Thanks guys – have ordered from Wiggle.

What a bizarre thread! Petrolheads on a bike forum?
Chill people. Live and let live. Share the trails, the roads etc. Take some time to smell the daisies and you’ll be the happier for it.

Interesting to hear of the mixed experiences in this thread! I have never found the XT type to last very long – 6 months is good for my MTB’s, road 2-3 years. The square taper ones on my tourer and on my commuter have lasted far longer, and my wife’s Isis also seems to last well.

What I have definitely noticed is that if you levae a bike unattended for a while the HTII bb’s sometimes seize up – probably rust being the culprit here.

re preloading external bb’s – how much is too much? I have the plastic widget which I turn finger tight. Too much? I once udner did this and the non drive crank came off! So I have probably erred on the side of too much ever since.

Why is it that multi day mtb events struggle so much here? weather?
They are very popular elsewhere in the world but here they never take off.
I did four Trans Wales (well one was actually the Trans Scotland) and they were brilliant fun and I was very sorry to see them go.

Thanks for the replies.
As per one of the posts above – I coudl just stick with the Crossmarks – but my riding partner seems to out freewheel me on tar descents despite being much taller and in theory less aerodynamic! So that’s what got me thinking about fatser tyres (he has Bontrager 29er tyres on – but already had multiple punctures!)
Have been looking for the SA equivalent to STW for advice, might post on “the hub”.
Definitely going UST with sealant! I have ridden there before (with Crossmarks) and the thorns make life impossible with tubes.

It has been all said before but just wanted to add my condolences. It is incredibly common – that doesn’t make it any easier but you are at leats falling pregnant – this is the only positive my wife and I took from our two miscarriages.
That and the fact that so many friends and family came forward with support and to tell us of their experiences. My advice for what is worth mirros the others’ on here – support each other and allow each other to grieve. Don’t balme yourselves!
We now have a lovely, healthy 4 month old daughter (third pregnancy) and it has helped enormously to ease the pain – but we still feel intesne sorrow for the two that never were.

I have a Soul and an original (26″) Simple, and have ridden the 29er Simple (which I understand is the same geometry as the Solaris) a number of times in different terrains. I really enjoyed riding the 29er Simple, and even rigid I can get over stuff I wouldn’t believe – but in line with what Cy says above I find the Soul is just more fun for me to ride. Ideally I would love to have one of each but if I had to choose, for me personally I would go for the Soul. BTW I am exactly 6ft.

There are two supporting accessories you can get for it – one from 1 month (though apparently not for use whilst cycling) the other from 6 months – although I think people use the second one from 3 months?

Worth bearing in mind that the Cougar is sold as a base model only when comparing prices – you pay extra for the bike hitch, the stroller attachments, the jogger bits, the waterproof cover etc etc!

Brack from what I’ve read they are quite manouvrable and less bulky than many trailers – though i am sure more bulky than many strollers.

Our main priority is its function as a bike trailer – and in particular for some dirt road/ remote road use. Everything else is a secondary consideration.

Now the one I REALLY want is the tout terrain single trailer – simply because it looks very cool but I suspect is rather less useful for general use!

Brack we’ve been really lucky and borrowed most bits and bobs so far (a benefit of having kids later in life than your mates!) so we have a basic pram which tbh we’ve used once only. we use a Bjorn sling when we’re out and about which is easy and ceonvenient and the kid loves it.

So we may end up using the Chariot as a buggy/stroller/puschchair (still struggling to get the terminology right!) as well as a trailer. Not currently planning on buying a seperate buggy.

Thanks for the replies. Crispy I have emailed you. Vinnyeh thanks for offer, will have a look at crispy’s first.

Initial tv news reported a hit and run (and also, incorrectly that he was variously riding with his father, and wife). Today’s papers report the driver had stopped, has been charged with culpable homicide. “Die Beeld” carried a photo indicating that it was a typical left hook type incident. Also photos of his bike literally snapped in two.

SA cyclists shocked as you can imagine. A number of memorial rides taking place – some doubling as protests about drivers in general. SA has a war ongoing between cyclists and motorists at the best of times – one which makes the UK seem very civilised!

A tragic and uneccessary waste.

South African tv news short on details but report that he was training alone, struck by a taxi in hit and run accident. Declared dead on the scene.

Another cyclist was killed 2 days ago in Krugersdorp, South Africa.

Having had similar issues with insurers wanting mega money for bikes and not covering them unless theyw ere locked up I decided not to insure them and instead invested in a good ground anchor and a massive chain.

I have Avid mechanical discs on my X (which is my first cross bike – I do have a number of hydraulic disc equipped mts bikes) and I find they function very well BUT the do not self adjust for wear like hydraulic discs do. On the 3 Peaks this was a right pain – I had to adjust them twice during the ride. No doubt I was dragging the brakes more than some, more cyclocross-adept descenders but I also wore through a fairly new set of pads and ended up with very little braking power by the end. These were the pads that came with the bike – not sure if they were organic/sintered etc and so maybe the new sintered pads I have fitted will last better. Right at the moment though I am wishing I’d gone for cantis or mini-v’s.

Disgraceful. He should be arrested for carrying a concealed weapon.

Cave diving. Perfectly dark, perfect vision. No weight, utter focus. Just you, the light, the line. No room for fluff. No room for f@ckup.

*Shrug* I’m not talking about a rigorous set of guidelines or any secret jargon/funny handshake stuff. I was just wondering if there was any convention established. I agree different people view technical features very differently but there is world of difference between a “four foot drop” that is in fact a vertical drop to flat which is well beyond me – or a “four foot drop” that is simply a steep, rollable slope!

Well in the grand scheme of things it DOESN’T matter. But it could be useful to have some relatively standard terms that people could relate to – so as to describe a trail ahead of time to your mates etc, or to discuss them on the net.

For what its worth I tend to use similar terms to Cookea above – a “step” is a vertical drop that can be simply ridden over at low speed allowing the front wheel to drop over the edge and the suspension to take the sting – well within most people’s capability. A “drop-off” is a bigger version of a step – simply rolling over it at low speed is not possible, you would go over the front or catch the chainrings.
I tend to call rideable, steep slopes “roll-ins” but that is a clumsy and inelegant word!

That is exactly what I like about the Montagues. Best of both worlds – quick to fold with no need to dissassemble (aside from front wheel) and completely stock components based on a 26 inch wheel – I think it might make the ideal world traveller.

Montague bikes

If I was to buy another touring bike I think I’d look at this.

There’s a blog somewhere on crazyguyonabike with a couple touring with these, front and rear panniers.

Don’t know where to start on that garden…

The view’s ok though!

Thanks guys – Donk will give that a go!

The travel adjust on my Revelations Uturns has sezied/stopped turning. Something I could tackle or is it TF Tuned/LBS time?

How often do you land on your head when riding? I haven’t landed on my head in 30 years… how often are you landing on yours?

I’ve had a head injury once when road riding – in taking evasive action from an oncoming car on my side of the road during a high speed descent in slippery conditions. I hit a dirt/rock bank head first, cracked the helmet and my cheekbone, concussed myself, multiple minor lacerations. i don’t think the helmet made a blind bit of difference. In hindsight I think I’d have been going slower if I hadn’t been wearing one – and would have avoided the accident altogether.

Yet I STILL wear one! Can’t shake the compulsion not to. I KNOW they are useless but…..

Thanks for the replies! Before I could pass any info on to him he went and bought this:

NOT the bike I would have chosen as I am highly dubious about the reliability of the Specialized custom shocks and forks, but there you go.

Thanks for the replies guys!

Thanks – good to know I'm neither mad nor technologically incompetent!

Hi Simon

Do you still have any oil for the Rohloff hubs?

Thanks for the replies. Email sent.