Thanks TBC – really pleased with it. That hope headset looks pretty good on there too. Now sporting a suitably shortened chain and a 16t cog, so looking forward to a proper ride this weekend. Think I'll demo a Yeti 5 at the demo event too if I get a chance, so I might be back into the shop sooner that my credit card would like. ;)

Right, thanks again. If others can do it on 32:16, that's what I'll do. If I can't do it all of the first run it'll give me something to aim for knowing that it is achievable.

I have one of these which is handy for putting the bike in the back of the car with one wheel off, and storing one bike in the flat with both wheels on. Keeps the worst of the carpets.

The other bike lives in the hall or on the communal landing, and the fiancee's bike is in a cupboard with the front wheel off since she never rides the darned thing. Carrying up and down the stairs is easy with both wheels on and the bike on your shoulder.

If you have a whole room free, you should be grand!

Thanks for the advice. Might have a first run on 32:16 this weekend to see how I get on then. I have cheap 16t and 18t sprockets, and will buy a nice wide one once I have decided between 16t, 17t or 18t. I am capable of pedalling big gears (36:12 up Edinburgh city centre hills was doable) so 32:16 might be okay.

I haven't shortened the chain yet as I was just lightly testing the 18t first. The chaintugs were too short to allow any more tension without shortening the chain. I'm sure it didn't look that long when I started though! It was a used chain, so I didn't expect it to stretch that much in 10 miles.

As far as I know, the best fork length is 440mm. That is what I have on the Pace forks I recently got off here anyway.

I originally planned to ride Carron Valley today to christen the new singlespeed, but since the Pentlands are completely white, I reckoned it would probably still be pretty snowy too. Glad I didn't bother now – wouldn't have been worth getting up at 7am for! Bit disappointed that I have a day off work, and could only manage a short ride around town though.

Cheers bigG and yetidave, maybe not bother getting the bike out for Carron Valley then!

Still raining down here in North Edinburgh but the Pentlands will presumably be pretty white the next time I see them in the daylight, so that is probably out too. Typical. Long weekend with great plans for riding…

"Other than crap spelling and a dubious taste in both valentines cards and soft toys there's no real evidence this is stolen is there?"

Describing an inbred as a downhill bike would usually be a giveaway that the seller knows bugger all about the item, and hence has presumably relieved the previous owner of it for free.

I'm not buying a bike from someone that believes that valentines cards should be the same size as bike wheels anyway.

Not been but I think there has been more snow in the last day or so, so I've been told, so I'd give it a couple of days. Just give 'em a buzz.

Ta. Have started on the other wheel at it looks as if it would be a bit tricky to get a neat fit, so I'll resign myself to having a little bit overhanging.

Right kind of ethernet cable (i.e not a crossover cable if it is plugged into a router or a network connection in the wall)?

I always find ethernet cables a bit rubbish anyway. I'd start with a new cable if I were you.

+1 for the Ravenscraig. We always stay there. You can stay in the house or in your own chalet out the back for a bit more privacy. Breakfasts are ace too, as they usually are at Scottish b&bs

The standard STW advice on going for a dump before the race applies here just as well as it does to shaving weight off your plastic race bike.

I reckon verses has summed it up pretty nicely. I agree with druibdh too – there is some shocking cycling around, but equally there is some shocking driving.

I get a bit annoyed when I see cyclists jumping reds, as it gives us all a bad reputation in the eyes of some drivers. As a pedestrian I had to stop crossing at a green man recently so a cyclist sailed through. I was quite pleased when the other cyclist sitting at the red shouted some abuse at him. If I stop at a red on my bike and some idiot on a bike sails through, I tend to mutter something about not saving any time when I inevitably catch up 200yds later.

In my experience when driving, drivers either tend to accidentally sail through reds (seen that a few times really, and not exactly excusable, but mistakes CAN happen) or fail to stop as they are changing or just changed. Cyclists who blatantly jump reds when they have been red for several seconds are even more inexcusable.

To cut a long story short, there are bad cyclists and bad drivers and I get annoyed when I see either!

Anyway, back on subject… survey completed!

Stuff in the washing machine, shower, eat cake. Mmm, cake. After that I commence shopping for new shiny bike bits online which I can't afford.

Stuff large – get a mini and a bike rack! Easy to fix and nice and cheap.

+1 for the Scandal if you can make do with slot dropouts. I don't think you can get them new at the moment, but I'm sure a used one could be found. My 16" vertical dropout model comes in at 3.4lbs which isn't bad for a cheap aluminium bike.

Don't know if this[/url] puts you off?

It could either make your one worth less second hand, or could mean you get a cracking deal on the last of the old style.

My fiancee has an 07 one (more or less the same as the slightly facelifted current version). The 80bhp 1.2 has enough power in it for most things, although gets a bit noisy on the motorway. We do 16000 miles a year, much of that with a bike on a rack on the back or in the boot, and it hasn't missed a beat. Would not hesitate to recommend it. May not be a trendy car, but handled the recent snow well and is a doddle to park and drive around town.

The tech docs on the shimano website have diagrams showing how to do the cable routing if anyone is confused. I am happily using my bottom pull LX from my Epic on my top-pull framed Scandal.

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Black Scandal. Looks better in real life I think. (Also looks better now with a slightly shorter stem, and some Ritchey flat bars). The white brake levers etc don't come across terribly well in photos. White seat clamp coming soon to complete the look.

A second hand bike would be a much better bet for that price. Or stretch the budget and get something own brand from Edinburgh bicycle co-op, base model trek rigid or something.

If you want a slightly less roady option, turn right where the path comes out alongside the A90 at Cramond Brig. There is a lane which leads down to the Forth, and then along the shore to South Queensferry. Could do it on a cx bike, but not a roadie I reckon. I think it is marked as an RCR rather than NCR.

Re the eBay thing, it is true that you can get a bit more, but bear in mind that they now charge 10% of the sale value, and then paypal do you over too, so it probably works out much the same as a slightly cheaper STW sale.

I find this website quite useful for checking prices – camera price buster[/url]

Thanks for the link Al – all makes a bit more sense after having a peek at that site. Guess I'll go for a stans or joes kit or similar. Still not sure whether it is worth getting the UST or regular tyre. Presumably the non-UST needs pumped up a bit more often.

I like the orange photos of the 456, but I have seen a pink one in person at Laggan (the owner has added photos to the on one flickr pool) at it looked ace. I'd be happy with either, and I'm a heterosexual male. Who cares what your mates think. Anyone that nows what a 456 is will look admiringly.

Thanks all. So a couple of non-UST Nobby Nics, a Stans kit and a bit of effort to fit them on?

If non-UST Schwalbes do the job, are UST versions only worth it if not using sealant or something?

PS – re the no 'one tyre' comment. I agree, but I guess I am looking for the best compromise until I have two sets of wheels!

The sanderson soloist website shots seem to show htII cups

Hmm, mix of reactions there. What would I need if I was to convert my 420SL to

I guess I'll get a Racing Ralph UST, some stans sealant, but what is the deal with rim strips at tyre valves?

That Cotic above looks quite tidy. I've recently finished tranferring parts from my Epic onto a scandal frame[/url]. Just needs a white seat post clamp (to go with the white brakes, forks and saddle) and it'll be done. Looks better in the flesh I think. New flat XC bars on the way too for a better racing position and to save a few grams.

Pipe down epicsteve – you'll make me regret selling my epic frame and going hardtail this season!

GTI Edition 30 is lovely, but would you not rather have something a little newer with a bit of a warranty?

Personally, I'm saving my pennies for a 1.4TSI Scirocco, although you would struggle to get a second hand one for £15,000 for a little while yet I reckon. In the event that my other half can't see out of the back window (small back windows, small fiancee, big rear headrests), we'll be looking at a Volvo C30 (second hand 2.0D with the R-Design kit sounds like it would fit the bill), or maybe a Seat Leon FR.

How about an Alfa MiTo (too small for you?) or the forthcoming Honda CR-Z? (I'm not totally sold on the former, and not yet sure about the looks of the latter).

Should have said, if you want examples of the Sigma macro shots, have a look here.

Not as close up as the above true macro shots obviously.

I have a 70-300mm Sigma macro lens which I use. It has a 'macro' mode between the 200mm and 300mm range, by pressing a little switch which allows a greater focus range. You can get the lens for about £100 or so. Although it isn't true macro (i.e. 1:1), it is reasonable for close-ups. Might be worth trying that.

I am going to get the 60mm Canon macro shortly for better macro shots, but the sigma might do you for a while.

Cairngorms would be great. Plenty to do around Aviemore, and great scenery. Also generally a bit drier that the West coast.

If you don't want to drive that far, Dumfries in Galloway is closer, and good for scenery. Alternatively I would suggest somewhere around the Peebles end of the borders. Good biking (lots of trail centres for all abilities), good scenery, and you could have a couple of day trips to Edinburgh.

Spankmonkey, I disagree. If you get the money, transfer it to your bank account, and then the purchaser turns out to be dodgy, paypal will deduct the money from your paypal account, giving you a negative balance.

The only way to avoid this is to ensure that you comply with Paypal's guidance to the letter. In particular, you MUST post to the paypal buyer's registered address. I think they also only cover this for user in certain countries. Worth checking if you are being asked to send outwith the UK.

See here for info on each upgrade: http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#iPod_touch

If you click on the date beside each release under iPod Touch, it will give you the info for that release.