I have been mostly having an 0530 start to drive to Otley to take apart a stinking chiller unit in the top floor of a terraced lock up. Getting it out made Rubic’s cube look like a piece of whatsit. Swap ya?

Is mix and match bikes to conditions not the answer? Sadly for your pal he may need to procure another bike. The shame of it.

Me, for continuing to do big enduro-y things that have stopped being fun. The novelty has worn off after 11 years and I’m too hopeless to be anywhere near the front.

I have been to hospital a few times. I’d insure if i had to pay, or not and pay as I went. Which works unti lyou break your back or do something truly horrendous. Insurance then. Have ridden with a broken elbow, fingers, thumb, concussion, etc. Wasn’t a fan of the grating bone and pitiful yelps it elicited.

Folk strewing themsleves and their dross across trails, nattering, generally after nice fast sweeping bend.

That’s what caffs are for, or the sides of trails if you simply can’t wait.

Having has the top lads peg it past me 22hrs into 24/12 they’re just hoofing fast regardless of time of day or the fact the track’s become 3 inches of slippy clay.

I was genuinely awestruck by their ability to go so fast when all I wanted was my Mum and for it to stop.

Lord knows how they train. More efficiently then me – patently.

Hope Hoops in 29er flavour (Stan’s) here for about £300. I like tubeless, some don’t. To be fair it can be a bit of a faff if you’re a serial tyre swapper.

Nope – I’ve got 2 too many and am a bit bored of running and looking after 7 bikes. Looking to get shot of a couple. The new 29er has not helped either in terms of malcontent at smaller wheels being less good at rolling in my view. Now braced for a good flaming…..

Thumbs up from a 16st 6 4 rider here.

My chuttocks also embrace Charge Spoon, old style SDG Bel Air and Selle Italia Flites.

Dislikes are pretty much and saddle with a groove in it.

Maxxis High Rollers are good tyres.

Blimey it all sounds confusing and Mrs Hillsplease is a bit old testament on such matters and I understood this afore we got hitched.

On the more pressing matter of aquatic waterfowl I prefer moorhens.

Yes. Especially for carbon.

I understand the charming patina of wear on a steel or ally frame isn’t so very helpful with carbon. Given the tape weighs naff all I don’t understand why you wouldn’t. Crank arms etc – why bother IMHO – but to each their own.

Especially as it has got better an no longer yellows (unlike the stuff on my white Heckler. Grr.)

Thanks fellas – stain it is. I will now go out and buy the wrong one and then have to ride back to Wickes to swap it. Anyone care to take the wager?

Very nice indeed. Liking the yellow.

I’ve bought a Superstar one that works on the UST rims – steel eyelet insert, which is nice. There’s the smaller fitting at the other end.

Llandegla’s ace if you want some uncomplicated riding that’ll make you smile, go really rather fast and inadvertently wind up off the ground more than usual. As the OP above said it’s not technically demanding but if it’s berms and really great flow on all weather surface you’re after this place is hard to beat. Plus Ian and Jim are really nice folk and for all this fun it’s a grand total of £3.50 to park.

It’s fab for what it is – if you want more gnarr type activity take a map aund use the caff as a post ride treat/ tie some natural trails in with the Black bits. Ride over World’s End and go frolic on some natural trails before returning to the caff.

I really don’t get this Llandegla bashing at all. Unless it’s purposefully ironic, in which case I’ll get my coat…..

Race King on the back – a bit of grip on the front.

The steep ups are pretty grippy asnd a bit more grip on the front inspires confidence for berm based tomfoolery.

FSA again here.

But then my view is tainted of King on the grounds that they used to use an O ring as the interface with the steerer. Beautifully finished, market leading bearings and the interface with the fork was a bit of rubber, to avoid a licence fee. Remarkable.

Many thanks fellas – looks like a trip off down the shops then.

Paul

We took our the 3 yr old and an 18 month old to my Gran’s Funeral – it felt the right thing to do at the time and more so now. Was a very important time to be together as a family. Broke the ice somewhat at the wake too.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Back from Anglesey to Manchester on Sunday PM on the road bike. Marvellous. There will be cake. Or tears. Possibly both.

I like my kids riding on the road – it’s the first step to developing some road sense and giving them a feeling of independence, plus they love burning me off. I’m with Don and Jon.

The don’t half clank in all that armour I’ve made for them mind.

Yes. 4 hr MTB ride – HRM average calories burn is about 10% down on road riding.

It also means, if like me you’re a jeycore lite (TM) rider for whom big air is riding off a kerb that your legs are more used to the constant effort rather than the more ussual spank it hard to the top and pedal less hard on the way down.

After a sason of TTs including a 12hr road TT the D2D was positively pleasant despite cold/dark/end of season indifference crepping in. Give it a whizz, you might like it.

plus 2 on the Hopes.

Replacing bearings involves a dead blow hammer. Proper ‘man engineeering.’ What’s not to like?

For pity’s sake man. Your garden is a shambles. Have you no shame?

On a happier note I think the bikes all look really rather good. Do they do them in a bigger size?

Did the 24hr solo in ‘coffin dodgers’ cat at Newcastleton 2 weeks ago but have rediscovered booze and cake. Slightly concerned that I am now losing fitness and should be in full ‘chubster’ mode by September.

819s again here.

or Co2 canister. 80p and you don’t get to teach your children the sort of words that frighten navvies, to wifely disapprobation. Ahem.

‘Achtung, Spitfire’ or any other bit of text/graphics from a 1970s ‘Warlord’ comic.

Do you eat or drink soup?

In the wrong gear most of the time.

Nofiddlygearnonsense

Onegearofrighteousness

Or has the thread moved on?

Do it, but be self sufficent if it all goes pear shaped. It is good fun having your very own trail centre for the evening.

Or go on a Wednesday and have a buttie and brew after. The Black doesn’t seem all that busy in the dark and a helment light’s a good idea for the switchbacks.

Fun and lighter. What’s not to like? Looking forwards to hearing how you get on with it. What about a Fizik Arione in red instead of a Specialised?

Looks nice in that ‘it’ll get you into trouble but have you laughing’ type way. I’d keep the red bits myself. Red makes it faster.

Yes. Kids at 2 are evil, but it does get better. Sometimes. The proper tantrums ours reserved for being 3. The joy of it.

I think we went that way on an exercise with 24 Squadron (?) flying low level (under 200ft) to somewhere in the Borders. It was distinctly scary to look out of the portholes and see the dash board lights of cars on the ground.

Needless to say I was distracted for the rest of the flight puking my ring into a variety of bags (thoughtful lot the RAF) as half my platoon laughed at me. Got me over the concern about crashing into a hillside, mind.

Coil here. Had a 5th Element and after Mr Flooks’ goblins had done their evil suspension genius business with it I found that I was riding all round the place much faster than previously and having a lot of fun. An air shock didn’t feel at all good. In fact I had so much fun that the frame snapped. Bother.

I liked it when I was there 20yrs ago. Big place, nice folk, especially in the NW.

But I did seem to keep meeting coppers inviting me to stop doing what I was doing- generally being in the wrong place, in their inestimiable view, but not up to anything ‘naughty.’ Quite rule driven with rules enforced as some of the other posters have said, but groovy once you’d accepted how it all worked.

I like your style and will wave if I see you. To be fair you’ll be hard to miss.

Is 5 litres big enough?

Had both, albeit older models. Still have the Heckler which is my favouritest bike yet after 14 yrs of fairly serious MTBing. You need to ride them back to back really. If you’re up Manc way and need an XL you can have a go on mine.

Rode the Heckler as 2nd bike on the Exposure 24 this weekend and even 10hrs in it was compelling me to jump off the little kickers. It’s the bike equivalent of the mate who gets you in trouble and makes you giggle at inopportune moments. Recommended.

I am liking the pads and rotors. Been running them for about 3 years at a fulsome 17st. So far so good and the fact they’re cheap means you don’t mind changing pads rather than inadvertently burning the pad down to the backing, which isn’t great for the disc, in that ‘nah, it’s £15 to change it – must be another ride in these.’ Just me again then?

As all of the other posters seem to say – cheap and work well.

I’d do it. Sounds great as a one off and with the price of helicopters it’s unlikely to be something that’s a regualr feature on a Wednesday night ride. Fair play to No Fuss for doing something different.