Got SRAM on 2 bikes and Shimano on one. SRAM changes excellently and is fit and forget through any cr*p. Oldest mech is probably 4 years old (?), essentially I’ve never had to change one yet. The Shimano is forever jumping around and is generally very attention-seeking. I know what I’d buy again!

You probably squeezed the lever a bit pushing the pistons in slightly when you put it in the car. Carefully lever them apart again (taking care not to damage / contaminate the pads.

Thanks for the offer, Cinnamon_girl. I’ve emailed.

Thanks guys.

Have got SRAM on all my bikes (bar one). It’s great! I’m waiting for the kit on the Shimano one to die so I can replace with SRAM. I admit I’ve never used X0 – always X9 or X7.

D’oh! Too big is of course what I meant….!!

Arrived today.

I much prefer riding my hardtails. But that’s just me. I prefer to get up and heave it.

I think they are built as ordered, however mine were delivered the same week.

Trackside repairs (punctures etc) while solo night riding really do get my senses going beserk, especially in woods where they invariably happen. Who’s that creeping up behind me etc. I’m trying not to imagine your chain picking that precise moment to snap (oh and perhaps a puncture too for good measure). Now that’s quite a scary thought, isn’t it?!

Biffa here. Run 40psi pretty consistently, seems to avoid snakebites.

I suppose it depends absolutely on where and how you ride. I’m certainly not saying “I’m right, you’re wrong” as it’s all opinion and preference anyway, but for what it’s worth I wouldn’t want to be without my big ring – I ride most of the time in it and usually in the upper gears at the back as well to allow me to keep speed up. The fact that it’s the big ring that gets changed most often supports this. Part of it’s becuase I don’t get out much and want to train hard when I do. I suspect the other big difference is that I ride where the hills tend to be short and fast – it would certainly be a different story in a hillier part of the country, which is where a lot of other posters seem to ride.

Each to his own though, so please don’t shoot me down for expressing what is just my opinion.

Takisawa2 – it’s a simple conversion on the exisiting hub if it’s a QR Pro II, isn’t it?

Cheers guys. Now ordered.

Where do you get ’em from (singlespeed version)? CRC seem out of stock…..

Second SSStu – we hired one in Canada (off-road) and have now bought one – they are a real laugh! The first 15 minutes are a bit frustrating, but after that we haven’t stopped smiling. Try and enjoy. Just don’t cut any corners round trees.

I would do, but London living and work means the net is the only option really

Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, or Harvey’s Best.

The brake problem will suddenly be clear after 8 pints of either.

Elaine Anne – found out a few weeks ago my “bad” chloresterol is off the scale – and my idea of going wild is an occasional smear of butter on my bread! Was told it’s genetic but on a really harsh diet to try and drive it down to avoid the dreaded chloresterol-reducing tablets. It was also suggested that I do low-intensity exercise (eg walking) as well as the full-on biking. Apparently, that reduces chloresterol most effectively.

Some people are just pre-disposed, I think.

Have taken mine on, essentially I think it’s out of peak hours (can’t remember the exact definition) and only on the surface lines / stations. I think you’ll fall foul of the latter at Victoria, but you could try it (not sure if Finsbury Park is surface or not). What about train from FP to King’s Cross, then Circle Line round to Victoria if out of rush hours?

No sadly. I look upon it as a training opportunity….!

Sounds pretty familiar on both my sets of Avid’s…..

As above I like my M4’s, Mono mini’s don’t seem to be quite as robust. Also run Avid’s, which are a real pain to change pads and seem to drag on the rotor a lot.

I am curious about being able to change pads without removing the wheel though…? I’m lucky if I get away without having to remove / clean pistons just to get new pads in.

Thanks all. The reason I asked with Avids / Hope is that I have a spare Hope rotor! Cheers will give it a go.

Based down the road in Chorleywood. If it’s really wet I sometimes ride up the canal to Whippendell that area, not far away at all.

Email: jamesandrews23@yahoo.co.uk

Newcomer here. 2001 for me – on an awful Giant hybrid with semi-slick tyres. And panniers. I remember how deep the mud was and the tyres would never grip, but I still loved it and have hardly had a week since not riding.

According to the EC labelling rules, the best before date applies assuming correct storage has been maintained. And according to the egg safety guidelines on some fairly random website, eggs should be kept refrigerated after purchase.

Cheers guys, received and replied to the various emails – thanks!

Twiglet – if you fancy joining in at Swinley, drop me a line (jamesandrews23@yahoo.co.uk). At this rate, there’ll be more tandems than solo bikes.

Cheers

Neilnevill (and any others) drop me an email to jamesandrews23@yahoo.co.uk. I’ve got a few email addresses for a spring Swinley tandem trip (once we’ve got good enough to not totally embarass ourselves, that is!) from a previous STW thread.

Andrew – where are you based? Happy to let you have a try, I say that as initially it’s harder than it looks and I’d hate for you to lay out some serious cash and Mrs Andrew to not get on with it.

Cheers

Thanks again. I’ll give ’em a go!

Thanks Olly. Actually, it’s thorns mostly round my way, but to put the little devils in context, in the last 2 short rides I have had 5 punctures!

I’m totally confused “how to” tubeless – does ghetto mean using a Stan’s type kit on non-UST tyres? I gave up about 2 hours in to reading a mass of conflicting websites….!

Olly – thanks for the steel suggestion, I realise that’s the best answer. The current wheel has a steel XC freehub, but I wanted to swap my Pro II alloy set onto the bike as it means I could run it tubeless (I’m sick to death of undoing all the chaintug gubbins following an endless stream of punctures). In my case, I don’t want the cost of a new freehub, so I thought I’d see if I could “get away” with the alloy freehub for a while.

Appreciate the suggestion from GavinB about doing it up really tight, but the picture from Simondbarnes is rather striking – it may have just convinced me to put up with endless punctures!

Cheers all.

Thanks for the various tips, guys.

I’ll, er, think about what to do!

Thanks all!

Thanks TJ

Andrew, we got lucky having scoured the classifieds and ebay for months when a Dawes Double Edge frame came up for buttons. It was unused too. I’ve just finished building it up – wheels and hubs are expensive if you go for the proper ones, but everything else is largely just two of standard mtb kit. TandemJeremy was incredibly helpful (I plagued him endlessly by email!). I’d post a pic if I had any idea how to.

Once we remember how to steer a tandem again, hope to try out Swinley with some of the tandemers on here. But at present it’s all practice. we’ve mastered starting and stopping now. Lots of fun, both of you need to work at it.

Chilterns. All the snow has melted here. Just the usual mud, but we’ve had that for 2 years now.

Ride Wendover / Chilterns regularly – not sure where the MBR route goes, but the woods themselves have some really, really claggy bits, but elsewhere stays OK. The surrounding area tends to be OK-ish under the tree cover, and quite rideable, unless there’s been horses through, they cut it up hopelessly. Field edges (predictably) are an absolute horror.

Never stops me riding though – otherwise I wouldn’t! And that would never do.

Pedant alert II (above) – the spelling is Passchendaele.

Mike T-23: I thought it was just me who feels like that with my bikes….! Brilliant! Thanks for cheering up my Monday morning!

It was – I was gutted as I was down for some Cotics but the “other website” out up a cancelled headline on Saturday afternoon.