Outlaw Nottingham – Iron distance triathlon.

Everything else will hinge around prep for that, so a few big rides, half marathons, open water swimming events 🙂

Deca ironman followed by some r n r?

From the description of the spoke problem, I wonder if it might be alloy nipples failing>

I had a wheel with alloy nipples a few years ago, and after about 18 months, one by one, the nipples just crumbled away.

I just swapped them for brass/chrome ones and tensioned the wheel.

Fortunately I’m pretty handy with the spanners. I don’t think I could afford to ride if I didn’t do all my own work.

And to the OP, I’ve not used LL Bury, but have bought a few bikes from their Nottm branch. All have been very nicely put together, so I’d expect them to be good.

Run, cross country i.e. you could run your local MTB route, nice and steady if you’ve not done much of it recently though.

Seeing as “today” in the title was yesterday, I helped build a bridge over a ditch on a nature reserve in Yorkshire.

But today “today” I did Christmas shopping with the missis (points in the bag)

We go to our local gastro pub once a month, and tomorrow night is sausage night.

My wife’s online diary is currently telling the world that tomorrow night is sausage night. And then hopefully we’ll go out for dinner! 😆

Why buy another lace when a replacement is on it’s way?

A couple of wraps of gaffa tape round your boot would last the day!

If you want a holiday somewhere cold, but with stuff to do, go to Jasper Park Lodge, Jasper, Alberta, in January.

It’s Alberta’s top golf hotel in summer, so winter is pretty much off season, so prices are good.

Heated outdoor “swim-out” pool. Gym, Lodges by the lake with amazing room service. They have a mile oval ice skating rink on the lake with a hockey pitch in the middle. They have a shopping mall in the basement. Huge lounges.

Listen to the coyotes howling in the evenings. Elk wandering around. Occasional bears.

Loads of activities, even if you don’t ski or board. Snowmobiling, dog sledding. hire a car for a few days and go to Edmonton for a couple of days and watch an ice hockey game and do some shopping in the worlds biggest mall with the worlds biggest indoor rollercoaster. Ice canyon walks, walks up the frozen Athabasca river including ice caverns behind the waterfalls that we slid down.

Get on the chairlifts up to the mountain restaurants for lunch.

Icefields Parkway glacier tours.

Proper old style town.

We went a few years ago. Normally around -15c but very dry. Got down to -42c, with 4 days no warmer than -32c.

Skiing was okay down to -25c but lower than that was tough. Couldn’t have any flesh exposed and getting breath in was hard.

Was the best holiday we’ve ever had. Amazing experiences.

I’ve just built up a PX Uncle John as a winter bike.

Full Guards, 28mm tyres with plenty of room, discs, Kinesis carbon fork, mix of Tiagra and Deore 9 speed from the parts bin.

Shopping around over the last few months it’s come in around £500-odd.

Had a number of comments on how nice it looks, too, which is nice.

I use Ortleib Back Rollers. They do need setting back a bit, but it’s no problem. They are not at the limit of their adjustment for my size 10.5 feet.

mattsccm – the older versions must have a bit more clearance than the swapout ones.

I’m contemplating an Alfine rear hub (and a Revo Dynamo front!) for next winter, so would use sliding dropouts, which would give me room for a bigger tyre as it’s only tight at the front end and I could have the wheel set back a bit. Hmmmm?

Great news SFB. Good luck for a speedy recovery.

I got one of these a couple of months ago….Kinesis Disc Fork[/url]

It was on offer and with TopCashBack worked out at £103. Even at the current price it’s a bargain.

It’s a CX fork technically, but I have it on my winter road bike with mudguards no problem.

Really nice fork.

eulach – Member
Okay, so I’m convinced on the weight. 5-6km of gravel path puts my commute 80% car free (total 24km). What tyres? No, seriously what fits size wise with mudguards and tread/width wise for efficiency?

28mm will be fine with ‘guards.

I cut the section near to the front mech out to use with my 35mm Marathons. I still have the full rear section which keeps the back spray down, but the front mech area gets hit on the muddy bits.

If you don’t have a muddy commute then probably not a huge problem, but then you are probably not doing much poor surface stuff, so you wouldn’t need 35mm GreenGuard Marathons.

It doesn’t sound too bad to me. Peaks grit very abrasive.

I’ve gone through a set in two rides previously.

I think the wear pattern that you are getting, with the top portion of the pads not wearing, is that your disc is slightly smaller in diameter (or your caliper adapter is holding the caliper slightly high).

I think Hope state 183mm and Shimano are 180mm for example. This has never bothered me.

I use mainly EBC sintered (I bought a load on special offer a while ago) and Disco sintered.

I’ve got the swap-out version.

Great for my back lane/bridleway/pot-holed farm track 25mile each way commute. Tough as old boots, not “steal me” flashy, nice to ride.

Got rack and panniers, and mudguards and disc brakes. A bit of creative bending of the mudguard stays to go round the disc calipers was easy enough (NB fitting mudguards is a faff in it’s own right! Not just on the Kaff, on all bikes)

I have 35mm Schwalbe Marathon (almost) puncture proof tyres fitted, it’s a bit tight on the rear so I had to cut the guard down a bit, it’s fine with 28mm tyres though, but I don’t hold back on my fully laden commute and the 28mm road tyres I tried weren’t tough enough. So if you want to use big tyres and guards a CX frame like the Uncle John might be better.

It’s a bit weighty, but that is down to tyres and panniers etc, but has proved solid and reliable, and pleasant to ride. And a bargain really.

I’m glad Brakes had the bollocks to ask that question!

I’ve been wanting to ask for ages. 😕

My A119s have taken a beating on my commuter. Commute is farm tracks, potholes, back lanes, bridleways etc for 25 miles each way. Fully laden with panniers and 85kg of me.

These ware also the first wheels I built myself 12 months ago and haven’t needed truing or anything.

Didn’t like running Conti GP4S 28mm tyres though. Perfect with 35mm Marathons.

I did a 10 mile run in the lunchtime sunshine 🙂

Ran one of my local MTB routes. Made a nice change from doing it on the bike.

As per aP. I can’t get any Oakleys.

Have you tried contacts. I’m using soft dailies and rate them.

Bake a couple of hundred small (new) potatoes. Slice in half, dab of cream cheese and a dab of caviar (cheapo John West stuff is fine, might be called something other than “caviar”.

Pertex type stuff as above.

I picked up a Montaine Featherlight on sale somewhere for £30 and use that mainly on the bike, but occasionally for running.

I also picked up a Ronhill running jacket in a sale, similar Pertex windproof type thing. Great for running, but I also use it on Duathlons for the run/bike/run if it’s cold or wet.

They will both keep a bit of drizzle/light rain off, but do keep you warm when the water gets through.

Derby Sprint Triathlon.

Squeezed into the top 100 out of 700+ finishers. PB’d the swim. 2nd fastest overall in my Tri Club out of 25 or so entrants, only beaten by a 19 year old whippet (I’m at the more senior end of the field!)

I like the white rims, sort of highlights the black, IYKWIM.

Been hanging my nose over a Scandal frame build for a while, but other things need buying first.

Those Clarks ones look ok.

Strange bundle deal on just the rear though.

Might call in to Halfords tomorrow to have a nosey.

Is it for CX racing or commute, JRA, pub etc?

My Kaffenback is great for all but racing, and they are well cheap. New frames look nice too.

Had one in a hotel I stayed in in Zell Am See.

Very nice. Gave out a gentle heat rather than hot heat, if you know what I mean, so not sure I’d want one over here. Probably more like an AGA compared to a log burning room heater.

No idea who does them over here though.

I’m working at home tomorrow!

Cyprus is good for late sun.

Just looking for somewhere ourselves, but only the two of us this time.

45 mile round trip here.

I have to carry everything (clothes, toiletries (we have showers) laptop etc) as I’m home based but go to the office once or twice a week. All year round, all weathers, although I do wimp out if it’s icy, but not if its just cold and miserable – they can be the best days.

Mine’s 50% on road 50% off road, so big tough tyres, full guards and panniers.

And I vary my route depending on the weather to avoid the really muddy bits if it been wet, or just for a change of scenery.

I’m addicted to it now.

Big n Rich – Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy

Gretschen Wilson – Redneck Woman

I prefer open water swimming. Sea swim tri’s are normally in calmer sheltered water, and wetsuits make you swim like a god 🙂

Sounds like you’ll be ok over either distance, so go for the oly, but start easy on the swim and build up.

How’s your sighting in open water?

I have some wheels and ….err….oh, a front brake too.

looking for a cheapy frame for winter duties.

Give it a massage in the evening after running. About 10 minutes per calf.

I had a few aches and strains when I changed my running style recently and massage meant that I had no ache the following morning.

Back off the mileage a bit, and massage.

Gone off normal tea.

Cut out dairy when the missis did for health reasons, and drink peppermint tea now.

Don’t brew it too long though.

scotroutes – Member
So – spam then?

Tick 😉

My commute is 25 miles each way, 50% on road 50% bridleway, rough farm track, towpath, broken road.

Been using Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard 35mm on my Kaffenback. They’ve been really tough, no ahem….”thingies”…… in 10 months of twice a week commutes.

But they are heavy and draggy. I’ve been running them on Mavic A119 rims. I would consider 32mm or even 28mm. A bit sketchier on the pebbly/gravelly bits, but faster on the smooth.

I have tried Continental Grand Prix 4 Seasons, they were definitely faster, took 10 minutes off the commute, but started to suffer pinch flats (see one of my previous posts). They clearly didn’t suit the wider rim of the A119.

I’m now building up some Mavic Open Pro rims (15mm wide) to run the GP4Ss and see how that goes.

So, Marathon Greenguard totally reliable but a touch heavy. GP4S is an ongoing experiment.

Your choice might depend on your rim width (ooer missis).

Probably best talk to a suspension guru…..maybe try LoCo 😉

The right one will be the right one, whether it’s cheaper/lighter/dearer/more expensive.

Most rims aren’t rated above 120psi so I’m told.

And when they get a bit worn due to braking high pressures could split the rim.

!00 – 110 psi in my 23mm road tyres.

I’ve been having some fun with 19mm rims and 28mm tyres here

I’ve just bought some Open Pro rims, and am waiting for the spokes to arrive so that I can build them onto some MTB hubs.

You could just have a new rim put on your fubarred wheel for a reasonable sum.