I really don’t know. I’m asking for some real world experiences of the system. All I’ve seen is a couple of reviews from new buyers; but I treat that with a bit of scepticism; after all, not many people would have laid out £700 and admitted to dropping a rick. I saw a bike in my LBS a few weeks ago with one on; high end MTB looked well battered/used. The mechanic said the guy had it fitted a couple of years ago and loved it. Seemed to have gone under the radar which is why I’m asking if it’s worth trying or going straight to 1×10, which I might struggle with.

Not worth a punt then? Am I right in thinking it’ll give the equivalent of a 2×9 set up when replacing a 3×9 existing? My chain rings are looking a bit battered and it’s time for a change; just looking at the choices really.

Yep. Thomson bar, stem and seatpost. Why wouldn’t you? I love Thomsom, me.

James Redbanks was on 5 Live yesterday discussing this. Fascinating and thought provoking guy. He’s not advocating a charge for entry to the Parks; he quite rightly highlighted that “tourism” was pulling in 1.1 billion per year yet the people who keep the fells looking how they are have no access to this and are living, in many cases, like “church mice”.
Can’t wait to read his book.

Then put a match to the filter. WHOOSH!!!

Parrafin. Soak, scrub, rinse in parrafin again and allow to dry. Pour the dirty parrafin through a paper filter to get rid of the crap and re-use.

Thanks a bunch lads, lots to bear in mind. Really appreciate your comments. Good to know I wasn’t a million miles away with my theories!

Cheers devs. My son’s running a Larsen on the back of his ht and reckons it rolls just fine. Grips Ok too, seeing as though I can never keep up with him, but that might a different factor. Like I said, I think I’ll ride it out with 26″ UST while I can still get them; after all, they’re still holding their price in a fast moving competitive market so that says a lot for their quality. So you like the HR then? I can get a HR 2.25 for the back, but I fancy a 2.35 HR11 for the front. Any criticism?

Yep, I agree. At the time, I was 28, we had two sons. All we wished for (despite problems with both at birth). We decided that was enough so I went for the snip, not wishing my wife to have to take responsibility and the health risks of contraception. My attitude was that even if I failed as a husband; I’d still be a Dad. Thankfully all is good 30 yrs down the line. So, for me, best £25 ever spent.

Cost me £25 30 yrs ago; private with a local anaesthetic. I remember lying there with my nuts in a steel kidney dish watching smoke wafting up to the ceiling. The clinic was on the same street that staff (predominantly female)from a packaging factory walked along at the end of their shift. I came out the clinic at 5.15pm which had a long footpath to a gate onto the street. There were hordes of them walking past. I remember thinking “****, they know what this place is”!! So I did my best nonchalant walk down the path to the gate and got in my car. There was a bunch of them pissin’ themselves laughing and taking the mick. As I got in the car, I looked down and the cotton wool padding they had dressed my nuts with was hanging out of my zip; which I’d forgotten to do up in my hurry to get out.
Anywhoo; my mates got me a tee shirt printed with IOFB on the front, and I wore it every Friday for months afterwards.
Best £25 I ever spent and absolutely no problems or issues; except it doesn’t it doesn’t get tested as much these days.

Thanks lads. I suppose 7-8yrs is a lifetime in standardstrackworld; no doubt UST was the mutts nuts in it’s day. I see even rim internal widths are moving up now, my 19mms seem anorexic. I think while I can still get them, I’ll stay with UST this time; just because I’m a bit of a traditionalist I suppose, and I’ve got a couple of christmas vouchers burning a hole. By the time they’re shot, it may well be new bike time anyway. Look, thanks for your replies, I’ll maybe have a look at a super tacky Minnion for the front; I rarely use the bike on tarmac and I reckon I can cope with a bit more pedalling. I’m a bit wary about going wider than 2.35 though, I’d hate to rip the tyre off the rim or have it squirming about. I would imagine even a Maxxis 2.5 would be pushing it a bit on a 19mm rim?

Aaaaah, I see, so it’s just a brand thing then? Okey cokey; that makes choosing tyres even harder; thanks for that! What do you reckon about the
High Roller/Ardent combo though?

Cheers. Will they sit ok on the UST rims though? I always think that if a rim is designed for ust tyres, then maybe they’re best used that way? I know the rim profile is different to acommodate ust tyres and help with an airtight seal. I have used sealant in them in the past as insurance, so it’s not as though I’m relying on that aspect for puncture resistance. A ust tyre always seems much beefier than a TR for instance.

First post having lurked for months. Very entertaining forum. We moved out of town 12 years ago and I got into the habit of a few beers every night while either working on the house/garden or even while just fannying about. Over the last couple of years it’s been four or five cans of Fosters every night. Twelve months ago i quit my twenty a day smoking habit; six months ago quit my 6 cups of coffee a day habit, four months ago I stopped buying bike/fishing mags and I’m coming to the end of my first “dry January”. This is the longest I’ve gone without a beer for years. To be fair, I don’t feel much different; possibly a bit brighter in the morning, I still weigh 11 stone, still eat the same. The fags must have made a differenced to my riding, though I didn’t really notice and skipping the Fosters hasn’t either. The only thing I’ve noticed is my interest in music has perked up again.

Epic Marathon = Madbike
Secteur = stealth bike
Universal Sports thing = Ratbike (lots of hand me downs fron t’other two)

Specialized Secteur Sport Compact Disc. I got this on a C2W scheme last year. Must admit it’s my first road bike, but I like Speshy bikes and this one really took my fancy. I’ve tried it with a shorter riser stem (really comfortable for long runs) and a 90mm flat stem which drops the front for when I want to hoof it around. Not in a position to compare; but it does the biz for me. I will probably be upgrading the brakes to the new Tektro Hydraulic calipers soon; not ‘cos it needs it; ‘cos I’m a tart. Hope this helps.

Bit less through a really friendly LBS. Bike7 at Longtown, Cumbria. Well worth it. The helmet mount is superb; as is the bar mount, simple and secure. The light is programmable also; tho’ I’ve yet to work it out!

New Exposure Joystick Mk9. 750 lumens, lighter than Mk8, charges faster.
Lovely bit of kit with superb Exposure back up, if you ever need it.

Sorry to hear this, I really am. Keep a shoulder and an arm for your mum whenever she needs it; but remember to tell your Dad you love him. It was the last proper conversation I had with mine and I can recall that time at will and with clarity. The reaction on the silly old buggers face has stayed with me; and helps me remember him.