I've just trawled through all the system fonts on my Mac but can't find anything to match. I'd agree with eldridge in that it's pretty close to VAG Rounded, but to me, it actually looks a bit 'hand drawn' so don't know if you'll find it or not? Best of luck though… I know what it's like with print deadlines.

[edit] When I say 'hand drawn' I mean they've perhaps taken a font in a design app. and stroked it or created an offset path to get the balloon effect on it, so whilst it's been made from a regular font, it's actually been bastardised. I could be completely wrong though – has been known before (a lot) – so please don't let me lead you down the garden path. Again – best of luck with it.

Um… Did someone just say

saladdodger – Member

…wait for the 456 Ti slotdrop ?

Are we ever going to see such a thing or are we back in urban myth territory again? Would be very nice if it was the case.

Very sorry and sad to see the demise of your frame though, Bro-bra. Hope some good comes out of it, and at least you've got the same number of teeth as you started the ride with!

I'd have a look on Pedalforce's website – it might just be one of theirs (which I don't think would be a bad thing.) The head tube looks like one of their Triathlon frames, as do the forks, though the seat stays don't match with it. IIRC, they make (amongst a number of others) the Ribble Sportive Racing, that's very well regarded – though I'm not 100% on that.

Yeah – I have to admit I do quite like it – I only really have the Cobra at the curry house, and it's not my favourite. The other stuff that's not so bad is some German one in cans – can't recall the name, but it's ok. They've got it sussed in Spain; the San Mig 0% is really very similar to the normal stuff.

Did you get the lockons from Charlie the Bikemonger?

Rocketdog – I've been thinking along the same lines and saved a couple of my Bitburger Drive 0% bottle caps – great minds, and all that!

Anyway – here's my pic: Looking west across the Plain last week, from the soft side of the Peak District.

None of it was in vain, Barca – your plans got me thinking about 'long' (for me) routes out of this neck of the woods too, so I did a recce from Macc to Rostherne on the Cheshire Cycleway (route 70), then ducked through Tatton and back on the main roads. The first part of it is a fantastic route – so few cars – though it's totally blocked at Alderley Edge with the new bypass works going on – the detour takes you to Royles bike shop on the roundabout then back down to Mobberley that way.

The point of it was that I've now got plans to carry on to Liverpool soon, so at least I know the first part of the ride will be nice. Any route suggestions for what to do the other side of the M56?

Enjoy your ride later – was up in Lyme Park (on foot) yesterday and it was beautiful up there. Would be interested to know the route you've got out that way too, please, if you've got a moment!

cheers.

+1 for the Park Tool website – it's absolutely invaluable and seems to be non-manufacturer specific too.

I've had the basic XC7000 frame (don't think it's the triple butted one) from CRC (Brand X – same frame, without the somewhat intersting stickers) and it's superb. There are loads of positive reviews on CRC for them as well. Wife has the shorter jump bike for her regular bike and that's a nice frame too. They appear to have some quite nice looking paint finishes now at CRC – the blue looks good. Sure, it's no boutique make, but it really does cut the mustard for the money.

Mine was set up singlespeed with a tensioner, and it's now in the process of being winter-biked with some rigid forks, mudguards, 3×9 gears and slicks from the parts bin at home.

I don't think you'd go far wrong with it.

Actually – it wasn't very hard to find… there's a website for it. :-)

Maybe come across towards the airport and join it to the west of that? I've not done that section, but the route around Macc is superb – it certainly takes the best and quietest roads in the area.]

Have fun – cool trip to do.

What about getting on the Cheshire Cycleway (route 70) to Chester? You may have to come a bit south from Stockport to get on it (towards Alderley Edge maybe and out that way?) I'll go look now for a link, but the bits of it that I've ridden have been really nice. Not sure what to do after Chester though…!

Cotic ones fit too, and I think they use the Salsa 30.0 as standard on their 29.8 tubes. My Inbred has a Spank one from Wiggle[/url] – though they have 1 black left in stock so you'd better get a shifty on if you want it!

Racing the sunset home on Thursday – cracking ride, but it feels like summer's on the wane…

You may find my previous comments on here that I tried to get one off Forward Components but he was having 'supplier problems' (it was 6 months ago that I was looking to buy one so things may have changed now) and wouldn't / couldn't deliver. He did refund my paypal payment promptly, but it was a pain and a disappointment. I'd be interested to know how you get on – it looks a good solution, as does the Excentriker.

An EPS file would be best file format for digitising from – or most other vector graphic files would probably be handled by a decent firm.

+1 for Road ID – I have to admit it's an important part of my kit and I'd turn back if I got to the end of the road without any ID and was off on a solo ride (as most of my rides are).

In addition to family contact details, the Road ID wristband has the avantage of having my medical info on as well.

Thanks Handsomedog – really appreciated. I think I'm going to give this one a miss though as I'm trying to keep within a budget and have some very swish Ultegra brakes from the early '90s that I want to use.

Rather than getting some more brakes, I'm going to hang out for a frame designed for 700c wheels to make into the fixie. I have everything ready to go – and thought I had the frame, but the stuck seatpost is proving insurmountable at the moment… hence the search for an alternative frame.

Not sure – how would that affect it?

Thanks, Simon. Do you think it's worth the risk in trying, then?

Just being somewhere wonderful that you got to on two wheels.

Agree on most points of this thread, and whilst it's perhaps a bit idealistic that people all 'behave appropriately' when it comes to the classifieds, I've just spotted something that's got my goat a litte.

I wouldn't normally rise to this, but seeing one user (aforementioned on this thread) who appears to be selling an albeit cheapo, low rent front mech in a very recent Classifieds thread at some 22% markup from the deal I cut him to help his cheap bike build does rankle somewhat.

Ho.

And indeed hum.

Ah what the heck, it's only a £2 profit. I'll get to bed I think.

What are your feet like? If you've got wide feet, then try Northwave for size. I suffered recently and couldn't find anything from Sidi, Spesh, Pearl Izumi that was comfy, but the NW ones have transformed my riding.

Pedals – Look Keo Carbon work very well for me. Always used Look and have never seen need to change. If you do go for Look Keo, the cleats are quite soft so make sure you get some cafe cleat covers (or whatever they're called) – save you going over on your backside when you're commuting and will save your cleats too.

Here's mine – not the most inspiring of backdrops (don't say a word about the state of the lawn…) but it does at least show the frame in its current guise. It's an 18" sliding dropout model – and its ace.

I don't normally run the Revs on it – it's just that the 100mm Rebas are at the menders.

You'll have a great time – done this a couple of times there, and if you've got a coach too, then it's fantastic.

Tips? I have two:

1: Keep pedalling.
2: Keep pedalling.

Have fun! :-)

Saccades – that looks great, and thanks for the links to the other threads too. 32/20 looks like a good way to go for the hillier parts of the country, even if you're spinning out a bit at the other end of the scale.

Did you get the hub from On One as well? I've found stuff at CRC, CycleCentre and Just Riding Along, but would entertain a 2nd hand one – can feel a Classified's post coming on soon…

Pics would be great thanks – I'm very tempted by it having had an evening to stew on it! What front hub did you put with it? I'm thinking EN321 rims, and maybe a Pro II up front. Then again, there's a few XC Pro front wheels knocking around that would do the trick too, I should think.

Thanks for all the help so far – very interesting and much appreciated. Cheers.

thanks Del – I think I'd been searching in too short a period of time on the forum. Are you still pleased with yours and where did you source it from? You said you had a bit of 'assistance' putting it together, but was it reall tricky or not so bad? :?

Well – I just found this[/url] – all the answers!

I'd still like to know if anyone's running an Inbred with an Alfine, and how much you notice the weight. Is it as bad as having a rack on the back or much less noticeable? Pics would be nice too, if you want to show it off.

emac65 – Member

Same here,posted within a day or two…..

BTW,Those 3 flakes were lovely

Yeah, but think of the calories! Very excited about the new 26" ti XC frame – don't know when it's going to be available though…

Three???!! Mine 'went missing' though it was during the rather hot weather the other week, so could have melted out the bottom of the box. Still – I got an ace deal on some forks and bars, and the delivery was seriously fast too – they're on form at the moment.

I've got the Poplock off now – so, Stainypants, if you want to email me, it's yours! Cheers.

and there’s no buyer protection (again, IIRC)

That’s cool – thanks. I’d hoped it might be something as simple / obvious as that…!

OK, Nick – thanks. I’ll mail you once I’ve got somewhere with it! I’ve emailed PeterPoddy – and I’ll forward the guide on to those that have asked, if he’s ok with that (which I’m pretty sure from previous threads that he is!)

cheers

Life Cycles[/url] in Bolton (mail order as well, obviously). Have 3 sets of MTB wheels from them and they’re top quality builds. Just took a set of old XC Pro hubs on Mavic 321s of my wife’s bike to put on the Inbred for a few days to run it geared and they’re sweet as. Never had to touch them – you won’t regret it.

Oh it’s not so bad! ^^ :-)

When it were all we ‘ad, it were great – long before the days of even Girvin Flexstems, let alone full sussers! It got me mountain biking, so I’ve got a lot to thank Hardy’s Monument for.

Maybe it’s a bit tame nowadays but you can’t deny the views are still stunning.

Oddly, I do miss Dorset riding – and I still can’t believe how diverse the trails are around the rest of the country. Having the Peak District on my doorstep now, I’m undeniably spoiled, but I didn’t half enjoy riding back down there the other week. And the sun was out! We’re lucky things to have such choice in such a small country.

If you fancy a bit of cross country fun then head south west from Crossways / Warmwell, towards Poxwell and get up onto the bridleway that goes above the White Horse – I rode down there a few weeks back and it was just fantastic – proper old school XC riding.

Funny really, as that’s where I started mountain biking in the mid 1990s!

Warmwell Gravel Pits were ace, but I suspect they may have changed over the last 20 or so years.

You’re fairly close (a short drive) to the downhill place in Blandford Forest (I think) that has an uplift service – been featured in a number of mags in the last year

Also Puddletown Forest used to be nice – mix of singletrack and fire roads, though I don’t know much about current access.

Best bet maybe is an OS map – the volume of bridleways around there is really high – and some of the dowhills off the south side of the Ridgeway are very good – but not of Peak District length! If you want a good day ride, then head west along the Ridgeway to Hardy’s Monument, and the woods around there are great. Lots of pub stops around there too (Portesham etc). Just check access acros the main Dorchester / Weymouth road as there’s massive road works there at the moment at the summit.

Also, if you fancy a little drive, Portland’s good fun. BMX track at the top of the island (northern end) – if it’s still there – by Portland Heights hotel, and you used to be able to practically circumnavigate the island. Just don’t fall off – 200ft drops… Loads of ice cream / cafe stops along the route too.

Have fun – the weather’s looking good as well.

Above the White Horse – a couple of weeks ago…

Mine’s never felt too steep – responsive, certainly but never wanted to chop me over the front! I bought it for the same reasons you like your old one – simple, works very well – more than proven by now! – and minimal maintenance required.

Alex – what about a SC Superlight? Nice 4″ at the back, lightish and more than capable of slugging it out with the longer travel all day bikes. Not too twitchy at the front either.

Just might have a young medium frame going begging if you’re at all interested…

Thanks Craig – you’re absolutely right. I went out on the bike 1st thing this morning, and it was awful. Down right dangerous to be honest…! I shot up to the LBS who had the Rebas there and they swapped the crown race over, and *amazingly* it’s working like a dream.

Lesson learned.

Take your own pedals and shoes (as well as normal cycling kit, obviously!) and the shop will swap the pedals over for you. Sorted! Alcudia’s nice as it’s close enough to the top part of the mountains as well as the flatter east coast – you lucky sod! :-)