Well it came today, initial inspection seems good, let down my tyre to try it out and was a lot less painless than my Lifeline job.
All in all 2 thumbs up.

firestarter – Member
The alpkit ones are for road use mate

Doh guess I need new glasses before new wheels…. try these ones…

Love Mud Rumpus 650b+ 100/142 MTB Wheelset

PX ones look good value, I wonder how they compare to the Alpkit ones?

https://www.alpkit.com/products/love-mud-volution-road-plus-wheelset

I wonder if they use the same El Guapo hubs?

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HUELGRS/el-guapo-rattlesnake-hub

“72 Points of engagement on freehub” Sound a lot better then the sack of sh**e Formula/Cannondale rear hub I currently have.

Incase you haven’t seen Wheelbase have the Slate range on sale.

http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/index/?cat=4&q=Slate

POC Trabec Race here, first time on felt awful but now feels great, only problem is it’s a bit mushroom looking on the head, end up looking a bit like toad from Mario…..

Had a 661 Recon before that which was ok once I got used to the wrap around feel, and a Fox Flux before that which didn’t last too long… had a meeting with the floor…

Took a bimble across the beach (Gwithian) on Friday, don’t worry the bike was stripped, flushed and oiled.

18700269_10154624116368225_3292056714022581016_n by Stephen Williams[/url], on Flickr

IMG_20170526_132548 by Stephen Williams[/url], on Flickr

Was surprisingly enjoyable considering it was just flat riding, I think I enjoyed the puzzled looks more….

Had a Lezyne Allpack backpack which I must have bought in 2010 and only just gave up the ghost last month, survived a few yards down the road with me on top of it……
Only thing to let it down was the cheap bladder and the top could dig into your neck.

Will see how I get on with the pump, I prefer the screw on pumps these days, I’m sure I will manage.

Went with my 1st pick and ordered the Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HV, thanks for the help and advice.

A few years old now but seems like this comparison is still relevant.

Trail Pump Shootout

The Topeak looked good but I preferred the valve on the Lezyne.

I’m a fan…..

IMG_20170526_112751 by Stephen Williams[/url], on Flickr

Got near 40% off a shop model at my LBS.

I’ve used one of these for years with normal 29er tyres, use it on my 29+ Krampus on the rare occasion I need to and it works well enough that I’ve never considered upgrading it.

Thanks for that, I used to run 29 but tbh can’t remember having a puncture out and about normally when I dragged it out of the shed… the little lifeline pump I had was a tad useless too about 20mins to get to 8psi.
Good thing is the HV Lazyne has a nice discount on Wiggle, the XL doesn’t…

Thanks Johnnystorm, did see the XL see a good bet just thinking I could do with up to 80psi for when I want to take the narrow tyre bike, but suppose I would still have smaller pumps that would do the job.

Have you seen Wheelbase deals on the TOTR Slate?

http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/cannondale-slate-sram-force-cx1-2017.html?___SID=U

Apex is down a bit as well but not as much of discount.

http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/cannondale-slate-apex-1-blc-2017.html?___SID=U

Full range.
http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/index/?cat=4&q=Slate

12vs11 or 10vs11 always reminds me of Spinal Tap….

I keep thinking about a Pickenflick, seems great value for money.
But TBH I agree with Devash, IMHO they could do with streamlining their products and offer a few solid bikes.

1st like is frame only no shocks for £399. RRP £799
2nd is a package for £799.

What am I missing? Ah thats only the small.

Shimano Alfine 8. Cheap as chips, reliable, and actually silent.

True dat! Engagement is far better than what ever came standard in my new stead…. purposely not servicing it so I can change it in the future…..

I’ve been looking at the Onyx ones as the craze of playing card in the spokes level of annoyance free hubs does my nut in, though I’d probably get fitter if I had one as I wouldn’t sold peddling…….

I suppose I’m out of touch… seems a lot for a aluminium framed bike. I suppose the “high volume adventure bike” is still bit new.

The Vitus Energie VR has a similar set up for less money. If I was going to spend 1700ish I would be looking at a On-One Pickenflick, £99 more than the Orange, and you get a Titanium frame and Force 1 groupset.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOPICKCX1/on-one-pickenflick-sram-force-1

Or a couple of plastic bikes..

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOBBBRIV1/on-one-bish-bash-bosh-sram-rival-1-hrd-adventure—gravel-bike

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOSPCFOR129/on-one-space-chicken-sram-force-1-monster-gravel-bike-700c-wheels

Just my opinion and worth what was paid for it…

Bang for buck if you don’t mind the brand that is…. Planet X would be the place to look.
Not being funny or nothing, just £1600 (1250 if your looking at that Tiagra spec) seems a lot of an aluminium framed “road’ish” bike with cable pull brakes.
PX do a Ti framed bike for £99 more with hydro brakes.

Depends how much you like/di-like PX…..

Comes in 4 colours….carved in 3

http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/brooks-c17-cambium-saddle-4273-p.asp

I have a non-carved on my road/gravel bike and some days feel could use the out cut, though dropping the nose a bit cut out the numbness.

I bought one of those bar extender things to attach my Alfine shifter when I was playing about with drop bars.

DSCF7893 by Stephen Williams[/url], on Flickr

Worked OK, but would buy a better bracket, that one flexed a little too much.

IIRC SRAM Road/MTB 10 speed has the same pull so you can run road leavers with a mtb rear mech, road BB7’s would be required.

Umm. helpful.

There is no such tool which is why I am posting. The cups are for installing.

2 tools are needed for correct installation/removal of M30 ConvBB

https://www.praxiscycles.com/product/m30-tool/

Or a UK supplier.

http://shop.upgradebikes.co.uk/Catalogue/Praxis-Works/Praxis-Works-Range/Tools/M30-Tool

Both in the above search.

Don’t you just need a Praxis M30 bb removal tool?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Praxis+m30+removal+tool

Very nice, getting jealous of people showing of their builds…. bought my last bike off the shelf, 1st one I’ve not built in 10 years…. miss the slightly superior feeling of riding a bike you’ve put together yourself….

The Alpkit Ordos 2 looks a great tent but might be a bit too heavy.

Use a C17 on my wide tyred Kaffenback for gravel trips out and about, saddle is a bit too wide really and creaks a little but for the most it is comfortable. Too tight by buy a C15…. bought the 17 2nd hand from eBay….

Though I have a Alu hardtail atm (Plus tyres) I’d default to Steel given the choice.

I keep looking at a kit, got plenty of space to build it at work but the wife doesn’t approve with my track record of breaking things….

https://www.bamboobee.net/

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/237371522/biy-bamboo-bike-frame-kit

I did… Northwood (and around) for a while but ruined too many bibs after close calls…..

Ok thanks, not really used to front derailleur after SS, Alfine and 1×11…. maybe I should start attacking hills in 34 to something.

So it’s been a week or so I’ve made a few journeys to work and slowly getting there…. I made it up most of the 1st hill in 50-32 before dropping down to 34-32 for the last 2-300 yards, was in rag order at the tip….. but felt good getting up there.

I think I maybe panicked a bit after being off so a while but looks like it is slowing getting back to it…. still tempted by the oval rings though….

Thanks for the comments etc.

They will be standard bearing sizes.
Just extract and read the code on them.

Ta, got a few bearing contacts through my other hobby, though those are normally large imperial bearings…

I’ll put my thoughts up

Please do!

I’ve been looking at a crew cab Vito or iLoad/i800 (don’t want a T4/T5 down here, they are like the Saxo was a few years ago…..) as my next vehicle. Yaris and a trailer isn’t the best for camping….though I will miss the £30 a year tax and 60+mpg….

Didn’t we come to the same conclusion a couple of months ago ?

Fellow Kaff 2 owner here.

Probably… I’ve slept

My wife has a Merida Speeder Juliet which at the time was £475, would seem they are more now, nice bike if you can get a 2nd hand deal.

I had the fleegle bars which I replaced with the carbon OG.

They used to be great until I got my wrist fixed…. now they don’t seem right ….. so tempted to put straight bars back on….

I’ve been tempted by a Slate (LBS has the 105 spec’ed one in) to replace my Kaffenback after buying a Cannondale Beast of the East, I’ve always been a steel fan but Cannondale got know their stuff and have been impressed with the BofE.

But for my the spec – price is a bit off for me. It has a similar groupset as my Kaffenback (minus hydro brakes) for around £1000 more! So for me no upgrade… I also looked at the CAADX but it hasn’t got a very commuter friendly (admittedly fat and unfit) groupset.

So decided to leave it….. might treat myself to a new frame…..