beware, Germany is going back under a strict lock-down from tomorrow including the shutting of non-essential shops, whether that includes bike shops I don’t know

German Lock-down

try some chainring spacers between your ring and cranks to move it towards the frame a couple of mm. Worked for me a good few years back when first settimg up 1X on some 2X cranks. As long as you don’t space it too far your existing bolts should be fine, I went 2mm if I remember rightly. Search for chainring spacers, loads for options from CRC to Ebay

I did an apprenticeship as a Telegraphist when I left school, used to be able to do about 22 wpm. Couldn’t do that now but you never forget it. If you want to learn it listen to the ‘tune’ not count the ‘dits’ and ‘dahs’ otherwise you’ll be left behind pretty quickly

got some RaceFace ambush knee pads that I only wear for DH type days, to big for normal riding so never bother. Seeing docrobster’s pic up there convinced me that something I can wear all day maybe a good idea. Just bought some Dianese Trail Skins from Wiggle for £32, (I got the last pair), just gotta remember to wear them.

The blanket 2.5%, if I remember correctly, was spread out across all grades within our department, (on the very broad sense of Department). The lower grades receiving a bigger slice of the 2.5% pie, and no actually receiving the full 2.5%, I have no problem with that.
I did find a document early in the year saying that spine points could still be awarded but not automatically for time done. This does not happen but it is now being looked into by my hierarchy. Not convinced anything will come of it though.
I enjoy what I do, the benefits and job is what keep me in the CS. I also receive MSA to put me more in line with the Private Sector though this does still fall well short. It is my choice not to move to the Private Sector though for various reasons.
Apparently we are getting a bike to work scheme this year…

our spine points were frozen in 2010/11. All new starters start on the same as me, I joined in 2009. The gap was supposed to be closed up in a new pay deal last year making it only £1000 difference between top and bottom, this was rejected. (D) HEO so definitely not SCS.

echo all above, no pay progression for time done, so no incentives. Our department was offered a payrise of 12% over 3 years last year! and a close up of all the pre-existing spine points. Sounded to good to be true, the Unions turned it down though, so we got our 2% instead, brilliant…

BETO air tank user. No problems, no leaking, never failed to seat a tyre and don’t usually remove the cores or take it to 160 psi. I only use it if the track pump fails initially. It also holds air well and dumps it in pretty quickly. One set of tyres did require more pumping on top, I think it was Vittoria Torreno Mix on WTB i19 rims. I sometimes use a small amount of silicon grease smeared around the bead of the tyre to help it seat properly on the rim and I am still alive and able to type this…

Sounds like yours isn’t quite right.

Pirelli are tubeless and set up tubless, the puncture I had was with a tubeless set up. If this is relevant my mate on Panaracer SK 650×47 had 2 the week before, as in my previous post the winter rain has bought out loads of small flints over the last couple of weeks, how any tyre would fair is hard to say.

I’m running the Pirelli tyres 650x50mm, punctured the other day but there is a lot of small flints about where I ride at the moment. Don’t seem to drag anymore than my 700x38mm Vittoria mix. Running 30F and 34R on gravel, mud and road. Hopefully the punctures wont be to regular as I have had 2 this winter across both bikes which is 2 more than I’ve had in the last 3 years…

If you can find Mondo Enduro and Terra Circa online give them a watch. Round the world riding done on a budget without the support crews. Just a bunch of mates on DR350s in the 90s, great viewing. Have seen Austin Vince talk twice, probably some of his stuff on Youtube

As above JB Weld, works great on radiators and engine cases….

both Halo and Nukeproof have bought out cheaper wheelsets. Don’t know how good they are but the prices where good when I was looking

you weren’t going to buy it unless you got a discount so you weren’t a customer anyway. Endura haven’t lost out on anything

They should honour the discount you weren’t entitled to? Words fail me…

I’ve been trying to find the SSVC Law of Armed Conflict video for a long time but have failed. SSVC then BFBS was one channel in the 90’s based on the most watched TV in the UK. Basically every UK soap condensed into one channel filled the schedule pretty much…

had one a few months now, easy to set up. I loaded my own mapping as I use it on other GPSs I have, (Talky Toaster mapping). Routing is good as is re-routing on and off-road. I use it with Komoot for route planning which I find works well. Not tried it with Trailforks yet as there is few marked trails where I live, the ones which show up on the map. I bought the MTB Bundle as I could get a deal through work and I didn’t want to pay £30 for the MTB mount. I was dubious about the remote but I really like it as you don’t need to move your hand to the middle of the bars when switching between screen off-road. Bought another remote mount for my Gravel/X/other dropped bar bike.
I don’t use Strava, I upload everything to Garmin Connect which I have no problems with, though others seem to.

yep exactly that. Spacer on the non-disc side so the disc and caliper stay where they are.

The rim only needs to come across 5mm, you can do that yourself. Add 1/4 turn on each spoke, non-disc size, and check. Maybe worth giving it a quick, 10-15m ride to loosen any twisted
spokes on each rotation, you will here them pinging into place. If they get tight release 1/8-1/4 of a turn on the disc side and put it back on the non-disc side. A decent spoke key and a bit of a turn each time, same on each spoke to avoid any flat spots. You may lose a bit of true but you’ll get the feeling of the way the rim moves when you do it.

Hope that makes sense, give it a go, what’s the worst that can happen…

edit – did you post about that spacer on here Munrobiker? If so thanks for the tip

I use one of these and re-dished the wheel as recommended by someone on here. Tidied it up and gave it a polish, works a treat for a couple of quid

If you are Dorsetish, I have one for a T4, not sure if the fit would be any different, that has been outgrown…

there’s usually a few pop up campsites in the area too which may not be listed, It’s great riding, enjoy!

Tyneham, maybe a little off your route and not sure of the legality, would be a nice place to wild camp, plenty of trees and probably a little spooky! Check the live firing times, which is probably worth while if you’re out in the week.

Winspit as above but can get busy down there. Lots of small woods across the Purbecks,
a lot of them are nature reserves and estate/private land though. Tinder dry at the moment so would avoid pine the forests and heath land in the area, there’s been a few fires already…

I ride a Solaris Max, previous version and a Banshee Prime V2. Solaris is a small and the Banshee is a medium, I am 5’7 and a bit (I’m sure I used to be 5’8). I can’t remember the reach numbers off my head but the Prime now feels too short, I put a 50mm stem on it and it still does’t feel as good as it did before. I run the Solaris with a 140mm and 150mm on the Prime both MRPs.
Have done Dartmoor and the Gap, Quantocks on both bikes and I now struggle deciding on which bike to take where as before the FS was a no brainer.
Next purchase a new FS frame to repalce the Prime. I cannot comment on the Stanton other than when I was looking the numbers didn’t add up for my size personally. I spoke to Cotic when buying my Solaris and they nailed on size for me, I’m sure Stanton could advise you just as well

I’ve been using Talkietoaster maps for a few years, recently loaded them onto a 530 Edge and they were all washed out. If you have this problem take a look at the 5th post down from ‘macnuts’ for the work around, link here easy to do and worked for me

you could see if he is on here depending if he has logged it or not

the 2X mech is supposed to run a max of 34 tooth cassette. I have seen videos of people running with larger though

GRX 600 full double groupset built onto a Tripster AT. Works really well, no problems with back pedalling as above so chainline may well be your answer. Good spread of gearing 46-30 and 11-34, though I have seen that you can run an 11-40 with no modification which would be handy loaded up with some trips I have planned. At the moment used for offroad/tame MTB, byways and roads. I cannot fault it so far. Did wonder whether I should have gone for 1X but glad I didn’t

I use them on Ritchey Venture flared bars and have no problem locking up either wheel from the hoods if needed be. The levers have reach adjustment on them if that would help position them most effectively

I’m running a GRX chainset 46-30, works well for me with an 11-34 cassette but is used for offroad too. Also 48-31 GRX chainset available if you wanted a bit of a larger top ring. Not sure if chainline is different for GRX groupset though

Germany’s National Service/Conscription, until it ended a few years back, had the option of public service instead of serving in the military.
In my opinion if you have nothing else better to do then some form of public service could be an option after school. The issue is it has to be worthwhile and not hinder an otherwise offered career choice, I do not think the military is the answer though. The British military is a professional one and doesn’t require people who don’t want to do it or be there.

I’ve got Beto Tubeless Air Tank, shop around, I think I paid £36 for it a while back. Never had any problems with it, not as fun as using the pop bottle though!

Edit, what Nixie says!

I run a medium cage SLX M7000 on an 11-50 Sunrace cassette with no problem. As above on a F/S, 112 link chain wasn’t long enough at full compression in first with a 34T ring so had to add a link in to be on the safe side. Shouldn’t ever be at full compression in first but it’s better than ripping my mech off. Mech takes up the slack happily in 11T.

Low Level Hell is also a good read. It’s about the Aeroscout pilots working alongside the Cobras, these guys get through some helicopters!

My two favourites at the moment are Parkway Drive and Lamb of God. Off to see Airborne in Cardiff next weekend not heard the new album yet though. Slipknot’s new album is good, got tickets for them in the new year too

+6.25 and +6.5 and have one varifocal in one eye. I was having problems compromising with single vision lenses but sorted for everything now. Took a few days to adjust but it was worth it. If my eyes weren’t gradually getting worse i’d have surgery as the cost of lenses is now more, glasses are a pain in the arse/annoying, for me anyway…

Ribbon Coils, same as above…

The The Inside Park near Blandford Forum in North Dorset. NIce campsite with its own XC circuit and loads of other good local riding. Okeford Hill Bike Park couple of miles up the road, North Dorset Trailway starts in Blandford which is great for family cycling with pub stops and a restored station with cafe etc on route.

Who else would spend a Saturday night discussing antennas!

I’m just used to arguing with Techs and I know it’s<span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”> a lost cause </span>

Haha

How many scaleys/ex-scaleys are on here!

Ex Royal Signals RTG, can’t say we ever used the term aerial due to the washing powder reference