Only reason I have is – XT are cheeper, and so much better.

But I would like some middleburn cranks though TBH. Don’t know why, maybe for the retro looks, but having a set of middleburns on the bike is something to be proud of (just like hope hubs!).

Eastway?

Looks nice. Looks like a classic MTB to me, which is always good in my book.

Put the motorbike battery on charge as it was flat when I went to give it a 5 min run.

Cleaned up my Karate Monkey frame ready for the XT groupset I’m getting for xmas.

I’ve rode in ice, snow, the lot. Usually on a 26″ rigid with 2″ semi slick tyres though. Wouldn’t do it on a road bike.

I’m not sure I’d do it now though…. Snow, I’d be getting the MTB out, as it is good fun, but ice (or week old frozen snow), I think I’d just work from home, especially as I’ve only been driving (a car) for 6 months and don’t fancy taking snow on just yet.

Eskay, that’s the first I’ve heard of it. What a tragic accident for all involved. :(

I could live without the heavy ass commuter and the XC full sus if I only had my Surly KM. Rigid, super comfy, quite light, and 29″ so good for road and trails alike (especially with conti race kings – add 50psi and it’s fairly rapid on the road and fire paths).

That could be a front adapter….

Edit: yep, avid should have cup and cone washers?

Neither the scientist nor anyone from the health ministry was immediately available to confirm the report

Sounds conclusive!

I thought that too, but then I remembered that the internet is always right! :P

^ this guy either wants a pig bread bacon sandwich with bacon dripping, or he’s just eaten a pig bread bacon sandwich with bacon dripping…

brakes – Member

who has bacon for ‘family dinner’?

We do. Well, not just bacon, that’d be weird. Deliciously weird.

What about an American style “burger” with pig for bread, instead of donuts or whatever it is they do?

Gammon steak bread, bacon filling, crispy bacon topping for the bacon (you know, for a bit of texture), and bacon dripping sauce.

There’s no bad time to have a fry up, unless you’ve had one for breakfast and dinner, and are now thinking about one for tea… Then you have bacon issues.

10x Carcinogens than Fags

Do you normally get upset at gigs when the smoke machines come on? It’s the same thing.

It’s not ideal really, but I’ve probably chosen to go watch a gig and breathe it in for an hour or so. All day at work isn’t on in my book.

(Why does someone always have to try and prove your personal opinion is wrong?)

I’d be pretty pissed about breathing it in all day at work.

I don’t care if the ill effects are proven or not*, It’s horrible breathing in any second hand smoke/vapour.

(* I do believe the 10X carcinogen thing has been proven for certain brands though)

Ours usually start to end with the (hardly able to walk) boss bringing over a massive tray of Gin shots at 2am!

We persuaded our boss that the last Thursday is the best day because it’s quieter than the last Friday before xmas because we want to spend Friday hung over at work, or not even show up…. :)

I’m almost 30 now though, and I do think a few pints and a good curry sounds better than a wild night and a hangover…

If a car can do 70mph easily, it’s powerful enough. If it can do 100mph easily, its too powerful for the uk. If it can do 170mph easily, its way too powerful for the uk. Simples.

Not to say you shouldn’t own it, but it’s quite pontless if you’re really honest, I was, and sold my 160bhp bike, now I have a 70bhp bike that costs 1/4 to run and is just as much fun.

(Don’t try and justify speeding either, you can’t win that one).

FFS, we’ve finally reverted to the mentallity of Springfiled’s* town folk.

(*As in the Simpsons)

If no one dies in a black friday scrum, I’ll be very supprised.

Hitting the batter is never the intention. The threat of being hit is the weapon.

Only just leaned that it’s ok to bowl a 40mph cricket ball at someones face… I don’t know much about cricket to be fair, but it sounds a bit… not on?

Just to add to the argument – Theres no legal way to speed. The fact that one officer may or may not overlook it doesn’t make it ok.

It’s driving me mad (no pun intended!) at the moment, I think the quallity of driving in rush hour is very poor.

I’ve only been driving a car for 6 months, and now I have to drive in the dark, I’m sick of vans, landrovers or any car with new super bright LED lights sitting 30cm off my back bumper. I’m not going to go faster, so back off you ****t!

I never had this problem on a giant 160BHP touring bike wearing high vis, although I generally stick to the speed limit on both the bike and in the car. I guess people see a 1.2 Vauxhall Agila and assume I’m just in the way of their “posh” car!

Very scary….

Reminds me of Metro 2033.

It sounds like an 11 speed MTB block has the same horizontal spacing between gears as a 10 speed MTB block*, but the 11 speed block is phisically wider overall as it has an extra gear on the end.

So yes, 10 speed mech and shifter will work, but you’d not get all 11 gears, just the top 10 or bottom 10 (provided * above is true)depending on how you set it up.

A bit of rain and dark isn’t that bad really. The thought of it is much worse than actually riding in it.

Agree on wind though, that sucks!

Lance’s Trek! :P

I’m runing a control on the rear of my 29″ SC Superlight, tubeless, best winter tyre I’ve ever had.

Aren’t pikes (even old ones) a really nice set of forks?

For £300, get a dropper and the forks/shock fully serviced and set up for you. This should transform your bike. :) For the other £300, you’ve got a good choice of very nice 26″ wheels, you may be able to get carbon rims…

Much better than spending a fortune on a new bike, that if you’re really honest, does the same job.

I guess it comes down to fun or fast?

The “best/fastest” bike for a job is not always the most fun..

I know a few guys who are excellent DH riders, and have had DH bikes for years, but now just own a long travel, do it all trail bike. The common issue being they actually want to ride back to the top of runs, and not push.

That said, if you’ve never had a DH bike before (like me), I can’t see how 200+mm of travel, super slack forks and massive grippy tires could possibly fail to be fun. :)

so long as their insurance covers them for business use – or the pizza companys insurance covers them for being CBT only – which is the requirement for riding a vehicle restricted to 28mph.

When I was on my CBT years, my 125 did a hell of a lot more than 28mph…

If your over 17, you can ride any 125 on a CBT.

Stop talking about it on here for a start! (You’re making me jealous! :P )

Otherwise, enjoy it and get out on your bike. :)

Sounds like a great challenge, and I wish him all the luck in the world.

I hope he changes that instruction page though, I’d hate for him to loose (vital) support because of it…

DOT brake fluid will swell and degrade the seals, and inside face of your brake hoses over time. Collapsed brake lines can also prevent fluid from returning freely, also making the piston not return.

You should replace DOT brake fluid every year to slow down its effect on the seals and brake lines.

Has anyone thrown in the use of SPDs and proper pedalling technique to remove pedal bob? ;) (obviously not as much help when out of the saddle).

My 29 FS feels less fast/responsive than my 29 fully rigid, or my 26 HT I had before, but I can ride further without acheing and hit technical stuff much faster. I feel a nice flexy (steel) 29 HT would be the ideal inbetween, but I’m liking the comfort of the FS right now.

I’m sure there’s no one corect answer here though, each to their own and all that.

Well done. It is easy when you know how, and not as hard as it’s sometimes made out to be.

I used my frame and a few zip ties to do the dish on my MTB wheels!
They are within a mm easily, and thats good enough for me. :) Taken some stick on a rigid steel bike too. One day I’ll get a proper stand though, especially If I get some LB rims.

It is quite easy if you’re methodical in your approach. Always round the spokes down (shorter), you can run out of threads and be stuck with not quite tensioned enough wheels.

For anyone who likes to fiddle with computers, Iphones and Itunes are way too restrictive.

The issue I have with modern IOS systems is that they tart them up too much when it’s not required. I had an Iphone 3 that worked fine, and then they updated the IOS and made the folders fade in and out, and do all sorts of useless graphical features, the phone ran so slow I eventually upgraded to a 4. This pi$$ed me off. Blatantly forcing you to upgrade by ‘forcing’ advanced graphical features on you that you don’t need or probably want.

Any high end PC user (graphic design, 3D modelling etc..) will tell you, the first thing you do with a new PC is turn all the advanced graphical features off to free up memory for the important tasks.

A modern phone should easily run a watered down Windows XP type OS, and an XP level OS could easily do what we need phones to do…

Windows phone 7 should have been good, but lack of support and bugs finished it off. Windows 8 is better, but still quite restrictive.

Does anyone know if a 50mm 29+ rim with a 2.4 will fit in a Karate Monkey frame?

I need to re-build mine, and I’m thinking of going for Stans Hugo rims (when they come out – which will be about the time I can afford it), 3″ up front, 2.4″ out back.

(sorry, just seen the photo above of exactly what I needed to know!)

Try new trails….

Where I normally ride, it’s muddy and rockey, and on a big **** off hill. So it’s always hardwork and theres a big hill to get back home.

Recently went to Sherwood pines, and enjoyed some sandy, dry, almost flat, fast and fun singletrack. :) Can’t wait for a free day to make the trip again.

Or, it seems the most common advice is, get a fat bike! 8D

For those who don’t like the look of a standard grease nipple-

As used on older BMW bike’s rear brake pivot. You need a specal attachment for the grease gun though. –

(I’m well impressed with the amount of grease ports on my 1970s BMW. Why don’t modern bikes/cars have them?)

Any chance of getting Annie’s and her father’s comments on this out in public?

I’m sure the word of one of our top athletes will carry some weight?

Me and my brother may be along if thats ok. Sounds like agreat idea, and I need to do all the pootling I can!

Will confirm for sure closer to the time.

I’ve never got my tyres to seal on the rim before putting the fluid in. I know you’re suppost to get the tyre to seal on it’s own before putting the fluid in, but it never worked for me.

As soon as I put the fluid in, the tyre will seal after a few seconds of going at it with the track pump (a crap argos plastic one). A quick ride gets the bead to seat properly, and sloshes the fluid around enough to seal any holes.