It’s on it’s way (well it’s sitting in the box box outside).

I’ve got a spare one of those blocks you can have if you want it. Email me if you want it and I’ll pop it in the post this evening.

You have got a good eye for a photo Grum.

You even manage to make The North look less grim :D.

The link for the tensioner doesn’t appear to work for me but, if it’s a FS bike is the chain tension not constatly changing as the suspension compresses, or does the frame have a pivot around the bottom bracket?

6 pages and no one has mentioned The Brian Jonestown Massacre yet!
Already mentioned but…
I am Kloot
Belle and Sebastian
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Curve
Ash – some great pop songs

Don’t worry, they know I’m stealing it!

I’m afraid the people who’s wi-fi I’m stealing have got youtube blocked! I’ll have to have a look tomorrow at work!

I did go and see The Hunters Club once – think I bought a record and think I liked them but can’t remember anything else about them!

I’m currently listening to Curve’s Peel Sessions – loads of messing with feedback on Split Into Fractions – still sounds great.

Tindersticks are still one of my favorite bands (I’m a fairly happy bunny – honest!).

Spacemen 3 anyone?

Yay! Well done STWer. Hope the road bikes turn up too.

My Mount Vision is 3 1/2 years old now and needed a new set of bearings about 18 months in. The new set have lasted 2 years – I tend to dry wash it now (rub the dried dirt off and the wipe with a damp sponge). I usually ride my hardtail in the winter though, but the current set have done 4 weeks in the Alps.

My LBS didn’t charge for changing them last time and I didn’t even buy the bike from them. Thank you Cycleworks Guildford.

I also can’t be arsed with swapping tyres. I run 2.35 High Rollers on the front of both bikes and a 2.25 Crossmark on the back of my full suspension bike and a 2.00 Larson TT (it’s wider than it sounds!)on the single speed. I use the same combo in any weather – I mainly ride in Surrey, but also for a couple of weeks in the Alps each year and Scotland and Wales or where ever. All are LUST versions. The rear tyres both roll well and don’t give me any trouble in the wet. They’re even fine on North Downs mud! My theory with tyres is to have a front which won’t wash out and a quick rolling tyre on the rear – if it slides a bit at times it’s fine/fun – might not suit those who aren’t suttle with the pedalling on slippery stuff though!

If they were cheap enough I know I’d end up buying one – I know I shouldn’t, and I’d feel guilty afterwards, but I’d have to have one!

Have you tried taking the valve core out to get it seated? It’ll go down again when you take the pump off, but it’s worked for me before to get the tyre seated for the first time.

Thanks Jamie – what a fine fellow you are.

Oh poo, I missed it.

He’s a hero of mine – shame it never really worked out for him in F1 – was awesome in Indy Cars though. Amazing what he’s done since loosing his legs.

I’ll have to see if it comes on the iplayer.

Upgrade

Upgrade (DMR’s distributor sell spares) – I asked my LBS to order me some bits – I had them in a couple of days.

Mine did the same as Jonkes and Onzadogs – easy to sort out though just tap the bushes back in with a socket of the right size. Be careful with the end caps – even with a nice new Snap On allen key, I managed to damage one of mine! You can get spares luckily though.

The hard tail gets used a fair bit in the wet and the boot has always stays on and I do look after my bikes. The post goes up and down more than I change gear (it’s on a single speed!) I find that if I don’t strip it, clean and lubricate it regually it doesn’t want to clunk into it’s raised height correctly. Maybe I’m unlucky or being stoopid, but just reporting my thoughs for younggeoff. Can’t comment on the other post as I’ve not used one.

I have a Gravity Dropper on the hard tail and although it’s OK, I’d not buy another. I’ve had it about 6 months and serviced it three times as it was getting sticky. It’s showing sligns of wear on the inner section.

It’s one of those things that people say are great and that you can service it yourself – this generally means it needs lots of servicing!

I’m going to make sure my next hard tail frame takes a 30.9/31.6 post – I’ve been using a Reverb in my other bike and it’s been great.

Thanks for posting this – I was after something like this.

Thank you Sir.

How come there’s an old 105E Anglia in Utah?

I used the concave and convex washers from some V-brake pads on mine – they worked a treat.

Cheez0, If you fancy a bike ride one evening or over the weekend just let me know. I know the hills fairly well.

Email address in profile.

Cheers

Andy

Head For The Hills in Dorking also carry Maxxis.

I can understand why they do it – I’m guessing each model in each range changes colour every year, so there must be loads of different coloured parts they would need to hold in stock. However, having bikes riding round with different coloured bits on them does make it draw attention to the fact that part of frame had failed.

I’ve been out there with Bike Village the last couple of years (and going again this year). Most of the stuff we ride isn’t bike park style trails with big jumps, but either fast/flowy or as technical as you like or a bit of both – bikes of other guests whilst we’ve been there have ranged from mid range hard tails to an Orange Patriot. I’ve taken a 120mm travel Mount Vision with me and have found it great (it would be nice if it was a bit lighter though!)I’d have no worries about riding a 29er out there and am considering one for next year – might be tricky on some of the really tight switch backs, but maybe not. It’s a great area – have a great time.

Be careful – some manufacturers only supply the first years warranty, the remainder is covered by the importer and they can stipulate that the car must be dealer serviced. I’d check this out first. Also, what are they doing for £300? Doesn’t sound too extreme to me. Even if you save £100 elsewhere, it may make the car lest desireable when you come to sell it.

XT for me – tried a few others before hand. Good power, good feel, don’t rub, reliable and not tooooo expensive.

Thanks Rotary – I think I’ll just buy a cheapy and give it a go.

Cheers – I saw this when it was on first time – some amazing footage.

Druidh – Yes 😀

Drat, I thought I may get caught in my own trap!

What I was trying to find out from TJ was whether he thought he would be better off wearing a helmet in a crash where he hit his head and therefore if he deemed a helmet worth wearing. I realise that we can’t keep safe all the time, but in activity where I hurt myself more than in any other area of my life (I’m obviously not much good!) it seems sensible for me to wear a helmet when on my bike. I can’t see a practical reason not to.

I, like TJ, would try and assess any risks and wear what I felt was required.

Anyhow, managed to stay on my bike today – even though I was being a bit rad 😀

*Waits for the above post to be edited and quoted back to me but in a walking down the street situation*

Thanks for the answer TJ. So, the answer to my question would be yes presumabley.

The only thing I’d say is that everytime I’m come off my bike I haven’t known it was going to happen. Sometimes it’s been when I’ve been riding fast or on tricky stuff, sometimes while just bimbling along. I broke my arm bimbling along a bridleway once – low speed and just bad luck, but it happened.

I’m off for a bike ride now – stay safe all.

TJ – If you knew before going out for a bike ride today that you were going to be unfortuneate enough to come off your bike today and the only thing you knew that was you were going to hit your head hard enough to end up in A+E, whether you were wearing a helmet or not – you don’t know how bad the injury would be, what you hit, how fast and at what angle you hit it or whether wearing a helmet would have made injury less or more serious. Given the choice now, before it happens, would you wear your helmet today?

Genuine question – interested in a simple yes or no answer please.

I hope you don’t come off your bike obviously.

You’ve never been on the moon Khani – no one has – it was all faked – I know, I’ve watched a TV program about it. 😀

To answer the OP’s question – I’ve recently put dropper posts on my bikes and this has meant going from layback to inline. I aways ran the saddles about halfway along the rails on the lay back posts, but now have to run them furter back – I’d guess that the saddles are still about 10mm closer the bars than before, but I’m affraid I’ll have to admit that I can’t tell the difference!

I bet those steps got the old heart racing – I thought he was off there!

Groovy little vid though.

From memory the SS Powerlinks are different to the 8/9/10 spd ones and just look like a standard link. Both the pins are attached to one of the side plates and the link is opened by flexing the 2 pins together. You can tell which one it is as the pins don’t have dimples in. I’ve only ever been able to get them apart with those Park Tools Powerlink plier things though.

I hope that makes some sense!

Saw them supporting the mighty Mudhoney (and TAD I think) at the Astoria, then later a couple of times – don’t remember them being that tight though!

The crowd look a bit tame – I still have problems with my neck following a stage diving incident!