Funnily enough I’ve recently stopped eating bacon as well as sausages and other processed meats. I was getting through far too much toilet roll and since I’ve stopped I’ve er… dried up a bit? I reckon it will soon transpire that the processed meat industry has been putting some horrendous preservatives in that causes problems later in life…

As someone here has already said, being bald or shaving your remaining hair is probably the best my hair has ever looked. If I could get my hair back, I think back to the photo’s of my unruly wavy hair that never did what I wanted it to do, and I would refuse. As for rubbing goo on your head twice a day, jeez, even taking pills when your’e ill twice a day is hard enough without forgetting to do it. As for that photo of what bald men think they look like, well if I had the time I’m sure I could find similar shots of men with full heads of hair. It isn’t about what’s on your head, it’s about what’s inside it that counts.

A maxle version of the Salsa fork may be a good suggestion. I tried a std Salsa fork on my Solaris, which was previously fitted to a Niner MCR. It has lovely flex, but the front end of the Solaris is seriously tied down, the flex I experienced when the fork was in the Solaris was limited only to the fork whereas before the frame must have flexed as well. So cornering hard with wide bars made the rotor drag on the caliper body (I wound the pads all the way back) and when sprinting hard. I fixed it with a pair of Syncros FL29 forks, they have fore and aft movement but no lateral movement. Also they have an a-c of 485mm when the majority of rigid 29er forks are now all 470mm. This gives a ride height of a 100mm sus fork and also gives a nice head angle for ragging it in the woods.

My large Solaris

I like the raised eyebrows of the guy in the background at 1.19. I think this video is truly ace, sufficiently tongue in cheek and with great riding to show. Cotic are blessed that This is Sheffield seem to like their bikes, the first bike in the vid is also a Cotic! It’s good to see “marketing” without big names, big brands and big money that works.

You’ve all got the wrong idea. A mugging always starts with a dumb question such as “Got the time on yer cock?” (!) or “Have you got a light mate?” which causes you to stop in order to facillitate such demands for property with menace. What is needed is a Convoy approach (Late 70’s film) in which the lead truck was actually known as the “rubber duck”. Fit massive bullbars to the front of your bike, loud air horn and as soon as you see someone step out in front of you asking dumb question just sound the horn and bust through that roadblock! Although in the film the rubber duck did end up crashing in the river and exploding…

I’ve got that at the mo. In both feet. Caused by being a tight git and not replacing my work boots for two and a half years. The insole had worn and my ball of foot was a lot lower than my heel. Must have been like it for years and didn’t notice until me feet knackered and the balls of my feet swelled up where you have described. So I’ve got new comfy boots, my bone cracker has manipulated my feet and recommended to use some foot pads that Scholl make. Its slowly getting better, but as it took ages to knacker up I expect it will take ages to get better. This is a common problem for women due to wearing ridiculous shoes for long periods of time. Could be your 3 yr old shoes, is the insole replaceable? Get a comfy insole?

Jagwire, complete set of outers and inners for £20 from On One do the job for me.

Funny thing is me and Mrs Soulwood were having a theoretical discussion on which country is better placed for MTB’ing, Oz or NZ. We travelled through both countries over 12 years ago. I reckon its NZ but Mrs Soulwood is drawn to Oz mainly as it is warm. Anyone able to make their case?

What I think is certifiable is something I overheard a dog owner say to their animal in the park and I know that cat owners think this too. Said errant dog was called back by its owners and she said “Don’t you know who your parents are?” WTF? Do people really think they are viewed as parents by these animals? Dogs view people as dogs don’t they? either above them or below them in the grand scale of things, always working to be the “Alpha” And cats? Well we all know they are there just to eat your food and shred your sofa.

“To me, and I appreciate this is an extremely personal outlook, it’s just about riding a bike and the joy and spirituality is something that well fed, privileged folk add on to that basic activity to validate it in some way”

Interesting comment. Cycling is a basic activity, like walking I suppose. But with this comment do you admit you gain no joy from it? Do you equate this activity to shopping at Tesco? (a basic activity?) that you also gain no joy from? With joy does it not lift your spirit and hence why people get all “spiritual”? If this is something only enjoyed by well fed and privileged folk, why do they find travelling to a country where people are not well fed and privileged but are rich in spiritual well being affects them so?

This is one of the most interesting posts I have ever read on STW. Some interesting observations that I too have had but never commented on as I thought it was just me. Like seeing kids pushing bikes with full facers hanging off the bars along relatively flat roads. I always held the maxim “If you can’t ride back don’t ride there” I started MTB’ing in the late 80’s and I guess if you’ve never being openly laughed at and pointed at by people as you ride past on your mtb wearing a helmet, I guess you would think that all the trails belong to you alone. One thing still bugs me though and it isn’t the “yoof” it’s the middle agers (although I am getting there myself). I regularly see groups of mtbers on nice expensive bikes when I am out on my bike and am amazed when they don’t even look towards you to acknowledge you to say hello. Again I suppose this is due to being around when there was just me and a few mates and you rarely saw another mtber. As said on here its the price for the sport being more mainstream and heavily marketed I suppose. No community feeling anymore?

I had a similar injury some years back. Dropped into a descent on first sight, leaning well back, seat post not dropped, and hit something solid about halfway down. I didn’t go OTB because my weight was back, instead I hit the back of the saddle with full force, just above the crown jewels. It was definitely one of those “just get back on and ride” moments. The next day the affected area was a lovely shade of purple and black. I went to see my GP and he said that I should probably give a rest for a week or two, if I was to hit the same area again I could suffer an hernia. If you google hernia’s then you will rest for a week or two I guarantee it!

I owned a Mk1 Soul for 6 years, no complaints. I then got a lot of money and it burned a hole in my pocket so I bought an FS. I loved it and sold my trusty old Soul. I always found myself comparing my FS, which was easily three to four times more expensive, to my old Soul. When the FS bust I was kind of secretly glad to have an excuse to get a Soul back. Now I will never sell my Soul again!

As already said above, nothing is comparable to a Soul other than a Soul. Weirdly the last good bike I owned (realised after selling it and trying loads of other bikes) was a 1992 Kona Explosif with rigid P2 forks. Early interviews with Cy revealed that he based the Soul on the very same model and tweaked it. The last time I went for a blast on my Soul I was clearing huge rooty sections at speed and making small adjustments in position and the bike just seemed to be connected to me, a part of me. I don’t beleive the Soul is overpriced. What I like about it is that if you look hard enough on the net you will find enough interviews with Cy and enough detailed tech breakdown that explains why every single part of the Soul is designed the way it is. You won’t get that with any other cheaper 853 frame available on the market.

If you appreciate steel frames it is the best frame out there. Even better than custom built, because at the end of the day the builder is either going to build just what you want, or will think he knows better than you. In my mind Cy has spent a considerable amount of time researching bikes and knows best.

My tuppence here. I rode an 29er Inbred when I first experimented with the whole concept. The first thing I noticed was just how bloody stiff the rear end was. It was great for sprinting away from the lights, but after 30mins of riding your back knew about it as well as your arms and so on. I picked up a secondhand Niner MCR 853 and within the first few pedal strokes the difference in the back end was amazing. Now I’m not about to suggest that it was different purely to the material, but more to the design. The MCR has S shaped seat and chain stays which must help to deal with the vibrations. At the end of the day the Inbred is cheap as chips gas pipe tubing with the cheapest way of constructing the back end. You truly do get what you pay for. My Soul has a nice slim back end with S stay chain stays and it too is really comfy on long rides.

If you want maximum yield for the Lego, then as mentioned on here, either build the sets up and sell them seperately on Bricklink, check the inventory on Peeron and be prepared to ship worldwide. I have sold a few Technical Lego sets recently, shipped to Hong Kong for more than I bought it for! I recently bought a job lot of Lego from a guy at work. His son wanted a PS3 game. I gave him his asking price of £50 (I didn’t barter when I saw how much there was), I checked one of the sets average asking prices on Bricklink/Ebay, nothing less than £90! And that was just one set, there were at least another 2-3 sets in there that fetched that much. Most of it is still in the loft, being piece mealed out for my boys for the last Xmas and several more to come…

I know this is academic to most folk, but the majority of folk who build these kind of jumps aren’t mountain bikers are they? There are some wonderfully built jumps near me that I pass often. One day as I was just exiting the trail that leads to these jumps a load of kids on BMX’s heading to these jumps shouted “Rails not Trails” at me. Eh? I thought we were all into the outdoors and the woods and stuff. Clearly not.

I would think that the difference in weight you refer to is not quite “a ton” but more like the difference in taking more or less water in your camelbak. I had a pair of tarty carbon Louise brakes that just would not self adjust themselves, constantly rubbed, on two different bikes. Thats why I now run BB7’s, no more faff, just tweak the adjusters. You need to use good cables though, Jagwires reinforced outers make a difference.

As someone said above, a Bfe, because its well you know Beefier than a Soul with a bigger seat post. I have a Soul and if I really rag the cranks – like a Tour de France sprint finish – I can make the chainstays touch the tyre. Although to ride like that off road I would probably fall off due to the nature of riding like that anyway.

Jeez what a bunch of embittered folk on here. Looks like good training for when you retire! I seem to remember that it wasn’t the baby boomer generation putting us in this situation, it was a certain number of Prime Ministers spending pension money to keep the voters happy. The same voters that enjoyed large benefits for doing nowt, the same voters that enjoyed the ability to “buy” large amounts of stuff that they didn’t need on finance deals. Voters that were able to deck their house out in a way that was far better than my own and they were unemployed and I worked a 60 hr week. Leave the pensioners alone, they’ve worked their time through their own adversity, now its our turn. MTFU.

This whole debacle makes no sense at all. We have a high unemployment rate so the folks in charge decide to make those in employment work longer? Make them pay more into a pension to get less? Pay less to the unemployed who were probably part of the big plan (Child tax credits etc to encourage breeding) to increase payment to the Govt to fund pensions in the first place! And they think this will kick start the economy?

If I had the money, I’d go in this direction..

http://www.2soulscycles.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16&Itemid=98&lang=en

A very capable 140mm travel 29er.

Wood that isn’t wood = bamboo IMHO. We had our kitchen / diner floor from simply bamboo. Their strand woven range is much harder wearing than standard bamboo or oak flooring. We’ve had it fitted for 3 yrs so far and it still looks as good as new despite constantly being wet around the sink area, mopping, mud and oil and a fleet of match box cars / speed boats driving around it daily. It’s only fault is its not self-cleaning.

Mrs S.

“48 yr olds to be sat at home or playing golf for the rest of thier lives having had 4x thier annual salary upon retirement and index linked60% of final salary every year?

it isnt those drawing 25k benifits who are draining the economy its those on 30-40k drawing pensions and having jobs on the side..”

WTF? Someone who has worked all their life is a drain on the economy? But not life long benefit claimants that have never contributed anything to society? I don’t know many 48yr old coppers retired on £30-40k, that pension would only be for Chief Supers or Chiefs. But because their job is a bit more cushty, going to meetings in offices, they tend to stay in post until their late 60’s. Normal coppers are still fighting with drunken teenagers when they are 55 yrs old. And then they will draw about £16k pension. Daily Mail muppet.

What I find interesting is how many G4S type cash holding lock ups have been done over by proper blaggers, and they had an “inside man”. Look at that latest prison spring, lots of vans to choose from, no idea when it would be leaving, inside job? who was the contractor? oh yes, G4S. People like to moan about public sector pay and pensions, but for the majority of coppers, doing something silly like that you risk losing your pension. G4S will employ people and pay them peanuts while treating them like crap. Private security “checking” your garage is safe at night while clocking your lovely MTB collection? Lovely backhander from the well prepared burglars safe in the knowledge the local private “plod” is not around. Cats and dogs living together in harmony. The end of the world.

I’m just over three months clear of “unknown broncho-pneumonia” and then got floored for several days by a bug that turned into tonsilitis. Theres loads of nasty stuff going around at the mo, Ambo services are really struggling, esp with juvenile infections and being called out at night by the parents. Worst thing that ever happened to my sick record was having kids. Not one year has passed without being affected by either a stomach bug or respiratory problems. My eldest is 7 years old.

What goes around comes around, I remember when I first started work in a bike shop the truly baffling array of tyre sizes for old “roadsters” and tourers. 27×1 3/4,27 x 1 1/2, 28×1 1/2 etc. What was truly baffling was that the actual diameter of the wheels differed by about 1/2 inch, I mean WTF? Was glad when the standards of 700c and 26″ came in. Next we’ll have some manufacturer developing their own unique bolt thread types on all their bikes, because it makes truly fantastic climbing or such nonsense.

I’ve been overtaken by people on expensive single speed bikes and cheap ones. If I ever overtake someone I always try a cheery “Morning” or other such appropriate greeting. I can’t stand folk who overtake and don’t acknowledge your existence. How Rude!

I’m all for access for all parties but the facts must be looked at. On a steep muddly incline even an MTB God (or Goddess) is reduced to a rambler. A Motorbike is not. Usually leaving a huge scar in the trail with loads of noise and 2 stroke stench. Cycling is now considered a healthy pastime now that the love affair with the car is fading due to very real resource problems and climate concerns. All Councils and leisure related organisations cannot ignore cycling provision as it is well documented that there is an obesity epidemic in the UK that affects the NHS and therefore the government. I very nearly bought and old Landy with the idea of Green Laning. I examined the facts as above and saw Byways rapidly closing down. I didn’t buy a Landy. I do agree that at some point a well organised motorbike group had some presence on the formation of access rights. It’s just that things are changing.

I’m free on Monday

Dammit, so it is. Thats that evening scuppered. What about the Wednesday?

This time of year is hard for the people who don’t involve themselves in some sort of endorphin boosting activity. The New Year is the same as last year. The weather is worse than it was before Xmas. It’s not Summer yet. And despite their own delusions, TV is still crap no matter how much X Factor or Dancing on whatever they watch while rapidly expanding on the couch. Then the dog that never turned into “mans best friend” just a yappy expensive PITA needs to go out and crap somewhere. Then they see you and just release all these pent up frustrations. Best to avoid them at this time of year.

Pook, good idea, 90 mins in each others local woods, come the summer we can then string them together for a Tour De Dog S**t Woods. The first Tuesday I am working though, second is doable.

Is that Clown Army video for real or a spoof? Made me laugh. Don’t think I could have kept a straight face if I was “policing them”

loum – Got it in one. Insurance industry is a large and powerful lobbying group that probably has interests in making sure that drugs are not legalised and treatment is kept rubbish. Also its about H&S nowadays, if alcohol was “discovered” in the last decade, as well as the automobile, neither would be allowed due to Health & Safety.

We had a prolific burglar on our beat. 13 yrs old. He could squeeze up a drainpipe and would rob all the students blind of their laptops and ithingys. He had a cannabis habit and I reckon was being ripped off by his dealer as he clearly stole more than he got in cannabis. Either that or he just enjoyed it.

I would say the problem is exactly the same as bike riders. The equipment is capable but the rider unwilling or unable to commit to proper gnarly trails. All the council has to do is get hold of one of those riders to endorse their sanitation of trails. It just reinforces everybody elses desires to ride trails that are not maked as BW’s, and that includes horse riders. I’ve been on many paths that I knew were FP’s and seen hoofprints!

I agree with the Ferentino article being sad, I was well depressed at the end of the article. I have just read a US mag called Switchback (Fuel for the trails, bought from WHS) and it was very interesting. Good article on some pioneer mtb guy (not the usual crowd) who has some rare brain tumour but still insists on riding, and a good article about a female endurance rider that I have never heard of. The last Privateer had some interesting articles abroad, the guides in the South American countries was a unique and different slant on the sport of mtb’ing. I’m glad that ST is making some changes, as they initially shook up the established MTB mags (MBR & MBUK) when they first arrived. They have of late been shook up by other mags (mentioned above) and I for one am not that keen when they go all out for long travel bikes that you cannot pedal uphill. More articles like this month for fantastic photo’s and inspiration I say.

My 2nd, still a pre CEN model and still just as amazing to ride as the first generation that I had previously.