OK, a joke hijacked from a local radio station:-

Q : What do you call a girl with two c**ks?

A : n-dubz

A no entry sign at every road/bridleway/track? Wow, that's impressive!

But go on, spoil me, in case someone steals some of them (do I vaguely remember a news item about that?), is it clockwise or anticlockwise?

Surf-Mat

I'd be interested in one of the wheels/rims for a project if you're not going to repair/refurb them.

Royston

Been to the Dolomites twice for a total of 5 weeks. This was when I was a climber and not so much a biker.

Flew both times with Squeezyjet, once to "Milan" (Bergamo) and once to Venice. Venice is nearer and recommended if you can get flights. Driving would be quite a long way so hire a car there.

I'm assuming you're competent climbers/scramblers and not complete novices.

Best bases IMO are Cortina, Campatello/Canazei and Madonna di Campiglio

Done loads of good Via Ferrata which I can't remember the names of off the top of my head (as they're all in Italian).

Madonna is a little bit away from the bulk of the Dolomites and is the Brenta area which has many of the classic style of Via Ferratas you've seen pictures of where the path follows a long shelf seemingly carved into the side of a vertical cliff.

Campitello/Canazei is just south of the spectacular Sella Pass. Tons of good climbing and Via Ferratas. There is also some awesome darkside biking here. Camping sites in both towns.

Cortina is a bit more chic. Again loads of good climbing and Via Ferratas including the famous Cinque Torre (of which I think one has fallen down). Several campsites a few miles south in Zuel.

We also spent a bit of time around Lake Garda. The southern side is ghastly and overcrowded but Riva del Garda and Arco to the north are quite nice.

If you want specific route recommendations I'll have to get my guidebook out from home

Royston

Just to make sure, it was the park at the top near the house that this took place?

Can I get down on the fourth/fifth/sixth list please!

Nibsy

It's a long shot but it sounds like you'll be looking for some oversize centrelock rotors.

I happen to have a new, unused 160 mm oversize rotor (Shimano SM-RT80S) I could post to you for £13. Picture here:-

http://cid-3b734ab2f9ca13fa.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Public/ShimanoSM-RT80S

e-mail address in profile

Royston

Just behind Shepherds Crag in Borrowdale is Black Crag with the mega-classic Troutdale Pinaccle. It is about 6 pitches though (all easy).

+1 for Little Chamonix. Not hard but succumbs to a confident approach.

+1 for easier stuff, the Brown Slabs to the left hand end of Shepherds Crag.

2 wheel wonder

Go on then, I'll have the bits.

I'll e-mail you.

R

Yeah, I think you're a bit confused there geetee1972.

You set your chain length up as per the bottom of vinnyeh's first post and all Shimano documentation – largest sprocket and largest chain ring plus 2 links. This means you won't snap your rear mech off when running biggest front and back whatever length of cage you have.

The non-issue comes when running small sprockets and chain ring at the same time. The mech has to take up the links that are not now running over teeth. But as experience has shown, there isn't a problem with a medium cage despite what the teeth ratings would suggest.

I think it's safe to conclude that SRAM and (even more so) Shimano are conservative with the teeth ratings of their rear mechs. This is probably to allow for people who set up their chain length with more than the specified 2 extra links (either because they don't know any better or so thay can remove a link if the chain snaps and the pin is lost?).

As PeterPoddy says, what are you doing in the granny ring and messing around at the small end of the cassette anyway?

Besides, the worst thing that can happen in this situation is the rear mech folds back far enough for the chain rubs against itself and goes a bit slack which isn't dangerous.

I have a 11-34 44/32/22 set up with a Shimano medium cage and don't get any problems.

Go medium cage and save yourself an easy 80 gramms. Its also a slicker shift as less mass on a lever and a smaller target for vegetation and flying rocks.

Epic Journey Story!

I've driven to the Alps 4 times, 3 times to Chamonix and 1 time to Zermatt.

The last timne to Chamonix the weather was so bad we decided to drive to Finale Ligure for the last 4 days. Just as we were leaving the campsite to come home on Saturday morning the (company) car started to play up, loss of power, engine lights on dashboard etc. Upshot was it needed to go to a garage rather than drive 1000 miles back to Bristol. Unfortunately my company had let Europe-wide recovery lapse despite telling me otherwise when I asked.

It was with much sympathy that the owner of the campsite told us we would have problems as it was a local holiday for the whole of the next week. We ended up having to get a train to Nice then Easyjet to Luton. Hired a car in Luton (which thankfully work paid for as I needed something to get around in) and drove back to Bristol.

Not too bad, the epic bit come when trying to pick the car up two weeks later which was August Bank Holiday. I had booked to go to Cornwall.

So, on Wednesday afternoon, drove hire car back to Luton, Easyjet back to Nice, found hotel in Nice for the night. Next morning (Thursday) at 6.30 caught train out of Nice to near Finale where car had been repaired, taxi from train station to garage. Paid for repair (which was only about 80 Euros for all this trouble!) around 10 a.m. and hit the road. Spent the rest of the day driving to within an hour of Calais where I crashed in a service station about 10 p.m. for some sleep. Up early next morning (now Friday) and drove to Calais and got on 9 a.m. ferry. Arrived in Blighty at noon having lost and hour, stopped at my parents in Folkestone for some lunch and got back on the motorway. Round M25 and along M4 on Bank Holiday Friday and got back to Bristol at 6 p.m. Unpacked 2 week old gear from car boot and repacked for weekend, had some dinner then went to supermarket to get food for weekend. Left Bristol about 8 p.m. and got to Land's End at 11.30 p.m. Thankfully the pub was still serving as I needed a drink by then! Got tent up around 2 a.m. on Saturday morning. Phew!

Anyway, driving to the Alps (or further) isn't too bad although it is easier with someone else to share, just plan to take a short break or swap every 2 to 3 hours. Population densities aren't generally as high in Europe so roads tend to be less congested. Also the weather tend to be a bit better as you head south so it's not unpleasant driving. Bear in mind Motorway tolls add up and the Mont Blanc Tunnel is quite expensive. Seriously consider European recovery.