Hmmm, pretty mcch every 29er will take a rear rack (maybe with P-clips and a little bodging) I guess price range would help but the Haro Mary is quite a nice bike for the £££ (either geared or s/s) or you could look at building up a frame although that will cost a little more and helps if you have a definite “plan” for the spec. Surly, Salsa, On-One, Singular and others all make nice frames

I would say that its important to get the fit right for longer trips and if you go for an off the peg bike look at switching out saddles, pedals, grips etc as well as getting the bars / saddle / pedals in the right places.

The 29er forum on MTBR.com is a good place to get info on brands and info on specific stuff like rims / forks etc…

SSP

Half in the closset/half out the closset

Bit like “pre op tranny p0rn” :)

Build was pretty good, a little up-and-down but not too much for a first build. Spoke tension was a little low but again that comes with practice. Oiling the spoke threads would be a good option next time to reduce wind-up and ease the tensioning.

7/10

SSP

I guess cheque payment is so any entries that don’t have a place the cheque can just be shredded and not have to have some one making lots of Paypal / bank transfer / CC refunds.

Whats wrong with filling in a form and posting / delivering? If instant, click of a mouse gratification is your thing a 24hr race might not be…

SSP

Really? They are not available to download until midnight tonight.

SSP

Bournes in Digbeth, B’ham
Sweeny+Sherlock again in B’ham near the football ground.

Both are pretty good, S+S are the ones I would use again.

SSP

I only have the rare meat meal, and only when I know where the meat has come from :)

One great thing about being vegi is that Indian resterants are the best for selection of dishes :)

SSP

No help needed, many million people manage it every day :)

SSP

Just finished fettling my Powergrips[/url] so:

Water followed by Battledown S.P.A
Pizza and chunky chips.
Nowt, but I have Stars of the Lid on the PC ready to play.

SSP

Deore or SLX if you have the extra cash.

XT and XTR are designed for racing and have you seen the new prices? :(

But hey what do I know about bike speccing :)

SSP

I have several pairs of Merino boxers from Choccy Fish. No seams in the seat so they work great on the bike, light, comfortable and last a few days between washes.

SSP

“Charity Bike Ride – Please handle with care” has worked for me.

As did the stencil of Darth Vaders head and “Protcted by the Dark Side” on the bike box I used in India!

SSP

On my singlespeed I am running 32:18 in the summer and 32:20 in the winter when the going is a little harder (and I am unfit) I also like to spin rather than mash the pedals (unless I have to!)

Normally ride 34:18 fixed all year round and suffer for it :) Waiting to try out the 34/20 & 36/18 dinglespeed set-up*

SSP

*I know its not a “singlespeed” then…

From the website URL I thought he had been “outed”

Guess not…

SSP

but far more foxes are shot over a year than that

Many, many more are run over by traffic…so what then?

BlackBuck (click for link) Designed by Mark Slate (WTB founder) and it rides amazingly! Go for the specific rigid forks as they really make the bike handle well and have plenty of room for big tyres.

Great review of it HERE[/url] and photos of mine HERE.

$500US for the frame and $60 for the forks…seriously nice, the Solitude is feeling left out!

SSP

Now resolved due to boss seeing that I was a) P!ssed off and b) ready to fight it. I did sugest that if he wants to make up rules he should have them written down in a contract / employees hand book so it does not look like he is making it up or trying to force out an employee :)

SSP

Fine for me. Vista / FF 3.0.1

SSP

Or just thourghly degrease the hub and cog, apply blue loctite and spin the cog on and tighten down with a proper big chain whip (tube handle workshop type, not the flat “cuts in to your hand” type that are only 10″ long)

Let the loctite cure over night and ride up a damn steep hill to make sure. Should be plenty good enough for road use, off road (where you are using much lower gears and have more grip) I would go with a “proper” system.

SSP

*not my fault if you die!

Lots of people claim to own 29ers, but as with most fads they don’t really get ridden.

My drop-bar fixed gear 29er gets ridden the most :)

SSP

I do and so does the wife (6’2″ and 5’7″)

Don’t let people tell you that its only for basketball player size people (although Hobbits should looks else where!)

SSP

Brooks saddle (well broken in and maintained)
Chocolate Fish merino boxers and Altura trousers.

Lack of seams, a saddle that fits and supports your sit-bones with out squishing stuff are the crucial points. Excess padding, fancy groves and weird rubber bumpers might help but its a wild stab in the dark.

Specialized ar5e fitting is one of the few good systems out there as it measures your sit bone width and guides you to a suitable width saddle for your body / riding.

SSP

Err, from memory that should be ok. Best check the top-tube reach as ladies tend to have shorter arms/bodies than men the same height. Best bet it to try it out or check it against her current bike (assumeing it fits ok)

Let me know what model year it is and I’ll check the sizing guide at work tomorrow.

SSP

2 Choices:

Mat Chester Utilitiman Ti singlespeed, black P2 forks, Thomson, Jones H-bars, Paul V-brakes and levers with Nokon cables. DT/Surly singlespeed wheelset and beefy Conti Tyres. Black and Ti, minimal and lovely (now with new owner in the US)

My current OS Bikes BlackBuck, lovely swoopy steel frame in black with silver rear and red pin-striping. Smatering of WTB parts and Avid discs.

SSP

Drinking; Tea
Eating; Rosti+fried eggs…what I fancied!
Watching; Well-E later, Hollyoaks (The Mrs’s choice!)

SSP

Mmmm Billtong :)

SSP

I’ll put two aside :)

SSP

Yep, how many do you want Si? :)

It is “sick pay” but my normal sick pay is the same as regular pay, not a reduced rate.

Still feeling a bit off and really can’t be bothered with this s**t today…

SSP

First MTB was a Dawes Tracker 18speed in 1987 when I was 11!

SSP

I have a Thudbuster ST on one of my bikes* and I love it. It allows you to remain sitting over bumpy stuff, reduces fatigue (great on all-day rides) and allows for the odd “Oomph!” moments when you were not as far off the saddle as you thought.

Down side is weight (less than a regular seatpost + really expensive rear air shock….let alone pivots / swingarms!) and odd looks. Oh and cost but again its much less than a full sus frame (or even a shock!)

Over all 10/10. I might even get the longer trave version for the other bike.

SSP

* a fixed gear MTB where standing up on the pedals is not the same option on downhills as a bike with a freewheel!

Molgrips,

People can be shown what to adjust but its up to them to try stuff and make adjustments unless bike fitters are available as a “live in” option!

Too many people tend to flock to “experts” like the deluded disciples in The Life of Brian and demand to be told what to do at every step. Like people have said its a bike, not rocket science.

Bike fit – You have to work it out for your selves!

I can’t wait to get back to work and pick up my Powergrips and give them a go as I guess for multi-day trips / lots of bike-n-hike being able to wear the Merrels all the time (and not carry extra shoes for the pub) will be great.

SSP

I think he is concerned about how the bikes ride, but from a longevity, practicality and comfort point of view rather than performance (in the sense of acceleration, handling etc).

Bike fit is one of the most neglected parts of buying / owning a bike. More people should experiment with different set ups, grips, saddles, handlebars etc… Forget “KoPS” and other “plug in numbers here <special, secret and expensive equation> = perfect fit” “fit systems” Just try stuff out and ride more.

I would say that many other performance improvments (like endurance and handling) are improved by better bike fit.

BigDummy was spot on I think.

SSP

I wonder what would happen if this thread and THIS ONE ever met?

Something terrible or we might just go out and ride for a change :)

SSP

Friends found a body on the trail once, bloke was out jogging and had a heart attack.

I have only had the joy of almost parking my front wheel inbetween the buttocks of a copulating hippy :(

SSP

Sheldona…..oh wait, he got a real job, you know where you have to turn up and do stuff :)

To be fair, most of the people listed as missing above went loooong before the site went down. Did they ever find Beer’s body? :)

SSP

Chicken is not an issue as we are both veggies :)

Valentines was remembered, she got a very nice down sleeping bag!

Ooops, time to go…again!

SSP

Coffeeking,

Well we have eaten the same food since Friday and live in the same house. Only thing we don’t share are toothbrushes and combs. I have had “24hr dodgy stomach” before although rarely as I seem to be pretty immune to most stuff (2 weeks in rural India eating local food with no problems while others turned themselves inside-out)

It could be a one off home-contamination event but its the first in 32years so statiscally unlikely considering there have been no changes in routine.

I guess we might never know…

SSP

Mmmm kebabs…..Yak! <turns green>

Damn, even off kebabs? Not worth going on!

Thanks IHN, I guess my fitness will be back to square 1…so not that much of a change!

SSP

The rep brought round some samples last week and all the staff loved them.

Liquorice+fennel, Mango, Pinacolada, and choccy fig were great (Liqorice was my fave) Still to try the apple+cinnamon and Hunzanut (although I am not keen on apricots!)

We will definately be stocking a few flavours in the shop (Williams, Cheltenham) and I will be getting a couple of boxes for myself when I am feeling better (and back at work!)

SSP

its a much much higher probability that you picked it up at home!

The Mrs is fine…perhaps she is trying to bump me off?

Back in the front room now, and no, no pictures!

SSP

I have plenty of rehydration salts and sterile hand wash left over from my trip to India where I had no Delhi Belly at all!

Typical :)