Coils just seem to have more….. I’m running a Cane DB Coil and for the big days out it just works and you have full adjustablity in all directions..Downside is they are heavy. For local XC rides I use a fox RP23 which is lighter shimmed and runs off set bushes but it hasn’t got that bottomless feeling to it.

A Partriot is no XC bike,so around Swinley must feel a bit heavy until your on Red 25!! but the bars should make going quicker much more stable and feel more natural.. I ride 750 and 710 on my bikes.

The latest…. he’s stabilised (stoned on some nice Morphene probably) and will be hopefully pinned and plastered tomorrow…
Bikes is fine too :0)

I had to ride to the house at the end of the lane, to find out where I was that the Emerg. Svs. would be able to use, although I think with a mobile conversation they can triangulate your approx position .. or have been watching too many films?

@thestabiliser…. yes there was a bit of giggling but only once the control had been given to the Ambulance guys and girls…. We also have a crash of the year award presented in front of all and sundry within our local MTB club so the standard has truly been set with this one today.

Gas and air looks good and so do helicopters close up…

@rocketdog.. like that idea after today.

Thanks all for kind words.

People with no manners and litter ….
Don’t get me started about rude people dropping litter !

Something to consider is the MK.5 Golf does benefit from independant rear suspension which turned a heavy car into a nimble one.

Cool just seen it go over darn Sarf, that is shifting

Brill cars, the MK. 4 feels like it’s made from a solid piece of metal and had the best interior , not forgetting the blue dash lights too. My only thing would be to get the diesel (pressure diesels) in 130 or the earlier 115 hp flavour, they are rapid without being chipped. That and full service history and no signs of abuse or careless owners. I’d have another one.

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen … proper childhood flashback…

Its a no from me for squeezing through holes and having a bit of a panic attack when your are 6ft 2″

Waggy dog tails and affection when I come through the door
Fixing things
Cuppa tea and dunking biccies
When everything on your bike works

Been running Maxxis Beavers with the EXO sidewall for over a year now and they have been really good.

Thanks for posting Nick 🙂

Yeah it wouldn’t be my first choice TBH

Rigid works in the Chilterns really well, most of the SS guys run eye ball rattlers… Forks are a bit of luxury and I like going as fast as I can on 32/16 😀
If you choose your gearing well then there is no reason why you couldn’t ride it in the Peaks, you can always walk if the wheel spins out or your eye balls are about to pop out.. 😉 Plenty of Singletrack regulars ride single speed pop a post on to see what gearing they use in the Peaks.

Big ring is 44T so guessing middle is 32T…don’t really want to buy a bigger middle to compensate unless I really miss my big ring too much. Is it a case of take the BB out, slip the Stinger on, reattach the crank minus the big ring and bolt on the bash?

Pretty much yes..

My mechanical that sticks in the mind was sitting on the lift looking at my bike on the chair in front and wondering what was dribbling from it… at the top found the banjo bolt thingy had come undone and drained pretty much all the brake fluid from the rear brake… thankfully I had packed a bleed kit.

Haven’t tried the Kinesis but I do own a Swift which I think is a brill bike. Run it Singlespeed as the EBB works perfectly and is very neat and tidy, nice clean frame and the geometry works for me on a large at 6 ft 1″ I’ve just put a set of forks on it as running rigid was stinging the wrists a bit… Have a chat to Sam at Singular I think he has demo bikes available.

Will leave some beer in the fridge and the local bar at the end of the road for you andy.

Are Stingers worth getting used (but in good nick), and are all bashguards pretty much the same?

Oh, one more question…I’m doing this to make the Alps week better, but could I run this setup all the time over here too? I only use the big ring on the road which isn’t very often TBH

For the cost of a Stinger purchase a new one as the bearings seize or blow up and need replacing at some point which negates any saving on a 2nd hand one TBH … Bashrings down to personal choice cosmetically and thickness.

Yes I have run a 2×9 set up 22/36 with a 11-34 cassette (old school i know 😯 ) for the last 4 years and have never missed the 42 big ring for all the riding around here and on visits around the UK.

White Room 4th -11th July.. our 2nd visit 😀

@rascal lose the third ring and get a Stinger chain device and a bash ring… basically what Mike said…
Your bike and you are going to do a years worth of descending in a week, be prepared for it….. cos its gonna be brill 😀

Flows with dual plys.. tubeless if you can.
Brakes bled and spare pads x2 sets
Bigger rotors.
Forks, lower refresh.
Shock new lube and seal clean, inspect bushes for wear and replace if necessary.
Torque all your bolts up even a bit of threadlock on any suspect ones.

My best spare advice is a spare pair of gloves of a different brand, just in case you get that blister off a seam, you’ll thank me for this one.

Spare hanger, chain, I usually take a small tool kit so I’m not reliant on the chalet “tool kit” ….. oh and don’t forget some decent pads for your knees and elbows.
That’s all, enjoy the Alps mate can’t wait to get back out there too.

I accidently let out a sneaky one, thinking I would get away with it in our busy local after a pretty full day on the beer and Christmas dinner… Decided that it might be a good time to go outside for a bit of fresh air, all I could hear was the dismay and squealing from the girls and mates sat in the window seats and the lads behind the bar shouting “who the hell was that?” and spraying Fabreeze about.. I was popular when I walked back in with that “What???” expression on my face.. nearly got barred too.

32:16 on a 29er works really well for our bearded, sandal wearing, real ale farting, Singlespeeders and its quick enough to escape the screaming hoardes of ladies on the climbs in the Chilterns 😉

If you didn’t fart you would explode…..
Farting is funny…
What else would you use to fill any voids in lads conversation in the van on the way home? apart from a 4 octave 12 second bottom ensemble and a quick window descent test…
Its only nature….

I run Hope V2’s and Race evo X2’s both beautifully made, reliable and personally I really like the feel of them… The V2’s have ample power and looked after me in the Alps and Molini. Service wise Hopes are fully home-mechanic friendly and the parts are cheap too…

Shimano — bit like Japanese cars IMO they do the job really well, reliable, but unless you buy XTR are a bit soulless and if they fail then unfortunately chuck it in the bin and buy a new calliper/lever….

Oh dear… good luck firstly but try using the messenger type service in the contact although I can’t find that anymore (I stopped using Ebay a while ago due to their lack of caring about fakes and outrageous selling costs).. there is a number on this page http://ocsnext.ebay.co.uk/ocs/eua?query=1309
Hope that helps.

Broke all but one of them in my foot after a car accident, not massively painful just very uncomfortable and walking and putting weight on my foot was impossible…. My foot swelled up whilst in a semi cast thing everytime I stood up , now that was painful !
You need to get it checked out TBH and keep your foot elevated as much as possible. It took me 3 months to be able to use my foot properly for biking , running, standing on top toes etc
Good luck

All rideable… some tree choppin’ and a hooooge pipe being installed on the red trail but 95% of trails open for business.. yes birds there too

Talk to Charlie he’ll sort you out everything you need. I use a Gusset double 6 cog kit, it has the spacers in it and will fit a standard alloy free hub and not chew it up. Mr bike-monger is a descent fella too. 😀

Come inside if you dare…..

Nach thats a cracker…

Saw this one recently.

My old boss moaned about how the company was skint and they couldn’t afford this and that but he was doing a pack a day… I can take or leave it and spend 95% of the week smoke free but after a couple of beers there are a few of us who will share a pack of rolly baccy.. the first one is interesting after abstaining all week.
One thing I have noticed is the e-cig contraption brigade in our local mostly seem to be smoking tobacco again.

made me larf…

Blown up boiler to remove and replace tomorrow … if I’m doing it then sore fingers and shoulders… If I’m the “gofor” then tired and a git of a first day back.. love winter me.

Great trip last year to catch up with some excellent riders at CMTB.. this is off Cloud Edge

Was there today, frosty but all rideable even the roots are fine… but pretty much what Kimbers said ^^^^

No

Christmas cards, a credit card bill, pressure all for one day ‘because its expected and tradition’ and worrying about my job in the New Year… that’s the not so good bit…

Catching up with family and friends, time off work and getting a bit squiffy and riding bikes with my mates… that’s the good bit and what I’m looking forward to.

The black is the dye coming out of the seal material, Hope recommend replacing the seals in the whole brake system every 2 years, which is actually pretty easy with the tools and half a day to do it and the seals don’t cost a lot… The alternative is Hope will do the job for you and chuck in a set of new pads for about £40. Give ’em a call see what they advise mate.

Sounds to me like you have a leaking seal… Is the fluid black in colour by any chance?
The master cylinder has a diaphragm under the top cover, try changing that one first.