Schwalbe Land Cruiser – not tubeless, and not light, but one of the best cheap multi-use tough tyres.

Hog’s Back Brewery Little Swine is only 2.8% and very nice.

Little Swine

I’d have said Land Cruiser as well.

Not advice on a specific bike, but I’d definitely say to try and get something with a single chainring. Last thing a non-cyclist wants to worry about is two shifters and when to shift front vs. rear. One shift lever for easier, one for harder.

Pirinase is OTC fluticasone propionate, which used to be Rx only (how I used to get it), and as has been said, is next gen compared to beclametasone.

Pirinase works better for me than Beconase, also alongside prescription antihistamines (Fexofenadine 120mg).

Although,this is my third year without dairy, and my hayfever has been nowhere near as bad despite pollen counts being high. Go figure..

The increasing prevalence of lad culture in cycling/mtbing. It can GTF quite frankly.

I did think of that, but ideally looking at used and it’s a bit new! Also would really like to try co-rotating (as opposed to counter-rotating) 4bar again if I’m honest.

Not that nice or unlikely, but I can barefoot trim horses’ hooves. Saves over a grand a year when you’ve got four of ’em..

I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that..! What a shame.

Lateral or rotational? Both of our new ones had a bit of rotational (like, a weeny bit) when new but no lateral.

“Wow, look at the moon tonight!”
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“That’s no moon..”

Every. Single. Time.

I’d have said Chilterns as well – Marlow or Henley-on-Thames maybe? Just over an hour into London, at a guess.

What is your motivation for being a nicer person, and what stops you from doing so currently?

Not heard from you in a week or so Al, so I just thought I’d bump this and check in.. Really wish there was more I could do personally to help other than offer the standard platitudes of saying how amazed I’ve always been that you’ve suffered so much and yet are still able to somehow keep going. Big man-hugs sent your way.

Think the On-One steel 26″ fork is something like 395mm A2C, so that might be an option if you can find one?

I’d agree, definitely a crack. What’s the A2C length?

Is the Rockrider XC 900 S coming back to Decathlon? £1700 for carbon, GX Eagle 29er FS. Would be perfect for non-gnar singletrack I’d have thought?

Get in touch with Bird Cycleworks and see if she can demo a Zero HT and Aether/Aeris FS back to back – not only will that give her an idea of whether she prefers hardtail or full suss, the Zero is a great bike and should be able to get a really nice one for the budget. They’re also selling off the Aeris 145 frames very cheap, so might be able to do a build of on of those for not much more, although that might be a bit too heavy duty for the intended riding!

If you have used proper mountain bike hydraulic brakes then you will find cable ones rubbish.

Got Guide RS with 203/180 on the FS and TRP Spyre with 160/160 on the GT Grade gravel bike and yeah, they’re not as powerful but I’d never call them rubbish! More than enough for level of offroad XC I do on it.

Or, some people hate having a pack on their back or around their waist, making them sweaty and uncomfortable. When I started mtb back in ’92, Camelbaks weren’t a thing; bottle cage and saddle bag was de rigeur. They only really came in after I stopped riding – when I got back into biking about 10 years ago, I got a hydration pack as everyone else used them and I thought that’s just what you did, but I never liked riding with one. About 6 years ago I randomly decided to stick a cage and bottle on for a short local ride, and that was that. Only wear a pack now for 4hr+ rides, and even then reluctantly.

In the same way that some people hate wearing a watch whilst others barely notice it, some of us just hate wearing a pack. Hence all the A answers!

A. Absolute deal breaker – wouldn’t even consider a bike I couldn’t get a bottle plus a frame bag on.

Have to say, I wouldn’t even drive a 35mile commute, never mind cycling it..!

Tongsheng TSDZ2 is what I’ve been looking at – torque sensing, so as close to an OEM mid-mount motor as possible.

Probably an unpopular opinion, but I’d fit an aftermarket kit to a decent bike and set the limit to 25mph for a commute like that.

Well, still no more details or news on the Bird FB page..

Been pretty happy with these: https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYVEEGSPORT/vee-tyre-co-london-road-gravel-commuter-tyre

Didn’t have to on the OH’s Levo, just fed the cable past the motor.

We have a Tiguan. It’s great.

Sorry, what was the point..?

You know you can get parasol bases that have cutouts to sit over table supports..?

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8671637

I’d go with not being an idiot and just get the AM9, but if that’s not an option, Banshee Titan?

I’d say definitely move anything with older tech on now (unless it has sentimental value!), whilst people are clamouring for it, then pick up something newer when the weather turns and people lose interest..

^^^^^
Just wrote what I was going to! You won’t go wrong speaking to Bird.

There really needs to be a proper push for presumed liability in this country, otherwise stuff like this will just keep happening. Drivers (us included) need to literally be terrified of getting anywhere near a cyclist in case there’s a collision. Only way cyclists will get proper protection from the law.

Not to jump to conclusions, but NSL Road, Golf R and both victims pronounced dead at the scene..? If this is the driver’s fault and they get anything less than 15 years it’s a travesty.

Utterly tragic, my thoughts are with the victims’ families. 😔

I think full bikes from recognisable brands are the ones selling best – Joe or Sarah Average just wants a working bike from a make they’ve vaguely heard of that they can get out and about on.

I bought a new old stock 2016 GT Grade Tiagra from Hargreaves Cycles last week for less than people are asking for them used. Also picked up an immaculate full 3×10 Tiagra-equipped Planet X Kaffenback with new wheels for the OH from eBay on Sunday for £207, so the bargains are still out there.

Dialled Bikes Alpine?

https://www.google.com/search?q=steel+narrow+wide+chainring+104bcd

My point is I’ve tried both cheap and branded overpriced ones from when 1x first became mainstream a few years back.

IME there is little to no discernible difference or drastic wear improvements from NW chainrings of the same material type (manufacturing faults aside), that via propitiatory standards, branding and the SRAM corporation throwing it’s legal weight about are worth paying 3 times more for!

I think you missed the bit where it’s STEEL n/w chainrings being talked about. Their longevity over ally ones has been proven, regardless of brand. And yeah, the SRAM ones are sub-£15 and great.

I tried watching Tea & Biscuits (and Slice of British Pie, etc), and I just really can’t stand the oi-oi-geezer side of British mountain biking tbh. I don’t know what it is, it just grates..