Mr MC – Awesome, I bet you confound a few people who assume you are a bit daft!!!

I know a lecturer at a big uni who also works part time as a Lifeguard on the South Coast over the summer… He’s had some amusing arguments!

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the input.

jcromton – I remember that feeling, what felt like 20 minutes later but was actually 2yrs 9 months later I was thinking AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH – how has it taken this long to do so little!!!! Once you start writing though you realise you have done a lot, and still have loads more to do/holes to fill.

I am now writing up the “Milestones” I need to hit to hand in on time.

I have had some really big problems with my testing, I am trying to build up a load history for a big orange and blue boat, so have covered one with strain gauges, that was 11 months ago…. I am still having issues with the data collection processes.

The data logging hardware wasn’t as capable as the manufacturer said it was but it took 7 months to discover despite having one of their most senior software engineers looking over my shoulder and helping me!

And now the boat is a 6hr drive away!!!

Still it wouldn’t be fun if it wasn’t a challenge :D

Keep the write up stories coming, it’ll make me feel better!!!!!

And the guys with the “High five” and “Pull a wheelie” on the ascent up to the bridge cross over. They were only there for 1 of my laps but I got the hi5 in, couldn’t manage the wheelie though.

I loved it!!!

I haven’t read many of the posts above (need to be quick today) but wanted to say how awesome/tiring it was!!!

I was one of the guys who had a big off on that crazy little bump thing on the final downhill, I thought I might have broken my hip in the immediate aftermath but the nice nurse/paramedic man told me to MTFU after checking I was ok :lol:

In the end all I needed was a new set of wheels and I was back on the course ready to ride… :oops:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGHH

The Brick – Sounds rubbish :(

I am not gonna lie, I kinda hope I am going to be able to pick up a post with my sponsoring company for at least a 5 year term…. But that is little more than hopeful at the moment.

Mr Salmon – hardware or software?

Haha…

Currently listening to the best of the hollies to try and give me some inspiration…

I fear I have entered the world of procrastination again….

clearly totalshell you are a man mountain amongst academics!

MrSalmon, good luck with yours, what area are you studying in?

Cheers Shackleton,

I am doing Engineering Doctorate, (a PhD with some other bits). I shall try and sort myself a routine though, at the moment I seem to be just going around and around in circles with this tiny little bit!!

don – final submission March ’11, first draught Jan/Feb ’11

Shackleton – Still in the process of getting results (Stupid hardware letting me down) not enough to do any meaningful post processing yet…. It’s getting a bit tight!

Edit: “premature”!!! It’s normally only my missus that uses that word….. But yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I admit I liked the user name so figured I’d get there one day!

Introduction yes,

completely agree.

However the aim defines the feeling or story of the thesis and the objectives define what will come in the subsequent chapters so defining them earlier on will give me a nice clear direction.

Obviously they will change if I find that what I am writing is veering away from what is written!

Noted.

All interesting reading,

I have a Croix de Fer (AMAZING BIKE – personally I think it rides better than my 456 for general feel goodness) anyway, I digress.

The whole thing is completely standard apat from tyres, it has currently Schwalbe 40mm (I can’t remember the actual tyre) but does run 23mm Michelin Speediums on Alex Rims laced to a deore hub with unknown spokes.

They are heavy, but are also the most reliable set of wheels that I own (others being DT 5.1 rims laced to XT hub and Unknown rims laced to deore hubs).

I am looking to change them at some point, but will probably do the hubs first as I have had enough of the cup and cone system. No complaints with the rims (Except for weight) but then I probably don’t ride them that hard!

These are the google results for Motorcross bike forks snap

jhw does have a point though.

I wonder how many pictures there are of motorcross or enduro bikes falling apart “randomly” or under intended use.

I have absolutely no faith in new build houses.

When I eventually stop buying shiny and start buying brickwork it will be bticks that have stood the test of time!!!

Seriously dodgy that, not to put the wind up you but it makes me wonder where else they have cut corners.

Still, luckily no one was injured!

I’ve come to the party late. I have read some although not all of the thread so may have missed some information, anyone fancy summarising it for me?

It looks interesting…. I am guessing it failed, how did it fail?

What did you use to bond the CF to the frame? Did you do any surface prep before applying the bondage stuff?

davetrave: I am running land cruisers at the moment, they have been an outstadning tyre in the winter, very happy with them. But at 40mm wise I reckon they are a bit overkill for th esort of trails I am now on.

I think part of the problem was running the bike with 23mm road tyres a few weeks ago showed me how fast tyres can roll, the difference was absolutely incredible. Obviously I don’t expect the same roll with a thinner CX tyre, but I thought something like a 28-32mm tyre would be a good half way house.

Cheers guys,

I thought this thread had died a death!!!!

2unfit2ride: How much use have you had out of the tyres?

Anyone?

I didn’t realise there was an upload limit.

Rubbish!

Cheers guys, I had left the video to upload all day (Since about 10am) but it seems to have got stuck on 24%.

Just resaving it with a 0.5MB/s bitrate. Will see how that affects the quality. It has dramatically reduced the size of the file.

Cheers Joe,

Didn’t know that about the music, maybe I’ll have to dig out some of my mates old band’s stuff, I doubt they’ll have any issues with it. Not really “music to ride to” though.

That is a very cunning work around uploading overnight, it seems pretty obvious really doesn’t it!!!

Cheers Cakefest,

I’d like to take part in the Marathons myself, but I don’t have a huge number of free weekends and I would prefer to find some closer to home on the south coast.

I am taking part in Mountain Mayhem as part of a team, so will try and stay up the whole time!!!!!!

Will also try and get some days on the actual SDW itself.

Bournemouth/Poole

Some of the best beaches in the world. The new forest half hour away and the Purbecks half hour to an hour in the opposite direction.

Only downside is they are very flat. Very very flat.

For those who are interested. We chickened out :(

A combination of me not being able to get rid of the dog, one of our group having a big confidence knock at CRC Marathon thing the weekend before and lack of organisation did pay to it for us.

We shall however be doing it in September after doing a lot more training.

Dom

I use the roll bar mount and either mount on the seat post pointing forward (a bit freaky), pointing back (makes everything look like it’s in warp speed) or under the stem with the nadle bars and/or front wheel in shot, I think this is the best forward facing shot I think.

All the chest/helmet mounts are to wobbly in my opinion.

No issues on my Egg Beaters, 2010 bottom of the range model I think.

Had them since October last year probably used them on average for about 20 miles a week (including a layoff), I am not a particularly smooth rider and I think I twist on them a lot.

Loads of float, I put the spacer in to see how it changed things, ’twas a mistake far too much vertical float so will take them out as soon as I remember!!!

Cheers

Rubbish, I am about to go out for a couple of hours, I shall take some pics and post them up here so you know what could have been.

Or I’ll fall off and hurt myself also.

I am pretty lucky, I have a selection of shops near me, most of them seem to be quite good, I am using one more than the others at the moment purely because his work shop is part of the shop, so you can see everything he is doing whilst having a chat with the staff.

Either he is very fool hardy or very confident or just doesn’t get complaints. I certainly don’t have any with them.

Cheers mate!

1.5″ head tube, bah, that’s put pay to that idea then!

Rubbish, I shall reconsider this if I ever feel the need for a short travel bike. Would have been ideal on the cx though.

Seems I was wrong and they are still making them.

I have Mallets.

Completely unserviced for over a year and have performed faultlessly (used for at least 10 miles a week, but often more).

Tomorrow however they will fall apart on my way into work. I wasn’t touching wood :(

I shall definately revisit letting everyone know how it went, although at the moment it’s not looking promising. Need to find a way of looking after the dog whilst I am away, unfortunately the missus is working days (12 hr shifts assuming she finishes on time) and I don’t like leaving it that long without some company.

I may see if there is space in kennels for one day.

TBH we just want our names on that website!!!!

I have no idea how I am going to keep endomondo going for 24 hours though!!!

Pedalhead – Worryingly I actually am inclined to agree with you. Still we’ll see where we’re at in a few weeks time.

Worst case scenario if I/We don’t make it then I’ll do a LOT more training and give it a shot again at the end of the summer.

One way or another I will complete it this year!!!