Synovial fluid lubricates joints but only releases after a bit of encouragement for efficiency. Raising heart rate and temperature is like kneading a bit of blu-tak before stretching it; it makes things more elastic and reduces injury. Blu-tak snaps/tears when cold and stretched as do muscle fibres and tendons (micro tears in this case). Joints are involved in stretching and are the part of the OP’s pain/discomfort therefore a little understanding about how to work with them is relevant.

HR doesn’t need to be super high, but elevated from resting (I can’t recall the ideal amount, jogging on the spot does the trick) You’re right about maximum time, my time suggestion is more of a no less than guidance. I sometimes see people ‘hold’ a stretch for 2-3 seconds and assume it’s had enough effect. Until the muscle releases may be a very long time, yoga breathing guidance helps as exhaling can aid release in small steps.

Everything’s connected one way or another, joints, stretching, breathing and heart rate happen to be quite closely linked.

Hora, you asking about my Marin? It’s gone if so.

As for mini vs tall, the tall has a proportionally longer handle. The mini is probably the one for a committed coffee quaffer on the go. You could fashion a pump style frame mount with some jubilee clips, O-rings and Sugru.

Cheers, good feedback :-)

If only there was an easy way to link one up to your training rollers/turbo?

Excuse me if you know already, but it’s good to get your heart rate up before stretching to get your engines firing. A bit of joint mobilisation (wiggling bits of your body) helps release synovial fluid, our built in joint lube. So do this before you engage in a stretch.

Don’t go too hard on yourself to make up for lost time, progressive and regular will get you much further than heavy and occasional training. 15-30 seconds is considered a good duration to hold the stretch for.

Also check out some of the yoga vids on youtube, using the breath helps focus and alleviates the strain; like exhaling when lifting something heavy.

I would avoid the seated hamstring stretch you’re doing as it’s pulling other areas. There are tons of separate hip and hamstring yoga poses which isolate the area. Listen to your body when stretching; tight’s fine, pain’s bad.

Here’s a bit of Tara Stiles, she’s well bendy :wink: Her stuff is progressive, accessible and there’s tons of it out there on YT.

I’ve sold a Spesh Echelon on t’bay after I went off it. It wasn’t old, crashed or out of it’s warranty period.

I doubt you’d get many nibbles on here unless it’s particularly trendy (POC, carbon fullface etc), however ebay’s worth a go. Or pinkbike if it’s a rad related helmet, they’re a lot less choosy but can be frustrating to trade with.

What is it and how old?

Looks fun but a bit 8O The photos on the site are a tad too rider oriented so it’s hard to get an idea of the trail beyond single obstacles.

I’d like to go, but with a big bike and some armour!

Helitape critical areas, damp microfibre cloth after washing to dry/buff up to a nice shine. Doesn’t take long, no need for nasty chemicals or propellants.

A lack of challenge? Try something that scares the HP out of you or something you really want to do but don’t for one reason or another. I feel similar to how you’ve described when I don’t feel in control and things seem to be coasting along on a clearly determined path. It’s good to feel in agreement with your life and that decisions/consequence have value. It’s important that we succeed at the things we value and have something to work towards in one sense or another.

Some pretty candid words here.

I’ve had a humbling year, I think these words sum it up:

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”

A number of significant things have not gone to plan, life has been testing but one way or another other options have always appeared despite how bleak things have looked. It’s a relative bleakness, I’m lucky for what I have and the freedom to find options. Next year looks to be more about new chapters than the re-writing of old ones.

And learning to manual :x One day… one day.

My street is on an incline, to the top and down again a few times braking hard. Also a few times with brakes on while pedalling down hill. Then go for a ride. It’s not a long road, I’d rather arrive at the trail with more worn in brakes than leave as such.

Pay attention, make them laugh, be yourself.

Don’t put on the following, whip out a bottle of Baileys and 2 mugs;

I found the tweek on another site, I can’t see the point in more expensive top guides.

The B screw’s been the answer to some frustrating drivetrain conundrums for me in the past but it’s such a quick and easy thing to adjust. It’s not quite as sensitive as a gear cable adjuster, but still stick to no more than a half turn at a time. Whack ‘er in the big cog, adjust, shift up and down and repeat until it looks/feels right. The top jockey should be clear of the cassette as you probably know, you’ll hear it purr and tick if it isn’t.

The world’s meant to end today, there’s nothing to lose :wink:

I spotted the N-Gear and secretly did the respect nod. Fair enough with the chain, the B screw could help add a little tension for security if you find it’s needed. You can bend the guide plate for the Jump Stop, it works very well like this:

Not my cup o’ tea but it’s well matched for one of them reallyexpensivegotcurlybits bikes.

Rear cable needs reigning in a tad and either B-screw or chain length need attention as the mech looks a little tucked. I’d want a little more security on the front chainring like a bash.

Anyhow, it’s stealthy and shiny 8)

This one’s for you two:

A very sunny October day.

I’ve had a couple of 525 Dialled PAs and the BPX is much twangier in the rear (ahem) yet feels more solid up front due to angles/tubing/BB etc. It’s nice and direct but the minimal bracing of the seat and chainstays does add a liveliness that is fun with momentum. I love the nerdy visibly butted tubes on the top and seat tube as well as the Maxle drop outs, guides and dropper friendliness. I like that the BB is a little higher and there’s loads of standover. I’ve not found a need to shorten the fork, 140 has been great and 150 is on the way. The slackness encourages a more exaggerated style towards the front wheel, which coincidently is quite handy for cornering effectively with a long fork. The steep seattube (relatively) gets you back up the hill for another go and keeps you in the fore. Mud room is generous as you probably know.

Weight is 2.34 vs 2.79 for the BPX & Sov. 450g is a fair chunk, but I gather Sov riders aren’t weenies.

I can’t pass judgement on the Sov but the BPX is very good indeed! If you wanted to know I’m 5’11”, it’s a 17″ with a 60mm stem and 711 bars. I’d like to go wider but would be punching trees on the local stuff.

Every morning without fail :wink:

Weeksy, the world of MTB videos would be a bit bland if they were always within the confines of what the average rider can do. Why should you or anyone else’s capability on a bike affect what is available as entertainment? It’s just a fun vid and they happen to be on LTHTs, there’s no instruction or judgement about whether you should imitate them. And Jinya Nishiwaki’s in it and he’s cool so there.

Sprocker, no worries.

Neither can I but that doesn’t matter! It’s inspiring none the less and shows what can be done.

Check out this thread; LINK.

The final poster appears to nail it. I’ve only had a quick look, there’s probably more info out there than this alone.

Or you could buy a 110-140 U-Turn Pike 454 off me… :mrgreen: (I wasn’t originally intending to pitch this to you, but it has just occurred to me).

I know everyone’s seen it, but it’s always worth another go :D

You could always stick a 10mm spacer in the Lyrik for 150-120 if it feels too lanky.

I’ve been toggling between the 2, currently in a HT phase and quite into it. Similarly the maintenance aspect is part of the decision. I’ve got a Blue Pig X with a Pike, soon to be 150mm Rev in a few days. Less weight, more options.

Nothing’s set in stone. Go with it for now and change later if it doesn’t work out. Each have their pros/cons as I’m sure you know and with those come different approaches to riding. If you’re style currently would work with HT go with it.

Prior to the FS I had gone FS-HT but my confidence and technique are quite different now. With plans to move to or near the Peak I don’t fancy the upkeep of a FS with gritstone mud all up in my crannies.

Less is more… apart from when it’s less :wink:

8O

OP I Hope they sort you out.

IGMC.

Well! Things have certainly changed.

I now have a tapered Maxle Lite Revelation RCT3 dual position on the way :D

£290 at Winstanley’s HERE.

So I get a strongly recommended dual flow damper, tapered steerer, 400g less fork and a few new functions to fettle with.

Cheers for the feedback, it’s been really helpful.

The Pikes are 1 1/8″ (I think all Pikes are), I have enough headtube for a tapered fork though.

I noticed the new Argyle looks identical to the Pike, although feature low speed compression and a Ravey Davey paint job:

They weigh a smidge less, but probably due to not having the odd little steerer plug!

Hmmm, teh Pikes are winning.

Even though it could be aboot 200g?

Unless the weights I’m using are off I’ve read 2041g and 1837g respectively. If they ride the same that’s a weight saving I’d struggle to make easily elsewhere in one go without giving up uppydowny luxury.

In true STW style I have entirely different answers: send it to a polishers to be stripped and buffed like a chrome monster or send it to an anodisers for a black finish.

Mirror finish and black outline decals or black ano and matt decals (reflective black if you can locate someone to do some for you).

That rear mech cable needs tucking in :wink:

Park claw thingy that came with the chain cleaner for the cassette and rings, Sainsbury’s washing up brush (with comfy grip handle no less) and an old toothbrush because they get among the front mech’s nooks.

9p ghetto inflator

The above won’t foul your sealant and is good fun to make. Seats tyres like it ain’t no thing. I used a spare QR swap-out to pinch the hose and some blu-tak around the leaky bits at the cap. It’s like the Tracy Island of STW.

OP start with something neutral as you will upgrade/change and the bike will evolve as your riding develops.

The Soul is very popular and is more toward the trail (XC and a bit of chucking about) end. The Slackline and Shan are both built for longer forks and harder riding. I think a Cotic BFe is more comparable if you really want a walloper.

For someone who has not yet learned to be able to ride more technical things at speed the heft, slackness and extra travel may feel unwieldy. Also as the suspension is only up front your body has to match the travel which requires technique. However, if you take to things quickly, are fit and strong then these issues are minor. Be honest, we often are drawn to having the burliest bike at one point or another but it’s often beyond our needs.

At a stab I’d say 120-140mm travel. Or if you must get 150mm, get an adjustable fork so You can wind it in a bit. It’s worth considering that a dropper post is an excellent addition to the build. A frame with a larger seat tube offers more options (30.9 or 31.6, 27.2 is limited but common).

Harder hitting bikes need more material in the frame not to break, therefore are less compliant to ride and weigh more than their shorter counterparts. A good steel (853, true temper OX etc) longer travel bike should be both comfy and strong. If you don’t like chucking yourself off things then stay nearer the 120mm travel end; less to lug around and more comfy. If you like a bit of airtime and see yourself doing jumps, drops and riding down hill at a fair pace get a longer travel bike.

I ride a Blue Pig X with a 140mm U-Turn Pike. TBH I never wind it down, although I would for a long fire road or similar necessary slog. It’s a higher end steel which compensates the weight a little and is lovely and twangy in all the right places. The seat tube is 30.9 and it has guides for my dropper post, the headtube is 44 which can be adapted to take whichever fork I fancy and there’s lots of room for mud. The dropouts are also swappable so I have a Maxle rear wheel too. There have been some iffy batches which has hurt their reputation unfortunately but they are great frames.

I think it’s worth widening the net, geek out and read up on some more frames.

A new Soul may be suited to you as they have updated the tubing sizes however, but there may be something more suited to you. I recall Cy saying not to do too many 2′ drops on to flat on a Soul as they’re not really built for that sort of thing. Hence Cotic makes the BFe, the newer generation has larger diameter tubes for the above issues.

On an entirely useless note I can’t stand the Cotic headbadge. It looks like something scribbled on a school desk and lowers the tone of the bike.

You could just go for a 456 complete build, ride it like beast and get something fancier when you’ve started gravitating towards a specific type of riding? LINK HERE

There are so many variables and tangents, the 456 is solid, capable and pretty good value. The Slackline and Shan may be overkill, the Soul may not allow you to grow into rougher riding. The 456 doesn’t care and will happily take abuse. They’re not glamorous but also ain’t too bad either.

Don’t put yourself in an expensive pigeonhole before you’ve decided what you like.

Cheers, that’s a good point about the masking tape!

Sorry I’ve not read the whole thing…

But, I similarly was unfocused around your son’s age. I didn’t balls up my A-levels entirely but blocked the path I thought/convinced everyone I should take. I suffered from and still do battle with epic procrastination so never really got anywhere with the things that I thought I wanted too. Partly it’s failure avoidance, which ironically results in a self fulfilling prophecy.

Anywayz. I ended up doing a series of crap jobs, wishing I had tried harder and thinking long and hard about wanting to “be something”. Not famous, but have some kind of career. I have been a care worker for nearly 7 years which has taught me a heck of a lot about responsibility, professionalism, my strengths etc etc and 3ish years ago I went to uni finally to study adventure education which I am still doing (I finish in a month 8O ) from which I’ll get into instructing/coaching with the goal of self employment.

My point is vocational courses/work are great for people that are more immediately motivated or practical. Also at 19 or there abouts the lack of life experience means we don’t quite understand who we are yet (despite thinking we do, very strongly) or what that can develop into. He sounds like he has self esteem issues as mentioned and the parental split will have had an effect. Focus on his strengths; we form our self esteem by the successes we have at the things we consider to be important. This is key. Failure is also exaggerated in it’s damaging effect, learning to have another go is a big part of growth.

Music tech/production/teaching etc is a really big area. Living in Brighton there are loaaaads of variants of these types of courses and jobs which music nerds revel in. I think some financial contribution to living at home is necessary as well as actively doing essentials such as the food shop, laundry, housekeeping etc. These are life skills he’ll need on his own and requires time management. He can also develop satisfaction from pulling his weight and being independent although I’m sure it won’t appear so at first, but you can show him appreciation for his help. People like to feel useful.

In short; support his strengths, don’t focus on his failings, encourage more financial independence (he’ll learn that working properly and living away from home is better) and consider either vocational or music based study.

He’ll be ok, he’s got a dad who cares and a lot of years left. Prepare him for the next step by getting him to prepare himself otherwise he won’t be able to move out and grow as an individual. Oh and get him a mountain bike, they’re really fun :wink:

I’m lichen that.

I’ve never wanted a balance bike before, that’s awesome :D Don’t anodise it, it’s lovely raw. Makes it look like a DH bike from the steep geometry days.

OP you could go for a truss fork if you’re into weird front ends, as already said; why?

My money’s on old. I had a gunmetal one of those, the paint finish was amazingly durable! It was like a rough matt powdercoat or something.

ISCG old on the left, ISCG 05 right.

From http://www.e13components.com/images/iscg.jpg

Hmm, PB’s props have made the comments even more knobby. It’s like an MTB-dude-youtube.

I can kind of see some merit in it here but fear it would encourage a rise in “big hitters”. The lack of these buttons means people sometimes put thought into constructing a decent counter point (carefully note the word sometimes :wink: ) if they could just dislike a post you wouldn’t know who was disliking who.

:lol: The commentary is so good!

Multiple-mid-poop-pinching seems an invitation for more work cleaning up.

Chew your food properly and drink enough water and you’ll be on your way to avoiding a back door ASBO.

Gong caffeine free.
Percussion without that twitchy feeling.

Bloody hat secret santa – ideas pls.
8O

STOLEN!!!!!!!!!! Half a bear please…..

Quentin Tarantino – Ron fists.
What 2 chaps consensually get up to is their business.

Recommend me some over hoes.
A pimp’s got to protect his property in winter.

An Orange style workshop calendar for the new year :wink:

perambulating present participle of per·am·bu·late (Verb)
Verb
Walk or travel through or around (a place or area), esp. for pleasure and in a leisurely way.
Walk from place to place; walk about.

I doubted my knowledge of the word perambulate and checked teh interwebz. I’m pretty chuffed with 9/10 though :D I guess bold type is asking for scrutiny, I thought it would be more tabloidy.

Your point about flexibility is key as it’s your range of motion and bodily travel. The more you can accomodate for the bike moving unpredictably, the less of an issue it is. Corners and roots IME/nerdy reading appear to be opposites in terms of physical requirements:

Corners; leaned bike, tyres and weight crammed into the ground, pumping wherever possible (rider heavy).

Roots; upright bike, bike light, rider light.

Lee’s page is interesting and simplifies the process but I think the bigger issues are the lack of traction combined with roots all over the bloody place!

I keep reading about people running close to 20psi tubeless, you were around 28 right? A bit of air released could give an immediate short term gain. I have a bit more time to ride again, we should catch up for some geeky cornering practise.