Don't forget though, when you're enjoying knocking one out post-ride, it'll save time having to lay on your arm to make it feel like someone else is doing it for you. Bonus!!

"Of course, there is a vegetarian option – you can **** off!"
Frankie Boyle.

You shouldn't throw stones.

Swinnerton's were the first tent on the 'top' side of the arena. Back on Track were at the 'bootom' side.

If you have any of 1289-1292 they'd be really appreciated. Many thanks.
(jonny dot brook @ hotmail dot com)

I think some of the answers above serve to highlight the differences between those that have experience of road riding, particularly club cyclists who have been brought up through 'the system', and those of us who have merely bought a mountain bike and just kind of got on with it.

I haven't the faintest idea of 'road etiquette', but do occasionally meet those out on road bikes whilst I'm riding between trails or commuting. Even when I'm giving it some pan-handle on the mtb, I'd be very surprised if a roadie jumped on my back wheel for any length of time. I'm pretty sure that they'd realise quite quickly that, despite my reasonable speed at the time, I'd be unlikely to sustain it for more than a few miles and that I'm most probably using all the wrong gears at the wrong time or something, and they'd bugger off past me as I'd be no use to them anyway. Conversly, if I happen to catch up with a roadie then they're usually either daydreaming or spinning some life back into a pair of heavy legs. As soon as they twig it's not another roadie then they also bugger off aswell.

Of course, I always pass them later on as I crash the next red light or go past on the pavement as they're waiting in traffic… :wink:

Trackie bottoms? WTF – are you TJ?

Could it be that the lower down the cassette you are, then the more force is applied to the freehub body – ie effectively trying to pull it out of 'square' with the hub? Maybe service the freehub and check that the pawls, springs, bearings etc are all ok inside, or that there's no muck ingress fouling the free running under load?

Be very careful when contacting the local council about clearing bridleways. You might just end up with a motorway where a lovely, challenging trail once existed.
Many thanks to Kirklees Council for their recent activities – you complete bunch of ar5e.

Do they come with integral helmet torches that are permanently turned on?

Your wellies?

Have the pawls worn either themselves or the internal drive ratchet inside the freehub body? I had a Ringle hub do that. It made a noise and slipped, but I couldn't work out what was wrong until the day it failed completely. Luckily I was close to home and had just crested the highest point of my ride. The freewheel home was like going chainless :D

Stake Lane down into Cragg Vale, Mytholmroyd is a fun-filled, deep gullied, rock-fest.

I got into Uni with no UCAS points whatsoever. I knocked on a door, chatted to the bloke for 20 mins and was accepted on the spot. 3 years later I walked out with a Geoff Hurst. Plenty of the College-leavers, with all their UCAS points, scraped through with a Douglas and were lucky to get that. Most of them were ill-prepared, particularly those from the BTEC courses, and the majority lacked desire, discipline, interest, application, time management skills and basic literacy.

nicks – Member
whatever happens its the same for everyone

Apart from the cheating ba5tards that short-cut the first winding section in the trees and cut straight onto the end of the partially surfaced road that runs parallel to the course during the night. Quick tip for you this year – turn your lights off when you do the deed then the rest of us won't be able to see you in your quest to jump from 117th to 108th place you sad fux.

Harry_the_Spider – Member
No marshals, no first aid, no insurance!

Not with the first section of singletrack that we've got. It makes the bombhole look like a speed hump.

This is a genuine tip from someone that organises an MTB event – get the local Scout group involved and make them beneficiaries of a wedge of your Charidee hand-out. They get to do 'Scouty' things on the day – marshalling, first aid cooking, camping etc etc and have a great weekend, but best of all – you will get FREE Public Liability Insurance as the event will be classed as one of their fund-raisers.

There was only about 400 yards of mud last year, so I used Larsens at 60psi the whole time. I had to walk a total of about 100 yards due to lack of grip in my 6 laps (twice on the slightly uphill wooded section about half a mile after the Kenda Climb), but managed to ride the really sloppy section every time. If the weather/conditions are similar this year then that's what I'll be using again. There's far more time to be gained in minimal rolling resistance than there is fitting mud tyres for 400 yards of every 9 mile lap. IMO, of course.

Jeezus H. Christ fella, there's limits y'know.

Ginger hair AND a ginger beard? That's scandalous…

2nd Mayhem for me this year. There'll be a few of us from mlehworld riding.

Angela – Member
I saw Stevie Wonder at the NEC in 1988. It was absolutely dire. So bad that I and half the audience left after about 45 minutes…

Don't worry, he didn't notice.

swisstony – this bloke's good and in Barnsley.

Nigel Kurt – Funhouse Tattoo Studio

You should have been driving the car at the time…

Less likely to happen at a 24h event like Mayhem, I'd have thought. Especially if your group is big enough for several teams, as there's more chance of folk being up and about preparing to ride or pit-bitching for others.
Still, my cricket bat….er, Insurance Policy will be coming down to Eastnor with me and I'm in decent form with it this year….

Road bikes? Single speed?

Maaaan, you've changed…. :?

I cba reading the whole thread, but I've run 26-36-Bash/11-32 on my Stiffee for the 4 years that I've had it. The marks and gouges on the bash ring suggest that it's done a pretty good job of preventing much greater damage to the chain/chainrings. The bike's done everything from gentle canal-side pootles to a fortnight in Whistler Bike Park and the only thing that I occasionally change are the tyres. At no point have I ever really got close to 'spinning out' off-road, so I really don't see any need to go back to fitting a 'big' ring on there.

I also have a Maxlight120 for use at events like Mayhem/SitS/local Challenge events etc, and for that I've specced an SLX 22/32/44. IME the courses are 'untechnical' and don't challenge your riding skills, only your speed/fitness. There's also plenty of tarmac on the local challenges, so it makes more sense to have the big ring on there. It's probably also fair to say that I'm generally more of a 'harder gear masher' than a 'sit and spinner', so my riding style tends to suit being sat in the 36t ring all day on more challenging terrain, and the 44t ring gets used quite a bit in 'race' situations.

The Rondo, in Dumfries centre.

Colne Valley Mountain Bike Challenge.

Click here for entry forms.

Don't be shy, everyone welcome! Still time for postal entry.

It's an unopened tin of polish in Celtic's trophy cabinet.

SFB might be interested – afterall, he used to take his Rohloff swimming!

Entry on the day is £20.00. That's to encourage advance entries as they make the organisation of the event so much easier.

joolsburger – Member
Blah, blah, blah…

The kind of ignorance demonstrated by some people on here makes me sick to my considerable stomach.

Bulemia? It might just work for you…

Rusty Spanner – Member

However, anorexia or extreme obesity is NOT something people have much of a choice over, as you admit.

Bollocks. I've yet to see a fat skellington…

Probably around 2hrs 21 on a rigid singlespeed.

I have a Kona Stab Primo with Monster Ts up front, but at 57lbs it takes some cranking up to speed and even the thought of trying to pedal the bugger up an incline sends shudders down my spine. However, I can still make it fly and it does a fine job of flattening Fort Bill.

Dainese Shuttle Pro II suit.

Same as 5:10s really, there are alternatives, but just save time and money and buy the best straight away.

Local trails are currently dry and dusty. Should be quick on the day.

TandemJeremy – Member
Is the riding worth coming down from Scotland for? I enjoy riding in that part of the world and have done it before – I want interesting track, interesting views and interesting company.

All of the above – and you get to stay at mine too.