honestly its not that bad if you pace yourself

Nah it’s grand. I did it last year and the year before, can’t make it this year though. The only real hills are coming out of Waterville and Molls gap after Kenmare, but neither are bad really. I went up Molls Gap in May with full camping gear, just long not steep.

If you get good weather its a nice day out and people are friendly. I did it in 7 hours 11 mins last year including stops, I’m no roadie :) I took my Jake with slicks on which was fine.

Both times I have flagged a bit by Sneem, then picked up by Kenmare with a 2nd wind from about 80 miles on.

Damn I wish I was going now!

hmmm ok but we aren’t addressing the matching collar and cuffs problem ?
I think the moots may be a wee bit too expensive

Thats how I read it yeah*

Even with a 50mm chainline I found the outer chainring on my 853 Inbred very very close to the stays, so I indented it to give more clearance (like the older inbreds were)**

Since then however I have gone 22/36 with a short cage mech , don’t think I’d have gotten that in without the indenting actually

*usual disclaimers apply :)

**even more disclaimers apply! but Brant said it was fine

shimano tech doc

Lots of on ones out here but probably not many people with that crankset, I had a quick google but couldn’t find the recommended BB for those cranks.

You just want a 5mm longer BB than whatever Shimano recommend for a (normal, older standard) 47.5mm chainline, but I guess you knew that.

I get on rather well with a WTB Rocket V, use on one the MTB and also on the Jake that I have used for a weeks tour.

You could try a Selle San Marco Rolls, seen those on a few tourers, they look more normal than a brooks. I had a San Marco regal on a bike once and that was comfy

I couldn’t decide so went for mid rise :)

I actually have one of those jonnyhuge, just thought I might try going unabashed for a while :)

Dropping the chain was my main concern on shifts, I suppose I will have to see how it goes

Thanks, just need to get some single chainring bolts

nuts, cheers

i need a 400 coz mine is only just poked in the frame

The tektros are great, so easy to set up and adjust, no squealling and stop very well. Running with koolstop pads on my jake they are in a different league to the tekro oryx and richey cantis I tried before.

Never tried frogleggs

a swampthing looks like it will be slower than a high roller?

I am trying to save Chain Reaction by spending there ;)

Nah I’m crap and I have Maxxis on both my bikes

I really like them on the front. Run with a tube at just over 30psi. Not too draggy, corners well, stops well, grips in everything unless its proper mud tyre territory.

Felt very draggy on the rear though so I run a 2.1 advantage on the back. Not a fast combination but it rolls well enough if you aint racing and stays on the bike all year. Last time I put the advantage on the front and a crossmark on the rear it was fast but i really missed the bite of the HR in corners so changed back again.

I’m sensing just a little sarcasm there Drac :)

“if your not at all normal” actually you have summed me up pretty well there

Thanks for the advice all.

Have lived in Ireland for the last 10 years and not experianced any real hatred. Only really seems to be sport brings out the worst in this regard. Besides I have a Scottish surname so how bad can it be :)

I intend to be having a small mortgage so might not need to work in IT too long but still good points all. I could aim very south borders and look at Carlisle for work or as suggested a bit nearer Edinburgh. Will do some more research.

Kinda Hawick, Jedburgh area

so I spose a commute to Edinburgh is doable.

tj- Does the offers over thing still work at the moment if no one wants to buy anything? I have seen properties on the market for a long time not sold that still say offers over.

cf- any particular reason? or just an Englandshire thing? we have considered it, not sure there are any jobs about down there?

I use a 2.1 advantage on the back, and its only a smidge smaller than the 2.35 hr on the front. I like it though, seems to roll well and grip well enough.

I did think about trying 2.25 advantage front and rear next

Panaracer Cinders, managed 2 rides before I threw them in the back of the shed

hmmm I am leaning heavily that way

they seem to have gone to the roundagon rotor for 2009?

22/36/bash here, its perfect imo, you only actually loose a couple of gears on having a big ring and my bash ring has enough dents to prove I would have been through a few big rings :)

The death fork was the alloy one fitted to the Viscount Aerospace as far as I remember, yours seems to be a lugged frame and forks so I wouldn’t worry

I’m 40 in 43 days, I’m not coping though I haven’t got a sports car or a harley yet

yeah nice, I think blue grips would have worked better

I agree with pp, went 22/36 bash and short cage mech about 2 years ago and now, hated all that changing about at the front, now always just seems to be right and using the whole of the cassette

Oh and half way through a tour last week I rotated the bars on my Jake up just about 5 degrees, oh what a difference!

right i better order one quick ;)

Would a handlebar bag seem a sensible place to carry a DSLR? I am off touring the end of next week and was just going with rear panniers and tent on top of the rack but a bar bag sounds like it might be a good idea.
Camera and lens weigh 1.5kg so it would have to take a bit of weight.

This is the one I am riding most at the moment. Off touring on it in a couple of weeks.

22/36/bash and 11-32 here for the last 2 years. As pete says do the maths and its almost the same range as a triple apart from top.

I dont find the big drop much of an issue really, you just get used to it. Sometimes I’ll do as Jeremy said and shift one down at the back too.

Far less spinny than a 32

Yeah it’s a super galaxy, 18 speed. It’s actually all in good nick apart from the cables and the comedy bars

I think that would terrify her even more!

New cables on order and I need to change the tyres then I have a mate signed up for the maiden voyage…I am kinda scared myself

Duffy is actually a Fembot

Unfortunately I am trapped in Ireland

Very nice, I like that blue.

Good call on the indented chainstay, I had to do my own :)

Yeah I am still using them on my Inbred which is my only MTB. They work fine with just a little attention to keep the pads adjusted.

I have toyed with the idea of a set of hydros but I don’t really see the point for me and I find cables easier to deal with than the idea of bleeding, especially on a trip.

ah welcome back

tasty fresh (not free)