Makes me laugh when mags say things like "Why would you ride in thick mud?". If you live round this way you have nooooo choice! I think there was a week last year mind when I didn't have to pedal down some hills.

But that's the Chilterns in summer…..!

Never broken a SRAM one and have had a few (on different bikes).

Not what you asked I know but the only Shimano mech I'm running is permanently falling out of index / getting stuck. Every blasted ride. Intend to swap it to SRAM when I can finally kill it!

Disc brakes or moving from Central London to the Chilterns.

Usually once at the weekend (althiough the diary has been mysteriously filled for the next 2000 weekends I see!) and try to do one night ride per week. Thankfully, my new riding pals are understanding and are prepared to wait for me to get home before we go night riding.

More of a pootler myself, but the change to discs was for me the biggest single improvement to enjoym,ent of riding that I ever made. Corny as it sounds, you will wonder how you coped before.

Maintenance is generally OK really.

Ordered a singlespeed rear a couple of weeks ago, waiting delivery, can't wait to try it / get the bike back up running again. Seems very good value indeed (from a cup and cone loather!).

OK I’m going to add a little more seeing as this is actually read by the staff (another ST plus!). For me, the opinion and “philosophical” articles are generally the best – they are someone’s considered view on the subject and at least make you think, I find them normally very absorbing. I’m really not a Ferrantino fan, but at least I do read his articles, so something must be right, but he does come across a bit whingey / ultra-cynical for my tastes. Equipment reviews generally offer a good perspective, reviewers generally have actually used / broken them, the bike articles (for me) are usually the weakest, probably due to having read so many elsewhere to be fair to ST. Although where ST is great in that department is reviewing really unusual bikes; if you want to read about the latest big-name big- volume seller, well MBR’s probably promoting them. Keep it up please guys – I always look forward to publishing day.

One thing though, looking at the pics, there appears to be no mud whatsoever in Calderdale! It’s not fair!

Trying knocking on the immediate neighbours' door and either think up something to say or just admit you're thinking of buying. Either way, speak to him/her to make a view as to what they're like. If they get uptight about you knocking, that tells you a lot. You have to live enxt door to them and bad neighbours are awful.

+1 for long technical climbs – I love them! Best bit. Probably controversially, I don't like downhills as much as I'm nervous on them.

I enjoy seeing how long I can keep momentum up in a big gear on the ups. the only time they become a bind are slippery grassy climbs.

Each to their own and all that of course, but whilst a little thinner I thought it was excellent – a really good balance of articles. Thre articles (for me anyway) cover such a range of interesting topics. Particularly liked the Canadian one and also the one about the anatomy of crashing.

No sign of postman yet, but have got the area staked out.

Taken up expectant position in the hallway staring at front door……

Worth knowing. Might try them again in that case. Was put off them ages and ages ago and have refused to use them since but things change, I suppose.

Sorry SFB – I meant it tongue-in-cheek but it came out a bit mis-leading!

Cheers!

MBR seems to be having a love affair with Specialized, from what I can see – quite sickening. WMB is OK, at least they can think beyond FS bikes a bit. But STW and The Ride are my "must-haves" – I read everything in them.

Thanks everyone. By internal I meant a square taper type BB where the bearing body sits inside the frame – sorry, not used to them, usually use HT II!

Will go for the non-drive side gap. Thansk again – I was slightly concerned about water ingress, but I suppsoe that's rather "golding the lily". Thanks again.

Good idea – I'll go and try tonight.

(Very helpful) chap who sold it to me said it had come off his Inbred, it fitted no problems on that. But great ideas, will give them a go. Thanks.

Hmmmm. No spacers with it and I didn't think they were supposed to have any, but as you mention it the gap is exactly spacer size.

It's for an Inbred and it's a 113mm BB – anyone know if it should?

Thanks joolsburger! I'm just fitting some and was checking there's not some ancient curse on them if you don't run round them three times flinging salt when fitting them, or something similar. Cheers!

If I remember rightly, the Mono Mini pin also has a thread on so it screws in – if there's an Allen head in the end of the pin see if it will unscrew.

joolsburger – just interested, why do you believe it to be "your fault" that they are seized on?

I've had a fair bit of stuff from the Classifieds which has been fine and some great sellers who have been more than pleasant and helpful. However, had my first bit of "tat" in August, didn't fit the part in question up until a couple of weeks ago (it had been stored as I changed my mind on build) and discovered a vital thread is totally stripped (along with some minor bits damaged/missing). I'm in the process of trying to get seller to admit it. As above it's a shame that one or two spoil it for the rest.

Checked with my mrs. At least 100 -150 for a pair of shoes. I did buy her a pair of overshoes this week though for the mud, and they were less than that.

Result! Pleased for you.

Realise you've booked, but in future +1 for Dales MTB. Mrs did a course last year, we're both back up in April for the steep & rocky. They're really, really good.

We got Mrs ononeorange an Inbred in the 14" size which is perfect for her, although she is 5' 2", so not sure how much help that is! I think Inbred and 456 geometries are very similar if not the same.

CG – a little late but only just "found" this thread. Lovely bike! They're fab.

Well done Billyboy. I was wondering if the cc would do anything or even bother to acknowledge your report, but how wrong that was and excellent result!

Put up on here if you're going to do a mass forum ride though, anyway.

Also a Blue Peter badge;
Cycling Proficiency (96 out of 100 – probably my academic peak);
Various O Levels;
1 A level;
HND Material Technology;
BSc Metallurgy;
Assorted finance stuff

Most of what I've learnt though has probably come about in the last 5 years of doing a grown-up job!

As someone said above though, I've always just scraped through and wish I'd put a lot more into it when I was younger. Now work 12+ hour days and retirement and therefore bike riding when I feel like is still far, far away…..

The Strype Street Cycle Surgery people generally know what they're on about (the one tucked away near Liverpool Street) although it's pretty small.

It's simple – simplesimplesimplesimplesimple

Refreshing to see the views above which largely say the same thing. I sued to think he was dangerously smart until the Question Time episode.

Oh and **pedants corner**

Franz von Papen survived the Night of the Long Knives despite having had his cards marked – he was then daft enough to go on and help the Nazi annexation of Austria in 1938.

**Steps out of pedants corner**

Got to do this soon – so did we decide 45 – 50 Nm?

Ta!

As it's driven by economics and with a weak pound and inflation picking up in China, maybe what we'll see is the good established designers (eg Brant, Cy, Sam etc) bring production to the UK as it starts to be able to compete. Has the additional advantage of reducing transport costs and time (for the UK market, at least). There should be a good pool of expereinced skilled welders and fabricators in the UK.

Yep – can confirm conditions. Went out yesterday and pretty much everywhere really is "stand on the pedals to move downhill". Horses have been out and about too so the paths are really chewed and claggy. No surprise, really!

Wow – imagine not having punctures! At least 2 or 3 a ride.

I intend to give tubless a cautious trial, solely due to ****ing punctures.

Schwalbes don't work well round here the Chilterns – (if you're heavy) – the flints tear them to bits.

Sitting right in the middle of the Chilterns now, it's pouring with rain and everywhere is chewed-brown (as above). Trying to get the energy to go out….. at least there won't be many horses out today!

Mostly Hope pro II's, love the noise and got nothing but good things to say about them. Also ran a set of Kings – excellent too.

Have a Hope XC of uncertain history (got it off the Classifieds) on the rear of my s/s, never touched it just abused it and it's finally starting to stutter – deciding whether to send off to Hope for a rebuild or build a whole new wheel up. Money/sense dictates the former, but if I did the latter would probably be Pro II.

ampthill +1!!

Nice. You'd better make sure mrs jb doesn't look on here and find out the state of the place when she's away!

Enjoy it.