I love my Croix de Fer. It’s not the lightest, I think mine comes in at just over 26lb.

The finishing kit is not the best, but it all seems to work beautifully, although I would like the brakes to bite a bit better.

I have a 58cm Croix de Fer and it’s not light but does ride nicely. I don’t think light steel mass-produced frames are around now with the CEN requirements.

I upgraded the rotors on the CdF from 160mm to 180mm (front one just fits on the fork) as i too was disappointed in the braking performance. They have improved things hugely.

Aye, that’s me on the cover of Issue 1.

Did it years ago. Came back with a couple of recommendations:

1. Don’t take SPDs – use flatties and wear walking shoes/boots;
2. Leave the bike at the bottom.

i had an issue with older Avid ‘Roundagon’ rotors catching the caliper when used with a hope IS to post 183mm adaptor. I changed to an Avid 185mm adaptor and it was fine, or I could have shimmed it as 100mphplus said.

I eventually got onto a site but when I saw the prices I had to call the wife and see if she wanted to see TT that badly. Thankfully, she said ‘**** no, not at that price!’

That’s why I married her. :D

At a guess…. Ragley?!

Thudbuster LT….Works so well you don’t really notice it – until you put a rigid post back in again and you then realise what a great job it’s been doing…..

Ditto

And stretch your hamstrings daily.

I thought it was thoroughly entertaining. Totally agree with the comment that the filming showed the ‘true’ speed the riders go at 8O (probably enhanced by the dramatic soundtrack). Strangely I found the ‘non-riding’ portions involving Voigt, Aldag and Holm the most entertaining – probably as I watched the 2009 Tour on Channel 4 and so knew the race results. Those guys should have their own show.

…and the ‘Prince Harry’ moment – the whole cinema was in stitches at that. :lol:

Ach it’s fine. Just remember the same animals are in the woods at night as there are in the day… it’s just they’re awake and hungry…. 8O

Er, it’s rather expensive…

We were there last week and got tickets through our Tesco Clubcard and saved a fortune. We had a great time. The kids (five and eight) loved it, the sun shone and there were hardly any queues (and no wasps). Take a packed lunch with you though, food and drink is expensive. The main show at the harbour was pretty good too – I think there are three shows every day, about 2 hours apart.

Brant, will the Ti Piglet be available with vertical dropouts, not sliders?

I upgraded my Langster to Ultegra calipers, which were lovely. I could see the Tektro calipers flexing when I rocked the back back and forward with the brakes on. I also bought Cane Creek levers – I wasn’t unhappy with the Tektro levers as they are a nice shape, but one got badly scraped in a crash – the Cane Creek levers were more expensive than the Tektros and I was somewhat disappointed to find they are IDENTICAL except for the dimpled rubber hood :(. Stick with the Tektro levers.

Yeah, Mavic Open pro rims. For tyres I used Specialized Borough CX 32C. Roll nicely on the road and smooth singletrack and give a wee bit of offroad ability. prob not the best if the majority of your riding is off-road though…

I regularly have close encounters with bats on a night ride. One got stuck in one of my helmet vents for about 5 seconds. I absolutely sh@t myself!! 8O

I put Goodridge hoses onto my Juicy 5's. I bought separate connector kit and hose 'cos I wanted blue hoses 8). The connector kit required is the 'Goodridge Connector Kit 108 Saint El Camino Gustav' although had to use the existing banjo nut at the caliper end (it is hollow with the bleed grub screw).

Rich,

Come out on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening or drag you ass out of bed on a Sunday morning and come out with some of the guys and gals of GMBC. You'll get to see some great trails…

I used to have Shimano 550 low-profile cantis, which were not very confidence-inspiring so I got two sets of Tektro CR720 which, when set up carfefully, are MUCH better, almost as good as road caliper brakes.

That's not saying much, is it?

OK, just to clarify, the Tektros are almost as good as dual pivot caliper brakes, which have been good in my experience.

I used to have Shimano 550 low-profile cantis, which were not very confidence-inspiring so I got two sets of Tektro CR720 which, when set up carfefully, are MUCH better, almost as good as road caliper brakes.

Hipsway's 'Hipsway' album was outstanding.

Fairy biological gel in that funny half rugby ball dispenser thingy in the washing drum and a sprinkling of Napisan in the detergent drawer and then a 30deg wash cycle. has worked wonders with fending off whiffy smells in well used bike gear…

To keep it on a cylcing theme…:

Was at the MTB World Champs in Chateaux D'Oex in Switzerland in 1997 and ended up renting an apartment beneath John Tomac's. Said hello to him a few times and he seemed pleasant enough. My mate managed to get a couple of his cast-off tyres out of the bin in the basement. Nowt wrong with them.

Also took a pi$$ beside Gary Fisher at the same event. Said hello to each other, but it was pretty awkward to be honest.

Went along on the road ride with Lance Armstrong from Paisley last year. Managed to hange on to his 'group' going up the climb from Howood to Bowfield, where the other 250-odd in the peleton were jettisoned out the back. He ended up chatting to the 40 or so riders who were left going over the Glennifer Braes. Top bloke. My mate and I had a wee chat about the weather and what to eat on a ride, for some reason. There was even a bit of banter when he tried to jump a red light. I'm not sure he fully understood the Glaswegian sense of humour however…

Babyliss has been great for me.

I have one and it's a great all-round bike. Ideal for scooting along the back roads and diving down lanes or canal towpaths and just generally taking 'alternative' routes that you couldn't do on a road bike.

It is quite sturdy (which is reassuring off-road) but very comfortable. I've had it since November and I have changed a few bits:

the Continental 35C tyres were awful: slow and puncture prone so I have changed to Specialized Borough CX 32Cs which have a slick centre-ridge and so roll much better on the road and can still take some mild off-road, which suits the kind of riding I do. Oh and no punctures.

the drop bars are not anatomic and so you really feel the curve if you ride on the drops. I changed these for Ritchey BioMax 2 bars which are also shallow drop and anatomic. Much more comfy.

The disc brakes take a lot of bedding in and are only really better than a set of cantis in the wet. I have just upgraded to 180mm rotors (from 160mm) and this has helped.

Other than that it's a great bike for the money. I've done lightweight weekends away on it and if I'm heading out for a blast on the roads or to go and visit mates/parents, it's the bike I wheel out of the garage now…

enduro-aid – Member
well I'm just going to say HAHAHAHA up in glasgow its been pishing down for the whole of june and july and we have had to great sunny weeks the past two

so its payback for all you southern's

Eh?! Which part of Glasgow have you been in? June was beautiful then as soon as the schools broke up for the summer the weather went to carp. The last two weeks have been showery. Today we have heavy showers and severe gales forecast.

They are excellent. I'm now rodong with No.2 son and we can venture a bit further afield knowing that i can hitch him up and tow him home if his wee legs get tired…

Some of the logs are put there deiliberately – I'd love to catch someone doing it and ask them WTF they are doing.

I used to think all the logs were deliberate, until I saw a spaniel carrying a log that was a bit long and heavy for it and so it dropped it on the trail, right across it, and left it there. The really big ones though are definite human intervention. Or just really big dogs.

Bigyinn – Tis I !!!! :wink:

Craig1975 – I've been riding 'round these parts for over 20 years and I still find the odd bit of trail I've never been down before…!

Most of these names were coined by GMBC. There are many more names. Come out on a Wednesday night and you'll get to know all the names! :D

Oh, and Voodoo Hill is the hill beside the reservoirs, on the east/north east side of the water…

"And CLOSE THE DOOR to keep the mdgies out!!!!!"
:roll:

My lbs and being going to him for years. I wouldn't go anywhere else for wheels.

I remember the time when I was in Wheelcraft and a young lad came in on his mountain bike and asked Al to build him a nice set of light XC/race wheels. The lad had been saving up his paper round money and the wheels would have skinted him. Al took one look at him and suggested that to save weight for a race he should go for a dump before the start and save his money.

Still makes me chuckle.

Both my boys used a Tesco balance bike. Best £38 I ever spent.

Tesco Balance Bike

I've just got one of these:

http://www.nokia.co.uk/find-products/all-phones/nokia-3720-classic

Nokia 3720. It's water, dust and shock resistant.

I sometimes drive past there on my way to/from work. Now I know what all the earthworks have been for. Will take a look on the way home tonight – might be something I can take the kids to on a saturday morning…

Aye, Milton. Good for sprint training… :|

I am the same size as you and I had a 19" C-T which I felt was far too short for me.

'Rear-ended' a bat flying along a track between hedgerows one night. The bat had to be extracted from my helmet vent. 'twas OK tho, just flew off. Gave me a hell of a fright.

I've done your route, but starting from Ardnamurchan Lighthouse. The glen south of Tomintoul is Glen Builg and is a cracking ride. I'm not jealous in any way.

I got a Croix de Fer a couple of months ago. Love it. The disc brakes are sooo much better than cantis. Tis a bit heavy tho…

Did 200 miles in a day four years ago – Glasgow to Lossiemouth. Wasn't my legs that were the problem, it was my butt from sitting in the saddle for so long. Get a tub of chammy cream and apply liberally. And take it with you. Don't go mad with the pace at the start, esp up the hills, and you'll be fine.

Snow's already melting and turning to solid ice just north of Glasgow.

Don't know where you are north of Glasgow today but it was -9 in Bearsden at 11.30 am this morning. Some snow had turned to ice a week or so ago but not going anywhere at the moment….