Bonty ACX all year round on my Scandal. Never had a problem with them, never felt the need to get all 'Ti29er' on tyres – thats just strange.

If you are pressing down on your tyres with 250lbs, they will find grip :D

KINGTUT – I drove past your premises on Saturday. I'd come to you to be recruited!

ctznsmith – Member
Clubber I guess it could also be a 'self-fulfilling' prophecy as the more that 'theory' gets banded about the more 29ers get made in 'large' sizes to meet demand whilst companies don't make XL+ size 26" wheeled bikes?

Disagree. I had a 24" Gary Fisher Marlin. I had a 21" Scott rc20. Neither felt anything as good or in proportion as either of my 29ers, despite my belief that they were the most comfortable and capable bikes I'd ever ridden (before 29er). I have ridden, for many years, huge 26" wheeled bikes and, despite 'fitting', felt awful after a month on a 29er.

clubber – Member
6'5"

And I still don't understand why (other than for purely cosmetic proportional reasons) people think that a 29er wheel is any better for a tall rider. …….. so if a 29er is supposedly superior for tall riders, why aren't you queing up for 32ers and even 36ers?

We know you don't get it (but you've not really tried to get it). Many tall people 'get' it on 29ers and some people like riding a bike that feels like a bmx under them. You tend not to 'get' it as soon as you throw your leg over it – it takes a few rides. Both the 6"4'+ other blokes who have ridden both my 29ers could tell the difference between them – and both found the Sultan to 'feel just like a 26" bike that fitted' rather than the slightly slower feel of the Scandal.
We're not queuing up for 32ers and 36ers because that is too big and beyond reason – I'd love one tho, but not for everyday riding.

6'7"
OnOne ScandAL XL
Turner Sultan XXL
Trek 7.6FX 24.5"
All with the correct man-size wheels attached.

I'd have thought the biggest problem would be keeping the stoker in contact with the bike whilst having their arms ripped from the sockets by a traction kite.

no – it would be like two monkeys fighting on a two-wheeled wind-powered death-machine.

Haaaaaaang on a minute………….

TEEJAY! Front and centre!

If people watch his shows then they will talk about it. If they then don't apply any training you get what you get. I meet dozens of badly behaved dogs and almost always see the trait(s) in the owner(s) that make that dog badly behaved. It is often inconsistency (oh, she is soft with the dog) or the inability to understand that 'no' should not be repeated 30 times if you really mean it.
Working dogs are a far cry from pets. I'm sure your minimum expectation of dog behaviour is far above most people you have met – hence your post. Stupid dog owners have dogs that are smarter than they are. Their kids are probably as bad.
a_a – do you have a view on Millan's training methods? Not out of context and worded like that link mind you.

a_a – what is your experience of dog training?

Great – some half-baked pish from viewers of TV shows and readers of the internet.

Some of what he does is great, some not so. Most of it is based upon the natural behaviour of dogs. Not people. Dogs. Too many people humanize their dog and therein lies one of the biggest problems.

Reward based training is great and I use it. Sometimes, a dog needs more. Just like kids. Do you smack their hand when they reach for a hot stove top or do you wait and reward them for not doing it again?

tron – he says very few dogs are untrainable. It is usually the owners who have messed them up. Some dogs are untrainable.

Had mine for 3 years – battered it about as usual and it hasn't missed a beat. Can't fault it.

I have discovered a genius item of clothing – a jumper with a smart shirt collar built in. This with a pair of suit trouser looks alright to me, and I suppose the suit jacket will fit over the top.

We call that a 'shumper'. Similar variations are the 'shank top' and even the 'shardigan'. A chap at work even has a 'hocket' which is a leather jacket with a hoodie (hood and front 2 inches only) that zips in.

This sort of clothing is very popular with designers such as the ubiquitous 'matt alan'. It tends to be worn by middle aged men who can't grasp the basics of clothing and have been forced to dress themselves. Even having your partner/spouse shop for you is a step above shumpers.

TJ – copying and pasting sartorial advice from an American is as sensible as me asking you for a one word answer on the subject of 'roofing in the Edinburgh area'. You dress like someone else buys your clothes, then someone else decides what to wear, then someone else dresses you – all on separate continents, without any communication, colour perception and a delay in the postal system of several decades. Can you just get some scrubs? :D

One cannot 'become' British. Either one is or one isn't.

I've used both at different times. I have noticed that just waterproof shorts will reduce the life of your saddle as you lash mud up your back & aerse then work it into the seat throughout the ride.

mastiles – put the nappy inside the babygro – then you don't have to change both! :D

Go to Florence out of season. No queues, great place. Probably my favourite place in Italy and I spent nearly 2 years in that baffling country.

Pfft – if you think THAT is emotive, just try having the 'breast or bottle' discussion. The words 'leper' and 'peasant' would just about describe the middle-class disgust and horror of not breast feeding.

21 year old girl?

IGMC

Honest question:

Having seen these levels (or less) of failure in other items from other manufacturers, followed up with the same levels of customer service, why are Hope less vilified than others?

I wear one pair of thicker socks with them and they are toasty. They are a different fit to other shoes I've had (Specialized, others) so it might be worth going a Euro size up. They were a little narrow, but in a good way for me.

how about whistles and clapper sticks? Cheap too:

Thunder Sticks

whistles etc

Scandal would flick your switch in all the right ways. 3 years on and I still think mine is great.

American types calling a cake a 'muffin' to justify having cake for breakfast.

Don't go North of Newcastle on the A1. A696 FTW.

At your height, I'd want to try and ride them first if possible. I know I'd be awfully cramped on most of those bikes and I'm 6'7".

Cotswolds = a large number of villages with a much larger number of antique shoppes and other twee pish. Some old gravel pits too.

Sorry.

hora – it isn't all semantics. Nothing of the sort. I take it from your dismissal of my point that you share my experiences of working with both conscripted and volunteer military forces? I would love to hear more of your thoughts on this subject.

The DBF – Member

So how does one get there then

The DBF – Member

probably via motorcycle

probably with a map? Sat nav? :roll:

hora – a conscripted military is nowhere near as effective as a professional volunteer military. Regardless of the number of 'regulars', the far lower levels of ability/motivation etc of conscripts coupled with the higher levels of supervision/effort to employ them drags the overall capability down. Those 'professionals' are often those who came to the end of conscription and decided to sign on as they liked it/didn't know any different/couldn't do anything else.

Ti29er – Member

Bonty Jones ACX 2.2 are difficult to beat IMHO.

what he said.

What did you use to hand wash them? Something recommended on the Mammut website in the care section? Soap flakes? Bog standard washing powder?

I hear there is something you can do called, I think, 'hand wash'. Sounds complicated. :?

Thats probably going to be your best bet. Dunstable is a hole and not well served with accommodation. You could always take your bike and ride Woburn instead.

Trek 7.whatever FX – but he might need heavier wheels. I did.

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/%5B/url%5D

That might help. I can't search the maps from work so over to you.

Just curious as I also wear contacts for most of my riding. I've never had any more bother with crud in my eyes riding than in everyday life. I'm surprised you've not found an acceptable pair of glasses for riding in to help with that. I currently have a couple of pairs of Bolle safety glasses I use that barely steam up and their design has never let anything get into my eyes.

have a look:

Bolle safety[/url]

What don't you like about glasses for riding?

You could always take the goggles off for the climb – or don't I understand the radness of this?

http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/redfriday.asp

sound familiar?

plastic cup. Get rid of the chopsticks. Get an old army foam sleep mat and trim it down if you can. Buy a bivvy bag that would be more efficient and probably lighter than the poncho. Use bin bgs as bag liners. Warm hat as well.

yossarian – Member

i am going for bamboo spokes, hence my question

Pfft – too exotic. You need something native like willow – it copes with the tension and British weather conditions far better.

Saddles you make yourself – start with a block of wood (a native fruit wood – nice dense grain, little chance of splinters) and carve. Eventually you will be able to kill a cow and cover it with leather for durability.

Some of you are not getting this 29er thing are you?