Cheers pp I’ll keep an eye on the stays on my 853 sliding dropout SS frame.

I’d keep an eye on the dropouts If I were you, mine has a small crack near where the axle tightens. You won’t eat the stays on a SS version, the chainring has more space up front.

Nice post OP, looking forward to one day giving my SS 853 Inbred the full refinishing attention. Including filling in the pointless rack mounts..

Finally got the Dune set up 1×10 – need to tweak the set-up as im struggling to get it to change up from top gear whilst keeping remaining changes slick, plus also dropped the chain over cassette and into spokes on first climb, but, other than that its Sooooo much nicer to ride now.
Jury’s out on oval ring, feels nice and smooth, seems to be nice to climb with and winched up everything, but not sure I could pass the Pepsi challenge with it. Looks ace though. 30T is plenty close to the chainstay too, not sure it would take a 32T on this crank set-up.

Forgive my ignorance but is this the same smokestone bikes who used to make the e-stay frames in the early nineties?

Same brand, Slam69 owners bought the rights I believe.

Does that mean a 78mm bottom bracket, but still the ability to fit 4″ tyres

I think it means standard 100m threaded bb, not press fit etc.

I like the look of the frame, great colour, not mad on the down tube graphics. Would consider one myself but the frame costs pretty much the same as my whole Fat bike..
Love the wheels.

Isn’t that supposed to be a forum to investigate what was said and why it was said, not what Chuka thinks personally about Ken?

He sat there and figuratively drove a knife into Kens chest, and twisted it. Oppotunistic agenda?

i remember needing his sticker for my italia 90 panini album, I never did get it

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271065315154

Or maybe you’re feeling lucky..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311631885905

I loved The taxi drivers defiance. But my fave bit was at 8:16

What happens to UK and other ‘leading’ economies if/when Italy’s economy vaporises like Greece? And Spain?

I suppose my main concern is that there isn’t enough in the pit to keep bailing out failing countries. That said, quantative easing usually seems to be the answer. So apparently there’s no such thing as broke.

I am attracted to Brienne of Tarth

Second vote for anywhere near vondelpark. Leidseplein is a great place to base yourself and head into the centre as and when. Also has a ‘Febo’ open 24/7 for when the munchies take hold. They do a meat croquette that is more addictive than crack.
The American Hotel is very reasonable and has a great deco cocktail bar, I met Ronnie Wood there during my last visit.

Take the guns away, those batshit mentalists will find other means to efficiently destroy thier ‘enemies’ in the name of God/America.

Half the country genuinely believes that Trump is the man that will solve the worlds problems. Guns are the least of thier problems.

People choose to park in Southampton?

Kane taking corners and set pieces is a joke. Sterling was absolutely dire. But he tracked back so that’s ok(?!).

We terrorised the right wing first half then switched almost exclusively to sterling. Game over.
Still, I’m a glass half full kinda guy. Hopefully sterling will get injured

Wales will finish above England

Love my Escapade also liked the idea of a longer Roadrat but I think drop bars are best for day long rides. There’s not much better out there that’s considerably better for the money so it’s a win/win if you also like the branding.

Came here for bike chat. Disappointed

135 miles? F’off.

I might be able to drag out the return leg..

Ok, spokes have arrived. 290/294mm

Silly question time, on which side are the shorter spokes laced? Disc side of hub?

One would assume the larger flange of the disc side would result in a shorter spoke requirement – first test lacing has proven inconclusive..

Does 12mm either side really make that much difference?

I’m Gay for Loddrik.

However, a peek at the smorgasbord of stunning women that Smalling has been linked with suggests Loddrik may be out of luck.

Of course it works! Jimmy White and Elton John are living proof!

I reckon if you make a start with a hair loss treatment at the very first sign of recession, then you might have half a chance of delaying it for a while

I have issues with comments like these. How would you ever know that it slowed your hair recession down by a single follicle? You have no benchmark to measure.

Sure it’s a pain in the arse to have to shave it every few days but I wouldn’t want hair again.

I can’t believe that people that insecure that they have to think this way.

Curious, why shave it every few days if not bothered what people think?

I see your pistol squat and raise you a trebuchet flop..

Running 5 in my Rev.

Winning.

Good ideas. Trouble is my garden is tiered, with several sets of steps leading to the front access – so wheel barrows etc are a nightmare to get around.

Re creating compost pile – previous owners of property already did that as left us a huge festering mess at the bottom of the garden..
Man, I should’ve bought the smaller house.

Anyone used a mulcher?
Thinking about grinding the whole lot into tiny fragments and redistributing down my trouser legs, a la great escape.

did the noise change at all after switching BB? check its not your stem/headset – mine was creaking like a scotsmans wallet last night as I applied pressure to handlebars during climbs – sounded like it was coming from seatpost/BB area at first!

Toby thinks DezB needs to study more

Weight of vehicle and grip contact patch, your CofG dominates the MTB, it merely influences the heavier Motorbike.

Or summink.

Square taper bottom brackets are the most wretched cycling object ever.

I still have scar tissue on my ball-sack having shifted when meaning to brake and smashing them on the stem

You brake with your ball-sack?! Kudos, that’s nuts

It’s a breed that is fraught with deformities and abnormalities – do not fall for the cuteness as others have done, it’s simply cruel to keep on encouraging the breed.

We rehomed a Jack Russell (possibly Parsons Russell) a couple of months ago and he’s turning out to be a perfect companion. Occasionally playful, ever ready for walks, very quiet (hardly ever yaps), loving, comical, easy to train and perfect compact size, can take him anywhere and he just blends in. Am taken by this breed now.

27.5lb on my Park scales, could go lighter with the tyres. Rode it today for first time since riding fat bike exclusively this year – it positively felt like a whippet! Despite being only a couple pounds lighter than my fat bike, it’s like night and day riding them

Surely a 30 year old cartridge would have enough wear to desperately require replacing, if had any kind of real world use?

Naim amps are supposed to pair particularly well with Rega TT’s. I run a Rega Elicit as the built in phono stage is particularly good.
If you honestly enjoy fiddling and tweaking then the Linn may be a good match for you, if you prefer the benefit of a largely fit and forget system I cannot recommend Rega’s more highly.

Steel is the real deal for feel. It’s the 7th law of cycling.

Awesome hardtail material, looks the shizzle too. P7 is a fab looking frame and has me tempted to waste throw my money at one despite loving my current steel frame.

If you have to ask, then you don’t deserve the steel

Nice. Fats will rule the world one day.

I had a go on Divenwobs Tusker, really liked it but didn’t take the plunge in the end. Picked up a Dune Calibre last month and have been loving it so far – although have thrown a few upgrades at it since purchase.
Still must catch up with you for that Swinley ride Divenwob!

Although, I’ve set half a dozen strava pb’s in the last couple of weeks.. Up and down hill..

Mind you, I am a bit crap. Beginning to wonder if my super 650b needs selling and the fat bike treated to a set of light wheels and be done with it.

Sorry to hear about your cancelled order, i very nearly bought a raw Tusker myself last year when the exchange rate meant they were under £1000. They just look gash in the normal painted version don’t they. One word of warning, I test rode a Tusker and my big muscular (fat) calves struck the seat stays which bulge quite wide on the frame. Worth considering if you have Hoy’esque legs.

I don’t have experience of the Cube you mention but I’d recommend you stick with the plan and go full fat – it’s the most fun I’ve had cycling for donkeys years.
I reckon you should stretch the budget for a Dude.

Enjoy fatb450 – it’s a real bargain when considering smile per pound ratio. I’ve blown a couple hundred extra on mine and it’s pretty much in a spec I’d choose off the shelf now, for way less than £1000 – which in today’s terms remains a bargain.

Fresh goods Wednesday, received my Aeffect crank and Absolute Black oval ring today – initially chuffed that they both turned up at same time only to find that Sham69 have bloody sent me 170mm cranks over the 175mm i ordered.

I HATE sending stuff back. Should I live with the 170s and revel in significantly less rock strikes?

there are good discounts to be had.

Where did you find them? I hit a complete brick wall trying to get a discount on the mini. The dealers seem to have a ‘but we are MINI’ attitude, and there’s no discounts online via car wow etc

Mini Cooper and Zetec S were high on my list of new cars – drove them both, Mini didn’t light the world on fire in terms of performance but was probably the best interior of any car I’ve sat in (under £100k). Was put off by reliability horror stories and higher purchase price though – don’t look at satisfaction/reliability surveys if you do end up buying one.

Zetec S, great blend of performance and all round economy, great looker from the outside – underwhelmed with the interior. Ergonomics are just plain bad, and it’s all looking a bit dated/tired inside.

I spent ages pondering over the above and settled on a Suzuki Swift Sport. Best bang for buck. Probably.

What finbar said.

A good wetsuit, a pair of trainers and an aero helmet. Tri something new.

(see what I did there?)