However, excess is slghtly higher – they seem to get around that by signing you up to another policy which covers your excess so all is well.

Having tested the Pedalcover ‘excess protection’ policy, as well as the main AXA cover for a damaged iphone I can confirm both where a smooth process with no issues
In future I am going to go down this higher excess with separate excess policy route for all my insurance, works out a lot cheaper (assuming your not making several claims every year) it’s a great top tip from Darren at Pedalcover

Medium definitely
I’m 5’10” my medium is spot on
Read Cy’s blog on website about the geometry, dimensions will make more sense then

Just ordered what I thought would be two sets of Nukeproof XT pads… they have sent two BOXES instead.

If they use a massive box for one set of pads what size box do they put two boxes of pads in?
Probably easier for you to keep them than they get the Antonov back over from Ukraine for the return

They are all cheeky (some very) hammerite but plenty there

SJCam 4000 series
Not bullet size, more GoPro but it has an auto record and overwrite function so can also be used as a dashcam in your car, or good enough quality for recording your trail centre gnarfest

And do you really want a small discrete thing, I would think an obvious camera would be more of a deterrent against someone ‘raging’ on you

The OH visits Denby/Kilburn relatively often, I usually just stay at home, but could go with her for a change of riding. Would Drum Hill be the best place to head or The Chevin (as we’ll have transport)?

with transport – Blackrocks, Ambergate and Crich Chase

Sabine, midly entertaining, but doesn’t really add anything either.

Although her ‘fat American’ jibe during the rally cross car jumping challenge was quality,and presumably given the co presenters reactions less scripted than the rest of the show

When you there?
As above Drum Hill (Morley Woods – plenty on You Tube if you want an idea what it’s like)
Can link to Chevin but needs road stretches over to Belper

You just done failed your NEBOSH or something?

FTFY

This thread amuses me, half the people disliking the show because it’s too much like old top gear, with no serious motoring journalism and the other half disliking it because they are trying to keep to the same formula
They couldn’t win whatever they did

I find it inoffensive light entertainment with an under running car theme and some characters I like more than others (not fussed by Evans, don’t like Jordan, quite like Sabines ‘germanness’, the friends guy and Harris are both good)
In other words, pretty much the same format as this forum
If I wanted serious reviews of cars Top gear would never have been my first port of call, likewise if I wanted an hour of belly laughs I would look elsewhere but as a way of passing an hour on an otherwise lazy Sunday evening, distracting myself from thinking about the return to work the next day it’s pretty much fine, and certainly more watchable than it had become with Clarkson and Hammond (May excluded he was good and I think would still fit well into the new show)

Actually found Apple Store to be the cheapest for my iphone 6 anyway
Was a no brainer with the warranty

Yes
Been using KMC chains for years with no issues, various combos of 8,9 and 10 1/2/3x speed
Built new bike up 11 speed and chain broke on 2nd ride out,2 links literally disintegrated at the same time, not even under any great pressure (JRA!), snapped straight through the links
Next ride out and same happened again
When I took chain off and inspected it there was about 12 more links all with hairline fractures forming, on both inside and outside plates
I thought it could be stress fractures from the extreme chainline but a few people dismissed that, anyway the guy I got it off replaced it under warranty with a SRAM chain that has been fine ever since
General opinion was it was maybe from a dodgy batch of chains
It was one of their mid range chains, not the cheapest but not the fancy hollow pin ones

OP I would recommend removing your chain, giving it a good clean and inspecting it, I bet there are a load of hairline fractures just waiting to go

And yes the quick links are a bugger to remove on 11 speed, probably why they say they are not reusable

Have a Trail Angel here
It’s okay, better than a TrailGator but find I can’t fold it up onto parents bike when little one wants to go solo, it tends to flop back onto top of rear wheel, therefore very rarely use it with kids bike disconnected

Would love a FollowMe, they look the only real solution that works 100% of the time with minimal faff
Have been looking for a 2nd hand one on ebay for nearly 18 months, they still go for very good money

Yep I’ve done Stanmore a few times, should still be spaces at 7am

used to practically live in their old Mansfield Road shop (Supercycles as it was back then) in the mid 90’s when I was at uni in Nottingham

They have been around in one form or another for over 30 years, used to be distributor for Onza and several other brands (may still be) pretty sure it will be different management now from back then though!

More recently have (unwittingly at the time as didnt make the connection) used them for small things like chainring bolts via their ebay store, never had any issues always fast delivery and decent prices

I’ve one of those Knog Oi ones coming from supporting the kickstarter campaign
A lot of my local riding involves canal towpaths so a bell is becoming a must

The question I was hoping would be debated is whether or not you should be allowed to hotlink images to this forum. If you do should you include a credit to the source? What if the hotlinked image was reduced to a hyperlink? is that ok?

Could you take a similar stance to your recent one about not publishing videos unless paid for and send Axl a counter demand for retrospective payment for STW promoting his healthy eating plan

CRC have 40% Dakine Amps,

No they don’t
They have an Amp 18l with bladder at £79.99 or 20% off the (correct) RRP of £100
Or they have an Amp 18l WITHOUT bladder at £59.99 that is also listed at an (incorrect) RRP OF £100 so 40% off
If you arn’t fussed by the bladder then yes they have a cheap(ish) (personally I don’t think £60 for that rucksack without bladder is cheap) Dakine rucksack but don’t be fooled into thinking its 40% off as clearly its not as they are not supplying the full RRP’s worth of pack and bladder
(An equivalent 3l bladder to the one supplied with the Amp pack is listed separately on CRC website at £26.99)

(Same pack direct from Dakine, with bladder, is £75.99 so cheaper than equivalent crc price)

Stanton?
(Speaking as someone who recently bought and loves a BFe 275, can’t help wondering if a Stanton might have been even better)

Instead of cutting it just paint a nice landscape picture on the inside
Maybe a nice Caribbean beach scene

If your anywhere between Derby and Lemington Spa area Grangewood Fencing have new tanalised sleepers 2.4m long at £11.50 reduced from £19.50 each
They are great just built 3 large veg beds with them, far cheaper than anywhere else I found
http://www.grangewoodfencing.com/product/new-railway-sleepers-200mmx100mm

Think they deliver anywhere around the Birmingham to Derbyshire area

Loads of deer all up the M1 corridor, quote often see pretty big herds in Felley woods (between j26&j27)

Are we talking for back, sack or crack?
Or is this one of those roadie threads again and your all on about your legs?

Alpinestars Evolution jacket with back protector. Spare tube and box of tools stashed in the rear pockets, CO2 cartridge, tyre levers, phone and car key stashed in Madison Zenith shorts pockets, bottle on the bike. Sorted.

That lot is going to hurt when you fall off and land on your side
Wouldn’t it be easier and just as sweaty as a back protector to just put it all on your back, in a rucksack with 2l of water between

Most rubbishist* rant ever

You did next to jzero research
You spent over £800
You went to Evans
And now your complaining

Does your kid like the bike or not?
that really is all that matters (you did give them a say in what bike they got didn’t you, rather than just getting the one ‘on the basis of it looking about right’ to you)
Weight, seatposts and wheel sizes, kids don’t care for that, only you do
But 10/10 for managing to get a rant in about wheel sizes on something that started as a complaint against a kids bike ;)

* I’m feeling polite

Some very big stuff in Bestwood, north Nottingham
Morley Woods is just north of Derby off A38 (Drum Hill on map) its only a couple minutes push or ride back up, few lines with some big (to me anyway) jumps

Sheff – Bolehills, Greno Whancliffe, Sheepskulls maybe
Derby – Avaston Park national BMX track, Morley Woods, Shining Cliff (Ambergate)
Notts – Bestwood, Sherwood Pines jump park

yes please Wrighty, email in profile

(Not called Simon by any chance is he?)

Will need to upload pics but mine is built up –
BFe 275
150mm Pikes
Stans Arch EX wheels on Stans 3.30 hubs w Magic Mary & Nobby. Nic tyres
XTR chainset w 34t Wolftooth ring and 77 designs taco bash
XTR 11 speed shifter, XT rear mech and cassette (11-42)
XT brakes, 203mm front, 180mm rear
Reverb
Easton Havoc 50mm stem w 35mm dia Havoc bars cut to 765mm

It’s the green one and it’s lovely

5’10” here and medium is spot on
It’s longer than both the medium Commencal Meta’s I have owned, and longer than my old 17.5″ One One Inbred
I asked Cy the same question and he suggested a medium and said it’s designed with the seat tube angle such that seated it has quite a long ETT but stood up it becomes much shorter and ‘chuckable’

The 275 has different (longer) geo than the old 26″ version, there is a detailed blog about it on the Cotic website

Wrightyson
I’m in derby and might be interested in an offer of a cheap boiler :)

Could the local “authorities” (whoever they are of the area) think about making “BBQ Safe areas” where there are bins appropriate for used BBQ’s, waste food, etc, and safe spaces to put a hot BBQ tray (stone slabs or whatever)?

They have these in all the a Country Parks in Hong Kong too, big areas near the car parks (and further afield) dedicated to barbecuing, they always seemed well used with a great atmosphere
But then I guess people in other countries are generally more civilised and respectful than the UK

but you can only see the ding from an acute angle and under certain light

FFS get out and ride it, have fun on it and enjoy it
It’s a bike for riding outside not hanging on a wall and looking at under spotlight

Ok it may not be exactly as described but if the ding can only be seen under a new moon, on the 1st of the month when squinting and after washing in IPA they can probably be excused for missing it themselves (IMO)
Looks like a decent price, £200 off new if that is all that is wrong with it

Did they reply to your email before you flamed them here?

Guess I’m just a bit pissed as I sold my raw switchback being completely honest as to the condition of it for the same price…and it was in a better condition.

If you sold your frame, to buy the same but a different colour, where you rebuilding with the same bits, if so, why wait that long before even properly inspecting the frame? If not, still inspect it the minute it arrives

ake for instance Cotic vs Spesh or SRAM then we know who will have the biggest budgets

Or it depends how they value the exposure STW brings, I imagine Cotic would gain more from having a vid featured here than Spesh
Cy has already stated on Twitter that he “totally agrees with Marks argument”

If the small companies – Cotic, Stanton, Alpkit etc (that IMO generally produce the more interesting original vids but maybe get overlooked by the more American/European based sites) are happy to pay a small amount and be featured then I think it will be a good position as they get better exposure and the site maintains some interest

Some videos though whilst being produced by a company and featuring their logo are maybe about selling stuff but that isn’t at the forefront of the vid
Akriggs videos are primarily enjoyable, Mongoose and his other sponsors are not really rammed down your throat through the vid, just some logos at the end, the riding and film making definitely comes first
The syndicate video blogs I don’t really associate primarily with trying to sell Santa Cruz bikes, it’s more a look behind the scenes of a World Cup race team and their lifestyle, a view we don’t get to see otherwise

Both of those, yes to an extent are free advertising but say for example the recent Sealskins vid with Traharn Chidley (incidentally now a freelance writer for Singletrack, presumably in the back of that vid) was produced by a sock company and maybe helped to sell socks, but primarily it was thought provoking and inspirational (also the Sandy Plenty one in the same series before that) and it would be a real shame if ST didn’t help promote that sort of vid (and they did promote it, asking us to vote for it to win an award just last week)
These are the things I want to watch, as well as being mildly promotional they are newsworthy in their own right
However Marks comments on his FB post suggested that unless Sealskins/Mongoose/Akrigg/Santa Cruz paid them they would not feature
This ‘blanket ban’ attitude that came across I think is a shame.

Purely promotional vids then yes I agree with and applaud Marks stance, but I hope there will be some editorial discretion shown and if something is presented that offers the sites viewers/readers something extra above the free advertising it will be given a chance, it will become a very bland website if all there is is reports from trade shows, product reviews (for the premier members only of course) and stories about perceived sexism in the sport

barney – Moderator
People like to look at the pictures, and (to a lesser extent) read the waffle.

People also like to watch videos

All MTB videos even the long play commercial releases such as Seasons etc are in essence adverts, they all have a long list of supporting companies front and back end

Will ST take a similar approach with covering events like the Red Bull Rampage, as I said earlier where do you end up drawing the line?

andysredmini – Member
My advice would be to avoid at all costs. First time you go it’s ok but you soon realise it’s about as dull as you can get on a bike. The off piste stuff is good in places but the main trails are so boring. Also avoid the so called black runs. Some of them ruin the only good bits by adding in a few rocky steps which should not be graded black at all. I go about once a year under duress and that’s enough.
Edit: there is some decent stuff at style cop. I have always avoided it though thinking it would be like the cannock trails but it’s actually much better.

Wow I’m no fan of Cannock (off piste can be okay on the few days it’s dry enough) and rarely bother with the 30 minute drive down there (I have better natural riding similar distance the other way) but that post is misery personified
As dull as you can get on a bike? I’d suggest you buy yourself a turbo trainer, move to Lincolnshire (or try the ‘red’ XC route at Forest of Dean)

FWIW I think the trails are okay, not a massive fan of the pebbles or the braking bumps but it has more variety than most similar length trail centre loops and has some properly challenging sections, both red and black (as much due to the close nature of the trees as much as the actual terrain) . The main thing I dislike about the place is the people, seems to be all either ‘all the gear, no idea full face and massive pads wombles’ (Monkey) or head down strava up your arse speed demons (Dog), no in between, in this respect both Cannock and Llandegla sum up pretty much all I dislike about trail centres

OP if you go I’d suggest a weekday or early morning/late afternoon

Think there is a place that specialises in VAG group cars off Frank Whittle way / Stores Road in Derby
No experiences of it but has been there years

I’d love to be able to afford a £4k custom frame, there is some lovely and practical stuff about
But I think I would much rather spend that £4k on a frame building course and building my own frame, get more out of it both from doing it and the years riding something I had built myself

It wasn’t a couple of weeks ago don’t see any reason why it should be, very few trees left to harvest over that side!
http://www.afanforestpark.co.uk/pdf/MTBTrailupdate250315.pdf

Cumbernauld is between Glasgow and Stirling. Doesn’t that have a nice shopping centre??

And a BMX track
What more could you want?
Maybe a motorway to get out quickly
They thought of that too