<hijack>
tinribz, whats your carradice bag bracket?
i was looking at something similar for my barley, i have the qr bracket, but when strapped to the post its too angled. i tried a right angle piece of aluminium, but it snapped after 1 ride. Yours looks exactly what i was trying to make…..

<hijack>

back on topic…..would have to be a CX.

Anyone been up in the last few days?
Hopefully going tomorrow, just wondering about snow and ice etc at the top.

thanks

Now changed to cross friendly black bar tape and removed the bottle cages.

Yep, overall we're lucky, we have good facilities, so we have changing rooms and somewhere to hang stuff. there's actually 4 separate changing rooms, 2 x men and 2 x women, so we're looking at getting a drying room.
Do you need a vent in the room? I can imagine it would smell pretty bad if its not vented?

I didnt get any instructions with mine, and when i found a piccy on the internet – clicky part number 4 "shim seal" was missing.

Mine was a retail product from CRC, and it was a counterfeit.
This was a year or two ago, I contacted cane creek and I think there was 2 things different, the code on the bearings, and a missing spacer / washer thingy.
The missing part means you can't get an appropriate tightness without pretty much locking it and the cheap bearings arent sealed and will rust much quicker than the genuine ones.

I think you can find a pdf of the exploded headset somewhere on t'web, this should show you that you have a part missing.

I sent mine back to CRC and they changed it, with an apology and no questions. Seems a little worrying if the counterfeits are still around 2 yrs later??!!

I've got one, and its great.
Can do courses, so you can either use a previous ride, or create a route from mapmyride or other places and then just follow the line.
Not used courses offroad, its dead easy on the road, but you may miss turns etc cos there's no reference points on the map.
The altitude is pretty random, and it froze once, but other than that i've had no issues at all.
I really like it, dead handy and i even use when im out running, just stick it in my back pocket and it tracks nicely. The receiever seems to be a lot better than the 305 cos it picks up a single very quick and doesnt lose it unless its really dense forest.
recomended!

Just built, Large, RP3, Coil Pikes, Easton wheels and xt / lx gears.
The pikes are very heavy, think its about 32 lbs, reckon i could get it down to under 30 by changing to revs for longer day rides, but for short blasts its pretty good so far…

I've got a squeezebox and its great. Use the iphone remote (i use iPeng, others are available, but iPeng is as close to the itunes interface as you'll get.) and its very straightforward to use. Also opens up a whole world of internet radio.
However, its not exactly plug and play, it is quite a pain in the arse to set up, took me quite a while to get everything working properly, and sometimes it just stops for no apparent reason, not enough to be a pain, but just randomly.
It also wont play apples lossless format, so if you've ripped cds to itunes using that you'll have to re-rip them, and any bought from itunes store will need to be converted.
Over all, i really like it, but i think the apples airport is probably more user-friendly, but less powerful

I've got one on my pompino, but Im running it the normal way round. Using a xt mtb disc hub allows a freewheel single cog on the other side for a flipflop hub.
Works really well, no problems with stuck cogs or stripping the hub thread (or pondering the eternal "do i need a lockring" question)
Got mine from velosolo about a year ago, and no sign of any wear yet.

Also,
I've got a set of revs with the pushloc (fork mounted) and a set of pikes with the poploc (bar mounted)
Can these be swapped over?

ooh, ooh, been thinking about this for a long time….

700c wheels, very similar geometry to a pompino. would also like to incroporate the wishbone rear stay, but in a smooooooth cotic kind of way, not a angular on-one kind of way.
135mm rear end, for a mtb disc hub, to use a disc cog fixie one side for winter commuting.
surly drop outs

or paragon machine works

with a deraileur mount for longer summer commutes and longer rides (sportives etc) flip the wheel and fit a 10spd cassette
need to add rack and guard mounts to the dropouts as well

rear brake cable would be internal through the top tube. seen some where it goes through the seat tube as well, but not sure what that means for the seatpost.
otherwise would have a rear canti hanger, with a screw thread adjuster for tweaking the clearance. why dont they make these standard for canti brakes?

downtube cable routing for the gear cables but need a funky way to minimise the visibility of the cable stops for the gear cables. mount the stops on a m10 bottle cage screw and screw off when they're not needed? not sure if that would work.
a nice steel fork, and a a Brooks Ti railed swift.
mmmmmm……need to keep saving……

I moved to ireland from london about 7yrs ago.
We've settled pretty well now, still miss a few things, beer gardens in the summer, but mostly its friends and family.
But, you can get marmite, our local tescos have just started selling twiglets (still miss proper beer though, guiness is OK, but its not as good as proper beer!)

The mtb side is a bit different as well, as technically, there's only two or three places in the whole country you're actually allowed to ride. But, once you get to know a few folk, you'll find trails everywhere, they're all built and maintained by locals, and constantly evolve as they get trashed and rebuilt. Also, the mtb community is quite small and pretty close, so you get to know people well (once you're accepted, which will take a while!! and you'll always be a blow-in 😉
The clubs are probably the best way to find your way around, I dont know skerries v. well so dont know if theres local trails to you (but i'll bet there's a few little forests with stuff in.
Most of the bigger trails are southside, and wicklow give me a shout if you want any info.

Bit of a hijack, but was wondering what size frame / stem / seatpost folks are running on theirs?

Im 6ft which puts me on the borderline between the large and the medium, but would guess that with a short stem (80mm? 60mm?) the top tube length on the large should be OK.
Also, layback or straight post? im thinking straight to make the most of the seat angle for climbing which again makes me think the large should be good.

Ankylosing spondylitis and crohns both have excess TNF (tumor necrosis factor) as a major symptom in common.
(Broadly speaking) TNF's normal function is good, it will identify and kill both viruses and potentially cancerous cells, however when there is an excess, it seems to get a bit bored and starts causing problems in normally healthy people.
Anti TNF drugs serve to either inhibit (block) or "soak up" excess TNF.
I dont know much about crohns, but do know a little bit about anti TNFs, let me know if you've got any specific questions.

Im guessing jimmy's missus and ebygumm's brother are both using etanercept (enbrel)?
but I doubt you'll be using this, as i dont think it's licenced (yet) for crohns.

Just checked my Hone, 2yrs old maybe, double with bash.

Definite cracks on one side – same as pictures above, not sure about the other side, its a bit too scuffed to be sure.

Has anyone heard of any actual failures?

thanks folks, will give it a go.

not looking forward to the commute this morning with no coffee!!!

If you've already got the battery and its in good nick then all you need is the lamp unit? I changed mine last year, was running a 20w mid and a 12w spot halogen i think, and changed it for the led 2 spot.
My battery is the 5.2 amh and would run for 2-3 hrs with the halogens, depending on the spot usage.
Last winter i used the led3 for commuting (2hrs a day twice a week) on high (pitch black canal and back roads) and then 2+ hrs a week off road with a combination of high and boost.
Only had to charge the battery once a week, and the power output is way more than the halogens it replaced.
Really good system and they aren't cheap, but its good quality, reliable and easy to use, cant recomend it enough.

the led3 system is pretty bright, cars slow down becuase they dont know what it is coming towards them.
I've had a few cars flash me and i now point it down a little, its defo bright enough on the high setting and on the boost, i think it just about outshines the sun…

I upgraded from the halogen lumi to the led system last year, its brilliant.
I use it for maybe 4 hrs commuting (pitch black country lanes / canal tow paths) and 2+hrs mtbing each week in the winter, and i put it onto charge over night on sunday.
Thought i better charge / discharge it the other day as its been sat there unused for months, and it took nearly 9 hrs on med / full setting (it switches down if it gets too hot, which it will with no breeze over it) before it was fully discharged.
I've also got the lumi rear led cluster.
With the glow ring you get plenty of side light (i've also plastered my commuter in reflective tape on the sides as well)
Recomended, and the Lumi folks are nice as well!

i've got some '08 revs, 100 – 130mm. and at either end they're fine, but anywhere in the middle, there's a little knocking noise. They work fine and its not a big scary noise, just a little knocking.
I think i read that this isnt uncommon, and i've since managed to ignore it.

For commuting, it totally depends if you're gonna be riding on unlit roads.
I commute 2x a week on pitch black unlit roads / canal tow paths. Then night riding on the mtb at least once a week.
I've got a lumicycle LED, and it is phenomenal. 4 x power settings, glowring for side visibility and the rear light has 5 of the brightest red leds ive seen.
My commute is 1hr each way, and mtbing probably 2hrs a week, so average of 6hrs a week and the battery lasts for at least 8hrs on full power (which is bright enough to get cars flashing at me). Charge it once a week at the weekend, leave the rear light (plus one cateye battery light) on the commuter and switch the qr front light and battery between the commuter and mtb.

A great system with really really good customer service backup as well.
Lots of friends have used other systems, and i think we've all now moved over to lumicycle, as one by one the all of the others (cateye, exposure, lupine etc etc) have died.

Did anyone get one of these?

just checking today, and they were in stock again, bought it, and now its showing out of stock again.
Got confirmation of the sale, so hopefully they'll arrive.

Wonder if this is some kind of new sale gimmick from them? Anyway, probably worth checking again in the near future see if they're in stock again.

We've got the yellow "2 in 1 trail buggy" in the picture to the left.
It looks exactly the same, exactly the "2 in 1" refers to a rubbish handle and a jockey wheel you can install to turn it into a buggy. Never used it as a buggy, but it may come in handy.

As for the trailer itself, it works well, its obviously a lot cheaper than others out there, and Im sure you lose a lot of features.
Its pretty basic, but our 2 love it. Havent used it offroad, mostly for pootling around the park, dropping off at the childminder etc. I cant imagine they'd want to stay in it for too long, but they're pretty big now, so a bit less room.

You get what you pay for, it works and its safe, but probably not as comfy as others, so if you're looking at shortish rides over gentle ground then it would be fine. I dont think it would be suitable for longer roads over bumpy fireroads, without some more padding.

I’ve got some M324’s on my pompino, for the exact same reason.
SPDs for the commute and then flat side for popping out to shops / park / pub.
Works great, obviously the pedal defaults to whichever side you dont want at that moment in time, but thats to be expected and no hassle to flip.
The cage side isnt the grippiest, but is fine with normal trainers and I dont use it for muddy situations or when I need grippiness.

Had them for 5 yrs or so, on and off different bikes, I dont think I’ve ever even cleaned them and in true boring shimano styley, they work and carry on working.
Recomended.

create one (or more) playlists each? his n hers, then tell each ipod to only sync his playlist to his ipod.
quicker than selecting each track, but still will take a little while to set up with a 50gb library, but easy to maintain after the initial set-up.

I would disagree with all the people saying tilt the nose up, that’s a recipe for trouble.
Tilt it slightly nose down, and as the dimples from your arse bones form in the leather, you’ll sit comfortably in them without sliding forward.

I’ve a Team Professional, which was OKish straight out of the box, and now after a few yrs and several thousand kms is without doubt the comfiest saddle ever. It does however weigh more than my frame, forks and wheels combined.

I say persevere, it’ll be worth it.

Great wheels, light, true and strong. Also a bit wider than others, which gives fat tyres a nicer profile, more rounded and less pointy if you know what i mean.

But…..the seals are shite. complete and utter shite.
i ran mine for 6 months through the autumn and winter before the rear was as sloppy as a really sloppy thing. then spent another 3 months waiting for spares from easton (although the lbs is a little “relaxed” so it might of been their fault) ended up replacing them myself.

If I was buying now, I’d avoid factory wheels of any sort, and get a good set of hubs built onto a good set of rims by a good wheel builder.
My pair of hope xc’s on mavic 519 rims, whilst not particlularly bling have been going for 5 yrs now, with absolutely zero maintenance, no truing, no new bearings etc.

I commute along a bit of the grand canal (from naas to clondalkin) and its mostly rideable. the section nearest naas wouldnt be fun on a loaded touring bike, its doable on a cross bike, and the grass is generally around knee height.
I’ve no experience of it further inland, but i would imagine it would only get worse the further into the midlands you go.

thanks, that links handy.

so, for 3 x 6804 and 1 x 6902 skf bearings, which will do my front and rear easton wheels, it comes to 66 quid.
i dont mind paying that if its gonna be longer lasting than the (quite frankly rubbish) easton bearings that it came with, but it does seem a lot. does that price seem normal and what kind of life should i expect from them?

jeez, i go to bed and it turns into a “state of the nhs” discussion.
Anyway….. im not in the UK, so walk in centre’s and the good / bad ol’ NHS are not available.
A visit to my gp will cost me 50e, so I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to accelerate the seemingly natural process of it working it’s own way out.
I dont think I will have a dig, as it does seem to be quite deep.

Also, at least one doc has said to me that glass wont show up on a x-ray?

Yeah, I spoke to the doc about it at the time, and he said that he wouldnt really do anything and that they normally work there way out on there on.
(and I guessed most answers wouldnt be too sympathetic..)

Oh well, might try drinking the rest of the wine and then having another dig.

anyone??

Sorry that looks a little ungrateful, not supposed to be !

Thanks for the input.

I know I don’t actually need cantis but I have them and the levers already so don’t want to buy anything else.

Yep, nice and comfy. Soft enough, very very grippy, even with a palm full of mud.
But, I had to change mine cos they’re not fat enough, I think cos they’re quite thin, they dont feel as soft as others, so I’ve gone back to the tried and tested rogues.

Are you planning on using drops or a flat bar?
Im 6 ft and went for the XL, running a 110mm stem and flat bars.
The L would be definitely have been too small for me, and there’s still plenty of standover height.
Thats with flat bars, I’m pretty sure I could run a shorter stem and drops and it wouldnt be too stretched out. I’ve got short bar ends on and with my hands on them, the reach / stretch is maybe a few cm’s less than when using the hoods on my cross bike.

they’re good wheels, dont get me wrong. light enough and very well built, true after a fair bit of hard riding. very good quality overall.
but the sealing is a bit rubbish, and the spares support isnt there. either of which you could handle on its own, but both together means the wheel’s been out of action for 3 months and i’ve had them less than a year.

Dont know about the rest, but the Havocs are QR and the front can be swapped out for a 20mm.
Nice wheels, but, and its a big but, my LBS has been waiting for a non drive side bearing for the rear for about 3 months now, out of stock apparently. And it only lasted for about 6 months before dying.
I think even easton rep admitted that they’re not really sealed well enough for over here.
I’d avoid and go for something else (Hope)

beer gardens.

twiglets.

beer.