I won’t be persuing this any further:

STW ad 3 years ago:
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/lapierre-r-lite-500-road-bike-55-frame-easton-forks-750

PB ad 2014:
http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/1512659/

Word for word the same – apart from the frame size!

Jinbo- thanks again for the offer to check it out – worth a beer if you are ever passing Inverness!!

jimbo that is a great offer – what is best way to arrange this?

They have only just joined pinkbike though

Cheers – don’t think she is going too far wrong then.

Cheers for thos comments.
kcr – she is in a club & does a fair bit of training wit them. The big attraction to her is being in a crowd of like minded youths – all boys, but maybe that is the attraction…… I don’t think a very structured programme would work – it would become a chore like school. She enjoys ridig and want to keep it that way. Was just interested to get a few pointers to reinforce the training.

If it doesn’t stay fun she won’t do it & will stop cycling which would be an own goal! Seen that happen to a few others We’re both scientists but she won’t read some dry text. I liked some of the snippets I obrees book – you wouldn’t put up with a stiff bottom bracket so why have stiff body. Not rocket science but might be sort of stuff she will take on board. Just don’t want to feed her stuff which is plain wrong

Great cheers. Just want the thing to arrive – mr vw seems kinda busy at the mo!

Looking forward to the van arriving – after mulling it over for too long. Anyone know – do bikes fit in behind seats in VW SWB combi front to back, with front wheels off?

Oooh like those!

How do folk organise bikes & rest of kit so it doesn’t end up in a massive muddy guddle? Getting a transporter Kombi, & was wondering about spliting the space holizontally. Either by putting a false floor in with hatches, bikes above, or a ‘shelf’, with bikes under – front wheel off. Anyone done anything similar?

We are a small company and do cycle to work ourselves. Dead easy – we just have a simple lease agreement in place. Has been no hassle at all. Only diffenece for me is I get a salary every month – don’t know if that affects it

Chris went out of his way to try to find a van of the right spec for me, so def worth speaking to.

Yes saw the Drivethedeal & other similar stuff. Couldn’t decide how much was real & how much sour grapes, but still made me concerned!

I have been talking to Chris – who has been great. Why?

Cheers for that.
Am looking to buy a T5 Kombi 4×4 Highline, buying outright, 3 different dealer prices from N Scotland, and Swiss Vans (who have been really helpful). Dealer won’t match the internet price – they have all offered similar discounts on list of about £3k.

We manage the nearby Rothes Estate – some big woodlands there, and they woud be v happy to host something like that.

Good riding round Forres – Darnaway Estate and the Findhorn – give us a shout if you want a guide.

Cheers

Thanks!

Decathlon – often have clearance stuff for much cheapness

Decathlon/Quetua stuff. Not sure of model names, but have done our kids well at fraction of cost of main stream brands.

Cheers – Charlton Arms is full, so are B&B’s round Leintwardine. Found a B&B near Montgomery – bit of a drive, but at least it’s sorted now.

bump – anyone?

Brilliant – just what I needed/wanted to hear. I was getting into a spec induced paralysis, coupled to the – it’s just £100 (or in this case £250) mission creep.

Thanks!

Have had a (now) 30 yr old T25 for the past 15 years since just before the kids were born. It is a mixed blessing.

A couple of years ago when we thought it had a terminal ailment they were both more upset than if a family member had died!
To our 14yo daughter it certainly aint cool!
12 yo son hates the thought of selling it.

For all it gets used the tax, insurance & minor repairs cost more than staying in a hotel

We don’t go that far in it locally round N Scotland. It would be ace to go to continent but the fear of ending up broken down in middle of Englandshire for whole 2 weeks puts us off.

It was great on outer isles – much warmer & drier than a tent. Confortable seats to sit in & watch the storm outside (did at one point think the wind would overturn us!)

It is a PITA when you have to pack up whole van to go out for the day.

Wondering whether to sell it – but can’t bring ourselves to.
We know a caravan woud make far more sense – but certainly can’t bring ourselves to do that! However an Eriba…

It is a 10 min job to swap them over – bits come in the box. Unless you have a tandem the hoses will be WAY too long anyway and need cutting down.

Just checked them – they are unmarked on a set of Ritchey wheels.

So a healthy blow to the non drive side to push the drive side out?

Tuesday night has been boys night ride and beer night for the past 10 years and the only night I slep properly!

What is the best source of seals – for Recons?

cheers – found the shimano instructions too- why the … arent these in the box??!!. Worked OK without a bleed – cheers guys!

It seems that the budget roadbike of choice is the Decathlon Triban 3 – is about £370 I think. Carbon fork.Gets great reviews.

Cheers for all that help guys!

Don’t use GT85 this is a common mistake – it bloats the rubber.

In my extended reseach that’s what I have been finding – unfortunatly AFTER I had read and acted on one thread that advised using it.

I have ordered the shimanos, that gives me the time to then mess with the Avids. I will get a set of new pistons & seals to see if that works. If so I will have a spare set.

She won’t be if she grabs a handful of nothing when having a moment

True – but hopefully the reach adjustment will be sufficient – we’ll see!!

I had skooted past them – couldnt get the country selector thing to go away!! Doh.

Good price, just off to purchase from them now!

I know the Triban gets rave reviews but I was shocked how heavy it felt in the shop.
Interested too as looking for entry level road bike for mrs kite’s big birthday pressie

I think she will have to be content with difficult to reach brakes that work as opposed to easy to reach brakes that are always half on!!
Off to make the purchase from bike-discount.de crc don’t have the front ones in stock

……..and it isn’t just dealing my own frustration – an angry 14 year old is not to be taken lightly!!

We’ve always done it ourselves at work. Done over a longer period – 3 years the bike depreciates more, then I get a loan of it for a year or so before I have to make the final payment. Seems to work for us.

Cheers – it is restoring now – along with a software update which is scheduled to take 4 hours!

Cheers – kids are now converted to STW – any question answered in under 1 min!

Cheers – will be there tomorrow to play in the snow!