We’re getting the sleeper to Fort Bill in May then riding to Torridon over two days where we’ll spend a few nights at the YHA before getting the train home via Inverness. Should be fun.

Walking home, Simon Armitage

I like to take a meths stove when bimbling. It means you can stop for a cuppa as soon as the urge takes you. I also like a cooked breakfast in the Surrey wilderness.

Been with Rivierabike a few times. My favourite riding spot and the trails were better than ever last year. It is pretty techy but I’ve met some more ‘sedate’ groups having fun there.

I have also heard very good things about Basque mtb from those who’ve been.

I’ve had lots over the years. The only one with notably poor paint was my ‘that blue’ 456. It was a bit soft and scratched easily but it was cheap and fun and I loved it.

I’m using a garden sprayer. Easy to convert, much neater and less worrying than a pop bottle.

You need a Stooge. Trust me.

Highland Trail 550 in 2018.

Yup, the Plough is much improved these days. No parking to speak of in Coldharbour so stick to the Leith car parks and ride in for your sausage roll and pint.

Interested

Niner ROS 9 is rather nice. I’d look ot for one of them.

Thanks NW. I do a lot of fast, twisty, uppy-downy XC on my Fatty Trail, so I’m beginning to think it might be worth it. Easier tubeless would also be nice.

Thinking of swapping my El Guapo rims for DT Swiss BR710s. Is it worth it? Will I notice? Interested in your experiences?

I did the Tollaidh in 2014, having ridden in to Carnmore over the top from Kinlochewe and Letterewe then out via the nice singletrack and nasty cowshit bog to Poolewe. I remember thinking the Tollaidh would have been better on an unloaded bike with some suspension and a front brake. I enjoyed it nonetheless – but mainly for the scenery.

Make sure you do the 2014 Bearbones 200 route for the full Welsh experience. :wink:

I got a big scratch on my fork and tried all of this stuff. I took the burrs off with wet and dry but couldn’t get a good result filling the score with either nail varnish or epoxy. The fork still works fine and I’m slowly getting over it.

Just bought some Tenns and they seem good but, as others have found, a bit tight on my shapely thighs.

“Underwear handle” … snerf

I believe people have used these with some success. Not sure how high it raises the bag, though.

Very nice. I’d like to see that on a Ti Stooge

Thread resurrection – anyone got any experience of the Alpkit hub over a few months’ use?

Anyone got a link to the right sort of foam for this? I’ve got one sealed on a split tube but the other isn’t having it.

These aren’t jump spots, they’re trails. To check them all first then ride them in one would mean every ride would be accompanied by a very long walk. Not really practical.

As said before, it just takes a bit of common sense and consideration from anyone modifying existing features. No biggie.

EDIT: too slow

OK, thanks, sounds too warm for general use. Boo.

I have one which worked well for about 18 months before getting lots of slop in the bushing. Still works but rattles nastily. There doesn’t seem to be possible to get spares so I retired it.

Etrex 20 here. Does everything you need for bikepacking. No more, no less. Mine was a refurb for just over £100 and has been faultless. OS 1:50 mapping cheap from ioffer

Those Cubes are very good. The dropper less so, I hear.

Stooge or Jones or Stache

You’ll want a large. I believe the 27+ Parkwood uses the 29er frame.

Yup, Etrex 20 is what you want.

I’ve tried both up front. Standard 29 is good, 29+ is astonishingly wonderful.

Very nice dalhalvaig

I’ve had a few rigid bikes and the Stooge is head and shoulders above anything else I’ve ridden from a trail/techy riding point of view. I also have a Swift, which is great for more trad XC or long rides.

The Ramin 3+ looks v interesting and cracking value.

Logically, fat bikes make next to no sense for normal trail riding. And intuition tells us they’ll be slow and draggy. Fortunately, there’s more to MTBing than logic and intuition. :D

Thread

Alpkit do a cheap B+ wheelset. It’s a bit lardy and the bearings are a bit rubbish by all accounts but other than that people seem to like them.

The RSP one looks v similar to one that’s been about on AliExpress etc for a good long while. I seem to remember that was proper hefty too. No idea if it’s any good.

I think it looks great. I’d be interested if the geo is right but the info on the On-One site is all over the place.

I bought a Clarks half-link chain for next to nowt about five years ago and just nab another link out of it whenever I need one. This is for SS duties. No problems whatsoever.

I snapped up a nearly new Fatty Trail for £700 and I’m very pleased with it.

I bought it expecting to swap out gears and brakes but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the X5 kit and I’m in no rush to replace it.

It’s a steal for £900 new.