Like tobacco, drink advertising needs to be banned along with gambling, there’s no need for it. Once it’s banned the money will move into other industries, advertising won’t dissappear, there may be a short term dip but i think the spending will come back via other markets that have been suppressed by alcohol and gambling spending.

Definitely. All that marketing expertise and social psychology misused. And it also irritates the f*** out me to see drink adverts, followed by car adverts, followed by more drink adverts, and more car adverts in the cinemas and elsewhere. What message is that sending?

the recent email articles from Hannah have been fantastic. Same goes for a few of the STW podcasts she’s done.

Yup. Agree.

@Dynamiccoins I have the Nukeproof. It is very lightweight and packs down very small. Seems ok, though I have yet to use it in a really heavy, prolonged downpour.

I had a very nice evening ride today on the Ash Ranges. Photos from the Admiral’s Road track. Nice easy ride for an old man.

@theotherjonv thanks very much for that info. I will check the FB group. Very handy. I shall perhaps visit the area for a late afternoon and evening ride now that sunset is after 8.30pm. My bike handling skills are not that good at the best of times let alone when trying to dodge live rounds! I’ll try to post a photo on my visit.

I ask because almost everyday in May there is firing between 8.30am and 4pm. Is this normal and access is usually restricted to early morning and after 4pm?

Tick tweezers for pulling out, err, ticks (preventing Lyme disease).

@plop-pants 🙂 have a good weekend.

@plop-pants Well done. And the video you promised us? :)

I presume it is what this guy is doing https://youtu.be/X9gIEG1db0s.

Before you take it apart it may be a good idea to try to flush it and re-lube it without taking it apart. If you have removed the rubber seal at the back and the ball bearings from the other side you could squirt some GT85 or WD40 – around the edge of the cut-outs and at the back where you removed the rubber seal. If you can get it to spin freely, then you just need to let it rest overnight for the solvent in the GT85 to evaporate leaving a thin oil residue. Ideally you should then dribble some gear oil (EP90 – car gearbox oil is the preferred option). Failing that you could use some wet chain oil – but be warned some types will clog up in time.

As long as the new ERD is correct I’d say your logic is sound (captain). Tell us what the model of hub and rim is, how many spokes, and how many cross. Someone may have done similar or the same. If you know these you can try a few online spoke calculators to check, and compare with your own calculations.

@plop-pants don’t forget to set up the video camera :)

@plop-pants you’re right. If you couldn’t get the bolt out with all that leverage, then you will have no chance with an extractor tool. A stone bit will probably clog with aluminium – I doubt you will get very far unless you drill it with an 18mm bit. Paraffin is the best fluid to use when drilling aluminium with a HS Steel bit. Failing that just drill it dry. But as long as you have someone holding the frame and opposite crank arm steady (and lots padding on the frame) you should be ok with the drill. High speed, steady grip with both hands and try to keep it perpendicular to the bolt.

@plop-pants if you drill the head off, it is all that is holding it together. You can then gently tap the bolt and the shaft out of the BB – I think. It should not be very tight.

@Plop-pants 18mm drill bit, then? Peer review, please.

You will need a high speed steel drill the same width as the external diameter of the threaded part of the bolt. Drilling it out will trash the crankset. Protect your bike frame with cardboard, pillows, duvet. Get a mate to hold it down on the ground and get a new HSS drill and drill it to the depth as @OldNick says above. Wear goggles. Use the right drill bit. somthing like this drill bit Get a couple. Expect to break one… Take all my advice with a pinch of salt. I haven’t done anything like this for a while. Some peer review on this forum will help.

Does the bolt look like this? https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/chainsets/truvativ-crank-arm-bolt-m18-m30-alloy-selfextracting-bb30-right/

The good news is that you won’t need a puller as it is not a press fit. The bad news is that the “bolt” you have rounded off is not a bolt but an internal plug with a thread on the outside, and cap which fits within the self-extractor piece around it. See this photo (assuming I have the right crank…)

You are probably going to trash the crankset…

Is it this crank?

And you’ve rounded the 10mm socket bolt?

KMC or Sram on my Campag 10 speed always. Get yourself a chain checker and change it when it reaches the minimum wear point. You should get three chains to one cassette.

@northwind is right about the freerider eps. I have the high version, and while they are comfy and toasty warm in the dry, a splash of water comes in through the tongue gusset. The Vaude Moab looks a better choice.

If you can ride two hours hard with a racer you can ride three hours easy on your own. Take plenty of water and plenty of food and ride for 90 minutes. Stop, eat. Then ride 90 minutes back to the start. Take it very easy for the whole three hours. Really easy. Choose a flatter route if you have to. Make sure you have the right clothing to stay warm. Do this long ride once a week. Make the 75 minute rides harder, especially the hills. Over time the three hour will become easier to do at a faster pace. Learning how to judge that pace comes with experience. (I’m 58)

I’ve had a pair of Specialized Defroster winter boots (actually MTB but they do a road version, I think) for nearly ten years and worn them every winter. Much better than overshoes.

@biskoss I have a Voodoo bike (Bizango) and they are good value bikes. It sounds like you are throwing it around and jumping a lot and pushing it to the limits. It is a relatively cheap bike and OK for the type of riding I do – cross country along rough trails with both wheels firmly on the ground. But I would suggest you look for a new bike probably at twice the cost. Others here could advise better than me. Glad you are enjoying the riding.

@5plusn8 here https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/dirtlej-dirtsuit-looking-after-it/

@TheBrick Thanks for posting this. I don’t even know who Eliot Jackson and Phil Young are but this is an interesting podcast. Particularly what Phil Young has to say about growing up black in London and taking part in sport and recreation. It’s also an education to read the replies to this post – in more ways than one.

Evans are again featured in a newspaper consumer column for poor customer service. This time an NHS worker paid for but never received a £700 bike. Today’s Observer (p52) consumers’ columnist tried to get it sorted for customer but Evans refused to respond. Trust Pilot rates Evans as “poor”. Avoid.

@stevedoc yeah XL probably. Bear in mind the retailer may not let you try it on in the shop, depending on their Covid policy. So check returns policy beforehand.

@stevedoc I’m 6-1 and 78kg and the large fits good. If you weigh over 85kg
maybe go up a size. Comments on sizing here https://youtu.be/8R9DBFkyMLk

10 speed Grx shifters are compatible with 4700 rear mech, and vice versa IE a Grx rear mech (10 or 11 speed) will work with 4700 shifter.

I have similar length legs. 34 inch and take a medium or large in Santini bib tights. Usually plain black from Prendas but they don’t have much at the moment.

@ahsat

How breathable are they?

It seems pretty good. Plenty of zips to undo to vent off any steam build up. Not that I generally generate any steam at the pace I go…

I finally got the chance to wear the Dirtsuit in heavy rain today. After a 90 minute ride on my fixed gear bike around central London and a couple of laps of Hyde Park, any worries I had about fit disappeared. This is the best piece of wet weather gear I have ever worn. It felt a bit baggy at first, but on the bike it was comfortable and did the job. The sleeves and the cut around the shoulders are particularly good. There’s an extended piece on the upper wrist that covers the wrist of my waterproof gloves to stop water running into them. On the legs at the front there is a strap to hook on to the top of my shoes to keep them snug over the top of them. All this without restricting movement. Between crotch and shoulders it fits fine even when bent over with hands on the dropped bars pedalling hard. The hood can be easily adjusted for a good fit (I’ve not tried it over a helmet). For a long-limbed rider like me this is the best fit I’ve ever had from wet weather kit. No-one was laughing.

Journalist in Autocar says “motor vehicles have rights”.

Thanks @lightfighter762 @darkroomtim @chrisdw for the care tips. Qs about taking a pee: just the same as wearing bibshorts – unzip all the way. I don’t think the women’s version is any different.

Both the size of the access area has changed and the OS legend. These screenshots are from my OS Maps account – so the latest version of the map. Note the “permissive footpath” up to Little Hetha.

@tdog

Where would one acquire such a prestigious clothing article?

serious question btw

I ordered the Sapphire Blue from these ppl https://www.stifmtb.com/collections/dirtlej It arrived in the post the next day.

(note to admins: I see the website and forum is playing up. I’m getting error pages trying to post and other glitches)

@tdog

Where would one acquire such a prestigious clothing article?

serious question btw

I ordered the Sapphire Blue from these ppl https://www.stifmtb.com/collections/dirtlej It arrived in the post the next day.

Don’t buy anything online from Evans. This warning six weeks ago from a consumer journalist from the Guardian in response to a reader writing in with a complaint about Evans.

“I would not buy anything from this company unless I could pick it up, there and then, in person. When a company the size of Evans – it has 50 stores – can’t be bothered to get its press office to investigate letters like this, it says to me that it doesn’t place any value in talking to its customers.” https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/jul/20/i-feel-ive-been-taken-for-a-ride-by-evans-cycles

@Robertpb

If you’ve used a fair amount of the bottle then probably used a lot of the milk and left a lot of the solids in the bottle that’s why it’s clogging.

thanks. That seems to be what has happened.