Looking very nice.

Needs these, although they only come in pink rather than PINK, which might not be a perfect match.

Front mech might foul chainstay bridge

Had to take a hacksaw to my mech when building a Flux. Felt a bit of a huge design oversight, but did the trick. Turner even supplied instructions on how to effect said fudge 🙄

Great location, but surely ridden in the other way?

Descending Coire Pitridh to Lochan na h-Earba from the bealach was the way I went. Don’t think the descent to Loch Pattack would have been that much fun as it was very boggy in places. Unless you mean the path on the other side of the Loch a’ Bealach a’ Leamhain or the one running south-west into An Larig?

Anyway, it’s an area I’ll be returing to explore a lot more. Amazing scenery and riding.

Can’t believe it’s been over two hours and nobody has slagged off the agricultural/functional double with bash and the deore mech 😉

Mmm beer

Draft dead pony club earlier this evening. Hoppy as hell. Lovely.

Also been enjoying the wares of the Kernel brewery[/url] and the Redchurch brewery[/url]

Right now I am drinking

14/15 Awesome!

Got told off for saying hello to a sheep though 🙂

First Coast is pretty good and reasonably priced.

Le moutin noir on viewforth is a really good wee French place. Carnivore heaven.

Crisps and pints of heavy in the Athletic Arms always a good option.

Lovage – To Catch a Thief

Just after getting SPDs I was riding on the Isle of Ulva when a group of Dutch tourists stopped me to ask directions… I started to answer before I thought about my feet still being attached to the bike…

After picking myself up from a spectacular tumble into the heather – and they’d stopped convulsing with laughter – I pointed them in the right direction and sheepishly rode off to the sound of stifled giggling.

Also made a right hash of a trackstand at a very busy pedestrian crossing on a busy street in front of lots of people once 😳

It only takes a couple of those incidents (perhaps just one if it’s embarrasing/painful enough 🙂 ) before it becomes automatic. I sometimes catch myself unconsciously twisting my feet to ‘unclip’ from flats.

that looks ace, hope you enjoyed the beer after the final descent – always thought it was very considerate for someone to have put a good pub at end of what can feel like a fairly remote ride.

not been up that way this year, think I might have to remedy that after seeing these pics and ride report.

The other way that Virgin (and other companies) could reduce the likelihood of there being no spaces when you turn up unannounced with your bike would be to provide more spaces…..

Absolutely. I’ve never understood why demand for a service seems to always be seen as a problem, rather than an opportunity. If I knew that taking my bike on the train was going to be a painless and straightforward process I would probably spend a shedload more money on travelling by train rather than on driving.

I loved the bike carriages I saw in Germany. Big empty carriages with fold down seats around the edges. Anyone can use the seats, but if bikes come on they take priority.

Saw it in Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago when I was commuting to work and was quite underwhelmed, though others who had turned up especially for the ‘event’ seemed very excited.

Police presence (5 full riots vans at at subtle distance) plus the dozens of motorcycle outriders and officers on foot seemed ridiculous. Then again, reports of a track-suited arsonist youth chasing a lorry full of fizzy juice should never to be treated lightly.

The Down House, Baddaroch, lower diabaig, Torridon.

Lovely wee house built in the woods above loch Torridon. Right at the end of the road and although its not far removed from other houses it has a really peaceful and secluded feel.

The riding and hill walking in the area is good too.

This is a few minutes ride from the front door.

Sounds like 120 is the magic number then 🙂

Having said that, I’ve now read a couple of threads on here and mtbr that say 130mm is pretty damn good too 😕

Thanks folks, most useful. Definitely going for new forks and it’s probably between the F120s and the Rebas.

If I can figure out if the 2012 Reba RLT is 90-120mm u turn, then, along with the more forgiving servicing intervals it might swing it to the RS.

I have a strange and irrational compulsion to match the rear shock and fork though 🙄

Will have a look at the DT Swiss too. cheers.

Off to the north-west for a week of riding and walking so I’m not going to make this one.

At least I can give the thread a nudge in case anyone has missed it.

Are there any more sessions in the pipeline? I’m still keen to help out and, like Druidh, would be happy to go out and do some work midweek/evening given some direction.

cheers folks and thanks for the links.

No spanner flats, so haven’t tried a proper spanner, but I have spiralled an allen key using a long lever and two LBSes have said ‘they are not coming off’

PS. Your link to s500 Alfine is not suitable for your existing steel chainring

Thanks for spotting that Simon.

not for me, circumstances mean my bike is 172 miles away

No boring long-winded replies to my boring long-winded question?

Rewire and some structural work done on the flat. Moved out 14 February to give the builder some space/time to do it.

Job not finished after four months 😕 Omnishambolic builder sacked, forced to move back into house without properly finished electrics, damp proofing or bathroom 😥

Hope things have improved for you in oz mikew.

Perhaps with one of those rubber strap wrench things (if it’s external) but I seriously doubt it would have enough ‘grab’

Not for me unfortunately. The ongoing building guddle has been upgraded to a full scale omnishambles.

Definitely have to catch up for a ride/pint before you head off though.

Enjoy the ride folks.

They’ve redone that bit?

aye, no fun anymore 🙁

Lovely evening for a ride, a blether and a beer.

Some snaps from along the way…

The repair/drainage clearance work at Clubbiedean from a few weeks back has worked much better than I expected. It might not even need the hardcore treatment we thought it would. A dry line has appeared which should avoid the clarty bit being widened any further.

Tom on the sleeper bridge. Very impressed by his trialsy-hippity-hoppity efforts to clean a impossible looking rooty section later on in the ride. Nobody else even attempted it.

Bowmore and Tangfastic break

A surprisingly dry quad track

One last photo before hooning down scalextric, through the woods at Bonaly and down the steps to the Spylaw Tavern for beer and

I’m better at beer than biking these days, but I’ll hopefully be out to play – errant builders and neglected drivetrains allowing.

Nice report, looks like a great trip.

A dartboard and a fortnight old copy of the Sun… an upmarket bothy.

top 100 sexist women

enjoyed that typo too 🙂

Dougie Bank – Zoom or Bust – Pennel’s Vennel – Spooky Wood – Pie Run – Mushroom Pie – Magic Mushroom – Sair Fect – Steep Track of Pain and Weeping (somebody had a better name for it, but that’s how I remember it) up to Buzzards – Berm Baby Berm Baby Berm Baby Berm – ‘leccy Blue – Good Game – tail end of Falla Brae

The others added in Blue Velvet and generally wept less on the climbs. Not sure if they rode Falla Brae or Good Game on the way back down.

13thfloormonk even had time to do some impromptu trail building/test riding with rocks/logs he found lying around… think the ‘shore might have affected him a little.

Great ride guys, sorry to lose you at the end, despite being totally exausted I got carried away with laps of berm baby berm and missed you passing completely.

Lights rule, although they do startle the deer wandering across the trail a little.

some Aberlour, as it’s my birthday for another minute or so 🙂

Hey Doug, if you can make it along to the east end of the meadows for about five then I give you a lift.

Have emailed you details.

Lift is no bother Ian, will fire you an email in a bit to sort out time/place.

Heard the smallblock described as ‘predictable’ recently. 😀

Utterly terrifying in the wet, but it’s on my commuter so probably only going offroad in the dry when I fancy an extended journey home from work.

Here’s my shonky repair effort. Superglue + linen thread + milk carton boot.

I’m definitely up for this, not been down to glentress in a while.

Will likely have room for two if anyone needs a lift, but can’t be 100 percent sure where I’ll be heading down from just yet.

Thanks for the advice folks.

I’ll have a go with some linen thread, superglue and a non stretchy boot material. Might be really paranoid and switch it over to the rear wheel.

The liners might be a good idea too, since they don’t seem to be the most puncture proof tyres I’ve ever tried.

I’ve seen worse for sale in the classifieds.

😀

onZa octopus. Best tyre ever.

The bicycle is a comfortable and cheap way of getting about.

A great boon to man.

Ideal for shopping, easy to park, handy for work.

A faithful friend ever ready to take tired workers back home, and after work to bring relaxation, health and happiness.

Indeed it is 🙂

Great film, cheers for posting the link three_fish.

Scottish Canoe Classics by Eddie Palmer is worth a look. It has eveything from short beginners days out to multiday trips.

Some bits of the Tweed would probably be fine to start out on, though I’ve never paddled it myself.

Schedule for the PoP ride is here[/url].

Leaving at 2ish (if the repairs have gone well) should get us into the Meadows for the 3pm ride to Holyrood with plenty time to spare.

Can’t make the June date but should be along to lend a hand tomorrow.

Anyone trundling into town to Pedal on Parliament[/url] afterwards?

are they running tubeless?

that will have a major impact on which terrain is suitable for them.