Great stuff

Rush hour.
Bloke in a car shouted how I’d slowed him down but, due to traffic, had to wait until I was locking my bike two miles on from where I’d over taken him
I had no witty riposte and probably just looked baffled (errr obviously baffled in a cool way)

spokes most likely – so oil as above and/or test tension

I launch myself lemming like at bargains such as this, only just held back from pressing buy when I remembered I don’t ride flats

I’m based in Northumberland (so not near I’m afraid 🙂 ) Bike is going to Algarve though. I’ve family staying for a while out there and am going to fly out in the third week in August.

Off topic plea to turn down the settings of lights on shared paths. Really unpleasant for walkers and other cyclists to have stupid bright rear/front flashing/steady.
I’ve had to stop my bike before to let the Suncannon type of riders pass.

I tried it a while back but didn’t have the self discipline, ended up buying a frame which fitted a spare set of wheels. Tried it again and ended up with 3 bikes

“If I didn’t try to keep up with nutters who chuck themselves down technical descents I’d happily pootle about on a rigid bike all the time”

The same for me – you need similar bikes (or extreme fitness/skillzz) to ride with pals. I wouldn’t own a fast road bike if I was quicker on my tourer

“If I didn’t try to keep up with nutters who chuck themselves down technical descents I’d happily pootle about on a rigid bike all the time”

The same for me – you need similar bikes (or extreme fitness/skillzz) to ride with pals. I wouldn’t own a fast road bike if I was quicker on my tourer

the significance of knotweed being?

Matt SEaton – The escape artist.
A wonderful read on cycling, love and loss.

I do think they mishandled the stealth transformation.
But I do think we need a modern relevant advocate for leisure cycling and commuting cycling (? the 95% of cycling not represented by British Cycling) so I’m voting for the change.
Reverting to the CTC will undermine the efforts of the leadership and CTC is a out dated name.

Mind they should bring back the winged wheel…..

My 1995 Trek has a True Temper frame.
I’ve had some fantastic adventures on it in Northumberland, the Highlands, the lakes and Dartmore.
It’s heavily disguised under a respay / surface rust and is used as my commuting bike. The only things to have survived the original build are frame, stem and bar.

How many £3k frames actually get sold? I suspect there’s not many left because there’s never been that many of them.

Those Dirt Wizards look excellent – I’ll need to wait until I knack a rim as they’ll probably need a different rim to fit them.

Definitely fatter tire or better tire upgrade. Often a bit less pressure re buzzz allthough 80psi with a 25 seems on the lower end of the scale

Yeah, give it a go.
As one poster says a fair number of bikers aren’t brilliant socially but they’re in groups because they want to ride with others.
If it does seem impossibly uncomfortable after maybe you’ve tried a couple of clubs then consider approaching your GP for Primary Care counselling / IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) type of support. A few sessions will often be very helpful

My favourite loops start from Wooler – perfect Singletrack on a dry day and I rarely meet another bike out there. I’ve always thought of riding off road from Wooler to Alwinton then home along the Coquet to Rothbury but for no logical reason have never done so.
Just ‘cos such stuff interests me Northumberland is the present county and I believe Northumbria is an ancient kingdom of the Angles running from Edinburgh to York area so would include great mountain biking inc. the North Yorkshire moors, Pennines as well as Glentress/Innerleithen.

I went for a shorter stem on one of my long term bikes to get more control on descents. The layback post was the perfect fix for me. Plus Thomson stuff is always nicely engineered

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Great stuff. I’ve taken my kids on tandem tours before and it’s a lot of fun.
I bet your bike flexes in interesting ways with the lower top tube on the back.

I think it’s really hard to judge a bike from even a few rides. I’ve read up on/test ridden/borrowed bikes before buying and still it’s taken 3 months with most of my bikes to know – this is perfect or this is Sh!te.

Do just enough to keep your job and have energy to enjoy mucking around on the hills at weekends.

Another Northumberlander here. I tend to avoid them on Sunday rides but quieter times go where ever a rider won’t cause damage to path or livestock.
When in the Lakes I usually avoid footpaths altogther because the paths I’d like to ride on get so busy

Better than most Viz top tips 🙂

I’ve a Tomac/On-one Gravel frame and am very happy with it. Stiff light and will take quite wide tyres. Bonus feature it hasn’t snapped yet.
I think they’re called “Tomac Montezuma” but I’m not kidding myself that it’s anything other than an On-ONe with a Tomac sticker on.

Park my bike next to a pile of really nice bikes is a start.
Little cafe locks can be helpful.
Don’t leave it alone if you can’t tolerate losing it.

I find dry lubes a bit faffy to put on and gloops up horribly if you get it wrong.

Brooks for me also – B17 on tourer and Swallow on the road bike. Comfortable and long lasting.

Spa seem a bit brutal.

No experience of the others.

It’s the reward for fitness thing; you can’t cycle up a hill just by spending the most money of the kit.
Nice views etc etc.

It is a bit of a silly question in a sense – how does an Aluminium car accelerate? Really badly if it’s a Mk1 LandRover but really well if it’s an Ariel Atom.
Top end carbon frames are fantastic and almost all are light. I’ve three mid range carbon bikes and like them all but also like my steel bike and aluminium bikes. Read reviews, test ride them and avoid unbranded ebay specials unless you enjoy having dentists and surgeons reconstruct your face

I ducked buying a Spa cycles one after hearing others’ experiences of it taking longer to wear in and not being as comfortable as Brookes.
One of the saddles I own is a Brookes B17 which is turning out to have been good value given I’ve had it on different bikes now for approx 25 years.

The lakes epic looks great but £550 is a lot of dosh.

Focus on the roading for a while and return to offroad when you feel the itch.
Be amazed by your fitness…
….and lack of skillz 🙂

I’ve TRP Hylex on my tourer with bar end shifters – I’m very happy with them

Stan Iron Cross tubeless rims on my tourer. If it’s pure road then I’d suggest getting some cheap Shimano Ultegra wheels for speed

Definitely avoid any of the main A roads A697/A68/A1.
It would be fun on a cycle tourer/gravel bike/Fargo type bike to back roads to borders, over the Cheviots on one of the bridle paths, up the Coquet valley and B roads to the toon

I’m not sure trust is the right word.
I take note of web reviews more than magazine reviews. They’re particularly helpful if there’s a theme of “it fell appart after 13 months.” etc

I don’t race or Strava and like my cafe stops so SPDs are perfect

I returned the Rutland red and blue one – I didn’t think it was thick enough to be called a soft shell jacket. Endura do decent ones at fair prices