Problem with NV is a lack of depth perception.

I have a PVS14 gen 3 setup and it's great for its intended purpose but having tried driving the shooting landy off road at about 2 mph with it I'd not like to try riding!

Just outside the office, in the gamezone.

80kg (ish) here, been using RS7s on a UN72 bb for the last 5 years. Yes, that's A bottom bracket as in one for the whole period. Has been on 2 bikes, lucky with the length I guess.

My cranks are currently set up as double & bash on a 5" travel bike, used for a bit of everything. I've had no problems with them moving, creaking or owt.

Only real issues I've ever had with square taper was running a Hope Ti bb with a set of Cook Bros E cranks in my Airborne Ti frame. Sooooo creaky!! Guess that was going to be obvious given that setup.

Socks do mark you out as a punter. ;)

I climb at Purbrook indoor wall in Pompy, and Portland for decent sport climbing and some good bouldering in most weather. Odd trip to Snowdonia when I have the time/funds too.

Anasazis here too, bouldering and single pitch sport routes so don't need to be in them for hours at a time. Got some Boreal Jokers for using at the indoor wall, unless it's a short pre work session.

Buy on fit, not brand. Try lots on, in different sizes too. You want as close a fit as possible with no 'hot spots'. Bear in mind that if they are leather they will stretch a bit, synthetic will not. Your first pair will probably not last that long, you'll wear out the rubber on the toes scraping your feet down the wall/rock until you learn more precise foot placement.

Our pup uses these:

He loves them! When I get them out he gets all excited as it usually means a ride or a really long walk. He carries his stuff; water, folding bowl, food & doggy 1st aid kit. Has a handy carabiner point and handle too for hefting him up scrambles when he is being lazy.

Springer Lab cross is a good option, oddly enough mine's 'best friend' is a beagle & they get on like a house on fire.

When I used to be a spanner monkey I liked a nice crumbly fruit cake, goes lovely with tea!

Hora, you really do come across as a miserable bugger on here, maybe get some scented candles, run a nice bath and chill out for a while?

Dogs on or near trails.
Pictures of On One bikes.
Kylie.
Chainreaction/Wiggle slow delivery times.

7, 9, 23

As I understood it, many of the car brake cleaners have components that are burnt off by the heat generated by braking. MTB brakes don't get hot enough generally for long enough to burn off these chemicals so they coat the rotor and pads and reduce braking efficiency.

Can't remember where I heard that, but it's one of those statements that seems to make sense whilst not necessarily being true so I'd love to know if it is?

It's what I do for a living. I run 2 sites, one in a WW2 underground bunker in Portsmouth and another in a closed hospital in Milford.

UCAP Airsoft

The VCRA has made it very difficult to but a Realistic Imitation Firearm (RIF) whilst doing little to affect the chances of criminals getting hold of real ones. However it now means that under 18s cannot buy at all and over 18s must prove they have a reason for exemption from the law, either by being a registered airsoft skirmisher, reenactor or member of a theatre group.

Most sites will have rental guns available and it's the only easy way for an under 18 to skirmish. They are not allowed to buy, and the various ways around this (adult registering then buying and gifting etccc) are not exactly in the spirit of the law.

Also consider that having an airsoft weapon out in a public place is probably one of the best ways to experience the work of a Police ARU and rightly so.

I love it. It provides a great adrenaline rush, the ability to work as part of a team or on my own whilst pretending I'm a leet speshul farces warrior! (Most of the airsofters I know are fully aware that they engage in a faintly ridiculous pastime, but they enjoy it so who cares?) My customers range from a millionaire property developer through company directors, desk jockeys & IT consultants, builders, students through to quite a few servicemen. In fact I'm off to Ted Baker's house tommorow to run an event for Exeter FC!

Feel free to contact me for more information, although TBH just like MTBing there are enough online resources to while away hours.

Cracked an Airbourne Thunderbolt road bike (alu one) at seatstay/seatpost junction. Was replaced under warranty, the replacement frame had a shockingly bad laquer job so I moaned and they swapped it for a Ti frame.

Most of the Carreras are made by the 'Kind Bicycle Corp.', who make Kona, Saracen (!) and a raft of other brands frames. Merida and Halfords had a falling out when merida decided to import direct into the UK, in fact the guy who was the head honcho of Merida UK when it was set up was an ex Halfords head office bloke.

In my experience (including 7 years in Halfords management from'01, mostly in Bikehuts) Carrera bikes offer excellent value as an overall package. The frame won't be the best for the price, the spec won't be either but you'll struggle to match them for value. Remember, Halfords are buying for their whole bike catalogue, there buying power in the far east is pretty big, their margins are a bit healthier than some especially when you take into consideration the lack of middle men.

My wife refuses to be 'upgraded' away from her Carrera branded wsd Merida LRS, she loves it to bits and after 6 years of regular use including Apline trips, it is still on all it's origional bearings and working perfectly.

As they do with those who own the very trail they ride and woe betide any lesser mortal who should dare to impinge on their (I was going to say enjoyment but can shrivelled souls feel that?) useage of said trail.

Aaah, the welcome return of reasoned argument to the thread.

Surefire all the way.
G2 or 6P if you don't want to spend too much, or E2E if you are a bit spendy. All work very well and spares/service is excellent.
One of my G2s got dropped out of a 4th story window and still works, albeit a little bit scuffed.

I agree about he whole acceptable risk thing, but also think you can take it too far.
As I see it, as long as my dog is running in front of me, or in between me and my wife within a few bike lengths, I can control him. As such I choose trails more on length, substrate and proximity to water when we take the dog. As a side effect of my preference for quiet trails we are also rerely out at 'peak' times.

As with anything in life though there are those who do not take the same attitude to responsibility. I would be more concerned though by non widers/walkers with dogs on 'biking' trails as their dogs are more likely to react badly to bikes. At least my dog knows what happens when he gets too close to one!

" hora – Member
Yet again:
Ask the trail centre if dogs are permitted on the trail and off the lead?
When we know the answer then you'll either know if its right or wrong huh?"

Well, to save anyone else the hassle I have checked with (before visiting):

Cwm Carn, they are allowed but there have been a few problems with sheep worrying (not bikers dogs apparently but may not be worth the risk unless you are sure your dog is fine with the sheep)

Afan/Glyncorrwig, dogs are allowed.

Coed y Brenin allow them too.

All 'in control', so it comes back to the usual, if you can control your dog when off the lead you can let them run free, if you can't they should be on the lead.

No pool, but East Fleet Farm is also well worth a look. Just spent a week there at the beginning of July, was clean and tidy, well kept toilet/shower facilities, converted barn pub with pub type food. Right on the Fleet and some lovely walks right from the campsite, to some nice romantic picnic spots.

As far as liability goes I would take responsibility foor my dog causing an accident (as opposed to just being in one) in the same way as if it was me involved. As long as that attitude is in place and the dog is allowed to be where we are, off the lead then I am confident that the chances of him causing a problem for other trail users is insignificant to the point of not being an issue.
He's my dog, I love him to bits. I certainly don't want to see him injured by colliding with another trail user in the same way as not wanting a farmer with a worried sheep putting a load of buckshot into him therefore keeping him on the lead when near livestock or on farm land.

We don't go to Cwm Carn with him anymore after checking with the visitors centre in March this year about sheep on the trail and being told that they were there.

"Can't you run your dog somewhere else?" Yup, and we don't mind when bike riders use the footpath we're on. It's not 'cheeky' when we're walking. He prefers nice swoopy singletrack like me too, maybe I should have taken him on more doubletrack when he was younger.

"Or are you armouring up in the carpark next to your Warrior pickup and unloading your trail dog ready for a session?"
More dragging my battered singlespeed out of the back of the 90 and poking the dog out of the passenger footwell. Last time I wore armour was playing at knights as a kid 30 years ago. :wink: (emoticon I possibly should have used in my last post to indicate tongue in cheek)

"We – as dog owners – have the power to keep dogs off them tho'. The debate is, should we?"

Something I think each individual has the responsibility of deciding given their own unique circumstances I think.
I am happy with my choices (that's why I made them) and can understand why others choose otherwise. I think it's a shame that such mundane things can get some people so worked up. Magnanimity would seem to be a scarce and sometimes scorned thing hearabouts.

As I've already said I avoid riding at 'peak' times because I enjoy the feeling or solitude when I'm shredding my gnar on a sweet peice of trail, hound in close persuit. Maybe it's some sort of primal endorphin hit from the vague feeling of being persued by a wolf or something, makes me feel more 'alive'. The presence of loads of others on clattering bikes with labouured breathing and the rustle of man made fibres eminating from them isn't my ideal accompaniment but I don't get upset if I'm not alone, I just live with it and accept that the moment will soon pass.

In such spirit I suppose that some of us will always disagree and as such there's little point in this debate. The internet would be so boring if everyone thought like that though, wouldn't it?

This is just another circular argument. The dog owners who ride with their dogs will say, like me that they are in conrtol, they make sure they aren't in anyone's way etc. Then the dog owners who don't ride with their dogs will say that they think its a bad idea. The non dog owners will either not care and therefore not reply or even read the topic and those who have had a near miss or run over a big slimy dog egg will argue with different levels of vitriol that dogs shouldn't be allowed on the trails.

Me? I reckon that pheasants should be banned from them. The only thing alive I've ever hit (well, apart from flies, wasps and once 2 of my mates…) was a pheasant and by god the mess was awful. Trashed front wheel, buggered forks; RST Mozo Pros – blood got past the seals and into them! (Maybe more to do with the crap seals but I digress.) Maybe deer should be banned too? I've seen a few of them about on trails and don't get me started on sheep!

Reminds me why although I've been a lurker on here since the early days of the old forum my posts probably number less than 20. The OU must be delighted to have so many students on their 'Bloody/Closed minded argument' course, is it a dual qualification or just one certificate?

Oh, Mangatank. I see what you did there. my pot has been wondering where that kettle had gone. :wink:

STW Revolva-topic #32.

My Springer/Lab cross comes uot with me on trail centre rides when I'm pretty sure it will be quiet, and the same for longer stuff locally, SDW etc… I wouldn't hit Cwm Carn on a Sat or Sun with him for example.

I'm fully in control and can stop him from a dead run to a sit in the time it takes him to decellerate. However, I don't like riding myself when there's loads of others on the trails so I don't see why I should subject him to the same.

The only time he tends to get in the way is not when we're out on the bikes but when I'm bouldering as he likes to sit on my crash pad!

I think some people need to relax a little bit and realise that the trails weren't put in for their exclusive enjoyment. I don't want to have to slow down for some poncy bike riding mincer who's obviously spent too much time on the internet and too little on the bike. I still have to if I ride at 'conventional' times, hence my preferred riding time of zero:dark hundred or rainy Thursday mornings. I don't expect IT types get time off then so I work around them. Maybe some of you should consider some sort of understanding of the concept of sharing or just remember that life should be filled with joy not bile?

Because I have to work Saturday and then am off to Portland for some sport climbing on Sunday.

X9 cage is slightly different as I found out a few years ago when I ripped my XO off in the alps, then did the same with the X9 'spare' I took. Fair bit of bodging to get the cage from X9 onto XO, and I coudn't get the whole range of gears.

I ride with my springer lab cross, but we waited until he was about 18 months old and have gradually built up to 1.5 to 2 hours max. We try and stop at least every 20 min for a good 5 min breaqther and to give him a drink. Winter seems to be best as it's cooler and the ground is softer for his pads. I've avoided taking him out except for evening rides whilst the weather has been so hot, especially on the South Downs (my local trails) as there are so few water sources for him to paddle in.
We also save rides with the dogs for odd times during the week, or particularly bad weather, so we meet as few other riders as possible and avoid potential conflict. Despite his nature being brilliant and his recall excellent there are always people who'll be moaning on here if they see a dog on a 'bike' trail!
We've done a bit of stuff at a few trail centres but again never on weekends and usually at really random weekday times, again to avoid conflict.
He absolutely loves it, and is getting faster than me on my local cheeky route now he knows where the shortcuts are!

Be careful though, they will literally run until they drop and have no way of asking you to slow down. Make sure they get loads of rest, start of sleady and try and get some water into the route for them to cool down in, or train them to drink from a Camelbak like we've done and fill the bladder to bursting!

Oh, and he is neurotic about pooing where he can be seen, so tends to go into bushes to do it!

Thule 9502 on a new shape Focus here. Really easy to fit and stick the bikes on, and we haven't actually noticed a big difference in fuel consumption TBH. On the Focus the boot clears the rack with one bike on the outboard side without having to tilt it, and the tilt with 2 bikes is enough although a bit heavy to do woth the DH bike on. I use a cable lock to secure the bikes to the rack, which came with a lock to secure it to the car FOC. We had been throwing them in the back of our Berlingo quite happily but having bought a new car and having the dog in the boot most of the time it would have been too much hassle dropping seats, removing dog guard etc every time we wanted to take the bikes anywhere. Now we ate lookiing at getting a trailer tent I'll just need to bolt a ball to that for it to hang off.

Octavia VRS, or Peugot Bippa van. I prefer the Bippa, it looks like a scale model of a van, but is actually quite spacious inside and surprisingly nippy when loaded for a 1.4 deisel.

If you think its too easy, why not ride something harder? Or enjoy it for what it is. One of the things that pushed me away from climbing is the obsession with grading, working out just how good you are, or how hard a route you could lead. All this faffing and moaning about grading of routes is just a bit daft. How do you guys manage when you ride natural trails?

Yup, all day Sat, 14 hours yesterday and this afternoon.

I have a pair of Ti Whiskers, with std Oakley lenses atm although I was thinking of having prescription lenses fitted.
I have forund the frame to be pretty flexible, which is a good and bad thing. They are easy to bend back into shape if you squash them but then again they are easier to squash!

I found that if I kept them in their soft case, I couldn't put them in a bag or pocket as the lenses would udually pop out.
Now I keep them in a 'vault' type hard case and they are fine. Lovely sunglasses too.
I'd be interested to know if you have Oakley lenses though.

Bought an 09 plate Focus from a main dealer a few months ago. Was advertised as 12k, we paid 'cash' and didn't part ex, got it down to 10.5k, with window tints, different alloys and a towbar fitted free. I didn't haggle too hard, just pointed out that there are loads of them about, this particular car was nice but not neccessarily the best we'd ever see, etc…

df7fa-43ead

I did the 2001 Red Bull on a Klein Fervour, and had to have a week off work with major lower back pain and spasms!

Was a lovely bike though, went like stink. I have yearnings for another one tbh, just as a nice fast evening ride bike.

They did all race at the weekend, maybe that's slowed them down a bit at work?

Isn't it actually in Corwen?

If my dog tried to bite you I'd happily let you kick it in the gob. Got to learn. Whether him approaching with his gob open and tongue lolling in it's usual manner makes you think he's about to bite is another point.

Thing is, the sort of person who lets his/her dog close enough to bite, if the dog is likely to, is also the sort of person who'll have 'issues' with you doing it.

ZZYZZZxX (Zi-Zix.) were made by Bullet Bros. terrible seals, worked ok in California but over here they were woefully bad. Haenebrink were a different kettle of fish sure they were UD design and IIRC were a good but expensive fork.

I Used to have a San An with gold Stratos MX5s on it, was lovely to look at but the forks kept twisting in their braces and the bb was soooo high!