SFB’s pictures are good technically and he could probably earn his living as a photographer from what I’ve seen

I really should let this go (‘m not really that argumentative), but I couldn’t disagree more. Although granted, there are a lot of people who are terrible ‘pros’ – they normally shoot weddings…

For me, really good photogs fall into two camps, and both groups have a really good understanding of light and its use. There are those who shoot fairly straight composition and light a scene really well, MrSmith’s site above is a good example to me. Then, there are those who I think really use their camera like an artist, and come up with creative that I only wish I could match. This girl, as a true amateur, is a good example of how inventive some people are (lots of her really good stuff was taken with a compact): http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennipenni/2590423537/in/set-72157604168225201/

The rest of us really are just taking pictures which have personal significance. There is nothing wrong with SFB’s photos as long as you take them for what they are, quick snaps taken with a little bit of thought as memories of an event. Techincally they are not good, but Simon I’m sure would argue that he doesn’t care as they mean something to him, which is entirely fair. And this brings me back to the opening post, those shots by MrNutt are good images that will mean something to him and SFB has absolutely no grounding to critique them in such an obviously crass way.

FWIW, I really like the coffee cup image MrNutt. I think it’s really quite good.

ADH – I’m rubbish. But at least I know it… 😀

I’ve had a truly rubbish day, going to log off and go for a ride. In the rain. And wind. And I’ve got a cold, etc etc.

I questioned the sensibility of the experiment Oh the irony. I question the sensibility of you shooting handheld at 1.6seconds, on a 142mm focal length at f5.3 in the pitch black and expecting anything worthwhile to appear as a result (it didn’t, by the way).

Why on earth you pressed the shutter release, I’ll never know. Oh, and calling it ‘Abstract’?! Wanktastic.

Given you never take the camera off fully automatic, I can’t understand why you’d want to lug a big SLR around with you Simon, when frakly you’d get similarly dull results from a P&S.

Comments such as those on your opening post really are irksome.

http://www.bogtrotters.org/show_album_shot.php?album_id=952&pic_ident=26

Or a tea cosy.

AARRGGHH!

I just don’t know – to my eyes it looks like a chilli in the tread! I’m emailing Conti now, see what they say.

I do suspect it isn’t BC though, after reading the same catalogue you’ve just downloaded. Like you, I was always lead to believe the only tires with it came from Germany, but that little logo…

Argumentative? On STW? Is anybody ever argumentative on here? 😉

I have to say I’m still not 100%, but that is the BC logo, isn’t it? Or is it just for decoration, in the same way Vert Pro’s aren’t made from spider’s webs?

Nowt on the packaging mate – I’m looking at a box now off one I had delivered yesterday…

From the Conti website:

Rubber Queen 2.2/UST

Rubber Queen 2.2 is more petite. But don’t be deceived, the little sister is just as cunning as it’s big sister. Wild Trails and Killer loops, Alp-crossing, as long as the partying continues! Touring suitability is ensured by a voluminous and light structured carcase. “Well-made in Germany” the Rubber Queen 2.2 shines with the allround Black Chili compound. Grips superbly with an unexpectedly low-rolling resistance. With the tyre available in basic wire and folding formats with no extras like apex, black chilli or german manufacture, it is a tyre for all price ranges!

Rubber Queen: 3 plies / total 180

It’s not obvious from the website, I agree. The UST is a Taiwan tyre which goes against what you (and I)O thought too. I thought the logo on my tyre below, was the Black Chilli logo – what do you reckon?

My UST 2.2s are Black Chilli…

Second the Rubber Queens with Black Chilli. I’m running the UST 2.2s which are plenty big enough for me – the 2.4s are meant to be HUGE!

The Black Chilli compound is also in my Conti Force and Attacks – and seem to be gripping, rolling and wearing well. Too early to tell on the RQs…

Hi Druid

All of the above answers are right and wrong – it depends on the variant of Ksyriums you have.*

SLs and Elites and so on don’t need tape, Equipes do need tape. As Clubber pretty much said, if there are spoke holes use tape, if there aren’t any then don’t…

* Probably.

Oi Fred, lay off the Commando. Absolutely loved mine (which was a very cool metallic yellow – not black) – it stood up to all sorts, including me jumping over people lying down in the middle of the street. Happy days…

Never had a bike I didn’t like – although never really fell in love with my Raleigh Marauder when I was 13 or so. Five non index gears, flexy little side pull brakes and steel rims. Weighed a freaking tonne.

stuartie-c, I’ll see how I get on with the Bonty stuff as I have bought it already but I’ll keep your advise in mind.

I’m with Stuart. Stick it on eBay or the classifieds (or take it back if you haven’t used it), and get some Stans. It’s the only stuff that seems to work.

You’ll curse the Super Juice once you actually need it to do what it’s supposed to do.

Really? Not the end of the world, but a bit misleading!

Still, nice spec. The 9.8 looks like great value too…

Hello Si.

I promise I don’t work for Trek (I don’t even own one)!

The RLs would be the fork I would buy, if they weren’t only available to manufacturers. I have Talas RL and Vanilla RLCs on two of my bikes – both perform pretty faultlessly. Despite their problems from a few years ago (long story), I won’t use anything else just now.

The RLs are only missing the compression damping from the RLCs, which retail for around £600. The stock setting for compression is effectively decided by Trek and Fox – who frankly, probably know where to set it better than the rest of us.

The 8500 has no obvious weakness in the spec. Even the brakes have the XTR ti pistons specially requested by Trek (helps with the heat) which you can’t normally buy.

I’m really close to ordering one myself – I think it’s a close to perfect £1,500 bike. Looks pretty too!

I’m sure there was a thread disussion the donations system. If I remember correctly, somebody from the mag said that donations made in total, since it was introduced, was less than £50!

I once gave a tenner after selling a grand worth of broken up bike (smugly pats himself on the back), which I thought was more than fair. eBay would have been a LOT more than that…

I’ll send a pic of the fugly Surly Tugnuts later. I think they look fine, but they are SO HEAVY!

Fit absolutely fine by the way. Remember you only need one for the drive side…

Rule 142: It is never too late for a fried egg butty.

Rule 142(ii): Waste any of the delicious golden vitellus, especially down the chin, and consider going vegan. You’re not worthy.

🙂

Very good.

The Trek 8500 is cracking value for money at £1500. I think I’d only consider the Commencal out of your list, but I’d want the completely hopeless Rebas swapped for something designed by somebody who knows what compression damping is meant to do…

I’d probably go Cotic Soul with XT and Fox 120s. It would just about come in at £1,500, if you get a decent deal on all the bits. That Trek though – bit of a bargain in my view.

Well, unless I’m missing something, I have no option but to ‘blather on’ on here because I can’t find anybody’s addresses in their profiles! Where are they now?

Cheeky ****. 😉

Ah. Just seen yours in your post…

Yes it has Bland: well, one gear anyway.

It’s a bloody nice gear though…

Eh? Really? I had a Pendle 4 bike wheel support rach and carried four normal bikes on it without giving a second thought.

I took it a bit easier than I would normally, mainly because of the value of the bikes. I can’t say I ever really thought there was that much of an effect (on a little Golf at the time). Am I missing something?

I missed the smiley mate – are you kidding?

When you say four bikes, do you really mean baby elephants. Can’t see the car bouncing otherwise – until you have 50 Cents front suspension…

Oh, and 😉

Hello again Brack and ononeorange

I roughly thought of the following when pricing (if splitting):
Cotic Simple 6 months old, 17″ Custard £300
Surly Chain tugs (tensioning bolts on the frame are truly rubbish, so you could have one of these for nowt)
Fox Talas RL – 2006 (?) – £250 (need to check year, but they are in great nick)
King Pewter Headset – £55
Thomson X4 stem – £40
Easton EA70 low risers – £20
Magura Louise FR 180/160 – £100
Thomson layback post – £40
SDG Belair (I think)!- £15
Hope ProII front hub on 819s – £70
Profile SS specific cassette rear hub on 819s (wheels are lovely) – £120
XT Cranks – £50
e13 ring – £15
KMC chain – £5
MudX UST – £20

That comes to £1100 if my mental arithmatic isn’t really mental.

I’d expect less than that as a full build – do you want to throw your thoughts on pricing at me?

Mods can you move this now to the classifieds please? It looks really cheeky in the main forum with the way the thread’s gone…

I’m sure you could weld a bit on Brant. A Cy and Brant lovechild – shudder… 😉

A reference to the usual responses on ‘What’s it worth’ type threads.

Although £50 and a tin of beans does seem like a fair offer. Heinz. 400g tin. Let me think about it.

Is that Sojourn a folding frame? Looks like it might have a coupling on the top tube?

Yes mate. Sleep soundly in the knowledge that you are the most knowing of all STWers… 😉

Tang – I think those Konas are both 7005, although I haven’t checked…

Salsa La Cruz – thread closed maybe… Good colour, standard drop outs, no ugly canti studs, hose routing, mudguard eyes, sensible (but not too much) tyre clearance and True Temper Ox. Is Ross Schafer still behind Salsa, if not, who owns it?

Wish it was a bit cheaper, nonetheless I think this might be right. 55cm geometry is perfect too.

Charlie, I think the Pure Blood is too good for winter. Out out of curiosity though, how much are the Chip Chase and Betty Leeds? On the slim chance I get a bonus this year I’ll be changing my road bike (missus allowing)

Bollocks. What happened to the preview button in the new forum?

http://www.dotbike.com/ProductsP7045.aspx?Track=FGL

These are a decent option, not too heavy

Vimto – I’ve been watching eBay for yonks mate, no joy.

I nearly bought one new a couple of years back (loved the orange too) but bought a PaddyWagon instead for winter. If anyone’s knows where to find one in good nick…

Cheers GTTH, but I was hoping it would be a short – I’ll be running drops… Thanks anyway.

Thanks Clink, also a good option. But I’ve always thought Vassago thought they were too cool for school, in a kind of ‘We’re, like, just proper mental us’ way. I do like the brown though…

Nail on the head! This little search tonight is keeping me off the Paddy (too windy)and the turbo (too, well, turbo-y)…

Jim, that Pure Blood is perfect (I’ll forgive it for missing mudguard eyes simply for being so bloody beautiful)!

How long before Sterling gets to Eur1.80 ish?!

Thanks for looking Fangin, but the KM has sliding dropouts, which I’d prefer to avoid as I’ll be running it geared, and prefer a cleaner, fuss free dropout. Such a fussy git.

The Peregrine is lovely, but I’ll never be running bigger than 35c and I think with 28 and 25c tyres the wheels will look lost on the frame and spoil the lines (similar to sticking old Fatboys on a hardtail). Perfect in every other way…

GTTH – is is a medium long or short? What sort of money you after – ballpark?

To be honest Fangin, I’m more than happy with dual pulls, power wise, but I want to run cross tyres. I really don’t want to use canti’s (rubbish) or mini Vs (all pretty cheap and nasty) so discs are the way forward. Having said that, Avid’s new Shorty4 and 6s look promising.

Close mate, but ideally I want to run discs… Kaffenback is canti only, isn’t it?

Well, I’ve gone for a new one:

1. Topical
2. Satirical
3. Decent band reference
(4. Was also half cut on Christmas Eve when I chose it)

Didn’t really ever take to Muffler…