I’d leave it awhile to see what they do. Forestry commission usually leave it to settle for awhile before replanting ( don’t know for certain, just what I’ve noticed)

This is actually private land that the estate caretaker gave us permission to use, I could really do with bumping into him again. The top section was cleared about 5 years back. It’s only last year they started felling again. I agree it’s probably best to leave it a while. We have another, smaller, woods to build in. I’ve actually been down there today raking, it’s probably a piss in the wind but most of the leaves are down so maybe not.

My brother built a BMX rim on to an MTB disc hub for his 20″ trials bike some years back. Measure your hubs to see if that’s an option.

I love digging. It used to be my crew spent easily as much time making trails as riding them.

Now I’m into pedaling as well as just doing DH type runs so the balance has tipped a bit but yeah I’m looking forward to making some new tracks for next summer.

A local plantation we used to ride in years ago has been mostly felled this year but they haven’t touched it in months and haven’t replanted. I don’t know whether to chance it and start digging at the risk that they’ll be back again. It’s a great bit of land for a 2 – 3 minute DH run especially with all the stumps and root plates laying about atm, I’m itching to get the shovel on it!

The desperation is a real bastard to deal with. Not knowing which way is up makes dealing with the smallest thing an event.

I lost a good friend on Halloween several years back. After a few anniversaries I sat down and talked to him, ya know. I said what a selfish prick he was for opting out and making what should be a fun night something else. It helped me get him out of my mind, especially this time of year. Well today I saw his sister, I never really knew her and she didn’t recognise me but it brought a lot of stuff back. But it was different, it didn’t hurt as such, I felt, reflective(?)
Time and imperfect recall make how I feel about numerous past losses now different than then and it’s easier. I’d like to say that, I dunno, I’ve grown as a person or “evolved” but that ain’t true, I’ve forgotten. As a coping strategy that sounds like a cop out but it means it gets better if you let it even if it feels disingenuous. This stuff will stack up and it will screw you over if, and only if, you allow it to.

I sound like and arsehole there and I spose I am but I’m not being flippant. If you happen to be down in the SW I have a spare bike, loads of nonsense to talk and still some rum left. Take care.

I’ve got a very early Discovery which I haven’t been able to bring myself to sell but can’t afford to repair and run either.

Looking at the very thorough job Tiger’s doing reinforces my feelings that a patch here and there probably won’t cut it.

I would have thought after several decades of making cars in Britain any company would have got rust proofing nailed, nope.

Good stuff! The missus got me a 360 the other Christmas, I have to say it left me cold.

I went back to my old Nintendo stuff, it’s just more fun. Currently binging on N64 as I got an Everdrive for it, sorted.

I use a couple of thin bits of plastic or perspex about 3′ long, 6″ wide to slide them out on. Either lift the front and stick them under the legs or chock the front up and wind the legs in a bit, handy if you can’t lift it up.

Be prepared for the fan guard and element screws and/or the holes they go into to be rusted. It’s good to have a selection of bigger self tappers and some nuts, bolts and washers on hand.

RSF in Plymouth are very good and not averse to giving out a bit of advice rather than playing you for business.

I rode trials and things when I was younger and when I was old enough to drive I did. I wanted something different and have never had my own bike on the road.

But now I want one as the itch needs scratching. The weird thing is that although I like small, fast, raw cars I’m not sure that seat-of-the-pants experience is what I want from a bike.

I rode a 1920’s AJS last week, weighs nothing, less than 20bhp, girder forks, tiny drum brakes and loud as hell. I loved it, hand gear change an all. Proper back to basics stuff.

The whole Harley thing is a bit tragic, brand loyalty, and for what? Image..
Though at the risk of a lynching I’ve been looking at a late eighties Sportster 1200. No chrome, no tassles, no airbrushing. It’s got flowed heads, lumpy cam, firmed up suspension etc. It’s not fast but it is quick, I like it.

I’m now looking at holes on my bike trying to think what I can stuff in them.

Easy now

A few spare ball bearings down the seat tube of a friends bike is alway good for a laugh..

any altercation could have you arrested and headed forecourt

Is that the one on Boroughbridge Road or the A59?

Overtook a guy this morning who had a series or TV playing on his dash-mounted phone

Yeah I was driving along this morning a saw someone reading the paper while driving. I was so outraged I dropped my shaver in my coffee.

I can’t help but joke about these cretins. My missus is maimed for life because of a tailgater so I do take it seriously but I still have to joke or I’d end up on going on a killing spree.

Talk to ten people a day. Then try to imagine half of them being responsible for a vehicle, it’s pretty sobering. I actually take pride in driving, I’m not saying I’m good but I do try to be better. Most people don’t, they just drive, it’s just something they have to do. I don’t see that there’s any incentive for most to do better, the vast majority of accidents don’t result in injury or prosecution so why bother? The airbag and protected ncb will save them anyway..

No-one high up in a car company is going to say “You know what, most accidents could be completely avoided by more rigorous driver training and stricter testing standards” No, they won’t, they want anyone and everyone to drive and buy their products and for it to be as convenient and easy as possible. Offering “magic” solutions to basic operator incompetence sells more cars and makes more profit whilst covering up the real causes of crashes. As road users on the wrong side of the air bag cyclists and motorcyclists really get the shitty end of the stick here..

Watch out on your way back, at Launceston about half a mile of the A30’s used as a shortcut from town to Tescos. I swear people get on the slip-road and figure that it’s not worth speeding up as they’re about to turn off again.. Hence a mix of 85mph twunts, 50mph lorries and 30mph twunts on their way to the shop all on two fairly narrow lanes, great fun!

EDIT; Damn you multi-gesture-touchpad.

very dubious symbology

I’m sure the word you were looking for was symbolism.

When you say “i want to jump stuff on my bike” what you really mean is a want to jump stuff myself and have my bike follow me…..

Yep. I’ve been trying to impress this upon a chap I know who’s recently come to mtb from road and cx bikes. He worries about not being able to dictate exactly where the bike goes at any given moment and I’m finding it difficult to get him to forget the bike and set himself up for stuff before he gets there.

One of my bikes has a set of 1995 Marzocchi DH3 forks on it. Although they’re actually in better nick than my newest ones which are 10 or so years old.

TFU

I’m a miserable git, and seriously unfit and slow on the bike.

Me too. I like to think it would make someone else feel better by default.

Sorry I’m way down in Cornwall OP otherwise the offer would be there, well it still is but you know what I mean. You’ll find plenty of local support over the next day or so as people see the thread, I sincerely hope you find what you need. All the best.

The 456evo has a slacker head tube angle than the standard 456 and Inbred. My evo’s pretty slack with 5″ forks, I presume a cross bike would be ridgid?

You could get that going and usable for peanuts compared to newer stuff and look at it, it’s nearly there. I’d chuck some half-decent used stuff on it and enjoy it.

It’s “old”, “obsolete”, so what? It will be a fun bike. My most used and most modern bike’s a 456 with 26″ wheels and 27 gears, yes I have no doubt that there are bikes that out perform it in every respect but I really don’t care. Thrashing about in the woods on it is fun, I like fun.

EDIT: I lifted my friends 27.5, 160mm FS bike onto the roof rack last week and was a little insulted by how light it was. Pfft, I couldn’t justify spending a couple of grand on a bike. So I’m still happy (as long as I don’t have to pick it up again..)

That’s quite a road. I wish my local trails were even approaching that rough.

I figure there’s a balance to be struck between having a bike that’s so capable that you wouldn’t be held back by one only half as good and hampering yourself with rubbish. Where that balance lies I don’t know but the ways you and he ride will separate you more than the bikes you’re on, within reason.

Didn’t the evidence from Australia already show that helmet compulsion reduced the number of people cycling?

Job jobbed then. Less cyclists = less injured cyclists. As we all know statistics are the only way to know how much danger we’re really in..

You could get an Xbox 360 with a whole ton of games for that.

Personally I’d have a Wii U instead but you won’t get as much for your money.

I picked up a massive gym grade cross trainer from the freeads a few years back so that’s exercise sorted for when I’m feeling soluble.

For something to do I like to mess about repairing and modifying electronics stuff. Hi-fi, laptops, games consoles etc. You can pick up faulty stuff for sod all and even turn a profit on some of it. If you’ve never done anything like it here are loads of books and videos on Youtube covering the basics which to be honest will do for the majority of repairs. £25 worth of tools and you’re good to go. It’s very satisfying to repair and use things which most people would just chuck out by default.

I don’t watch TV, haven’t done for years, can’t stand the bs.

JB Weld is pretty good. It’s worked for the splines on my HT2 cranks for the last 6 months..

That Lab’s sweet, I’ve never seen one with the brindle(?) colouring.

That Beagle looks a bit smug for my liking though.

Thank you for giving rescues a home.

Is your boys friend his mothers son? If so it may be worth telling them both to seek alternative company, to use the parlance of our times.

And yes, if you repair it this time because she’s given it the big one then you’ll have a job for life.

And don’t get caught up in some idyllic notion that you’ll be stopping in some quiet laybys with stunning views.

And don’t wait until it’s dark to give in and look for a campsite only to drive in and find it’s one for elderly nudists. The new-at-the-time missus had clocked the sign that I’d missed and assumed it was “something I was into”. A hasty retreat followed..

T5s? Dunno I’m afraid.

My brother found a lawnmower stashed at our local spot a long with some other trail type tools.
I tried to imagine someone using it on the triffid-like brambles and couldn’t help thinking of Braindead..

Do NOT whatever you do buy a Silverline one, shat of the highest order they are.

My local builders merchants do little ones, called trench spades I think, but I can’t remember who makes them. They don’t fold but are bout 2′ long and light but strong. No chance of butchering that web of skin between thumb and finger, it’s hollow you know, guess how I know that!

I usually up the oil weight in the old open bath Marzocchi’s with shim stack damping because I’m heavier than average. It definitely slows them down a little which suits the harder springs I often run.

How much difference it makes to yours depends on the design but it can only increase the damping.

Yes I’d MOT it first before spending anything just in case it’s not worth fixing. Home servicing a car like that at this end of the market is a no brainer money wise. It’ll be a piece of piss. As said 45k miles is nothing, it’s not always good but it doesn’t sound like a banger to me.

My £250 Jag gets treated well because I know I won’t get as good a car for the money tomorrow and I rely on it for my income. Also if it failed massively due to neglect it only takes a couple of days off work, buying a replacement and changing the insurance over to cost a lot more than the £500 I’ve spent getting it up to scratch over the last 18 months. I hate false economy.

Sorry for the hijack but where is the best online place for parts?

They vary so much it’s hard to say, my local factors is cheapest more than half the time so I always call them first. I also know they won’t sell me crap which I have got from ebay before, a pair of track rods that wore out in 3k miles for example..

If you don’t mind something a bit heavier and sturdier then Haix “Cold Wet Weather” British Army boots are amazing. Mine were £60 unissued (new).

My pair replaced a £180 pair of Mammut GTX something or others that were a little lighter and a bit springier in the sole but fell apart after a year of gentle use. In fact I’ve got a pair of £40 Dickies work boots which have been treated horrendously and they have far, far outlasted the Mammuts.

Magic Mary’s are £33 on CRC at the mo

The only one they have in stock for £33 is in Vertstar compound which is soft like marshmallow. If you regularly ride on anything abrasive be prepared for them to melt away in front your very eyes. Actually that’s not fair but they wear far quicker than the old Super Tacky Maxxis’. They do grip very well, though I’d like to try one in Trailstar.

No bike for me today. Today was trail maintenance day so all I had to lean against a tree was a fork and a shovel.

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Wheels. Light,strong, 26″ wheels.

Because mine are heavy, properly heavy cos I’m skint but need the strength.

I second the Mary/Nic combo

Though my Mary is actually a Muddy in Vertstar and the Nic is a Performance. Not ideal maybe but it’s what I had to hand.

Another bike has an identical Mary up front with a Baron 2.3 non-chili on the back. I think the Baron may beat the Nic but both need more riding to figure it out. However both corner better on our thin, greasy mud than the 60a High Rollers both bikes had out back up until last week.

My MPs a bit of a smarmy git.

A Tory one down the road really impressed me though. In June his constituency had one of the highest percentages of people unable to vote (due to postal vote and records cock ups) in the country. He kicked off with the Tory local council and his fellow MPs saying it wasn’t democratic, the election was null and void etc. even though he’d won the seat and his party were in power (sort of). I give full respect to him for that and I didn’t vote for his party.

I’ve always ridden flats and have never even tried spd’s. To be fair I don’t do long rides on trails very often, more DH sort of stuff, but I’m going to have a go clipped in on the XC bike. Why? Just for the experience of it really. If mastering flats benefits spd users then why not the other way round? And after all it offers a different angle on bike riding and I’ll take any opportunity for a bit of that.