Scroll down to yesterday-ish posts for same q and lots of response. I was the during TT week and got some done on Bradda Head (south west coastal stuff). Seems great biking in the central/Douglas regions

Humvees have been fine but s/trk have gone bobbly. try washing them inside out, should work

Not sure if the CX referrs to all brands or just the Seven? Any way, yes I own a Ti Litespeed road bike and a alu one before that. Riding pal too has roadie. Never had a problem, build quality is superb, ride quality spot on. Size wise I found the M a tad small so moved upto ML for current Ardennnes that I have been riding since new '07. Bought frame and forks to build on. Hope this helps…

can be found on their suppliers web sites sometimes. If I remeber correctly it was on the Fisheroutdoors ie Look, Avid, Rockshox etc

Dream Bikes = Kona CinderCone, Explosif; Yo Eddy Fat Chance; Klein Adroit; Rocky Mountains (all of 'em)
Heroes = Dave Hemming, JMC, Cazza, Barry Clarke et al
Kit = Dodgey Specialized helmet with yellow 'hairnet'
Dream bits = Kooka, Rigle, X-Lite
Aspiring advert = Some bloke frollicking in a snow field through forest on a white Trek 7000(ish)and some wolf/dog thing alonside. Not sure why but always stuck in my mind (MBUK)oh and those Raleigh ads like the Dune Dancer bike…
Reality = Dawes Rough Trade w/GS300 groupset and bio pace rings

Thank goodness for progress!!!!

AS above really. I run Revs 150 bolts and not noticed any difference from my old QR Revs. Bushings on shock have been replaced on mine once all round since new in 07. Pivot bearings been sound and had them checked over this week. No bother

Or WD40. I find Fizik the easiest to clean followed by Deda. Best tip though that everyone forgets…. Wash your gloves!!! It realy is that easy to keep white bar tape white

Glad ya omitted the dust caps too, further weight loss?! Will be interested to know how it rides to a 575 if ya able to make a comparison, post on here please…

One of my fave trail centres. I know its in the middle of some superb natural trails, but it has its bonuses. Oh and there is a hose pipe ban in the lakes now and the driest period since about 1921! or somethink…

McMoab

Les Marmottes a mile out of town at Essert Roman. Excellent!and trails descending right to ya vestibule!!

Just got back. Though most of my time was watching the TT and being a tourist. We stopped at Port Erin on the South West Coast. Bradda Head is a 'local' spot and was pretty good. Great if you like riding cliff tops with the sea crashing down below!! Also consider Berrule Forest, though I didnt get to that spot. Try getting in touch with the local bike shops in Douglas sure locals will give you more info?

X-Lite
USE… source stuff no longer made as both companies seem limited on products these days?

Merlin built wheels are serving me well after 2 years of good use! I have only heard good about their wheel building..

amplebrew – i have 2x Pace (Ahead)stems 100mm and 120mm in black. Not sure if they are RC45s. Both only take flatbars and cnc machined, ano black. They have like 'bullit sculptures'on each side reminding me of the old gun ports on Meshershmitts. Are you interested?

Radio 4 did storey yesterday and good it was too. They are looking for the guy who handed it over, apprently he's (was)called Eric Sykes…

mine looks like this… 2007 M frame, with current kit

Shortened version of 'Santa Cruz rider'. Maybe obvious, though not so true these days….

Anybody care about the speed limits on our roads, cos everyone seems to have forgotten them here? I think they might be there for a good reason, but I could be wrong… What would the road safety situation be like if they were all adhered to?

That sounds about right Ian, Doc did say it was in my chest (and not lungs or any where worse).

Not sure about the flapping noise but you could try remedying the R adjuster by pulling itout/off (its an 3/4mm allen key in disguise)giving it a clean and putting it back in. There should be an o ring to help it click in place, though they do rattle a bit anyway.

That's my Dr's orders. Is he wrong? Said it was a virus and that's what he's prescribed… Interested to know ..

Ta BigAirNig for that info, confirming my beliefs. I have been a RM fan for over 15 years had had plenty of fun on their bikes, one of the finest and most over looked makers I reckon..

Bike Travelling is fantastic. My trips of a similar ilk include Israel/Palestine and Egypt and a non bike jaunt around/into deepest darkest Marocco. I take it ya not just gunna arrive at the border say youve done it and catch the next boat out of there! Its an absolutley stunning place and the further you go into its interior the better and safer! Lanscape is out of this world, 'countryfolk' exceptional hosts and weather damn hot! We got as far south east as Zagora (and then a bit…)close to the Algerian border. Maybe thats stretching it? In terms of bike think long haul comfort first and ability to carry gear safely and sucurely as repairs will be hard to manage in the outbacks. Check out the like of Thorn and Hewitt and dont get in to the niche stuff just for the 'pose'. Thorn/Hewitt/Dawes/Roberts etc have decades and millions of miles under their rubber/steel to prove their worth..Do lots of research and of course this does not take in to account ya trip south through France and Spain first…Get on with it and report back on here. Bon Voyage!

Ha! Remembered… Hendrys Campsite and it not Doglam but actually in Betwce y coed 1/4 mile or less from centre on rd to Capel Currig

Merlin(Ti)assuming they still make an xc f/s
Litespeed
Rocky Mountain (?) Please cofirm…
Some Canondales (?)

i forgot name for now but the farm campsite in Bewt c y coed is ideal and easy walking to town. 2 trail centres on ya door step Penmachno and marin along with lots of natural trails. really beautiful part of the world!

Bizarre cos same is happening here. Missus's computer and now she's blaming me! Using mute helps but not permenantly. Will keep trying..

Oh yeah, back to Play Dead, was chuffed when Dirt vid came out and having Rob Warner etc dhing to This Side Of Heaven. Wasted on that generation unless Pete Tompkins was a fan!

Into a O were good (still got their vinyls in loft too, never saw their predessors GTF but had Last Salute on 12" and like their version of Iggy Pop's Be your dog.

Now then Napalm, got that gig in my loft on tape. Good quality too but not mixing desk though. Didnt know it was s/heads but they had ahabit of ruining gigs all over the county. Yeah i loked Balaam too especially early on. Rmember them with SOD at the Crytal Palace Bowl clad in yellow licra DODGEY!THere was a pond between stage and crowd! KB did a solo with Dame Vera Lynn! Its funny what you remember. Theres loads of stuff on You tube etc and P/Dead have an un official web site but quite old last time i looked. And Chatshow?

Yeah jasn bet lots of our age group have similar history. bikes took over in 92 and like you, I have never looked back, (with regret). Have fab memories of gigs, friends, music, record fairs, buying Sounds… It goes on….

It would be interesting to her what made us make the transition from music to bikes, very rarely do I bother with music these days as the 80's alternative scene satisfied that part of me and now I feel nothing compares. I know I am lucky to be of that age in a way to be part of it. To quote Justin Sullivan from New Model Army:"Most music means little to a great amount of people, New Model Army music means a great amount to a small amount of people". Ive done the NMA thing here before so wont go there now. Other bands of the time for me were SOM,Play Dead, Killing Joke, Death Cult etc and later onto the likes of Salvation… Bikes do for me now what this lot did then: freedom, expression, energy,social occassions etc…

SOD are still going and playing tours, though KB has recently in the last couple of years undergone heart surgery. He has recovered I believe. They have Craig Adams ex Sisters Of Mercy (and The Mission)on bass. Their annual fest in Crewe titled West World 1 (WW1) and going onto 8 or 9 now I should imagine have been very good: A full weekend of Kirk and his life tales portrayed in music, chat, film etc. I believe many of the modern bands now do their covers and admit to being influenced by him and his music. His music over the last 2-6 years has been less tuneful I feel and more remeniscent of TOH than late 80's & 90's SOD (certainly gone are the days of All My Love etc, for now…?). Well I think I'm doing KB's PR here so will now leave it to the man himself! Not that he rides bikes but did take up rock climbing to a decent level i heard…

Getting all rebellious and worked up, signing on,listening to music, seeing bands and festivals (Glastonbury, York)generally having a great time….

Yeah that's Stan along with B/Row – John-Boy Lennard,either Luke Rendal or Nigel Preston (RIP), the latter I think and Billy Duffy. Intersting storey there DezB.

I am glad bikes came along though to save the day…

Theatre Of Hate – KB front right

Was about to put up post but ya beat me too it Napalm. Here goes and putting bikes aside… I follwed TOH and Spear for many years and still catch up with them from time to time. I will fill in some blanks from last night…. George O'Dowed laid claim to having a gay relationship with KB in his autobiography. KB took him to court but lost his case… SOD later made a song called Stone To God (GOD being George O 'Dowed). George intended to call his band Sex Gang Children (he mentioned the name last night) but was beaten too it by Andrew Haywood AKA Andi Sex Gang in 1980…. One of Kirks recent ventures is Dead Men Walking along with Mike Peters (Alarm), Phantom (Stray Cats),Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols). To quote Kirk "I'm not a Nazzi and I'm not gay" The Tube circa '83….

Thought the drama was well done and reasonably accurate, though KB's hair lacked flair (read one or two out of place). Glad to see references to them live and Original Sin…. Any other closet fans on here… Just in case fave TOH songs Rebel Without A Brain and Poppies, fave SOD…this changes with mood…Flying Scotsman,Rainmaker, Land Of Shame, Soldier Soldie. No that's an impossible task.

Kirk is still playing as SOD but has recently had more unrest with the courts(sucessful this time) and illness. Long Live The Past…

Sorry for banging on but TOH and SOD were a massive part of my yoof,
The Man Who Tuned The Drums

Was part of that scene in the 90 and 00's yeah its been going on that long! Probably all moved on and wont be the same without Mat Brown! Used to have good DH from Conisbro road into woods and down via Steetleys to River Don. Try getting the DRI vid and its predecessor great viewing of the old Donny MTB scene. MBUK did a feature too with Matt Carr…. They were the days!! Daz Roberts was a star though I'd be surprised if he was still alive after the stuff he used to do… I do miss those days I suppose…

My '07 Yeti 575 in Balck Ano