Interesting to see the continued interest in RR rear derailleurs. I have about 4 or 5 sitting in a box, 2 are brand new and unused. Keep on meaning to try and sell then but never get round to it. Anyone interested?

@Enmac, seriously looking at the Jeffsy myself at the moment. Any chance of a bit of a review when it arrives please?

Will do

I test rode the Hightower, Ibis Ripley LS, Transition Smuggler and Trek Fuel. They were all good so figured that the Jeffsy would be too but better value.

I ordered a Jeffsy. It is due in on 18th May, I’ve had an email confirming the date and receipt of the money paid. Can’t wait, have a trip planned to Torridon for the end of the month, so really hoping its gets here before then.

I organise rides for my club and we get all types joining the rides. Generally the only annoying ones are the people who have no fitness or brag about how good they are, push to the front and then dawdle down the descents holding people up. You don’t appear to fit either category. Being quiet is definitely not a problem and you will be surprised how many fit that category. I would look to see if there is a local group who does introductory rides.

I was at a demo day in Ballater last Saturday and there were Transitions there – I had a go on a Smuggler – very nice. Pretty sure they had a Patrol as well. I think the guy I spoke with was the importer so presumably they are doing other events.

There’s also the Tarland way that starts in Aboyne. It doesn’t take that long but would work OK with your age of kids.

Doh!

But isn’t there a grain of truth in it? Please.

This happened to me a couple of weeks ago. Turns out I had put the springs in the wrong way round. A previous time I had left the spacer out with a similar effect.

I find these work well. They just bang into the remains of the old post. I have replaced probably half of my fence posts this way and they are still going strong.

http://www.diy.com/departments/metpost-steel-repair-spur-w75mm-d75mm/38176_BQ.prd%5D

The force is applied at the location of the brake, so in different places for rim and disc brakes. Road forks tend to be wider at the top, presumeably meaning less reinforcing is required.

I ride a medium with a 35mm stem. I am 5′ 8″ with relatively short legs/long body and I reckon this is the first bike I’ve had that properly fits me. I would suggest trying a large.

I found the benefits not to be so much the lower weight (depends what you were using before of course) but the additional width. The Light Bicycle 35mm and 38mm rims increase the volume and allow lower pressures. The increase in grip and general improved feel is quite marked. I haven’t noticed any harshness, especially as I am now running lower pressures anyway.

I wore my new Endura leg warmers for the first time today in the snow. Kept me warm and didn’t cause my kneepads to slip down. I can recommend them, I got the S/M and I am 5′ 8″.

Stair Wars – Confrontation between TV makeover programmes

Stare Wars – Film about the 1972 Fischer-Spassky Chess World Championship

Stark Wars – Offshoot film from Game of Thrones

Sitar Wars – Film about the little known fall out between George Harrison and Ravi Shankar

Star Worse – Film that didn’t make it

Star Worst – (That’s enough films – ed)

Not tried it on a 29’er but definitely noticed an improvement on my 27.5 with LB 35mm rims. It’s not so much the width itself but the extra stability allows you to run lower pressures, I can now run 20 psi with tubeless with the corresponding increase in grip. It is quite noticeable.

Scolty is good but is not easy to find your away around if you are doing anything other than the fireroads and some of the singletrack is quite technical. The Neep Route in the link below would probably be OK though.

http://www.mtbtrails.info/Default.aspx is a good resource, one ride that is quite scenic and not too hard is the Forest Trail at Cambus O’May about 5 miles west of Aboyne. You can add to it by riding around Loch Kinord – when you cross the road from the Burn O’Vat car park, turn right rather than left and that will take you round the Loch.

For a longer ride on the Saturday, to be honest there are better rides than the Fungle especially if it has been wet. If you are fit, Mount Keen is doable in 5 hours but for most would be longer. The Loch Muick to Glen Clova is a classic and easily doable in that time but doe involve some hike a bike. Clachnaben, south of Banchory is good but the descent does involve drainage channels.

No one has mentioned Old Pulteney, they do different ages, not sure which one you would get for £40 but it won’t be the 21 year old that won the whisky of the year award a couple of years ago. The younger ones aren’t quite as smooth but work really well after a big meal as they have a touch of sweetness.

I have the Bosch AHS 52 Li, quite happy with it. The battery lasts for ages and it seems to cope with most stuff. It helps if you have other tools from the range to share the 18v batteries, I now have a drill, strimmer and leaf blower all using the same system which helps a lot.

Maxxis Ikon is probably grippy enough for what you are using it for, certainly for the back. Possibly an Ardent on the front.

UK Bikes have Hope hubs while US versions can have DT240’s

Are you sure they are 240’s, the DT Swiss website only mentions their heavier (and cheaper) 350 hubs coming in Boost width?

It is always good to see new resources for routes. However, have you looked at http://www.mtbtrails.info/Default.aspx, it already does everything you are trying to do. It has more focus on Scotland at the moment but there are trails in the North of England there as well. Don’t want to discourage innovation but why re-invent the wheel.

R mac. How have you found those hubs? Do you have any worries that they aren’t genuine?

My hubs didn’t come from that ebay seller, I got the front and the spokes from Bike24.de and rear from a set of Roval Traversee’s which is essentially a DT Swiss 240. I bought several direct pull spare spokes so I have no worries about getting spares.

I have the 35mm rims on DT Swiss 240 28h straight pull. They are plenty strong enough. I can get away with 18psi tubeless and haven’t managed to ding the rims despite repeated attempts.

I’ve had one from new, bought just over 2 years ago. I like it, not had any problems with it. I got the manual, but sometimes wish I had gone automatic, but it was over £1000 more expensive so didn’t. I also looked at the Q5 and Q3, but the Q5 had an unsettled ride and the Q3 wasn’t big enough inside. The Allroad does everything these cars can do but without the Chelsea Tractor look. I’m pretty happy with it and usually get around 40 mpg.

Not really your area or mountain biking but we went to Istria in the North a couple of years ago. There were a number of marked biking trails including 1 along a disused railway line the Parenzana – that was quite spectacular as there are several viaducts and tunnels. The tunnels are not lit and some are quite long and curve – a weird feeling cycling in total darkness wondering if you are about to smack into the wall.

The hire bikes weren’t brilliant and did not have bottle cages, I would recommend taking your own if you don’t want to ride with a pack.

Ok

I see that now, you do get an extra 23 kg, the person on the helpline did not say that.

Thanks

Ninfan – the 23kg applies to the total allowance, it is not 23 kg per bag.

Did the Lochnagar loop today. Photo was taken looking down to Loch Muick just after traversing the boulder field at the top of Broad Cairn, the first of 5 Munro’s you can do during the ride.

I must say this is all very encouraging.

I’m 54, always ride the blacks at trail centres and take the gnarly route in the natural stuff. Oh, and I came 20th in the Tour de Ben Nevis last year out of about 400.

I have the 35mm rims with DT Swiss 240 hubs, 28 h straight pull. I went with Competition spokes and they have been fine. I don’t think I would go for lighter spokes especially on the back. You end up with a lot of spoke tension as the rims are so stiff.

If the checker says it’s stretched, you want to change it as soon as possible otherwise you risk damaging your cassette. Better to keep on replacing relatively cheap chains rather than an expensive cassette. If it’s already too late the new chain will skip on the old cassette.

My wife’s does this regularly. The default mode is that if the unit doesn’t detect any movement for a certain period it will switch itself off (a bit stupid I know), if you dig down in the options somewhere you can switch this off. However, every time the unit resets itself, which is annoyingly frequently, it will default to the off option again.

I have used the jag wire ones. They have a slot for putting a cable tie through which is recommended otherwise they will eventually be knocked off.

The frame only option includes both QR and 142×12 dropouts and a headset.

I bought one frame only – it comes with QR dropout installed and the 142×12 dropouts separately. I swapped to the 142×12 but had to file a burr off to get everything to fit snuggly. Bearings have been fine as has the headset, although I have only had mine a couple of months. I would recommend the BOS Kirk shock – the reviews with the BOS shock have been very good whereas the What Mountain Bike Review with the Fox was so so.

Not sure I fully understand your question, but irrespective of how the number is formatted, Excel stores time in decimal days so to get hours just subtract one from the other and multiply by 24.

I would say put it on Pinkbike where things are easy to find rather than on STW. Here you have to wade through lots of stuff you are not interested in and your ad quickly falls off the all important first screen. I have sold a bike and set of forks recently on Pinkbike, which didn’t get a whole lot of interest here.

Sorry to put down what is otherwise an excellent website and resource but the “For Sale Forum” isn’t what it used to be.

I have a Hans Dampf 2.35 on the back paired with a Magic Mary on the front of my Giant Trance X 29er. I used to have a 2.4 Mountain King II and I will probably go back to that and put the Hans Dampf on the front now that the better weather is here.

Your route is described here. Sounds like your enjoyment is dependent on how happy you are in jumping over water bars.

http://www.mtbtrails.info/Trail_Venue_Map_TrailViewer.aspx?VenueNumber=27&TrailNumber=162&Unique=635652452699513338