Hi thanks for all the replies,

The UBAC shirt would be for general riding, not launching off cliffs. was interested in the coolmax fabric.

i reckon the next look will be camo all over, so you disapear in the trees:)

and whats wrong wrong with woollen jumpers? swobo anyone?

any more links would be good.

the injured rider was in the army and fire brigade, so as long as he can talk we can patch him up etc.

Trouble is he’s 10 years older than me, got more determination than fitness, ex kick boxer, rower, grandad and can drink like a fish. He s ridden every Sunday through the last three winters.

If only we can get his technique right, we will all be riding the London Brighton off road.

I know , trouble is he gets knackered, we drop him. He has the core strength, but just the wrong technique. He’s often in the third ring,. The gyroscopic action of a fast cadence gets you through the dodgy stuff.

The right gear and cadence means you can shift between two or three cogs to cope with pretty much everything.
Maybe we need to get him on a singlespeed to show him.

Charlie never has stuff in stock….

Cheers everyone.

Surly Ogre is winning for me at the moment, the fork included is important.

Best way is wheels and frame, cheaper bits bogged together. Must have a hope headset though!

Those were my feelings too.
The Surly looks great, especially as the fork is included. I like the Ogre.

However how do you feel about the inbred s? This is because price wise I would be having Hope Hoops, if that makes sense.

Any thoughts on a suspension fork? I rode rigid for ten years until last year, a short spell with suspension before that. Do like it but….

i used the cheap cree lights this week, bodged a handlbar mount. basically no good! i was surprised though, it let others know i was there.

i also use a petzl head torch, really good lens etc. invaluable for mending punctures etc.always in the bag.

maybe because my grandfather was a miner i get fixated with all this, he must have spent his whole working life with a light on his head!

no stem plate i am afraid, just have seen them around.

i am amazed at how good the whole thing is, i know its more money, but it will get used. mounts on cheap lights always fail.

i like the look of the district lights, but ironically really bright rear lights could make the drivers not be able to spatially place where you are. i prefer three red leds, so the buggers/drivers can chosse which ones to ignore….

Here’s his link to his blog about cancer.

about teaching cancer to cry

The Digswell Winter Squad went out, four stacks and……… then Bramfield
Trying to avoid a massive puddle I had crashed through I advised our eldest member, 54 to go round, what we thought was ground was a three foot drainage channel. Despite going in to waist height he held the bike up high and climbed out. So we called in at the nearest pub, bacon sandwiches and called International Rescue for him. The remaining two carried on.

Endura thermolite, sometimes merino possum hat under helmet. Did once have an icicle hanging off hair formed of sweat.

Minus 10 according to the car this morning, rode to my colleagues to then sit on a heated seat all the way to work. What more could you want.

overshoes are next on my list.

maybe the fact that your most outer extremities are rotating in cold wind as you travel, mean that they are the furthest away from your heart and have the highest amount of cold air over them is why its so fing cold down there! also if spd’ing you are connected to metal

that and pins and needles are deemed never to be solved

if its 2 inches I will go with the mud sharks, if its light then its the maxxis.

the trip is 10 miles either way, off the road on cycle ways and an old railway line, pretty much all the way.

looking forward to it whatever, hopefully it will be so bad they close the college and I can then go ride offroad proper.

It’s difficult to gauge, this all depends on how much, 8 cm is forecast.
I reckon it’s going to be more, or is that me hoping?

Pearl Izumi combat trousers from 1997 ish. Must sew them up before next use.

All good, came from a steel frame to this. Ridden with rigid and suspension.
Buy the raw finish. It’s as good as it gets I think for the price.
Maybe more expensive frames have the finish, but if you want to spend lots of money invest in full suspension, or top end wheels, that will make the difference

Excellent in other words.

And during rail replacement by coach, they chucked the bike underneath and even got it out at the other end!

A gem is the St. Albans to Watford train, used it since 1998 to get to work. Ride ten miles to snorkens from here and back. Space galore, even no first class charge despite first class carriage. Staff excellent and never any bother.

Not faced the above, but have used a length of scaffolding pole and another occasion the good old angle grinder.

Not black shark mus, even off road

No worries, been doing a north face pack for years, then waterproof. Only wish I could do the same for my stinky helmet….

We did the downhill, but upwards from codicote road to behind ayot st Lawrence coming out near the brocket arms. The bike got so clogged I had to carry it, even with black shark muds on!

The concrete mile track to tewin from digswell is basically liquid held together with mud. The only dry downhill is from pennyfathers lane, harmer green.

We need cold……

Keep it as a spare, or rig a head torch to it so its ready for night rides.
Also does it smell?

Is it 100% merino? Many are mixing polyester in, just a bit.
I am a big fan of merino and now possum. Suits me on all occasions, does get damp but keep the dampness warm and it’s fine.

Where is dry ish or well drained at the moment?! We need some cold to freeze everything up. Maybe next week.

Richie, give us a shout when you are back,

Is the dragons back on the same side?
Who’s been digging jumps in the rolercoaster? Caught us out last week.

Any idea of the purpose of the big mesh fence?
It does seem clearer at the moment, fav bit is heading into the holly bush left hand turn and out.

Jedi do you do the Marley Heath rolercoaster?

Rode the wiggly bit in the ‘scouts side’ of Harmer Green woods last week, very clear for some reason.
No logs, blocking etc as has been the case over the last year. Seems like some of the fencing has been knocked down etc

Anyone else ridden it of late?

Keep the chain and cassette together, replace both at the same time.
What you could do is have two sets to alternate, with a power link to ease.

I ride until its knackered and falls off. Then use as objects for my students to draw.

Wd40
Don’t use motor oil, splattered everywhere, not good for rotors.

In the old days some folk just used wd40 as it did not pick up mud/dust and just wiped off.

Our rescue dog, trigger, long legged jack russell loves riding. He’s fast 28 mph clocked at, pickable up when needed barks when you stop and likes chasing one of the digswell chapter. See below

Like the bike, what’s the stem?

I came off on the way to work to teachground down my knee, with a cut, graze and some crap in it, got there late with blood caked down my leg, walked in the classroom to set the students off, the said I just need to go and change. Not sure what ousted would have said..

Anyhow, stitched up the shorts at lunch and rember each time I look at the Frankenstein stitching.

Cheers, maybe an optical illusion as the bars taper.
Yet to ride, but may chop down to the pro version.

Like the pace, why cable disc brakes?

Sew them up, done this on humvees and a pair of pearl izumis that are from the 1990’s. both still going strong. Likewise when stacking causes a tear, a beer, thread and needle and off you go.

Anything aldi, rode this morning and evening. Was approx -4, good and warm. Been commuting for 16 years like this.
Trouble is with cheap gloves is when taking off, the liner can turn inside out if that makes sense. Also little extras are left off and finish can be variable.

Cheers for the replies, interesting about the 10%

i eat my words, about bike shops

i popped into kinetic in welwyn garden city, past 6 pm closing, lights on asked if they were open; technically no but come in.

best bit of service and banter for a longtime in a shop, got my humvees and all good.

i reckon endura have made a smart move.