also couldn’t send PM’s today so maybe a wider problem with the site?

Thanks for responding, yes – there does seem to be a wider problem.

Ooh I just posted regarding a similar issue on the Guitarists thread

If you get an answer please post on here if you don’t mind.

Have you also tried to delete older PMs and can’t?

Scotroutes, yes it would make sense to do that and I have tried that but it seems that I can’t delete any messages either!

Great, thanks for the reply. Sounds like the weather has a fair chance of being kind, hopefully Covid will be more under control by then and we’ll all have a bit more freedom.

Hi Spekkie,

Hope you don’t mind a couple of questions. I was in L’Ainsa Sept-Oct 2018 just before the EWS race, camped down at Camping Pena Montanesa and rode many of the excellent ZZ trails,

I really want to return for a couple of weeks or so, perhaps as early as Feb-Mar next year. I know I can get weather averages for that time of year online in various places, but I was wondering if some local knowledge might be more useful. I can see that Feb isn’t a wet month by north west UK standards so that seems good, and it’s not too cold either, but is there any snow lying around at an altitude likely to affect the trails much? And what about the trails that cross or follow riverbeds, are they a problem at that time of year?

I appreciate that you might not know, but I thought I’d ask anyway.

Cheers,
Iain

I could be wrong but I think Geometron class the G13/15/16 as ‘heritage’ bikes and will no longer be building / selling them. I don’t know whether Nicolai are still making the G13/15/16 but if they are and Geometron aren’t selling them it might influence your thoughts and decisions. It’s deffo worth a phone call to the folks in Monmouth.

I think a G1 is probably brilliant as a trail bike in the UK!

I have a pair of M1600 DT Swiss factory built wheels, front wheel has bladed spokes and the rear has plain round ones. The rear hub is the ratchet type and setup for the 10mm DT Swiss RWS bolt that fits in QR dropouts; I always liked this system, IMO better than QR. The front wheel is setup for a 15mm bolt thru fork. Both hubs are centrelock but come with 6 bolt converters. The rims are grey in colour.

They’re in good nick, bit of paint bubble around some of the nipples, but both run true and have no dings.

I’m in Manchester / Peak District if you’re interested – send me a direct message thru here if you are and we can discuss a price – I’m not being coy, I genuinely don’t know what they’re worth, I really do need to get rid though!

Cheers.

I’ll keep an eye out around Stretford / Chorlton

Call Shona and Rich at Keep Pedalling in Manc, they had a Jones Plus build on their Facebook recently that had full guards

Probs best to avoid fields containing cattle then. But if you find yourself in that situation let the dog go!

And, stating the obvious, focus on recall training with the hound, it makes a big, positive difference to dog ownership if it’ll come back when called.

The cattle have interest in the dog not your wife. When this happens let the dog off the lead, and hope it can outrun them.
I know a guy who almost died after a similar event, he didn’t let the dog off the lead, ended up with a broken back, many broken ribs, broken arm.
The farmer is doing nothing wrong.

Thank you for that mate, I do love Arab Strap!

“Do you want to fix my muffler? It’s got a hole in it”

Dory Previn – Mythical Kings and Iguanas
Little Feat – Feats Don’t Fail Me Now
Deerhoof – Runners Four
My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
Pram – Gash

…in no particular order.

I haven’t ordered one but do like the look of them, it’s a shame the development has had issues. I hope it gets sorted for you and others.

Scotroutes makes a good point, retirement isn’t always easy to deal with. Maybe cut yr hours down at work to begin with.

Aye, me too Ton. I’m 51 next year, worked all my life, no kids, fit and healthy for now.

Every year I say “next year I’ll make some big changes” but I tend to procrastination and just crack on grafting for another year.

Current plan involves motorhome and renting out property while I gad about the continent, if Brexshit doesn’t fubar that idea!

I say go for it; there’s no pockets in a shroud and yr kids can always find their own way.

Thanks all!

I have a second quote coming in by mid week so I’ll make a call then.

Cheers

Hmm, seems like my quote is on the steep side. I was thinking £300 ish to do work and remove waste.

I had a massive leylandii felled a few years ago and I reckon I was ripped off, I was really angry with myself for letting it happen. Which I think is the reason behind questioning this quote.

I must get a 2nd quote for comparison.

You could try Adam at Autotecnica in Buxton, he’s very knowledgeable and has a few Legacy on site for breaking. Number is 01298 27391 or 07855364898

Great ride out on a lovely day with great company; the trails were way better than they’ve been recently which was nice.

Roaches survey done!

Iain – orange Solaris

I rode all sorts of bikes from being a 9 yr old on a Honda C70 field bike to a 30 something on big Jap sports bikes to finishing on an KTM Adventure 950. Of all the bikes I owned a 1200 Bandit and the KTM were the most fun and the reason for that is seating position and fun factor and their limits being within reach.

What I’m trying to say is a bike that is comfy, gives a good view of the road ahead and over walls and other road users (flat bars like Stoner’s Honda rather than drops/clip-ons) and which you can (over time) control with ease and aplomb is what, in my opinion, helps you learn your craft.

So I’d say the CB500 or an ER6 (if they still make them) will be plenty to be going on with, and once you feel that your skills have outgrown it move on to something more ‘advanced’.

That was a good read, thx for sharing.

I’ve done some solo touring in France and like you three I experienced the overwhelmingly kind and warm hospitality of the French people. Except in Paris where most folks seem rude, brusque at best!

I’ve also done some riding in Belgium which was fantastic, mainly following canals between Bruges, Ypres and Ghent.

The one thing I really took from your lengthy epistle was the spirit of adventure and all the fun and frustration that can bring!

It is not an issue of grammar. It is an issue of punctuation.

Thanks, will check them out.

I didn’t get an email lowey but no probs, I’ll Google.

Thanks all, I’ll check them out.

I used a 10spd Dura Ace in STI mode (afaik can’t run as a friction shifter) with an old 9 spd Deore mech and it worked fine on 10 spf cassette. It wouldn’t work with a more modern ‘parallelogram’ type MTB mech though.

A friction shifter would give you more compatibility with MTB mechs and I assume (but it’ll be best to check) a 9spd Dura Ace will pull enough cable to shift a 10spd mech across a 10spd cassette.

Great vid with great moves and a decent tune and yet, when did you last see a Mongoose on the trails?

Hi hooja

You may or may not be interested but I have a Singular Gryphon in large that
I want to sell on. I too wanted a Fargo but the Gryphon, as far as I am
concerned is a superior bike. It’s ace off road, has toured Flanders and
Outer Hebrides with aplomb and I also used it to commute. It doesn’t quite
have the rack mounts and fork mounts as the Fargo, I used a Thule pack
and pedal rack and Ortlieb panniers, worked v well.

Anyhow, email in profile if you want to consider.

Really sorry to hear that, but you both gave him the love he deserved. He had a great life with you. Love and best wishes, Iain.

He’s a regular on Radio 4 comedy show ‘The Unbelievable Truth’ and I like him lots too

Alphaville – Big In Yer Pants

Very nice Ton.

Presuming that Velocity Dually rims were an option you were wise to go for Hugo rims; the Duallys are difficult to set up tubeless (with Dirt Wizards) but Stans are usually a doddle.

Surly Dirt Wizard tyres are pretty good in normal (non-dry) UK conditions.

Enjoy!

And I forgot to say, superfli offered me some parking 10 miles away, but timnoyce is half the distance away and I need to think about saving my legs, so I’ll be in touch.

Wow, this place is manned by some really nice people!

Thank you all for your offers (superfli, Jambalaya & timnoyce) and all suggestions of areas to park in.

The two week tour will consist of a 3 day journey to L’Isle Jourdain (south east of Poitiers) then staying with family for a while, followed by a ride back north. Route not yet decided. Might use the De Normandie a L’Atlantique route and turn left to Saumur then south, or might do my own route Le Mans, Saumur, Chatellerault.

Lots of planning to do yet!

Cheers 🙂

Mail sent, cheers.

Wow that was quick, and a kind offer. I’ll drop you a mail tout de suite 🙂

Darnit! I missed making the only recommendation fit for purpose – The Cottage[/url]

Or there’s Whelans in Lytham.

Both sit in or take out, both excellent!

Maybe next time.

I felt a keen sense of loss when Elliot passed, so sad.

Maybe you’d like Bill Callahan AKA Smog too.

Damien Jurado.
Nick Drake.
Ryan Adams.
Patrick Watson.
Sufjan Stevens.

It’s been like that for a while now.

Can’t help thinking it might be at the request of the folks at the posh house at the top.

I tend to use the road to get up to the bridleway these days but it is a little bit longer, and no less steep!