Probably a placebo effect to be honest, but it sure feels good to get a pair out of a stupidly light CRC box. 😀

Segregation of one type of trail/path/person from another is not the way forward IMO.*

Common sense, human decency and mutual respect for other users is the way forward.

(* though in the modern world, it unfortunately is – any excuse for more rules and regulations!)

Look to do a full recovery ride instead of a rest day on the MTB. Just keep the effort really low. I find it’s better than a rest day to be honest. but you do need to go really slow…

Heart rate monitor is a good call if your commute is flat.

I use to use one, but riding anywhere in hilly Sheffield in zone 2 is not really possible unless you’re super fit.

A good cheap indicator of effort, If you’re breathing hard enough so you couldn’t maintain a steady conversation, you’re pushing too hard for a recovery ride.

Sounds like you’re putting in quite an effort, so don’t feel bad for the odd rest day or slow day on the bike!

Oh and the whiney voices that kids put on when they want something.

The whiney voice kids put on all the time!* Especially while telling a crap story about school etc…

(*I’m sure it’s different with your own kids)

The office juniors (one “boy”, one girl) in the office nattering about their kids all morning, and not answering the phone. It’s like loose women in here! 👿

Kids on red trails! Sweet, I wish I had red trails to ride as a kid.

Wouldn’t bother me, the trails are for everyone to enjoy. 🙂

Could also be bottom bracket on that side. Take out and clean/re-grease.

+1 for hope.

A bit thin though…

Just take them. I had a week a year off for family holidays (as I’m sure most adults on here did) and I didn’t turn out to be a stupid criminal.

The fines are for parents who just cant be bothered to force their kids to go to school, and let them skip whenever they want.

I do 10 each way, but it’s more often than not extended to about 14. Quite hilly though (300m of climbing average).

I don’t think there would be much in it between a 20 mile and 10/12/15 mile commute. Its another half hour on the bike (the fun bit!), but just as much getting changed and packing clothes etc.. (the boring bit).

Getting changed in the toilets at 5 while everyone else is out the door like a shot gets me down. Then I have to lock up and close the office down… Also, making sure the bike kit gets washed every night and I have a supply of clothes to take into work. That stuff makes commuting everyday hard, not really the riding. You can always get up 20 mins earlier and have a steady ride into work if you’re tired.

Ivan the Bastard!

I have a CTD on my 29 superlight. I have it it on trail all the time, unless it’s really rocky downhill.

I don’t climb out of the saddle, so don’t use the lock-out at all.

I feel almost like my pedal strokes are tuned to the very slight bob now, and I tend to bounce in the saddle a lot if I lock the shock out. Bike also seems to take a little more effort uphill with the shock locked out too… (strange I know).

EDIT: I use a 22 and 32 on the front. I can’t tell that one produces more bob than the other to be honest.

I’m a bit confused by them tbh…. the metal plate bit looks wider/bigger than the actual mudguard. Sure it works somehow though…

Ta, I think I may have found some giant guards that would fit? –

Also, good tip I found (if you have strava premium) you can go on the Route Creator, then turn on the “global heat map setting”, which shows the most commonly used tracks. great for picking up otherwise hidden trails. 🙂

Sweet, thanks guys. Those photos have sold it to me. 🙂

There seems to be some nice coastal paths just north of our hotel crossing river beds etc while hugging the coast.

unfortunately the only decent hire place is way up north…. Not sure about renting an argos full-sus bike for 10 euros a day from the local one… may just take the superlight or karate monkey as I already have a bike bag.

Where the hell is his front tyre????

Hang it on the wall and enjoy!* 😉

*depends what it is I guess…

Drill holes at the base of the cracks and get a local fabricator to weld it all up. You’ll get a few more years of commuting out of it at least.

Its quite natural for people to pissed a someone who takes other people with him on a suicide mission, and quite hard to understand any justification for it, shirly?

I don’t think we’ll ever know what happened, not 100%, but it currently looks like he murdered 149 people.

Sounds like he’s preparing for a cushy retirement to me…

I’ve seen a couple of guys (my former boss’s) start up a company with the financial backing of a successful parent company. They drew up silly contracts for themselves then screwed the parent company over 5 years, then left with a cushy (12month) severance package! I know they’ve done nothing illegal, but it was morally very wrong, and friends have lost jobs over it. 🙁 To be fair, the parent company should have read their contracts better, but they where taken in by the enthusiasm of the two guys starting the new company.

I’d check where you stand and then drop him in it. he sounds like he deserves it if nothing else….

It was inevitable that he would be sacked, and rightfully so*.

I still think it’s ruined Top Gear though, and it will never be the same. may as well cancel it now.

* doesn’t mean I don’t like JC anymore, and hope him and the other two get a new show up and running soon.

Only had fast bikes. They’re nice as everything is effortless, but it’s very easy to do some very silly things. 😈

Now I’m old and over power/speed, I’ll take a slower or older bike any day.

I enjoy nailing a corner line in the correct gear then hammering it out of the corner back up to 70/80ish. The fast bikes would have cruised a similar corner in top gear then barely accelerated to hit 80. just not as fun without going silly fast.

I think for an exciting car, a roadster would be better than a silly powerful rally rep, or get a nice van and enjoy the relaxing ride!

Shure ear buds for me, can remember the model, but they’re all good.

Very secure, sound awesome, and can’t hear a thing from the outside world!

IMO You don’t need to hear anything to ride, motorcyclists have been doing it forever (ear plugs), and deaf people aren’t banned from cycling.

Each to their own though, whatever makes you happy. 🙂

Chris Evans! FFS, they may as well just cancel it now instead of dragging it out.

Not entering, but its on my birthday this year, so I’ll be drinking, watching and enjoying the atmosphere, after a few laps of whancliffe in the morning. 🙂

Pub Run and Steelcity are now closed, DH3 was open on Sunday.

In Wharncliffe, from the car park just follow the firepaths and look for signs of tracks heading downhill.

(EDIT: there’s a red marked run straight sfter the car park in Wharncliffe, but it gets a bit vague after a few sections)

🙂 great work!

That’s one hell of a conversion you’ve done.

(it’s about time I sorted a bed out for the back of my T4!)

Really missing my BMX days. Was a handy street and park rider in my day, but I really miss endless manuals and hoping into manuals over/across benches. 🙂

Keep thinking about getting a 24″er as we have loads of pump tracks/parks/race tracks in Sheffield.

You’ll be fine! I use to ride off road and managed, just stay on smooth trails and bump off everything!

Not just me that cleans jockey wheels etc.. then!

I use to give the bike a strip every year and clean it top to bottom, love it. I wish I had room for a parts washer!

I’m lucky really, I stripped my karate monkey and moved all the bits to my full sus. I really missed the monkey for the 8 months that the frame was hung up in the garage, then eventually put up for sale.

The lucky bit is I saved it at the last min just before finalising the sale, and decided to keep it, so I still have it! It’s now built up as a SS. 🙂

Other than that I guess second place goes to a Spesh Hard Rock that I built up with rigid forks, slicks, guards and a rack for the daily commute. Did a good 4 years of commuting on it before it got nicked. 🙁

As with your mountain bike, much cheaper if you’re willing to have a go yourself.

I did the van the other weekend, think it was about £60 in total for filters, oil and glow plugs. A couple of hours to do, but not a hard job – I’d say if you can bleed MTB brakes and set up gears, you can easily service your car.

You know, titles which give no suggestion as to what the actual thread may be about, but for some reason you feel compelled to look at just in case it may actually be interesting
Certainly annoys me.

Why?

( 😉 😉 )

Forgot to even mention the BMW bike I took to the main dealer for years! fookin-ell that was an expensive bike to run, but way to complicated to service myself (K1200GT).

I took my Vauxhall to a main dealer to keep the full service history up.

I was told it was leaking coolant, a drive shaft gator was split and it was leaking oil, and quoted a silly figure for repairing it.

I also asked them to look into juddering brakes (suspected front left disc was warped, but wanted to know for sure before ordering one), and they said all the callipers needed re-building or replacing!

My dads an old school mechanic (retired now), so I bought the new drive shaft gator and we set about fixing the problems.

No oil or coolant leak visible at all, and the old gator just had brand new white grease smeared on it, no splits or holes, it looked new.

6 months later the oil and coolant level didn’t change (oil went down a tiny bit as you would expect), still no leaks visible and no more grease around the gator.

Replaced the disc too and it cured the brake issue and it stayed cured for over 6 months until I sold the car.

I may be paranoid, but I’m sure they “find” stuff wrong on old cars to sell you a new car – the dealer phoned me up every week for a few months with “we notice your car has some issues, we can guarantee you can run a brand new corsa for less per month!”.

Use independents now.

perhaps I should start curling hefty logs out in the middle of the trail, “because thats what I do”?

Made me giggle loud enough to alert the whole office that I’m not actually working!

Use to commute either down the canal, or along the river Don (five weirs walk) from Sheffield centre out towards Meadowhall.

Really enjoyed it, and miss going that way home now I don’t work in the centre.

My 1980 R100S.

5 years older than me, 90k on the clock and still ace to ride. 🙂

Santa Cruz Superlight 29.

Single pivot like your Five, but lighter and 29″.

I’m running mine with a 120 reba, wide bars and a 50mm stem, and chunky tyres – its a good fast all-round trail bike.

With the dropper off, a 90mm inverted stem, and skinny tyres it turns into a decent XC bike too.

You can’t take it with you, so I’m mostly up for spending it!

Use to be motorbikes, but now I’ve only got the one, which costs peanuts to run and I own outright. Bought myself a VW van though, so I can see where all my future money is going! 😕

As for the MTB, it’s pretty much done! I’m happy with it, so no need to spend much on it now, same for the single speed and the commuter.

The mrs has been getting on my case about a new kitchen and bathroom, so I guess I’ll have to spend less on me, and put more in savings. 🙁

EDIT: forgot, computer games, at least one a month, so £50 to 100 there! But for the hours of entertainment I get, it’s much cheaper than going to the pub!