I usea Blackburn Airstick SL – small enough to fit in a pocket, compact, gets tyres to pressure and they are really cheap now

ThinkI’ve only ever lowered my saddle for riding once in 20+ years – descent of Snowdon. Was pretty pointless as it didn’t make me feel more in control .

In my opinion if your bike fits you right,you should be able to get your bum right of the back of the saddle without dropping it.

Fire and wind come from the sky, from the gods of the sky, but Crom is your god. Crom, and he lives in the earth. Once giants lived in the earth, and in the darkness of chaos, they fooled Crom, and they took from him the enigma of steel. Crom was angered, and the earth shook, and fire and wind struck down these giants, and they threw their bodies into the waters. But in their rage, the gods forgot the secret of steel and left it on the battlefield, and we who found it. We are just men, not gods, not giants, just men. And the secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, you must learn its discipline, for no one, no one in this world can you trust, not men, not women, not beasts… This you can trust. [points to his steel hardtail]

good stuff – DIY punk bike enduro 😀 love it, well done Charlie

Not sure if they come in to your price range , but the new Lazyne micro lights are really good.
Used mine off-road with no issues yesterday

I know you said you changed the back wheel etc. But have you tried greasing the QR skewer for the rear wheel ? It sounds daft ut is often the cause.

+1 for Bolivia. Amazing landscapes and wonderful people. A lot better now Snr. Morales is president. Viva la revolucion !

Short local
Topeak Alien
Pump (pocket size)
Tube
Patches

Longer rides
Topeak Alien
Pump – with gaffer tape wrapped round it
Patches
Tube
2 x quick link
spare pads.

Very long rides
Topeak Alien
Pump- with gaffer tape wrapped round it
Patches
Tubes
2 x quick link + short spare length of chain
2 sets of spare pads.

SKS Chromoplastics are the best.

Despite the coments above they are quite easy to fit – take both wheels out and put frame on a workstand. Fasten them in situ, but don’t fully tighten. Pop wheels back in – align guards to suit and tighten. POP.

Clockwork Orange – arse up, head down, fully rigid, beautiful.
Still been used as a ‘rat bike’ ss.

I got a Kona Sutra touring bike on Bike2Work scheme. Love it – use it most days for commuting and have used it for a couple of tours without concern. Its also been used regular for a good delof off road riding.

Can’t really find anything to complain about it.

+1 for Garage Bikes

I know it sounds daft, but try greasing the skewer in your rear wheel

Charles Bukowski – Tales of Ordinary Madness

Dirty, low-life, drunk – marvelous

all have failed on events lasting over 10 hours

?? What re you doing to them ?

I’ve been using a Topeak saddlebag for a couple of years and it seems in good order. Been used for 24hour, 12hour, commuting etc.

North Leeds Mtb

+1 for the Elite Ciussi

beautiful

Wether its right or not to ride there is a debate – which ever side of the fence you are on, it’s not an issue that warrants people laying ‘traps’ in order to cause injury or death.
If people are so precious about a certain trail not been used by certain groups, they should approach the local rights of way officer with there concerns – not take the law into their own hands.

It’s no joke – killed a bloke round our way.

Slipped disc – the pills are fun tho’

I’m an ‘older’ bloke
I’m a grandad
I’ve got tattoo’s
I don’t regret any of them
I’m planning on getting more – might even go this month

Couldn’t give a flying f##k what anyone else thinks ! Might even get my nipples pierced

It’s not essential but coating the inside of the frame is not exactly hard job and it won’t do any harm.

I treated my 1990 Orange Clockwork with duck oil and it’s still going strong.

it might make you type without spaces though.

One of these

can be srapped to backof helmet without making youlooklike a tw@

My penny stove kit

which all fits in a cup

and works well in the field too.

I quote
“Fire and wind come from the sky, from the gods of the sky, but Crom is our god. Crom, and he lives in the earth.
Once giants lived in the earth and in the darkness of chaos, they fooled Crom, and they took from him the enigma of steel.
Crom was angered, and the earth shook, and fire and wind struck down these giants, and they threw their bodies into the waters.
But in their rage, the gods forgot the secret of steel and left it on the battlefield, and we who found it. We are just men, not gods, not giants, just men.
And the secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery.
You must learn its riddle,you must learn its discipline, for no one, no one in this world can you trust, not men, not women, not beasts… This you can trust” [- steel hardtail]
You can’t say that about aluminium, or carbon fibre for that matter

take the hardtail and if it rains stick a plastic tent peg in your pocket to help dig the mud out from around your frame and tyres.
Take lots of kit with you.
Use bottles as opposed to camelbak.
Don’t take it too seriously and try to have fun.
For added plus points try to blag the dawn lap – start in the dark finish in daylight – its always special.

Cut Gate

😆 aero bars for commuting 😆 Yeah,you’ll need to shave your legs too 😆

Garage Bikes – not least ‘cos he’sone of us 😉

your not going to get anything as cheap as the aldi/decatholon spec’s.

I’ve had a few of prescription cycling specs from the options. First was a pair of bolle with a prescrition lens insert and inerchangeable lenses – at the time they were about as good as you could get [Alex Zulle used to wear them] but they fogged a lot. Since then I’ve had a pair of clear lensed no name sports specs with a plastic frame that were ok but had a tendancy to slip down my nose when sweaty.
My current pair are Oakley’s fited with transition lenses. Wear them on every ride and can’t pick any faults with them – got them from vision express. [nb. don’t get the anti glare coating it scratches very easily]

Had these back in the day …..

…..still got the clickiy knee to prove it 🙁

For XC you won’t go far wrong with a Sanderson Life

Surface Clothing – part of Charge bikes I think – I picked up the aquaphobic jacket and the liquistretch trousers in a sale. Its fairly decent kit but the jacket is quite narrow across the shoulders (honest) so I had to get a larger size than normal.The trousers are a lot more comfortable on the bike than you’d expect but they are very long in the leg (or maybe I’m a bit stumpy)

RIDE BIKES – DRINK BEER – EAT CAKE
seen us lot right for 20 years

Endura strike

and Chiba Tour have served me well for the past few years

not quite sure wha you mean by a ‘soft tourer’ ??
Anyhow I use a 50-39-24 triple with an 11-34 9spd cassette on my tourer.
Road front mech and mtb XT rear mech.
Gives a very wide spread of gears and allows me to carry on pedalling up most of the steep hills even when fully (panniers front and rear) loaded.

TBH when riding on the road spend most of time on the 50 so would say that a 36 would be too small.

‘111’ on a tree,or rock.

“Fire and wind come from the sky, from the gods of the sky, but Crom is our god. Crom, and he lives in the earth.
Once giants lived in the earth and in the darkness of chaos, they fooled Crom, and they took from him the enigma of steel.
Crom was angered, and the earth shook, and fire and wind struck down these giants, and they threw their bodies into the waters.
But in their rage, the gods forgot the secret of steel and left it on the battlefield, and we who found it. We are just men, not gods, not giants, just men.
And the secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery.
You must learn its riddle,you must learn its discipline, for no one, no one in this world can you trust, not men, not women, not beasts… This you can trust” [- steel hardtail]
You can’t say that about aluminium, or carbon fibre for that matter 😐