The lucky strike is classy, makes me think James Dean.. If I smoked, I'd smoke these! 😉

Fat chance Yo Eddy symbolises fun and menace – wickedness

Spooky is gothic bike chic .. edgy but not too "heavy"

My legs were shot after the final lap so I couldn't have done any more! I was running a single 42t ring up front and a 12-25 cassette as the bike usually does road-work… Did me right in! I'll be racing again as soon as I get a more appropriate ride – I live in London but made a special effort to attend this time as I used to work for Chevin Cycles (the main sponsor)

They now have a UK importer and we just got a whole bunch in stock.. every colour – both variants (chunky/racer)

Stif and Jungle imports are basically the same company – or so I'm led to believe and make plenty of money online while dist. santa cruz etc. The shop in Headlingly will have cost em an arm & a leg in rent .. whereas Jungle is already established in Sommerbridge. Cutting costs while maintaining a core business.

Hi mate. yeah that sounds about right .. If you had a green/white global(?) and a 4×4 .. I was on the white rigid 9sp .. (next year I hope to build myself a proper 650b race bike instead of using my commute bike) I came 10th in the race after my many tumbles 😛 … I see you scored in at 6th – Nice work! I think we had 56 racers in our cat.

That was a bloody deep puddle in the quarry.

Enjoyed it, despite falling off about 6 times (first off-road ride "clipped-in") managed a 33:10 TT .. but cramped up badly by the last lap of the race. I think a lot of people were playing it safe in the sports cat (including me!) – I noticed the first 5 finishers were faster than all but the top 3 in the elite cat!

The time trial i think is just one lap of the course, by yourself.. it'll help to set a pace for the main race.

I'll be there on sunday.. anyone else?

Cheers for all the input guys, appreciate it ! It's not a very well-paid job and a miserly commission to boot so this is a slap in the face really. Not a job I'd be desperate to keep so I'll push it-considering they're the ones taking the p*ss.

Cheers for the input TJ. I'm not trying to piss em off, but it seems a bit cheeky when I pay for their mistakes without recompense.

Obviously I'm not a savvy salesman 😉

When I see the rickety sh1t that some people ride it makes me shudder to think.. £50 folding bikes that twist and contort.. old tourers with gashes in the tyres, ready to explode and throw them under a bus at any point. For commuters that share the roads with cars in such close proximity – as here in London there really should be bike MOTs to at least keep people safe. The problem is that most cycle commuters see it as a zero-cost option (esp young riders) and are really loath to spend money on their steed.

I happen to think they're a great idea. If I can get closer to the speed of 29ers without compromising my low speed handling then great!

For 26" conversions a 650b front wheel wouldn't raise the front up as much as a 29er while still offering all of the benefits

That's why I'm starting to import tyres & rims .. so if you need any 650b related products give me a shout (email in profile) if you want to find out about my selection.

frank zappa

There will come a time when everybody
Who is lonely will be free…
TO SING & DANCE & LOVE

There will come a time when every evil
That we know will be an evil…
THAT WE CAN RISE ABOVE

Who cares if hair is long or short
or sprayed or partly grayed…
WE KNOW THAT HAIR AIN'T WHERE IT'S AT

(there will come a time when you won't
even be ashamed if you are fat!)

WAH WAH-WAH WAH

There will come a time when everybody
Who is lonely will be free…
TO SING & DANCE & LOVE (dance and love)

There will come a time when every evil
that we know will be an evil…
THAT WE CAN RISE ABOVE (rise above)

Who cares if you're so poor you can't afford
To buy a pair of Mod A Go-Go stretch-elastic pants…
THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN YOU CAN EVEN
TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF WHEN YOU DANCE

This Mortal Coil – Song to the Siren.

Tim Buckley..

See here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9JC1tNQUjU

It's cr&p.

You wait patiently for some bird to get her kit off but she always stops at the nipple tassels .

Sounds like it could be a bit of fun, this year it seems like they're setting everyone off at the same time a la grizedal, which could be carnage if you can't get to the front.

I use em. like em

http://lightwaterlaike.co.uk/

Having had my 3 front teeth smashed in and rebuilt AGAIN and had a canine pulled out due to it being fubar'ed from just one crash on my commute – I shall soon be investing in a Met parachute. Dentist (dour chap) says that if it happens again then my teeth won't last 5 years before falling out.. this being my top front row. I would have to get each re-implanted at a cost of £2.5k EACH .. after going 6 months looking like shane mcgowan to let the gum 'settle' .

In all my years on an MTB my worst injury has been scratches and scrapes from branches …but tarmac has claimed my shoulder (philos plate) and 4 teeth.

Ow.

likewise interested 😉

That Indy Fab is beautiful!

What rims are those? I don't recognise them?

Too many people today know the price of everything but the value of nothing

I had one on the back of the wrist .. doctor advised against the bible treatment! He injected a load of steroid crap into it which made it go away … for about 2 weeks before it was back.

I got pissed off with it as it dug in when I rode mi' bike .. so I smacked it repeatedly on a steel weights bench .. did the job a treat, and it's not been back since! (2 years)

yep, rabbits and pheasants.. yummy

I have no axe to grind, I love the mag.. but when the reviewer proclaims 650B "pointless" and himself "big-wheel-phobic" before even getting into the review it doesn't sound like it's going to be a balanced viewpoint.

If he enjoyed riding the bike, I guess 650B 'works'? But benji seemingly didn't even want to consider being open minded on this one.

Ian, I would consider an objective review to be one that examines the pros and cons of a product without any obvious bias or ill-placed cynicism, both or which Benji laid on pretty thick.

If you want something a bit nice, check out vicious cycles.

or salsa cromoto

use sumo titanium

the clue's in the name = 456 (inches) … that's 100m / 120m / 140mm .. guess you'll be fine

charlie don't surf !

OK, here's the context : I know there are too many variables to make it a sensible question but I'm trying to bring (import) a certain manufacturer's 650b tyres to the UK and if I initially supply one size.. which would be most popular? ❓ (disclaimer: I say "popular" in a niche-tastic context) 😉 )

kryptonite evo 4 at £40-50 is best bang for buck (sold secure gold)

You're obviously better off buying from a uk distributor … but those exact frames have been going for $300-500 (new) on US ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Spot-Brand-Longboard-9-29er-Frame-Small-29-er-Niner_W0QQitemZ130318990659QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMountain_Bikes?hash=item1e579dfd43&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_500wt_1182

Well, I've not visited recently but did work for you for 8 months*

*clue – 3 cannondales ! 😉

I used to run a 1×8 on my roadrat, now I run 1×9 on my newest commute-build.

Used a 'high' teethed Chainring from Surly IIRC but that wasn't enough to stop the chain from dropping with some frequency. I switched to a DMR chaincage and have been 100% problem free ever since. Similar products on the market would be the old roox chaindog or the new Paul's chain-keeper…

I've always fancied a top-end madone with blue flames and "dream on" written on the TT 🙄

the geared inbred has the option of bosses it seems.. but as you point out the SLOT drop-out version doesn't.

I probably should get a cheaper frame, you're right .. there's just that silly romantic notion of a bike-for-life that will follow me round the globe.. which is a silly romanic notion.

cheers for the heads-up on the inbred .. current blurb says v-bosses are there.

RM blizzard was my first choice esp. at merlin's current price for the 08 model (incidentally, that's about 80 quid cheaper than it'd cost me at trade through work!) but no bosses!

Nothing with slightly fancier tubing than the inbred? .. Up to 600 max.

I dunno if anyone has a NOS old skool v-brake ti frame kicking around for that 😀

Nick, I have been to my Afco a couple of times and spoken to people down there .. Although different personnel give you varying p.o.v and all seem to have a different idea of what I'd be good for.

My 'robot' comment was not meant as a slight, but I don't see that the fact that I haven't wanted this career since forever should put me behind.. I would rather be judged on my capabilities.

Cheers for the input guys,

I appreciate the comments, very insightful !

Please don't mistake my open-mindedness for apathy. I am looking for a good trade within an organisation that I can grow with and do my damnedest… I give 110% and don't expect an easy ride. It's true that I don't have a one-track-military mind which is why I'm intelligence gathering before jumping in. I know the military would rather have indoctrinated robots but I'm not of that mindset (yet?)

At 24 I may be a little older than the norm but I'm fitter and faster than I've ever been

edit : Heh, I see the armed forces now have an ad on the right

'pologies mod 🙂

paul smith's mercian bike is a bit more tasteful