Hi @benp1, you’ve already given me a few routes yourself in a past post, so a chance for me to return the favour. Have you looked at the Condor route club blog. There are a few I’ve been wanting to try: https://www.condorcycles.com/blogs/route-club (Hertfordshire / Kent / Wimbledon – there’s quite a range with good instructions). They say crossbike for winter but some are more tame than that (definitely non-mtb friendly but perhaps less so after a rainy period).

I’m just off your commute route so perhaps we go for a ride one evening to explore (and I’m also slow!)

@Ben P. Loved your short route. Went early doors Saturday. Was amazed at having this kind of raw countryside on my doorstep. Had a sketchy moment downhill on the loose gravel single track next to the barbed wire and cows. Slid out. The thought of that wire round my neck made me shudder for a few minutes! But fun.
Country on the city doorstep.

This is great everyone. I’ve now more than enough to keep me happy locally for a while. Thank you Senor for the offer – would love to take you up on that. And to Ben – quite a few of your Strava loops look terrific and within a minute of where I live! Had no idea how to join it up and navigate it all. Now I do. Cheers!

And to you all, no idea of the road surface on your suggested routes – is it a general mix of tarmac/gravel/dirt/mud/grassy/leafy – so all rounder tyres good – or should I need something a little more specific or capable – e.g. invest in a tyre particularly good with mud / winter mush? (I’ve currently got 38mm Challenge gravel grinder 38mm as a compromise to cater for both road journeys and dry dirt/gravel – do you reckon I’ll get away with this – or perhaps even my 28mm 4 seasons road tyres?)

Hi Señor. I ride out from Finchley too :-), so that sounds perfect. I’ve ridden through many of those, but only as a tarmac road route. Don’t suppose you have a gps file(s) or similar reference from what you mean – I’m rather good at getting lost! Or perhaps from the next time you venture out that way. Cheers.

Thank you all for your ideas. I will check them out over the coming months. Cheers.

Had a very similar creaking only a month ago! Took a while to find it as the titanium frame disguised the source of noise. While riding, sound came from the front as much as the crank. But mostly made sound while peddling and over a couple of weeks it got louder (or seemed to in the quieter roads I was then riding).

Eventually I realised I could reproduce the sound from applying lots of pressure to seat when I was off it. So LBS cleaned up seat post, used carbon gripper and… the crucial ingredient? Turned out to be a missing copper fine sheet my LBS had forgotten to put back in my seatpost shim (during its first service a few weeks before).

Now noise free.

Hope the same for you! Good luck – I know how infuriating it is to have it.

Hi, Yes my bike (your screenshot) is drilled through as Somafunk described – just a neater look – though so far without the rubber/washer protection. That’s certainly a good addition that I’ll address when I next come to remove and refit.

As for stem, I have a 55.5 frame with 100mm (short reach bars). While on my road racer, I have a 56 frame with 90mm stem, long reach bars). Essentially, reach on both bikes similar. I would say the Tripster is perfectly comfortable and relaxed (as I like it) while my racer is a little too twitchy (but as it should be for racing). Make of that what you will.

Mightily impressive workmanship Dave

And same for Swains Lane loops!

@matts

No, haven’t attempted Swain’s yet (saving that for the summer when I’m wearing less – it’s got a 14% gradient that I’m not ready to take on at the end of a work day carrying all my clobber). But you got the area spot on, I vary my route with the roads adjacent – Highgate West Hill and Highgate Hill. Apparently, 10% gradients. When the traffic backs up of an evening, if I’m unlucky enough to hit the red traffic lights, fully loaded weaving up between the cars, trying to clip back into the pedals squashed next to a bus, it’s not exactly a pretty sight – no doubt quite a few cars fearing for their precious paintwork. Anyway, I don’t have to hit the lowest gear, but often I find that I have.

An additional benefit (I assume) with the V2 will be perfect disc brake alignment each time you swap out a set of wheels. Not an issue if you rarely swap, but being new to disk brakes I’m disappointed in how difficult it is to avoid rubbing / squeaks after a quick release. I’d thought switching from one set of rims with off-road tyres to a set with road tyres would be a few second job but it seems not to be. I understand having through axles solves this. Also flat mounts future proofs the frame it is becoming the new standard – looks better too. Will it be easy tracking down replacement parts for our V1 bikes in 15 years? Prob not, but I doubt impossible. But for all its benefits, I personally wasn’t prepared to pay more or wait.

Slackboy – looks an amazing ride – great pics. I hope I have the stamina to do that one day.

@Whitecitadel – No bending required on the Tubus other than the two for the seat stays. I have Swift Cycles to thank for the lovely job on that. (I didn’t think myself sufficiently skilled to attempt getting both perfectly parallel to each other!)

As to the build, yes I’m beyond happy with it – from a fit POV (Swift to thank again for that), ride, cosmetics – the lot. But if triple had been available I would have gone for it as I’m quite unfit-and although that’ll change with my new keenness to ride, I’m only getting older! Already when I’ve packed both panniers full returning from a day’s work I make use of the 32 rear and 34 chainring – with cadence at points droping down to 40! That’s up one of London’s steepest hills – but even so, I’d fear touring any known long and hilly routes if fully laden!

Rode my first love for old time’s sake yesterday. As brilliant as it is, it turned out to be a farewell ride! https://flic.kr/s/aHskwBoQCd Offers welcome!! 😉

Thanks everyone. Really chuffed with it. Swapped tyres yesterday for the GP4000s. (Broke 2 tyre levers in the process! Not looking forward to dealing with a flat on the roadside with these on!) Anyway,it’s turned the Tripster into yet another beast – a proper road warrior – really agile, yet oh so comfortable and stable.

As for the perfectionist in me, somafunk – yes, very true – can’t help myself. Though all credit really to the bike shop for their attention to detail in the final build.

root-n-5th – reassuring to hear. Thx.

slackboy – a beaut – wish I had the countryside near me. Lucky man.

L1000516 by Lanny Lucas-Stone[/url], on Flickr
L1000523 by Lanny Lucas-Stone[/url], on Flickr
L1000517 by Lanny Lucas-Stone[/url], on Flickr
L1000519 by Lanny Lucas-Stone[/url], on Flickr
L1000514 by Lanny Lucas-Stone[/url], on Flickr
L1000520 by Lanny Lucas-Stone[/url], on Flickr
L1000521 by Lanny Lucas-Stone[/url], on Flickr
L1000522 by Lanny Lucas-Stone[/url], on Flickr
L1000526 by Lanny Lucas-Stone[/url], on Flickr
L1000525 by Lanny Lucas-Stone[/url], on Flickr
L1000513 by Lanny Lucas-Stone[/url], on Flickr

And a huge thank you to all the many pieces of advice, words of wisdom and brilliant pictures on this Tripster lovefest that enabled me to create my dream machine!

Hi all, some more Tripster porn for you…

Flickr link to album:

https://flic.kr/s/aHskvL9kj9

(I’d insert the pics, but can’t work out how to do it – anyone explain? Ta)

My baby’s just one week old. So far just a daily commute in and out of town, but from the 90 miles I’ve done I’m in heaven. Coming from a hardcore stiff unforgiving aluminium racer I wanted comfort above all, but this has surpassed all my expectations. Like I’m floating on the road in comparison. Oh so happy with it.

Intending to fit 28 Conti 4000s II tyres with road pedals in the coming weeks – as I’ve little off road near me. But started with Challenge Gravel Grinder 38mm 120tpi tyres to make sure the guards are fitting right for when I do venture further afield… literally 😉

One disconcerting thing though is that I do have toe overlap with the guards (not without). Just affects me going very slowly, but in and out of traffic or balancing at lights has become a scary no no. Concerned that when on a trail, especially up hill this will mean me stepping off. Anyone else had this? Or tips for riding?

Thanks

Good experience of probikit. They’re been much slower in sending things out and receiving returns than Wiggle. Chainreaction or Merlin though. Nevertheless they’ve been very good on the phone and they were 10% cheaper than anyone else for th frame. Note that Crosslight V4 wheels at Wiggle currently 25% off and the Shimano RT685 hydraulic dual shifter set post or flat mount caliper options are 300 at probikit . Not bad at all. From recollection, my frame and forks all post mount. V2 is flat mount.

Hi

@Slackboy: Just done the same from Probikekit. Great price. Building it up right now. My emphasis is on a highly versatille light-ish road machine. Plan to venture off road when poss – but not much opportunity local to me). My priority was comfort. I’ve chosen Deda Elementi superleggaro carbon seatpost (27.2), superleggaro road stem and zero100 road bars. Looks fantastic as a set – understated and stylish. Naturally very light, stiff, built well too – but I’ll let you know about the true ride / take pics in a few days when complete. Was tempted to combine with superleggara carbon road bars, but as I intend to use off road too, too many (wise) riders advised against it. Instead I’ve gelled the bars and added thick tape.

@Whitecitadel: Before going ahead a couple of weeks ago I spoke to Upgrade bikes about the upcoming ATR. Thankfully (for my wallet) they’re expecting it to be much later in the year. And while it’s new and improved with thru-axel rear and internal cabling / Di2 friendly, it’ll be more pricey than the current offering. For my needs, preferred to enjoy the current ATR right away , and save £ in the process.

So excited – itching to take my first ride 😉

Thanks, Somafunk. It’s what I feared. But those PDW fenders are a very elegant solution.

Hi all, Just in the middle of building up a new Tripster ATR – very excited! Anyway, I’m about to fit SKS Bluemel 45 mudguards (which say good for 700 x 28-38). However, I was hoping to buy X’plor MSO 40 tyres. Anyone know whether they’ll be enough clearance? Otherwise I’ll have to rethink tyre choice. (My choice was based on something highly versatile for a mix of road and bridle path/light trail, as most of my routes will be 2/3rds roads in order to get to any exciting off road areas). And I’d like the guards for commuting. Cheers!