Don’t know of a really easy way, unless you’ve got access to some DJ mixing software or know someone with a mixer / CDJ (many also play mp3)with beat counters.

I quite like the skinny 2.1 Highrollers for forestry riding, but they come up too small for rocky terrain, where they’re too skittish. (Not pinch-flatted them though.) They wear real quick, too.
2.35s on the other hand I find too slow and draggy to get up to speed on anything other than downhill and in slow, muddy trails (where you can’t go fast enough to fling the mud off)they pick up a tonne of clag each and grind you to a halt.

Just bought 2.1 ADvantages front and rear which come up in between the Highroller sizes and they are perfect for my style of riding. I’m really chuffed with them. Spot-on balance of grip and speed for general trail riding. 😀 (Fared well in some awful mud I found at the weekend too.)

You could carry a tarpaulin round with you to put over any muddy sections before riding over them?

That made me laugh out loud!!! 😆
I know somewhere where that might be a good idea. 😉

MicArms rides all kinds of funny hours. 😉
He might do a Saturday morning.

Sundays are usually best for me. Was nice n’sunny over there this weekend. 😀

Another guitarist here. 🙂

A couple from the Wyre Forest yesterday:

They still rock!

I have no idea what I was doing, tbh. Not a particularly memorable news story as far as I’m concerned.

I used to ride the Lickeys when I lived closer, usually riding over from Clent – offroad most of the way. There were some pretty good trails as I remember.

Not been for probably 15 years or so!

forgive me: what’s MachX?

It’s the Cli-machx trail at Machynlleth.

I’d make a weekend of it. Camp at Torrent Wlk, Dollgellau & take in CyB & MachX.
Nant-y-Arian is superb also.

Not a bad idea. 🙂

Not heard of Llandegla before – big enough for a weekend?

Maybe not on it’s own, but there’s decent natural riding nearby too.

[list]http://www.coedllandegla.com/[/list]

Quite a bit of climbing at Afan.
What about Llandegla or Penmachno?

Crazy-legs wrote:

Never had a problem on mine either but it’s one of the older ones with a 26.8 seatpost so maybe a bit more flex in that? Ti saddle too.
Done plenty of all-dayers in Peaks/Lakes etc without feeling unduly beaten up by the end of it.

Same here: Peaks & Lakes – no worries.
Mine’s one of the 69ers (not wheel size related!) and has got the 26.8 post and a Ti saddle too, perhaps that makes a difference. I can’t see the new size flexing much.
Met you briefly early last year in the Peak, up by New Allotments iirc.

TBH I think it depends on what you are used to

Maybe, I’ve never owned a full-susser and started life on road bikes. Only ridden alloy hardtails and nothing else, since about 1993. (Althought I’ve just bought a rigid steel SS.)

The Stiffee is certainly comfier than the Klein Pulse Pro it replaced.

I’ve raced 12hr solos and done plenty of enduros on my Stiffee without thinking it’s unduly harsh.
No good for long days in the saddle – pah! 😉

Tyres are funny and personal eh?

They sure are.
I tend to get on with rounder profile tyres with proggressive cornering, where more aggressive riders seem to like Highrollers and their ilk for hard cornering.

Personally I don’t like 2.35 Highrollers (too draggy and slow) or Fire XC Pros (poor in even the slightest mud).

Bonty ACX 2.2 have been my faves for a good few years. Great in all conditions, the only weakness is steering in thick mud, but never really felt the need for proper mud-tyres.

Trying 2.1 ADvantages now for a change.

Is it well-churned up over there yet?
I was thinking of doing a bit at the weekend, but might go elsewhere if another day or so of rain sets in.

Nice bars Franki.

Good old Scott AT-4s on my Cindercone.
(Actually they were pretty rubbish – the bars, not the bike.)

Cheers!
ADvantage it is. 🙂

Great photos!
It’s been a while since I rode Cadair (1991ish???).
Love to go back again.

Here’s a scanned pic of me from almost the same spot as your second photo:

LOL!

Can’t do evenings Mick, or I’d be along too. 😉

I find I can completely forget all the things that tend to clutter up my mind and stress me out day to day. (Usually work or at the moment – or more the massive drop in work!)
If I just chill at home, those thoughts are always there – at least in the back of my mind.
Mtbing on my own seems to cleanse them away for a while and give me a more positive state of mind that lasts a few days.

I’m happy to acknowledge that this may not be the case for everyone! 😀

For me a bike ride is the opposite of relaxing – exciting and exhausting.

I like group rides too, but possibly prefer the freedom of going solo.
A ride can be exciting and exhausting, but still relax you mentally – leaving hassles and distractions behind and just enjoying the outdoors.

Perhaps I’m just an anti-social git. 😉

I enjoy riding on my own. I find it much more relaxing than group rides. The only downer is that there’s no-one to laugh at your crashes or enthuse about the great bits of the ride.

A few weeks back I did a ride in Clocaenog Forest and never saw a soul, once I’d left Llyn Brenig. Lovely.

Not overly impressed with my 2.2″ that came with the bike.
Fast and grippy in the dry, but give way on the front easily in mud and spinny in mud on the rear.
Not sure if I’ll stick them out until they’re knackered or change them. Depends on how much rain we have in the next few weeks, I reckon.

O.K. but not great.

If you like Highrollers and Minions, I suspect they probably aren’t the tyre for you…

I wouldn’t want to be doing any kind of racing the following day!

Even if you take it steady, you’ll still know you’ve done it.

Thought it was great again.
It doesn’t take itself too seriously – some of it is deliberately cringeworthy humour, but still had the wife and I laughing out loud a few times.
It’s a bit of fun, at the end of the day.

rightplacerighttime wrote:

The Flashing Blade

I used to love that program – I can still remember the theme song!!!

We had one near Dudley a while ago, in the middle of the night.
My wife and I woke to a tremor and deep rumble – the like of which I’d never heard before, and first thoughts were that a plane had come down or we’d been nuked.
All I could think of was our daughter and I ran into her bedroom. (Don’t know what I thought I was going to be able to do, but it felt like the end of the world.
After a few moments when I’d woken up properly, I realised what it was, but it was really unnerving for those few seconds!

Another io:

Death Magnetic started well, but I lost interest after about half-way through. Picked up a bit towards the end though.

I think Metallica have been on a downward slope since Master Of Puppets, but Death Magnetic is a step back in the right direction.

For me:

MOP
Ride The Lightning
And Justice
Black Album & DM about the same.

Don’t like the rest anymore.

Looks like a good one!

Postie, what’s that jersey you’re wearing with the tartan sleeve???

Nice pics, as usual.

Must get me down to the FOD again soon, it’s been a few years now…

No plans as yet…

Stayed at Bracelands several times.
No problems here. Good site IMHO, if a little noisy when busy.
I’d certainly go again.

The Chronicles Of Riddick seemed to be pretty much universally panned, but it was an great film IMHO.
I loved the style of filming and the look of the worlds, characters, vehicles, weapons and armour they’d created. The story was good too I thought, with a nice twist at the end.

A lot of folks didn’t like the ending of X-men Last Stand, but I thought it was brilliant. (Was a bit of a Marvel Comics geek in my younger days though, so it didn’t seem too far-fetched to me!)

It’s not a favourite track off the album, a bit radio-friendly for me, but it’s great nonetheless.
My fave is The Lonelines Of A Tower Crane Driver, but love all of it.

I’ve been a fan of Elbow since the first album and I’m glad they are finally getting the recognition they deserve.
Seen them five times , supporting the release of the last three albums and they’ve never been less than outstanding.
The missus and I met Guy Garvey at the release party in Brum for the CD & DVD of Leaders Of The Free World and he seems genuinely a sound fella. (Not to mention incredibly talented songwriter.)
Not many bands have moved me to tears (in a good way!) but several Elbow songs have done.

The first time I saw them play Newborn live was probably the most incredible experience I’ve ever had wantching a live band.

Scattered Black and Whites, Puncture Repair, Newborn, Mirrorball, Station Approach, Forget Myself, Switching Off, Fugitive Motel, Starlings, Grace Under Pressure…off the top of my head – so many stunning songs.

Looks pretty darned sweet!

Loved it!

I don’t mind the fact that it’s got a lighter feel to it than Life On Mars, it’s still great entertainment in it’s own right and miles better than most of the crap on TV nowadays.