You’re probably not going mad. Maybe!

I did nearly impale myself on the bars when the handlebar grips came off during a rainy jump session in the local car park. For some reason the fairly liquid that I’d used to put them on with, wasn’t very sticky in wet condition!

I didn’t have one myself, but was as into bikes then as I am again now!

My “Tracker” was a frame from the tip with track ends (which for some reason we called “reverse fish gates”) 😕 which I painted in a camo design with some rattle cans! Wheels and tyres were from a cycle speedway bike, single speed “cottless cranks”, hoooge cow horns, very short stem and seatpost, BMX saddle, straight blade forks and just a rear centre pull brake – ahh, that brings back memories!

I’m sure someone at school had one like yours though – seem to remember the chrome fork bits going rusty.

I’m sure I remember these – it’s bugging me now too! Could it have been a Peugeot or Puch? I’ve tried googling various things, but can’t find anything.

Yunki – your story brought a tear to my eyes – you’re a good man, you’ll go to heaven (if such a place existed).

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The “magic carpet ride” with the wonderful Bike Village. This was taken after a long climb and at the start of a 2000m vertical descent. Getting goose bumps just thinking about it! 😀

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A Kona Ute (my first “road bike”) – although it’s not due until March 🙁

Ahh, bimble may have been the wrong word. What I maybe should have said was 3 ish hour ride with rider of (very) average skill and fitness (me)!

I modified one by removing the to cover, removing the red indictor pointer thing then cutting off the shifter window bit before refitting it – if you fill the section you are cutting off with silcon sealer before you cut it, it seals it nicely and looks neat.

The shifter now sits outboard of the brake lever.

For setting the shifter up you simply put it in the lowest gear then shift up 3 times and hey presto – you’re in 4th!

I’ve got 120mm forks on my Inbred. When I bought the forks I also got some spacers to reduce the travel to 100mm. I thought I’d just try them at 120mm first and it rides great, so I never bothered changing them.

HTH

I have a joe blow and am always swearing at it as the bit that goes on the valve (on mine at least) either won’t lock on properly or if it’s a mavic UST type valve (which are quite short) won’t fit on at all. I’ve also never managed to inflate a tubless tyre with it.

A mate has a specialized air tools (sport I think), which works everytime – that’s what I’m going for next.

I run a 9 speed chain on mine – found the single speed chain would move from sisde to side a bit on the sprocket and make a noise against the plastic bits.

Tis nice!

Can’t remember where I saw you, remember the bike though – might have been at the top of Pitch – I was with a couple of friends – me on a white Inbred SS, a mate on a Lynskey 29er and another on a Trek full suss bike we were mainly on Pitch and Holbury – I would have said “Hi” – I say it to everyone, even dogs (although I usually say “herro” to them in a dog voice!)

The off road way back up from BKB – turn right when you get to the end of BKB then right again at the top. You’re then back at the start.

That looks luuuverly.

I think I saw you yesterday (well I saw the bike!). I’ve just seen your other thread asking if anyone was going out in the ‘Hills – shame I saw it a couple of days late. Anyway, if you want some company next time just let me know.

PS – Did you know there’s a nice(r than going up the road) off road climb from the bottom of BKB? The first bit makes you grunt a bit on a SS though!

Looks groovy. What are you going to use it for? I kinda looks set up like a hybrid with those tyres. Must be nice designing it yourself. Is the bent down tube for fork crown clearance prehaps? Enjoy your new bike.

My first go at SSing about 15 years ago didn’t last very long as I found it frustrating on the road sections between the rather thinly spread bridleways. It was fun off road though.

Having moved to the Surrey Hills/North Downs, I can ride from my front door for hours only crossing the odd bit of tarmac. I bought a cheap old SS Inbred off here a year and a half ago and love it.

I do seam to fly in the face of convension however and put an Alfine on for the winter (where it appears lots go from gears to SS for winter) as on the steeper hills that you have to attack, out of the saddle and give it full beans find I loose traction.

I also find it can be a bit anti-social if riding with friend on geared bikes as you have to ride at your own pace, so miss out on the conversations you have sitting and spinning up the long climbs.

My ’09 did it loads – traced it to the cheap rear QR that was fitted. Have since put the Maxle conversion on it and it’s been quiet (most of the time). I remove, clean and grease the drop out fixings a couple of times a year to keep it quiet.

Good aren't they.

I've been looking at those and the new 456Ti frames – please let us know how it rides.

Did the new frame feel much lighter than the 853? It looks good for a 20" – my size too. Enjoy your new bike. Have fun!

I've recently put 120mm forks on mine after a year of running rigid forks. I bought some spacers to drop the travel to 100mm but thought I'd try it at 120mm first – feels great, so never bothered to change them.

Don't let anyone ever talk you into letting them use "spray on plaster" on your scuffed elbow. It hurts more than the scuffing of said elbow along an Alp!

I used the concave and convex washers from some V brake pads on mine – work a treat. If you get realy stuck I might have some hanging about.

You say she'd only probably kill you!

Yep, Tony is right, and it is 4th.

Yep,

What Pete said – have always found them very good.

Thanks for that, you've just saved me £7 (or actually cost me £63, depending how you look at it!!)

My name's Andy Hicks. Hicksy (or Hicksydoodle), is what I get called a lot. We'll that and speckytwat. I prefer Hicksy!

They do take up a fair bit of space don't they – I had to get new bars when I got mine as the bend of my old bars meant I couldn't get the shifter inboard enough.

The weird thing is I often use the indictor on the Alfine, but never on my XT's – even more so since I removed them!

Saying that, as above – let's 'ave a butchers then!

I'm probably being thick Big Pete, but eh? 😕

I'd echo Wooksters opening post – pretty much what I thought of my morning with Tony a few weeks ago.

After all the good press I'd read I thought I'd give it a punt. Tony obviously knows what he's doing and understands how people best learn. At one stage he realised I was over thinking things, so sneakily distracted me with something else for a few minutes. This trick worked and allowed me to then managed to do what I'd been tried previously, which boosted my confidence again. Tony is a great teacher.

Although I still have frustrating days when I can't get my flow, I know why, and can correct things.

Crikey, there must be something wrong with my Mount Vision as it won't do that!

You need 2 spanners – from memory an 8mm + 10mm (one for the hex head, one for the flats), and it just unscrews against it's self – hope that makes some sense!

Ultra safe tory seat 😥

They are my LBS.

They are always very friendly and helpful and know their onions – they've helped me out of a hole a couple of times recently which was great. Always have some interesting bikes and bits to tempt you too!

A very baby deer and 2 beach buggies (in Surrey!).

I did a similar thing a couple of years ago (broke my wrist) right at the begining of summer. I feel your pain! I kept fit by walking around the local trails and found a few new ones in the process.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

It looks to me like a bridleway that drops down off the North Downs Way – don't know any names of trails (or places!) but if heading from Newlands Corner towards White Down on the NDW, you go up longish drag up the sort of surfaced "easy access route" until you get to the top of the hill, you the go round the big metal gate and turn off on the first right up a rooty trail. This weaves round a bit then after 200-300m comes to a T junction – if you turn left (then right) you end up at White Down – turn right and you are (I think) on that trail – I turn left at 1.02 mins (still bridleway) which takes you down to Abinger roughs. Be careful though as there are often walkers. Hope this helps.

Damn, toooo slow!

Does it come with a headset?!

Surely you'd then need a jobsworth to go round and check for jobsworths!

Thanks guys,

I'll check it out.