Interesting thread……I’ve had a niggling feeling the last year or so that I just haven’t found ST as engaging as it used to be. That could very well be me and my interests changing, but I do seem to find less and less of the articles to be relevent or speaking to me. It did used to seem less gear focused (again, that could be me) and less downhilly.
Having said that, it’s still head and shoulders above the uk competition, especially with the demise of Privateer and Bunyanvelo being online only.

At £150 the On One carbon fatties will do for me (if the buggers ever become available).Velocity P35 or Dually though?

The P/Blunt 35 works well enough, but I do have the feeling it is still a bit of a compromise, if your budget can stretch to a Rabbit Hole, do it.
I’m not sure how much the 29″ Dually will be, haven’t seen them here yet, that’s why I’m using the P35.
It does work well, it’s just that your’e a bit more limited with your pressure range as the section profile has more bulbosity than with a wider rim.

I can vouchsafe the Karate Monkey fork. It still has plenty of room on the older canti-braked versions. Ogre forks would be good too. I’d imagine Cromoto’s would be good too.

Also, Singular Cycles are supposed to be making their forks specfically suitable for 29+

Lovely collection of bikes! Out of interest….. Are you down south as well?

Yes I’m in Dover, only the Kilauea in the collection now and that’s the other-halves….
As for the Breath, I really can recommend it as a modern alternative, bit weightier, but obviously with better braking, more modern geometry, but still a similar quality of ride. Think the Life should be even better!

This is a great thread! Any excuse to effuse about old Konas!
I had a Kilauea as my main bike about 5 years ago, but always ended up hankering after something “nicer”. I read that Inbreds were similar geometry, which I suppose is true, but the ride is completely different, bit more agricultural, not bad bikes by any means, just that the CEN testing means they end up a bit tank-y.

I then moved on to a Sanderson Breath, which I have to say was beautiful! Not the flagship odel, bit still rode lovely, with Orange forks, it was so springy and agile. Only moving to 29″ wheels meant I sold it.

Also had a Koa, which wasn’t so nice, whatever I did with that, it just didn’t feel as good as the Kilauea.

However, the Kilauea is still in the collection

This is currently being updated and rebuilt, soldering on some new cable guides for full outers, 1×7 gearing and some headtube strengthening rings. I just cant sell it!
Bit long winded reply, but it’s christmas!

Yeah I couldn’t resist at that price, I know theye are just a spring and a pipe!
They’d only be used on a singlespeed commuter, nothing too strenuous.
I’m not even sure if they’re oil filled?
Just wondered if anyone used to modify basic forks in the 90’s?

Sheppey is a shit hole. It has a prison and a bridge. It is best to use the bridge TBH.

The beach on the north side is great for windsurfing off, if you are learning, as it stays shallow for ages. The fact that there is a sunk ship 4 miles up the coast , full of ammunition, waiting to expolde at any time, adds to the fun.

Rochester is sort of OK. Gillingham and Chatham are cheap for the SE of England.

You don’t have to live there to work there – there is a road bridge, and plenty of other nice parts of Kent. Whitstable is nice, and Margate is very up and coming. Deal is being touted at the new “Brighton” (ask the Sunday Times, I have no idea what this means). And there may even be hope for Folkstone. Not, however, for Dover

I live in Dover! The town’s horrible, a hive of scum and villainy;
that being said, the surrounding area is beautiful, loads of singletrack, bridleways and history.
I’ve only been to Sheppey a few times for work. The Steel works shut about a year ago, there was a pharmaceutical place and a concrete ornaments factory. That’s it. Horrible, bleak, windswept place. All the crap that comes out of the Thames ends up washing around it too….
Margate is supposed to be on the up, but I’m afraid an art gallery and some “vintage” shit-shack boutiques aren’t going to solve the problems there.
If you can afford the north west side of Kent, you won’t regret that.
Bit of a loooong post, so apologies for that!

This is interesting! Currently, I’ve got 5 9sp cogs on my Karate Monkey, but with 8sp spacers, so I can run the heftier chain. 6 x 9sp cogs are JUST too wide to fit comfortably on, though a slightly modified XT block is supposed to work a treat. Might have to the 7 though……How does the 10sp chain bear up to a limited range?

I had a Grasshopper for a bit, theyr’e good fun, you get the good dad&son vibe from building them too. Incidentally, they’e basically a more basic Hornet, different rear suspension, ABS shell and a 380 motor.
You can pick up all the Hornet parts on Ebay cheap enough, so you get to build the basic model, then all the fun of shopping for speed and better bounce! I say, get it!

I love this thread! some very talented people about, contrary to what we’re led to believe by the media, Britain is still a nation producing things, quality stuff too!
Here’s my 2 pennorth anyway, had a few lunchtimes’ in these bits….
70mm stem on work bike;

Shimano Parallax hub, converted to cartridge bearing, new axle, washers etc.

No name fron disc hub, converted to cartridge bearing, new axle, spacers, nuts etc. Uses a velosolo 18t cog.

Looking into making a new hub, basically same operation, but with flanges as wide apart as a fixed frame will allow…..

Road shifter mount for my 5 speed Karate Monkey

Got a few other things, I’ve knocked up too for other people (mostly, I’m afraid, VERY Paul Comp. “Inspired”. Ahem.)
Next few projects are taking a load of broken BMX frames for a flatland bike and a balance bike.
Anyone else made a childs balance bike? I really need to get a decent set of measurments, angles etc. Anyone?

I can vouch for a Karate Monkey, very versatile, but for full on touring, the Ogre’s probably a better bet.

The great price roller coaster! I’d be interested to see how that turns out, I’m thinking the NCX fork looks a little long, so maybe 440mm could be about right……

I had a white 29er, 2008 model I think, with V-Brakes. I was using it mostly to commute at the time, with the occasional off road jaunt. Wasn’t really suitable for the commute at all and ended up getting a Pompino instead. Only now though, do I really appreciate just how good it was. For how much they were, I think they were an absolute bargain, nice versatile frames, not-too rigid forks. Seen people with drop bars, fixed gears. Really regret selling mine………
Think it might have been a slow seller for GT, maybe the time is right for a 2013 re-release?

Well I’ve had my KM a couple of weeks now and I can heartily recommend it. Although maybe a little “dated” in terms of 29er geometry, being quite a sharp handling bike, it’s very comfortable, zingy etc….I take it you’ll be sticking with SS then?

Wow, how tall are you??

Here’s my effort;

Sanderson Breath with F8 forks, try-all rim on the front with a 2.5 Conti Diesel, though now selling to fund a Karate Monkey build.
Currently riding this in between;

Kona Kilauea 2 speed, very light!

The thing that intriged me was the geometry and the appparent versatility, as I quite like a higher front end and the sound of the more relaxed angles when compared with the Swift….So far I’ve looked at the KM/Ogre, Fortitude and Gryphon, which are all quite different, but I do seem to have had my head turned by the Gryphon.

It was somewhere I always wanted to go! Looked VERY dusty though!!
The semi-fat works nicely, especially in the snow, beach, mud etc.

sheephills – Member

-bruce willies
What front tyre on your bike with the trials front rim???

Like the build a lot..
It’s a Continental Diesel 2.5″ on a Try-All rim, though these don’t seem to be available anymore.
Sheephills…..is that a reference to the 90’s mecca for all things 20″?

Here’s my new (to me, anyway) Sanderson Breath , just on its maiden voyage.

Glad to see some rider feedback on these, I keep looking at them, but find that £850 is just a bit too steep for a rigid singlespeed bike. I love the look of the others too, but again find the price jump a bit bewildering. I guess with the singlespeed, you can always add hub gears later on though…

Hmmmm, I think we’ll be lookiing more at seats, possibly a Hamax Sleepy or polisport at first, maybe a trailer later.
It was definitley a good article, it doesn’t seem to be a subject that’s discussed much.

Yeah I’m at a bit of a loss really. I had thought perhaps using a trailer at first as I’m not sure about little one being up high and strapped to the bike, but my other half doesn’t like the idea of not being able to see the trailer behind, especially with cars.
Obviously, I’m not expecting to ride home from the hospital, I just don’t want it to be my thing of going out for rides and leaving everyone home.

Like Dan said, compressed air systems, when used for pneumatic operations, often have a oil atomizer/drier stationed with any machinery. When any air is exhusted to atmosphere, there will be oil in this exhaust, so it’s conceivable that inhaling fine oil mist, over a long period of time could cause cancer……..but everything does!

Sorry for disappearing for ages! Have been reading all these posts with a lot of interest, we’ve picked up an old Muddy Fox Pathfinder frame, some Giant forks. It was never going to be a high end Downhill style build, he just wanted a decent retro-ish bike for general riding, so I think we’re going to try a 1×9 or 8 set-up and I’ve been thinking about splicing 2 Avid V brake levers together……….
It really does make you consider how fiddly some parts are.
I’ll try and post some pics as we go.
Thanks again you lovely people!

Wow, I really wasn’t expecting such a response!
By the sound of it, it’s actually no big deal, just a case of juggling (no pun intended) the levers around. I like the sound of using a bigger disc on the back, as well as front…
Think in his case, a 1×9 set up would work best as his budget will be about £350 all in. I like the challenge of building a decent bike on a budget!

I was always told to wear a suit to any job interview. It shows respect to the person interviewing and respect to the process of interviewing.
I’m a fabricator/engineer myself and have had interviews where the guy asking the questions has been in little more than vest and pants, I’ve always made the effort. It does seem to be an industry where people expext to be able to turn up in jeans and jumper though…I’d say suit and bring boots and overalls for any site tours or trade tests.
Good luck though!

BladeRunner for sure, The anime Wings of Honneamise has a beautiful Ryuichi Sakamoto soundtrack, Goodbye Mr Lawrence too.
There was also to be a version of Dune from the mid 70’s which would have had an AMAZING soundtrack; Pink Floyd, Tangerine Dream etc.

Hey, I’m actually a Stainless fabricator and a lot of our work is kitchens for schools etc.
If you’ve got a lot of scratches you can try to remove them with a flapwheel mop (the type you mount in a drill), we use 40 grit to 120 grit and can usually get a good match for most of the grain patterns used. These are fine for small areas otherwise we’d use a larger brushing tool.
If it just needs a going-over, then buy a roll of scotch-brite, (the dark red is probably best), mount it on a length of 4×1-ish wood about 600mm long, you can then use this to match the grain along your tops. The length of the piece of wood keeps the grain going in the same direction. Small discrepencies WILL show up!
Nay kind of non-toxic oil like baby oil or Olive oil can be used to protect it after, it also acts as a lacquer and dulls the finish slightly.
I hope this makes some sense anyway!

Yeah just been looking at alternatives other than straight bars or normal risers as I can never seem to get the position quite right! Tried Mary's DMR wing bars etc. Thought these might have a bit too much pull-back.Just can't seem to find any photos of them actually on bikes!