Dare I say it again…..

Clarksonisation… (Cowers)

The “Lycra Lout” label is a misnomer really, most Lycra Clad cyclists in towns/cities in my experience are on the Road… the Anti social Cyclists bumbling about on busy pavements riding into people are not really serious cyclists (I’m making sweeping generalisations here I know)…

As a Reading Resident I can almost guarantee if I were to take a trip down to the Oxford road any day of the week and hang about for a couple of hours I would almost definitely see someone riding a knackered old Raleigh Lizard with at least one if not both brakes disconnected to accommodate the buckled wheels, riding along the pavement, can of red stripe in one hand, plastic bag hanging off the other end of the bars, they will probably be passed by at least 2 police cars neither of which will stop to challenge what is basically a drunk on an unserviceable vehicle without brakes riding on a pavement, I’m sure Reading isn’t the only town in the UK where you could find this kind of scene.
These are the “cyclists” that cause a danger and should be challenged and prosecuted, but don’t tar me with the same brush just because I own a bicycle….

barnsleymitch – Member
Kids arent taken into care without a bloody good reason – look at the amount of 'why didnt the social workers do anything' stories bandied about by the press – this is just another branch on the same tree, and you'd have to be extremely naive to assume they'd been removed from the parents just because of their weight. Makes an interesting headline though doesnt it?

Bob on!

Saw this on the telly news last night, there is no way a social worker takes away 7 kids because of a weight issue, the lack of comment from social services suggests they have far bigger issues with the family and are legally bound to keep these things private and out of the press. There’s probably a court action brewing…

Still makes good copy for the Sun and the Mail doesn’t it, “Thick Chavs, Have kids stolen by the State!” alongside their complaints about the UK’s most obese man getting a Gastric bypass on the NHS…

The tabloid culture of lack of understanding and compassion is a dark one in my view, but it seems to be gaining momentum again…

aP – Member
The lifespan of GPS is now more or less measured in months seeing as the US has no launch vehicle available to replace the first 3 or 4 satellites which are reaching the end of their operational life. It's going to be interesting to see how people who can't read maps navigate (not that many people could before GPS).

I believe there's about 27 in orbit isn't there? (I could well be wrong)

I remember being told to maintain current levels of accuracy you need at least 24 in orbit and once you go bellow this magic number the service doesn’t pack up all together, you get a drop in accuracy, and more periodical loss of service, but not total failure of the GPS system.

The various GPS devices about need to see anything from 4 to 7 satellites in order to function. GPS is actually a very robust system.

Plus the Yanks aren’t the only lot able to put satellites in orbit… the end isn’t nigh just yet…

The best bit of navigation kit ever has to be the SR71/A12’s “Astro-Inertial Navigation System”;
There were no satelites at the time and they were the highest, fastest thing in the air, so they had a computer that watched the stars in order to position the aircraft, how cool is that?

Kids these days may well have access to lot’s of technology, but how many actually understand it in any meaningful sense? A very small minority I would guess… A generation of consumers does not make a world full of Engineers and Scientists, any **** can operate an Ipod, how many can repair a broken one?

As for Working from home? What a crock of shit! I’ve yet to meet anyone who genuinely “Works from home” it’s middle management speak for Skiving, generally the email arrives about 16:45 on a Thursday informing the rest of us that “Tommorow I will be working from Home”…

Nope that is completely the wrong adapter.

You would use it if you had to mount a post mount caliper on to an IS fork.

You have an IS fork and an IS mount, 165mm, caliper: you either want a 185mm rotor and a +20mm IS – IS adapter or just stick with a 165mm rotor and no adapter…

Think I have sussed out the quote system on here too

good work, Enjoy…

Considering the steerer tube is apparently made of paper, I’m not sure I’d want to risk putting anymore load through the legs…

Don’t forget now you’re going all light/carbony/rigid your bike weighs less and you won’t have any fork dive under braking, you’ll probably find a 165mm on the new setup about as effective as the 180mm was with the manitous plus a 165mm rotor is even lighter, count thos grams…

I'd give the 165 a go before buying a bigger rotor

Trail-Blazer – Member
Slowrider
Hmmm’

Now I’m taking a flyer here and suggest that the calliper is effectively a 165mm fitting (Same as hope C2, similar design) and the Manitou mount you were originally supplied took the brake +15mm (God knows why) to fit a 180mm rotor rather than a 185, sound feasible to anyone else?

The test would be will it mount up on an IS fork without an adapter using a 165mm Hope rotor (or the 164mm you keep on about)….

Thoughts?

If that all checks out then you either need a +15mm mount to use your 180mm disc,
or a 185mm rotor to use your +20mm mount. or a 165mm rotor and don’t bother with any adapters…

Trail-Blazer – Member
Slowrider
Hmmm’

Now I’m taking a flyer here and suggest that the calliper is effectively a 165mm fitting (Same as hope C2, similar design) and the Manitou mount you were originally supplied took the brake +15mm (God knows why) to fit a 180mm rotor rather than a 185, sound feasible to anyone else?

The test would be will it mount up on an IS fork without an adapter using a 165mm Hope rotor (or the 164mm you keep on about)….

Thoughts?

section 2.4 is that the type of adatep you had for your manitou fork?

MPH 3 something like this?: http://www.wrower.pl/instrukcje/Giant/2001-MPH-3_owners_manual.pdf

Trail-Blazer – Member
Slowrider

The Manitous were post mount and these forks are IS. Can you think of a mount that would work in this. I tried a +20mm adaptor and it took the calipers almost 5mm further than the braking surface of the disc. I'd need a mount that didn't move the caliper out quite so far

Right specifics are required in order to help you:

Precisely which Calliper (manufacturer and model) do you have,?
Precisely what rotor are you trying to use?
Exactly which “+20” adapter did you buy?

CrAsH…tEsT..RiDeR – Member
I all forks were for 160mm rotors unles you buy a new adaptor & disc? same with frames?, exceptions being likes of boxxers or other long travel forks which may take a minimum of 180 or 203?

Nope, all IS mount forks have a standard mount, end of, the calliper/adapter dictates rotor diameter hence some manufacturers offer 160 while others offer 165

The Boxxer mount is unique to that fork and means that like all rules there is an exception…

MPH Callipers? As in Giants OEM brakes from a few years back which were essentially (I’m sure I’ll be corrected here) old style Hope C2/O2? If that’s the case then they used 185/165mm rotors didn’t they? Not 180mm….

The IS mount is not for any specific rotor diameter, the calliper (or calliper adapter when using post mount on an IS fitting fork) is what will determine the rotor size, precisely what brake/rotor/adaptor setup are you currently trying to use?
Considering these forks seem to be glass slipper delicate already are you sure you need more than a 160mm rotor?

As for the steerer splitting, assuming you fitted it correctly and didn’t get a bit too bashy with a lump hammer, I can’t imagine why they would refuse to replace, I’d have thought you’d have to go some to split a steerer tube fitting a SFN unless it is faulty to start with, perhaps try a head doctor or similar in the replacement fork?

The Major problem with borrowing the on one business model is that you already have a group of established brands (On one, Dialled, DMR, etc) operating a similar model in the same market segment.

You’re talking about trying to sub-divide an already small market segment yet again and establish yet another niche brand to compete with all the others, to be honest the “British Designed, Far eastern Built” frame market is stuffed choc full you’ll be the new boy trying to compete on price with established brands who already have a following, basically you’re a few years too late to the market…

Perhaps look at other components on the bike, everyone seems to default to thinking about the frame but there are a fair few other parts on a bike, you’re really after an area where you can differentiate your own product from others already on the market, either on function, Value for money or pure bling.
Truly innovative new products are a great place to start from but I doubt you’ll magically just hit on that one brilliant idea (If you do, keep it to yourself, as son as you blab you’ve knackered your IP)…
It may seem like lowering your sights but it’s better to think of it as broadening your horizons….

Good Luck…

Still waiting for my confirmation, however I wasn’t expecting it anytime this month what with the Royal Snail strikes….

Just how tiny is your car?
Did you try folding the back seats down?

Hmmm,

So this is what they're advocating, first of all (speaking as a Driver) if a bike pulled around my like the image on the right shows I would assume they were turning right (in this case wrongly) this in it’s self is dangerous, as other road users wind up with an incorrect idea of your intentions.

The other thing I notice is the HGV driver in the RH image has very considerately left an extra car length; I’d love to find a driver who left this amount of space on the off chance a cyclist may wish to overtake them….

To be honest every time you try to make hard and fast rules for cyclists when dealing with traffic, there will be far more exceptions than intended, Assess each junction and roundabout and position yourself as best you can, I find Cycle lanes a mixture some are great, as far as they go, but you seldom encounter a useful stretch of more than 200 metres which then normally deposits the rider on the wrong side of the street, next to a junction…

The fact of the matter is that while people try and fairly apportion blame to either party and point out Women’s generally more cautious cycling style (can you really blame them?), cyclists in general are treated like second class citizens on our roads, all because as a society we have a massive hard on for the internal combustion engine and all that comes with it… It’s all symptomatic of the increasing “Clarksonisation” of our roads.

To me it seems ridiculous that you can blame cyclists who obey the rules of the road and do not wanting to unnecessarily get in the way of other vehicles, I understand what the statistics are saying, but the fact still stands that cyclists who obeyed the rules so were obviously “Educated” in the “proper” way to cycle on a public road, and didn’t jump lights or take up extra road space were killed through no fault of their own, because of poor road layout and driver awareness.

All of this is hardly news though is it, I mean ultimately everyone knows how even the most Eco-friendly of cars is never going to have a Carbon footprint anywhere near as small as a bicycle…

Having said that, has anyone calculated the total carbon footprint for a bike? i.e. extraction and processing of material, assembly and shipping of components from multiple locations around the globe, Energy used in manufacture?

As green as the Bicycle is when compared to the modern car, it isn't the most Eco-friendly form of transport either, surely walking is going to win hands down in terms of minimum total impact…

If I owned single track the last people I’d ask for business/life advice would be the members of this forum….

Actually while I’ve posted up my Exalt I wouldn’t advise you to get one unless you’re after what is essentially a DH bike without a rear shock… I find it more fun than any full bouncer I have ever owned,

Do you really want to run a silly long fork? (6” +) or are you after something which like you said can do a bit of climbing and has a sensible tougher 4-5” fork?

The Exalt is a bit too slack for anything more than DH use (mine is used purely as a DH bike, road cassette, silly forks, etc), plus it’s I think it over a pound heavier than the Trailstar frame…

Trailstar with a Pike is a pretty tough, pretty cheap “Hardcore HT” but seeing as this is STW you’ll probably buy a 456 which would do the job about as well… best tool for the job is probably a Dialled Alpine…

That DMR looks great are they rockshox judy dho up front?

Taking the piss?
If not they're older model 7" Boxxers with a bad rattle can paint job….

Hardcore Hardtail you say?

Probably a bit beyond what you had in mind, however either a Trailstar or an Exalt would make a good bargain bin thrasher frame…

Hmmm. Those Ignitors look like a good deal

CRC do some silly cheap Michelins but I have bad memories of old wildgrippers, some of them look a bit similar… maybe worth a punt though on the “Country Mud” £8 with a free tube seems too good to not try…

But then the Bonty’s I mentioned earlier can be purchased for reasonably low prices also….

Decisions, decisions….

@njee20 – Sadly no I had a “purge” of spares before we moved 4 months ago and as a Result have no spare tyres.

@ Northwind – Highrollers are probably more than I’d like to spend, I was thinking £25 absolute tops for the pair, Can you get High rollers for £12?

@ Olly – again probably over budget, and probably way over spec’, I doubt she’d ever need “Rock Velcro” and I think she’s allergic to mud…

Cheers for the suggestions…

Is this fella Cytec qualified? He doesn’t seem to mention, I’d accept that over self-certified “Talent and Skill”…

Fair play to anyone trying to start up a business, especially these days, but I’m not sure flogging rattle can re-sprayed frames and bearing kits at market value + 50% on flea-bay, whilst apparently dodging normal business overheads, and indulging in self promoting diatribes with all the vocabulary, grammar and spelling of an X-factor contestant really counts as a convincing business model…

£25 for the honour of posting you my frame for an inspection, I’m reasonably sure I could trundle the fully assembled bike into my LBS and have them assess it’s mechanical state for free, certainly less than £25…

Twazzle…

5 Bikes here (and considering a 6th)….

I would say they all have their place and teach you different "transferable skills"…

I do notice the diffeence but often it's a positive, if I ride my local trails on the DH bike one day and then my XC/Trail bike the next I find I attack more on the XC bike, and ride it that bit harder into corners and off drops, where I'd maybe back off and tell myself it's not the right bike for ragging…

I couldn't use my XC bike for the kind of DH riding/Racing I want to do and I couldn't use the DH bike for XC or trail centres, so they both meet a need

The BMX makes you realise just how much an MTB compensates for your lack of finnese and precision, but I probably don't ride it anything like enough…

My road bike is Just an Efficient tool to get from home to work and back again, but it does help with fitness and make you feel like your getting the miles in at least…

If I had to have one bike it would be something along the lines of my XC/trail bike, a 4" forked HT with sensible gears and brakes, capable of most things, but not quite everything…

I get up to commute to work at between 5:30 and 6:00 a couple of times a week if possible, it's on the road, and this time of year is extra fun as bleary eyed Brickies in Transits try to put me through hedges in the dark, I think I'd have to be out the door around 4:30 to do it offroad…

But even on the roads the quiet bits are lovely, when there is nobody else about and you can spin along looking at the sun rising, (saw a stunning one week before last, extremely pink)stuff like that makes me glad I got up.
Conversly last Friday, in the pitch black, with drizzle and various arseholes forgetting to dip their lights was just a trial, that horible near total blindness where you pray you are still traveling parallel with the kerb…

Sometimes I hate being up at that time and putting myselft through it, mostly though it seems worth it. I tend to get in an hour early for work place presentiesm points, and it means I clock up an extra 80 miles a week on the bike, while I wouldn't say I'm fit, I'm definately a bit fitter than I would be if I drove 5 days a week….

Hang on you were within striking distance of Davina Macall, and didn't try to murderise the annoying bint!!??!

How long is your stem?

alot of bikes with a "light" feeling front end (especially if climbing) could benefit from an increse in stem length…

Sennheiser PMX 70’s here (Behind the head band, in ear types in nasty lime green) work a treat with my shuffle for cycling on and off road…

The PMX 80’s are pretty much the same but in Fluro orange and water resistant where I don’t think the 70’s are meant to be (Not that I’ve had any trouble with them)…

For the same earphones in “ear clip” trim just substitute “PMX” with “OMX”

Google product search

On balance I think I’d give most things a bit of thought, I used to turn my nose up at Carreras and Boardmans but since get a Carrera under cycle to work I’ve changed my mind, the VFM is fantastic and the Boardmans look even better VFM, it’s really just the outlet, but hopefully you only have to deal with them just the once, same goes for Kona, I’m quite keen on finding an older Kona HT frame and P2s at the minute, I’ve had a Stab which I got on with better than my DH9 granted they are pretty pricey these days but who isn’t…

I still have to question most of the “too cheap to be true” deals you see especially on Carbon parts there are some corners that just shouldn’t be cut, and like many SSCs magic de-laminating brake pads taught me a useful lesson, (although I do keep half considering his cheap Cobra Uppy/Downy seat posts, just as a trial sort of thing)…

I will never buy CK Hubs or headsets as I can’t see the value personally, similarly I’m not keen on hope brakes, why pay almost twice as much as Shimano for something with leaky seals? I have to say though I am very happy with the Hope BB I bought a few months back, and the now ancient Bulb I have on my DH bike, their Hubs work a treat…

Having said all of that, I am always willing for a company to try and change my mind, and I’m sure many will in the future…

crank bros 50 50's not too shin shreddy.

Or Grippy, I'm using Wellgo B54's at the minute, not bad for the price but if money's not a factor them Easton Flatboys FTW…

just spotted the "sku.29489" helmet jobbie is listed as having a Cree emitter while the "sku.25149" is listed as having an SSC emitter, is that in any way significant?

Like I said before it’s the additional support and feel you get from a platform SPD especially with the more flexible sole DH/BMX type SPD shoes that DH riders benefit from.
For trail riding it is basically the same thing, as with anything SPDs only really work if you’re not constantly worrying about them, clipping in/out needs to be 2nd nature and you ride as calmly as you would on flats…

Personally I’m amazed when people tell me they can’t ride flats, being clipped in can still feel very un-natural to me if I’ve been off my XC/road bike for a while, but flats are a stunningly simple concept, far less “muscle memory” involved…

The major advantage of SPDs for DH is once confident with them I can corner faster I reckon, not wanting to un-clip and Dab a foot means you ride with a touch more commitment, the downside being if you do slide and fall it’s that bit harsher, feet on the pedals and fully committed is always the fastest way to corner….

I have to admit I’m now utterly confused as to what it’s actually worth getting, my plan was to get the DX helmet mounted bike light, as it seems to include batteries and charger, had 3hrs burn time and I wanted it to supplement cheaper crappier bar mounted lights, for use on my road commuter bike for the unlit sections and on my MTB for some night time woodland action…

While the torches seem cheap, the lower burn time and fact that you have to buy a charger, Batteries, mounts, etc separately suggests they work out about as expensive as the bike kit and you still have the added faff of changing batteries if you plan to run it for more than 1hr, is their a Torch + Charger + battery kit available?

And with all of them your stuck using their “18650” batteries which cannot be charged in a normal battery charger right?

Is this a fair summary?

So for what I think I need, am I better buying the Helmet mount Bike kit or not?

I think you want to put your foot in one position to climb and another position to go downhill. Surely what flatty riders do?
Platforms enable you to do this.
Downside is you have less control of the bike when unclipped than clipped IMHO so a bit of a compromise but better than changing pedals for every downhill!

Eh? I ride both Flats and SPDs and I only use one foot position with both: ball of your foot over the axle, Downhillers may mostly be thick but they don't all pedal like goons.
I generally use flats for DH as it's far more likely you'll need to dab a foot to save a corner and with a sensible choice of pedal and shoe you get lots of grip and plenty of tolerance on foot position, plus they feel far more stable under foot than any spd seems to, probably due to the large platform and fuller contact you get…

Descending on SPDs, even caged ones I find a bit more of a challenge, trust me you do not unclip for a descent unless your a prize plum, the levels of un-clipped grip are way below what you get with flats but the stiffer sole and direct feel through the cleat improves pedaling and gives good trail feel.

One thing I often find is if you slip a cleat mid run (say as you exit a Gee'd out corner and your foot twists a bit too much) platforms SPDs tend to just aboout retain your foot where a cageless SPD would probably mean you loose your pedal all together, it still throws me far more if I slip an SPD than if I slip a flat pedal, it's plusses and minuses for both really, I feel far more in control of a bike at speed on flats, but if there's uphill work to be done I'd much rather be on SPDs these days…

I have to admit that after spending 30 odd minutes last night pissing about with gear and brake mechanicals at the side of the trail I got home and started half looking at options for a rigid, SS, V-braked build.

It’s been a while since I had such a nice simple bike but recently the lack of time I have now for fixing the fleet makes me want a super simple day to day XC bike, your thread may have tipped me over the edge…

Old steel Kona frame and P2’s are my current front runner, but that might just be nostalgia for my old fire mountain, rather than practicality…

You’re probably using a nice stiff soled XC shoe, in which case stick to cage-less SPDs. If you have a more flexible/grippy shoe, need a bit of broader support and are expecting to maybe unclip, dab a foot and then pedal on perhaps without managing to re-engage the cleat, then they make sense.

I find my M424s lovely off road compared to the M520, but I’m riding with a more flexible shoe and probably have more of a DH bias…