If only there was an in depth review of the Fustle Causeway by a fellow Singletracker…….

Fustle Causeway GR1 Review

Well my impromptu planning has picked a weekend where there’s a mtb marathon race at Newcastleton and an xc race at Kielder. Looks like both those destinations are off the list for Saturday.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/296030/2024-British-Cycling-National-MTB-Marathon-Championships

Thanks all,

Definitely some routes to investigate, I’d never heard of the Sandstone Way before, despite cycling through that area numerous times (in-laws live near Duns).

If anyone else has a gpx file of a loop that side of the borders (south west of Galashiels) that is ‘gravel’ compatible then please post it or you can send it to me via private message

@inbred853 don’t tease us, where’s the pics of this beauty?

Halfords and Decathlon have quite good bottles these days, and I have one of each. Their valves aren’t quite as good as the CamelBak ones but then they’re a fair bit cheaper. The bottle plastic is very similar to CamelBak ones, quite soft.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/650-ml-m-cycling-water-bottle-fastflow/_/R-p-168920

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-accessories/bike-water-bottles/halfords-700ml-water-bottle-213995.html

I think it’s your dishwasher is deforming your bottles or lids from the heat. I’ve had this, and you end up with water all down your front because the lid doesn’t quite fit as well as it once did. Even Podium ones have done this.

I think the Alpkit/Sonder Camino ticks all the boxes, and is cheap too at £600, with a wireless Apex1 AXS XPLR at £1800 seems amazing value.

Camino Al Frame And Fork

Camino Al Apex1 AXS XPLR

This could be the winner of best all-rounder especially at the cost, but:

• What is it like to ride on-road?
• What is it like to ride off-road?
• Does it hold together better than the Alpkit clothing and camping equipment I’ve experienced?

That Singlebe website is scary (good), and I would not recommend anyone who is a fan of 90’s Kleins to head there after consuming a few beverages and in easy reach of a credit card. The fact there is no price list, and the paint finishes look so good, I think it is a case of “if you have to ask for the price, then you can’t afford it”

SingleBe Pinnacle

A custom frameset is very tempting but very likely too expensive for me, nice though,

The Fearless Vulture is stunning and quite a good weight for a frameset, and a decent price at £865. Not 100% sold on a straight steel fork, as I’ve found a straight steel fork to be a bit harsh and ‘twangy’ IME, so I’d be looking to change that to a carbon one. Maybe one to be considered.

Vulture Mk2 Steel

Cannondale Topstone looks quite good value for a complete bike in the sales. It’s not the prettiest of bikes (carbon bikes generally do look a bit box IME) and I’m not sold on that weird rear bushing suspension design. the tyre clearance is 40mm on a 700 rim, which is what I have on my current cx bike, and is ok but not 50mm.

https://www.cannondale.com/en/bikes/road/gravel/topstone-carbon/topstone-carbon-4

Cannondale Topstone Carbon 3 2023

Mason Bokeh is also very pretty, especially in blue. But tyre clearance is also 45mm on a 700 rim. And looks quite expensive when compared to the Kinesis.

https://masoncycles.cc/shop/categories/bokeh-bikes

That Kinesis is very pretty, especially in the purple, and is cheap! But only takes 45mm tyres on a 700 rim.

https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Kinesis/GX-Race-Gravel-Frameset-2023/SSCW?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&co=GBR&cu=GBP&glCountry=GB&id=1343134&ds_eid=3823279037&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=&ds_cid=21456733636&ds_ag=&ds_agid=&ds_k=&ds_kid=&ds_kids=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwreW2BhBhEiwAavLwfCdU04c6QxWCrvhroEMb5jJJkvNafUU5b9b6LDJhLG3ZiXtZwFE1eBoC0gcQAvD_BwE

https://www.bikeradar.com/features/tech/bikeradar-builds-simons-kinesis-gx-race

Did the CDM coordinator (now called the Principal Designer) get a mention in the report?

Below was their duties on a project, which as far as I’m concerned should have helped highlight the issues in design, materials, contractors etc.

Duties of CDM Co-ordinator – Checklist

Notify the project to the Health & Safety Executive.

Advise and assist the client with the client’s duties for engaging or appointing competent and adequately resourced organisations.

Assist the client with ensuring that suitable management arrangements are made for the project (This may include the performance of design audits and construction site audits and inspections)

Identify and collect the pre-construction information and provide it in a convenient form to designers, the principal contractor and other contractors.

Advise the client on the sufficiency of the time allocated for all phases of the project.

Ensure that the design complies with the requirements of the regulations, including any designs undertaken by designers who are not based within Great Britain.

Ensure that the designers and the principal contractor co-operate.

Assist the client with verifying the sufficiency of the construction phase plan to commence construction and the adequacy of the welfare provisions.

Prepare the health and safety file, or review and update an existing health and safety file, and pass it the client at the end of construction.

The after effect of Grenfell will be felt within the construction industry for a long time and rightfully so, especially when there seems to have been the fault of everyone involved, from the client and design consultants to the manufacturers and installers. What I’m seeing in the projects I’m involved in, is the client and consultants pushing the design responsibilities onto the contractor and subcontractors more and more, and just distancing themselves from any decision that could come back and bite them, especially where fire is concerned. But, as far as I’m aware, they still have ultimate responsibility still as they are the one appointing the and paying the contractors and subcontractors. You can’t just delegate your responsibilities and assume someone will sort it for you.

RIP to the 72 who tragically lost their lives.

Looked at the Cotic Cascade and the Escpade but dismissed them as the former is a bit too much like a MTB and the latter a road bike. If they had one somewhere in the middle made of 853 then that could be a contender for the best all-rounder IMO.

Cascade

Escapade

Plum pudding….

So long…

I always thought the rear end length of the Outback was one of its plus points. Balanced positioning, comfortable and better shifting for 1x systems.

Reviews say that it is indeed great at climbing and is super smooth, but not the most exciting of bikes. Not a bad thing if that’s what you are after.

The Fairlight Secan does indeed look to fit all of the above, but is the Plum worth £100 more? It even comes in Reynol 853.

SECAN 2.5 FRAMESET DEPOSIT

I’d like a shot.

A couple of pals are doing it.

Good luck to everyone competing.

Have you looked at a tool backpack?

https://toolsidee.co.uk/product/neo-mounting-backpack-woven-nylon-P18590.html?ship_to=17&currency_een=1

Chisels have poor specs IMO, but that frame alone is worth £1000 all day long.

Cheers @Pickers for the review and pertinent points. Thankfully all my bikes have 31.8mm bars, and could change the bolts too.

This is my bike setup using the above recommended bracket and Alpkit Joey bar bag support. It works, but not perfect and is a faff to fit, adjust and refit the bag.

@Earl_Grey & @citizenlee I’ve a couple of these and have used them in the past with decent success, but you’d need three of them to be able to get a similar (albeit inferior) set-up to the ILCOSO. I don’t have the handlebar room for three brackets’, plus they’re fiddly to fit.

I’m more into a single bracket/cradle/mount, the closest to the cradle I’ve found is the Salsa EXP Cradle, but this is similarly priced to the ILCOSO but without the light mount.

https://www.salsacycles.com/gear/exp_series_anything_cradle_35mm

Thanks for the advice though.

Mechanical I prefer Shimano for dropbar bikes and SRAM for mountain bikes. I don’t like double tap but do like the positive shifting of SRAM on the mountain bike.

Electronic I’d go SRAM on both. Less hastle to swap batteries and is 100% wireless.

I think organic pads give the best performance and are quieter than sintered/semi-sintered.

Don’t last as long though.

You can also change the calipers to Hope, but this is not a cheap option.

I used Carwow and they were great. Which directed me to Zen car leasing who have also been very good.

Ring them up. I’m not one for waiting and am quote flexible on what spec or colour I have, so I’d consider taking whatever they already have in stock or is on a short delivery timeframe.

Wife was watching it. Not my taste, it’s getting a bit weird. Geoff is good though, pretty much the same character he played in one of the Avengers/Thor films.

Saw a cracking catch on Leith Links the other day, whilst I was walking to a meeting. Sun was even out.

Mid-ride……

• Pint of Guinness and bag of meat flavoured crisps, especially in the winter in front of a fire.
• Cup of tea/coffee and a slice of cake, ideally with a view.
• Ice cream whilst sitting in the sun.

An impromptu and freely initiated cuddle from either of my kids.

A cup of tea, a packet of biscuits and a nice sit down.

Toasted cheese and pickle sandwich.

A good poo.

I’ve only the older 600 11 speed levers, and I’ve not been all that impressed with them for shifting. They don’t shift as well as my 10 year old 11 speed 105 levers on my road bike. The brakes have been great though, apart from the usual Shimano calipers failing, easily sorted with Hope ones.

I’d plump for the more expensive levers to get better shifting. I’d steer clear of the 800 bonded cranks though, my 600 solid alloy one has been great. The chain rings are GRX specific, so are a fair chunk of money more to replace than other makes. But it’s not a component you change all that regularly IME.

This one was actually from Tuesday but thought I’d post it as it is just so pretty.

Blackness, looking towards the Forth Bridges.

Friday counts as the weekend right?

Had an enjoyable evening gravel ride (and a fair chunk of tarmac) around Loch Katrine. Was just perfect weather and temperature wise.