There’s a lot of circumstantial evidence that supports 29ers being quicker – most of the top racers use them. Also some physics – if something has less rolling resistance and more grip, it should roll faster and corner better. Larger wheels generally have less rolling resistance over rough ground, and big tyre contact patches grip better – same philosophy is used in cars.

It may all be only a few % better, but at some levels that matters (maybe not to most of us though).

For what it’s worth, I have a 26″ Stumpjumper hardtail – 9kg, and also a 29er hardtail that I have just built up using most of the bits off the Stumpjumper – both bikes are the same weight. The 29er just feels quicker, partly because it is smoother through rough bits. I will probably use the 29er as my bike of choice as it just feels a nicer bike to ride.

It’s taken me a long time to accept the marketing splurge, and I am not one to suffer continual upgrade syndrome (both my FS and HT 26ers are 11 years old and apart from maintenance and adding lightness I have not felt the need to replace), but having just treated myself to a new frame and wheels I have been surprised at the difference.

Like for like, on most XC courses a 29er will be quicker, but you will need to spend to get a 29er down to 26er weight. If you bought a Chinese carbon 29er frame and some light wheels and tyres you would probably spend nearly £1k, then transfer all the light bits off your whippet and you could have a 9-10kg bike for around £1k.

Of course, this could go upwards rapidly!

Thanks all, will give it another go during the week with washing up liquid and a bit of patience. Have ordered some meatier plastic tyre levers.

Bloody scary stuff though seeing people slide past to their deaths! I wasn’t sure how much was reconstruction and how much original filming – even so it was gripping!

If it’s any help I fitted 101 load rated tyres to my T5 camper and they wore out quite quickly 15000 miles and never really felt great in side winds and over potholes. Have now fitted the correct 103 rated tyres and they feel so much better. I can only conclude that a heavy car with low load rated tyres may be legal but won’t inspire confidence. Get the correct tyres for your car!

Why did I read the title as “Aryan Facial putty”? Whatever that is

Thanks all – as for why she needs an iPad and a Macbook – who knows – she is of the female type so normal reasoning doesn’t apply! She’s buying with her money, so it isn’t for me to reason why (even though my raised eyebrows may have given my views away to her!).

Thanks ska but I want her to buy it/ own it etc. email in profile though if you can get a really good deal!

She’s a physio with the nhs so I’ll ask her to try for that discount, failing that John Lewis sounds good. Thanks for the tips

My hard tail is a 2002 Stumpjumper, bought 2nd hand and turned into a 9kg race bike, my full suss is a 2002 Stumpjumper, bought new and updated over the years. Both fit me and I love riding them – I find it hard to believe lots would change with a new bike. Would love new bikes but I haven’t broken the old ones yet!

Are you sure that bearing needs replacing? I just replaced the non drive side and free Hub bearings as they were seized solid and he drive side hub bearing was fine ( on my hub anyway).

Yes,pick yours up and don’t let the other dog see it. Better to avoid a dog confrontation than deal with the aftermath. But ask the other owner to keep his under control if it goes for yours though.

Some good ideas cheers. Was going to steer clear of dt hubs as the bearings in the rear hubs are a right pain to replace (or they are on my Rovals). Looks like jra or superstar are the way to go

Oh ffs, so for all you haters can you write the apology you would like to see published? Would everyone offended like free money from specialized? Get a grip and accept things for what they might be.

It depends where in the earths life cycle it is. If it’s in middle age then it’s going to be heavier (probably a bit fatter round the equator). Then when it gets really old it’s going to lose quite a lot of weight and go round a bit slower. Then it’ll either go a bit wobbly or will stop going round altogether and just sit there.

Bit like a person really

If you don’t do much night riding, colour is important for daytime riding.

Next time you’re out in the car, try to make a note of when you notice pedestrians and cyclists down country lanes etc – if you see them as soon as you have line of sight, even if they are 0.5 miles away, what colour are they wearing (I will bet it isn’t dark colours). If you see them at 100metres, what colour are they wearing?
Dark colours blend in well to hedges and trees, especially with the autumn colours of browns and greens. Brighter colours (yellow, white, red,orange) stand out. Adding reflective bits will help with night riding if you do any.

thanks all – I’ll keep looking out for some Rebas at the right price then

Kind of sobering and sad. Would be very easy to criticise peoples behaviour from the comfort of the sofa, but Everest (and other extreme environments) are a different world – very much removed from the comfortable one in which we live, and a true test of survival.

Get a new one. Just bought a 2nd hand KCNC scandium post for £40 – you can have it for £60 if you want! :wink:

How can you tell how many places are left? I emailed Alan at 12.01 this morning and want to make sure I am on the list! The entry list 2014 is blank for me.

This is one subject I really don’t agree with my wife on…..

The Coast to Coast is a great route through the Lakes, then has a flat pretty good middle section, and then a final fairly good section (or that’s what I thought). A bit of hike a bike on day 2 heading up towards Tan Hill.

The PBW is an equally good route (I have only done the PBW south and MTL) and there are some really good remote sections.

There’s also the Trans Cambrian Way and the Welsh Coast to Coast – my favourite of all is the Welsh C2C – it has everything – remoteness, singletrack, moorland, land rover track, techy climbs, techy descents, etc.

Each one is a 3 day route, but can be done in less.

As they are all so different, choose one per year?

FWIW – Euro NCAP is giving credits for automatic speed limiters in a few years time. The first wave is a speed limiter that asks the driver whether he wants to comply – the second wave forces the car to comply. It’ll take a few years for it to become a standard feature, but then in 15 years time 90% of cars on the road will have them fitted.

Look on the bright side, if you don’t have to watch for speed limits, you can spend more time on the phone or internet. Plus you can chat to the others in your car without having to look at the road very often.

Soon we’ll all be passengers!

I was out on my 2002 Stumpjumper FSR tonight – still a great bike. The OPs bike will hold it’s own against many modern bikes 0 the 4 link rear suspension is still very competitive.

I would ride it – maybe get a disc adaptor for the back and fit disc brakes, then you have a really great bike!

I love shite telly – gets me out walking the dogs

Empy/Matt
if they’re going in the bin, try and strip the caliper down and polish the piston – it is possible that a scratch or bit of corrosion on the piston is causing the leak through the seal. Check the seal out as well, but don’t damage it as you can’t get replacements.

If it doesn’t work you’ve only lost time (I haven’t tried this yet – might give it a go this weekend if I have time)

My XT brakes have the same problem.I have got round it by careful repeated bleeding, but it is a temporary solution. Just bought new levers but they are 2012 type and only compatible if I use new hoses (smaller diameter I think). Mine go bad after a spell of long descents, so I think it is heat related therefore a caliper issue. New brakes are the long term fix I think.

Reggie,
if you decide it’s all too much hassle, I have just bought a brand new pair of XT levers to go with my old calipers (the opposite of what you are doing). We could swap parts to make proper sets. My levers are unused, but I was going to have a go this weekend.

Email me (in profile) if you are interested in swapping parts to make proper sets.

Lots of people here seem to use Starbucks.

Large company = crap idea – to not allow fund raising for the good people in the armed forces. This means they’ll never get any of my money, no matter how nice their coffee is.

Shell Drivers points – Why? There seems to be no benefit unless you spend about £1 million a year on fuel.

But medals help mass participation. They both support each other

The Royal Oak pub near Pomeroy has a campsite. You could ride from Ashbourne or closer?

Also campsite at Pomeroy on a farm

Shoulder pads and knee pads = agressive XC.
Full lycra = XC

Pigeonholing ballcocks for people who want to talk instead of ride

Last effort, but you may well ruin the pedals. Strip the pedals down to a bare axle, and put the axle in a vice, then turn the cranks. You may need to have a short bit of scaffold pole over the crank arm to increase leverage. Make sure you are turning the cranks the correct way or you will strip the thread in the cranks. Do the non drive side first as that is the cheapest to replace if it goes wrong.

Good luck

But the copper pipe is likely to crack on installation, not when the car/trailer/kids bike etc collides with it. It’s after the installation I would be worried about the pipe cracking. 10mm pipe would be fine throughout, after all, the flow rate is (hopefully) quite low.

Use compression fittings, and you may need some oil resistant tape (it’s like plumbing PTFE tape, but oil resistant)

I would do it in copper – plastic pipe may be approved (I have no idea if they are or not), but a crushed/cracked plastic pipe will leak all your oil away, whereas a crushed or bent copper pipe will still not leak.

You can get a load of plastic coated 10mm copper pipe for not that much compared to the cleanup costs of a split plastic pipe!

Word of warning – the Tissington trail is downhill most of the way to Ashbourne. Which means your Mrs will could moan like buggery all the way back up the 1% gradient.

I would (have) loved to do the Lakeland 200, but after Mondays ride I now am thinking of a Flatland 20

Bike was my 2002 stumpy hardtail. Very light (9kg ish), tyres were Racing Ralphs, which were great. Fat bike – do you think I am nuts or something?

There’s gear snobs in all walks, from cars (my BMW is better than you Mondeo, even though they cost the same and your Mondeo has loads of toys, faster, better dynamically, etc etc), to bikes (my bespoke top of the range bike means I am better than you on your £200 Dawes, even though you beat me to the top of that last hill!).

It just shows life is a competition, in which the rules change depending on who is in it, and who thinks who else is competing.

I find it funny watching the snobbery in action.

I keep all the receipts, but I would never want to add them up as it would make me wince. I can’t think I regretted any purchase though (even the one’s I have never used, as they will always be useful as spares).

And my bikes get used a lot, so it’s not like any of it was wasted (and I have probably saved in fuel what I have spent as I commute by bike) (or at least that’s a good argument to use to justify all the little packages that keep arriving through the post)