20 here (the mother was 19).

Only one teenage dad so far? can’t say I’m all that surprised on here TBH, “quite a lot” of people waiting until later in life to have kids is a class thing.

the Red ruins the pikey/rat look IMO.
Was it more expensive than the shimano one?

Waswas – you’ve clearly never seen my “grips” or “gloves” 😆

Same as Deus, ALWAYS had bikes since my age would have been referred to in monthst rather than years.

I used to ride at DJ trails where the last jump in one set was named after a girl.
I’d always assumed the locals were calling it the “Stellar” jump as it was the biggest in the set and steeper so sent you into orbit! No.. turns out it was just their dodgy westcountry accents and the jump was named the “Stella” jump after the empty lager cans burried under the earth. I loved Stella once a long time ago but now like so many other old loves it just gives me a headache and makes me feel shit for a few days after 😉

1mm is hardly “perfect” I use two 0.2mm spacers and no top/dust cap under the top crown on my DH bike to achieve near perfect clearance to run the fork as raked out as possible without resorting to a drop crown (which would cause all sorts of other “issues”)
My bar height is always adjusted to within +-1mm, why wouldn’t you?

It’s actually a “bike forum” Steve, I believe some folk like to “ride” bikes, some “cycle” them while others simply like to start flawed arguements about them. Pick two*

* as some other **** might say 😉

Light or strong, pick one more like. (Especially regarding wheel components)

Price is often completely irrelivent to quality of design/manufacture of cycle components.

Of course not. There’s nothing magical about them, they’re just the same as any non lock-on and will twist/spin easily if moisture or dirt gets in between the grip and bar.. or the grip is simply wrenched hard enough

Great. Now my insomniac 3yo daughter has wandered into our bed whilst I was on here. Looks lke I’m on the couch tonight…

What sort of **** up rules are you teaching her?

Seeing as you’re measuring to such high tolerances the 123-129 headset won’t be quite so slack as the next size;)

Far too difficult a question presumably.

Face 0.54mm off your headtube if you believe it will make a difference ;

I had an ex take a hammer to a bike once.

Just use the stuff, it may well have had a lucky escape 😉

How long do you keep forks for and how well do you look after them?

32 but I’m not exactly light (14+ st)

SPs need the extta pressure to prevent sidewalls folding, I’d prob go no lower than 28 with a DP

I get away with a 2.5 single ply (non exo) minion up front downhilling at places like inners no probs. I don’t ever run low pressures there tho.

Talk of the devil.

Lol

Firstly, a longer eye to eye raises the BB and steepens the HA

With both shocks fully bottomed the eye to eye of the 200mm shock is 3mm longer.(so steeper and higher)

Reducing travel by an inch will only reduce BB height by around 10mm (varies from bike to bike depending on wheelbase/chainstay lengths)

The only love in it is a little creepy tbh

Assuming a 2.51 ratio
10mm shorter stroke reduces rear travel by about an inch not the BB height (it’ll lower a fair bit less)

The eye to eye will be 3mm longer at full travel with the 200mm shock, you do the maths

The clipping pedals on fireroads remark was my personal favourite tho 😉

All of what you said is wrong.. tick tock…

TINAS is talking pish BTW

With the 190 x 50 you’ll lower the BB and slacken it out when static but when bottomed out it’ll actually be higher and steeper than before.
Sagged the same percentage it will be lowet and slacker.

Ben Cathro is based v.close to Oban if you fancy some tuition/coaching or a guide.

Find him at Sickskills.com

Watch out for Njee, I spotted at least one spelling mistake there 😉

So you do agree standing creates more power? (albeit not as sustainable)

quick Q.

roadbike or mtb

climbing or sprinting, when you raise your arses off the saddle do you usually need to change to a higher gear or lower gear?

Why is this?

Cookea – you have a fantastic talent for reading the shit Njee posts and somehow imagining I said any of it.

Now find where I said anything to the contrary?

.. “not supporting your body whilst still in the saddle and shifting your weight for every, dip, contour, rut, stone, root, soft/hard ground etc. etc.?”

Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying, well done.

there’s never ever been anything to get angry about here.. even when good spelling is relevant 😉

of course I’m not saying out of the saddle is better.. I’m saying proper weightshifting is better and isn’t really required on a roadbike while climbing a tarmac road in good condition.

Bad habits transfer just as easily as good ones between disciplines 😉

not supporting your body?[/b]really? ok.. either you actually are a super being or have never ridden a steep technical climb.

1) not surprised
2) massively relivant

What this:

or this:
FACT and HONESTY (these are still allowed round here aren’t they? 😉 )

It’s clear you feel you can’t learn anything from anyone on STW

Nope

we’re all largely useless in your view

Nope

I’ve yet to see you impart any huge volume of wisdom to the rest of us

I think you’ll find there’s plenty, you seem incapable of comprehending most of it tho.. maybe it’s the red mist clouding your reading glasses 😉

so why persist then? what are you actually gaining from having an STW user account?

eh toi?

I can think of plenty of steep, technical climbs that are better in the saddle because it’s easier to stop the back wheel spinning.

So, you’re honestly saying on a steep technical climb you sit still in the saddle only monotoring torque/cadence and steering with your hands (a la roadbike climb?) to attain grip not supporting your body whilst still in the saddle and shifting your weight for every, dip, contour, rut, stone, root, soft/hard ground etc. etc.?

You sir are te Awesum !! 🙄

Njee & Cookea – I ride roadbikes too (have done for longer than mtb)

Njee – you need to look up the meaning of the word “most”
efficient road pedalling technique is quite obviously also a good skill to have on an mtb for smooth un-interesting terrain (like roads for instance 😉 ).. does that sort of terrian really make up more than 50% (ie. most) of your off-road mtb rides? 😯

tend to rest their posterior on a saddle, supporting their weight for many of those sections where gravity is not assisting them.

😆
Many people now make a decent living out of teaching people to ride their mtbs in a more dynamic style, move around their bikes weightshifting properly, pumping the terrain, learning to flow better etc., Guess what? these techniques are not just beneficial for descents.

Why are you even commeenting when you can’t even work out how to lower your saddle to find out yourself?

You might want to read what I wrote more carefully before going off on one.

Prob not too far off 173 bikes tbh RS 😉 (Lost count at over 100 many years back)

You mean the ‘bits’ just like smooth road al?
That’s why I used the words “pretty”, “most” and “should” 🙄

Njee – I don’t really see why you sat down pedalling/running round the fun bits fans even have mtbs.

Cool! Looked fun.
Would have loved to have been there with you. Unfortunately Weds are (as always) out for me 🙁

I prefer the feel of a 7″ fork on a DH bike (I run a stiffer spring in 8″ forks) axle to crown is what matters. And this is far mote adjustable on a dual crown fork.
Boxxers can be air sprung BTW

Have never bought a single bike component, accessory or bike (or any other ‘toy’ for that matter) on credit of any sort and I’ve owned well into tripple figures in bikes over the years.
makes you realise the true value of stuff IMO

google image ‘Blood out a stone’