteful (and cheaper) to buy just the back 3, but you can’t, so 8 perfectly good cogs go in the bin.

Well you can get the more commonly worn ones:

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/shimano-sprocket-wheel-11t-with-built-in-spacer-type-for-cs-m8000-566566

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/shimano-sprocket-wheel-13t-with-built-in-spacer-type-for-cs-m8000-566568

If I’m reading this right you’ve worn the big ones out?

I build a wheel every now and again – usually lace them up at home, do an initial tension, and then head down to the Bristol Bike Project on a Thursday (https://thebristolbikeproject.org/our-workshops/bike-kitchen/) to use their workshop trueing stands to finish off. They have a Park spoke tension meter down there too for the final check.

This https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/hand-tools/bill-and-grass-hooks/product/p/BDG5223821A

+1 for snow chains. I carry them for just this (infrequent admittedly) eventuality. Modern ones are v easy to fit and will get you out of just about any low traction situation.

If anyone ever happens upon this again…I’ve just done this, actually quite easy, about 10 mins work with a file to reduce the larger flange down to the smaller one’s size and it’s done. Surprisingly easy and pain free.

Cheers for that vote of confidence. I’ve had the verniers out and I’m sure it will work.

Bit of a ballache though so I’ll have a look around for a ‘real’ one first. There must be loads unused out there.