Yup, I got the email as well, might arrive in time for the August bank holiday 🙂

Thanks CG

I have a old skool map of the SDW and surrounding area in the garage somewhere, will find it and track down where you mean.

Yup it worked, so you came off the SDW? Did you get a loop in rather than out and back? I am thinking it is past the big pub on the short road section which is about 5 miles from cheesefoot?

Where did you find the Singletrack CG? I used to ride a lot from cheesefoot doing out and backs mainly of around 20-30 miles, I mainly remember bridleway but guessed there would be some Singletrack out there somewhere I was missing 🙂

Glad you had a good ride and ended with a big smile.

I gave up worrying about sports pursuit delivery times a long time ago. I am so used to amazon prime next day or CRC 2 day turnaround I was getting all upset with SP. Now I try to blank it from my mind and take it as a nice surprise when it eventually turns up, which it always does.

I wish they had chopped down the tree that I hit! My shoulder is complaining today

Yes, he is correct, it was the bikes fault nothing to do with pie eating 🙂

Sounds good to me scapegoat.

Hargroves Fareham covered themselves in glory again today, took the bike in to be measured up for a reverb and mentioned I was having trouble with setting the new rear mech up. 10 mins later it had a new cable fitted and all working fine.

It was the cable. Was getting stuck, as it happened I had to take the bike to the LBS today to make sure that I was buying right size reverb. They took a look at the rear mech and within 10 mins they were back with it working, new cable was all it needed and they did it all for free.

QECP was obviously the place to be today. This evening I had the pleasure of meeting up with Mark who’s STW name I cannot remember but pretty sure it’s something to do with Shep? We headed off to the red route and were met with numerous obstacles created by the forestry work which meant I missed my favourite section 🙁

Funny moment of the day was when I picked Mark up in the Fiesta and I had my bike in the boot. This is generally ok because I am normally either alone or with one of the children, but today I picked up a 6ft 4″ bloke who had to travel for 30 mins with his knees round his ears, sorry Mark, big car next time 🙂

It turns out I am really unfit in comparison and every climb saw Mark shoot ahead but despite this humbling experience it was great to have good company rather than travelling and riding alone.

Cheers Mark.

Right, time to get the bike stand out and bike up in the air and fix this thing once and for all.

Thanks WC

Hargroves Cycles in Fareham recently did me a huge favour free of charge, tomorrow if will be buying a reverb from them due to this. Probably could find it cheaper on tinterweb but they will fit it for free which knowing my mechanical prowess is worth a few quid.

Thanks, will look at that now I know what the B screw is.

Excellent well that’s one question sorted, I was thrown by the you tube videos which all talked about a barrel adjuster on the mech end rather than shifter.

Just the question as to why it won’t budge down now

Any pics spud? There is still a slim chance it could happen here

Ouch! Mork, that sounds painful. That final downhill bit on the red I find very tricky to go at any decent speed. I tend to get my front wheel turned to far in to the corners and start to lose it. Never managed a good run down it and I can see how easy it would be to come off.

Daftvader if you want an off-road ride around Winchester then head out onto the SDW, head up to cheese foot head and then just keep pedalling. Watch out for the cows that hog the gate before a field about a mile from cheesefoot, scary buggers.

Cpl of hours on the XC bike for me tomorrow then the same on Sunday morning, Sunday evening I will get up to QECP if I can find some bloody bolts to fit the new single ring I bought, would be nice if they were supplied wouldn’t it 🙁

Smashing ride round the QECP red on Sunday evening. Still to fat and unfit to enjoy the first half as I would like but am getting faster on the second half 🙂

So is this stuff that was created for the enduro race around the red route or is it out the back somewhere?

If a group ride is being planned be sure to give me a shout I get a bit lonely every weekend on my own 🙂

Fair play convert, I on the other hand am built like a short podgy thing but being northern I do tend to speak rather openly as well.

Do we have an outcome then?

don’t do this as you might find yourself being searched as a potential shoplifter

I can think of worse ways to spend time in a shop

but your grammatical ineptitude does not make it as clear as it could have been.

What I really meant was the tone of the grammatical criticism. It could have been worded in a much less antagonistic way maybe? I am sure you wrote it with a smile on your face and would have used the same terminology should you have met the OP face 2 face, even if he was built like a brick outhouse 🙂

Slight thread hijack here, apologies. So if shaving the man/woman parts was the answer, and it certainly would be a solution, does it not really itch? I remember doing this a long long time ago in my 20’s and all I can remember was a horrendous itching following the trim, almost to the point where it could be called prickling not just itching. Advice?

Is all the abuse regarding grammar really necessary? The op just wanted a few opinions on whether the add was misleading not whether he failed GCSE English.

When it comes to situations like this, if I have a feeling a might have cocked up and duped, intentionally or otherwise, someone into spending more than the item is worth, then I offer a refund or part refund. If on the other hand you believe what you sold was worth the price they paid you then they should be able to sell it on again if they are really unhappy. Looking at the description, you do state it doesn’t come with a shock so if you can hand on heart say you were not out to deceive then stand your ground.

I sold a road bike I had bought just for one event. I paid 200 for it and sold it for 350, I felt bad to have made a profit on something that imo was not worth 350 but that’s how auctions go. In the end the guy complained that the frame was more marked than he expected, I had tried to show everything in pics but because I felt bad I offered a 50 pound part refund. He was happy, I was more comfortable and all was good with the world, until I got the eBay seller fees that is 🙂

Well I am up, not quite the crack of dawn but I have a couple of hours until the madness of the weekend descends. Going to head from Fareham to Wickham and join the old railway line, if I am feeling good I will cut in to Bere Forest and have a charge around there, if I am feeling sluggish I will stay on the railway and just give it as much effort as I can. Not the most inspiring of routes but at least it’s some exercise.

@chiefgrooveguru- I assume you are joining the race then? Good luck, lot of effort gone into preparing the route, should be great fun.

@anyone related to QECP – will it all be clear by Sunday 5pm as it’s the next time I have any free riding time and fancy a blast.

Going to try and wake up at the crack of dawn, yes I said at not in, as the weekend is full of birthday party’s, karate, rugby prize giving , and ballet! Might try to get to QECP Sunday evening

@garagedweller – thanks for that I will check it out when we get a free weekend.

Oh, and just to keep you up to date with my riding this weekend, there will be none. Don’t feel to sorry for me though as I am in Rome eating amazing food and seeing amazing sights 🙂

I did that a cpl of years ago frogstomp was a bit of a trek from fareham but I was amazed at the quality of riding so close to Newbury town and industrial estates. Really enjoyed it

Keep us posted in the arrivals status CFH best of luck.

Hargroves cycles in Fareham were the ones that got me up and riding for the bank holiday weekend

Recently had a good experience with my LBS. 3hrs of blood sweat and tears to get my bike up and running following a poor repair by another shop, no charge! Then the other shop came good by offering to purchase and fit the part they had the issue with FOC so kudos to both.

That’s not annoying at all. Just paid full price for the black and white enduro jersey, 60 quid I think it was. I like it though, would advise that if you are a rotund chap up top like myself they are not a baggy fit. I just squeeze in to my large, another pound in weight and it would have the Lycra effect on my curves.

Got me wondering how the hell I got mine built for free now.

The last build I did I tried to do myself and came unstuck with brakes and gears so gave in and took to LBS, not the same shop as other build as that was miles away. This second shop charged me 100 to fit brakes and gears and give it a safety check which I thought was ok considering. This makes your 200 option seem very fair but your 900+ seem a little on the high side.

Not sure if this is any help but it was my build experience. I bought the frame and wheels via a bike shop, wheels were offered as cheap as I could find them anywhere else, and then had all the other parts delivers to them from places such as CRC and the German online sellers. They built the bike for nothing and offered the free mini service after a few miles, couldn’t fault anything they did.

leeph – Member
I love my inbred. For short blasts and easy maintanance – nothing comes close.
XT brakes, Raceface cranks, exotic carbon forks. Love it!
Will be selling my cotic soul soon since it never gets used since I bought the

How is it any easier to maintain than the soul or any other hardtail frame for that matter? And why sell the soul and keep the inbred? Interested as I quite fancy a Soul or something similar but i am all for low maintenance options.

This sucks.

Oh no! I can see it now, “Ince scores to ruin Liverpools title hopes”

Lordy this is painful

Yesterday I rode from Catisfield to Wickham via the bridleway and road then onto the old railway line. A few miles down the railway line i cut off into Bere Forests and found numerous trails, nothing mega exciting but good enough to enjoy on a cross country bike.

Today was rugby day and as it was end of season the parents had to play as well. Fortunately the parents match was touch rugby so no injuries but quite good fun. Bike time tomorrow, probably QECP again.

I didn’t die.