Where is your commute? I used my Tenere through the last few winters with knobblies on and it was just the job when all the other cars were stuck in the snow.

If you’ve not got too far to go on A-roads/ M-ways I would suggest something that is easy to pick up if you drop it, that you can fit handguards/muffs on, and that can do at least 65mph.
Honda Bros/NTV
Yamaha XJ600
Suzuki GS500
Honda NC21
Also, how tall are you?

Ah sorry, yeah you are right; SS or Alfine. Apologies.
CArry on…

I’d sell you an as new Genesis io id frame for that…

Great pictures. Looks like a good weekend.

Quick measure of the MacBook is 12.75×9 and it fits with plenty of room in the US20. I use mine either on a rack, or on the saddle.
Quick pic of it on the back of my Speed Triple special-

I’ve had it on the back of many bikes, including my girlfriend’s old Bandit 600. Also works well as a satchel when off the bike.

Mog – Member

shedbrewed – Member
Joking aside, I would say go and look at Kriega US-20 for a good tailpack.

Do you use one? Like the look of that. If you have one is there any chance you could have a look at the dimensions for me. Went out to try some oxford tail packs at lunchtime and none would fit a laptop.

Yes, I have used Kriega kit for 3-4 years now. What size is your laptop? My MacBook 13″ fits fine in the US20. I have a slightly larger HP laptop I can try out if you want too?

You want something nice in wicker, you do-

easily removable for when you need to take one of your other bikes’ wheels and tyres for changing-

Joking aside, I would say go and look at Kriega US-20 for a good tailpack. Very easy to fit and remove, they ARE waterproof, unlike a lot of other bike kit, and they are very tough. You would be able to get all your kit in the 20 with no bother.

A nice read that, cheers.

Kriega R35 has carried my kit for the last 3 years. R25 probably better sized though.

faaz – Member
As I say, riding up A roads at rush hour – selfish and unnecessary

Would you say the same about cyclists doing the same (puts hand up as a doer), or moped riders, or milkfloats?

To the OP; point being where you were cycling, as you and others have been at great pains to point out, is MULTI-USE, not just cycling. So you, as other users, should be prepared to meet those other users and all the hazards they bring with them.
It’s about people pulling their heads out of their arses and just getting on with each other.

Transplanted one in from my io id. Still running on the white/chrome drop out tabs. Could do with changing them at some point to get a better line for the cable, but it’s been fine so far. If yours has the horizontal drop outs, then white/chrome would be what you needed. My cabe runs along the chainstay then under BB and up.
I’ll echo what slimjim said with regards to the shifting. It IS annoying when you are cranking up a challenge and you need to change and the hub doesn’t want to move under heavy load. That little lift you need to do can make the difference between making it up and not.
I’m running 34-18 on mine.

Just a bump and question as I have a pair of 100m Recon Race’s that would be nice if they were 120mm. I can find a guide for 2006 model Recon, does anyone know if they changed at all between 06 and 10 please?

I see much beard win there.

I see that and raise you-

touché…

I’ve had several high milers; W123 Merc 280e with 213,000 on the clock. Was good as gold. Lexus LS400 with 165,000, great until a lorry drove into the side of it.
Friend picked up a W211 with 497,000 on the clock, ex-taxi.
It’s not the mileage that is the killer, it’s the care it gets.

The extended use agreement is for up to four years…
That’s four years where you DON’T own the bike, and it’s your responsibility.

Are the uppers leather or man made fabric?
Also, whilst searching for winter shoes, saw These Diadoras on Merlin at half price.

Definitely not worth doing with the HMRC changes.

I bought a pair of the MFX MTB SPD (yay acronyms!) shoes. They are cheap and plastic in feel, and pretty much exactly what you expect from a pair of £30 shoes. I just wanted to see how I got on with SPDs so they were fine, but how long they last, I don’t know.

I started off 2 gallons of cider last night. Granted I only had to forage in my front garden, but still…

Another Point North recommendation here, and you can ask them for samples.

Just to add, the Newtown-Crossgates section of the A483, I hope you aren’t traveling with anyone who is remotely susceptible to car sickness. It’s a great road on the bike, but in a car, no thanks.

My two offerings to you would be to head A41 Whitchurch, then A49 Leominster, A438 to Brecon, then A40/477 to Tenby.
Either that or the previously mentioned Ruthin/Dolgellau/Aberystwyth/Cardigan and down to Tenby.

I am also not a fan of the M5/6 combo, even on a bike where traffic is less of an issue.

If it’s truly gnarly you spell it with a K.
Word.

I try and balance my riding out with swimming, and road and off road cycling. If I do 25 miles one day, I’ll only do 10 or 15 the next to give my body a little rest. Aim to ride at least 5 days a week.

Lot of wide bars here.
6’2″ and 600mm wide.

Yep, absolutely loving it at the moment. After a holiday doing 5 trail centres in 5 days I have pretty much been on a bike every day. Pushing the road mileage up and trying new routes, looking for stuff to be competitive in. Really enjoying hucking the inbred through local woods and tracks.
More! I Want More!

Had/have one but all the parts are on an 853 Inbred, so the 19″ frame, seat post and saddle are for sale if you fancy? Mine was an 8sp and I found the frame 19″ size a little small for myself.
Standard brake pads were dire so I replaced with some superstar organics and they’ve been far better.

It was open and serving good grub a couple of weeks back-

I’ve been using a basic spec Tricross for the last year and half. Got to say it got me back into cycling and I love it. I’ve tried a few different tyres on it and currently it has some 23c Schwalbe Blizzards as they were cheap and I wanted to try roadie tyres. Massive, massive difference in speed/rolling resistance compared to the 32c borough cx’s that were on it. Ran it through last winter with some Conti Cyclocross Plus on that felt very nice, but wore quickly, like 250 miles before the centre knobs were disappearing.
I realise the Tricross is a bit out of your budget, but what I’m saying is, they are tough old boats. Mine did all the wood-plugging and trails before I got an MTB.

honourablegeorge – Member

Domb thing, but I have a pair of dhb shorts that give me cramp – the elastic at the ends of the legs sits a bit higher on my legs than other shorts, and that seems to be where I get the cramp – minor things liek that can affect circulation, it seems.

I find that my budgie smugglers are worse than my trail shorts for this. My cramps tend to be groin or hamstring. I keep looking for shorts that have a more relaxed leg elastic.

I use a Kriega R20[/url] with their 3 litre hydrapak in it. Very comfy, very well made. Granted it might be pushing your budget.

I was at Llandegla last Thursday, for the first of five days and five centres (Llandegla, Brenin, Brechfa, Afan, Cwmcarn). We did the Red with the black additional parts. My only previous TC experience was Cannock two weeks prior, I was on an 853 Inbred with 100mm recon races and Alfine 8sp hub. Really enjoyed it.
The food there was good too; good portions (Adventure burger) and good price.
As for paying for parking? It’s hardly a lot in the scheme of things, and trails don’t look after themselves…

The Tidenham Chase put up by Marko is a nice site, but maybe not on your route.
Chainbridge is nice and easy to find.

Hmm. I see where you are coming from, but my diet was terrible before; lots of alcohol (ah delicious beers and ciders), kebabs, pizzas, chips, big portions of all. No bad side effects apart from I couldn’t even swim 2 lengths, got out of breath going up stairs etc.
I got fat sat at a desk and did no exercise at all. What I am interested in now is seeing if there are any recommended books on nutrition so I can look at what I am currently eating and if it needs to change to give me longer stores of energy to help me out when the fitness waves the white flag.

Well that was a nice little read.
FWIW back when I was a yoof (15-19) I used to train for amateur powerlifting and worked on a farm in summers. I weighed in at 72kg, was benching 92.2kg, squatting 120kg and deadlifting 165kg. Once, for a laugh, I picked a friends Metro up from the back.
On the farm it was normal practice to sling a half hundred weight bag of bulbs on each shoulder and walk with them to the pallet, then back and do it again. Repeat for your 10 1/2 hour day. With half hour for lunch, 10minutes tea break and 12 minutes afternoon break of course.
This wasn’t back in the hinterlands of time, this was late 90s.
Of course we all get old and out of practice and end up being typists. Therein lies the problem.

cheez0 – Member

Whats the big hurry with getting round corners at stupid speeds anyway?
You could easily end up dead and that would **** up your whole day wouldn’t it?

Because it’s fun and because you can.

Brake later and get on the throttle sooner. Don’t be afraid to throw the bike on it’s ear with a lot of countersteer as mentioned.
Put pressure through your outside footpeg to bring the bike up out of the corner as you wind the throttle on hard.
With a big single you will find you probably aren’t using the brakes much as shutting the throttle will give you such effective engine braking. There shouldn’t be a gap between the throttle being shut and the brakes applied if you are wanting to make progress.

Nothing fancy. ca. 1990 a Professional Matterhorn with a tasty red/white/blue fade paint, and then ca. 1994 a Hawk of some sort. I remember it had underbar shifters and was satin black. I even stuck some slicks on it and went TTing with it.

Have you got to the part where you pay a final value fee to own the bike, so for example on my Tricross that I’ve spent the last 12 months paying £70 a month for I have to now pay £202 to actually own the bike?
Cyclescheme, what a **** waste of time.

I had a bulb horn on my bike back when I did cycling proficiency at school, a very good way of informing people of your presence.
Honkah!
Maybe a quiet word to said vociferous individuals pointing out that
a) he is 6 and not trying to sell them crack
2) shut up