Doing the King Alfred’s Way next week, so I’ll see how they do in the likely/possible mud too!!

I have these too. Swap between bikes easily as you say.

I bought the 8l orange ones for visibility, but also would have preferred the larger ones. Although and bright dry bag would fit too.

I fitted the ‘top’ cradle across (perpendicular to the bike) to get a longer pack that hovers above the side bags.

Very solid and wobble free. Just a bit of extra weight penalty over other type of racks is the only downside.

I take a backpack and clear trails regularly.

Silky bog boy folding saw

fiskars xA3

ill carry a DeWalt hedge trimmer for severe brambles and nettles (clearly can’t ride with this, but it’s very effective and lasts a long time on 1 battery)

https://media.screwfix.com/is/image/ae235/113HV_P

I’ve flown BA and bikes a fair few times. Just used the ‘sports equiptment’ option, then on arrival, they put a luggage barcode sticker on it, and send you to oversize.

Not been weighed even once when i’ve travelled.

Gives me a few safety concerns, as how do they know the laod weight of the plane?

I have some open runs and theyre great for safe listening whilst riding ‘on-road’, but calls are a little avergae in terms of quality.

But, i also have some ‘PLantronics BackBeat Fit’ wireless headphones i use when offroad and the call quality is really good. Most people i ask are surprised that i’m riding a bike and say the call quality is amazing.

For someone, like myself, that has a long body but short legs, a Mullet set-up works much better. Purely for ass/wheel contact moments. Sure, thats only on steep or jumpy type terrain, but different is very clear to me.

I also ‘think’ the bike moves around better in the twisty, rooty trails I normally ride. Ive tried both 27/29 and 29/29 in the same bike and can easily feel a difference.

Wouldnt be without a front wheel in 29er now as the grip, cornering and braking are all superieor.

In fact, ive recently bought a ‘unfashionable’ 27.5 frame and built it with a 29er fork. The extra head angle and BB height were barely noticable (and fely better IMO), but it was much cheaper than buying a 29er and dropping a rear wheel size.

Yeah, as said before….. right now, prices as they are, I would NOT buy a bike with electronic anything.

I already own an S-Works Stumpy, so I’m the right target audience. I’d rather spend the large amount of money on frame and suspension!!  Proprietary shock and AXS,  not for me.

Not sure about the C2W scheme, but my On-one whippet with a carbon fork it superlight and great as a ‘old school’ mtb/hybrid. (it’s kitted out with much lighter wheels and bits etc:

Running 45c gravel tyres, 36t chainring (with lots of clearance for more)

It’s also my ‘bikepacking’ bike, i just swap the fork for a 130mm Pike. Takes about 15mins.

I suppose its important to remember a couple of things when judging, or becoming enraged with this type of story/behaviour.

The media rarely report these things properly. “cutting down or damaging trees” could be a few branches snapped and maybe 1 tree or 2 removed. Not sensible, but theyre kids! Educate them, dont vilify them.

Most kids dont have a huge access to spaces outside they can use, or nearby trails that are sanitised to protect more novice riders from injury. Protecting people from injury could also be seen as bad thing, when we need to look after ourselves in the end.

Those kids wouldnt understand the significance of a Badger set, and may not even know they were digging out the entrance one. And, as said above, fine for them to shot/poisened/culled when a the government or a land-owner approves, but outrage when some kids dig out a hole.

I don’t know this – but presuming you’re talking about using a spoke tension meter, you could take a quick average of the ‘tight’ spokes and use that as a guide?

I use saints on my bikes.

Just bought some longer pins for the cages (from a bolt store) and now there’re grippy and supportive.

the pins do get bent quite easily however, but I just replace them as they are needed.

I’m running Shimano Saint pedals – I have installed longer pins (than the standard ones) which engage the sole properly.

maybe you could use some longer ones on the NP pedals, if they can be replaced.

just ordered mine online. Cheap.

@scotroutes

yes, you see…. That there is why I’ve never ridden in Scotland before.

….well, I have, but at Nevis going downhill only and a few of the 7Stanes where I didn’t see a single midge. July too!

Ok, thanks for those replies. Sounds like it may be a little better in September then?

we’ll be taking the Smidge/nets precautions anyway, but still deciding on how much camping we’ll do if the Midges are out. We can camp for the rest of the 5-6 weeks it’s going to take, maybe spending a little more on accommodation in Scotland.

i flippin hate bitey things.
grrrr…..

Ive recently bought quite a few carbon rims from Ebay, which i’m planning to build up. Might be worth checking there?   Such as a 28Hole carbon E-thirteen Enduro rim, £50 bargain.

My experience of Spesh tyres is one of very thin sidewalls.

Hard to work out what would be similar to an EXO+ or a DD equivalent.

I would just go up to EXO+ rear and EXO front. Not too flimsy, but also OK to pedal around for long rides. Then you can keep the tread patterns youre used to?

Ive recently bought some Leatt shoes, and they fit my wide feet well. Other than those, all mine are shimano.

The Axles on non ‘Evo’ pro2’s were prone to snapping (at least mine used to) and that’s why the Evo versions were different, to get a beefier axle in there.

is it possible the axle has cracked/snapped? The axle would still bolt up and be reasonably tight, but would also likely create a knock.

I’ve used Shimano banjo hoses on mt5 calipers, 

Ah, this is good to know.

\Did they leak?

I’d be very interested to know this too!

I’ve got magura calipers ready (waiting to make frankenBrake), and barbs/olives for the caliper end, but was hoping just to use the shimano hose.

I know theyre slightly different internal gauge, but i’m wondering if it REALLY makes any difference.

A few years back, I managed to shred a pidgeon as it flew through my front wheel.

Snapped a few spokes, but I stayed upright.

Although, that was kind of grim, as bits of the poor thing ended up in my face AND MOUTH. Those bits were not feathers either.

@5lab

for any other sussex pumptrackers – the burgess hill pumptrack recently got tarmac’d so its pretty good. Not as fast/wild as newhaven, but bigger and better than bolney

Good shout there. Thought it was still dirt. Might be worth a trip then.

That’s fine when you’ve got the place to yourself but not great when there’s kids running around all over the place.

Very much this indeed, which is why 100kgs of me ALWAYS has good brakes on board.

@davosaurusrex

New pump track is a few months away, at Hove Lagoon.

@chiefgrooveguru
I have a PlanetX Jack flash for this type of duty. Along the seafront, it doesn’t really matter which gear ratios you have surely? I have to have some lower gears as i live near fiveways, so up a big hill on return.

Tyres, specialzed Kicker Sport were £20 each and feel great.
Mostly it’s just part worn 11speed bits from the trail bike.
BMX stem and cruiser bars.

I do have a BrandX dropper on it, so i can ride there, and then ride low. (mostly to save my knees)

Currently got a DMR rigid fork on it, but going to swap for short travel 100mm sus fork. I’m too old for wrist smashing on a fully rigid i think.

I’m looking forward to it opening.

Loudenvielle in the Pyrenees has pretty much what you’re looking for.

We’ve been there multiple times and it’s a lovely small town, with amazing views/facilities and riding.  lots for kids to do, big lake, posh Spa, riding straight from Campsite, with Ski/riding Gondola 200m away.

But, Shhhh don’t tell everyone.

Ive had one in my fork for a while now.

I’d say its as good as the Rockshox CHarger 2.1 which i have in another fork. Maybe better.

It holds the fork better into the mid travel, where the Charger dives more. I’m 110kgs, so that would be a consideration in which might be ‘better’. The Fast is better for me however.

It’s paired with a Smashpot coil, so the bottom out resistance on the spring side helps with tuning the damper settings to get it right.

Riding both dampers back to back, they feel quite different, but i prefer the Fast ‘Up’ version.

Mine all went to small 27.5 frames, running 26″ wheels for a few years. Short cranks (155’s)will offset the lowered bottom bracket and are better for shorter legs anyway.

just remember, the shimano 12 speed rear mechs work very well with 11 speed shifter/cassettes. They also have the better range and work with 50t cassettes no problem.

with an 11 speed set up even after adjusting the limit screws I cannot shift up to the 42t sprocket, the mech doesn’t have the capacity. I’m using a 12 speed mech to bridge the additional 3mm.

Yes, absolutely.

I’m already using 12 speed mechs on all my bikes that 11speed drivetrains. The 50t cassettes i’m using would not work well at all without doing it like this.

This wheel however, is for a Pinion geared bike!!

In your case, setting it up as a SS, I don’t think you’ll have any issues.

Yep, i’m sure it’ll work fine. It’s only that i do tend to switch wheels around, and it may end up being run as a geared wheel eventually.

Switched to generic spacers on the disc side and re dished the wheel and it’s run fine ever since.

Generic spacers? By this do you mean something like the Wolf Tooth, as of course you also need the disk spacer.

ON a Pro 5?

I have just thought the Wolf Tooth version, which leaves the Cassette side where it was meant to be, up against the drop-out was a more sensible solution, as the only part changing was the ‘non drive’ side end cap.

Small difference too, but the wheel gets a slightly better less/dish.

Pinion hard tail?

rigid/short travel fork for Bikepacking, long travel fork for looning around in the woods? 

If it going to have a rigid fork on it, but was designed for a suspension one, then just buy a 29er.

It’ll be fine in terms of crank/BB clearance as the fork won’t be sagging and dropping at all.

Opens up your options alot.

Ahem……….

Just a helpful link to my sale ad…!

https://singletrackworld.com/advert/fs-bike-for-8-12yr-old-giant-cypher-xs-frame-with-26-wheels/

I’m still running some Pro2 Evo’s through all the guises of axle ‘standards’ 135QR, 135Bolt-on, 142 and 148.

3 rebuilds and they’re still running the same, first set of bearings……

From the ‘evo’ (Pro2) onwards, the axle was the same size, so all the bits are interchangeable. I’ve never had a SS version, but all the rest can share axles/caps/boost etc.

My RaceFace flank D30 pads can cover a tree.
they cover mine just fine and my calves are comedically large. Might be worth a try.

Smaller (30t) chainring first.

if that’s not enough, a Sunrace 50t cassette (cheapest good option) would work…..

….and you can use a 12 speed rear mech with 11 speed shifter/cassette too, if you need more range out of a rear mech.

Thanks everyone. Stumpy it is I think.