@Jambalaya They are on the French side of the tunnel only as far as I can see. After you pass through French customs and immediately before you reach the UK Border Agency station. They are 7ft tall or so and, Erm, yellow.

Don’t park in the hashed zone!

So if they detect radiation they’re giant but passive Geiger counters? If so they would be completely safe, why would there be an injunction against parking in the hashed zone in between them?

Hmm, now you mention it there has been a white transit can parked outside my house for the last week…

The thing that surprised me was the dearth of information about them on the internet. Unless my google search terms were poorly chosen I suppose but it’s not like they aren’t clearly visible to anyone passing through.

I always assumed my unmentionables were being quietly fried as I passed between them.

Damn, that means I have to take the big bike – which needs lots more doing to it to get it ready…but sadly not so much that I can’t do it if I pull my finger out and stop fannying around on here all day 😀

Grrrrrr!

I have got nothing to do today except choose a bike, fettle it ready for the off and have beer- and I keep changing my mind every 5 minutes about which one to take. At this rate I’ll have to take the pub bike.

And you lot are not helping either! Where is the Singletrack Consensus when you need it?

spw3

The BigHit is indeed an old design (2006 I think) but the main thing that shows its age is it weight. After a major diet I have got it done to a shade over 40lbs. On the plus side it does tend to plow through anything I’ve forgotten to steer around.

I’m already taking my Prophet so I can ride the Doethie Valley on Wednesday. I’ve got a big car but even I CBA to take three bikes.

Choices, choices!

@wrecker – yes, got it on a whim secondhand in the Spring and didn’t really ride it until this summer. Totems and a DHX Air. Maybe a bit mismatched – the rear shock felt a little out of its depth even after I fiddled the settings to death. Weighs about 38 pounds but doesn’t ride up or downhill like it weighs that much.

Might keep it as a summer Alps bike when a bit of peddling is required.

spw3

There’ll aways be someone whizzing down on a Raleigh Shopper but I’m not God’s Gift on a bike so I want to take the best suited bike for the job. I’m sure I’d have a laugh regardless, I just don’t want to think either:

“Damn, I wish I’d brought the BigHit” or alternatively:

“Oh my God this would be fun if I wasn’t riding the bike equivalent of a Sherman Tank”

spw3

I wondered that too – it has an almost Lazy Sunday feel. Very impressive for a track that would have me inhospitable within the first 200 yds.

BTW anyone know the music track they used?

Have you used them yet? And do you now own them? If not then give them back with thanks and point out the problem. It sounds like the damper is bished.

Drac has it right, it is RLS. It is treatable.

Yeah I bought these forks second hand with some wear on the anodising already. It was on the spring side so I don’t really mind.

I actually copleteky stripped the forks (loud blast on own trumpet!) last year but sadly can’t remember what was inside.

Well “less stiction” sounds good but “lower maintenance” sounds better so I guess that decides it!

cheers guys

spw3

I really did try to restrain myself but failed.

You have been given an opinion by an expert in the field.

And yet you think you know better?

Might I make a suggestion? Do what he says and say thank you when your ankle is healed.

Couldn’t agree more. The Wilson Fisk character is well drawn and very we’ll acted. Very much enjoying it so far.

Ok for once I actually know the answer to this one! I owned a baby blue v1 with 125mm travel and then a black v2 with 135mm travel.

It’s ok. I actually rather liked it but sold mine in favour of a SH Prophet frame bc I wanted something with a bit more grrrr. I doubt you will get one for £50 but I may be wrong.

The interrupted seat tube limits your ability to drop the saddle and the 27.2mm seatpost will limit dropper post as well I imagine.

The single pivot suspension is durable but wallows if you want to run it with 30% sag.

It’s not as light as you might expect it to be.

Although the shock position is adjustable you will only ever run it in “FR” mode which gives it a 68 degree head angle IIRC.

The cannondale head tube means you can run pretty much any fork you want. I ran mine with a140mm Lefty.

Done. Phew.

Ok, give me three minutes…

Do you mean add a post at the end of the FS thread he started?

That’s what I was hoping to hear. MrsSpw has little hands and with the original levers, if I adjust them so she can reach them then the lever throw is enormous.

I’m not sure I’m reading you all correctly but I *think* you’ might be collectively recommending Salsa or Chromag!

Cheers for the suggestions guys. My main gripe with the Hope ones is the amount of force I need to exert to get the thing to hold my post in place. Is that what these ones do better? If so, any idea why they work better? What are Hope doing wrong?

In true Singletrack tradition, I have a Platinum #3776 in black. Took a while to get used to it having not used a fountain pen for many years. And it writes best when held a long way from the nib, a bit (worryingly) like a wand. Because it’s Japanese? Who knows. Love it though, it’s in your price range if you hunt about a bit and looks much more expensive than it is.

My only other long termed was a Schaeffer Targa in black and gold. A bit 1980s but wrote as smooth as.

Ton,

Apologies for slight thread hijack but is the rear mudguard on your bike something you bought as is or modified to fit?

It’s something I’ve been hankering after for ages: when I drop my saddle for the downhill bits I hear an almighty rasp whenever I compress the rear suspension.

<insert joke here>.

The only way to avoid it is to put the guard so high on the post that it doesn’t work as well.

Fab, sounds like its Superstar and, bc its cheap I think I may treat myself to a red one 😀

Cheers guys,

Is there any discernible difference in the way they work or is it just down to price vs brand snobbery?*

*or anti-snobbery where SS are concerned

I bought some Revs off them two weeks ago. £223 with the exchange rate at the time. No issues despite my nerves. Fitted them yesterday, lovely.

Fantastic. That’s my Saturday ride sorted out then. Cheers guys.

stevied & jimster

That’s awesome guys, very helpful. STW at its finest in fact.

And not a mention of wheel size anywhere.

Will it be obvious where the Bracken Run is?

@stevied – no I don’t mind at all. That’s really kind. My GF will be quite pleased bc I promised to ride my new (to me) Knolly Delirium and the big climbs might slow me down!

Not bragging, I’m not quick but I’m quicker than her

@Rocketdog – we moved to a village called Berkswell a couple of months ago. It’s between Coventry and Birmingham.

@stevied – cheers I will have a squint (when I’ve finished the ironing, rock on!). I’m always up for a bit of – ahem – something extra. We will be going at the weekend though so there maybe limits to what we could get away with

Hi stevied,

No, I’m woefully unprepared. Basically I’ve only got as far as texting my GF and asking if she fancies riding there this weekend. We are both news to the West Midlands and starting to explore the places to ride locally*

*sort of

Top timing for this thread. I have to go to Colorado this August as well, family reasons too. We will be studying in manitou springs, anyone ever been?

bonchance +1

My mac runs an automated smart backup to the Drobo at 03:30 every Saturday. If I had to think about it then it would never happen.

I occasionally check to see if it ran but, yep, it always does. Really boring but really reassuring.

I bought a SH Drobo off Fleabay about five years ago. It’s the best and worst tech toy I ever bought. Plugged it in, took five minutes to set up and since then, err, it’s just worked. Not quick but reasonably quiet. When it gets full I just shove a new drive in and, err, it just works. Very very boring but that’s good really.

Ok chaps, a thousand thanks for your suggestions. I will google them tomorrow. But it’s time to turn in.

So it’s goodnight from me…

@dantsw13 – pretty relaxed about budget to be honest. We dodged going snowboarding this year so we have some cash on hand*

*slightly less since I accidentally bought a SH Knolly Delirium frame…

This is great guys, keep it coming. I know next to nothing about Cornwall but She Who Must Be Obeyed has decreed it must be so.

@Gilo has to be MTB I’m afraid.