Now this is cathartic….

I was beginning to think I was the only one with mental inlaws

Lunge – I’m get married in a weeks time and had exactly the same conversation with the MiL. She would also like her own special song to walk down the aisle to. I very politely told her to get @~”&*^&*%

And surely leaving a chocolate hostage in the toilet is just plain dangerous. I generally need 2 or 3 flushes every visit to get rid of the evidence. 😀

These posts are at best an absolute waste of time or alternatively just trolling.

There seems to be a daily stream of “Why are car drivers / dogs / bin men / little green men / bus drivers so inconsiderate blah blah blah” on STW.

These are the same people who then moan when people stereotype cyclists as the anti-christ, running redlights and riding down the pavement knocking over small children and grannies as they go.

Can’t we all just accept that in any ‘group’ of people there are going to be responsible and irresponsible people. Get over it.

I had the same issue, couldn’t find any Evos to have a go on prior to buying. Eventually tracked down a shop whose mechanic had a 2012 Evo 26 in large that I could go and have a look at. Based on the fact I definitely couldn’t find a 29er to sit on and I wasn’t willing to spend that much money without at least trying a 29er first I went 26.

Sorry got caught up in festive cheer last night 😀

For me the carbon is definitely worth the extra.

Apart from the fact I’m a tart, I wanted a bike I could do everything on including long rides, lots of climbing. The lighter weight just means I can do that more easily than on the alu version. Its pretty much a do anything bike with the CTD/Talas Shock and fork I can lock it out and it pedals pretty well and is relatively light. Drop the seat, point it down hill and it takes everything I’ll ever throw at it.

Never had the opportunity to feel the weight of Alu and carbon Stumpy side by side but its certainly considerably lighter than my mates Spicy 516 with a very similar spec.

Have to say though without a very hand PPI payout I may well have had to go for the alu as the carbon is a lot more.

Having a nice quiet day in the office, no stress, no peeling veg or getting annoyed by relatives.

Just rewriting a strategy document that I’ve been putting off for ages then going to get started on a load of other paper work I’ve been avoiding.

Leaving at 3pm though.

There’s certainly some 2013s in the country, I’ve got my 2013 Stumpy Evo Carbon and it’s awesome, had it about 3-4 weeks now.

Also worth noting, the changes may be theoretically quicker on a DSG but VW quote identical 0-60 times for manual and DSG on all Scirocco’s apart from the R so in actual fact they don’t have any bearing on the performance.

Manual = fun
DSG = Practical

Have to say in all the miles I’ve done with the various VAG versions of DSG I’ve never had a problem from a reliability, performance issue. Yes there can be a slight delay but you do get used to it and take it in to account after a few miles.

For me its more to do with the enjoyment, I find them remote and less fun to drive.

Its the same discussion people have been having about Auto v Manual for years, just now they’ve given the auto a fancy name. You’re never going to get the same feeling from it because the gearbox removes one of your points of contact with the car but they’re easier and more comfortable to drive.

You pays your money and you make your choice.

Personally the only reason I’d go for DSG over manual is if I did a lot of stop/start driving like in heavy traffic. For me as a ‘drivers car’ its simply not as involving and fun as a manual.

Speaking from experience I guarantee most people end up leaving it in auto 95% of the time and the only time you do choose to change gear yourself you’ll decide within 2 minutes its easier to let the car do it for you and revert back to auto.

DSG is a way for people to buy an auto without having to admit they’re buying an auto.

You seem to collect Stumpjumper frames- you should sell me one

I wouldn’t call it a collection, not yet. Only two Stumpjumpers at the moment but give me time to go about my indefensible, wasteful past time and who knows what might turn up in the garage.

Really don’t understand why people get so uptight about other people spending their own money.

I go to work, I earn it, I spend it on whatever I want. Quite a simple theory really, I don’t care what anyone else spends their money on and I don’t have to justify how much I spend to anyone (apart from Mrs Tinman, maybe.)

My carbon Stumpy Evo is awesome, I love it and yes it was expensive and yes its considerably more capable than I’ll ever be. Do I care? Not a jot.

I’ve had my 2.0TSI for nearly four years now and love it. Can’t see me getting rid of it.

I personally prefer the manual version as for me the DSG gives a more remote feel to the driving.

We’re in a similar position, couple with no kids but a dog and plenty of outdoor activities. The Scirocco will take my mountain bike in easily with the back wheel still in and we’ve gone away for the weekend with four ‘adults’ in it so its pretty practical.

i also use it for about 20-30 miles most days and have to say I don’t often see more than the high twenties in MPG. Although that might be because mine’s got 250 bhp from a remap and has a Quaiffe LSD which along with the adjustable suspension makes it an awesome toy for ‘enthusiastic’ driving. 😀

Build quality wise I’ve had no major issues at all, its got no real squeaks or rattles and the only serious breakdown was a sensor in the fuel tank went so it kept refusing to start. However that was all sorted by VW.

I’ve had a quick ride on one and thought it rode really nicely. I have to admit I didn’t find it too harsh at low speed but didn’t get more than about 10mins of relatively gentle riding.

The main thing that put me off was a bit of confusion over what its actually for.Its designed for 150mm but certainly the alu version felt really burly and heavier than I’d want to drag round on long rides. I’d guess thats what the carbon versions for but it was a bit out of my price range.

Thanks folks some really useful advice there. Think I’m going to have to go to a few shops and have a look.

I’ve got experience of Woodwind instruments in the past so hoping I can pick the basics up fairly quickly. Might also have to follow everyone’s advice and look at a Alto instead.

Sorry ye meant to include that, I’m going for Tenor.

If I’m not mistaken all the bikes ending in 4 are Zestys, as in 140mm travel and all the bikes ending in 6 are Spicys as in 160mm travel.

The first number i.e. the 9 in 916 denotes the spec level i.e. 516 is the mid spec Spicy and 916 the top spec Spicy.

I thought the Spicy was 160mm, isn’t the Zesty 140mm?

Depends on what sort of riding you’re after, there’s loads of natural trails and a couple of decent trail centres (especially Whinlatter)

Both trail centres have bike hire and there are other shops in the Lakes that hire should you need it.

A strangely riveting thread this…

Anyway’s to join in

2 xmas cards
PC laptop
Monitor stood on box files 😉
Empty coffee cup
Half-full water glass
Wallet
iPhone 4
Samsung Galaxy Ace 2, (I think)
DAB Radio
Pen holder with a random assortment of empty and broken pens
A month old trade magazine still in its cellophane wrapper
A note pad
My house key and door fob

Currently working in the office but when Mrs Tinman works from home the dog has been known to sleep on the desk.

If it is a crack in the carbon I’d be going back to the shop to discuss a warranty claim.

I doubt that Wiggins can become a great

Really??? TdF winner and a sack full of Olympic medals doesn’t make him a great?

I’ve got a 2.3 Butcher on the front of mine and after one relatively short afternoon’s riding I’m impressed. Nice and grippy but also roll pretty quickly.

Although haven’t tried them in muddier conditions yet.

Pre-grated cheese, WTF is that all about.

Bought it once because it had bits of chilli in it and couldn’t taste the chilli. Total waste of money for lazy people.

Great looking bike, nice one.

Certainly on the latest Fox forks they have a numbered cog / wheel on the drive side drop out that you adjust the release lever with.

There should be a small hex screw down near where the axle screws in on the drop out on the drive side. If you undo that and remove the small triangular piece of metal then when you undo the axle you can rotate the small circular wheel and that alters where the lever tightens up.

Hope that makes some sense.

Thanks Northwind, sounds delightful 😉

Got one of my best mates coming back from Oz at xmas for my wedding and he’s just been diagnosed so this threads been really useful to know what I can and can’t feed him.

Pik n Mix – can’t give any advice on GF / Coeliacs etc but one of the things I found with my allergy was I went to the specialist hoping they’d give me a magical cure and they basically told me not to touch any fruit or nuts (including the Cadbury’s ones 🙂 )I was genuinely gutted and I was terrified to eat anything in case it killed me.

However, trust me, you will get your head round it and you’ll find out what you can and can’t eat and how you can avoid certain foods. Just take it easy, find a couple of foods that you really like and are safe to eat and eat variations on them for a couple of days then slowly start adding to the list. It will feel like there’s nothing you can eat at the moment but just take it steady and you’ll be fine.

So what happens if a Coeliac eats / drinks something with gluten in it?

Food allergies etc suck big time if you like to cook and are in to food. I have a nut and fruit allergy and you wouldn’t believe the number of top class restaurant meals that have been ruined because they forget that a dish has almonds or tomatoes in it.

Home cooking is the way forward, although I’ve managed to try and kill myself with my own cooking before. 😀

JCL – Christ I must have smoked so much I’d forgot I’d even started smoking crack.

I have a brand new 26″ Evo sat at home and very happy I am with it. 😀

Renton – Not sure on price, but think you’d need a different shock as well as the linkage to get the 150mm rear travel.

I’m sure I’ve read the current Stumpy FSR and Evo are the same frame just the Evo has different shock & linkage with 10mm longer forks to give the slacker geo.

Think you’ll be lucky to find one mate, I was looking for a 2012 in Large but couldn’t find one anywhere and spent several weeks looking and phoning round bike shops. Ended up forking out the extra to get a 2013 instead.

That was the carbon version mind, never asked about the alu one so might be the odd one lying around.

I read this thread when it was about 3 pages long and just come back to it at 10 pages and you’ve still not done the deed! So to speak.

You seriously need to strap a pair on and get on with it or move on.

At one of my old jobs a guy rode his motorbike up the access ramp to the office and crashed it in to the glass doors, totally smashing them. He then proceeded to eff and blind at the receptionist before throwing his crash helmet across the reception and down the corridor like a bowling ball.

All because someone had parked a car in the motorcycle space in the carpark.

jimtorch – I’ll get some decent pics of it tonight and put them up.

Mostly round the Hope Valley / Stanage / Ladybower areas although going to give the new Parkwood Springs trail a quick spin at the weekend.

I love going out in the Peak but there’s definitely something to be said for centres like Cannock. Went up to Whinlatter last weekend and had an awesome time, just wish I’d had the new stumpy then.

Thanks Jimtorch – I have a very nice PPI claim to thank for the new toy, I’ll be honest can’t see xmas day living up to yesterday’s pressie.

And yes I will be the one riding round the Sheffield / Peak area with all the gear and no idea 😀

Going back to Renton’s original query for a sec, I had exactly the same problem when I took my new Evo out the box, tried to attach the bars and all the cables / hoses were all over the place, couldn’t get it them to sit right.

Ended up taking the right hand brake and shifter off, untangling it all and refitting. Seems to sit right now although need to get the clear coat protectors on my frame to stop cable rub.

No idea how the shop would have fitted the bars as they were.

Don’t say that Renton my 2013 Carbon Evo arrived yesterday and I’m still in a daze of carbon loveliness.

Just need to actually get out and ride it now.

Omar – ours doesn’t, it only cuts out when the car is put in neutral. Therefore if you stop to turn right and keep it in gear the engine keeps running.

What the hell do you do with your starter motors to be concerned about replacing them on a regular basis?

I’ve never had to replace one in 20 years of driving.

We have stop / start on the wife’s car and works great apart from the very occasional moment when if you try and start it just as its stopped it takes a couple of seconds.

For me this isn’t even a concern.

SLX with a triple

Don’t really have any reason for owning my 2003 Stumpjumper FS but just use the excuse its not worth getting rid of as I’d get about 10p for it.

The rest I can just about justify based on the amount of riding they all get used.