Indian stone will last longer and look better than concrete. If you are doing it yourself then you need to factor in removal cost of lawn (lots of trips to the tip or a skip) and sand/cement. If the sizes don’t fit your lawn area (most are 30/60/90cm) then you may need a cutter to cut to size.
If you are paying someone obviously their labour costs.

Artificial lawn is much better than it used to be and easy to brush of debris. Most don’t need sanding like the old ones did. Prices again are around £20 sqm. Much quicker to lay (remove old lawn, blind with sand, lay weed suppressing membrane and roll out lawn and secure. They tend to come in 2 or 4m widths.

This is sort of persuading me to sell my FS Camber and just keep my hardtail. Been thinking about it for ages, changing my mind and then changing it back again. My HT (rigid actually) is fine around here and if I kept the forks from my Camber would be pretty much as quick over the rougher stuff. Hmmm…

I can only recommend the Ultremo’s as its all I have used but they are an excellent tyre. Mine came from Germany and I think I paid about £65 for the pair with lube after shopping around.
Seem to be wearing well and no punctures (about 4 months use in total)
Don’t think you’ll find much cheaper (yet).

Thought I’d bump it seeing as it’s me that can’t go now…

Definitely more to do with position. My TT bike is on average 2 – 2.5mph quicker than my road bike, and it’s old and about 3lbs heavier too.

I’m running a Kinesis Strut and an Exotic (720mm) bar. Both are excellent.

Dave, you’ll be fine around here with a 32 front and 36 rear. I’m running 36 front and rear with no problems.

It’s too late. It’s got you. Your future rides will now revolve around segments, wind direction and leader boards. Good fun though.

Strangely I find the opposite to most on here with my Defrosters (2013, not the new ones that look the same but have apparently better insulation). They seem to be warm enough but let the water in easily from the top, so you then get wet feet, which tend to then get cold. My old Shimano boots with the neoprene ankle cuff were much better at keeping water out. Also had to return one boot as the Boa stopped working after a couple of rides.

Really like mine too. Don’t really notice a low BB (although I am coming from a Whyte 146) or long wheelbase, just find it the fastest bike I’ve ridden along and down. It’s not as fast as my HT going up, but then it is 6lbs heavier. Not to say it is heavy. 1 x 10 and sensible kit have got to under 25lbs. Fantastic do it all bike.

Did an hour and a bit on the slippy South Downs and came back with 2 Strava Koms. 🙂

Tried the 2013 and 2014 ones on a few weeks ago. Both felt (and looked) the same size wise. New ones have better insulation apparently. Went for the 2013 cos they were half price.

Possibly your times have caught his attention on certain segments. I have a few followers I haven’t met as yet but see me as their ‘competition’.
Possibly going to be meeting some of them this weekend for a ride, so it could be a good way of meeting new riding buddies on your fitness level.

5ft 9, 30in inside leg with a medium. Also run a short (50mm) stem, but that sizes up about 5cm shorter from seat to bars than my hardtail.
I would say you are probably in the middle of the two, but if you want a more stretched position go for the large.

Don’t have any GPX files unfortunately and if no one else comes up with any you are probably best sticking to the SDW for the first time. Pick a spot and do an out and back.
It’s a shame because a lot of the better more interesting riding is off the SDW but you will get a taster. Easterly this weekend so maybe head east first.
I would probably start from somewhere like Devils Dyke which is not far at all from the A23/A27.

Superstar rear hubs on 3 bikes and no problems. Oldest is about 2 years, newest 8 months.

My Gaea. 17in frame and I’m 5ft 9. Now running a 36t Absolute Black ring, no chain guide and flat bars. Weighs just under 19lbs.

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SAM_4490[/url] by Kevaroo[/url], on Flickr

Import charges were about £30 I think.

Had my Carbonal Gaea for nearly a year now. No problems whatsoever, excellent frame.

Thanks all. Erring towards taking the road bike now. I have found a place called Williams Bicycles who hire out, waiting to hear what they have but it’s looking to be about the same to hire as to take my bike. And then at least I can choose which day I go and maybe sneak in an extra ride. Or two…
MountainMutant – I don’t have them yet. I will speak to the bro-in-law and see if I can get them.
alan-sierracycling – thanks for the info. My 50th is coming up in a year and have already decided to do a weeks MTB around the area so I will be in touch…

Anyone…?

I got p1ssed one night and pressed the button. Not regretted it though. I like the additional info on HR which is useful to have alongside the ride. Suffer score seems a bit random. Will probably keep it.

I would say definitely setup. Tested several before deciding on the Spesh Camber. They all climbed well. I have found you feel the difference more on bumpy climbs rather than smooth.
Got the weight down to just over 24lbs, which helps even more. 🙂

I had a numpty moment a while when my road frame turned up and I put in a star nut as I had forgotten to order a wedge type and was due to go on a pre arranged ride.
It’s been fine, the problem is once you have one in there you’ll probably do more damage trying to remove it. Best just to leave it in.

ESI Chunky on rigid and full suss. Recently realised I haven’t had numb hands since I started using them. Excellent.

Riding Bonty 29-2 now and run 29-3’s in the winter. Seems to me it’s more down to the pressure you run in your tyres (front especially, obviously) when rigid. I have run mine as low as 15-16psi, but they seem to grip and feel better and still offer a small amount of added softness somewhere in the 20’s (psi).

Swapped both my X9 shifters to X0 after they developed the ‘sticky shifter’ syndrome. X0 are a marked improvement in feel and quality. If you can afford it go for it. Worth shopping around though, got mine from one of the German shops (can’t remeber which one now)for quite a bit less than UK prices. It has ‘X0’ in blue which doesn’t match the bike but its pretty much hidden by the brake lever anyway.

I think there are a lot of people who have actually tried it who would disagree with you. All gearing is a compromise. If it works for your own application then great. All depends where you ride, what you ride and how you ride. I find 10 gears is plenty for me, others don’t.

I am just changing to a 36 as I find that with a 34 around here I am usually climbing in gear 2 on the steeper climbs, and often spin out on the flat (offroad and 1×10).
My bike is pretty light though, and we are talking South Downs so not the steepest..

Alternatively you could opt for one of the spiderless rings from Wolf Tooth, Works Components etc., or get an X0 DH spider which will let you fit any 104pcd ring.

Fine around Worthing/Brighton area last night. Much gripper than the loose dust it had become over the last few weeks. It will take a lot more rain to do much other than leave a few puddles.
I would go for the hardtail if it was working ok, but you will want a reliable comfortable bike, even if it slows you on the climbs. Ardents are what I would go for. Used to use them on my 26ers from April to November time on the Downs and loved them.

Just bought my girlfriends 7yo a Hotrock 24. Seems to be a cracking little bike for the money with decent kit. He loves it and can now ride for much longer and at a decent pace! Hotrocks also hold their value very well.

They’re only 6 months old. If they do the same tomorrow I think I will just take them back to the lbs. Cheers anyway.

Can anyone help..?? Can’t find anything on the interweb that throws any light on it.
Managed to get them back to full length by releasing the air, locking them out, pulling them down and re-inflating but not had the chance to test them yet. They don’t feel quite ‘right’ but that could just be me…

That is probably the most beautiful looking 29er frame I have ever seen. The other pics on your Flickr page really show the detailing. Awesome. Far too nice to rag about trying to get your KoM’s back… 😉

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SAM_4491[/url] by Kevaroo[/url], on Flickr

18lbs and rides very nicely with the Niner forks.

Bonty 29-3’s for winter, and 29-2’s for summer. Job done.

Hubs are fine. Bearings are a bit crap but easily (and cheaply) replaced with better quality ones when they do go. Mine lasted about 12 months. Didn’t stop me getting another one for my new wheels. Even with new bearings they are cheaper than Hopes, and just as light.

ant27 – See what you’re saying but mine has been when I’m already in the smallest cog but maybe not pedalling for a few seconds. So definately down to chain tension, but I think it just finds it difficult to cope with the full range of gears. Heard it try and jump off a few times since fitting the chain guide but it’s been doing it’s job perfectly.

My type 2 is medium cage, but running a standard X9 short cage on my hard tail. Both on 11-36 cassette. Shouldn’t be a problem with the Type 2.

Ran my Camber with X9 Type 2, 1×10, with no problems over the winter. Now that the trails are dry and fast though I started losing the chain off the front ring on 3 or 4 occasions when running in the smallest sprocket. Fine in the other gears but annoying when you’re blasting your favourite singletrack. Have now, reluctantly, added a chain guide and problem sorted.

It says I’m up to date. Jamie had it too with the 2019 ride.