I have no issues keeping gears running in winter (why do you?)

Just want to try something different, and minimise bike cleaning/ maintenance time.

I’ve used them several times. Never had a problem.

I think I’d rather go somewhere I love to ride with a bike that’s capable of being ridden up hill then not go at all because I can’t cadge a lift up to the top.

^^^ This

Thanks. That’s given me a good idea of how things are organised.

Another thumbs up for Seal Skin gloves. Do a good job in the wet/cold

I am guilty of having done this to a beautiful Dave Yates fillet brazed MTB frame once. Like the Captain said, it was the wrong geometry and just didn’t work with drop bars. It was terrible to ride. Maybe a 29er MTB would be ok, but a 90s 26er was just wrong.

Me. I don’t want to stop and drop my post frequently. Nor do I want the expense (or weight, being a bit of an xc weight weenie) of a dropper post on all of my bikes. Could I ride some technical stuff better with a dropper post? Probably, but I’m happy enough just riding with the post at a fixed height.

Still in disbelief at the ASA responses to this ad.

Email sent to the names provided above. Also CC’d Lord Smith (ASA Chair and patron of Sustrans, smithcr@parliament.uk )

I use a Mavic Syncro for those duties. Well in your budget, detachable peak, and very adjustable/comfortable for my head.

“April” event is in April – 26th/27th to be precise

You got me there. I just received an email from the OMM to explain what was going on. It really was 3/4 May when I signed up …

As you may have noticed we have had to move the event to the weekend of the 26/27th April at the request of the Forestry Commission. This is down to the fact that the Pirelli Rally is coming through the area on the weekend of the 3rd/4th May.

It means there’s no challenge course (i.e. original Polaris with wilderness camp), but I’m still planning on being there.

Langsett Cycles in Sheffield get thumbs up from me.

is this going how you thought it would?

I’m guessing it isn’t.

I’ve had some frame alteration work done by Dan. You’ll struggle to find someone who’s as enthusiastic about bikes. When I spoke to him a few months back he was really excited about putting this frame together, so it is good to see it done.

I’m expecting/hoping that his comments were tongue in cheek, but regardless are misplaced. 🙁

Already signed up and looking forward to the “April” event on 3-4 May 😀

Used to love Polaris.Can’t wait.

Try this ? I’ve not ridden down there lately so can’t comment on what the recent wet weather has done to the trails around Bakewell, or what mischief DCC have been up to. Neither will have been good 😉

Similar to the suggestion from Pies. This is the alarm I’d been thinking about buying

http://www.ultrasecuredirect.com/acatalog/shed_security_wireless_battery_pir_siren_alarm_007-0300.html

No idea it it is any good (although reviews on various sites are ok), but I was tempted by this for £5.99

I’ve not shopped with Ribble for a while, but sometimes things go wrong and it doesn’t always work out the way you want. I recently had a problem with a CRC purchase and the customer service response was ok, but not great. Not what I’ve personally come to expect from CRC.

Now if we’re talking about bad customer service two little words come to mind “Dave” and “Hinde”.

+1 for Atera Strada

I think this[/url] is really worth reading by both cyclists and drivers.

Love the idea of the Cairngorms Loop or Lakeland 200. I’ve ridden parts of the WHW around Fort William and Glencoe. Terrific location and section of trail to ride, but I’m not sure if the same can be said of the full length of the WHW – there could be quite a bit of carrying involved in parts.

Previously on STW

I’ve just bought some Louis Garneau 0degree ls100 shoes

I’ve not used them much so can’t comment in too much detail. They are very warm though, and I find the fit is good (I have a slim foot and take a 42 in a Mavic, and 41.5 when I could get it in a Shimano). Price is good too.

It was the first time I’d looked at Louis Garneau shoes and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality. They feel almost as comfortable as my Mavic Rush xc shoes.

Bought an Endura Liminite II in yellow

I’ve found it to be waterproof and the arms are nice and long. I’d wanted to get an Altura Nightvision jacket, but the arm length was too short (and I’m no orangutan).

I did see someone with a white jacket recently and when my bike light hit them they lit up lick a light bulb. If I was buying again I’d consider a white jacket with lots of Scotchlite.

I’d like a PIR alarm with camera that talks to my smartphone – something like that must exist?

For an alarm I was thinking about one of these

You can get a PIR model too.

Cheap and simple. At least I’d know if someone have broken into the garage when I’m in the house. I’ve not come across a camera that could send me an MMS at a reasonable price to suit my application (no power when I’m not using the garage)

Wheels are new (whole bike is), so I’ll start on toeing in the brake pads. Many thanks

I have Mavic Rush MTB shoes, which probably have a similar fit. They have very comfy uppers, an a good rigid sole with deep treads – pretty grippy. I have narrow feet and find the Mavics quite snug. Mine are a size 42, which is the same size I typically take in a Shimano xc shoe, but find the Shimano shoes just that little bit longer and wider.

Wiggle?[/url]

I built up a Kinesis Crosslight 5T and love it, but it’s my first CX bike so can’t really compare it to others. It does ride well both on and off road. You may want to look into this Planet X CX bike in your budget (just)
Planet X XLS Shimano 105 CX bike

Polaris doesn’t run any more?

The good news is that the OMM are still trying to keep Polaris alive, and if they sort out their web site I’ll be signing up again. They did a really good job in 2012 running a full Polaris style event with a wilderness campsite, alongside a shorter course returning to the start point at end of day one.

At the moment the details on the web site look too much like they have been copied from the running OMM event, but I’m hoping they’ll sort that out soon. They are planning on both Spring and Autumn events.

Check it out here[/url]

Great thread. I thought it was just me who had this problem!

The top hat washer on the drive side always comes away and runs flush with edge of the crank, letting in loads of shit to the bearings. So you need to put something in there to make sure it stays put. I use one of those little fat rubber bands.

I did that too, but it put too much pressure on the drive side bearing (which the fitting instructions say is to be avoided) and killed the GXP BB for a different reason.

In the end I opted for …

Best remedy is to ditch the truvativ cranks and fit a shimano crank & BB.

XT = perfect.

^^ +1

Nice one

I have an Atera Strada 4 bike tow ball mounted rack on my C-Max. Fits all of your criteria except “not too heavy”. It weighs around 15kg itself.

It’s a great rack though. Takes a heavy load of bikes (within nose weight of car of course) and is very stable driving along. It has a sliding mechanism that allows the bikes to be tilted down away from the tail-gate so it can be fully opened.

Brilliant rack – don’t regret buying it, but it was pretty expensive.

So Polaris makes a return on 3-4 May 2014 in the North East of England … Yay!

OMM Bike 2014[/url]

Does Polaris still run or has it now changed its name? That was the original and best.

Polaris was being run by The OMM people as “OMM Bike”, but last year the event never took place. Little advertising and cancelled at last minute due to access issues. They ran a full Polaris in 2012 and it was great. Hope it returns.

I have Planet X A57s on my CX bike

Nick Craig has a good cv. Danny MacAskill comes across well in interviews too.

Yep, struggling to read it too with or without my reading specs. I feel it’s the paper (glare in certain light) not the font size.

I’m not too worried about it though. It’s the final push I needed to not buying the mag for a while. I’m a little tired of reading that I can now have a do-it-all long travel 29er, or that I need to have a 27.5er (or 650b – depending upon flavour of the month) to bring the trail alive, and reading product/bike reviews where absolutely everything is brilliant (albeit very expensive).

More recently I feel the mag is mostly full of pseudo-marketing/ advertising material and I’ve had my fill.

I “witnessed” an interview/QandA session at ShAFF in 2011, where Rob Warner was the host interviewing Steve Peat. IMO they were totally unprepared and fairly unprofessional. Off the back of that I wouldn’t recommend either of them, but maybe they had an off day.

Kona Four Deluxe. First FS bike and hated it. Put me off FS bikes for a wee while. I still prefer HTs, but have at least found a FS that I get on with (Cotic Hemlock).

22.75lbs … or sensibly light. I have something similar – just get out and ride it and don’t worry about a few lbs 🙂

First proper ride on my first cx bike I built up today as well. Mixture of road and trails with very little gnarr! Loved it. 😀