I missed out on the new ones but managed to get the frame for not a lot more. Built using mainly spares box apart from some spokes, pedals, headset, tyres and seatpost (Zoom one if I remember rightly from Aliexpress). He’s very happy with it…

Bike Park Wales with my nipper

not sure why everyone is too lazy these days and people don’t want to earn their descents, or it’s not gnar enough and other such crap spouted on here. Go out into the hills and there are plenty of people riding trails for free, they can download a route from numerous places or have the fun of creating their own and riding it. I don’t know the cost of entry to your events though I have been tempted in the past just never got round to it. Used to be loads of Sportives, both road and MTB where I live most the vast majority seem to have died a death, isn’t a MTB marathon just a sportive but with a results list.

If you want to appeal to the younger generation then stop slating them, if you don’t think they earn their turns doing ‘enduro’ then enter the Minehead Enduro (or numerous others) and see, 300+ entries and plenty of them are the younger generations including under 13s.

regularly use them for work have about 15, have 40+ laptops running from them with no issues.

if buying from Wiggle try using discount code ‘SAVE’ for another 30% off. Got a Troy Lee D4 Composite for £130 marked up at £160, saying processing at the moment but delivery isn’t till Friday so happy with that

never been there but maybe he’s not overly bothered on E-bikes being there.

From the owners Facebook page where it’s been brought up

 We’ve always been about providing a progressive place to ride for the youth. As riding bikes can change lives and that’s our main objective and not many of them have e-bikes

Seems fair enough to me…

it seems most trail centres run some coaching, I have used Beyond the Mud for my nipper but that’s at QECP so a bit of a trek for you. Haldon has Trail Unknown from a quick Google

he is riding a Nukeproof, might’ve been bought himself though

@brownperson, you’d struggle to get answers to most of those questions face to face with someone you know let alone a cycling forum.

I have thought for a while about your post and whether or not I would reply. I served, in the army, during the 90s, and did a couple of tours of FRY. I cannot change anything and am perfectly happy in what I have done and where I am today. I have the utmost respect for those who’ve served after me during the 2000s as their tours were different than mine. I still work in Defence and have daily contact with serving members of the forces and the issues that they have in their world which are different to mine in the 90s, the general consensus is it’s shit but that was the same 30 years ago…😃

To the original thread. Conscription, is that the right question to be discussed as that is unlikely to happen IMO, a civil defence force though? I think it has the wrong naming, if we are asking for volunteers to help with jobs that traditionally the military get dicked with, such as flooding, then I think there would be a lot more buy in.

to actually answer your question…

I tried it on my Nukeproof Reactor as I have a wheel. It accelerated quicker, gearing was higher and in the DH single track it was slightly better/more fun. The biggest downside was the lower bottom bracket, more pedal strikes on technical climbing and singletrack when you’re out of the saddle. It’s now got the 29″ wheel back in but if I was going to the Alps I would maybe consider it again but I am a bit of a short arse. If you’ve got a mate with a spare wheel give it a go, can’t hurt

When you say first timer, do you mean reasonable rider first race or beginner rider? Enduro racing is pretty straight forward and no experience needed, the format is easy to follow and fairly chilled out, if you are worried about being caught ask the person behind to leave you a bit more time.

Some organisers used to grade their different venues to give you an idea of difficulty. Not too good for you but good for your lad try Southern Enduro, the National they run at Minehead is well run but can’t speak for the other venues but they cater for ‘grass routes’ I believe. Also take a look at Western Bike Events who are based in South Wales, looking to do some of these next year. I have done some other events that have been run by the organiser and they’ve been good, their venues were graded last year if I remember rightly.

I cannot say about organisers much futher North as I am Dorset based too

take a look at NLP, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, there may be someone in your area who you could have a chat to about it, plenty of resources online too.

The last off I had where I hurt myself was on a gravel bike, slow speed front wash out on Dorset chalk, happened so quickly and went down like a sack of shit, still holding onto the bars when I hit the deck, steeper angles like an older MTB. I’m not the same type of mountain biker as you, I prefer the downhill more than the up, a modern mountain bike is definitely more forgiving though. As above doesn’t need to cost a lot, you’ll pick up a quality new hard tail on a good deal at the moment. Is there anything to demo at your local bike shop or take a punt online

Bike delivered today, 2 days late but in the right county so that’s fine by me. 

All hope products vanished !…tech issue or stocks been pulled returned etc ?

I was only looking at Hope brakes earlier! been pulled/disappeared in the last few hours…

Thanks, needed some gloves, couple of pairs for £15, see how they go 👍

had one since 2020. Built with 650b wheels, GRX, Ritchey Venture Max bars and a Redshift seatpost. Used for road, gravel and bike packing including the KAW. Never use my road bike now, not that I did a huge amount, good all round comfortable bike. I’m 172cm on a 54″ frame, could have possibly gone smaller, I’m running a 65mm stem. Any question let me know.

Deffo quads round here, Bauers and Street Snakes mainly (Dorset area)

if you park in the Great Wood car park head up the track next to the car park, other side of the stream, then hang a right up a smaller track, you’ll see trails crossing, then take a left and you’ll find the top of them, exploring is probably your best bet. See what you like, there is some good steep stuff but all pretty rideable, always worth a laugh in a mixed ability group.

You can also head over to Triscombe if you carry on up the hill to the road. Even more over there that are easy to find, some are pretty rough now though, go explore you’ll definitely use up a day. Triscombe Stone is also a good carpark to access both groups of trails.

Triscombe is usually busier, both have a reasonably easy ride back up. Enjoy…

take a look on https://www.trailforks.com/region/quantock-hills-5874/ most of the trails on there including Triscombe and Great Wood and Holford area. There is a pretty good mix to suit most people

anyone running the Aeris 9 in mixed wheel size? Also contemplating a Giga but had not seen the Bird before…

There’s nothing the bleeps can get right. Such a disappointment.

I’m offended…

I find the Peaty’s stuff works well and stays pretty clean. I have all 3 types not that the dry lube has had much use this year

having the same but opposite problem with a skinny 9yo, can’t get anything to stay up and as you say don’t want to blow 50 odd quid on something that wont last. He does wear Protec pads which he has for skating which are a good fit for uplifted stuff but general riding are a bit too hot and bulky, they are well protective though and stay were they are supposed to.

Sorry not much help there…

been twice with my lad (9), in the dry we covered about 8 or 9 runs mostly on the green and then a couple of blues before he couldn’t hold on anymore, 2nd time was Feb 1/2 term in the rain and cold still did quite a few and a good day. Both times booked on full uplift with me as I had no idea how many runs he’d do. The 1st time measured 18 miles of downhill, no wonder he was asleep before we got out of the car park.

When I visit my daughter and ex wife I usually get asked for  Robinsons orange squash, Bisto Gravy and cheap paracetamol from Tesco. I used to have to bring biscuit selection boxes, Frey Bentos pies and Walkers crisps. I think apart from Frey Bentos the biscuit and crisp selection has improved from paprika or peanut flavour… I do like the peanut flavour though.

@Greybeard thanks I’ll take a look

My lad has a Marin Rift Zone Jr. He’s had it since they first came out, he’s now 9, still on 24″ wheels and will be for a while yet. He is very light but the suspension does move well but depending on the terrain. Upgraded the brakes to some Hope X2’s because they were spare and put a kids Brand X dropper on it. I also change the tyres for normal use as the fitted ones are quite draggy, fine for BPW though. Should hopefully see many years of use and be still worth a couple of quid when he grows out of it.

A miserable day at BPW in Feb 1/2 term

sorry not a picture, but will take some when we next get out

we have an open canoe (Old Town Discovery), which we use on the River Stour Dorset. I haven’t done any modifications to it, mainly because we are lucky enough to get out of the MIL back garden straight in. Planning to go further afield this year including possible Poole Harbour. Do any of you run buoyancy bags? if so what do you recommend? Also looking at putting some lashing on the sides and grab loops front and rear, I was thinking about getting hold of some retired climbing rope for this but does climbing rope float if I was also going to use it as a painter? Any other tips on modifications gratefully received

this depends on what you’re options are and where you ride, but I would agree with you for the past 5 years.

bought one of those carbon Reactor frames and built it with existing parts last month, went for the carbon because of the better shock but have happily had the alloy. It replaced a Solaris Max that will probably be built up again at some point. I also have a Rocket Max, and didn’t want a short(er) travel bike to be to close to that. The Reactor is a lot of fun and I would quite happily ride it anywhere, won’t be as quick as the Rocket in the more “extreme” places but it is deffo a great trail bike which I have done a 30 mile XC loops and messing about in our local trails

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Yep, that was / is my worry – designed to be slammed down on, not having weight hung off them. But seems like they are OK with it as long as fully extended, shouldn’t be done part extended.

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been doing it for years, no problem yet. That’s even on an un-serviced 2016 Reverb!! Always at full extension though as above

test driving the new Jogger hybrid on Saturday. Took a look at one today and all seems pretty nice to go from an ancient Touran. The new Dacia models do look good

check the King Alfred’s way route from Salisbury to the Ridgeway, it’s quite a nice route which passes Old Sarum, Stonehenge, Avebury etc…

many thanks for the info, I will also take a look at the link above. Speedy recovery to all those with their issues above

Dom

interesting thread, not that I understand it. I am 49 this year, could count on one hand the amount of times I’ve been to the doctors in the last 20 years, that’s not to say I don’t have my aches and pains but have found that the GP isn’t really that interested. I remember turning 40 and thinking I should get one of those over 40s health check but still not got round to it…

Are there symptoms, checks, warnings I should be looking out for? or should I be going to speak to the GP and asking for some testing to be done? Excuse my ignorance, any info would be great

still considering subscribing to GCN+ as I normally watch the XC and DH. I take it you can watch again after as I am not always able to watch it live. Have seen the highlights on YouTube and it came across quite well.

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Are we allowed to talk about the actual race yet?

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could always start a new thread, with it being about actual bikes/bike racing it may not be the usual argumentative STWness…

bookmarked for future ref.