Original Equipment, ie as supplied direct to the bike manufacturer. Probably won't come in a box or with instructions, 'cause bike manufacturers don't need either.

Robert,

leave your car in town and bike up the hill –

thats what McNee did last year, he'll tell you all about it too.

Rob

Sorry buddy, just got eaten while washing the car! Obviously the problem was I was sober, need alcohol to solve the problem 😀
Hoping to make it up at some point over the weekend. Last year we did Friday, which was great as it was
a) free
and
b)interesting to watch the riders walking sections and talking lines.

Cheers,
Happy and positive Rob

just to put a wee dampener on it, the Argyll midges have picked today to wake up from their winter slumbers and come out for dinner, so am sure their more northerly brothers will be hungry and ready to drink your blood too.
Make sure you pack the skin-so-soft, midge nets, anti-hystamine tablets, and lots of alcohol so you're too trolleyed to notice the biting little buggers!

Rob

Don't forget a Keswick Tuesday evening 6:30 from the Lakeland Pedlar

There's an outside chance I might be joining you again for that tomorrow.
Coming down tomorrow morning for a few days to meet up with Paul from Cotic & Mrs Paul, who we haven't seen in ages, so might drag them out.
Or we might get delayed in a Keswick hostelry catching up on a few years gossip!

Rob

Mmmm,would say too many trees for the Garburn. But no other suggestions!

Mmmmm, not happened to mine.
Just a thought, when you turn the dial can you hear/feel the clicks of the ball bearing detent? If that has stuck it might be possible for the coil spring helix to rotate the travel adjuster, thus reducing the travel?

Addidas Evil Eye's here. Can fog a bit on damp, still days, but overall very pleased with them. Interchangable lenses and replacable prescription insert mean they aren't obsolete if your prescription changes.

Just popped out and taken this along the road……..

Looking across the Holy Loch towards Sandbank, Glen Massan and Beinn Mhor. Volcanic ash has its uses!

Could fork set-up be a factor?

Had my RC40's for a few years with the stock medium spring. Thought they were ok but never got full travel. Did The Cobbler in December, with a 2900ft descent back to Arrochar. Had serious arm pump by half way down.

In January I picked up a soft spring for the forks which has transformed them, much more supple, never feels out of its depth. Did Devils staircase / Cairan path etc the other week, no arm pump at all.

Coincidence? Psycological? Or does the better fork action mean less braking is needed? Too many questions for a Friday night.

Rob

The MBR line is to the far left off the steep drop. It's harder but much shorter

aye, looked at that line in the mag when we got back. Wouldn't fancy it myself, agree shorter but harder (ie more likely to die!) We first rolled the big step on the LHS, then cut to the RHS for the next step, then down the middle just to the right of the sticky up rock. We survived so must have been a reasonable line!
This is making me want to go back this weekend!

Rob

It's made for a good bit of hardtail ragging.

Aye, I was up there a few weeks ago on my P7 doing the same route. Was almost keeping up with the guys on 5's & Zesty's, which meant it got very exciting when it funneled into that section in the 3rd photo! Had I been going slower I'd probably have stopped and wimped out, but as I couldn't stop I had to ride it, and it goes ok. Even went back up another run for photos, then you realise how steep it is when you try and carry your bike back up!

How did you do at the section with the catch netting? Took 3 goes to clean that bit. Took much longer to clean my shorts 😳

Rob

That Santa Cruz tandem is bonkers!

Yep, there's a left hand threaded cap with a 10mm hex hole that goes there.
Should have the one from my knackered Evolve's in the spares bin.
I'm in Dunoon but email me yr address and I'll stick in the mail for you.

Rob

Overtaking on a climb? Certainly wasn't us, we'd do well to pass a milkfloat uphill!

Yep, did mine last month. Video tutorial does make it very easy.
Get stuck in. Seal kits a tenner from Mojo.

I prefer riding ours in Y-fronts. Much, much scarier for the missus sat behind 😉

Sounds like you were getting interupted by the roaster in front of me as we were in the 2nd row from the back right in the middle and he was up and down like a yo yo for booze.

oh that numpty! We were on the end of the back row on your right hand side. He was even getting on our tits.

Good film though, just a bit surprised when it ended, it just seemed to be getting going.

My target this year is to get better at this stuff. Scares the willies out of me at the mo. Did the bits at Newcastleton and felt really chuffed. Have managed the skinnies at the top of the GT freeride park, but only once, come off every time since 😥

Even got a few planks in the garden to practice riding along.

Just scoffing a roll & sausage, then off to pick up 3 others and get the ferry. Getting excited 😀

It's a bit old skool, but I dusted down and refitted my DCD last Sunday. We did the Devils staircase, Blackwater Dam & cairan path at Kinlochleven, and despite pinballing down rock gardens I never lost the chain once(triple chainset/short cage mech on a P7), though I did loose a few chainring teeth on some of the drops!

Rob

My first experiments with black & white.
Taken at the crash site of B29 Superfortress serial no 44-62276, which crashed below Beinn Tharsuinn near Strachur, Argyll, in January 1949.

I like it, but constructive comment welcomed.

Rob

simonralli2 – Member
Kirroughtree is great. I am going to sort out another group STW ride there end of August/ early September, just as I did last year.

count me in again Simon, that was one of the best biking days ever.
I might MTFU and follow Davy G down the chute this time!

Rob

When you coming up Joh? I could do with being humiliated down the trails again 😀

Rob

Never enough brakes on a tandem!
I'd say the V2's, I'm not sure the Minis would provide enough stopping power or deal with the heat, but others may know different. Go 203 on the front. For the rear you might find 185 is the largest you can go. We tried 203 on the 'dale and it fouled the chainstay. The Ventana takes 203 at the back but it is designed for it.

For the stoker stem, try this

Rob

EDIT: damn, not only can SSS ride northshore on his tandem, he can type faster than me too!!

Think thats taking 'reach adjustment' a bit too far.

What cranks? If Raceface I'd say knackered splines allowing the driveside crank to move in & out, sounds very similar to my symptoms.

retina detatching stoppyness

another excellent STW technical definition! Love it 😀

Just back from a wee ride in the lovely Argyll countryside.
A view over the Holy Loch towards Sandbank (and home)

And I saw the owner of these fine antlers on the trail too! He was one big stag!

Rob

Oooooooo, going up to do the Devils Staircase for the first time on Sunday 18th. That pic got me even more excited 😀

+1 mountain morph. The only mini pump that will get a 2.3 tyre to 50psi on the tandem without needing 10 people to help pump.

petesgaff – Member
A hill. With some pine trees on it. Does this help?

oh there, well why didn't you say so before, know exactly where you are now 😉

Yep 'tis indeed a mighty fine country. I hope you had Runrig playing on your ipod while riding to get the full Scottish effect? We can arrange for the border guards to keep you here if you don't want to go back to Englandshire.

Rob

barca2 – Member
If there is anything dafter looking with my own eyes in the cycling world than a tandem being ridden by one person only, Ive yet to see it.

True, but riding it on your own you can do reeeeeeeeeeeealy big skids 😉

Childish Rob

Disclaimer: but not on the trails obviously!

Well people make mitakes but her instructor should give her mock exams so she isn't nervous.

That's the theory, but if only it was so straight-forward in real life!

Have been sat in the back of the car on many tests and am still amazed how a very competent driver can turn into a complete cabbage at the sight of a clipboard!
Yep, can see that car approachinig from behind, yep its getting close now, yep a bit closer, oh, I think I'll move off now. Doh!

Yep car coming from the right at the island, yep coming quite quick, oh I'll just go infront of it. Doh!

I'll come up to this Give Way, slowing down, oh hang on, I should randomly position myself by the right hand kerb just like a one-way street, then something coming into the road will drive straight into me. Doh again!

You really wouldn't believe what some can manage to do, even ones that I'd bet my house on.

For some pupils I do lessons with a clipboard on my knee and randomly write gibberish, just to de-sensitise them.

Agree nonk, for an enjoyable wee ride Newcastleton is very very good. Not epic, not bonkers hard, just enjoyable.

Mmmmmm, don't know much about terriers (or conveyor belts) but am good with greyhounds. So does that roughly equate to a greyhound dragging the kitchen bin over?

Runrig depressing? No way!

Rocket to the moon,Dance called America , Siol Ghoraidh, Alba, Only the Brave, all absolute belters! Over 30 years of musical genius.

Bit of thread resurrection here.

To test your descriptive powers a little more (seeing as you all did so well above), the main pivot on our Ventana should be 90 in-lbs.
It's a 6mm allen bolt, so with a long allen key I'm estimating 2 fingers pulling tight. Anywhere near correct?

Thanks
Rob (who's too tight to buy a torque wrench)

XC racers: disguise the fact you're taking performance enhancing steroids by riding a little slower.

No shower at work? Walk into the office nice and clean after a muddy commute by wrapping yourself in clingfilm before you leave home and just remove it when you arrive at work.

A certain amount of credit to Viz for those two, I can't claim to be that creative!

'Dance called America' by James Hunter. Named after the excellent song by Runrig. Get some of their music playing in the car and you'll really get in tune with the traditions and history of the area.