I though city did well

What would the score have been on a bad day then?

my next question was going to be what size..

I too have a bank of 4 carbs so am planning to split them – I bought a cheap set of 4 matching carbs to use as a reference should the 3D puzzle go awry on reassembly!

Regarding cleaning solutions – you’re effectively removing microns of material with an acid based solution, are you not?

Therfore, do you need to consider reapplying a protective zinc coating to parts that were zinc coated prior to cleaning? (and how do you tell?)

their customer service is usually excellent and if they charge for repair its usually reasonably priced

If Hart was in goal for Citeh tonight they would only have lost by 3 goals.

How does the FBR measure up? If coming in around 4.5 I guess it’s a good fit on the Dune?

NW – what’s the best all round F&R combo you’ve hit upon so far?

I’m waiting for all my tubeless gubbins to arrive and am thinking of prepping the bike for winder (snow!!) and the muddy trails that will soon be overdue – so want to try going wider up front, – and possibly out back – but don’t want to be getting jammed up. Would like to keep the weight down if poss too

What 3M stuff did you go for? I’m waiting for some ‘backer rods’ to arrive and I’ve read about 3M ‘ tanelised strapping tape ‘ (its blue) being pretty much the same stuff as Stans tubeless tape but available in 45mm widths. Can’t seem to find it anywhere in the U.K. though.

Mainly crap reviews on those unfortunately. I avoided them a while back as a result

I havent tried them but am keen to give them a go at some point. I think they’d fit ok – if you have trouble returning in sure you could sell privately for near as damn it as they arent the easiest to get hold off IIRC

it’s a toss up between hi viz silver or red..

Red should be suitably gopping

You’ve beaten me to it, seriously tempted to drill my frame for my Thomson. Only thing holding me back is that I really like my Spesh remote lever I’m running with my KS (not compatible with Thomson)

I think colour coded or clash works, I’m going clash just for the heck of it.

You want one of these: http://www.tredz.co.uk/.absoluteBLACK-RaceFace-Cinch-Direct-Mount-Oval-Chainring-6mm-Offset_91942.htm?sku=321167&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&gclid=CM-lrLaI1s8CFawp0wodhA0GuQ#

And flip it

apart from the bit where he lambasts coloured chain rings..

Green N/W 30T FTW!

Truth is I spent hours devouringe the chainline info myself and it was nigh on impossible to settle on a definitive answer – in the end I followed advice that ‘near as damn it’ will work.

IIRC – the flipped ring on my set up put me close to ‘optimal’ chainline, so I fitted it that way, and it works. I havent gone wider than 4″ tyre so cant guarantee it’ll clear a 5″ on largest sprocket, having said that im pretty sure NW has run 5″ on his and we share the same set-up.

You may need to buy an aftermarket ring, you may not. I too wanted the cheapest set up, I even penny pinched a 1×10 set up when I couldv gone 1×11 for just a few £ more, but in the end I splashed the cash on the Aeffects as 1) they look great 2) they fit great 3) the Dune deserves pampering

Yes I flipped my ring. Chainline is all good, don’t fret about a mm or two. Chain rings are also being produced with offset these days to cater for fatso’s

The 170 refers to rear hub spacing. The Dune runs a 197 rear hub but actually works better with cranks designed for 170 hubs. Main benefit being a narrower Q factor (better for your knees).

So let me get this right:

1) stick tubeless valve in rim
2) cover rim holes with a length of something sticky and colourful – 3m/gaffer tape style
3) place backer rods either side of inner rim faces(approx 1cm from rim edge)and carefully cover/stick in place with more gaffer tape
4) fit tyre within the ‘wall’ of rim and backer rod and inflate to seat tyre
5) bung in about a pint of stan’s fulid
6) stand back and marvel at your accomplishment. aren’t you a clever boy?

Is that wise as a temporary fix then?

Sigh – they weigh so bloody much though. I swear it weighs me down like an anchor in my camelback.

Did you import the FattyStripper kit from the US? How did that work out price wise?
I have a couple of tubeless valves laying around and am tempted to go a bit Heath on sourcing rim tape a la Northwind. Would be good to source some of those 26″ foam rings though.

I pulled out of a BlueGT purchase at the 11th hour earlier this year when VW delivered a 5dr version, not the 3dr I ordered.
In hindsight Im fairly happy about this, as subsequent ‘sit in a Polo’ sessions highlighted a lack of resting clutch foot space. Im a big guy and it was a squeeze too far in reality.
I very nearly went for a DSG version instead and I know I wouldve really liked the car in this form (and no clutch pedal, obvs) but the extra £1500 over 3 years simply pushed my budget too far in the end.

I went with a Suzuki Swift Sport.
Best things about it: it was dirt cheap, 3 door has ample head and body room (more than any other small hatch i’ve sat in), it’s pretty well loaded (just found a button yesterday that folds door mirrors in – bonus!), the headlights are excellent, erm, its cheap.

Performance wise, it has sure footed handling – i’ve hit b-road speeds that I care not to divulge.
Acceleration is ok, it is starting to loosen up now at 5k but im lead to believe 12-15k is the sweet spot. It’s very responsive between 5k-7.5k rpm – and would happily spend all day there.

In summary, its not a car that makes me feel warm and fuzzy – the pic of the Blue GT above makes me feel warm and fuzzy – but, it was cheap and goes really well for its price point. At the end of the day. im skint, so it was the best decision for me.

Now IF Fiat still made £10k Panda 100hp’s this would be a different story..

I’m keen to convert to tubeless now, but I can’t be arsed to read back through the thread to find out what the best solution was.

I think I was initially put off by the suggestion of shoving foam strips inside the rim to help the tyre bead seat (I think).

That, and what does one do if a flat causes tyre to come off rim out on the trail – and you don’t have enough PSI to hand to reseat it.

Still, I hate tubes. Want them gone.

mm93 – I’ve made my Dune my only MTB since purchasing it. I love its geometry and impossible levels of grip – I have spent several hundred upgrading it but it still turns out a cheap easily maintainable bike.

I don’t think you can go wrong, it’s a small outlay for such a fun bike, and if you find it languishing in your garage for whatever reason you can just knock it out cheap to another buyer who will snap it up.

Main negative I can think of is draggy tyres on hard surfaces (roads/hardpack). I just avoid roads if possible, or ride a bit slower and take in the sights.

It climbs, corners (takes a bit more leverage to turn) and descends way better than you’d expect. It’s worth noting how comfortable it is, and it’s a demon for pulling wheelies.

Still left wondering if the bent chainring tooth (which rode ok today) was a sign to get a lime Superstar n/w chainring with a set of lime rotor bolts for £21.

I happen to have a brand new one of those that went unused as I bought the Aeffect cranks instead, let me know if interested in a discount

condensing units were poo-pooed when I was in the market for one about 5 years ago – suffice to say its been absolutely brilliant (Bosch). Has been used at 4 different properties in standard condensing format – now at its forever home being used as cranberry suggested – with its outlet redirected to local plumbing.

why don’t you just empty the water on a condenser? it’s usually just a pull out drawer.

failing that, you can run a the water drain outlet to the nearest sink/drain in your kitchen, no need to drill holes in walls.

check that your derailleur hanger is properly tightened..

and try installing the rear axle without the wheel in situ. should instantly give you a good idea of whats not working.

want to carry battery packs around? go Hope.

want to be able to ride by clicking your light in place in less than a second? go Exposure.

As long as Exposure continue to be battery pack free, and offer excellent back-up support, i’ll continue to use them.

Northwind is spot on – I went with 170mm width Aeffect’s and they fit perfectly. I even managed to source a 100mm Hope BB spacer tube from my LBS so that I could run my Hope BB as it was intended.

For those commenting on the Dune’s controls – the bar/seatpost/BB/gears each weigh a ton – I think they’re made from lead or something.
The box of bits I have stripped off the Dune certainly raises eyebrows when picked up..
Switching components for lighter/wider/sexier alternatives means my Dune now weighs within a pound of my ‘normal’ (650b) steel hardtail – including adding a dropper post, and im yet to run mine tubeless.

As it happens I have also lost most of my eyebrows over the course of the last year or two. I put it down to them being sympathetic towards my scalp

I’m 6.1″ with short legs (31″ inseam) and can’t imagine the medium being a good fit. The geometry is so compact on these things that essentially the large is just a little bit longer – which is right on trend these days is it not?

It’s a typically compact geometry, should be absolutely fine for 5’5″. Shorter stem would be worst case scenario I’d imagine

Are you American?

No, but in my defence I did quote both HFCS and sugar. My point being that ‘sugars’ in general are killing us in ‘the west’.
The HFCS origin story itself makes interesting reading to say the least.

If I eat an apple instead of a twirl I’ll put it down as a win.

Partial win. It won’t really speed up the withdrawal craving process.

also having some stuff at work instead of digging into the vending machine or pile we normally have in the control room

wasabi peas. eggs. if you have a dire need for food
Grazing is a habit that we all pick up, yet dont really need. Once you have kicked carb/sugar cravings you simply no longer desire ‘snacks’ during the day.

Its hard to express how diferent you will feel if you really do eliminate sugar/carb craving.
Cold turkey is the simplest and best way to achieve lack of craving Nirvana. (the philosophy, not the dead bird. Although, the dead bird would be a pretty great low GI food source)

Enjoy!
I actually found the original saddle pretty comfy. But it’s the law to change saddles on a new bike.

umm.. I dont think so. You may find issues with tyre clearance when on biggest cog as your front ring would effectively be in the ‘inner ring’ position. Only one way to find out..

If you end up taking the new crankset plunge – I took Northwinds advice and went for the Raceface Aeffect. It’s brilliant. Looks great, easy to set up, easy to change ring, solid, light(ish) weight.

Gratuitous repeat photo opportunity:

So how many symptoms of hypothyroidism do I need to exhibit before asking to be tested?

I just check the list and think I hit pretty much all of them apart from weight loss(!)
Extreme senstivity to heat, excessive sweating, palpitations, mood swings, trouble sleeping, lack of energy/weakness.. plus sore ‘glands’ when I press around the underside of my jaw.
If I have it, can I upgrade to the weight loss version?

/\ this guy :lol:

I went sugar-free about 5 years ago which coincided with a sharp uptake in exercise effort – I lost around 70lbs.

The sugar craving is intense for the first few days – but I promise you, it goes away completely. Suddenly, youre left wondering why on earth people eat so much sugar because you simply no longer crave it.
You’ll walk into supermarkets/pertrol stations/swimming baths/anywhere and realise that the blindfold has been removed and you can suddenly see the cheap sugar/HFCS conspiracy at every turn.

However, IMO you have to pretty much avoid white carbs (bread/pasta/rice) AND fruit/fruit juice in order to properly break the sugar habit. Any of the above are simply processed and will peak your insulin levels.

My best advice, read up on low GI foods – stick to the plan.

Essentially, think of carbs and sugar as the same bedfellows and you’ll be on the right path.

If all the above sound too dull then remember, Eggs and bacon are your best friend.
And homemade chilli beans will change add super spicy musical delights to your life.

FWIW, I went through a very stressfull period around 3 years ago and hit the chocolate. I’ve now managed to put on virtually every pound in weight and I am finding ravenous carb cravings so hard to beat this time around. I have occasional dizzy spells and turn a shade of grey when my blood sugars drop.
I’m sure theres a moral to this story.

Good luck.

signing up to this Topcashback thing n0b0dy0ftheg0at keeps going on about

Ha! someones taken his advice at last! Welcome to the forum :)

Who is the tallest person here with a large Dune?

6ft1″ here with room to spare. Had to lengthen the stem by 10mm (maybe 20mm, I cant quite remember) to get it dialled in, plus I fitted a wider bar (On-One Knuckleball 777mm which is just perfect) and the bike fits me really well as a result.
I reckon up to 6ft 3″ is possible on a large – but i’m no expert.

The only shame is that it no-longer comes with Jumbo Jims, but Jugganaught Pros, which are supposedly very draggy….

In my limited fat tyre experience they do seem very draggy on tarmac/hardpack – but are SUPER lightweight (for a 4″ tyre), and excellent grip off camber and on dusty trails. Also, minimal auto-steer at 9psi or above.
Just stay off the roads and they are excellent.

Enjoy your Deores – they are a perfect upgrade for the Dune.
I’ve probably blown best part of a grand all-in on mine but as a result it stops and goes so well now. It has been a great addition to my garage.

The OP made a mistake, now it’s time to erase that mistake