I like that concept. A cyclocross version would be interesting – our family goes through about one mech per 3 races between us.

What’s wrong with the existing bolts? Which ones in particular?

I had one of these which I sold at the start of Lockdown. I might have a few odd bolts around from when I did its bearings.

I have one on my hardtail, so far all the rivets and teeth in place. shifts just fine.

The conditions for Townley Park finally showed what a fantastic course it is, and was 100% rideable.

We went through the full range of Islabikes as our two grew up. Very impressed with them. Facebook group preownedislabikesforsale is a good place to see what’s available.
The Creig mountain bike range is very capable, although getting hold of one second hand or new is a challenge.

Early Rider do a 16” wheel disc brake bike. There is an Islabike Creig 20 with discs, although it would be easier to find a pair of unicorns. Nuke proof Cub Scout 20 is another option.

Disc brakes are very useful for younger riders. My daughter would complain of her arms getting pumped on a long descent with rim brakes, which would mean she had a stiff position on the bike. Once she was on discs, she could relax, and was faster and more comfortable.

Removal tool – a regular plumber’s adjustable wrench will do just fine for a threaded external BB, and is a universal fit. Can also be used carefully to install an obscure BB too.

pressfit – Mallet and a drift will usually do the job.

Went to Old Trafford with the family, the girls loved it. 10/10 will cricket again.

Why would you bother taking the tyre off, or worry about truing the rim, every time you want to check the mech alignment?

Line the tool up with the rim at the valve. Turn wheel and tool 180 degrees, and measure at the valve again. The measurement of the hanger is now independent of any inaccuracies at the rim.

If you are taking the tyre off, you should ask your LBS for a long stand to hold the wheel whilst you do it.

Our two daughters had an Islabikes Creig, which was a fantastic bike. If one comes up second hand, be quick – they sell in a few hours, and like everything are very hard to get new.

Trailed as part of Queens Speech. Very US republican gerrymandering. Also likely to go to First Past the Post for mayoral elections to try to stop anyone else winning those too.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/10/queens-speech-photo-id-future-elections-social-care

Interested by the Gravity Development Hubs. The current talent centres are great, but very ‘carbon hardtail’. Support for youth riders on more technical ground would be popular here.

Get a rear mech alignment tool and check the mech is straight before trying to fix anything else. Saved me countless hours and frustration fettling this shifting issues in the middle of the cassette.

I built up a very lightweight hardtail for my daughter as an AliExpress project.

Frame was OG Evkin. Carbon layup seems OK. Bottom bracket tolerances good. Brake mount would probably have benefited from better facing.

Wheels from Xiamen A-One. Built straight, even spoke tension, still round.

Cassette ZTTO 11 speed 11-50, rainbow, again super light. I don’t know if it would stand up to a heavy duty adult, but seems OK so far for a lightweight rider.

Shifters and mech were from Sensah. These were the only real let-down. I swapped them out for Shimano SLX.

Forks from Wiggle EBay outlet.

Paint from https://spray.bike/

https://instagram.com/p/CDMsVH0pjtS/

Laser etched probably not coming off unless you rub it down and paint over. Or you could etch over it, like covering a tattoo. GUB could become GUBBINS which would be cool if you are actually called Fred Gubbins.

I ordered some wheels and specified no graphics, and my next imaginary project is a gravel bike with a ‘no logos’ frame. I have taken painted logos off stems – they were starting to look a bit tatty, and just a fingernail sorted that out.

I had heard of AliExpress rivets coming loose (mine still solid so far) but not Shimano till now. I might need to look at the fully machined ones if the rivets fall out of mine.

I do have one from when I switched to XD. You would need to use your existing ratchet parts, but it has 12mm axle endcap. Endcap sticks out 7mm beyond the end of the free hub body.

You can have it if it’s of use to you.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMAm08HMiRJ/?igshid=1x2nh2gulau02

I might have one in the cellar – I’ll have a look

Vittoria Barzos on my hardtail xc bike.

I’ve been trying ZTTO from AliExpress. Daughter has a beautifully machined super lightweight 11-50 11 speed. It probably wouldn’t stand up to a heavy duty adult abusing it, but running OK so far.

I have a heavier (and cheaper) 9-50 12 speed ZTTO which has cogs riveted to a spider. Run it on the xc bike through the winter and it is still in one piece and shifting fine.

I’ve been out most days with Schwalbe IceSpikers on – West Pennine Moors area. Fabulous conditions, Hard packed snow and ice, then freeze dried dusty mud have opened up some moorland trails that are only passable in a hard freeze or very dry summer. The sheet ice has been getting harder, so less grip, over the last week.

You can just put a narrow-wide chainring on your existing cranks, and have your choice of chain line.

Old chain new chainrings is never good.

Replace the chain with any new 11speed chain of your choice.

Agreed. Get an alignment tool, and those impossible-to-index-out shifting problems are gone. I wasted so much time and frustration  before I got one.

Yes, an open canoe is perfect for a canal. I have a 14’6” Pelican Potomac which takes two adults and our two children when they were little, or three adults.

We often would put in at Botany Bay, or where A675 or A674 cross the canal.

For equipment, buoyancy aids (BA), paddles (I like wooden for the feel of it) and a painter (rope) on each end.

When I paddle solo, I turn the boat round and use the ‘bow’ seat to improve the weight balance. It is capable on grade II/III white water as well, but that’s a different thing altogether!

For safety- wear the BA always, stay out of the locks.

For admin – BC membership comes with the inland waterway licence, although I have never been asked.

For technique- check out some YouTube on J stroke, and using muscles in your core rather than all arms.

For transport- figure out how you are going to get it on your vehicle. Two sturdy people can hoik it onto a car, but anything higher will require cunning. A C-tug trolley is useful for manoeuvring on the ground. A cheap trolley is infuriating.

For buoyancy of the vessel – most boats will be naturally buoyant. Go to a paddle forum and buoyancy bags for open boats on flat water is the helmet debate all over again. I have them in.

Thanks, on its way.

Drop me a message with your address on and I’ll post it out. You can drop something in the Mountain Rescue box for postage. I’ll get the satisfaction of knowing my massive pile of bike bits is not a hoard of random crap, but is part of the GB Obscure Components Library.

Instapic clamp and bolts

Does it look anything like this?

Can you post a picture? I’ve got some random bits of seat clamps.

I’ve got a Giant branded cylinder. It works, but the valve handle to select between charge and inflate doesn’t. I had to pop the cover off and turn the valve stem with an Allen key.

Giant Control tank Tredz

Had the same weeping with Spesh tyres and a variety of sealants. Now using Maxxis with no weeping, from me or the tyres.

On my CX bike I have some of the new Challenge Limus tubeless. One of them works fine, the other weeps so much it picks out the pattern of the threads in the casing, and now has a tube in it.

The background snarl of Schwalbe Ice Spikers on tarmac, followed by the soft silence on hard packed snow.

Schwinntonation

Or if that’s too much e-cheating by using delay loops, then how about something more stripped back and classical, from Takafumi Suzaki

If you are tuning spokes, then you could get them to play a tune if you spin them and flick each one as it goes past. Tune the other side of the wheel differently to play the B-side.

To get a more interesting rhythm you will need a custom lacing pattern.

We used Trailgators. Not too heavy, stows out of the way when children want to ride, then hook it up when they get tired.

No use if you have a dropper post though.

You do need to clamp it tight on the headtube which may scratch the paint. I left the clamp on and sold bike with the trailgator included.

Thanks for sharing that. I’ve been a fan of the Aquarama since I was a kid. Fantastic to see the original factory film. The nearest I’ve got so far is building a wooden kayak with a strip plank deck and marine ply hull.

First launch

Thanks for that, I’ll check out the Decathlon one.

Islabikes, Frog or Hoy will all be excellent. Most of what you can buy from an autospares shop would be as good as you can imagine.

Probably more chance of buying used rather than new. I would always recommend a used Islabike over anything else, new or used, at the same price.

Thanks for this, I do like a nicely fastened latch, polished with use.

My local evening loop has two gates worthy of discussion. The start of the loop is guarded by a sheepfold,* with entry and exit gates at the same corner on adjacent sides. The entry gate opens inwards, across the exit. Riding solo this a bit awkward. Riding with a daughter, the challenge is to allow the rider to trackstand and turn in the sheepfold, and exit without a dab.

The end of the loop has a gate that swings shut under gravity. It can be gently boffed open with the front tyre without dismounting, then swings shut on departure.

* The field has adorable beef cattle in it, never sheep, but I don’t know the equivalent term for a cowfold.

Used Islabikes Beinn or Luath depending on if you want MTB or Cx/Road would be a good choice at that budget. Our two have had both. Check the sizing – for the same size rider you will often get a bigger wheel size with Islabikes than some other brands.