I quite enjoy a good church wedding and can understand why people would want one (although didn't have one myself). It's an opportunity to see friends and family, have a bit of a sing song and listen to a story or two. I just opt out of the praying.

Way too much effort :)

As above i use a variety of rear cogs (16 and 17t) and the occasional swapping of chains (with or without a half link) to keep my vertical drop out Inbred frame as a singlespeed.

One tip – you don't have to have the rear wheel fully inserted in the dropout for the wheel to stay in place – gives you a little more slack in the system to play around with.

Works well and doesn't involve any bike surgery !

Pretty much every steel 26" bike frame is out. No Cotic/On-One etc, entire brands are out of my height range, and I don't think my height is that bizarre frustratingly

You must have some strange proportions/requirements as i'm bigger than you and happily ride a 26" wheeled 21" (or could even be 20") framed Inbred :)

You could take a lot of great quotes from that linked article….

Timid, technically inept women, for lack of a better way to say it, particularly benefit from them. The women I ride with around here call them “big girl wheels.”

8)

I'm sticking with 26" wheels, and having to take a gamble on large bikes fitting without a test ride, for the foreseeable future.

Can i add SingletrAction have some tickets to give away to the winner of their oh so easy to enter photo/film competition.

Thanks to Sanny ! (pipped at the post :) )

To add an alternative perspective – it's not always sunny :)

Still think it's a great photo though, taken above Les Linderets.

Took ownership of an oldish V70 about a month ago. Still getting used to it's bulk :) Takes a little while to get going but once it's built up a head of steam it cruises along smoothly, quietly and with no fuss. Seems solidly built and well specced. Can't comment on it's reliability but if they live up to reputation i expect to double the current mileage on the clock.

On the other hand my brother has just part-ex'd his Saab 9-5 Turbodeck as it was leaking fluids.

I've got one of these 11t cogs unused at home if it's of any use ?

Hard to believe she's 50 :)

Have stayed at Sleeperzzz – nice place.

Worry Gill from the NPS XC at Dalby linked from the British Cycling website

Is that tech enough ?

Has this one been included yet…

You are responsible for your dog

My weapon of choice (T'other is a bog standard inbred so not really 'pimped' just practical :) )

6' 7" tall. 20" Patriot/20 inch Inbred/'Long' Maxmax (looks like a BMX under me :) ) All 26" wheels.

I got a Casio 'tough solar' as a slightly smarter alternative to a g-shock about 3 years ago. It has an annoying habit of running out of power at odd and inconvenient times and then randomly 'waking up' again regardless of its exposure to light.

When i come to replace it i'll be buying a watch that relies just on batteries – at least you know when the display fades/hands stop moving that it is actually time to replace the batteries, not just hope it'll spring back into life when you need it !

Not really – you've got the whole of the Yorkshire Dales to ride XC in. I'm firmly in the 'make it harder for the riders of big bikes' camp :)

Where were you Tuesday btw ?

Had a rare opportunity to actually ride in the daylight so took that rather than bog trotting on Tuesday night :) was still clarty but at least i could see how dirty i was getting.

Found some 'interesting' new lines in Spring Wood :)

And as much as i'd like a 5 i don't have room in the garage for one !

Long term member of Singletrack – check profile – not looking to loot your bike or anything like that – just a quick look and maybe a bit of opinion.

You can have a go on my Patriot if i can have a go on your 5 (at Ae preferably :) )

Personal insults i can take – sarcasm about mothers (especially as you know her) is sinking to a new low for you.

Although i was only posting to get a rise out of the OP

See, it worked :wink:

Although i was only posting to get a rise out of the OP :) I think you are missing my point – i'm saying that a hardtail is probably the best bike for a mini-Dh event and certainly one in the Forest of Dean. watching that video hasn't done anything to change that view – although the chap at 1:00minute in is letting the side down a little :D

CrAsH…tEsT..RiDeR – Member

I think the HT being used for DH answered some questions about VS FS bikes

Cobblers – re-read where it was raced DH – in the Forest of Dean – so i assume on the mini-DH event ? Hardly going to get a 'proper' DH bike up to speed over a 30 second course are you ? 5 minutes in and it'd be a different story. Horses for courses and all that :)

I think you'll find short travel HT are the next big thing. I tried a LT HT and found the the bike did all the work for me… I was happy doing step ups and jumps but I was just a passenger relying on technology, it was very good fun but ultimately I did not learn to ride properly, which is my hope that the ST HT will teach me to learn some skills.

And this is a fine example i'm sure you'll agree…

:wink:

anyone use spds at worlds DH

erm…. Steve Peat ?

and I have seen a lot at cwm carn DH on hardtails keeping up with LT FS, in fact they were a lot more on the ball and acurate (

And i've seen rigid riders keeping up and beating LT HT riders :)

Sounds like singeltrackworld marketing BS to me :)

Easy to walk onto the Chevin from Guiseley. Some might say easier than walking from Otley given the gradient of the hill :)

Just head up past The Drop and keep going….

Has all the woodwork gone from double x ? And will the big wooden wall ever re-open in the freeride park ?

Otley – nice place but wouldn't want to live there. Has a good range of amenities and a great agricultural fair in May. Does seem to suffer for not having a direct rail link to Leeds and compared to places on the Wharfedale trainline it seems rougher round the edges.

Have you considered looking in Guiseley – lived there for 7 years – good schools and enough shops and amenities to keep you happy.

Plus plenty of riding in all directions. I live just down the road now and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Playtime fun

For everything else….

Fop – Premier Member

mark_b……would you care to enlighten us as to your make/model of motor car (if indeed you do own one)? We can then debate if you "need" it or could make do with something else

Getting defensive – i like it. I drive an old estate. Do i need it – no. Do i appreciate the quality of life it gives me – yes. Does it give me an overwhelming sense of superiority – i don't need a car to do that for me :)

Why do you "need" suspension on your bike mark_b or "need" a mobile phone? We want a 4×4 because we like them. We've got a mobile phone because theyre handy. Suspension on the bike makes it a comfier ride

True, but i don't feel the compulsion to try and justify having a suspended bike in the same way 4×4 drivers keep trotting out their excuses for having one.

Plus maybe my suspended bike actually gets ridden off road a lot more than their 4×4 gets to see dirt.

Apart from when i'm riding my rigid singlespeed of course :D

I love the 4×4 haters, here are a few good reasons why i drive a navara

1. i can go biking get the bike dirty as **** and chuck it straight in the back without worrying about getting car dirty

2. in the summer i go camping alot and get to leave most of gear in car all summer to just get in and go, not constantly packing and unpacking.

3. when the weather is shite like now I get to take the back lanes home and leave the main routes clear for all the 2wheel drivers(and still beat them there)

4 If your really knew what you were talking about you would realise my diesel navara is far more fuel efficient than most 2ltr rep mobiles so it actually does some good too

All i'm hearing from the 4×4 drivers is how they've justified them to themselves. I'm still waiting for someone to explain why they need them….

Whoa Matt – your personalising something that was only meant to be banter.

Sorry you can't ride but you were the one who wrote the article about your bike swapping habit which does suggest you wanted some kind of public recognition for it.

Hey, it just amuses me that you have to live out the changing of bikes via the interweb as if seeking some kind of validation for the change.

If you want to change rides fair enough. i'm just lucky i know what i want and what bike i need to do it on :D

And so it begins again……..

:lol:

I brought a 'long' Maxmax which suits me for that sort of riding and i'm a few inches taller than you :)

I did think about getting one of these but the Maxmax worked out cheaper.

I think (?) you are agreeing with the point i was making….

Some people would argue that the FC has a duty to provide facilities for mountain bikers without making them do the donkey work. In practice that's unlikely to happen unless people try and meet them half way.

And there was me thinking this thread was all about how mountain bikers are doing the donkey work whilst the FE/FC refuse to meet them half way……

Learn to manual and jump doubles.