Titanium framed Rohloff hubbed fully rigid 29er, vegan straightedge and bearded, so about as niche as can be.
6'1", which I suppose counts as tall doesn't it ?
98kg, which gives me a BMI of 28.5, so maybe towards the upper end of skinny. :?

You're right, you know.
I guess what I'm thinking of is that single big gouge you get on rollable drops that gradually make them steeper and squarer until they are no longer easily rollable.

Incidently, have you noticed that if I had claimed that I was only able to ride the steep drop because I was on a 29er or because I had my tyres at 50psi, there would have been all sorts of ructions and flaming.
Twice now I've claimed to be a riding god without contradiction.
I can only draw one conclusion from this lack of dissent. 8)

What I was getting at was that as it was only the riding gods, like myself, who rode the steep drop, and as there was no need to brake, we didn't, so no braking bumps appeared.
If the mincers didn't have the chicken run option and had to ride the steep drop, they would have dragged the brakes on the way down, ripping up the surface.

I mentioned before on another thread the course split at Enduro 6.
There were a couple of steep drops out of the woods which developed some serious braking bumps over the six hours. I was riding fully rigid, so noticed them more than most.
There was also a course split with a very steep short drop to the left and a slightly longer and slower chicken run to the right.
All the riding gods, like myself, did the steep drop, all the mincers did the chicken run.
Result, no braking bumps on the steep drop.

Braking bumps appear where people brake. A lot of riders brake where they don't need to. I don't know what the solution is.

Mountain Mayhem, on the way to 32nd veteran team.

And just got home after my commute.

They know about Camber, and the dodgy bridge, although they didn't know the name.
That's the one trail they mentioned specifically as they said they would be replacing the bridge, but they wouldn't be signposting it from the top because if it becomes an 'official' trail they then become responsible for maintaining it, which they haven't got the resources to do.
I would imagine there are some safety guidelines for official trails too. Camber has got some potentially serious drops to the left in places if you get the line wrong.
I just hope they don't build a narrow bridge with handrails.

They were a bit vague about exactly what they do want to do, apart from saying definitely no singletrack. My guess is they want to build something that will last a few years, like the family routes, rather than something that will get braking bumps that need constant repair.

There's a Wyre Forest District Council Cycling Forum that meets every month or so to discuss cycling in the area. That's all about road markings and town centre cycle parking though and is made up of local councillors, the local doctor, Sustrans, FoE etc.
I think Natural England want to start something similar for mountain biking on their patch. They said about a dozen people, but I don't suppose everyone will get to every meeting, so if you're keen to get involved, but can't make it until November, I'm sure that won't be a problem.

Reading between the lines, I think the FC feel that as all the action, like the dog sled race, half marathon and family cycle routes, take place on their half, they want to push NE to do a bit more on their half.
Natural England, on the other hand, want to push the FC to do something with the designated mountain biking area at Kinlet.
I'm hoping we can get in the middle and push both ways at once. :wink:

I've been detouring via the Natural England office in the Wyre forest on my way to or from work recently and I finally managed to catch the two people I wanted to talk to in today.

For those who have got a newer 1:25000 OS map which shows Open Access areas, the FC manage the brighter green Open Access area to the west, NE manage the darker green area to the East. If you've got an older map where it's all one colour, the boundary is roughly the long straight fence running South from the Button Oak car parks to the footbridge over Dowles Brook, then south again along parish boundary in the valley bottom and on to Alton Farm.

As far as the Trailquest goes, NE don't want us using the area South of the railway. They manage part of it on behalf of the land owner and they know without asking that he won't want mountain bikes there. It's a National Nature Reserve with only a couple of hard tracks that don't link up anyway, so that's pretty much what I expected.
They are happy for us to use any hard track North of the railway though, so that gives me some scope to link up the railway and bridleway with the Kinlet Road.
Like the FC, they want me to go back with a map showing where I want to put the Control Points before they give me the final go ahead.

We then had an interesting discussion about mountain biking in the forest in general.
The proposed mountain biking meetings with the FC that I had heard about turned out to be an idea from the Ribbesford downhillers and the FC weren't interested when I mentioned it to them.
Natural England, on the other hand, told me they wanted to set up some sort of mountain biker's forum without me even mentioning it.
They deal with T.R.O.T. and the Shropshire Bridleway Association (although I can't find that name on the web, so I may have got it wrong) but as there is no similar mountain bike organisation, they want to get a group of local riders together to discuss and plan local trails.

They also mentioned that they want to build or improve some trails to join up the existing bridleways. Definitely not singletrack, and nothing like Cannock, but not just another family cycle route.

They know about the dodgy bridge on The Camber and intend to replace it with something safer soon.

They are trying to get the FC to do something a bit more organised at Kinlet too. There's one "To the Kinlet mountain biking area" sign near the top of the Mile climb, then nothing when you get there. I think NE want the FC to encourage bikers over that way to keep us out of the rest of the forest.

They want to get about a dozen mountain bikers on this forum, so if anyone is interested, get in touch with me or directly with Natural England in the Wyre Forest.
It will probably meet on weekday evenings, starting later in the summer.

A couple that I've got vague plans of doing some time in the future are The Eppynt Way, about 75km around the Sennybridge training area, and a multi day cheeky epic loop up The Severn Way and back down The Wye Valley walk, about 350 miles altogether.

Mrs Militant, after promising to cook me a meal, then burning it in the saucepan, "Am I the worst girlfriend you've ever had ?"
MilitantGraham, "No, you're in the top ten."

MilitantGraham to Mrs Militant, "There's a story in the paper here about some bloke who murdered his wife, cut her in to bits and buried her under the patio. And to think, you moan about me not doing the washing up. You don't know how lucky you are."

My former boss, "How did you get to be so big, being a vegan ?"
MilitantGraham, "How did you get to be a manager, being so stupid ?"

The North Face Hedgehogs.
I'm about 100kg and have got both the standard and mid height version.
I use them for trail running and as day to day trainers.
Water proof, too.

Can't remember where I heard this, and it's not strictly true for half the population, but…
"Never worry about being overtaken by a grey haired old man, keep training and one day that will be you."

And my attempt at a motivational speech to Mrs Militant as she was about to give up on a 12 hour solo ride because she thought she was near last…
"Don't think about the ten girls in front of you, think about the tens of thousands who wouldn't even attempt what you're doing."

Hill climb #1 – 1:30 – 341st/650
Hill climb #3 – 1:52 – 328th/518

Not too embarrassing for a 'big boned' veteran. :D

I wear a 45 Lizzard. When I tried on a Specialized 45 in a shop, I can't remember which model, I couldn't even get it on.
So, at a guess, I'd say you want a 44.

Another vote for Nakd bars.
Although I can just imagine someone working in an apple juice factory who has spent his life shovelling the left over pulp in to skips, suddenly saying one day "Hey, why don't we cut this stuff in to little bars and sell them for £1 each?"

No biking for 12 weeks ? Summer will be over by then. :(

6'1" on an XL. Seems about right to me.

Snapped my frame 5km in to the Marin Rough Ride a couple of weeks ago.
Started walking back and found a guy who had broken his collar bone and was waiting for an ambulance.
I pushed the two bikes while he walked up on to some flatter ground where the ambulance could get to him easier.
I was quite impressed by the number of competitors who stopped to ask if we needed help.
I was also puzzled by the number of riders who had covered well under 5km 45 minutes in to the event.

I find salted cashews the best way to take on salt on a long ride.
Fig rolls and fruit jellies are good.
Never tried malt loaf, but every time I'm on a ride and I see someone else eating it, I think "I'll have to remember to bring some next time".

NZCol, no.

Two ways;

If you've got £1000 in savings, put it in account A.
Two days later,transfer it to account B.
Two days later,transfer it to account C.
Two days later,transfer it back to account A.
Repeat next month.

Or.

If you earn >£1000 a month, get it paid in to account A.
Two days later,transfer it to account B.
Two days later,transfer it to account C.
Spend your money from account C.

From another site…

Loan shark the loan sharks.

Halifax Reward Current Account. (NOT the Ultimate Reward one)

You must be 18 or over.
You must pay in 1001 GBP/month.
If you do, and your balance stays above 0 GBP for the month, they'll pay you 5 GBP.
No fees.

You can have three accounts.
Hubby/wifey can have three accounts.
It doesn't matter where the 1001 GBP comes from. (standing order from another Halifax account is fine)

So if you have 1004 GBP you'd like to save, go open three Halifax accounts. Plonk 1002 GBP in account A, and 1 GBP in accounts B and C. Set up a standing order from A-B, B-C, C-A every month. (allow time for them to clear) Halifax will pay you 180 GBP/year, or a shade under 18% interest on money that you can access instantly should you need it. Get the wife to sign up and you could get 360 GBP/year (but check how long payments take to clear/that you won't run into bank holiday/weekend type problems – I haven't done this, mine just go on the 2nd/12th/22nd)

All kosher, and somewhat satisfying loaning the bank money at an eye-watering interest rate for a change.

I've done this. It works.

"Your shock is a rigid container so the pressure, and by implication the performance, is not affected by the drop in external air pressure."

Yes it is.

I was there. :D

"…I find STW pleasanter, more friendly…"

Wow, is Bike Radar really that bad. :D

A couple of niche ones I use.
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?board=25.0
http://www.veganfitness.net/viewforum.php?f=18

Finished work at 1:00am.
Set off in shorts and short sleeve jersey as it felt like a warm night, but the mist was rising off the canal, so I stopped and put my jacket on.
Took the long way home, along the canal, through the nature reserve, then a meandering route through the Wyre Forest at 2:00am.
Saw very little traffic. :D

And shortening the head tube, no chance.
It's a titanium frame and the head tube looks to have been machined away for most of its length, leaving the ends a bigger OD.
Shortening the head tube would take away those reinforcing bands.

Thanks for all the information here.
That CB headset would gain me 10mm.
The spank stem would gain another 14mm, but it's very short. I guess with less engagement on the steerer they have to reduce the potential leverage.
As for the 5mm of stem above the steerer, that sounds OK if it's 40mm deep, but a shorter stack height stem would surely want proportionally more engaged. If the Spank one is only 25mm, I wouldn't want to have less than 23mm of it contacting the steerer.

Scienceofficer, I think you're confusing my two arguments.

1. Higher pressures reduce the likelihood of pinch flats. I think we're all agreed on that one.
2. I have found higher pressures do not reduce grip.

If I found that higher pressures reduced grip, I would look for a compromise between losing time riding slower round corners and losing time mending punctures.
I haven't found that, so why compromise. Pump 'em up, avoid punctures, roll easier and go round corners the same.

"How very scientific and objective."

I think this is the key point.
Like most things in mountain biking, it's all marketing, personal preference and repeated folklore.
Has any scientific and objective testing ever been published on MTB tyre pressures ?

OK, you're right.

I must have overtaken well over 100 other riders at Bristol Bike Fest as they all stopped to mend punctures, while I noticed no difference in cornering speed or braking distance.
You all keep running at low pressures. Suits me :wink:

100kg
29×2.0 or 29×2.1 ghetto tubeless on a hardtail.
50psi

Even on my old 26er FS I was constantly burping tyres at anything less than 40psi. Maybe I just never found the right combination of rim and tyre.

I've ridden a lot of marathons and chased, or been chased by, thousands of riders over all sorts of surfaces.
I've never felt myself to be at a disadvantage because of my high tyre pressures.
Lower tyre pressures giving better grip is just a myth.

Weyman Bennett of Unite Against Fascism.

"I support freedom of speech, but not for fascists"

What's the lowest stack height headset available ?
The frame's 127mm. I reckon I need 30mm in the stem for safety, so that's 157mm taken up, which leaves 23mm for the headset with my 180mm steerer.
The Hope headset is 31mm.
Are there any good quality headsets with a <24mm stack height ?
Is there a good quality strong stem that only needs <23mm engagement with the steerer ?
Or some compromise between the two ?

One pair is 175mm, the other is 180mm.
Yes, I've got two pairs of useless 29er forks. :roll:

It's like this you see…
I bought a second hand 29er frame (with a 4" head tube) and forks.
I broke the frame.
I bought another second hand 29er frame (with a 4" head tube) and swapped the forks, etc. over.
I also bought some rigid forks to try out.
I was offered another pair of 29er forks at a good price. As I was hoping to get the first frame back under warranty, I bought them with the intention of building up two 29ers.
I broke the second frame.
I bought a brand new frame from CRC which had a 4" head tube according to their website.
It arrived with a 5" head tube. I checked the manufacturers website and they quote the actual 5".
I fitted the rigid forks so I can use it, but I would like the option of swapping to suspension.

I wondered about improvising an extension on the steerer too, I didn't realise they were available for sale.
Any preload on the head bearings will be trying to pull the extension off, so it would have to be well attached. I think, at my weight and history of breaking stuff, I wouldn't want to chance it.

I did wonder if the crown would become distorted so that they couldn't guarantee the interference fit a second time.
When you say crown assembly, is that just the crown and steerer, or are the stanchions permanently pressed in to the crown as well ?

I spent £1100 there last week, so I just missed out on £110. :evil:
At least I got £44 back via quidco. :?

I very rarely argue in real life.
There just seems to be a far higher proportion of people who are wrong on the internet.
It's my moral duty to correct them.

Scraeder make it easier to get the sealant in when you're running ghetto tubeless.
Presta locknuts can be impossible to undo with cold fingers.

"There has to be a nuclear bunker in Whitehall. Government doesn't stop merely because the country has been destroyed. Annihilation is bad enough without anarchy to make it even worse."
Sir Humphrey Appleby

Marcel Marceau;

"__________"