I'd be the first person to heartily recommend one but they are still mountain bikes, with what would generally be a similar position to what you ought to have on a 26" wheeled bike. Perhaps you ought to look at a hybrid if a more upright position and easygoing ride is what you're after?

I've got lots, but at the moment this one's probably my favourite…

I really had to force myself to go out and test the (26" wheeled) Hummingbird. It was quite fun in a wheelie-ey jumpy sort of way but I certainly wouldn't want to go back to riding them all the time. Just do 24/12 on the Unit? No fear, there will be lots of other big wheeled ssers out there – well I know of at least four…

Not as hard as in golf…

@singularcycles

Dugast Rhino XL :D

Stonemonkey – gotta prep one tonight so will weigh it for ypu when I do. Should be around 4.5 lbs, maybe a bit less.

12 hour pairs – me and Steve the Ringer for Team Singular. The bit I'm looking forward to least is the drive home…

650b is not the same, i have some 26×1 3/8 wheels from my old cycle speedway bike, and the 650b tires didnt fit……

26 x 1 3/8" is 590, in fact that's probably most likely what the Count is thinking of as it was a size common on 3 speeds – pretty close but not the same…

650B is hardly new, when I was a kid practically every adult sized bike had those sized wheels, only they were called 27.5"

Not exactly. 650b (584mm bsd ETRTO measurement) is an old French size previously seen really only on French tourers and tandems. Very few UK & US made bikes used the size. You may be thinking of either 26 x 1 1/4" (597) which was used on lots of British utility bikes, or 27 x 1 1/4~1/2" (630) which was very widely used and still is quite common. "650b" in its current off road guise shouldn't really be called 650b at all. The French measuring system (650c, 700c, 650b etc) represented teh approximate outside diameter of the wheel in mm and width of the tyre denoted by a letter. So 650b & 650c have the same outside diameter but are different width tyres and thus different size rims (584 and 571 respectively).

It makes much more sense than 29" for a mountain bike; fewer compromises in frame sizing for smaller riders, lighter tyres, but greater ability to roll over trail imperfections and roots. I would much rather have a 650B than a 29er, and visually the proportions are better, too.

It makes more sense for some sizes (you might say most common sizes) of bike. I maintain that wheels should be in proportion to a frame's and a person's size – in a prefect world we'd all have custom wheels for our custom frames. However with the realities of modern mass manufacturing I'm not convinced three distinct wheel sizes can survive, particularly where 650b is not that different from 26". The tinkerer in me wants to give it a try, and for some it is probably the ideal, but I don't think it will last for the reasons sooty notes. However I do think 29" is here to stay for the enthusiast market.

until I see a bike that's just lovely and only come in 650b size…

They fit in a Hummingbird – will probably will work best with a suspension fork though… Got some coming for experimenting

Gears are made up of thin strands that spiral gently along the length, providing lower friction and better accuracy.

Brake cable is made up of a steeply spiralling "band" of steel, sharp as sin when you cut it, and not as smooth on the cable inner, but able to withstand much higher compression forces, which is good on brakes.

Gear outer is designed so that it's length doesn't change as it's bent, nothing to do with friction or 'accuracy'. The outside diamter is usually 4mm.

Brake outer is a wound helical cable, also known as a Bowden cable. True that it resists compression better than gear outer. However both gear and brake outer will have a plastic liner in these times so neither design has anything to do with friction.

Not easy. Though I have a mostly back roads route I do to Victoria quite regularly if that's of any interest?

Agree with aracer, not much point to latex tubes (except inside tubulars…) now that tubeless is so common. If you must though I have a feeling Michelin still make a latex tube?

Well done to England – our second innnings was what did it really… Anyhow, there's quite a bit of cricket left in the series. At least now I can get some work done…

Wheels – Halos are hefty. Agree on something like 819's (maybe Stans Flow?) on ProII's tubeless.

the only problem i've had with a lefty is it pulls to the side when you do no hands.

Do you have the same problem of listing to the right with derailleurs, cassette, chain and cranks on the right?

a lot of bike manufacturers dont reccomend the use of a lefty fork with their frames

I don't recommend it either, or any other dual crown forks, but for your specific xc-only-no-jumping use it should be fine.

There's a lot of racing left yet but Contador certainly took control today. Wiggins was very impressive. Good to see Sastre getting stronger as well – this race is far from over!

Woot – never thought I'd say this, thank you Jeremy! :-)

I assumed when you asked if you could put the lefty on you were going to be sensible and use a flat bar. Though you may have bought it second hand the terms and conditions of sale still apply – 3.2.a – drop handlebars may only be used with a rigid fork

;-)

Not much hope of chasing it down but plenty of hope of hanging on for a draw pom style with the assistance of rain, unnecessary physios etc ;-)

When are Steve Waugh and Glenn McGrath's kids going to be of playing age?

Yep, no problems at all. Jelle (who runs it) sells my frames in the Netherlands and has sent a few esoteric things my way as well. He is a throughly good guy, on holiday until some time next week though.

It's just you – there's a lot more to a stage race than GC.

still drumming fingers

Last I recall you said you didn't want me to send it as you're away? Eccentrics arrived yesterday and it's ready to go when you are. Let me know.

Sam

I just use good coffee grounds straight in a cup, add boiling water, wait till they sink, add additives of choice, drink. Tastes exactly the same as a cafetiere, no weight, no washing. In fact I do it like that at home quite often when I can't be arsed to do the stovetop espresso. Must used fine ground coffee to avoid floating bits. Take care towards the end.

5 people each deposit 10 pounds with bank.

Bank then lends 10 pounds out to 6 different people.

Not quite, that's essentially it but the banks are not allowed to lend more than what is deposited. In fact they can't actually lend the full amount of deposits. I'm not sure what they are called here but there is legislation as to what proportion of deposits banks can re-lend.

person 1 deposits £10
person 2 borrows £9

Collectively they now have £19 where there was previously only £10. When everyone 'actually' wants theirs back that is what causes banking collapses – like Northern Rock last year.

Very handy indeed, sub 8 is world class.

Sorry r-dog, I've had so many going out I've run out of eccentrics… more due to arrive tomorrow.

Glad you enjoyed the ride Mark – always happy to change some pre-conceptions.

I think I was four or five. Agreed that like-a-bikes and similar with no pedals do seem a much more natural way to learn.

Peterpoddy – you rock!

13 laps and 3 photos, none of me – I sense a conspiracy… :wink:

2unfit, i remember having a picture of one of those plastered across a folder at school – goddamn it was cool. Incredibly it doesn't look too far off modern now, nearly 20 years later.

Now Sam that is the bar I would be after. I have thought about the Nitto bar, but if you were going to produce such a bar I certainly would be very interested. It is a wonder that no one has done a max width legal drop bar.

I was talking to Brant about it at the weekender – watch this space :-)

Phil states that MTB regulation wheels are 26". Is this still the case or could one choose to run 29ers in a world cup race? Or will they be getting their own class?

It was changed a few years back though to my knowledge wheel size rulings were never enforced. Decent size 26" tyres in reality measure over 26".

I think you'll be lucky to get a set of steel forks from a custom builder for that little money.

Indeed, very lucky… Do you want disc or canti? I've a few excess sets of Peregrine forks I could part with for not much. 410mm a-c, 50mm rake, lugged crown, disc only, red only.

Hard to get much wider than what you've got without going to something like the On-One midge. I like the Deda Newton shallow drop in a classic bend – don't go any wider than 46 though. You could possibly look at some Nitto Noodles in a 48, they're not that shallow though and only come in 26.0. I've been having thoughts of a cross specific 'maximum legal' bar which is shallow, classic bend, 50 aross the ends, 31.8, slight flare (say like Nitto Randonneurs), light as possible.

Hazmat Modine

Hard to say at this point – I'm trying to avoid over promising and under delivering. I certainly hope early October but won't be certain until they are on the boat.

I'd recommend waiting ;-)

I've got a few in the shed… The head angle on production bikes is a bit slacker than the protos. Where are you shortcut? May be able to sort out a test ride if you fancy.

Yeah, that was me Dougal, I didn't think I'd held too many people up as I was trying to get off the trail as soon as I'd lost momentum. If I cost anyone a few seconds which affected their placing I apologise profusely.