Cheers.

I’m kinda leaning towards getting a Brooks, googleing a similar question just brings up Brooks as the answers everywhere, was thinking of the B17 as it’s a better price and that’s what keeps getting recommended, although not sure how I’ll get on with the 170mm width, most of my saddles are 140 – 150mm, but what I don’t want is the shape to be like a large V more like a T, if that makes sense, think this might avoid chaffing on the inner thighs? The brooks just look like they’re going to be hard too but they get highly rated for comfort.

🙂

Smashing … made me chuckle 😆

In a fit of anger I once shoved my bike in the garden thinking it would just go a few feet and fall over, nope, nearly made it to the end of a 100ft garden and ended up going into the side of the shed … they go quite well without the rider, hay?

Get a Vauxhall Vivaro, Nissan Primastar or Renault Traffic (newer version of course) – all the same I think just different names, get the crew cab one with side windows and self convert, modern vehicle, nice to drive, economical, perfect.

I’ve had my VW T2 for 15 years, restored and looked after and loathed to part with it now, but was cheap to buy back then, now there’s a lot of expensive rot boxes around full of rust and filler and a lot of bodge rip-off restorers too. A good looked after one will be a reliable trouble free camper, but few and far between now, if I was looking to get something now I’d get a modern van and convert it myself.

Mmmm 😕 surely good luck cos I missed it … or is it cos it missed me … or, neither as I hadn’t got to it yet so it didn’t miss me, maybe I missed it?

Anyway, had to share my story 🙂

Thanks everyone, just had a quick read and I’ll be looking up the suggestions later as I haven’t had time yet, at least I have some model/names to google now. Not bothered about a screen for viewing, just want to save fies on the SD cards so I can use them again, mainly going to be used for video footage that I can edit at a later date, wireless headcam just to record the more interesting bits of my travels/holidays/tours – yes I probably could get more SD cards which I’ll consider?

user-removed, might be interested but haven’t looked it up yet so don’t know anything about it, I’ll be in touch.

Thanks 😀

🙄

that’s no help 😉

but if you find out let me know, I’ve been googling but just seem to get normal portable drives, don’t really know what to search for?

Used to go through the local woods on my Raleigh Chipper in the 70’s 😀 me and my mates on choppers and grifters, that’s just what we did, probably like everyone here?

But, first MTB would be a borrowed mustang in 1987, it was shocking, I was into motorbikes then and wore my frank thomas enduro type jacket and cooked, didn’t put me off, then got a 2nd hand MTB that had bullmoose bars and sunrace(?) shifters/gears – that was a bit useless too, but lost interest. Then in 1992 a motorbike mag had a article about mountain biking and the bikes looked completely different, so I went and got a new proper MTB, Rockhopper. Had the Axo pony SPD green purple boots too and the Onza SPD’s when they first came out, nice ligt, simple but horrible to use, sold them after one ride – most of it spent on the floor still attached to my bike! 😆

Keep reading about play in these wheelsets, and what with the alloy freewheel that seems to get chewed up even with alloy carrier casettes … I’m being put off! 😕

Am I right in thinking the older XC or Bulb hubs are better than Pro 2’s, do they have Ti or steel freehubs?

😐

Yeah, looked at those, I’m trawling through CRC to see what they’ve got and read reviews. I’ve got some hybrid type MTB tyres on at the mo but they’re a bit draggy and making it hard work.

cold porridge, leave the milk to soak in

Not tried that, is it edable quickly or you have to soak for quite a while?

Yeah, porridge with honey is my fave at the moment, but can’t decide if I should get up a bit earlier, or get up and go and have it at work? It’s a bit of a mad rush first thing anyway and I’m liking my bed too much at the moment 😀

I have some old Tioga Surefoot 5’s I was going to ebay if you’re interested?

Old style pedals for clips and straps with a grease port half-way along the axle body, good condition, bit of surface rust on the exposed axle part. Let me know, email me, and I’ll try to sort you out some pics?

Yep, enjoyed those, well done!

Did you have a second rider to pick up the camera after your passing shots or have to turn around and go back again – bit of a faff?

Quite enjoyed the music too, makes a change not to have the ‘metal, thrash, rap’ assult on the ears.

Why can’t they make a decent action cam with that sort of quality video – you get the ATC5K that looks like it records through Rolf Harris’s wobble board, or the GoPro Hero thing which, basically, looks like what you’ve done there anyway!? 😕

That Cyclus tool looks good! Much better (value) than the £100+ ‘other’ tools I’ve seen!

And thanks for the quick replies … now get out on ya bikes! 😀

😆

Yeah, the usual hammer and wood has worked a treat before but not this time! Struggling, so I’m off to B&Q soon to try and get the bits.

Cheers.

The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, great film, never admitted I like that to anyone I know … oh, I just did! 😳

Already mentioned, but great fun with Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce and Terence Stamp hamming it on a road trip in outback oz 😆

OutdoorsMagic, great thanks.

I like Rab stuff, probably work out expensive but like you say worth asking.

I’ll be using it in the Himalayas so could get cold at night, nothing too extreme though – not up the sides of snowy mountains, but will be in tents and I’ll have a duvet jacket too. The Exped thing has zip up arm holes – I think the old Buffalo system is the only other bag I’ve seen with this but saves you having to zip out completely to do anything, but it’s a 2/3 season. I have a Vango Ultralite Square which is 2 season so was wondering about using 2 similar bags together to make a more versatile system with the extra space?

5th season 😆 yeah, I think that’s extreme cold, artic or altitude conditions … ? I think we need to have a 6th UK season added – continuous wet and windy !

Yep, any noise that isn’t suppose to be there has to go!

My 02 Enduro was the noisiest bike I ever had, blowing and sucking Marzocchi’s – oo’er – slapping chain, creaking and cracking … unfortunately the creaking and cracking turned out to be a split in the frame welds, so I get suspicious of odd noises now!

My new-ish bike has a bit of brake hose/gear cable knocking at the front end when going over stutter type bumbs, so there I am looking over and down and reaching over to hold the cables to see which one it is … I’m surprised I haven’t gone @rse over t!t yet! 😆

Yeah, I did the first Lemming back in ’96 and remember that hostel, I did wonder about that but not sure which direction we’re going to go yet, depends on the wind direction for the days we do it – the wind up on the downs can be a nightmare if you get it wrong! – so, was hoping somewhere halfway-ish. I’ll look into the hostel though, as I think it’s mostly a west wind.

Hi Roger, I googled your website after the recommendation above and it’s a bit, erm, basic … no prices or much details? Any idea of the costs?

Thanks

😆

Interesting stuff.

I keep changing my mind now 🙄

I think 5.1’s, but then someone says they find 4.2’s fine, so I think ok I’ll save weight and get those…

The current wheels are some re-labelled Alex DP17 rims that are supposed to be about 470g on heavy deore hubs, plain spokes, the ususal nothing special machine built things you get on production bikes, they’ve been fine so far even though they don’t get good reviews (yeh, I know, I need to go harder! 😉 ) so maybe something the same or lighter weight better built will be fine?

Thinking stans or 819’s now though as maybe it’s about time I went tubeless or at least it’ll be easy if I do in the future?

Cheers everyone!

Quick questions about stans rims: Never looked at these before, are they all tubeless and are they easy to put tyres on, ie. none of that messing about with BMX tubes and sealant like ghetto stuff and all the kerfuffle that goes with doing that or the stans no tubes kit? Seeing all that mucking around puts me off. Are they simply mount the tyre pump up and go?

And I usually run pressures about 40-50psi, stans rims recommend less, 38psi, will that not feel more ‘draggy’?

I’ve been trying to find out some stuff about them on the net but still not sure?

Thanks.

Yeah, kind of making sense really, bit stronger just in case and it’s only something like 150g extra in total …

Ozzy, I’m about 180lb, and used to pick my lines, but on the newer bike I’m finding myself changing lines and going through and over stuff just for the hell of it as the suspension just handles it better than the short travel bikes, so I’m kinda having a bit more fun. So, like you say I don’t want to go light to find I ruin them or too heavy I’m cursing them on the hills?

I reckon I’m gonna look into something about the 450g weight with a good build to be on the safe side.

Evolution – I was only in there last week! 🙂

I can’t help thinking maybe the 4.2’s are a bit light and the 5.1’s a bit heavy, so something inbetween – reason for considering the mavic 317’s and 719’s as they are about 440/460g ? Don’t know anything about the stan’s rims, a quick look put’s the flow at 470g but they say max pressure for a 2.3 is 38psi 😯 isn’t that a bit low – I usually put 40-50 psi in mine?

Simon, seen the hope factory on your flickr site, amazing, I’d like to work there.

Cheers everyone.

Tell me more about this St. Leonards Forest/Tilgate – directions/good place to park, any one got any routes mapped out, or link to a mapped route?

🙂

😆

No they arent sold out?! Edinburgh bikes has a few in mine.

Wasn’t there someone on here recently who could’nt find one for love or £?

Plus WHY would you buy a Pitch is which is admittably a detuned-Enduro? All the reviews state that its plainly aluminium etc/cut-price version

Erm, yeah, isn’t that why people buy one, price/value? Not everyone has £2k plus to splash?

White! … now that would be nicer than the brown we get?

Oooo, I’ll have one too if any more vouchers going, thought I’d wait to see if they were going to offer this to everyone? … I’ve had an order in my basket for days just trying to justify it, this’ll help me click that ‘proceed to checkout’ button ! 😀

I’m 5’10 – 5’11 ish and ended up with a large, went to a shop that had both the M and L and spent a lot of time changing between them, found the medium a bit cramped and my knees were a bit close to the bars on tight turns, the shop said I looked ‘right’ on the large too. It’s a long wheelbase – 5″ longer than my old(99) medium Heckler, but the saddle to handlebar is the same – steeper seat tube which puts you over the front more and shorter stem.

Best thing to do is try em before you buy??

You’re right carbon337, another excuse there to add another bit of colour co-ordinated anodizing to your ‘rig’ 😀 I’ll have one in white

Just looked at TF Tuned, they do have one, looks a bit different in the centre where the bolt goes, not sure if that one will fit all models, I’ll give em a call Monday.

Cheers

The MX Pro’s I have came with v-brake bosses, just take them off? The whole thing comes off and just leaves a small threaded eye-let on the side of the fork not a stud sticking out … oo’er!

🙂

I’d 3rd the Octane packs. Think they were designed more for running anyway but they have a great expansion/compression system, very comfortable on your back and it has pockets on the waist belt which is really handy for bits you might need to grab without the hassle of taking it off and rummaging around in your pack. I have the larger version which I’ve used as hand luggage, then compressed it to use on trails to carry windproof, tools, food, water, etc. Also found camelbaks to well thought out and made to a high standard … IMO !

Himalayas – 3 weeks in July, Lhasa to Kathmandu … always wanted to do this trip and finally I have the time and £’s to do it, don’t know if my fitness is as good as it was 10-15 years ago though, but hey you gotta do these things while you can, right!? 😀

All sorted out now 😀

I hope …. 😉

Picking it up tomorrow so I’ll be able to scratch that itch!

Don’t get caught out by the tuc-tuc drivers who want to take you to a taylor to get measured up for a suit you’ll never get and make sure you agree the fare to where you are going.

Go to Cambodia if you have the time/chance.

And yes, the ladyboys – you’ll be stunned 😉

Isn’t it about time ebay insisted on frame numbers in the cycle auctions?

Is there some sort of national register for bikes so you can match up stolen bikes with owners or find out if one is stolen, or about time one was started?

Thanks everyone, interesting reading your link gizzardman and thanks for the info. if I don’t get satisfaction I’ll start mentioning consumer rights/act, consumer direst, etc.

I emailed specialized uk last night to see what they have to say, previous experience with them and their customer service has been excellent, so I’ll see what they respond with then get back to the shop, as far as I’m concerned it’s got to be new forks, replacement bike or a refund!

🙂

I work in education, we get 4 weeks off for easter and here I am itching to get out on the bike, it’s bugging me a bit, ggrrrr! 👿

Don’t want to start stamping my feet just yet, but can they try to fix it? I made it clear today I wouldn’t be happy with just another service. I thought it would simply be a warranty issue and replace the forks – would this be rockshox or specialized? And how long is that going to take to get parts? 😐

Just looked up the small block 8’s and they get good reviews, the off-road bit will be on the south downs so will be a mix of (maybe) mud, definately a bit of chalk and grass, really just aiming to do that route when the weathers going to be good so most of it will be dry, guess something like the small block 8’s and those conti’s are the sort of thing? Traffic’s look good, something like that but with a few more of those outside knobs removed maybe? Not sure if something with a totally solid center strip will be good-ish off-road?

Cheers

Mmm, would be nice, but too many bikes cluttering up my house as it as!

Got me thinking though … heads off to ebay, classifieds, etc