Never had one that would not come off.

Use the QR skewer to hold the lock-ring tool in place and use a ring spanner on it….24mm I think….or socket and long bar.
Longest chainwhip you can find on 3rd largest sprocket and push the two apart with the wheel and tyre resting on the ground.

Expect a big bang and all will loosen.

PaulD

Rings are usually specified as single-speed (no ramps and pins) or not mentioned.
Your double may be odd sized BCD, so check carefully.
My worry is still the diameter of a 40T and it fouling the chainstay.
Again, work out the diameter and see if it will be OK.

Rings can be specific WRT ramping from a given smaller ring, so again worth checking what info available.
Even SS specific rings will shift with a front mech if you back off the pressure.

PaulD

A 38T is only 5% larger, so would increase speed at spin-out accordingly.
A 40T would be 10% so a better bet, but may not clear your frame if on the middle ring position on a triple crank.

PaulD

The forks and brakes are an unknown variable to me, but 9-sp with solid reliable square taper versus ‘squeezed’ 10-sp and an external BB is a no-brainer if you are going to use it in mud.

9-sp every time.

PaulD

Andy,

I was not specific enough, but what chainring sizes?

M770 front mech should be OK for a triple 44-32-22 and be fine for your crankset with the 2+1 spacers on a 68mm shell.

Check the mech limit screws and the shifter cable slack.

PaulD

Andy,

Please specify the model numbers for the crankset and front mech, as well as ring sizes.

PaulD

HG61 is good solid Deore, not lightened and spidered SLX.

The 12-36 is approx 425g.

Still a good price tho’.

PaulD

Milt,

I have loose single sprockets from old Shimano cassettes in these sizes:

20 23 24 26 28 29 30 34

Want to make me an offer for a few or the lot?

paul.r.davisAThotmail.co.uk

Poundland really do have them, but never seen more than a few 26″ at one time…look carefully as they have all the sizes.

Decathlon are 2 for £4 and are approx 180g with a car valve.
They also stock Michelin in latex and butyl with both valve options.

Check CRC and Wiggle…they do specials periodically (just don’t hold your breath if none at present)

PaulD

Remember to pack a spare pair because you will have trouble getting most ‘waterproof’ gloves back on after riding an hour.

Most turn iside out when removed or are just too wet to refit.

I dry mine in the airing cupboard with a kitchen roll card centre inserted to remove the water/sweat.

PaulD

Here…

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34709

PaulD

Poundland and 99p Stores for genuine alkaline batteries…typically Memorex, Sony, Kodak, Panasonic or Polaroid.

All the alkalines I have bought have been fine..no exceptions.

Look for the 6-packs or 4+2free.

You know the price…

Avoid the heavy duty zinc carbon…..just cheapo trash that leak.

Do not bother with rechargeables as they are only 1.2v that gives poor output with LED torches….just check it out if you do not believe me.

PaulD

I’m in too.

I will lead if you wish…or follow, baa baaa.

I will recce a couple of times next week and post up the mud depth so you know which tyres/dinghy to bring.

PaulD

I have bought so many I lost count.

Settled on Selle Italia Flite and SLRs for most of the bikes.

Sold the Fizik mistakes very soon after acquisition.

Rest are in a sack in the loft…I used to let mates borrow the sack on the basis that if it had 12 in when they got it, I wanted it back with 12. We are all different shapes…..

PaulD

UN51 = solid axle
UN53 = solid axle
UN54 = hollow, plastic NDS cup
UN55 = hollow, alloy NDS cup
UN72 = hollow, ?? cup
UN73 = hollow, alloy NDS cup
UN91 = hollow, alloy NDS cup
Token = hollow CroMo or Ti axle, alloy NDS cup

PaulD

Sheldon also mentions ‘8 out of 9 on 7’ as a viable solution where you fit 8 sprockets off a 9-sp cassette (a spider may limit choices) and use a 9-sp shifter to index for the 8 sprockets.
This will use your existing splined freehub and be low cost.
You would only need the 9-sp sprockets, shifter and chain.

PaulD

Regular size Swiss Army Knife with scissors and wood saw is fine.

No need to get the Champion model at over 200g.

PaulD

Not sure if any steel HT is that big, but my S-Works Stumpy M5 alloy HT has a 30.9mm seatpost.

All my steel bikes use 27.2 or thinner.

PaulD

I only patch my tubes at home, in the dry.
I roughen the tube with a wet+dry block and clean off with petrol and leave to air dry.
Then put a blob of glue# on the tube and spread out wearing clean nitrile gloves.
Let air dry.
Apply clean, untouched patch to middle of hole and radiate pressure outwards.
Let dry.
Remove backing paper/clear plastic.
Dust with talc.
Fit without levers, inflate and ride.

# Glue must be the inflammable type…the ‘safe’ glue was useless.

Do not bother with self-adhesive patches….work of the devil.

Final thought….100Kg and 35psi (nice mix of units, hey) is either too much weight or not enough air in my opinion.
I need 27psi with 2.1″ tyres to avoid pinches and only weigh 51kg.
Check your pressure gauge too, most are weigh out…pun intended.

PaulD

Get a KMC Z610 RustBuster chain in 3/32″ and it will work fine as well as last ages.

By the way, 9-sp chain is actually 11/128″.

CRC sell them at wildly varying prices…I have bought at £2.80 and much more…

PaulD

Token BBs are very light and so far are working very well.

Older Shimano are excellent but some are heavy.

XT and XTR will last for years….just try finding one in the axle size you need….

PaulD

One from the charity shops is ’23 days in July’ written by a journo covering one year’s race by looking into each team’s performance and strategies.
Definitely not a multi-year history, nor a Lance Armstrong Promo Book, but a good insight to the whole event.

PaulD

Shimano has the axle crimped in the drive side, passing the splined joint to the other side, which is a better solution for most right-handed (stronger on the right) people.

Consider Saint cranks with a heavier axle and longer BB cups for extra strength.
Edit: Saint and Zee now only available as a single ring solution, so may not be appropriate. Earlier Saint was available a single, double and triple.

PaulD

Chain is most probably scrap…or reuse on an old 9-sp setup on another bike.

Aim for the best chainline you can get, but +/- a few mm is usually OK.

Get a new rustbuster KMC single-speed from CRC for approx £9.
These were on offer at £4 a few days ago!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25653

PaulD

Alligators are £20 for 4 sets at XC-Racer.com

PaulD

Defo not right.

I have several Token BBs and they are all super smooooooth.

Mine are all square taper or ISIS and are not user-servicable items.

PaulD

Mister P,

Shimano have changed the .pdfs and the part numbers since I saved mine to disc.

I concur with current parts but maintain they are both carbon/steel composites. If one were glass fibre versus carbon their weight would be significantly different and they are not, both being 60g new.

I have a mixed bag of new spares that come up the same weight and look physically identical.

The 10-sp are labelled differently as Dynasys but otherwise seem identical.

PaulD

I clean it out with petrol and leave to dry, then slop in the glue and leave it to dry and finally push the cut closed.

Not ideal, but best so far.

PaulD

Crank length of 10% of total height is a good guide for children’s bikes, so why not use it as a start for an adult?

However, I have similar bikes with 170 and 175 where I cannot feel the difference either on the road or in the singletracks.

PaulD

SLX and XT middle rings have the same part number on their tech docs, despite being described differently….marketing/smoke/mirrors.

BBs are BB70 at 95g, Deore is BB51 at 97g.

XT has 22g alloy granny ring versus SLX steel at 40g.

PaulD

+1 for TA

Try Spa Cycles.

PaulD

M770 XT with 3 rings and BB was approx 853g with 2x alloy and 1x composite rings.
M660 SLX with 3 rings and BB was approx 889g with 1 alloy, 1 composite + 1 steel ring.

M770 9-sp XT 11-32 Cassette was 256g
M660 9-sp SLX 11-32 Cassette was 282g

Shimano HG73 chain approx 290g
Shimano XTR chain approx 290g
SRAM PC991 chain approx 300g
YBN Hollowpin chain approx 280g
KMC X9SL chain approx 260g

PaulD

Superglue is not durable as it is ultimately water-soluble (research how it dries) and usually states not to be used in a wet environment. It is also too stiff, so fails by peeling off the flexing rubber.

Best I have found is vulcanizing solution….patch glue.

Epoxy and contact adhesives all fail very quickly too.

Not tried silicone, but cannot see how it will fare better.

PaulD

Rechargable NiMh batteries will be 1.2v and give poor light output.
Alkaline will give 1.5v but this will be reduced with a high current load and low temperature.
Lithium will give 1.5v and maintain this at high current and low temps, but are very pricey.

I use AAA alkalines from Poundland (6 for £1) and they are fine; just keep the torch in your pocket before use to keep the batteries warm.

PaulD

Topeak Beam Rack and Bag.

PaulD

Remove disc from hub.
Scrub with abrasive kitchen cleaner and stiff brush, particularly all the slots and holes…you cannot do this with just a rag.
Rinse with boiling water.
Repeat scrub and rinse.
Let air dry and refit without touching braking surface.
New pads and bed them in.
Ride.

PaulD

I run a 9-sp chain on an 8-sp cassette perfectly…KMC guarantee it.

A 10-sp chain is exactly the same internal size as 9-sp, just has thinner plates.

7-sp may need a quick check with Sheldon on cog thickness as I have not tried this combo…but I do run a 7-sp cassette with an 8-sp chain.

PaulD

Squirt is fine as a dry weather (California?) lube…not UK autumn, winter and spring.

Find a wet lube you like and wipe off the surplus before the ride.

PaulD

Yes it would as KMC guarantee their 9-sp chain will work on an 8-sp drivetrain.
But on that basis, a 10-sp would also work as it is the same internal spacing….just costs a bit more.

I use KMC X10SL Gold off ebay for £23.

If you are concerned about the drivetrain working with new chain, carry a used one…it may be noisy or rough, but it only has to get you home.

PaulD

KMC X10SL Gold for approx £23 on ebay….take approx 10 days and are perfect.

PaulD