Affection for the folk of LBS land and considerable experience in breaking things through girth, gravity, enthusiasm and appalling bike handling. Hence the affection for the folk of LBS land.

The Expendables. Even all the explosions failed to make the ironing exciting.

A mate had something similar in 1997. I thought it was ace. And then I bought an orange 5 (1999) and realised that there was a difference.

Embrace the madness and rebuild it yourself, albeit you’ll need a bleed kit.

It’s as simple as 2 caliper halves, each half has an O ring/seal and piston. There’s an o ring between the two halves. Rebuild kit was cheap from my LBS and the mechanic did tell me that the Juicy is prone to a bit of wear along the edge of the piston as pads wear and more piston’s exposed, so they need replacing from time to time. I don’t recall if this is because of a moulding ‘bead’ or because they’re made out of Edam. Sadly they’re not fit and forget, IME, but they’re easy to repair.

If you can’t be bothered lots of folk seem to get on with Deore.

Is this the point on the forum where we gather in a circle around the protagonists and start chanting ‘fight, fight, fight’ and hope a dinner lady turns up to calm the baying mob?

Like most of the posters on here I’ve cracked a number of frames and stopped riding them. Having had one fail in a big way and walked away that was plenty for me. The OP has it right.

Hope Ceramic – 9 months and a lot of pedalling – still nicely smooth. I like, and it came through Bike to Work so cheap.

Experience of Shimano is they’ve usually given up by now (9-12months)

The slight downside with the Hope is taking the seals off and giving them a nice clean occasionally.

The distinct upside is you can replace the bearings and it’s a tool you only need to add mallet and bearing to make your BB all lovely again. Put me down for happy and shiny please

No cotton buds? Tsk.

I don’t get it.

At what point do you stop collecting ‘I’ve done hard things,’ tats? There’s scope to wind up with an arm covered in logos like a Scout’s shirt.

Some of the lads I’ve spoken to have done it in 14-16hrs and still insisted on the tat. Still, to each their own.

-6 in town. Forgot the skull cap. Ears felt normal again 24hrs later.

Out of town tend to stick to the MTB if it’s icy as the road bikes are just a bit ‘skittish’ for me. Maybe I should MTFU.

Good on her for bothering.

Most of the things that folk talk about are heart overcoming mind eg Ti v steel, XTR v SLX etc.

I think someone with a lot of money doing something without pecuniary return is a good thing. Chapeau!

Albeit at 35 acres there will be some cunning plan involving commercial development I’ve no doubt.

Baby carrot – yes. Often.

Retraction – not yet, despite unfaired motorbikes and the joy that is icy water soaking to places icy water should not go.

So something to look forwards to.

Good work fella. I daressay I will now be having a v unproductive afternoon reading your blog. Chapeau!

Superstar for me. Kevlar were good and lasted pretty well, but never felt quite as good as the sintered to me, but it’s a personal thing.

Pad changes every 2-3 months on the rear for me – 17st mainly in the Peak – 10hrs/week (ish). For pads ot last I need to do the bedding in thing – the 12 mile road ride from Manc up and down the hills to Marple is usually plenty.

Mayhem 2007 – about midnight – the first woods – the Theme from Shaft thumping out. I giggled for a good 14hrs of otherwise joyless solo riding thereafter.

Bestest bike/music interface yet, ‘chapeau’ to the DJ.

I couldn’t tell the difference in the circa 10mm travle difference on my bikes. But I could tell the difference between the VPP and single pivot in terms of traction.

Like he said. Batteries are cheap.

We ride stuff. It wears out. Sometimes it breaks. Folk don’t really expect bearings to be warranteed do they? Not given the horrid environments we put them through?

Shimano M575 hubs are cack. It might have done the OP a favour and now it’s time for some decent wheels.

Doing it again tonight. Leave a route trace with someone, phone/text in at midpoint and end (preferably to a sober riding mate with a car) and pack the requisite kit (first aid, survival blanket, whistle, phone etc)in case it does all go wrong.

Have a good one.

I race as ‘Lard Racing’ for a reason. XL- XXL for 6 4 and 17st. Unless it’s Italian kit in which case it’s generally easier not to bother.

Nice. Large flange hubs were supposed to build a stiffer wheel on account of less spoke to flex. They also looked cool to my 12yr old eye.

Thirded for the ‘Ever Readies’ shockingly bad, weighty etc.

Liking the fluted seatpost and Simplex levers, like being a kid.

Those racks were bad, just about the time Blackburns were coming in – now there is a rack. I need to get out more. Sorry.

I’ve got a 1.5 steerer on 120mm forks – it feels stiffer, but not in an entirely pleasing manner, relative to 1 1/8th. Similar Fox forks, same bars.

I know a man with a Jones, no beard, sensible suspension fork and everything. Smashing chap to boot, lives in a house, not a shed/cave/ grotto. Do I win?

We failed to night ride last night on the way back from a train supported Edale outing, as we were too speedy. Probably for the first and last time.

Had to go to the pub to recover from the disappointment.

My Dave Hinde Etape road bike. Lovely to ride.

Shimano for me. Over 10yrs old, lots of cables the odd mudguard stay, still the mustard. As they should be for the £40 they cost me at the time.

What ho gents – many thanks for the response.

To be honest I’ve not taken it apart yet – but it doesn’t look like a tapered on the grounds that the top cap’s like a bin lid. That’s this evening’s job. Odd to buy a new bike then strip most of the OE kit off (wheels, drive chain, finishing kit) and then stick olfd stuff back on. Is this usual?

All being well it’s a ‘normal’ 1.5 and I can find a stem that doesn’t make me feel stretched, which is not confidence inspiring on high speed rocky descents in the dark and has tweaked my lower back.

Thanks again

Paul

Looks like a labour of love.

Liking the flexibility to rag it over the moors off road or cycle tour. Is this the ‘do it all’ bike?

Good job and admirable attention to detail.

Mudflaps are a must in club rides. My winter bike is the default road bike and commuter. Nice light bike gets ridden v rarely. Which is daft.

Nope. It gives the young 'uns someone to chase.

I used to get a regular kicking from a chap who was 20yrs my senior around the W Lancs Moors. Compelled me to pull my finger out and train. Just not enough to sort out some the 60+yr olds in the road club. The shame of it……

I'm with Ollie. As is the car full of jovial buffoons I'm bringing.

Is the forecast still nasty?

Hopefully riding out with the road club and making the kids in their 20s wonder how the old git is still going fast. Just like the older gents in Seamons CC. They all seem like nice civilised grandparents until there's a sprint for the caff.

As Mowgli says.

A splendid thing with families, in my case Mrs Please and Please Jnr *2, when everyone's jolly there really is nothing finer and nowhere I'd rather be. Not even on a bike or a board.

I'm sure there's an arithmetic if not an exponential relationship between numbers 'feeling the love' and overall jollyness. Highly recommended as nowt else comes close in my book.

3 hrs to Afan. A really jolly day out with some giggly bits in great company. And I was faster than my mate who always used to make me suffer.

Or

45 minute on the train from work to Edale and evening mini epics back to S Manchester via Mam Tor, Hayfield, Marple etc.

XL Heckler for me – 6ft 4. Nicely robust.

Or – cut the seatpost along the remaining length with a new hacksaw blade and then drive it deeper into the frame. It's cheap and nasty but it worked for me.

The other thing I saw is as per the post above but using Coca-cola.

ooooh Sarah Green. I loved her when I was 10, but didn't really know why.

Does anyone know if all that 80s knitwear was burned as a public service?

Compact or triple. But then I'm not a pro cyclist, nor ever will be.

We ride, we crash, stuff breaks. Pleased you didn't hurt yourself.

Generally my experience of warrantees and crash replacement policies is that they're fair. Might be worth a go, prefixed with 'I have hit this off a big tree at speed and then ridden with it creaking. Imagine my surprise when…. '

Good luck and pleased you're OK.

Bit of rain was good for the Marple/Bredbury Loop (nr Manchester) – it was all getting a bit dusty, now it's less dusty and still as fast. Which is good.

Crossmark, wide as you like. Seems to run nice and fast like a Racing Ralph but without the side walls made of wet rice paper.