Chilli Peppers in Hyde Park a few years ago, they looked to be going through the motions and the noise police made sure that no-one could hear unless you put your ear to the speakers, was utter sh*te.

I reckon Onzadog is right its probably you rather than the bike. I have a fairly imbalanced body due to knee injury which makes my hip and back etc go all out of alignment, tried getting it all straightened by chiropractor but I just end up going back to my wonky "norm". I also find it hard to ride hands off in a straight line now and the bike leans to one side all the time.

Indeed! Yes I think single ply 2.35 high rollers for me then, super tacky on the front and 60a on the back. I've never ridden there before and so will be riding the trails as fast as possible for the first time, should be exciting! Only one timed climb as well so as you say I think I'll gain more from having confidence in the rubber.

Hi – I'm doing the Kona Mashup at Afan soon, sorry to ask but what tyres would you recommend? I was thinking High Rollers but was also wondering if I could get away with something lighter – I need all the help I can get on the timed climb!

Yes I think its the whole PR side he had no time for, but if you are being paid that much money it goes with the territory I should think. I had heard an annecdote from a Renault engineer about him telling a small boy wanting an autograph to f-off, not sure how true but I can't think that kind of thing endears him to sponsors or team principals.

From what I hear he's a fairly unlikeable chap who really couldn't be bothered with all that goes with F1 apart from driving the car, so I can see why big teams wouldn't want him. I don't think there are going to be many tears shed from either side. I wish I could get £20m to do nothing, Ferrari must have wanted shot of him pretty badly.

What was the tat going be?

Yes – welcome! Maybe see you around Swinley at some point. My one forum tip would be to avoid any debate about whether or not you wear a helmet like the plague…. 🙂

+1 for the topeak alien, got one years ago and its done me proud.

Ha ha – so we are going to have a Blur 4x ride and all turn up with our hardtails! 🙂

Looks nice Duckcm18, I'm a fan of green bits! Itching to get out on mine soon, roll on 28th. Hardtail weather at the moment though. Swinley rode amazingly well last weekend given the weather recently.

Also booked into the Kona mash-up in December so will be giving the 4x a good all round test there I hope.

I think you'll find the forks will be fine for all round riding when set at the 5" travel setting.

Rear mechs – I've got 4 snapped or knackered ones, after that mech hangers.

I don't think I've ever broken anything else, apart from chains.

I'm not saying I favour style over substance, but like it or not GB is leading our country while it is fighting a war, and in order to lead effectively you have to communicate effectively. And it seems that everything Gordon touches at the moment turns to poo. It does not inspire confidence in the public, and gives no reason to believe that he is any more effective behind closed doors.

Actually MF you are right. Who cares what I think? I'll get my coat.

🙄

Mastiles F – I've re-read my post and I can't see the sentence where I say everyone should think like me. Nope, read it again and I still can't see it… 🙂

I can't stand the Sun or the tabloid press. I also don't like GB. However, if I made a mistake writing a Christmas card to my Nan I would throw it and get another one. If I made a mistake writing a letter to someone who's son had been killed, I would start again 20 times until it was perfect.

The trouble with GB is he has a personality defect somewhere, he just can't communicate effectively as a result. He is not up to the job. Doesn't make him a bad person, he is just in no way capable of being a national leader. He has no natural leadership qualities.

Am I the only person in the world who couldn't give a fig and would rather ride my bike, fettle my bike, do the washing up, cook something, watch some telly, read a book, sleep…?

I am a published poet.

My final point is that the thread was about the value of wearing helmets while riding off road. Much of the research quoted here is I would guess looking at cycling as a whole, or just road cycling in the wider population. I should think that my puny helmet will do little to protect my head when a lorry rolls over it. Off-road is another matter, and I would guess that in the majority of lower level incidents that occur off road the helmet will be of more value.

Ho hum, I still think people should do what they want, and I still see no good reason not to wear a helmet.

Crikey – the information you post seems to disprove your argument?

"In 3 years the proportion of cyclists wearing helmets rose from 36% to 86% and the proportion of head injuries to cyclists halved"

Other stuff about making helmets mandatory and the numbers of people cycling is irrelevant. I'm not arguing that helmets should be made mandatory, or trying to predict teh effect that would have.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/990853.stm

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/320/21/1361

The trouble is that like most things in life the answer is not black and white. I don't claim that helmets are life saving invicibilty cloaks, and I don't think anyone does, so why is your assertion that helmets are all but useless any more valid? Why can't people accept that there are a range of outcomes in a range of conditions in the real world, along with a big lump of luck thrown in?

Yeah learning how to bail is all part of mountainbiking, but its when you are taken by surprise that there is most risk of injury.

P.S. could you not also say that as cycle hement wearing increases the risk of spinal injury increases due to the style of riding undertaken? Any evidence that its the helmet itself that contributes to the injury rather than the activity?

Quite agree Hora, I'm not fan of bubble wrap approach and think taking (calculated) risks in life is part of what life is all about. But I'm also fascinated as to why someone decides not to protect themselves when thye can.. The argument seems to be from the above that hemlets can in some cases increase the chance of neck injury. Very interesting and I'd like to know more, but for the majority of riding I do I can't see that outweighing the protection they provide in other ways.

I once saw a guy fall off his bike and hit his head on a small stone on the floor, knocked out / convulsions / day of riding over off to A&E in an ambulance. It was unlucky but you can't tell me a decent helment would not have prevented that. I don't think a helmet makes you invincible. But at the very least it can prevent annoying low level stuff that can spoil your day.

west kipper I'm not claiming that there is. All I'm saying is, in my opinion and from my experience, I have rung my bell very hard on two occasions and I think that had I not covered my head in a protective shell it would have been worse. Therefore, helmets have worked for me on two occations, not to mention the hitting branches thing etc.. That confirms my belief that there is no sensible reason not to wear a helmet if its available. So what are people's reasons for not wearing them?

Cost? Well you bought a shiney bike didn't you?

Can't be bothered / don't think its cool? Well that's your choice but they aren't good reasons IMHO.

I have had a couple of crashes where I hit my head. One split the helmet open and since I was on my own in a remote location at the time, it could have been very bad for me if, had I not been wearing it, I was injured / unconscious / whatever.

The second time was on a BMX track where the full face helment I was wearing did a lot of good in reducing the effect of going over the bars onto a very hard surface.

Either way its your choice if you wear a helment, but I don't understand why people don't. I think that they have saved me from worse injury on at least two occasions, and would never ride my bike without one. Why not take a sensible precaution to protect your head? I don't understand why you wouldn't.

If you don't wear a helmet whats the reason?

And what got us through winter in the olden days were the Forests, that er.. don't exist any more cos we chopped them down to keep us warm. Oh dear.

The elephant in the room is food production, the current level of yields is based entirely upon the use of Oil to acheive. Farm machinery, fertilisers, etc etc. Take Oil out of the equation and you have a farming system that requires a fundamental change in the way we live, not to mention a lot of hunger and misery during the transition. I hold out no hope of the political classes of this world putting national or personal self interest aside long enough to fix this.

I don't think human kind will die out, we're too resourceful for that, but I do think that there will be in the next 50 to 100 years some terrible strife and even a collapse in the global population. If the ecosystems upon which we depend collapse as well, as they might (the seas are going downhill fast, frightening reduction in diversity) then is going to get pretty nasty for many people living on this planet before the century is out. I do worry about the kind of world my children will be living in when I die.

I can only think that either a what hell have fun while you can attitude, or a personal mission to get closer to self sufficiency, are the two basic options. Not sure which to go for at present!

Broke my collar bone into 4 bits a few years ago. First A&E hardly told ne a thing about it, second A&E visit at least got me a view of the x-ray and a chat with a consultant who said unless I wanted to wear an off the shoulder dress it would be best to leave it to fix by itself. I now have a left collar bone with a great big lump in it and several other bends and bumps, but its probably twice as strong as the one on the right. Fortunately the big bump is just about high enough up to avoid a ruck sack strap but its not ideal. So I guess if its roughly together then it should be fine, mine took a regulation 6 weeks before I was swimming OK again.

Finally got it right. 🙄

Right trying again…

OK here is the finished article…

SLX dual ring and blackspire stinger is a v good set up it seems.. no problems.

"Like slipping into an old friend" 😯

Real name.. nice!

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Forum name.. not so sure…

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I'm 6'1", riding a large with a 65mm stem and in-line post, I find it a perfect fit. I think a Medium would be too cramped for me for all-round riding.

I was watching the first episode with Mrs Monkey while eating dinner, and she commented on the fact that he wasn't wearing his trademark shorts. Instanly the image from shooting starts of Bob Mortimer impersonating Ray and one of his chaps popping out of his shorts as he crouched down appeared in my head. I nearly choked while laughing and trying not to spit my food all over the lounge… 😆

Ray Mears – Legend.

Hey Hora – really? V interesting, do you think they lowered it from the earlier versions? I have noticed more clippage vs the 06 Five frame I was riding.

Riofer I've not fiddled with mine much but I've just set it around 25% – 30% sag and not too fast or slow on the rebound, sag is the best way to judge shock pressure not a PSI number. The shock on my 4x is an RP3 with low pro-pedal, I set the pro pedal lever in the middle. Feels fine and I don't get any significant bob in the granny ring.

Changing the cranks to 170mm SLX with a dual ring and bash after nearly destroying the outer ring on my cranks at the weekend, that BB sure is low.

I don't think so – you have a police ref number and her insurance details so you can phone them up and ask for a claim form. It might be polite to contact her directly first to see if she wants to settle privately or get a claim form for you from her insurers. No need to involve any one else unless she contests it I would think. A witness to the fact that she was at fault would be needed I think.