Not sure on a bike recommendation, but check out Pauls Cycles.com – has older bikes at sometimes massively reduced prices.

Worth a check just in case!

I know the song says birds do it and that bees do it, and it’s even be known for educated fleas to do it. I do not however remember the line about ugly bugs having a threesome. :oops:

Have typically had either Kenda Nevegals and Panaracer Rampage. Much preferred the panaracer 2.35 f+r – good for welsh trail centres and even good enough at my local thetford forest.

Personally I'm a 'The Wall' fan, the last 2 sections – Graveyard and Zigzags are enough to make me take the 5 hour drive from east anglia alone.

Then Whytes Level, so probably best W2 as said above.

For some reason I can't get on with Penhydd?

Of course each to their own. :-)

Seams like ^^realman has been caught out also.

(seems like a well rehearsed line fed to the other half when the question 'you paid how much?' gets asked) :wink:

Ssshhhhhhhhhh……..don't shout about it, not bike related but recently sold a load of old PS2 games on there. Someone paid £20 for a game that you can by new online for around a fiver. :-)

What goes around comes around though, I'm pretty sure I've probably paid more for stuff in the past than I should have! :oops:

Probably asking to borrow it to go on google to escape actually having to interact with the 'oh so interesting' iPhone owner! :wink:

Looks good………although I think you should know you've got a bit of wood stuck to it!

I reckon it looks like a 9'x9' feather-edge? :roll:

^^ I think there must be an amazon employee amongst us! :wink:

Sorry, looks terrible……………but I'll do you a favour and take it off your hands if you like, honestly no trouble at all. :wink:

(walks away green with envy!)

THe wolf pic is funny.

A web group, not exactly sure what they call themselves, pick a product on amazon and get thousands of there members to leave bogus reviews.

Silly but very funny, I'm sure it annots amazon which makes it even funnier. :D

http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s2p1539

Not a recommendation, just an example of some of the possible savings.

Have to second/third pauls cycles can, pick up high spec 08 and 09 bikes heavily discounted. Just need to sometimes be lucky with sizing.

Alot to catch up on – been off-line all day.

I know that we aren't going to be able to cover the whole of Scotland in on visit. Just looking for a mix of everything. Obviously what to get a good feel first time round to want to go back – seem to recall its about 9 hour drive.

As much as I love the trails (for info, based in deepest darkest east anglia – a day trip to Afan for instance around 10 hours driving with pick-ups etc) my favourite ride of all time was actually doing the london-brighton off-road, first year the bhf ran the event I think – so do appreciate the natural stuff.

Having said that will be completely lost unless specifically marked routes – but that's part of the fun.

Trekster – fitness levels fairly good all round the london to brighton was 70 miles IIRC, do you mean endurance or sheer physicality of the terrain.

May well see if 'locals' are about nearer the time as impromptu guides, with of course the payment of a cake and a pint (or 2 – birthday celebrations and all that)

Cheers for the feedback so far – some real food for thought. Read reviews in magazines but never as good as throwing it open to a forum IMO.

It appears that its different for each manufacturer.

Had some formula brakes, and in the manual (yes I read the manual), it said brake from 30km/h to a stand stil 50 times.

Needless to say I broke to a standstill from about 25km/h 10 times and was good to go. Pads lasted about 5 mins, live and learn. :roll:

Looks like may have to be a month long trip!
Will def look into your itinerary TJ, description sounds ideal.
(don't let this comment put you other STW'ers coming up with alternative suggestions)

Educated enough to know I should start a pension savings scheme (GCSE's, A Levels and Honours Degree)

Misguided enough to think that ploughing all my money into the lottery every week instead is a suitable alternative. :D

Oh yes and perfect weather to top it off……not asking too much am I :D

I suppose I would want a mix of scenic XC and good singletrack – thinking along the singletrack lines of Whytes Level, The Wall etc…. as only point of reference.

That's a given BB :wink:

One of the chaps is always on about going to Fort William – excuse naivity but is this going to be just downhill territory? :?:

How much of coast to coast offride?

Ta very much. :-)

EDIT: Good job I've got long thumbs!

Good point, lets add to the already huge resource on the internet of how to nick bikes. How short sighted of me!

Having just had my bike nicked at the weekend, and knowing there are 2no. different types of lock still attached to the bike frame as the miscreant cut through the steel box section frame it was locked to.

I just felt this seemed odd to be discussing such a topic from an original post not a million miles from where I live!

You have to forgive me for being a bit precious at the moment. :oops:

Absolutely incredible what is discussed on here! 8O

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/d-locks-whats-there-weaknessweakspot?replies=20#post-1020558

To echo wwaswas, why exactly are we talking about how to break into locks on a biking forum.

People just interested in the topic of conversation……….or more likely looking for tips. :!:

Already decided not to bother to replace until we've left thetford…..not worth the hassle. Knowing somones watching waiting for you to let your guard down isn't a nice feeling. I will now be considered a future target.

Tommid……only thing non stock about it was that I replaced the SPD's with DMR V12 magnesium flat pedals in white.

Last time I rode, was wales, last weekend of november.

Bike has been locked up in the garage since whilst I had been waiting for delivery of a new bolt to replace the one I sheared which holds the saddle to the seatpost. Sods law it will be delivered tomorrow to rub it in.

Up until that point I ride/rode thetford every weekend.

Saw about the red citroen on the mtbthetford forum. cheers

Going to send info into local paper tomorrow. Good thinking about stating the price, hadn't thought of that.

I know though in my heart of hearts I wont be seeing it again though.

All be it valuable to me, I appreciate the police aren't going to turn the region upside down trying to find it.

Especially with the amount that seem to get stolen in areas with any form of biking facilities.

Have checked out gumtree – no luck so far.

I assume that as the frame is the only thing with the serial number, they'll strip it and sell the components and chuck the frame?

This makes searching on ebay and others sites a needle in a haystack.

Likelyhood is it'll end up at a market somewhere where it is probably less tracable?

I have done numerous ebay searches.

Trouble is, if the bike or its components get put on, its trying to guess what they will list it as. Just doing general searches…………not sure if bike theives are specific on their adverts in case they get tracked down?

I know, last night is the first time in about 3 months that we didn't push the car right up in fornt of the garage.

Must have been waiting for the opportunity to arise……..or there's a 'spotter' in the street that tipped them off.

Yes curly68, I do in fact live in Thetford. The sooner we're out of here the better.

Trek's picture of the bike in case anyone in the areas spotss anything.

Cheers

Stole from garage – had extra padlocks on garage door – had bike double locked to a steal frame concreted to the garage floor.

The bar-stewards cut through the frame it was locked to, after forcing the garage door and ripping the padlocks off the frame.

Might take up running it's a lot less expensive and hassle to replace if someone nicks you're running shoes!

Perhaps another expense…………are the windows double glazed?

And as said above are trickle vents open if there are any?

High Point – Finally getting Formula Oro K24 Brakes (white) on my steed so that my Trek Fuel EX 8 2009 was exactly how I wanted it. :-)

Low Point – Two weeks after the above when garage was broken into and bike was pinched. :(

29-architectural technician