TJ – we are probably more in agreement than disagreement – certainly – the plan would be evacuation – but that might take several hours to summons and organise. And e.g. that assumes that I/we aren’t lost, or stuck in fog/blizzard (which may make heli evac difficult). In just my skimpy lycra I could freeze to death (if it were not for my emergency blubber).

TandemJeremy – Member
Unlikely to be a lifesaver but can be very useful in wet / miserable conditions

I beg to differ – if you are doing “real” mountain biking [i.e. where you are some distance from help/shelter] and someone gets hurt, the weather turns bad etc they have the potential to literally be a life saver – as well as offering comfort / protection in crap conditions.

Oxy – I have the trekmates 3 man. I can just fit it in my seat bag with a few other bits and bobs. No complaints – seems reasonably well made etc. If I cycled in big groups it would be preferable to have a bigger one – having used 6+ man ones they are certainly less claustraphobic and better for morale than having two smaller ones. Thats said a big one with not enough people is innefective.

And what training does a chiropracter have to request or read xrays exactly and how would they actually view them?

well they have had to convince the GCC that they are competent at “chiropracty” including the interpretation of X-rays – essentially that means that they have undertaken approved training at a recognised institution, which will include radiography in the syllabus.

OK so an initial consultation might cost £40 or so – but it might reassure the “patient” that there is or is not something musculoskeletal wrong. I don’t want to be flippant (well I suppose I do!) but the “patient” has been to see a doctor for something he thought was a pulled muscle – why? what was the expectation that the GP could do for it? he accepted that diagnosis but has been back to see 3 more doctors. Now there may be something seriously wrong that 4 doctors have all managed to miss, or the patient may be either over describing his condition here or under describing the problem at the GP’s surgery. But 20 minutes with a specialist, who has the time to listen to the history in detail and who can’t simply prescribe a medical solution can’t be wrong – s/he may refer back to the GP but then the patient and the GP have a better indication of the possible cause. S/he may be able to fix it. S/he may be able to offer the reassurance that the GP is failing to – that they have seen this many times before and it will get better with time.

Probably more likely to get a sympathetic ear at the Chiropractor than at the GP.

If you go to your LBS, ask them to show you an OK Baby Ergon or 10+ kiddie seat. They can be supplied with a ‘small frame’ specific mounting bar which should sort it out. They are supplied by Moore Large and the product codes are OSCOO1 or OCS010 if the LBS can’t be bothered to look in the catalogue.

Thanks Mudpup thats exactly the sort of information I was looking for. My seat looks identical to that (need to check if it is the same make or not). Found the Ergon info on line and the different mounting brackets look like they should solve the problem.

trailrat: we already own the seat. We also own a trailer which is a different brand but the same idea as the one you suggest. BUT whilst I am a big fan of the trailer there are some times when its a bit of a PITA, not least because it won’t fit through the “anticar” gates on the canal tow path. I think Mrs Poly is also put off because every time she took it out she got punctures in the trailer tyres (being wider than a bike they tend to end up off the main path a bit and so more likely to collect thorns and the low rolling resistance tyres aren’t great for puncture resistance- hopefully slime tubes are going to help though).

I’m not too worried about breaking the seatpost as it is the same as mine so can take loads almost double what my wife puts through it. But I am more worried that a sharpish corner or stop will result in the seat/baby putting a twisting motion on it which will not be good (seat tries to overtake rider / sudden change in balance etc). Even if it just twists the saddle 10 degrees – that will be difficult for Mrs P to realign with a kid on the back – and it will be MY fault.

I think it is fair to say I am fairly open minded about risk and children. I sat in a child seat with no straps, no helmet etc at about 4 yrs old when I was a lad… Its unlikely that the seat post would spontaneously fail catastrophically from this sort of abuse (more likely to bend/crack/split – which I would spot because I am conscious of the “misuse”) but actually even if it did the results would be no worse than a crash which we have to accept is a realistic possibility either through rider error or other road user incompetence etc.

thanks for the feedback guys. I’ll take a trip to the LBS this weekend and work out the options in terms of alternative brackets or a new seatpost etc.

Doesn’t the highway code recommend 6 feet?

No. It says leave the same amount of space as when passing a car (or words to that effect).

How long did you leave it? The very first time it is turned on it needs longer to locate a position, the same applies when it has moved significantly from the position it was turned off in. Basically the unit will locate the satellites quicker if it knows roughly where it is and the correct time so it knows what signal “to expect”.

So if it takes say 10 minutes to get a fix it might be that the backup battery on the circuit board is dead and it thinks it is at 0,0 or wherever the default location is. Of course it needs a clear view of the sky too.

Grid references are of no use to the person at the emergency call centre.

Why not?

falkirk-mark: I am with you on that (mine is only a mile (40-60mph limits) and will usually meet one or two pedestrians at most – who I give way to – and will even pop onto the road briefly to avoid them. BUT the OP is asking about congested slow moving traffic and I think in that case its not really OK to jump onto the pavement just to avoid the queue.

Has anyone tried: http://www.midgeforecast.co.uk/%5B/url%5D

Mikeasaki – Late June is normally “in season”. How bad will depend on the weather (both longer term and short term) and locality (both area and specific site). Did get bitten a bit last week whilst doing trailside repairs at Carron Valley.

people pay to rock climb and ski indoors so its not the craziest suggestion in the world. But how much would you pay (and how often) to ride say a 1 mile loop indoors? Can only see it being attractive (commercially) in a large city with crap alternative riding opportunities… unless there was some way to make it free (or almost free) e.g. from sponsorship, bike shop on site, cafe on site, events, grants etc…

Both me and the other half find knee pain almost completely removed by switching to SPDs

petrieboy have used with 3 different flanged tow bars (cheapest on market type!) and no probs.

scaredypants – a groove woudn’t help as the bolt actuates a concave plate rather than contacting the ball directly. I know what you are saying in theory – what I am saying in practice is with the screw correctly tightened it doesn’t move for me even with spirited driving on country roads. It is certainly impossible to move it by hand/foot when tight.

if it swings cornering its not tight enough – buy a torque wrench – the recommended setting is in the instructions – nowhere near bolt shearing – but certainly not going to swing.

the thule rack I have CAN swing around (It’s only fastened to the towBALL & so can swing around it). Isn’t a problem if you tighten it properly onto the towball

thats a bit like saying the wheels will fall off if you don’t put them on properly though

I have the Thule and shopped around for others in the same price bracket at the time (a year ago?) and was convinced this was best for me. I only use it once a month or so – if it was more often then it might justify paying double (or more) for the next “category up” of carrier.

The one you are looking at requires an allen key bolt to be screwed in to fix it to the towbar.

not unless they have changed it. It is a large bolt, which is supplied with a relatively cheap spanner. I use a deep socket on a torque wrench though and it is literally < 1 minute to fit to the car.

There is not a lock so you have to buy an additional lock.

or use the lock you probably already own! If you have a suitable spanner to remove the rack you can probably remove the entire tow bar. I lock the bikes to mine, and to he chassis if leaving overnight etc but its not tricky.

The drop mechanism is REALLY fiddly when you have bikes on.

I would agree that the weak point (from a user perspective rather than an engineering one) of the Thule is the catches which you undo to tilt it. The thread on the screws catches on the drilled holes and stops them undoing. I keep meaning to investigate fitting some sort of “liner” to the holes on mine.

The THule’s can ‘swing’ whilst attaching them to the car, and can damage the paint work.

Never experienced this. If you manage to bash the car with the rack I would say you are just as likely to bash the car with your bikes when you put them on either rack.

The bikes are held by independant arms so no additonal bungies are required.

Don’t need and additional bungies with the thule either. Put bike in place Attach strap round the downtube (a third hand would be helpful – but is not essential) then attach straps round the wheels. I almost always do this with 2 or 3 bikes on my own in 2-3 minutes.

However for just over £100 at the moment I think its hard to beat. If I was using it say more than once a week then it would justify spending more. The Altera probably is a better rack – but the Thule is definitely better than any back door mounted rack, better than all the slightly cheaper tow bar racks that support the bikes by the cross bar rather than the wheels and IMHO better than the cheapest roofbar options – all assuming you have a tow bar of course.

shortbread – we did this in the opposite direction a few weeks ago (Tomintoul -Braemar). We were following someone else on here’s route and as we were going up hill were happy to stick to the landrover track. Ground was quite wet when we were up there and suspect those single track routes would have been boggy. Suspect if we were to do it in reverse we would still stick to the main track – but someone with greater skill, fitness and not trying to squeeze 120 miles into 3 days might be more adventurous.

Image flipped/mirrored left/right for “graphic design” reasons?

before anyone says this is fraud or worries about the ethics consider the MP’s expenses revelations.

tax fraud is stealing from all of us, not stealing from MPs – just like benefit fraud only for some reason more acceptable to the middle classes!

despite not living within 200 miles of here

captainmainwaring – that statement is factually incorrect. I live considerably closer than that… in fact I could cycle to Pitlochry, do the race and cycle home (hypothetically!) and still not have covered 200 miles.

i can assure you that medically poly is male, albeit a bit of a big girl

Poly – You say this is just a bike race and not a big deal. It could easily have caused a crash that could have killed or very seriously injured someone. What is your definition of a big deal? I really hope custodial sentences are dished out

No the event is just a bike race. The idiot who tried to disrupt it committed a criminal offense and I hope they charge him with Reckless Endangerment or something similar.

I haven’t and can’t see why I should (they have been told I have a tow bar) but they don’t expect me to tell them if I put them on a back door mounted rack or if I tow a trailer.

I ride SPDs because:

– I find they are more efficient for uphills
– I find on rough downhill they keep me on the bike/pedals better (hardtail)
– On technical stuff “commitment” is an issue for me, and its too easy to stop halfway through a feature with flats. SPDs force me to be more committed.
– On technical stuff if in need that extra burst of power I seem to be able to deliver it better with SPDs, especially if I’m not in the best gear.

I fully accept though that better riders wearing flats can get up the same hills without the struggle, stay on the pedals going down, and hit obstacles in the right gear with 100% commitment every time. But SPDs work for me. Perhaps I should say its very unusual for both my wheels to be be off the ground at the same time.

Gary_M – Member
I thought Poly was just playing Devils Advocate and that his/her words were to be seen in that context – i.e. what one of the disgruntled locals might have said.

Perhaps, but this is the internet and it’s not easy to get this kind of thing across.

Gary – sorry if I have upset you – thought I had made clear that I was supportive of the event, disgusted by the carpet tacks, and was simply trying to present balance (devil’s advocate as Druidh says) against a backdrop of people who can’t understand why they might not be welcome by a small minority who they inconvenienced. You also seemed to take offence at my Lycra comments – they were also meant with tongue in cheek (like many people here I wear Lycra, although i’m not that skinny so find black more flattering!).

So calm down – its a bike race – its really not that big a deal. Some idiot(s) did their best to disrupt it and in so doing acted recklessly and dangerously, Tayside Police and the Procurator Fiscal will deal with them – I wouldn’t rule out custodial sentences either.

Gary, suggest you re-read my posts, I am not local (or certainly not local enough to be affected). I also happen to think the event is good and on balance probably good for the area – I was merely trying to explain why some others may disagree. Disagreeing doesn’t make you evil – but putting carpet tacks down does.

Those who think this was “Chav’s” or “inbred NIMBY locals” lets wait and see – my money would be on it being on someone who should be old enough to know better – and quite possibly an “incomer” rather than an “inbred local”.

Were the claims of people being helicoptered out true? As the police and event organisers made statements along the lines of “fortunate no one was [seriously] hurt”

I should have realised there was no point in trying to present the “other side” of the argument to the STW massive who of course all believe that cyclists are supreme beings and should be worshiped wherever they go.

As I said in my original post disrupting the event was wrong – and the method used particularly unsavoury – but I don’t think it is unreasonable for people to hold a view about the event and be entitled to express that to PKC before the public highway is closed.

It might be those sort of arrogant London attitudes that upsets the locals.

Our small town (not in this area) is significantly disrupted 4 or 5 times a year which affects my ability to get about and my staffs ability to get to the office etc. I choose to live here and work here, and accept those inconveniences as those events are for the benefit of the community, most of them are events which have run for over a century.

So all businesses in the countryside only make £20 on a Sunday (bear in mind that in the enlightened North shops actually open on Sundays!)? Just as well you city boys are here to prop up the countryside, otherwise the whole country would go under.

I haven’t seen any mention of emergency service concerns (as P&K Council would have required to consult with them anyway) – and actually there is probably improved police and ambulance service response times because of the event!

When you say a tiny minority of people were inconvenienced – measured from what total population? I suspect that most locals were inconvenienced to some extent although many were probably quite tolerant of it.

I’m not arguing the event shouldn’t go ahead – I’m simply trying to help a few people here understand why some people are agreaved that it is allowed to.

Arguments about people coming to visit and bringing income only stack up for the beneficiaries. Otherwise your Council tax is just being spent on assisting the disruption and you see no benefit. A bit of tolerance and understanding is needed on both side of the fence!

Let me first of all say that I don’t agree with what was done, and that I hope they find those responsible and prosecute them to the full extent of the law (although I expect they will argue they never expected to hurt anyone, just disrupt the race?). From their point of view it presumably resulted in longer road closures and disruption so can’t have been too effective unless the idea is to scare off the event for next year.

Whilst yes it does bring in good money for the local economy, in in particular parts of the tourist sector, there are other parts of the community who do suffer and presumably believe that any net benefit to the economy isn’t reaching them. Imagine if you run an ordinary business that doesn’t benefit from cyclists being in the area – you loose a days trade, or if you are part of the angling tourism industry that is popular in the area, you may loose a whole weekends trade etc. Now imagine if you live in one of the villages cut off for 3+ hours for the race to go through – this isn’t London, if the roads shut there is no way in or out the village – you are a prisoner so that a bunch of skinny guys in fluorescent Lycra can rush through the village. Then you believe you’ve made your points to the local Council but they ignore them and close the road anyway (possibly, according to some reports, without following the legally required procedures).

The alternative of running it with the roads open actually seems even worse to me – 3000+ bikes on those roads would to all intents and purposes close the roads for hours anyway.

There may be better ways of managing it etc – but its a fairly remote area with limited policing/resources and few alternative routes for getting people and equipment around the course to control it.

Would we all be so outraged if it was a horse race or long distance run that was being disrupted / disrupting the local services.

how about a hybrid with a hub gear for lower maintainence – rather than another “true” MTB which she doesn’t need?

I tend to believe this guy new his stuff, and he swears it’s rare for a burglar to return to the same house. He was also suprised that I was done over, as my house has an alarm.

Have to disagree. We had 2 sneak in thefts (where they come in through an unlocked or poorly locked door, and nick easy to grab, easy to sell stuff like handbags, phones etc) in a previous house. Police and SOCOs both told us that once they have identified a “soft spot” they would keep going back to it.

Friends of ours had their house done 3 times in a short space of time despite increasing their security each time (inc. adding an alarm). Police were sure it was same person each time and only stopped when they caught someone.

At the end of the day people nicking very high value mountain bikes are not doing it on “chance” – its not like a flat screen telly, PVR, hifi, laptop etc which you can assume most houses have, and are easy to flog on – its specialist kit that needs a preplanned “route to market”, and a reasonably smart thief that can tell if its worth lifting in the first place.

agentdagnamit – you realise you have just publicised your location for anyone else who wants to go looking for some very expensive brand new bikes to nick in a few months time! You have also just told the guys who nicked your bikes that your house will be empty next week when you are on holiday. I would ask the mods to remove that info from your post.

I’d say you would be lucky to get a refund from a shop 2 months after purchase for a tyre – and you’ve even less chance from a private sale where caveat emptor applies. If it were me the only way I would accept it was my fault would be if I knew it was damaged when I sold it to you, and I think (1) its unlikely anyone would sell you a dodgy tyre with any intention of refunding it if you complained (2) its even more unlikely that anyone would refund you 2 months later (3) people rarely admit they have done anything wrong.

can you damage tyres in shipping or storage?

richc – I guess I just wonder if “entry level” has crept up because of C2W when in fact the old entry level would be fine. So people are being sucked in like women in a shoe shop sale – to “saving” £400 by spending money they never would have if it was full price (if you get my point).

Is £1000 the right amount for a total beginner to spend on a bike?

Obviously if he can afford it great – but I may be contravertial and suggest that for dipping your toe in the water £400-500 will get you a respectable hardtail capable of what you are likely to need. With C2W it will cost you about £20-30 per month (depending on your tax braket and if your company allows you to recover the input VAT).

If after 1-2 years you are hooked then you can upgrade and will know much better what you want from a bike, assuming C2W is still running you are sorted as you can probably make back most of your investment on the other bike anyway (or keep it for commuting). On the otherhand if you decide you don’t like it, or prefer road biking, or downhill etc then you haven’t “wasted” £600 on a high spec hardtail.

(Oh – and if you really want to minimise outlay then you’ll get the next series down in the specialised range (e.g. Hardrock Sport Disk) for about £350. My experience suggests that is perfect as an entry level bike, and I don’t loose sleep when I scratch it)

Topeak Hexus… Great quality, all the tools you need and none you don’t.

agreed

Bo’ness to Blackness via the Foreshore path definitely passable on MTB. Friend has done it with tag-a-long. Not ideal with very young kids on their own bikes as it will involve some carrying for them (too bumpy). Adults/older kids shouldn’t need to carry bikes.

Blackness to S. Qfry via the Hopetoun Estate should be passable along the foreshore path (someone told me recently that there are fallen trees etc – so bear this in mind if going with kids trailers, also ) although the official cycle route takes you away from the shore and via Abercorn. Have heard of people being “discouraged” from using that route by the estate.

S’Qfy to Hound Point – completely doable even on a hybrid bike. Depending where you start will need to cross S’Qfy town centre which does have crazy tourist traffic.

Would suggest recce-ing without kids first to see what you think they can manage depending on bikes/skills/age/distance etc.

When you say

aren’t heavily into mtb’ing but are outdoorsy are fancying a couple of days in the wilds of Scotland with their bikes

dos that mean – have never ridden offroad, rarely ride offroad, ride trail centres a few times a year, ride offroad once or twice a month but don’t have MTB OCD?

I would be questioning carrying tents and sleeping bags if they are not regular riders.

I would also be asking about their bikes (and recent maintainence) as well as trying to understand fitness levels (I think of myself as very outdoorsy – but I’m not outstandingly fit)

Jo/Joe Public can’t get their heads around a 24 hr clock. Ask the man on the street what 12am and 12pm are and you’ll get a lot of head scratching

ehh – 12 am and 12 pm are in 12h clock… are you sure its Joe who’s confused not you!