Jeff Jones does OK on them.

I have Jones bars on my Swift and On-One OGs on my Stooge, both with high front ends. They manual and tackle tech very well.

I don’t think I’d put a hugely swept bar on a more conventional modern mtb. For me, the advantages lie in comfort, and the control that comes with it, when riding a rigid bike.

IME this depends a lot on what you ride, how you ride it and who with. Light bikes obviously feel faster to accelerate and take less effort to move around or climb hills with but there can be compromises in stiffness and sure-footedness. The lightest bikes I’ve owned were quick for XC thrashing but were not the most fun on technical terrain. Trails and the prevailing riding style have evolved in my local patch in recent years and that has been mirrored by less focus on bike weight and more on gnarrability.

I’ve also had that infuriating thing where a screw-on Lezyne pump snaps your valve core in half.

Yes, just avoid Root Manoeuvres. Unless you like giggling and possibe hospital food

I bought a second-hand Fatty Trail from here. It’s insanely good for what I paid. I added lighter wheels and tyres for summer, which was worth it but not essential. It’s great fun and extremely versatile. They go cheap on FB.

I love my Swift and will be riding it on the Bearbones 200 this weekend. I have a Surly Krampus fork on it to allow me to run a 3in tyre, which really helps with comfort and control on the downs. Other highlights include Alpkit Fumanchu bar (like a Jones loop bar), 3×9 gears and generally non-fancy finishing kit.

I did try ‘gravelling’ mine with cx tyres and it was fine – but then I got a cx bike.

Enjoy yours, OP. Swifts are ace.

I started down the road of doing this to my Swift. I got as far as putting some 35mm cx tyres on, which was fine, but then decided I could get a second-hand cx bike for about the cost of a drop bar conversion. I ended up picking up a really nice Ridley X-bow from ebay for £200 and I still have my Swift as a proper rigid 29er. Win.

We had friends round last night and the place is a mess. Pop round and I’ll show you where the cleaning stuff is.

My brother snapped his recently, flush with the cassette/freehub. It’s qr. do SS have spares?

There was a decomposing deer in amongst the tree in the gully when I did the Postie Path a dew years back. Added enormously to the fun 8O

The Tollie Path was good for the views but the riding wasn’t all that great, as I remember it.

Rubber band tight round your deelyboppers till they blacken and drop off. Hey presto! No more unwanted wear.

FWIW I went with Bitex from JRA for a recent fat bike wheel build. They’ve not yet had a ton of use but I’m impressed with the quality

Non-disc CX bikes are cheap as chips on ebay. You should get a bargain if you’re prepared to be patient. I picked up a lovely Ridley with good kit and a new drivetrain for £200 recently. I suppose it does help if you know a bit about what you’re looking for, though.

I have a Swift and a Stooge, both with 29+ front ends. Very different and both superb. I will never willingly part with either. I’ve also had an SS-specific Inbred which was also good but not quite so special.

Just act responsibly. If anyone has a go, either explain politely that the access laws are silly and you’ve decided to ignore them in favour of enjoying your limited time on earth responsibly, or smile sweetly and ignore them.

I’d go for something like a Pinnacle Ramin. Run a 3in tyre at the front when he wants ‘suspension’ and narrow tyres for more roady stuff.

In my experience the guard on the Achnashellach to Inverness train has always been cheery and helpful, not a jobsworth. May be something to do with the scenery. :D

We did something vaguely similar a few weeks ago. Sleeper to Fort William, reversed the HT550 to Torridon over two days with a night at Camban bothy. We then had a couple of days riding the trails at Torridon, staying at the youth hostel, before getting the train from Achnashellach to Inverness and back home on the sleeper.

Put the whole hub in a deep fat fryer.*

Drop a small cube of bread in first and if it sizzles and browns, the oil is hot enough.

*Don’t.

Arf! Enjoyed that, thanks

Only two crashes, several months apart. You’re not trying hard enough.

Seriously.

I am Spartacus!

I’ve used the wider ones and really liked them. I’ve now switched to Jones bars but would happily recommend the Fleegles.

For some reason I feel compelled to suggest you suspend a flaming hoop in the main triangle and train terriers to leap through it.

I’ve just done this very thing – bought a canti-braked Ridley X-Bow off ebay for £200 as an on/off-road commuter. Disc-braked bikes were double the price and I didn’t want to spend too much on something that has a fair chance of being nicked. The rear brake is a bit scary but I’m hoping it’ll sharpen up with a bit of TLC. It’s definitely taking me back to the exhilarating days of v brakes.

I’ve been using a Mammoth for the past six months or so. I like it as a rear. Not a mud tyre, obviously, and I wouldn’t want one on the front but a good, fast-rolling rear. Worth the £30-odd quid I paid.

Hmmm …
Alps/uplift bike
Fatbike
Trail hardtail
Rigid SS
Rigid geared
Cross bike
Road bike
SS MTB station bike

Oh dear

I’ve had this happen with at least three different makes of pad, although never with sintered. I rely on my immense skill rather than my brakes so it’s never been a problem.

I’m running 44/16 on my 26in station bike. Quite stiff on a proper hill but not too spinny on the flat

Go on, how much? I need one of those

What are the bars?

Gert lush.

I’ve just taken delivery of some 35c cyclocross tyres for my Swift, which is currently in 29+ front mode. Can’t wait to try it out. Such a great and adaptable frame.

Surely second hand is the best option from a sustainability perspective

So, will there be a steel truss fork available aftermarket to fit a mk1 Stooge?

In Plum Crazy purple.

Pretty please.

Very interested in a truss for my Stooge.

Never thought I’d write that sentence.

Riser bar? On a Jones? Now where did I put that pitchfork…

A 29+ tyre makes quite a difference on a Stooge. Even so, I’m surprised you found it harsh up front on 2.4 rubber comapred to a Soul with a rigid fork (or have I misunderstood?). If you did, then I don’t think a Jones is going to be much less harsh unless you go full-fat on the front.

I’ve got a Knard on a Crest on the front of my Swift. It’s not perfect (I’m running it at 15psi compared to the 10-11psi I run on my Stooge with a Dually) but it does most of what I want it to. I use the Swift mainly for long days and loaded-up trips.

I’m planning to switch to a wide rim at some point on the Swift but it’s good enough that I’ve not bothered so far.

Wowsers! That is a proper dent. So no.

Just have a pie and a pint and do us all a favour :wink: