* Cough *

I'm sure you'd get on just fine – I've definitely not got the legs for it at the moment!

Look forward to seeing the next video later in the year – I was impressed with that one.

Looks good.

Finally got my two seconds of fame too (getting lapped!). Between this and the Paparazzi out at Glentress on Saturday and Carron Valley today, I'm feeling very popular.

Is it easy enough to ride between Lee Quarry and Cragg Quarry now then? Got a spare day in the area in July and was thinking of either Lee/Cragg or Gisburn (too lazy to map read for one day, and a couple of laps of Lee on its own isn't long enough)

Looks pretty tidy!

I'm enjoying this thread. Been thinking of getting a cx for a bit. Wondering if I will regret a singlespeed. It will be used for training rides and maybe the odd winter cx to keep the fitness up. Keep the photos and tales coming!

Saw this a few days okay and I agree it is very inspiring. Does make me want to run out and buy a CX bike. Not sure I can afford to take an Ibis off your hands though druidh. In the meantime, it'll just have to inspire me to get out more often.

Cheers for the heads up – that should narrow it down a bit. I'll be round with the bolt cutters later. ;)

Are tesco employees not allowed nice bikes without telling you? ;)

You've also just told t'internet where to find a nice bike chained up all day.

How do you all find your Anthems? I'm liking the look of the X1 and X2 as a lightish 100mm XC race bike.

I'm getting the impression SFB is a baggies man?!

Thanks for the ideas. 'Tis a strange and mysterious world this bib short buying. Doesn't help that I really don't have the legs for lycra. Still, function of form or something.

I'll pop back in at some point after pay day. I'll be watching for that CCTV peeping round the curtain though.

Another round of SXC for me – a few laps of Aberfoyle. Still woefully lacking in riding recently, and snapped a spoke last weekend, so that cut my ride short. Still hoping for survival this weekend then, and hoping to get fitter before the August race.

I do fancy the Brownback series, but unfortuntely none of the dates tie in with my reasonably regular visits to Lancashire. Maybe I'll finally get to do one next year!

We need polls on STW! Golf Edition 30 would get my vote. They look very tidy, and I suspect they won't date too quickly, so will still look good in 3 years.

Jonny, I've got 2.1" at both ends. A decent all round size I reckon. Not too heavy for XC racing.

I'm running a Nobby Nic up front and a Racing Ralph out rear. Reasonable grip but not huge grip. I'm too lazy to change tyres all of the time, but seems okay so far.

Very rare – I have had one on the nail trail.

TJ, wasn't the owner of the cottage at the entry was it? I had a chat with her a few months back, although it was all very amicable. She asked me not to ride the Nail Trail as it was getting cut up and was pretty wet. She reminded me (as you mention above) that right to roam must be reasonable usage. Given that the Pentlands were a bit soggy at the time, I explained that on this occsaion, if she thought the trail was damp, I would head off home a different way.

Scottish Singlespeed Champs form part of the Puffer Lite at Strathpeffer.

Happy with a Nobby Nic up front and a Racing Ralph out back, but then I'm no tyre expert, and have little to compare them to.

I had Specialized 2Bliss on my Epic previously, which seemed okay, although I ran them with tubes. My current setup seems a little grippier.

Jimbo, for my first race in Open last year, I started at the back of the field, not wanting to get in anyones way. If you are a reasonable rider though (sounds like you are), I would recommend starting further up. Open categories can be very varied ability, so if you start at the back, you will get caught in the first technical bottleneck whilst everyone in front jumps off, whereas if you were further up the field, you would probably have some space to ride over obstacles.

I now race in a smaller, faster category and just pootle round at my own pace. I tried keeping up with people at the start of the first race of this season, but was shattered by the last lap, so now do my own pace from the outset.

So to summarise, for a large open field, I recommend a quickish start to get some clear air, then go at your own pace, and try not to fall into the trap of keeping up with others.

Also don't be afraid to run short sections. You see even the really fast guys doing that to get past slower people, as it can be quicker to run if required. Most of all though, have fun. I really enjoyed the banter in open category racing, so have a good day. Let us know how you get on.

Thanks all. Googled Beics Betws, and they seem to have half decent maps of the routes too, which confirm that Penmachno 1 + 2 seem to be capable of being added together to make a 30km ride or so. Sounds like a good ride. :)

Great, thanks both. I had heard Marin wasn't as good, but since it is on the doorstep, I may as well!

So loop 2 at Penmachno looks like an addon to loop 1? Looks simpler just to ride to the start point for this one rather than trying to join part way.

You seem to be advocating a top up vote system like the one we have for the Scottish Parliament. You vote for your local MSP (or MP) in the usual way, and then vote for a party on the second sheet.

Candidates selected based on the second vote don't represent a constituency, but represent an area formed by a group of constituencies (so no-one really).

Downside of this is that a chunk of your elected individuals do not answer directly to a constituency. It will amost invariably lead to a coalition government too, which, depending on your point of view, is a good or a bad thing.

Glentress red and then blue on the singlespeed this morning. Then home for lunch, followed by a trip to the local VW dealer for a "look". Ended up test driving two cars and now very close to buying something. Not a bad bank holiday!

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Looks pretty similar to a Scandal on the previous page. Still a bit of a work in progress. Now got flat bars and will get a white seat clamp and a new lower stem soon. Not sure of the weight but it feels reasonably light. Ridiculous brake hoses now shortened too.

Ah, that's a game changer thomthumb. Think I'll need to buy a new 5" travel bike, full faces and armour before I go. 8O

Oh, sod it, I'll die at some point anyway. Singlespeed and rigid it is!

Ha ha, CX does indeed sound impressive. I'm probably lacking large enough danglies for the full on black (although on a good day I ride black bits elsewhere).

Junkyard – ta for the offer. Quite often stay in Withnell and I understand there are some reasonable routes around there. Might need to pick your brain for ideas in future. I think a quick blast round some marked trails (saves me thinking about trying to follow routes) will suit for this weekend though.

Staying over near Chorley, so it will be an early morning Sunday blast before I drive back up to Edinburgh in the afternoon.

Thanks for the comments – sounds like good fun then. I've looked at some of the videos of the site before, and some of it looks a bit hairy for the vertigo challenged. Will take the singlespeed for a good workout and maybe start off on the red to get a feel for it. If you see anyone at the bottom of a drop lying in pieces with a green Inbred say hello!

I'm running an 11-28 SRAM OE cassette I got quite cheap from Evans. Saves a fair amount of weight if that interests you. I found I never used my 32t or 34t, so I'm not missing out on anything really. Only slight problem is on one really steep and slippy section at a race, as I couldn't get traction in that high a gear, but then in those scenarios it is as quick to run anyway, and there is no guarantee I would have got up in 32t or 34t anyway.

Skyliner, do you mean you fitted the VW bars last week to a Scirocco?

Are the easy to take on and off regularly? I wouldn't want to leave them on permanently, so would probably want to fit them twice a month or so.

A roof rack over the glass roof no less! 8O

Has anyone got any first hand experience of the VW roof racks?

drill

8O

Not sure about drilling a brand new car!

Thanks for the various comments on the various topics – keep 'em coming! (although this is looking like being increasingly in the wrong forum).

Looking for a reasonable pace, reasonable economy engine (1.4 TSI VW 160bhp ticks both for me). I'd rather have petrol than diesel, but if getting a C30, would probably go for the 2.0D diesel R-Design, so not totally against diesel. Think the "green" C30 1.6D might be a bit weedy for my A road blasts around Scotland.

Might look at the Civic Type S too. I'm sure it's very good (and I suggested a friend get the previous civic), but the current style doesn't really do it for me though.

I have a boot rack on the micra, and prefer the idea of the simplicity of roof bars next time around (would only have a couple of lightweight XC bikes on it, no big heavy DH stuff). Lots of votes for a towbar though, so will examine further. Would rather not obstruct the boot though, and I guess towbar + a fancy rack that folds down = expensive.

Surf-Mat, I do like the C30, but reckon the VW has the better engine. Mrs P's parents and sister both have C30s too, so not sure we want a trio!

Leon looks to be reasonable value, but the interior photos look a bit cheaper.

Think we'll also look at a 1-series coupe (although rear wheel drive for Mrs P driving to work at 7am in winter puts me off, and I don't think she likes the looks) and a MiTo (bit smaller and not sure about that beak).

Scirroco's are just driven by squares, who wished they had the money for a bmw

But squares who can spell Scirocco.

Is this off topic enough yet?!

Haven't encountered any c**** driving them personally, so hopefully the reputation won't catch on. I still find that I see a lot of agressive BMW drivers around (but I probably just notice that since they have the reputation in popular media already). The range of opinions is always fun on STW. It would be boring if we all owned the same stuff anyway.

I prefer the Scirocco to the Golf since I don't need 5 seats, and prefer the squatter looks. That, and they are still a bit rarer than the Golf, and it is nice to have something slightly different.

No doubt I'll be back in a few weeks to report that Mrs PixelMix doesn't like the rear window, so we're having a Golf, Leon or C30 instead, and everyone will be proclaiming that something else would be far better!

Both here too! I like the tricky slower black section on the Innerleithen decent, as it is an interesting change from the fast swoopy bits either side.

Yeah, can see that glass roof ending badly! I've heard it makes the interior sound tinny anyway so it's not on the shopping list.

DBW – Looking at the 160BHP 1.4 TSI, so a good bit cheaper (to buy and run) than a GTI, and IMHO, better value than the equivalent Golf (although that is what we may end up with!)

Had another gander and it appears that VW have their own one listed on their site (although the accessories brochure isn't availabe to get decent details), but as you say, I'd rather have some Thule ones for the reputation and the price. Ta for the email address.

Thanks Chaps. Prefer the idea of roof bars this time around, but will keep the tow bar in mind. Good to hear there is something available. – now I just need to find it. Off to the VW dealer in a couple of weeks so they may have suggestions. Unfortunately I think we might need to choose something else as I'm sure Mrs P will complain about rear visisblity in a 'Rocco.