Thanks for all the replies. Seems this opens up my options with 142mm hubs and QR caps. Another quick question, are all dropouts in frames either 10mm or 12mm? The Marley is 10mm.

Anyone know a good wheel builder around Manchester?

they should not behave the way yours are

There must be an issue then. I don’t the confidence to do a lowers service, nor do I have the correct tools. Might send them off to TFTuned.

They’ve been the same since day one. I know new forks take time to bed in, but I’m guessing I’m either not setting them up right or they just aren’t for me. But finding an alternative 130mm non-boost fork is like trying to find a neddle in a haystack.

Seems I am on my own here. I have 130mm Minute forks on my 2017 Ragley Marley and have been very disappointed in them. They appear to have no initial small bump damping at all. I have tried many different preload and pressure combos and the forks either feel far too solid, or way too soft. But it’s that initial small bump damping that is poor. In fact, I’d go as far to say they have no small bump suspension at all. It’s like they are stuck for the first 25% of their travel.

The forks don’t have a huge amount of use to bo honest, I’ve put maybe 200 miles on them since owning they bike.

I know the figures from back then vary, from 20-50mil dead. We’re a long way off that with a population 3 times the size. Frightening, what might be.

They’re basic Novatech ones. Had a few issues with the freehub, but have been okay since then.

Much much worse, as in figures similar to 1918? The world is such a different place to what it was then. I just fear the worse for everything at the minute. I’m glad you feel positive and that science has the answers. I’m certainly not one of them. The economic impact is yet to be felt at its worst. I suffer immensely in winter, is one is going to be grim.

The outlook is grim, isn’t it? What’s the point or hanging around. Life is fairly shit these days (relatively speaking) and with mass redundancies and more economic damage, there’s absolutely nothing to look forward too. I have enough money to just about live for 2 months if I lost my job. After that, I’d be screwed.

Going to dust off the guitar – sorry to my neighbours and girlfriend – and read a couple of books.

Seems like a decent weekend is coming up, so some time spent in the garden doing things. The bikes will be sparkling :)

Just been for a walk in the sun. Really nice to be outside, spring is in the air. Few people about, anyone we encountered we gave some space. It’s definitely a bit quieter around here, edge of south Manchester.

I’m trying to find something positive today, and I’m really struggling.

spend a few weeks at home

Please correct me if I am wrong, which I usually am, but surely if we do this and then return to normal, it hasn’t gone away and will just happen again?

Only holiday I have booked is 4 days in Scotland around Inners at the end of April. My girlfriend and her mum were due to go to Morocco at the end of this month but they have cancelled. With her dad having COPD amongst other things, it’s definitely for the best.

Nasty foreign, very foreign and un-American virus doing bad things. Very bad. Bad. I will protect the American people from this foreign thing. Bad, bad thing.

I was saying to my girlfriend last night, it’s like listening to a child.

China reporting they have peaked and are considering reopening schools etc. Why does it seem like that is a bad idea? Surely the virus could just spread again just as before? Do we know about what happens to the immune system with COVID19 after you have had it?

Must admit, I am feeling very anxious about this, more so than a couple of weeks ago when the signs where going up in bright lights…

Job security and welfare of immediate family is at the forefront of my mind today. I feel almost certain a global recession is just around the corner, too.

The Danish PM has just held a press release:

All schools will close as of friday
All gatherings of more than 100 people are banned
All non-essential public servants are being sent home
All private companies are strongly encouraged to get as many people to work from home as possible; instigate working in shifts to have the least number of people on site as possible
Supermarkets, food suppliers are not affected

On the second topic (max 100 people), that all also includes aircraft – so no flight may take off with more than 100 people onboard.

83 more today, the previosu highest daily increase was 65 on the 8th. Looking at the total numbers its going up by a 1/4 to 1/3 every day. Whats a critical number when behviour needs to change?

Going by what has happened in other countries, I’d say in a couple of days we will be well passed 1000 cases, increasing exponentially.

Was in our office on Monday for a couple of hours. Quite a few people doing the usual office thing of righting the world. Quite a few said ‘it’s just a bloody cold, all this fuss over nothing’.

That attitude really is about to bite us on the arse badly. Official UK cases now up to 456, an increase of 83 in a single day.

This is a great documentary on McRae, and features Derek Ringer quite a bit.

I had a little lump in my throat during the McRae piece. Up there with the Senna one that Clarkson did. I remember following the WRC closely in the 90s growing up. Along with the BTCC, it was a brilliant motorsport fix on TV every week.

Agreed that Paddy is the muppet in the group. I’ve warmed to Freddie, and Chris is just at the top of his profession when it comes to car journalism.

But you cant get better by sitting on your arse doing sweet fa

Couldn’t agree more. Perhaps there is a bit more to my reluctance than I’ve explained. Fear of failure being one reason, the others, a little more complicated.

It’s been interesting to hear that many people are fitter now than they have ever been.

So, since posting this it has been a very dry spell of doing any exercise. I went to Wharncliffe Woods last weekend and it was a day to forget. Had an OTB early on twisting my knee a little bit, then 2 more stupid falls put an end to my day. I was very very frustrating, and have been annoyed with myself since. Conditions were challenging, very muddy, very slippy, and I was unable to ride sections that I could previously.

I’m off skiing this weekend (another thing I’m very anxious about) for a week, so I would like to get back on the bike when I get back. Here’s hoping for an improvement in trail conditions.

I have been thinking about entering some races this year, mainly a couple of PMBAs, Maybe a Welsh Enduro round or two, and the Midweek Madness XC series.

Thanks for all the replies. The LBS has managed to remove it and has installed a stealth version.

Not possible to grab it with anything. The lever broke off along with the bar that connects inside the maxle. Have been in touch with a local bike shop who say they should be able to fix it, probably by tapping it and doing it that way. They saved a bottom brake shell a few years ago when I ruined the threads putting on an external cup.

Should I use anti seize grease on thing like axles?

Well, I’ve tried an allen key again and completely rounded the head :( I have a bad feeling this will cost me new forks, wheel, and front brake.

Okay, thanks for the replies. In my panic I tried an allen key on it, but the metal is soft and I think I’ve damaged it :( This looks like it might be a workshop job.

Every time I touch my bike, something goes wrong. Trying my hardest to learn things at home, and every time it costs me as money as taking to a bike shop to be sorted.

Wish I was at the right level to ride with you more often mate. I see your Strava every Sunday and wonder where you get the energy! I get a mental block when I see the elevation. The techy stuff I’ll have (mostly) a go at, but always worried I’d end up bailing towards the end. Agree with the club becoming a social club, shame it’s gone that way.

Four year lull and then that? Fair play. I find if I don’t ride for 4 weeks I feel like I’ve lost most of my fitness. That might not be the truth in reality. I find I go faster when I’ve got a smile on my face from riding well. Doesn’t happen often though!

Interesting points there fooman. I have tinkered with the idea of going out to ride like I used to before the days of Strava and Garmins. Leave all that at home and just go out for fun. I have some woods nearby which I can utilise, although there is no elevation (not that it really matters).

This is all sounding very positive. Thanks for the replies. I guess I need to start being positive and be prepared to put in more effort than I would have 10 years ago. Will check out that Ryan Leech course, I recognize the name, have stumbled across his stuff before.

Unfortunately I’m not near a pump track, or any decent trials. I need to travel 40 minutes plus, to get to anything decent.

One of the issues is that I think ever ride has to been done as fast and as good as possible. Rather than just enjoying it for what it is. I rode the off piste stuff around Ladybower a few weeks back and tried to follow a group of guys down one of the trials. Was chatting to them just before we set off and one of them said he can’t ride it cleanly and that he usually has to walk a few bits. So I tried to follow the, in and they had all well cleared off by the time I got to the bottom. Immediately lost my head and kept to trials I knew than try the harder stuff.

I’m not the greatest rider as you know Colin

Well I usually struggle to stay with you when we ride together. So I’d say you’re not so bad ;) Definitely agree that strength/core training can have some real benefits.

Thanks for all the responses so far. I’ve had some skills courses in the past, one covering jumping in particular. Keep the practice going is always difficult. That’s done to me, nobody else. Maybe a refresher will help.

Embrace mediocrity? Completed it mate ;)

Been thinking about upgrading to a Fenix for a while now. Regarding the maps, is the screen resolution good enough to show decent map detail? Some of the new Garmins have much better screens, I guess the next Fenix series will get the new screen tech.

Didn’t previous Top Gear do a ‘shit car is faster than a supercar, if you drop it’ type thing a while a go? They raced a Porsche a mile across a desert, while a beetle did a mile vertically?

Thought exactly the same, they did. I think Freddie was genuinely bricking it!

Heading to Mayrhofen at the end of Feb. Bit nervous as I’ve only been to Tignes before which is pretty snow sure. We have passes for the whole Zillertal area, so hopefully plenty to explore. First skiing holiday for me that isn’t UCPA.

Need to get to the chill factor for a practice.

Think my running mojo has finally disappeared completely. I have zero motivation to go running at the moment and think that might be it now. I tried to get back into it over the last few months but didn’t feel I was making any progress at all.

I can empathize with that. I never really used to get anxious when in large groups, although I am an introvert most of the time anyway. But over the last couple of years I find big groups stressful. I also find things like going for meals, drinks, etc, more stressful. I worry that food orders will get messed up, or we might wait ages, and I end up not enjoying it at all.

Must admit, the days after drinking there is a marked increase in my anxiety. It’s not like I drink loads, but just having enough seems to trigger my anxiety big time. I’m hoping to cut back on the drink over Christmas but worry about telling people why I’m either not drinking at all, or only having one or two.