Thanks to everyone for the input. STW is great, isn’t it?

I think I’d adjust to rural life, as long as I can ride my bike I’d pretty much handle anywhere. I think it would be tough for the missus though, she’s born and raised in Queens, NY, a city girl through and through – Dorset would indeed be a big move for her. She likes rural Cheshire and Shropshire and we have lived in Scotland, she liked the countryside there, it was just the NEDs who scared her.

Its just the HFW types, I can’t seem to accept them. I like nice food and beer and markets, ect, I just can’t stand that smug/organic/upper-middle class attitude that goes with it. Bah.

We could go for a year, see how it goes and then take it from there – nothing is for ever I suppose.

Lots to mull over.

Thanks agin for everyone’s thoughts.

philconsequence, hope your mum’s getting on ok.

Slight problem with only speaking GCSE French – I can only just do the job in English, let alone French

I’d be working as a community nurse, so not raking it in. Looked at some flats and its fairly expensive. Would only do it for a couple of years though. Looks like it would be good biking though.

Merseyside at the moment – I’ve lived in rural areas before, but Bridport doesn’t even seem to have a train station, Wife doesn’t drive.

Specialized FSR XC and a Swift.

Thanks for your comments, maybe I’ll have to bite the bullet and exchange for XL

You’d need one of these tools to remove the ISIS BB.

However, unless you can get the drive-side crank off, there’s no way of getting the BB out.

For further advice I defer to other, more betterer members of the forum……

Thanks for your speedy responses – I have superstar hubs and so far they’ve been great – maybe I’ll give the bb a go. And I’ll have a serch around for FSA.

ta

I agree completely.

Old LX cantis with black and red koolstop pads and tektro 520? Drop levers have been great for me in anything dry, shite in the wet though.

That’s a mean looking bike, nice and slack. Looks like it’d be good fun DH. Congrats.

Had my second ride today – lots of fun.

I’m defining it as dance music, pre ’96 – house, hardcore (happy or not), breakbeat, d&b, and probably others I can’t remember.

Sorry, more Bizarre Inc

This one still sends shivers down me spine…

More to follow………….

I hadn’t thought of canals – I’ll check them out.

I have similar experiences of sketchness with an Ardent on the front – I wonder if a 29er Highroller will ever make it to the market?

I thought I’d buck the trend with the headbadge – the bars are going.

Just post it, either here or on MTBR.

cheers_drive – Me too, I’ll be pleasantly surprised if the bearings last a year, I’ll let you know – couldn’t resist at that price though.

They are Crests on Superstar Switch Evo hubs, laced with Sapim spokes.

Excellent advice by all, I think flat bars would balance the bike more – it definitely feels too upright, maybe 10mm longer in the stem dept too, currently running a 60mm.

Low rise bars are in the pipeline, still trying to find a decent wide pair I can afford, I see the logic of a 2.4 on the front.

flatfish – cheers, its all about juxtaposition.

boxelder – they’re Superstar switch, I’m a bit dubious to be honest, I’ll have to wait and see what they withstand.

Cheers for the replies – I’ll try a bit of chain lube and see what happens. Lube the carbon seat post too or is that a nono?

slowjo, maybe its in the geometry? – more compact.

I read somwhere that the cross rules stipulate that tyres can be no more wider than 35, so is a Monstercross anything with road/cross geometry and wider than 35 tyre?

I became somewhat obsessed with it last summer, lots of info here

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=192307

This is my attempt from last year, it rode well – A little like my old Raleigh Massif.

I haven’t injured my achilies (yet), however have had time off biking over the last few years with various breaks/bruises/ect – keep the faith, you’ll get back out there! Time to plan new bike builds/source cheap parts/watch youtube vids. I have to agree with the previous posters too, do everything the physios tell you to do, they know what they’re doing.

I see, thanks for the advice. I’ll just stick to CRC then.

cheers, just making sure.

Not exactly what you need but I have some Easton mid rise carbon bars 25.4, 710mm, a year old and very, very little use. Interested?

Specifically the lowers.

hahaha

http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=427

QR, possibly with the option for 20mm.

It’d be a Monstercross