The photos above are pictures of Fascists with bikes, not bike Fascists. I honestly have no idea what a bike fascist is. Maybe he meant bike fetishist

Sign on to STW for the first time in ages and see this. I remember seeing a variety nearly hit my missus on a ride and it’s scary!

Heal well Amanda, hope you’re back on your bike soon and the driver gets their just desserts.

Must be about time for me to throw in my tupennies worth.

8.5yrs with a 24″ Ti Spaceframe, two years with a 25″ Plus and a Mk 1 stooge in the middle.

Yes, Ti can break and the Spaceframe is hard to repair. The second break was terminal. All those tubes just wont stay in alignment when they start welding. It was a great frame til then. Amazing comfort for a rigid bike until you ride a Plus. Definitely more nibble than a Plus but doesnt hold the momentum as well and feels less stable at high speed.

The weight of the Plus combined with the big tyres takes some getting used to, as does the speed you arrive at the corners with. Once you get used to it even the 25″ isn’t a handful in the twisty stuff, it copes just fine. There’s a reason Jeff went boost on the more recent frames and thats the chainline. The wrong tyre/gear combo can rub. At the end of the day I love the Plus and would choose it over the standard model if I was buying again. The only downside for me was that I have to run it geared, I could never find the right combo as a singlespeed.

So for my singlespeed future the question is Stooge Mk 3 or Jones SWB Plus?

Dont think that thought hadnt crossed my mind

Saw the Arkose Ltd in the local Evans today. Fine looking bike. Glad its too expensive for RideToWork otherwise I could have been tempted

Thanks. I thought I tried that but clearly not

Never could get video embeds to work

I enjoyed the Akrigg video because it showed how all those skills you’ve seen in the other videos can be used when you’re just out for a ride.

Out of my kitchen window I see Windover hill and I’ll be able to watch the BHF SDW ridrrs sprinting up it tomorrow

Good but idiosyncratic write up here http://teamdicky.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/plugged-in.html

Another way to gets the best value is to look at clearance deals on last years models from the bigger manufacturers. It’s easier to find reviews for them too

Water for short rides. Water witha High5 zero for 2 to three hours. I’ll use Torq beyond that

if you’re Lactose intolerant then check the ingredients on energy drinks. Most contain Lactose. Might well be the cause of atlaz’s diarrhea. Luckily Torq Pink Grapefruit doesnt and it also isnt sickly sweet.

I use an ILE porteur bag for my commute. Fits well on the pizza rack. Three external pockets and a shoulder strap for when I want to take it with me.

DHR is now officially my favourite 29+ front tyre.
Still trying to find the perfect backone though. Bomboloni for now but at best its only OK

Yes, only 2.8, my memory was playing tricks on me

Maxxis havd only just launched the DHR and DHF, Terrene have the McFly. Not an avalanche of new tyres but still, always good to have more chouce.

PS can someone in the UK please become a Terrene importer

They seem to agree on long wheelbases

AWOL works for me

Gotama you’re right to worry. Loved my Spaceframe but the Plus really is the one bike for all seasons. You might not be able to stay on the tails of the 150mn guys and gals but youll be a lot closer than they expect and be having as much fun with less maintenance

70mm stem and just 10mm of spacers if I recall correctly.

Bars angled down at an angle that i can only describe as feeling about right. Bar height isn’t what keeps you weight of your hands. In fact there are plenty of times when you need be able to get low. I think it has more to do with seat angle and as Ton said, core strength. I dont use ergons as I have never found my wrists wanting to drop below the level of the bars with an H or loop bar. If anything in can keep a straighter hand/arm line with them than with a less angled bar.

Not mounted them up yet. Hopefully by the end of the week

Nextdaytyres – £90!!

Finally the rest of us can join in

Another Jones+ rider with a **** wrist (limited motion, two plates and a screw in the scaphoid). When I smashed my wrist in the first place I thought I might never be able to ride my 29er Spaceframe again.

Not sure what you were riding before but getting used to a rigid bike, even the Jones takes time. While getting the bar angle and height right is important learning not to grip the bars tight, especially when the going gets rough, is crucial.

I’d forgotten how great mudguards were until i fitted some to my AWOL. Whatever you get, make sure it can take 40c tyres and still have room for mudguards particularly if you’re going to commute

Next day has the DHF & DHR 29×3 listed as Jan 17th. We shall see

I now feel reassured about my order for a pair of Freerider EPS Highs that I placed earlier this week

I went with the Velo Orange 52mm Zeppelins. Running Kenda Flintridge 40cs which are much bigger than that. I’m guessing they’re near 44 now they’ve filled out a little

Alexa, sing happy birthday

I know my plus is heavier than my Spaceframe but I put most of it down to the dropper and gears. Oh, and the huge tyres. Its not the XC whippet the Ti Spaceframe frame is but its more comfortable and more planted.

Double post

I love my 25. I usually ride a smalker size than i should because other big size bkies tend to handle like gates. This bike does not. With 3.0″ tires it doesnt need the extra give the Spaceframe offers.

I recently put some Kenda Flintridge Pros (700×40) on my mountain bike for commuting. My commuting route is 50% offroad, 50% on. I didnt want fatter tyres as I wanted to park in the secure bike racks at my destination. The bike flies both on and offroad and is hopefully puncture existent. It didnt take long for me to want luggage on the bike rather than my back and with winter approaching mudguards look like a good option so a gravel/adventure bike seems the perfect choice.

If you can’t get the tyres you want in the UK there are plenty of places in Europe happy to oblige.

Vee Speedster 29×2.8. Failing that the Surly Knards get quicker the more they wear

The Plus Spaceframe is away of bringing Plus bikes to shorter rider. I dont think we’ll see Plus Spaceframes in the larger sizes anytime soon

At 6′ 4″ the 24″ Spaceframe is perfect. Shame Jeff doesn’t make them anymore. The Plus is not the same as the Spaceframe but it’s a darn good bike

I have a 35mm rim on mine which is great for tyrss such as an Ikon 2.35 or Ardent 2.4

Yes, thats the one.

Hi Stu, Being a lazy bastard and staying at home this. I must be getting old.

Standard 135×10.

I’m surprised that the strobing in the final episode didnt get a big warning.

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Glad that Carpenter won outnovef Spielberg at the end