Having sanded and filled and painted every other square millimetre of wood in the house I know I don’t want to get into salvage stuff so new is the only option. Although I feel like MDF is cheating some extent (work on house has seem to bring out personal tendancy to do everything the hard, slow way!) I think the MDF will actually look better as the grain of the pine is so open and I just can’t justify the hardwood at that price.

Not quite sure how the skirting will get fitted as the (new) plaster stops some 90-100mm above the ground and so unless filled there would be a cavity behind much of the skirting. Hopefully that is one the skirting board fitter can overcome.

keppoch.

Thankfully no one has mentioned it which probably means I am one of a few to make the trip.

The Ben Aigan Hammer at the Moray Monster trail centre is probably the most dull I have ever ridden. I feel bad saying it since it is volunteer built but it is just mundane. There is a section called ‘The Widow maker’ which could be named ‘the modest slope’ and numerous jumpy bits on uphill sections.

It was at the end of a week of great riding but it just wasn’t at the standard we had come to enjoy.

keppoch.

Best

1. Kirroughtree – Brilliant bit of everything
2. Learnie Red Rock – Best jumpy section I have ever ridden
3. Cwmcarn – Local enough to know it

keppoch

Great prices on the Rose brakes but Deore, SLX and XT are all sold out in the front halves and you need a pair to swap them to the UK way round – shame :(

The descents are technical but I would struggle to describe them as long or swoopy espcially in comparison to the fire road climbs to the top.

Getting back to the OP.

My take on it is that it is valuable because it is rare and you can’t fake it or create more of it – unlike printing money.

What I do always wonder about is that although some of it has been found and resides in safes as bars of gold there must still be loads of it in the ground and no one is too sure where therefore if someone dug up a load surely that would devalue the existing and irritate those who had all the original bars.

Why is it intrinsically valuable well I guess it is useful but mainly just GOLD. As Goldmember said “I like GOLD” (I don’t actually).

1. A week possible anywhere really but I would say 2-3 days riding would allow time to pick some great rides. (we did two busy days).
2. We stayed at Glen Brittle campsite. Location pretty but distant, facilities low.
3. Wacky weather place.
4. We did Slighachan circuit, Fairy pools and Quirang loop. Of those Quiraing loop was my favourite. There is also a mini trail centre near the bridge.

I was planning on going for something like this soon as opposed to some itchy open weave stuff but the comments don’t seem great.

Would definitely favour something sealed as the current insulation has a grim black dust over it falling from the ageing roof tiles and felt so would be better if the new stuff shrugs that off.

I’ve seen foil covered board – is that the best solution? Seems expensive though.

I did this a few weeks ago, great ride.

We started from the high car park, it is then a traverse across and a steep descent to the coast, whizz along the coastal road then haul yourself back to the car park.

Great ride, short but some special stuff in there.

We also rode Fairy Pools on Skye, a triangle route. set out alongside the woodland uphill, traverse across then down the main path past the pools. Good ride somewhat marred by constant drainage channels. My brother had a fairly hefty off on one. Good timing called for.

There is also apparently a mini 3km trail centre right close to the bridge to the mainland but we didn’t get time to ride that.

Thanks for those both, spec and price looks good. Pictures aren’t all that clear but I think they both have the square individual keys rather than continuous bevelled keyboards but that seems to the (Apple) style that most manufacturers are selling now.

Whilst I totally agree with you about the monitor and keyboard setup the prospective owner does not and wishes to use the laptop keyboard since working conditions are restricted and double as living space.

Second hand AEG, £40 mint condition. Five years on.

Seriously take a look secondhand. People go for a integrated one with a new kitchen and there are bargains to be had.

Superb service.

Yep, still closed. Trail is in great condition tho’ had a blast.

Might go over this afternoon, is this section still closed?

This is how the plan is looking:

Saturday Drive up to Mallaig
Sunday Sligachan
Monday Glen Brittle, Quirang Circuit and mini Skye Trail centre
Tuesday Torridon Circuit
Wednesday
Thursday Balblair and Kyle of Sutherland Trails
Friday Golspie Wildcat
Saturday Glen Affric Day 1 (into SYHA)
Sunday Glen Affric Day 2 (out of SYHA and drive home)

The gap is now for our Wednesday ride. This will be out of Torridon. The circuit ride will be the one out of the Phil Kane book, “Scotland the Wild Trails” I think this is also known as the Achneshellach loop and takes in Annat too but no idea what to do on the second day there, these were mentioned:

– Coire Mhic Nobhuil
– Ben Damph loop
– Lower Diabeg to Red Point

as shorter rides (which would be good as we have a fair drive that day). Can anyone elaborate, ideally with a map, gpx or string of locations from which I can map.

Thanks.

Having ridden a lot of the mtb-marathon courses over the last 10 years I think this was one of the top 3 (Selkirk and Builth on dry days being the others). Brilliant course, I’ve already forgotten the road bits. There was a bit of moorland slog but well worth it for the last decent – fantastic.

The woodland singletrack came a just the right point in the ride to not be congested with other riders.

Yes it was a bit short against advertised distance but I didn’t mind, its the furthest I’ve ridden this year and I’d rather ride 67k of good stuff than drag it out to 80 or 100k just for the sake of it.

Great weather and some good riding, hopefully this course will be back next year.

Brompton or not I con confirm Euro Quality stripping remain expensive – £156 including VAT.

Hmm.

For tonight I recommend Mimosa in Cardiff Bay. Not cheap, not killer expensive.

Molgrips, work your way round these and tell me you don’t find somewhere you like: Mimosa, Canteen on Clifton Street, Laguna, Lilos, Haveli, Vegetarian Food Studio, Patagonia, Conway, Tenkaichi.

Chains on the other hand… “Have you eaten here before…”

I think eating in Cardiff is excellent.

They are not made from natural slate – more a fake slate! Thin but large about 500 x 250 mm I guess.

Location is Cardiff and they are local. All of the affected slates look to be within arms reach of the bottom but yes realise I am paying for them to be a long way up waving tools around – don’t fancy it myself!

Thanks for the responses, I will try to negotiate to £100 otherwise get someone else in. They have already replaced two on the back which cost £65 but was a trickier job (double ladders, climbing around) so they may be trying their luck a little.

Cheers for all this, some really good advice.

Planning to eat either at Canteen (Stokes Croft) or Las Iguanas (as a fallback if I can’t book Canteen) then a lap of some bars including the Apple and Park Street before returning for late drinks and music at Start the Bus or Big Chill.

This has been really useful, keen not to tour generica chains (OK already set to contradict that with Las Igaunas!).

Have marked all recommendations up on a map :D

I ordered bearing TH873 from UKBikestore to see if that fits, but haven’t heard from my brother on whether it does yet.

Will post again when I know.

good leads z1ppy, cheers

Ah turns out whilst I was right in saying they are not IS there are a few corrections to what I did say, there are no allen bolts, just the QR skewer inside a 20mm axle, the whole lot goes into the bottom of the forks similar to a normal QR hub and is held in place by the QR skewer alone.

Also, as you can see from the picture it doesn’t look like an IS mount, it’s like a Post Mount with no raised bosses. The holes are about 25mm apart and are M5 threads (could be 1″ apart as that is 25.4mm).

Any ideas on a mount for IS brake?

Edit: hang on, is this what is needed? Curved plate looks about right though description refers to a different fork:

Marz adaptor on CRC

Evening, thanks for the last couple.

Is Manos Bar the same as Hermanos?

And also where is Smiles Bar? Tried Google but to no avail, probably being stupid.

Any further intel’ from the weekday STW’ers?

Gut rotting ciders! Sounds ideal for the groom :-)

What about after we have warmed up with dinner and a few drinks? Lively bars/clubs?

Thanks for the ID. I’m guessing there is no option but to replace the whole thing?

Seems pretty steep but I guess the forks are in good condition so it probably is worth it.

Anyone know of anywhere that does less than RRP? :wink:

We are around 28-35 in age.

Gambling will not be our thing tbh.

Thanks for the suggestions, any more welcomed.

Definatley not IS or PM. Not sure what brake he is trying to fit but something fairly standard, Shimano or similar.

Just to be clear this is not an IS mount, holes are closer together.

Yes and spend a lot of money. I think the point here is something that is more accurate than your hand but doesn’t cost a prohibitive amount for a tool that won’t be used all that often.

I have been pondering a reasonably priced one for some time now.

From those above the Giant and Screwfix ones look good. Suspect the screwfix one may work out as much as the Giant once the bits are purchased.

don’t suppose rocketdog or anyone else has a photo of me at the finish? I was the last person across the line before 9pm. I was riding a silver Yeti 575 with double vision. Would love a picture of me as it was quite a memorable moment.

Thanks to all those who screamed, clapped and shouted on my last lap.

Right my brother is here to stay and so we had the headset apart last night. Changing the bottom went fine, he had just failed to get the seal out.

But the top bearings are different. The one he had bought has no markings or text on it but an OD of 41.0mm compared to 41.5mm for the one he had bought. All my spares for Orbit MX (different headset I realise) are also 41.5mm The straight section on the old bearing also appears taller with a shorter chamfer than the new one but both have the same overall height.

Any one else had this issue?

Wow my thread has come alive :D thanks for all the suggestions, sounds great, I need to get back on my Google Earth planning all the locations and sew it together for a week.

Balbair and Moray comments useful too. Also Slichagan as a out-and-back seems to be the consensus.

I will check them all out :D

Can’t wait to get riding now, hope the weather is as good as it presently is out of the office window!

Reverse commuting direction to most people Cardiff – Merthyr makes that better, train from Cardiff to Merthyr is time consuming 55 minutes but fine and cheaper than other train journeys of that duration. Living in Radyr or Taff’s Well would take 15 minutes off that and put you around the best of the Cardiff riding but linked to Merthyr and Cardiff by frequent train service. Pontypridd would put you half way between both but hardly an uplifting place either.

If working for Sustrans it is pretty much company policy that you would be on a Brompton :wink: so no trouble taking that on the train.

I don’t think driving from anywhere south of the M4 to Merthyr in 20 minutes is possible (legally).

Fair enough, if they are still in good condition and knock is typical then doing it yourself would be my recommendation.

LoCo Tuning would be my recommendation if they need a serious look at (bushes etc).

If it is just an oil and seal change then it is easy to do yourself (it a little messy!). Have a search for instructions on how to.

Just as an aside if they are 10 years old then you may be best buying another s/h pair – sad but true as oil (£15) + Seals (£14) + Crush seals (£2) + Float Fluid (£2)+ other item you need but don’t have (£5) will cost a fair bit and you will still have a rather tired set of forks. Reasonable condition s/h Vanillas can be picked up for about £80.

but if I was going to buy one of the two Mojo stocked products…. which one would be the right one?

Or are they both right but different?

I will also give LoCo a ring.

OK in terms of locations there is a forum list of places on Song of the Paddle:

http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?51-English-paddling-places

But does anyone have a recommendation of a place to go and somewhere that has hire facilities? We will need at least six canoes (two people in each).

Yes I wasn’t really too keen on Dave Hinde but price is good, but agree that might fade to insignificant in the face of poor service.

Shame Action sports don’t do Deore, I’d go for SLX at that price but keen to keep it 9spd so parts are interchangeable with others in the family fleet.

Just added up the parts on Rose, £142! but crankset and cassette out of stock

Cheers all, think I will go for the Kevlar ones. Sounds like a reasonable compromise.