I used to be a Quantocks regular, and am now a Sherwood regular. Prepare yourself. It’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced.

I have the bog-o kindle, and it’s the best gadget type thing i own. I can’t comment on the others, but for it’s purpose i can’t think of a single way to make it better.

I may be wrong, or have a limited sample, but all the snapped chains on geared bikes happen whilst changing gear, and usually whilst going uphill, so chain under loads of force, and then being twisted across sprockets.

That’s my experience too. I’ve never managed to snap a chain under linear load.

Some interesting thoughts on this issue can be found on the Surly website. They seem to suggest that 3/32 is a bit of a waste of money:

Run whatever you want, but bigger isn’t better here. Yeah, they’re wider, but according to manufacturer-supplied data, they’re not stronger and they are definitely not of better quality. Multi-speed drivetrains is where the bucks are at, and chains that work on such drivetrains are where the manufacturers of chains showcase their innovations and developments in quality. The rollers are better, the plates are better, the pins are stronger, and the construction method (riveting procedure) is better on all multi-speed 3/32″ chains.

Sauce.

I still own a FS, but i’ve not ridden it for well over a year. I just ride my 456 all the time!

Singlespeed that hardtail of yours; you’ll soon be leaving those riding buddies miles behind, as you sail off in front!

Something i’ve posted on here a little while ago:

To clarify, there’s less than a 2% improvement in all cases when going from 26er to 29er… A Formula 1 team would pay millions for a 2% improvement, so it seems like a bargain! I don’t think i can afford not to buy a 650b to be honest! I could knock 7 or even 8 seconds off my commute!

Sauce.

I die quite regularly from camelback poisoning. I wouldn’t be concerned about little black bits in the mouthpiece; you’ll only die a little bit. Not even enough to notice.

Unless they outsource the travel bit to Ryanair…..

Jest yee not, good sir.

Splitter!

Red Dead Redemption… you must play this.

GTA IV with more horses… good fun!

I never get much time to play games any more. But i make an exception for TF2.

Too subtle for me!

Pretty smart!

Although, it looks as if they’ve pitted a pro against 2 beginners…

http://www.gerbergear.co.uk/Survival

Nuff said

Nuff said.

Good choice on the Surge!

Wave for £90 on the Leatherman store.

I’ve spent the last 10 years trying to find an excuse to buy a new one…

Long term Leatherman user, here. Make sure you buy a full size one (like a wave) because you’ll only ever buy one.

Clarkson is a fictional character on the BBC, he plays to an audience in very successful way for which he is rewarded. When people get worked up it proves he is getting his act right.

£5 an hour?! You could hire a graduate for that money! By the end of the summer he’ll have his own tax code!

I remember getting £5 a day, if i’d been grafting!

I needed to use a tensioner, how did you manage to get this to work?

On One sold some horizontal dropouts for it.

I have a steel one, and have it set up with a magic ratio – where the chain happens to be the correct length by an engineered coincidence.

A much stiffer ride, and the option to run a 650b wheel. Oh, and you can singlespeed it without the need for tensioner (although my steel one runs a magic ratio…).

For the most part, the quantocks are arranged around a central east/west ridgeline. Once you’re up the top, head for anywhere with “combe” in the name; smiths combe, hodders combe, holford combe… google them.

You’ll have an epic day. In my experience, it’s the best natural riding in the country. It’s even better in the wet!

Slightly more modern version:

A bit of a buyers guide here if you’re interested.

What do you have to do to destroy a BB in one ride?

Not fit it correctly…

Shimano SLX external on my singlespeed – 4 years and counting.

This one should be called the Suzuki Slayer:

I gather The Panel’s view was that getting a singlespeed just because it’s more weather-proof was probably a bad plan.

Don’t be mislead into thinking they need no maintenance at all. After all, they still have headsets, bottom brackets, hubs, freewheels, brakes, etc.

That said, Singlespeed is just better.

An inbred will be just perfect! And 26in wheelz iz da future!

Word of warning about singlespeeding, though – once you’ve been bitten, you’ll not want to go back to those horrible gear-danglers…

Maybe that’s what everyone is buying – it’d be a bit daft for a company not to produce the one thing that all the lemmings wanted to buy…

Ah well, at least we now know exactly how stupid the instigators of this new standard think we are.
The sad thing is, they would appear to be right.

The self-licking lollipop?

They must think we are bloody stupid !

Well people are obviously buying them, so perhaps we are…?

I’m not though; i ride a 26″ singlespeed!

Jimnys are great little 4x4s by all accounts. Look a bit girlie, but a genuine hardcore off roader.

I’d love to get one, but if i’m brutally honest with myself, what I really want is a 90″ landrover…

Not anything outdoor related

Erm… Darts?

If you’re happy to forgo the “no outdoors” caveat, i’d recommend running!

Please don’t spend any money on my word; i’ve never tried it myself, but i am aware that it’s been done before.

I just tried Googling for some source information, but that’s going to be hard to find since they’ve announced a proper 650b version…

So is it worth buying a new 650b frame as shown or stay with the 456?

If you’ve already got a 456, then you’d probably be wasting your money by buying the 45650b. You do know you can fit 650b wheels into a standard 456, don’t you?

I thought this was “that blue”:

It’s not “that blue” anymore, but I’ll try and find out what “that blue” was so we can do it again.

Brant – are there some new colours in the pipeline for the Pomp? Any chance of a Raw finish?

They’ve changed the colours around several times over the years. Currently looks like they have white w/green decals, or dark blue w/red declas. You could probably get one in “that blue” second hand, though…

I ENJOY CANNOCK ON A SINGLESPEED. IT’S PRETTY MUCH PERFECT TERRAIN FOR IT. LOLZ.

HASHTAG WHEREISTHECAPSLOCK

What a fantastic thread resurrection! Some nice looking rovers in this thread…

There’s loads of interesting stuff on the Surly website. If i was building up a new’un, i’d probably go 36:18, but i’m not going to rush out and replace perfectly usable stuff.

Charlie – i wish there were more people like you in the world. You’ve built your business by advocating drive systems which have practically no parts, and require practically no service items! You’re my hero.

Charlie – I’d like to go into business retailing parts for Singlespeed Bikes.
Bank Manager – What’s to special about Singlespeed Bikes?
Charlie – They have no parts to buy, and they don’t wear out.
Bank Manager – …and is there much of a market?
Charlie – No, most people build Singlespeeds out of bits they’ve got lying around.

I assume people go because their moral bone is much smaller than their makes shit loads of money bone

Insightful, thanks.

Been told on the group rides to “soft-pedal” instead of freewheel when on the group rides by the ride leader. Anyone know the reason why?

Because he’s a chomper?

Ask yourself; am i out riding to keep these people happy, or am i out riding for my own entertainment?