el_boufador, post some pics up of the Sirius when you

t need it) and would be good to seem some proper pics (rather than the custom two tone paint job in the website).

Scandal would be nice (although you can`t get slot drop ones brand new at the moment). The Scandal and Inbred are designed around 80-100mm forks though I think, so not sure how they would handle with 120mm+.

I'm in for the aforementioned SXC at Kirroughtree. Weather looks awful and I'm going to be back of the field due to a poor winter of riding (shoddy weather, late nights at work and wedding preparation). This is probably the wrong time to move up a category, but hopefully I'll improve by the end of the year!

what font would you suggest? tried ariel but it seemed to take up a fair bit more space

Arial 10 looks fairly plain and professional, and is large enouh to be legible. I wouldn't lose too much sleep over font though.

Head
Cheek Bone – 2
Jaw – 3
Nose – 25
Skull – 2
Zygomatic arch – 1

Shoulder & Chest
Collar bone – 31
Rib – 98

Upper Limb
Arm – 16
Wrist – 27
Finger – 60
Elbow – 4
Thumb – 9
Hand (inc. schaphoid) – 18

Lower Limb
Ankle – 15
Big Toe – 4
Hip – 4
Knee Cap – 3
Leg – 9
Metatarsal – 4
Middle toe – 4
Spine & Pelvis
Back – 4
Pelvis – 2
Spine 5

Touch wood, only ever broken one finger in an amusing incident involving (i) a training ride on the MTB with a short road section (ii) a sudden thunderstorm and downpour whilst on said road section (iii) a hands first superman into the road, and (iv) an unmarked police car.

Looking forward to picking up lots of cheap 9 speed bits in the classifieds shortly.

I have the M122 ones, although I think they have been replaced with something else similar. My ones are very light and breathable so you'll get wet cold feet with this model (I just wear SealSkinz in winter to get around that). They have quite a stiff sole so good power transfer, but actually quite easy to walk in as the grips aren't too hard a rubber (my old ones felt much more clunky around the office).

Edit – I presume the M123 is the replacement.

I like my Shimano shoes. Nice and comfy and you can take the insoles out to dry em out (which you couldn't with my previous cheapo diadoras). They are quite small, so choose a slightly larger size than usual.

As someone mentioned above, we are even more stuffed if there is another 3p in April.

It already went up in January when VAT returned to 17.5%. When VAT was reduced last year to 15%, it was not reduced on petrol, as fuel duty was increaed by an equivalent amount to compensate. Therefore, when VAT returned to 17.5%, tax on fuel was higher than it was pre-VAT reduction. Bloody stealth taxes!

If we get another 3p in April, that will be two increases in 4 months, and that on top of increase caused by the weak pound since our oh so prudent chancellor emptied the piggy bank in the good times, leaving nothing for the bad times.

Train to Mabie Forest? It is a short ride from the station in Dumfries. Good riding and means you don't have to worry about trying to find your way around- just get on and ride.

You might want to get a regular wheel rather than an SS specific one though. At least that gives you the option to change in future if required, and since presumably regular wheels are fine for the rest of your riding, I'm not sure you need to have a SS specific wheel.

Shake it like a British nanny!

Anyone fancy a team effort? Not sure I have much to contribute, but happy to chip in!

It might have been your comments I was thinking, cheers TJ. I live in Trinity at the moment, so will drop you an email.

To import to iTunes, should just be able to drag and drop the file to the track list in iTunes (but make sure you are dragging to the library, not to the nano playlist, and not to an automatic generating playlist).

To then copy to your nano, just make sure the nano settings are set up to sync content from whatever playlist you create for your new item. If it is a podcast, make sure that is turned on, and the relevant items checked.

iTunes / iPods are very easy to set up and used once you have done it once or twice.

Give it a few years and we'll have the mother of all white-elephants here in Edinburgh.

A horrendously expensive tram system that very few residents want, which will only serve to replace what is an excellent bus service, but will be years late (if ever delivered) and well over budget.

I'll get my camera out and take photos of my bike in the part laid tracks in 3 years!

Thanks. Definitely think I'll try to pick up another pair of Pace RC31s (thanks for those MM – really pleased with them) soonish, get some lightish components and a 9 speed setup. I like the look of the XS Dirty Jo Semi Creme, or perhaps the DJ Triple Butted (need to figure out the difference between the two) in silver.

Slightly put off by the talk that the disc hose guides are for cables, not hoses though. Did you get one recently MountainMonkey, and can you confirm?

Thanks all.

I **** hate solicitors…

Now now, don't tar everyone with the same brush. There are good and bad eggs everywhere. Sounds in your situation like the sellers themselves are just as much to blame.

Scaffold pole each side for extra strength?

No, hinge in the middle like a bendy bus. 8O

Looking forward to the pics.

Re the above link to the Shimanos – I have Shimano M122 shoes (don't look massively different from the above). I am quite pleased with my shimanos, and Shimano shoes tend to be quite small, so you would probably get away with the 36 if she is normally a 35.5 (assuming you can find a 36 somewhere).

Seems to be a lot of petite folk round here! Mrs PixelMix can go one better with her size 2.5 feet! The main advantage is that she can get kids shoes, and hence save on the VAT. We both have pairs of Merrells, and hers come with a bungee drawstring rather than laces, as they presumed that people that small can't be trusted to tie their own shoes. :-)

Hadn't thought of it like that. I'll be entering all races anyway, but not sure I'll be using my discount much this year. It's a good offer from Dales though.

Bit of a shame if 100 people take up lots of available places at the SXC races, and then don't turn up though.

I am presuming your F6 is larger and cheap fork/kit etc

F6 looks to be about the same frame size (it is an XS or a Petite or something). The size of the current frame isn't a problem, but the bike just weighs a tonne. I discovered that changing the seat post to a spare one I had from an old mid range hardtail (i.e. not particularly light) saved 100g alone. Multiplied across every component, that fairly adds up. I could upgrade the frame (replacing the heavy forks with carbon rigid, but I think it is probably easier to sell the bike as one complete (and mint) unit and start again.

I fancy building one as a singlespeed for her.

Sounds like a good way to put here off mountain biking completely! If I took the gears away from my wife's bike she'd never ever use it.

Likewise. Although I do wonder if she would get on well with a 11-34t 9 speed (32t up front probably). Less faff and complication when she is just concentrating on staying upright! I could always add the other rings later on if she starts going up steeper stuff or wants to ride faster.

Thanks druidh – that's a tidy little build. The future Mrs Pixelmix is still resisting my attempts to upgrade her bike, so I'll be hanging fire on a test ride and a Marin for a little while!

Fair point ADH, think I'll stick with 26" wheels. Also better for interchangeability (I can use her wheels/tyres/rotors/forks and vice versa).

Merlins all now seem to start at 15" rather than 14" which is a shame. Will need to look at their sizing in more detail.

Would consider one of the small Treks (Mrs P has a friend who is even shorter that got a very small Trek for pootling round town on), but I reckon that custom build is the way to go since I prefer the idea of carbon forks and swapping bars, stem etc for her.

Thanks Stuart, but there seems to be some confusion – I'm in Edinburgh! Still to convince Mrs PixelMix that she will benefit from a new bike too. She thinks it is more important to pay for the wedding next month apparently!

Thanks hungrymonkey, will look at that.

For some one 5'0.5" I think 26" wheels are probably perfect for road/leisure cycling.

True, but I suppose her riding is more 'leisure cycling'. I would look at a hybrid, but in my experience, hybrids in this price range aren't terribly light. I also prefer the idea of getting to spec my own carbon fork, the lower top tube of mountain bikes, and bigger tyres for cushioning.

built her up a 15" dirty jo frame – its small and aluminium, nice and light.

Any idea of weight? Unfortunately the website is a little light on sizing and spec details for the frame. Your pic hasn't loaded either unfortunately.

Aren't on-ones a bit long in the top tube for a lady of shorter stature ?

I do wonder that, hence this thread. I don't find my 16" frames massively long though (I run long stems instead), so evidence of people of a similar height is appreciated, hence this thread.

I would bet you that the F6 alloy frame is lighter than a steel frame from on-one.

Probably right, although I do think it is a chunky frame. Maybe I'll stick to alu. Better with a second hand scandal or equivalent that a new inbred I guess.

Thanks again all. I do indeed live in a second floor flat, so lots of stairs for her to carry a bike up. Hoping to move to a house with a garage eventually, but not for at least 6-12 months.

I did look at 456s, as they come in decent colours, but I prefer the idea of a rigid carbon fork, and I'm not sure how well they would handle given the head angles.

Will look at islabikes too – they seem to get a good rep. Had kind of thought about kids bikes, but thought I would see if people have had success with full size bikes first.

I also did think about wheels etc for her Cannondale, but as I would need new wheels and disc brakes, but still be left with a heavy frame, forks and cheap alloy components, I think it would just be a waste of money, and I would be better putting the resale of that towards something light and new.

On One Scandals (or inbreds, but a bit heavier) seem to be winning out, but good to hear that Kona do 14", and will have a look at the geometry on the Rock Lobsters too.

Talisman looks cheap as chips but a wee bit heavier than a scandal. Will bear in mind though.

Cheers all. Photos of small bikes also appreciated for ideas. I am currently thinking carbon forks, carbon flat bars (580mm ish), 50mm stem or thereabouts, carbon in line seatpost, and 2.0" tyres for fast rolling, but with a reasonably amount of cushioning.

Thanks all, some good tips in there. Thanks for the offers too, although as I said, I won't be splashing the cash this month due to other commitments. I'll be bookmarking this thread for ideas though and revisiting when I have the money.

Will certainly look at the Rock Lobster, Cannondales etc too.

takisawa2, I'm not totally set on an On One, but they do make cheapish 14" frames with low top tubes designed around short forks, and the inbred and scandal aren't exactly jump designed (quite the reverse according to the scandal blurb). I'll make sure to check the top tube length against her current bike though (as you recommend), as I know On One tend to be a little longer. I would hope to be able to get away with a 14" with an inline seatpost and a short stem though.

Thanks smuzzy. I thought the 14" was gone, but I see it is just the inbred that has sold out. What size is your lady?

I do think the scandal would be good, although I'm slightly put off by the fact that I currently have a black scandal and don't want a "his n hers" set! Did they ever do the 26er in pink, or is that just the 29er?

No cash this month due to other commitments, but will keep an eye on those scandals.

Oh dear. I'm trying not to rise to the bait, so I'm just going to say "horses for courses" and quietly leave.

Struggling to get 4 in too. I tend to do a 3 hour ride at the weekend, and a short ride around the streets midweek. A long commute (not by bike) plus an upcoming wedding leaves little time for riding, so I'm definitely going to be at the back come the first race in a fortnight. :s

Not sure which bit you need, but have you seenthis thread?

My lower jocket wheel is getting a bit sticky, but the top is still running smoothly. Not sure if I should get some new bearings, or upgrade the bottom one – I don't like the design of the bottom one the way it is held between the two plastic spacers.

Ah yes, that'll be the fence that epicsteve takes all his bike shots at. Not quite got the angle right there though druidh

Having re-read the 7stanes blog, it would appear that they are now using the trailhead as the demo base, and not the Buzzards Nest. Should be a short demo loop part way up to Buzzards and then back down I would imagine.

You didn't mention that she had just passed you in your original post. If she just passed you and then immediately turned left in front of you, then that is a different matter.

Had a similar situation the other day with some idiot deciding to turn left with no signals. Thankfully I slowed down and rode around them without hitting them. I waved my arms around angrily for a second or two.

Just to put the cat among the pigeons though, if you couldn't avoid them, arguably you were travelling too fast/close behind them?

Hopefully if the road is a bit dicey but the trails are generally okay, the bottom car park could be used instead, no?

With a name like Mr Plow, shouldn't you be clearing the trails for the rest of us?