Your hands will be sore on a rigid bike after 12 hour.

100HP is fine on motorways I think. 6 gears help. Practical fun.

Clutch mechs are fantastic and I am an evangelist about them. Now have them on two bikes. Pauls Chain Keeper on the front and simple silence.

100hp is noisy, uncomfortable and mine now rattles a lot. I only get 35ish to the gallon. Seats fold down and I have carried a bike in it but have an Espace for that.
I love it and thrash it all the time. 50000 miles so far and only mechanical is a rear wheel bearing.
Was another thread on here with a chap getting one. He might be more clued up on racks etc but can’t see why they wouldn’t fit.

Just an update on my day coaching with Tony. Interesting to find that you only need to think about a couple of new things and suddenly you feel like a complete beginner.
Enjoyed the day and a very good venue for training. All very straightforward and exactly what I was after. I picked up a few things but one in particular is so blindingly simple I cannot believe that I have ridden this long without knowing and it has/will make a difference. Worth the entry price for that alone. As other have said, if you fancy some coaching then worth a visit.

Another downhiller here. Ride all sorts but enjoy some downhill. No racing other than Enduro since a big crash in 2010. This is pre accident
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Trail Guru as above for Wales at least.

You are like a policeman – always at work

Will report back, good or bad.
As much as anything I want to talk to someone who has obviously given it a lot of thought about a coherent and consistent way of thinking especially front v rear weight bias.
On the other hand I sound like someone who is taking it a bit too seriously – it is only riding a bike after all.
We will see.

Don’t know about 2×10 because mine are single ring up front but try it with a cheap top guide on the front and see how you get on.

I bought one and have been running it with just a top guide only. Seems to work fine. So impressed that I bought another.
For that bike I am waiting for a Paul’s Chain guide from the States for the front. Went out last night for a potter with no front guide and the chain did not fall off but I wouldn’t trust it. Think that you need a top guide unless you are on very smooth ground. Don’t think you need a bottom guide unless you are racing when dropping a chain is really stressy.
Really think they are a relatively cheap and simple improvement. Silent running is such a pleasure for saddos like me.

No

Cheezpleez
Running between the wheels and running over the badger with a backwheel has happened to two of us on night rides. Badgers seem unfussed by it and keep on going. Very common round here and ate my childrens guinea pigs. (maybe a revenge attack for being run over)

Will be getting in touch. Will try and arrange for Father Christmas to get one for me.

Have a GD at the moment and happy to try one of these for £120. Looked at the website but couldn’t see where I could actually buy one here. However it is early and I have a bit of a hangover and so forgive me if I am being a bit stupid.

I have done 50,000 miles in mine. No suspension at all, just bump stops, but as you say, a hoot to drive. Good throttle response in sport mode, never have it in any other and a fast 6 speed gearbox means heel and toeing is satisfying.
Only criticism is that it is difficult to provoke lift off oversteer unless you are crude and brutal. (I still hanker after my string of hot french hatches from the 80s and 90s and naughties)
However its small size means you have loads of room to play with and its’ slow (in reality) speed mean you can be a hooligan without risking everything. Don’t really carry bikes in mine, just use it for work but I am sure you will enjoy it. I love it and hope that they make a fast version of the new Panda but don’t think they will now that the 500 is around.
Good to see one in blue, mine is boring grey.

Momentum is all very well but it was all muddy today. Momentum won’t get you through all of it!

As above I swapped a Superstar for an MRP Lopes which is smaller and quieter. Lost the chain a couple of times at UK Bikepark which I had not at home. Clamped the top mech down tighter on the chainring and seems OK. I don’t have problems with ghost shifting but don’t use the last cable guide before it drops down to the swingarm because I thought that it put too much of a kink in it.
Top bike, my favourite ever and mine is 32 lbs.

Read this thread yesterday and went for a very muddy ride this morning and it got me thinking. Have a friend who has a 29er but doesn’t ride it when claggy because the longer footprint (that gives many of the grip advantages) has a bad effect in the mud making it very draggy and when the tyres fill up they are heavy also not great clearance round the BB but this may just be his bike.
I am not a 29 hater – think lots of choice can only be good but this seems like a genuine disadvantage for UK winter rides but I had never heard it reported in magazines or on forums and wondered why not. What do other 29er riders find? Just curious.

Quite happy to accept that I could be wrong and certainly have never seen the Ramones live. They have just never done it for me, whereas The Clash always have.
Happy to hear that the Ramones might have more substance than I ever gave them credit for. I would say that I might give them another try but I seem to be more of a shoe gazer these days.

I’m sorry but I can’t let this go. The Clash were a quality band that had a fantastic image and very good music and deserve their status. The Ramones had a good image and because of this,over the years everyone has forgiven/forgotten that their music wasn’t really very good at all.

Stayed in the bunkhouse for two nights in September.
Really good, simple accommodation and huge for 10 of us. Right next to the pub that was also good and so could stagger back and pass out.
Would recommend it and go again

If I ever follow people i try and make it more interesting by not following their line

Talk and explain to landlord. What is relationship between landlord and non paying shop below? They will not want to lose you. An empty shop is not an attractive prospect at the moment with no empty rate exemptions etc. You probably have a stronger position than you realise. If they are unreasonable then move. lots of empty space around and good deals available for good tenants. (depends where you are of course, but applies to a lot of places at the moment)

Clutch mech for useful innovation.
Electronic controls are the answer to a question I have not asked. Can’t see the benefits will outweigh benefits of trailside repair and user maintenance of existing systems.

I have just fitted a Sram Type 2 shortcage rear mech on a hardtail. Previously had needed a top and bottom chain guide on a 1X9 or 1X10 set up. Tried it with just a top guide as an experiment (fully expecting to put the full top and bottom guide back on) but it works fine. Silent and chain not dropped once even on fast clattery stuff.
Really good upgrade and well worth it IMHO

Just as an update.
Decided on just two pints of real ale as a good starter for this softy southerner. Cups in the freezer. Tried my super home made press one at a time but it wanted to pull them in a bit wonky and I kept wanting to tap them. So I gave in to temptation, another two pints of real ale and out with the rubber mallet and a bit of 4by 2. Easy. All standing and correct. Frame OK etc and so another couple of pints in celebration.
Thanks for the advice. Hic

I am running an Uno 32t on a 1X10. On my third chain and cassette and Uno still looking good

Some STW posts provide nothing, some provide oven cleaner for anodising and this is one of those, thanks.

My riding friend Dom is doing it I think. He won it last year I think so watch out for him

Top tips
Anything with a bigger hammer is good.
Old frame and not the end of the world if it goes wrong.

I run a Superstar on mine and has worked perfectly for two years. Swapping parts around bikes and about to try an MRP Lopes on the Blood which is much smaller and quieter tomorrow. Will let you know.

Rivierabike was probably the best MTB holiday we have ever been on and went there twice. Still used as a reference. Great trails and great place to stay. Doug at BasqueMTb was also really top bloke and such an interesting place to ride. Did a Wales Road Trip this year but I am desperate to go to the Dolomites in 2013

Interesting thread and reluctantly I find myself agreeing. Over the years I have tried to support various LBS for all the right reasons. On line is so fast and cheap. I can build bikes and do everything and if I buy a headset press then I am truly independent. The problem with the local shop for me is not the price but the time. However I persevere because they are needed but generally in terms of service they are behind the times.

Often go out and stay local for an hour or so. Few ups and downs and if it breaks then walk home. Usually out with dog. Feels great.
Some of my bikes even have bottle cages!

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Golden Doodle
Stupid name and probably bad fashion victim reputation.
Friendly, clever and faster than a lab and can go bigger distances because they are lighter.
Ours was a nervous acquisition, seemed like we had enough to worry about already with three boys. However he has been a huge success. Boys love him and he goes out for a walk at lunch and then most evenings with me on a bike.

Thanks
Much appreciated, although what I do now I don’t know.
Northwind solution sounds like a new wheel because the current Mavic rim is a bit split and doesn’t run tubeless.
£13.99 on a new axle/spindle for the time being while I think about it.

I build and maintain trails all the time. See very little evidence of anyone else doing anything worthwhile except at our organised dig day, even moving branches or fallen trees as above. All that seems to happen now is people straightlining corners. I don’t think that it is selfish I just think that trail maintenance just doesn’t seem to occur to most people.

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Woody on the run

No because I live in Steyning which is North of Worthing on the other side of the Downs. I am a Surveyor and deal with a lot of property. Olliver Brothers do a lot of work for me and they are based in Worthing. Happy to show you around. In Steyning we are lucky and have a very good area to ride, XC or downhill.