I’d have thought if you were Thor Hushovd doing 50mile breakaways then an aero frame would be an advantage! If your sitting in the bunch most of the time then I don’t see the point!

May be worth it though if your are going to use it for TT’s as well though!

You can customise the paint job though, so it doesnt have to be bright pink!

Loving my Spark at the moment!

That Yeti looks cool though!

goldtec are still going

http://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/result.asp?CategoryID=14&Name=GOLDTEC+Hubs+and+Wheels

Ohhhh! (fights credit card back into pocket!)

Swap that brake hose so it runs inside the fork leg – rookie error right there.

Cheers! Will sort that asap!

It should say on the fork leg.

Yes I noticed this at the weekend. Also found the rebound on the bottom of the fork leg.

Anyone know if the Alex XC-44 rims are tubeless compatible?

5. Does anyone use bar ends anymore? Eeuurgh. Bar ends are just wrong.

Maybe, but I did miss not having any!

Ok, picture at the cafe at the top of Box Hill

Absolutly loved it! Can’t believe the way it just soaks up pretty much every bump. Really found the lock-out handy for flat sections, although I thought I would be using it on climbs but left it off as the suspension really seems to help you climb!

Thanks for the advice. I feel I could get away with narrower tyres but won’t be swopping just yet. The Rocket Ron’s really coped with the hardpack snow really well, I was expecting to be sliding all over the place but they just held!

They don’t really do MTB’s, plus I told them I’d sort it all out when I got home (need to learn how to set up susp myself really)

Was too dark to take any! 😀

Will take some asap

Pick a colour

I’ll see how big the hole is! 🙂

They’re these ones I think

Shifter

Ok, that’s a shame. I know you can unscrew the covers I think, but did’t know if you could get covers for the hole that will be left?

Solar panel on roof for lights?

Or a car battery you can charge up to power lights and 12V stuff?

Spin classes are a good idea!

Ok, I will stick to being patient and giving trail centres a go.

Some useful feedback and things to think about thanks!

Think your twisting my words B.A.Nana! 😉

Thing is, it’s really, really hard to ride with, or behind someone who is riding at 8mph! Perhaps I’ll just trying riding behind her (again) then next time.

+1 for getting her to ride with other women instead a couple of times.

She wouldn’t ride with any woman she sees as ‘proper cyclists’ unfortunetly.

Lol at the Snake and Night Ride comments!

Have you tried any rail centre’s? Thats worth giving a go. It makes the ride a bit more interesting. And trail centres like Llandegla are full of a really mixed set of ages and abilities, so she won’t be overwhelmed. Plus there’s the whole social side of having some lunch at the cafe afterwards

I’m thinking of going to some trial centre etc and trying that sort of thing, make it more interesting.

Also was going to go to a few of the Ride It events and see if those inspire her a bit? (she seemed quite up for it!)

I’ve no idea what to suggest, other than don’t force the issue.

Fingers crossed she gets more confident/faster over time.

If I were in this situation I would struggle with this though, knowing that it’s impossible to be ‘trying’ whilst only achieving 8mph … my 5yo son can go faster on his kids bike

That’s what I thought! But if anything she’s getting slower!

I almost think I need someone else to come out with and to say ‘your riding at 8mph, that’s not trying!’

Well, you could also make sure her bike is right for her. If you haven’t already, check the saddle height and reach and all that sort of thing. Get her sorted out with SPDs too.

Make sure she has all the right clothes and they are comfortable too. Is she getting dehydrated – make sure plenty water.

If that doesn’t work tell her there is a giant snake chasing her down the road.

The bike is set up right for her now. I don’t think she would ride with SPD’s. She doesnt like any ‘proper’ cycle kit! I always make sure she has plenty of water etc.

Does she genuinely want to ride or is you that wants her to?

I would suggest that she rides with other girlies to take the pressure off!

I don’t think she would come out full stop if she didn’t want to.

She says she doesnt want to go out with other girls!

Well is she able to manage gears? Do you want to push her? Do you consider riding with your GF “riding” or is it just a social activity you enjoy together?

She can manage them ok, I have explained how they work, and suggest to her what gear to be in for where ever we are riding.

I don’t want to ‘push’ her, I just know she could keep up if she tried and I think we’d both enjoy it more than me rolling off having to wait all the time

Yes, she is no longer my Missus, and I got a jump bike out of it. Win.

Lol Her bike is to small for me though! 🙂

Did I say they were scroungers?

We need people to immigrate to do jobs here because there is no one in Britain willing to do them??
FTFY

That’s the problem though! If benefits weren’t handed out like sweets then people would want to work to earn money!

What I don’t get though is –

That there are no jobs in Britain.

There are a massive amount of scroungers on benefits because there are no jobs in Britain.

We need people to immigrate to do jobs here because there is no one in Britain to do them??

Halfords kit is great, and made by the same factory that makes Snap-on!

Yeah, perhaps leave her be then. I’m just worried she’ll freeze to death when we’re out! She’s just using a really cheap waterproof that makes her hotter and she keeps having to take it off as it doesn’t breath or have any vents.

Leggyblonde, yes I showed her Anna’s stuff, she likes it but it’s a bit ‘racy’ for her!

Konagirl, cheers! When I say trainers I should actually have said a white pair of pumps! Not quite up to walking through mud and her feet get cold and wet! I had thought of getting padded short liners as they would fit under her leggings.

She’s not what you’d say ‘fit’, but we’ve been doing about 15miles off-road etc on bike paths, roads and woods.

I’ll have a look on Aldi and see what they’ve got!

Why don’t you both just go out and have a few drinks and have a good night out, should help you both relax

I admit I’m not a roadie but I don’t understand why they limit gearing. Is it just rules for the sake of rules? Surely if they can push that high gear then they can use it or is logic just too sensible?!

Yes it’s basically so Juniors don’t ruin their knees pushing massive gears! You can tell who is new to cycling nowadays as they’ll be pushing massive gears on the flat while the more experienced riders will be twiddling a gear beside them.

I’ve walked across town to get to the Train Station before. Looked at the ticket price. Saw the cost. Turned round and walked back home and drove to where I wanted to go as it was so much cheaper!

For the price of some train tickets it would be cheaper to buy a 2nd hand car and drive there!

Road Race?

I just used to screw it down on the rear mech to the allowed gear

Yes, that’s what I thought. Apparently the rep is messing him about for some reason though.

Would the Pro Race be a compromise though?

Yes, I really liked the colour scheme on the 314 🙂

Apparently they can get the 214 in a couple of weeks, but not so keen on the colour and I thought it didnt have lockout on the susp, even though the rep seems to think neither have lockout?

Coming back into MTBing after 10 years off, does anyone use latex innertubes nowadays? How do they compare to going tubeless?

I always swore by them as they are lighter, comfyer and (fingers crossed) punctured less.

Oh well, so the only job really worth anything are being a binman & brain surgeons then! I’m sure we could do without most jobs that people on here do!

True, but most digital presses now (from what I’m aware) handle alot more of this stuff than they used to. I appreciate the old skool methods of color seperation, spot colours, custom varnishes etc – I remember the days of making printers films from plates and colour proofs make from cromalins.

Now-a-days, alot of stuff can be proofed by pdfs etc, rather than the old skill of having to create them by hand.

Yes, but you still need to know how to output to CMYK even if it isn’t to plates. Plus a lot of Magazines, brochures etc are still printed Litho