scotabroard, as with Ed details of course prices are on the website.

http://www.forestfreeride.co.uk

Stuart

Elaine anne, oldest person I've trained was 74. He came to see me because his mate who was 78 was faster than him on the descents!

Stuart

We're about an hour and a half north of Afan if that's any use.

http://www.forestfreeride.co.uk

Stuart

Aye put your sleeping bag inside your bivy bag before you set out if possible.

On One Scandal? I know it's not a sliding dropout but slots do pretty much the same job.

Krag if it's dry try to fit a route in that includes Cavedale … you'll like it. If it's wet don't bother 😉

Stuart

Well there is the option of a BB with a longer spindle but 118mm is pretty long already. Still think a stepped ring is the way to go … or maybe not, I've just looked and it says the step is .5mm which seems pretty pointless really.

Have you anyway of taking material off the back of the top guide so it sits nearer the frame?

Stuart

Is it possible to fit the chainring in the outer (big ring) position or will that throw it too far the other way?

Perhaps a stepped chainring, I know e13 do them with I think a 5mm offset.

Stuart

Speaking from experience, yes the figures have to add up but don't spend too long looking at spreadsheets, it'll put you off. You need to believe you can do it (and so does your wife). There'll be lots telling you it won't / can't work – take the good advice but don't listen to the bolloc*s. Expect to be skint for a while but it will get better. I'd also say don't fall into the trap of feeling a new venture must have everything, van, 10k advertising budget, etc … that will send you under.

Start small and allow the thing to 'build' itself. It won't be easy but if it was everyone would be doing it 😉

Stuart

Sorry for the slight hijack but if you want to ride out into the mountains, carrying everything you need and navigate rather than just follow markers … why not come and do the Welsh Ride Thing? Start noon Sat, finish noonish Mon.

I can't promise bad weather as it was glorious last year but I'm sure everyone will be able to make themselves miserable if they like 😉

If anyone does fancy it email stuart@forestfreeride.co.uk and I'll sort you out with details.

So true

Bloody hell glenp don't open up the can of worms that is stopping 😉 it'll just lead us onto proper braking technique then we'll be here all day.

Stuart

The big advantage of flats for most people is the gain in confidence when learning new stuff, around 50% of the people I train who arrive clipped in leave on flats. However, if you've always run clips and go to flats the feeling of not being quite as connected to the bike could have the opposite effect.

Good technique is good technique regardless of pedals but there is an argument that clips may allow you to be a little sloppy with certain aspects … so if you can master stuff on flats it will transfer over when you're clipped in but perhaps not always the other wat round.

BTW I run flats and consider clips to be the work of the devil so perhaps I'm a little biased 😉

Stuart

I (think) it's just the tarp not the poles. For a tarp it's pretty expensive, I'd suggest having a look at the tarps on http://www.ddhammocks.co.uk much cheaper and the big one is massive, you can fold it to pretty much make a tent with groundsheet.

Use sticks, your bike or suspend it from trees … you'll always manage to sort someting out. Plenty of info on the site about using a tarp too.

Stuart

And I'll get a badger for a frame bag … SSEC here we come!

Dee reckons I get a new bike every week.

I have toyed with the idea of sewing some velcro onto a fluffy pencil case, resulting in a simple, cost effective solution to wanting a gas tank!

Me … I've got the sewing machine out 😉

Thought you'd vanished Scant?

Meesterbond if you can't get hooked up with Phil or Kim and fancy a trip a little further north into the 'uncharted territories' of mid Wales give us a shout. 😉

http://www.forestfreeride.co.uk

Cheers
Stuart

I got a pair from Wiggle last week, can't fault them. You really couldn't do better for the money.

The TST2 is pretty much just a compression lockout, it does alter the compression damping before lockout but not by that much. Rebound damping works well.

Perhaps not the lightest fork out there (but neither are your spinners) but they do have alloy steerer and legs which at the offer price is unheard of.

I'd just buy some.

Stuart

I'm with Jedi here … the mental side is so important. The 2 words people seem to find most scary are, jump and drop but they're 2 of the easiest 'skills' to master.

I once taught a bloke who'd been trying to jump for years. Within an hour he could do it, then he reverted back to what he'd been doing before and crashed. When I questioned him as to the return to his old technique, he said he'd done it because what he'd been shown seemed too easy. In his head he was trying to justify the years of not jumping by making it as difficult as possible 😯 … strange but possibly not that uncommon.

Right I'm off to teach a young lady from the IOM to ride drops … have a good day folks.

Stuart

Cheers Stu

Well you live and learn … I also thought the bit between front and back bums was a chin rest!

Used to street luge .. does that count?

Stuart

Any club is only as good as its members. I have a helping hand in the, Dirty Girls club (yes I am male, atleast I was 'til I spent all morning outside) and for the women involved there's quite a social aspect to it. They never seem to mind where we go just as long as they're out riding. I have to say we are spoilt for choice though.

Stuart

Should be fine, any snow has been very light. Last couple of nights have been frosty but the days dry and sunny … ideal really.

http://www.forestfreeride.blogspot.com/

Started it last week, loads of fun and seemingly foolproof 😀

And sort the washing up

Black

How about badger shite … Dennis the lurcher has discovered the joys of it, after numerous baths he still stinks.

Eckinspain we've http://www.forestfreeride.co.uk arranged trips for various overseas groups in the past. Over the course of a week we've done trail centre days, epic rides into the mountains and even overnight trips staying in bothies … the group from San Fransisco thought that was very strange 😉

Might be of interest, oh yea, we're in Wales 45 mins from CYB and Nant Yr Arian trail centres.

Stuart

Aye 16" … I'm 5'7" and have a 16" GF is 5'5" and has a 14".

I can ride hers but it needs a very long seat post.

Aye, Stu he speaks the truth 😉

If the last 2 years are anything to go by then May would be a good time for it. Last Aug' me and another did something along the same lines. It p1ssed it down for the whole week. The weather combined with the odd mechanical saw some long days become very long days … the worst been a 12 hour slog which was finished off in the dark minus lights. That section was on home ground too, so I knew where I was going. If I hadn't and was having to navigate fully then I reckon it would of been atleast a couple of hours longer.

Certainly don't underestimate it. I'm a guide/instructor and am often surprised how dismayed people are when they discover they've been riding for 3 hours and only covered 10 miles.

Good luck, you'll enjoy it.

Aye bring it with you if you've got it Taylor.

Cheers
Stuart

Right then, I'll make some calls on Monday. Once I've got an idea of costs and whats possible, etc I'll post it up here.

Cheers
Stuart

Mine came this morning (less than £50 from lionsport.co.uk). Had a quick play this morning and it seems very good. Wider angle than I was expecting which was a nice surprise.

Gas tanks, I'm thinking they could be a pretty universal fitting but frame bags would have to custom really.

Stuart

I've been giving this a bit of thought … so out of interest, if I were to have some 'gas tanks' made in the Uk would anyone be interested in one?

I'd thinking something along the size of a large Epic Designs one. What features would you want? Outside pockets, internal divider, Extra D rings?

Thoughts welcome.

Cheers
Stuart

Started for me sometime in the early 90's … with a trip to Centre Park!

Hadn't ridden a bike since I was 16, I thought I was going to die but the bug bit. It must have done, as for the last 4 years I've ridden for a living.