basically i dont think people on here saying they want as cheap as possible a bike when a set of vs font and rear are what a tenner second hand?

just admit you wanna are simply following fashion, its not a bad thing we all do it

I read that a few times and think I understand some of it.

Brakes – mine has brakes front and rear. I'm a big unit in a hilly area. I can bring it to a stop on a hill using just my legs but not in the sort of 'sh!t some blind bat's just pulled out on me' distance.

Fashion – yes & no – if they weren't seemingly fashionable at the mo' I probably wouldn't have thought about giving it a go. But I did it originally because I was interested (not to be fashionable) and I keep doing it because I enjoy it (not to be fashionable). I'm told that the fashionable fixie set now have narrow flat bars. I won't be going down that route – I'd rather have them nice and wide for pulling on than a la mode.

My fixie cost very little.

I got an old road bike off 'freecycle' with a screw on block. Bought a fixed sprocket and new chain. It needed a few bits from the spares box (seatpost and saddle) and I was good to go.

I enjoyed it but didn't get on with the very narrow road bars on it so I treated it to some nice Nitto bullbars and some £6 aero brake levers from my LBS's bargain bin.

I enjoyed it even more, particularly for my commute to the extent that I've decided to throw some money at a new one, possibly a Kona Paddy Wagon or Kinesis Convert2. I reckon my commute costs me £5+ per day by car so (very roughly) if I commute by bike once a week for 2 years, it'll pay for itself. I do realise I'm kidding myself here. I already commute about once a week on average on my geared road bike so to pay for the fixie I'd really have to be commuting twice a week (unlikely) or saving £500 of Ultegra cassettes and mechs over two years (also unlikely)

Where do you get the best view from, Claife Heights or Jenkin Crag side?

(assuming most of the display will be aimed at visibility from Bowness)

p.s. I've since heard the Vulcan will be over Carlisle at 4:50 so I reckon the display will start over Windermere at 5pm. But I could be wrong.

Speculation on the timing of the Vulcan display here: http://fightercontrol.forumotion.com/airshows-f1/windermere-25-26-july-t12075.htm

Speculation on the timing of the Vulcan display here: http://fightercontrol.forumotion.com/airshows-f1/windermere-25-26-july-t12075.htm

Also interested.

I ski in Le Grand Bornand quite a bit and like La Clusaz – I'd be interested to know what they're like in summer. Would consider camping (as part of a holiday dragging the family and family tent all over France next summer)

(double post)

Disclaimer: I've only skim read the article sat on the library this morning.

But… I found each of the reviews sort of under-whelming. They seemed neutral to the point of being flat. I'm not keen on reviews full of hyperbole either but these just seemed a bit too far the other way. Interesting conclusion that the best all-rounder was the Whyte but you might as well buy the Alu one.

I'll read it properly tonight.

I'm in the 'he knew what he was doing, deserved a sanction but was harshly done by to lose all points' camp.

IMO, he closed the door on Hushovd (who I have no great love for) but it was in no sense dangerous.

So… anyone know the programme yet?

Bring back the Giro Switchblade.

Not a failure as such but you can't get one with an i-beam head yet.

It is not mauve.

I have a Panasonic TZ5 and am very impressed with it. So much so that I don't like taking it out MTBing in case I damage it.

I'm looking for something a bit sturdier myself.

Having said that I'm not sure even the Schwalbe tubes (and lockrings) would work so well with a deep section rim as the lockring only sorts out one end.

Schwalbe inner tubes have a special ridged lockring on the valve that means you can use the presta ones in schraeder holes.

Interesting. That may explain why I've not had the problem before.

I think my DT5.1s (on the front of this bike and both wheels on my HT) are drilled for Schraeder. I'm dimly aware that the lockrings are different on Schwalbe – I know what you mean about them being ridged – I'd noticed it but wasn't aware it had a purpose apart from being different. I do tend to use Schwalbe tubes but that's just out of habit. I wasn't aware of the lockring thing.

The two tubes I did in last night had 'normal' lockrings. One was a Nokian DH tube which went down riding slowly up hill on tarmac – an indication that something odd was going on.

Ta – have ordered a couple of them.

I finished the PassPortes last year with some 55s with ~80mm travel. Then the next day they started winding down themselves so I was arriving at the bottom of runs with ~40mm travel.

So I got them fixed. They were fine for a while. Then I used that bike for a local night ride, forks were fine all night. When I came out of the pub all but ~20mm of stanchion had disappeared into the lowers. No amount of twiddling or pulling was getting them out again.

So I got them fixed and they've been fine since. And they've had loads more riding than either of the two previous times. I reckon they're fixed for good now. I really like them but there's obviously no way I'd recommend them to anyone.

I agree.

And it will be even better when it's scrubbed in a bit.

Don't you love it when you ask "should I buy A or B?" and someone comes along and recommends C?

I've got a Token Tiramic BB from Wiggle: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Token_Tiramic_Bottom_Bracket/5360039115/

I've only had it since March so I can't comment on longevity, though it is on my most ridden bike and I have been all over the gritty Dark Peak on it. What I can comment on is how it spins (and spins and spins). I bunged it on the bike and gave the cranks a flick and they just went on and on. Like an old-style BB before HT2. And they still spin like that. Next time I need a set of cups on another bike I'll go for these again.

The only downside is the gold colour – doesn't go with any of my bikes. Sad, I know.

Of course, they'll now find something else to nick me and incarcerate me for….

Got your hi-vis jacket? Is it in the body of the car, not the boot, so you cabn put it on before you exit the vehicle?

Spare bulbs?
Warning triangle?

Yes, it's for the TMB.

I was thinking of getting the train. I wonder if ChamExpress would look after my bag for me – don't suppose you asked them? It could well be that the transfer works out cheaper than left luggage and train.

p.s. I have a Dawes myself and am not desperately young (though I'm not yet grey and my experiment with facial hair didn't last long at all)

10CHF per day, unlimited size, locker looks like one answer. It will end up costing nearly as much as a bike bag itself though.

I might ask the same question on a more road/touring forum. I'm sure there must be other ways to do it. I can't see all those grey beardies with ancient Dawes messing about with bike boxes and lockers.

hmmm…. had a brilliant idea and checked the EasyJet website.

Found this…

The bicycle must be packaged in a bicycle box or bag

I could bung it in a box for the flight out but that gives me a problem getting it back.

-1 on the cock vote. But then, like the marmot, I've ridden down it so I've got a bit of context.

I'm sure I was passed by many more than I passed myself but from both perspectives I can tell you that it's quite possible to pass someone close and fast without any danger for either party.

He's obviously riding for the camera but that doesn't make him a cock.

Sounds like it may be a 700c frame?

I don't think it is. I was told that under the dodgy paint job it was an old Dawes. The wheels it came with are definitely 27". On the other hand though, the frame and fork have mudguard mounts and, even with the original tyres there was nowhere near enough clearance for guards.

Is there any way to tell by measuring what wheel it was originally intended for?

I do have a spare set of 700c wheels so I'll see if they fit. Not sure about axle spacing and/or brake alignment though.

Can't find the 'Touring II' on-line. In fact the UK Spesh site doesn't have any 27" tyres at all. The US site has a 'Trisport' tyre (tire?) that looks smallish.

Didn't get there till 11.30 after a frustrating few hours of XC trying to achieve Higgo's route over the tops from Edenfield – so many wrong turnings…

Ooooops!

John – I read that bit to mean it was a bridleway that changes at some point along its route to a FP. Often happens at parish boundary. Just shows what a nonsense access is in England & Wales.

Another good reason not to base route decisions on the ROW designation, which have less to do with historic use and impact than what parish the trail is in.

Once again, Hora spouts some unthoughtout nonsense and the thread is about him (and what a clown he is).

Getting back to the question of fines on cheeky trails… I too would like to see more detail about the FPN and the authority under which it was issued. My instinct would be to advise the fined not to pay as I suspect the fines will turn out to be unenforceable. I could be wrong though.

If you're riding via Edenfield, I've got a route that will take you off-road all the way from Edenfield to the top of the quarry, sort of halfway round the lap.

Email me via my profile and I'll send it as either .trl, .gpx or .pdf (huge file)

get legal on his @ss

and Q3: would skirting tiles look a bit 'hospital'?

Ta.

I need to pop into the tile shop this afternoon anyway. I'll have a look to see if they do any matching skirting tiles.

Q1: Do I actually need any skirting between the tiled wall and the tiled floor? I guess not or I'll end up with skirting in the shower enclosure – which would be odd.

Q2: which would look better on the untiled walled – skirting tiles to match the floor tiles or skirting tiles to match the other tiled walls?

I’d take it back. I won’t reel out all my tales of woe regarding my 55ATA2 as it’s got different gubbins to the 55R. But…. one of the problems I had with it was loss of half the travel.

p.s. what’s the number on the bike for? Was your mate racing at the time?

Test your opinion against Kona’s with Trading Standards or in the courts?

Many years ago I had an old bike with metal mud guards. Going down a long hill the guard somehow rotated round to get between the wheel and the road. The front brake wasn’t much cop on this bike (may well have been a rod pull brake) so I ended up flying down the hill with the back end of the bike sweeping wildly from side to side until the road flattened out.

If you’ve got a tree, I’ll find a rope.