Hmmm I have an idea

looks like he bought the wrong size

there are ads??

yeah I’d like one with massive front pockets

Hi,  Yeah velocity blunt rims on superstar hubs, 26 x 2.25 rear and 27.5 x 2.8 front.  If you are anywhere near the scottish borders you are welcome to try the front wheel.  This is the bike I use for bikepacking.

Plenty of room in that fork for a whole bigger wheel, much better 27.5×2.8

unnamed1 by Shawn McFarlane[/url], on Flickr

I’d say both run about true to size

I didn’t exactly give up my mtb…

Most of my riding is on my CX bike and I got so used to the position and drop bars* I ended up monster crossing my mtb to use for bike packing and for rides that are a bit rough or steep on the CX

unnamed1 by Shawn McFarlane[/url], on Flickr

I may now build up another cheapo mtb for the odd trail centre trip but with my 3 bikes (cx, monstercross, road) and the wife’s 1 bike the shed is getting a bit full.

Put drops on the Tarn and build up a 2nd set of 29er wheels?

No kids, 3 dogs, 1 cat and a pony for context.

*I get thumb problems if I ride flat bars much

Boil water in mug and rehydrate things in pour and store bags, usually –

noodles with spice, nuts etc added

smash potato with whatever

beanfeast with stuff added

cous cous, dried veg, nuts

bagged up ready brek and sugar

always cooked in bags so no washing up, usually take a few spare bags with me for whatever else I pick up en route

eat straight out the bag with long handled spoon and lick it clean, throw bag away at next bin

I went through this with my mtb and got obsessed with my cx…then I fitted drop bars to my mtb and got obsessed with that :)

Waves at fellow camo bar tape wearer

unnamed by Shawn McFarlane[/url], on Flickr

Did it 2 years ago on a sturmey archer 2 speed, the Moffat climb was fine just long (and I am a weak climber).  Planning to go this year on the same bike though it has a 5 speed hub now.

I have 2 bikes with midge bars and both have control tech terminator plugs fitted which extends the drop section by 20mm then proper old school rubber velox bar plugs.  Makes them pretty much the perfect drop for me.

“I have Jones Loops on 2 bikes and flared drops (Woodchippers) on another. They are in no way similar.”

Exactly.  I ride Midge bars alot on my cx bike (which is actually a cx bike just setup more like a gravel bike) and tried loops on my mtb.  The backswept part is not at the same angle, didn’t really feel like a nice tucked hook position on a drop and the forward part of the loop is nowhere near as comfy as a nicely shaped hood.  I did not feel like I had more control than riding with midge bars, somehow the loops felt like a was racing a wheel barrow.

They did however look slightly less weird than the set of midges I bodged on the mtb to replace them thereby making it a monstercross I suppose.

I might try another set one day almost because I just want to like them.

Rigid bikes I find drops comfier

Nice, in my head it had drop bars though

Personally I’d not mess with that blue genesis logo blue fork mojo :)

I’d have suspected 38 as they are an old 26 fork

Maybe look for a fork of a fortitude ?

Anyway pics in odd size wheel mode please ? I like weird

Longest – 853 inbred , 11 years and counting

shortest – evil sovereign, 1 ride of 12 miles (hated it)

Cheap thick thin ring and 10 speed chain, job done ….may be a bit more than 15 I spose

WTB tcs tyres are a right pain on my alex rims to (tried riddler, cross boss) using tubes.  I made sure I bought nano race (folding but not tcs) and they are a joy to fit / remove in comparision.

I had a 725 – 2016 I built up for a year, it fitted well and was comfy but a bit dull and heavy.  Took all the bits and built up a Ritchey Swiss Cross and it was like night and day.  The CDF felt like a tourer…which is sort of what it is but that wasn’t what I wanted.

Sunrace claim the 11-40 is 425g, I think I weighed mine at 445ish before fitting

Might be your cup of tea (I was tempted)

http://freshtripe.co.uk/velo-orange-piolet-frameset-pre-order-landing-april/

And yet not that many years back we (ok me) were running around on Mavic XC717 rims with MTB tyres…

17mm internal rims are just fine with 40mm cx tyres.  My 40mm tyres (nanos) have for 17-23 rims moulded on them.

“So the only 26 it’s you have is the wheels?”

And a pile of tyres, and IS mount brakes (2006 louise FR as it happens) (only an older 26″ fork is going to come with an IS mount)

456evo good suggestion

Cheap hardtail for throwing down things is exactly what I’m thinking, hard to justify spending much money on something I don’t really think will get much use but could be fun sometimes.  Plus I think the spares might take up less room all bolted together ;)

will be fine, I used a 26″ as a spare when I had a 69er

wtb nano is the default answer here for good reason (if you can fit them in)

smart sam are decent enough though, and cheap

It’s not a road bike honest

unnamed by Shawn McFarlane[/url], on Flickr

Cassette, sunrace do an 11-40 9 speed (I made up my own 11-42 from 2 cassetes and an expander but when it wears out i’ll just get the sunrace now it’s available.)

Narrow wide with 9 speed, wolftooth recommend using a 10 speed chain, which is what I have been doing for ages with no problems…someone will be along in a minute to point out that a 9 speed chain has the same internal dimension as 10 speed anyway

(this is on a cx)

There is some panic mongering in here, it’s just gravel not porcupines hiding in pointy rocks.  Being able to actually steer and decsend on a CX will make the biggest difference to if you get a load of punctures.  I rode the first one on tubes and have ridden at Keilder a reasonable amount with no punctures, even when loaded up with bikepacking kit.

Stick a 40mm upfront atleast if you can mind.

Drop bar rigid Inbred

Ritchey Swiss cross disc

Vintage Mercian road bike

Can’t really decide if I want anything else tbh as I ride the Ritchey most of the time anyway.  I have a road frame and forks in the loft where it’s been for years.

Built my monster gravel bikepacking rig from my old 26″ Inbred

26×2.25 rear, 27.5×2.8 front on Velocity Blunt

Midge bars

Gevenelle brifters (I like the term!)

60mmx35 degree stem gets the bars slighter higher and less reach than my actual CX bike

26733926_10215661452189115_201151334050185566_n by Shawn McFarlane[/url], on Flickr

Interesting mess, your girlfriend should probaby prepare for never speaking to her sister again.  Families and money do not mix!

How about –

(Sale of flat – fees – mortgage balance at the time the sister stopped paying) / 2

So probably about 10k still

Just bung a Sturmey Archer in the back, have the 5 speed on my Mercian and give a good gear range

Last day today, didn’t find it hard to be honest as I think I am better at giving up completely than cutting down.  Not that I am a raging drinker but all those glasses of wine (that end up being half a bottle) add up.

It has made me question my relationship with alcohol a bit to be honest.

Seriously considering just sticking with it.  Actually quite impressed with pistonheads, erdinger, that wheat beer I can’t remember the name of and nanny state for when I fancy something like that.

Nice one lambchop, I tried it for a month almost 6 years ago after being long term veggie and it just really clicked with me.  I never think of it as giving stuff up, just eating differently.  Other people are the hardest part ;)

Item not as described or faulty then yeah seller pays return postage through the returns process. Ebay will almost certainly back him.

Sounds like he is being a bit OTT mind.

Seem to be getting more and more run ins with idiots on ebay nowdays.

Long shot but has anyone tried a 27.5+ 2.8 in the back? Would likely be a maxxix ikon or rekon on a velocity blunt (31 internal) so not massive plus? Assuming the front would be no issue.

@thenorthwind (waves back) final bit of gravel recce next weekend hopefully!

if it’s 122 then should have an almost new one in the shed, pm me if it is

I go there on my cx and ‘grind gravel’ never really looked for the mtb trails, will have to try and find some