Cobblers frankly.

Cobblers? And then you concede all 3 points? FWIW I have a joystick and a p7 torch, I have no trouble seeing why people opt for a joystick over a P7 as a helmet mounted torch.

Yeah, it's not just on ebay you have to be careful!

They're just torches, only they actually have worse functionality than these torches because the batteries aren't easily replacable. They have nice mounts but that's it. Yet people happily spend a packet on them. It's bizarre tbh.

It's hardly bizarre, a decent helmet mount, light weight and a much longer burn time would explain it. People spend vast amounts on drivetrain components that are near enough identical other than weight, a couple of hundred quid on some decent lights seems reasonable.

any number of cartridge BB

Err, it's obviously not going to effect a sealed BB! External bearing BB's are a different matter though, they don't like being submerged in a pool of water!

No, because you need to add less weight to them to get the rise than you do to the bars (for a given strength).

Significantly so? If it's about 10 grams or so then the only people who will care are xc racers, who should be on flats anyway!

Just shifting the weight to a heavier stem, or to a longer steerer tube + spacers though.

for bike stuff if you buy a set of pedals or a fork then the spec will be as listed

Isn't that the issue though? If the listed spec is for a non-oem item and the oem item has a different spec, then there is a problem. Happens fairly often with headsets.

M4's much nicer than juicies.

The 21" inbred 29er is very long! I'd say it would be worth trying to get a go on a 19.5.

then surely it gives some correct finding/piece of information

No, it just looks like it does. For example, if the error in the measurements is sufficiently large, then you just have a collection of lines drawn essentially at random. It's fine as what it is, ie a magazine feature, but it has no scientific merit.

No, it's pseudo-scientific. No error bars on the graphs, not repeated using more than one of the same brake so no consideration of set-up issues, of questionable relevance to actual usage on a bike.

I don't think this has been done properly at all.

Indeed! Given the variation in performance between multiple versions of the same brake, the effect of set-up, rotor size, pad compound, bedding in, and real conditions (ie mud), etc., you'd have to be hopelessly optimistic to place any faith in their results.

That's not strictly true either, you only need a licence if you are receiving broadcast TV.

Just ordered a sun eq27 from crc to build onto an alfine, seems like a decent option for 40 quid.

Home made? Do you have a giant CNC machine in your house?

Started off ok, but got more tedious and self-important as it went along. Felt like a film made solely to win oscars, at which task it succeeded I suppose, not in any hurry to waste more of my life by watching it again though.

imo stress is not an issue, water is

Arrh, I'd agree with this, I find them far more likely to seize up from water ingress than have the bearings wear out.

Not niche, but as I have just built it…

The 19.5 inbred 29er is still pretty big though, has a longer ett than some XL 26ers. I'm 6'5" and I prefer my 19.5 scandal to the 21 inbred I used to have.

that relates their fautly English directly to the "cause":

Ah linguistic pedantry…

Hammertime!

had one set of Hopes

Nice statistically valid sample there.

The bearings in mine lasted a year, needs some new ones now though…

Might be worth trying different adaptors, I couldn't get a hayes one to fit, but a shimano 160mm IS to post adaptor worked ok.

No TV for the last couple of years, it's the way forward.

I bet he misses Droit de seigneur as well

Been watching braveheart too many times? It's not real you know!

Have you ridden much that is bigger, or do you just want the bmx feel for riding?

I had a 21" inbred 29er, that was massive! Definitely felt too long, have gone down to a 19.5 scandal which is much better. I might just have short arms or something though…

I'm 6'5" and have a 20" 5, wouldn't want it any bigger personally.

First ride on some drake 29ers last night, obviously too soon to say anything about their reliability but they performed very well.

Or alternatively don't mind looking after your kit. My bearings have never seized…

Hmm, I'd rather not have to take my cranks off and regrease the bearings after every wet ride. None of the current options are that great, oversized BB shells is clearly the way forward.

I can recommend lilybankfarmcottage, over the hill from Hope but there is plenty of good riding nearby, or you can do a longer ride and do jacobs->edale->hope etc. They can sort you out with route suggestions.

There is a 'Horley' in Surrey but I can't imagine any bike races taking place there – off road!

Outwood hill isn't far from Horley!

FWIW, flat bars are an inherently better design simply because they have fewer bends meaning that for the same weight they'll be stronger or they can be the same strength and lighter.

The bar might be lighter but you would need either a longer stem or a longer steerer tube + spacers to get the same hand position, if you work it all out I would have thought the weight difference would be minimal.

Seven samurai, assuming you have sufficient time, not the shortest film!

But should I run a rimstrip under the inner tube this time, and if so, do I want to put a couple on to pack it out a bit more or does it not matter?

Stick the tyre on and see how tight it is, if it's fairly loose then you'll probably want to pack it out a bit.

I did mine recently and used 24" schwalbe presta tubes, although I think 26's would work. On one reetard rims and kenda nevegal tyres, easy to inflate and have survived a couple of weeks without any problems so far.

I've got one, it's plastered in mud in the only pics I have, but it is very nice, the colour is proper british racing green.

Could always get hold of a hope XC hub, quieter than the pro2's?

18k?

Found the film mildly amusing at first, but it became more ploddingly dull and self-important as it went along. Felt like a film designed to win oscars…