It’s funny because I remember talking to an architect about my idea of making a selection of standardised house materials and designs to reduce the cost of the house, reduce time to build it and to increase quality. He argued that it stifled design and would make everything look the same.

It’s funny now I’m arguing for the opposite 😂

After doing a bit of research I’ve found that the rear wheel offset is a whopping, ginormous, unbelievably ostentatious 6mm!!!

Or about half an hour in a wheel jig 🤯

Although Cannondale say it increases stiffness by 60%. Bulshit? Maybe? Even if it was half that I’d say 6mm offset is an easy and decent way to achieve a stronger wheel.

Another thing to add is I don’t even know what is a standard anymore. And Its pretty much certain that if you bought a bike today and and kept it for 5 years there would be something about it that would be seen as out of date.

Who knows, off set rear ends could be on all bike in a few years.

Clink, you have heard of Cannondale before haven’t you?

They are well known for doing non standard (or innovative if you want to use a more accurate word). Like using aluminium as a frame material, oversized diameter thin wall frames, bigger bottom brackets, bigger headtubes, lefty fork, headshock fork to just to name a few off the top of my head.

I hope they carry on pushing for more innovative designs, ones that work of course.

Op, if you’re a medium, there is a 2019 SE at Tri UK in the sale. For £2600, at that price you could strip off and sell the Sram GX and put on xtr, replace the bearings on the frame and still be under £3k! I’m 5’11” and went for a large, fits well. I tried out an Anthem X and a Whyte T130 but the Anthem was too xc and would need a stem, bars and tyre change plus the addition of a dropper. The Whyte was a fair bit heavier due to the frame having an alloy rear triangle. looked at Sparks too but didn’t like the look of them nor the pricing.

Reviews of my one moaned about the seat angle being too slack but I just pushed the saddle forward on the rails.

Also my bike was a different beast with a decent front tyre on and running the forks and shock with more sag and rebound than recommended.

I’ve had a few people comment on it’s good looks.

I’ve even done a cyclo-cross race on it.

I have a 2018 Scalpel SE which is pretty much what you described (although has Sram GX), it does have an offset rear wheel but not really sure why that matters unless you like to swap wheels about which I don’t.

Mines very good as an all-rounder.

The only things that I don’t like about mine is that my GX rear mech doesn’t index great anymore (as described on a recent thread) but as the bike you described has Shimano that doesn’t matter. And the bearings in my frame and headset were rubbish. I’ve replaced them recently with Enduro BO one’s which are apparently the best but we’ll see. Bearings were pretty easy to change and the Cannondale instructions are easy to follow. Oh and the top coat lacquer can chip quite easily. Got mine in the sale too for £2900 with a set of pedals thrown in, which was nice.

I’m a carbaholic and I always will be. It’s robbed me of half my teeth, given me a belly that I will probably never lose and will shorten my life by a good few years but I could give up alcohol and even sex before giving up carbs!!!

Tunnocks teacakes

Jamaican ginger bread

Fudge iced doughnuts

Warm french baguette

Chips

Hobnobs

Crumpets

I just moderate myself these days, where’s in the past I’d have happily eaten a whole packet of hobnobs in one sitting now I have 3 😭

Everything in moderation

Lots of decent advise up above Op. I think Chrisdb’s is the most realistic and comprehensive.

A few simple tips that work for me (probably repeated a couple of times above)

I’m terrible with sweet stuff and alcohol but if there’s none in the house then I can’t eat or drink them and I’m probably too lazy to go to the shops and buy them.

Your family needs to do it with you, it’s a lifestyle change not a diet.

It’ll take you a while to lose the weight but it also goes both ways, it took you a while to put it on. So it’ll take you about 25 weeks to lose 25kg if you do it sensibly and do it sustainably.

Buy your shopping online or if you do have to go into the shop don’t do it on an empty stomach.

Don’t see exercise as something you have to do. Do it because it makes you feel good, do it because it’ll make you faster and stronger which will enjoy increase your enjoyment of cycling

Don’t snack between meals.

Cut down on bread (and I love bread!)

Cut down on alcohol (and I love beer!)

Don’t weigh yourself too often and when you do weigh yourself do it first thing in the morning before eating breakfast.

Eat 3 meals a day at regular times, don’t miss breakfast! It doesn’t have to be loads for breakfast either but ideally you want carbs and protein so muesli or porridge with a spoon of yoghurt is ideal.

Don’t beat yourself up if you have a bad day either by skipping a meal, eating too much or skipping a session on the bike. A short break every now and then is good for you but don’t take more than a single day off.

Remember that you shouldn’t overtrain, having a loose weekly exercise programme is really good. The British cycling ones are free and really good plus they include easier days and even days off!

Set a good role model for your family, my pal tapes a photo of his kids to his toptube for motivation.

Use MyFitnessPal and do not lie to it!

If you’re feeling like you’re not having a good day then come onto here for a chinwag or grumble. I’d love to know how you’re getting on.

And most importantly. You can do it!

Get yourself something totally different for a bit until the new bikes come out in September.

Dirt jump bikes

Road bike

Gravel bike

BMX

Long forked hardtail

I think I might in the future buy a bike in the sale with a great frame and basic build then fit invisiframe tape, replace all the components that matter like the dropper post, brakes, groupset, forks and wheels. Use the bike for a year then swap the components back whip off the frame tape then sell it for not a huge loss. Buy another and repeat.

Good idea? Must be better than my normal regime of buyimg a bike with a good frame and good spec, keep it for 4-5 years whilst replacing everything on it then sell it for Peanuts.

Not sure how you can totally remove racism or prejudice or anti semitism or sexism or elitism or profiling or bigotry or being biased or any other ism. It’s ingrained in us to pick out the differences in people. Honest open talking about it though will definitely help. But I agree with a previous poster we need to educate and learn to forgive and help people change not just label people, I worry that if a daft teenager makes a stupid comment on social media and is then labelled with something for the rest of their lives with no way for them to repent and better themselves.

I’d be building one up on the cheap for the time being and start thinking about what you really want when the new bikes come out in September.

Just a quick look on the web shows you could get the Octane One Prone 29 frame for £200 in large, top tube is pretty long on this one.

£200 for wheels
£400 for deore groupset and brakes
£100 for tyres and tubes (always buy good quality tyres as on complete bikes they often stick on really light weight tyres with a hard compound)
£150 for a dropper post
£100 for bars, stem and grips
£50 for a decent headset
£50 for decent flat pedals
£50 for a decent saddle
£300 for a fox 34 forks

A hundred over budget but I’m sure you could get the bars, stem, saddle and tyres cheaper to get it under budget.

I’ve got 27.5+ on my Stooge and love it, it’s a bit of a hooligan and makes me giggle (as it’s nearly slammed me into a tree or some other trail side obstacle), can’t see me changing back to 29er wheels anytime soon, it was good with 29er wheels just a bit more fun with the 27.5+.

I’ve also got a 29 Scalpel which is a very competent bike and can cover the ground seriously quickly (up down and along). Bought to do longer distance routes in the highlands but haven’t got round to actually doing this yet 😬

I’ve still got a 26er Soul which is noticeably twitchier than both of the above, only really keep it as I’ve had it so long and am a bit attached to it and it still rides well and if selling it I don’t think I’d get much for it. The way my 7 year old is growing he could be riding it in a couple of years.

That Scout is lovely, just needs Shimano instead of Sram gears.

That’s a lovely purple Stooge. It was a tough decision to choose between the purple and turquoise when I bought mine I picked the turquoise but I would have been happy with either.

I think mine is better looking though 😉

Just looking on the specialized website and didn’t realise the difference between the 2021 bike (that I like) and the 2020 one that looks a bit of a gate and looks like a Rockhopper my pal had ten years ago.

I’ll be on the look out for a cheap immaculate second hand one of these in the coming months once the shite weather is back.

I like 27.5+ tyres on a bike (that beast of east looks nice) but it does (imo) make for a lazier ride, you don’t get the snap out of corners as you do with 29ers (or even more so on 27.5 and 26 etc). They can be a bit of a handful on mud and wet roots, which I like at times as it can be fun but could become tiresome on a longer ride as fatigue sets in and reaction times are reduced.

I’d be more inclined to go for a modern geometry xc type 29er that is a real all-rounder. One bike that has really caught my eye (and traditionally I’m no Specialized fanboy) is the 29er Rockhopper, it’s a real beauty and is even better looking than the more expensive epic which is in itself is a good looking bike. Shame you can’t actually buy one as they seem to have sold out.

I hired a Decathlon alloy rim brakes road bike when in Italy last year. I was very impressed with it. It had 105 gears and brakes and handled really well, not as nice as my Ritchey logic but then the Decathlon is less than half my Ritchey cost.

Let us know how you get on. 👍

My pal described those era of Specialized as “trying to **** themselves” always stuck with me.

Those Enduro’s were really ahead of their time. Even their name was prophetic.

I think On-one had a bike in that colour before, from memory it was called the ‘Barry White’ or something like that.

I’d want to keep my Ritchey for longer rides as it’s very comfy.

Cheers TJ for putting me right. After a bit more reading I think that if presumed liability was brought in I can see a few things changing:

1. Cars drivers giving all vulnerable road users a wide berth and using dash cams more in order to prove that a road accident was not their fault. Buses and trucks too.

2. Car/truck/bus insurance would go up to cover the additional claims.

3. Cyclists would end up having to get insurance too as if they hit a pedestrian they would be presumed liable.

Apparently insurance companies are against it but I could see them making money from it if more people take up cycling and get insurance for it.

That orbea is lovely and not too many about, always liked the look of orbeas since seeing them in Sandy Wallace’s (inverkeithing) years ago. He was quite successful racing on them too from memory. Don’t think orbeas are known to be super light weight though.

After a suggestion off someone on here I can’t seem to get the Allez sprint out of my head. It would be totally impractical and I don’t even race but it looks an awesome bike for a couple of hours blasting along back roads. Love the colour schemes you can get them in too (not all of them as some are a bit extravert for me). Always thought specialized was too common for me as well but I’ve never seen one of them about. A pal used to say “they were like clitorises. Every c### has got one”. He rode a specialized Rockhopper. 😀

Don’t put a cat in a bin! Remember what happened to the last woman that did that?

I’ve noticed a lot more litter on and around my local trails recently, strangely it’s got worse weeks into the lockdown. I’m planning on going out with my 30l backpack (lined with a bin liner) on a future ride to pick up the stuff that’s away from the carparks, bollocks I should have done this today!

I was aware of the phenomenon of people littering where they see litter but never knew that is was called ‘broken window theory’ it’s the only reason I wash my car (not fussed myself unless it’s really bad as it’s just a tool to do a job) as I’m aware that people tend to respect things more if they see that it is well maintained already.

Doings it as a dirty protest (as they feel powerless at these times) has only just occurred to me. I’ve heard that people do this at work too often in the toilets (after chatting to cleaners in quite fancy corporate buildings they have told me about excrement being smeared all over the toilet walls and floor. Found in both the male and female loos 😲).

Anyone with experience of the superstar components alloy jockey wheels?

Didn’t know that Shimano and Sram 12 speed was compatible, might go that way myself soon as my 18 month old gx rear mech is doing the same thing and has done it since it was about 12 months old. It’s only really been used when the weather was decent as I have other bikes for the slop.

Shame as I like the shifter action.

After looking at the jockey wheels and they are pretty worn and the mech has a fair bit of sideways movement too.

I’ll try new jockey wheels and see if that works as that’s quite a cheap fix.

If the presumed guilt thing did come in you’d see everyone who drives a car rush out and buy a dash cam to prove their innocence. Come to think about it I’m now thinking getting a couple of cameras for the bike although won’t do me much good if I’m ran over.

RIP guys. Thoughts are with your family and friends. It’s truly terrible that you can lose your life for doing nothing more than riding your bike on a public road.

A few scenarios going through my head:

1. Maybe the riders did pull out on the car.

2. Maybe the car was going too fast

3. Maybe the driver of the car was distracted (by a bee, passenger, sneezing fit, texting etc)

4. A combination of the above.

But if the driver is at fault then they deserve to receive the sentence as set out by the law (and should have their license removed until the court hearing)

As for presumed guilt or presumed liability (can’t remember the exact legal jargon) this is already in our legal system and is used regularly with huge fines and even prison sentences and I for one am glad it is there. It’s for H&S breaches that lead to someone getting hurt or even killed. If an employee is hurt or dies at work then the employer has to prove that they were not at fault or face the penalty. Can’t see how this couldn’t work for our roads.

A few years ago a van mounted the pavement and clipped the buggy that my son was in whilst being pushed by his granny. There was a witness, the police were called and the driver said that he never did it (despite having a mark on the van from the buggy). This went to the procurator fiscal who said there wasn’t a case as it was his word against my mother in-laws. Probably helped by the van drivers employer writing a letter that the mark on the door was there before the incident.

If he had been going quicker or had mounted the pavement even more then my son might not be with us anymore yet I don’t think they would have received any punishment then either as it would have been still his word against my mother in-laws.

Now tell me that the van driver should not have received a fine, or points added to his licence.

Hey mister! Can I have a shot of your bike? (Always had a soft spot for the Scott Spark but never had one).

I think the guy who enquired about my bike is tyre kicker, he says “he’s only looking for a pal” and that “he’s not really after that type of bike”
Or could just be chancing his arm.

Thinking about it, you could make a few hundred a week cash in hand by being first to make an offer below the price and then selling it again the next week at the original sellers price.

My Croix de fer is a 56, I’m in West Lothian. I’m 5’11” and fits me fine.

Although it’s only a couple of hundred less than a Santa Cruz Chameleon. Wonder if you could build a Chameleon for £1500?

Frame £669 in sparkly poo brown (actually quite like this colour).

Deore groupset inc. brakes £365 (from wiggle).

Fox 34 rhythm for £300 (from wiggle), or fit a budget fork or go second hand.

£200 for wheels and bars, saddle etc.
(Could get basic stuff for this but would probably get decent second hand for a bit more minus a dropper post).

Now this has got me thinking 🤔

The £1800 Laufy looks nice especially in the gulf blue. Bit over the OP’s budget though.

I’m watching with interest as I’m hankering for something similar (but don’t tell the wife)

Agree that beauty is in the eye of the beholder because I think people have misread the OP’s original question (I’m just as guilty listing bikes I’ve owned that really liked).

Bikes that just look “Right”

Not bikes that are really good.

Not bikes you have had emotional attachments to.

Not bikes that you have owned in the past or really want to own in the future.

But bikes that look like they were designed with the whole bike in mind with the perfect proportions. I might be wrong of course 😅

That’s why I think the likes of Cannondale and specialized (others do it too) are so good at making average bikes look so good, with their colour coordinated forks and frames and nice colour choices. Actually come to think about it Genesis are pretty good at this took.

I think if you want a bike that looks ‘just right’ then you have to go single speed hardtail or even fully rigid. Otherwise there’s too much going on that catches the eye.

As much as I loved the bikes from the early 90’s (I used to look at mountain bike magazines then nearly as much as a certain section of the Kay’s catalogue but then I was 12), they now look ungainly with their long stems, steep geometry, rim brakes, thin tyres and massive triple chainrings.

Ah, big chainrings! Or as they inevitably became if ridden properly off-road, bash-guards!

That’s strange I’ve just got an offer on my bike, not one of you guys? It’s a bit cheeky as it’s a fair wack less than the asking price but I suppose you don’t get if you don’t ask.

I put my Croix de fer up on Facebook market place yesterday and have not had a sniff. I put a full description and a few photos and set the price similar to what I’ve seen on other ads for similar bikes in a similar condition. Maybe the bubble has burst and I missed it or maybe the average Joe has never heard of Genesis or more likely, I’m asking too much for it 🤔

I’ll give it till Monday and if I still don’t have any interest by then I’ll slash the price as although I’m not riding it, it’s a great bike and could be used by someone to get them to work or to improve their health.