Maybe a Hewitt? It wins lots of awards anyway.

I did use SRAM for a few years, but gone back to exclusively Shiamno. Maybe SRAM was less fussy about setup, but installing a rear mech is not exactly the hardest job in the world so I never worried about this. I guess I adjusted the cables less with the SRAM system, but not sure if this was to the 1:1 system or more to do with the fact that I was always having to replace the mech. The jockey wheels would seize up, despite all the improvements they apparently made to this. And then the mech would shake itself apart and develop play in less than 3 months.
I put the whole 1:1 thing down to hype. Don’t care what the actuation ratio is, just want a system that works and lasts well and Shimano provides this for me.

*IF* it’s reliable and cheap to insure, then it won’t lose much value. At 4,500 new, then there isn’t that much money wrapped up in it anyway, which makes it more desirable still.
See how it performs, but it already has a sort of cult thing going on because of it’s quirkiness. I find it strange that you are worried about depreciation as I’d have thought one of the advantages of this is the lack of worry of depreciation. If it lasts 3 years, then the worst you’ll lose is 4,500 which is pretty good going really.

Oh, and that report says it’s increase in price is to meet our safety standards…

molgrips. I think the point cynic-al is making is that your body is burning fat all the time. And if you do a harder ride, then you will continue to burn fat even after than ride and well into your sleep.
Yes, doing long riding at low intensity builds base and is believed to help train your body to use fat reserves better for exercising. However, it’s also fairly well documented that riding as hard as you can for as long as you can makes you lose weight quickly. I recommend this to anyone who always says they are struggling to lose weight, but are always riding lots of steady hours. They need to ride harder and the weight soon flys off them!

Traildog, how is a PC more future proof than a Mac? Serious question.

Because you can take them apart easier and plug things in easier. The very fact that the hardware isn’t as locked down as on a Mac, which makes the Mac easier to use, is the reason a PC can be upgraded easier.
I only mentioned it because someone higher up said it but the other way round.

This may appear unhelpful, but if you are pedalling uphill at 30rpm then the remarks about learning to pedal the bike properly are probably quite valid. You need to smooth out your pedal stroke and spin a bit quicker.

Full suspension bikes bob, but as to how much power you lose is always open to debate. The fact that you can get rid of it with pro-pedal and as soon as you do the bike doesn’t surge forward suggest that it’s not a lot. In fact you say it actually feels slower as it doesn’t grip as well, so there is your answer.
I ride both a hardtail and a full suspension and the hardtail feels like it accelerates more, but loses traction quite easily, where as the bobbing full suspension actually climbs better because it maintains traction. It’s all a compromise.

Black then red then blue I guess. If you’re limited with time then you can do Black and then red and perhaps miss out dropping down to the lower car park between them. You’ll probably feel a bit short changed if you want a full days out just doing those two routes though.

I would say that it’s not worth the premium for a Mac seeing as you can do exactly the same with a PC. There is a lot of Mac hype about how terrible PCs are but it’s just rubbish. They may not be quite as easy to use, but you have far more future proofing with a PC (despite what was said above) because the hardware isn’t so locked down.

Of course, Macs make you more intelligent, apparently. They probably also increase your sex appeal and do all your work for you. It’s up to you what’s important, 2 new netbooks or joining The Revolution(tm)?

Riding the bike on the pavement will probably be illegal so you shouldn’t do it. I’d get yourself down to a few bike shops and see what they have and recommend for you.

I’ve a 5spot with the 5.1rockers. I currently use a 130mm Vanilla. It’s ok – good dampening and supple but the bushes feel a bit lose and there is a question mark on it over longevity. I’ll probably try a Rockshox next and most probably a Rev.

Not being anti-car or anything, but I think MrNutt has a point about alloy wheels. I wonder what they give the car, other than looks? They are lighter but I would guess less aero, so I would be interested to see what effect they have on efficiency. My main trouble with them is that they are now corroding on my car, meaning the tyres don’t seal quite as well as they should. Apparently this is quite normal, according to lots of tyre places I’ve been to? Expensive and don’t last, so other than looks which are totally meaningless to me for a car, I really don’t see the point?

Go read the thread for the day before that though and it’ll tell you that you will notice and you’ll damage your knees and maybe even die. Best bet I reckon is to get some very cheap cranks in a different lengths and see which you prefer. The different length can take a bit of getting used to.
I certainly notice different crank lengths, but which is actually better is another question….

I’m glad someone on here has finally said that it isn’t wrong to undertake. Undertaking is allowed if done cautiously in slow moving traffic. The vehicle turning left needs to make sure that it’s near side is free, by checking it’s mirror and doing a shoulder check. In the case of vans and lorry’s they should have an additional mirror which many are being fitted with.

Having said that, I try to avoid undertaking as I find it far more dangerous than overtaking. Although I’ll be facing on coming traffic, I can see exactly what this traffic is doing and I’m more in control.

I see some lorries with similar signs and I always think who would be so stupid to put themselves in such a spot, but people do.

I run 2.35s all round for cross country/trail riding in summer (want something faster in winter as I’m unfit). They’re good tyres and give a good level of protection for the weight. I’ve not tried the 2.1 version, but I imagine it’ll give you a bit more zip than the 2.35s.

I don’t know why kiwijohn says they are “rubbish” without expanding further on it. They’re not a race tyre and can drag a bit, but they have good grip in most conditions. Tyres do depend very much on where and how you like to ride.

Only you can justify the price. XTR is noticebly better than XT and the shifting also feels quite a bit different. Quite a bit different from other Shimano groupsets in my opinion.

I went partially XTR after I was replacing worn out SRAM X9 stuff. I was sick of how little time my SRAM stuff was lasting so had decided to go back to Shimano and noticed at the time that XTR was only a little bit more expensive.

I’d be happy with either XT or XTR but there is no doubt that XTR is nicer to use.

I eat fruit while my porridge is cooking. Then porridge and then follow it with a slice or two of toast. Plus some green tea. Breakfast is my favourite meal.

You really need to get yourself some test rides. The bikes will feel quite different and there will be one or two you prefer which is down to your style. As gingerflash says, the Pitch is quite a chunky machine. I find it long and low and quite a steam roller and doesn’t suit my riding style. I would certainly hate carting it around trail centre red routes. But others will love how stable it feels. Most bikes nowadays are pretty good and so you’ll struggle to go wrong, just go with what you prefer riding.

Argh! Ignore all that. Just book yourself into a dealer, taking your amp and a handful of cds and listen to some without prejudice. Don’t ask how much they cost, read silly magazine review and get bogged down with brands or stuff written on the internet before hand. All that matters is what they sound like to YOU.
Speakers can get confusing because they can sound quite different in your room, so bear that in mind. It helps to borrow what you are thinking of purchasing for a bit as well, as you initial reaction to them can change somewhat over time.

I agree with Dibbs. It sounds more like you are looking at the shift ramps which many new bikers mistake for chainring wear. Chainring wear happens all the way round, and you can get away with a lot of wear. The teeth become more like stars and start to not pull the chain so snuggly. On my commuter, I can pull the chain backwards and forwards and it slides slightly around the chainring it’s that worn, but still rides ok.

You cassette and jockey wheels are more likely to be worn first IMHO.

I’ve not ridden it yet, but I was up there on the road bike this weekend so it gave me a chance to have a look at what has been done. I very much doubt there are rocky drop offs etc from what I saw. I’m going to go ride it but only when I’m staying up there and doing plenty of other riding in the area. Probably doing it as either a rest day or including it in a bigger ride.

Do you mean 2.5hours driving total there and back or do you mean 2.5hours just to get there to ride, so a total of 5 hours in the car? I’d have to say that it’s no way it or any trail is worth that amount of driving if it’s just a day trip. That’s a days driving with a few hours biking thrown in to make you feel good about yourself.

Why are you so set on size?

It’s a mine field unless you start to narrow down what you want from a tyre.

I find the bigger tyres that are below 600g start to lack decent protection. I’m currently running Nobby Nicks and enjoying their lightweight, but it’s winter, the ground is soft and I’m riding slow. As soon as summer comes, it’ll be back to heavier Maxxis or something thinner for speed with protection.

I’m obviously missing something here. Tyres have a rating and the car will require tyres of that rating. So the fact that it isn’t a terribly sporty car will mean that you can put lower rated tyres on. However, you can still get a vast difference in quality and price of tyres. The price of the car is irrelevant – a tyre is it’s main contact with the road so it’s more how much you value your safety. I’ve used cheap tyres in the past and I just don’t think they are worth it. Day to day driving there feels little difference, but it’s that one time when you make a mis-judgement and need to stop quickly. Plus the fact that I have found economy much better with decent tyres.

Ring round a few local tyre places. See what they recommend and get some prices. Try haggling and get the best you can afford.

Asking on a bike forum for a load of names of car tyres is just going to confuse you.

I have 42a up front and 60 rear, but in High rollers. I think the riding through glue comments are over exaggerating the situation a bit. Yes, they’re not the fastest, but you can ride them for 4hour rides and keep up with people on the climbs.

What is the shop? I only ask because it sounds a good place to take my bike. If you think that just taking a cassette off is 2 minutes and replacing a freehub is 5 then you seriously haven’t a clue. Yes, they are not difficult jobs, but get real. The mechanic obviously did a good professional job, I would be very disappointed if they hadn’t greased the bearings. Price sounds good for the work done and then they knock a bit off despite your unreasonable claims, just to keep you happy – good customer service also. Sounds like a good shop to me.

Gore generally size up quite large, their newer stuff particularly. I will be medium in most brands but small for the newer Gore jackets. Very difficult to say for certain though as all brands seem to vary slightly.

I ride on the road with a peak and it really winds some people in our club up. Apparently, it makes me look “like an American”. I do find it’s good in the rain though.

I know quite a few people who prefer the feel of standard 25.4bars so you are not that strange Dibbs. At least, not for that reason anyway…

Art can be vandalism and vandalism can be art. The two aren’t mutually exclusive of each other.

Schwalbe make CX pros. I use them and have even raced on them. They’re quite solid and offer good puncture protection, at the expense of grip and feel.
A popular tyre for mountain bikers who are going to be racing cross in the Continental Cross country’s. I’ve never used them however, but been told positive things about them.

Yeah, but people who take the piss so much look like narrow minded idiots. You have to learn to rise above it and not let them get to you.
The language does seem a bit difficult to grasp to the English, which I think the natural reaction is to laugh.

I find a few sun salutations gets ride of any trapped gas…

I don’t really think it’s because the English cannot be bothered, it’s more like getting the information to learn it is like getting information out of some sort of secret pack. I was born and lived in Wales for the first 5 years of my life, so many of the place names are ingrained into me, but then I have lived in England for the rest of my life so there are many more I don’t know. My friends are English and we visit Wales loads and pretty much all want to know more about the language and place names, but the locals can be so unhelpful sometimes it’s untrue. It’s a generalisation for sure, but there comes across an overall attitude that you have no business to be speaking Welsh if you’re English. To be honest molgrips, your post doesn’t do much to improve this impression.

Spend the money on going away riding somewhere instead. A different bike isn’t going to give you more time to ride. Ride your Spark more.

I have been told they have sorted out their corroding problems. I had them for a while and they are lightweight, look cool, keep the cable clean for a long time. However, my main problem with them was that there was no flex to the cable, so when the suspension compressed, the cables wouldn’t return with the suspension. I ended up swapping them for normal cables, concluding they were more faff than they were worth. I think they’d work well on the road bike, but I’m not putting them back on any of my mountain bikes.

My Gill eVent jacket has been brilliant, the first jacket I’ve had which I’m happy to ride for a long period of time in the rain. I still get a bit of water coming through but hardly anything. Most waterproof clothing I’ve had in the past just make me sweat so much while cycling it’s better to just wear a showerproof.

I’ve found waterproof socks have lengthened the time I can be out in the wet but not by a huge amount. I need to give winter boots a try maybe. Waterproof socks and gloves have always been a bit of a disappointment to me, being well short of the hype by some distance.

I’ve never tried waterproof tights so cannot comment. They’re fairly new invention, so I’m waiting to see what the opinions of them are. Mud guards do a very good job of keeping this area dry for longer.

I always think of waterproof clothing as having the ability to increase how long I’m able to stay out in nasty conditions before I’ve had enough, rather than having the ability to keep me totally dry. Waterproof and breathable is far too much like the holy grail and you should see the term ‘waterproof’ more as a description of the type of garment rather than taking it literally IMHO. You should get more than 30minutes out of them though.

Why not go up and then decide for yourself when you’re there? There are plenty of alternatives to Garburn if going that high is too much for the conditions. When the weather is like this you need to be a bit flexible with your route. It’s not the best route to do in sheet ice but you’ll probably live, so long as you’re careful. Maybe.

What do you want? I.e. what conditions do you want to ride in and what properies do you want from the tyre?
Why is the bike relevant – serious question, is there limited clearance or something?

On my cross bike, I use Mich Muds for racing in the mud. I have a few problems with them clogging though and they have little protection for rocks. Road work would wear them out in hours.
And Schwable Landcruisers for everyday use. More of a touring tyre. Heavy, horrible lack of feel but quite bomb proof and actually a good amount of grip off road.

I would have thought the actual driving to such an event is far more of a worry that actually riding in the snow and ice. So if I was throwing such an event, I’d be worried about not enough people turning up, so would postpone it rather and save the cost. Plus, these sorts of things get riders of all sorts of abilities. I doubt a manufacture would want to encourage riders to ride in conditions that are out of their skill level. Hardly health and safety gone mad, more thinking and looking out for people. You are still welcome to ride there on your own bike if you want. If they stopped you doing that, then I’d agree it would be health and safety gone mad.

I think I’ll walk home topless since the human race is obviously immune to the effects of the cold.
I’ve been studying this, and wearing the minimum clothing consistent with marginal decency this winter, with no ill effects so far. A few days my feet have hurt from the cold in sandals

It’s true! I’ve seen him walking around sub zero temps in Lancaster wearing a thin T-shirt, shorts and Jesus slippers. A few hours after he’s had his coffee and gone home, teenage girls appear, drinking more slightly more intoxicating liquids, but wearing just as little. Simons conclusion from all this is appears to be that the human body doesn’t feel the cold. Mine is that some people feel the cold less than others. Either of us could be right, I will certainly be keeping my coat and, most importantly for me, my hat on in such situations.

To the OP: Plenty of broccoli and green tea will help you fight off colds IMHO. I almost never get colds now I’ve gone veggie, which means eating lots of fruit, greens and quality veg and seed oils/fats.

I don’t really understand what you are asking? The insurance pays and handles everything. You will be out of pocket next time you renew as your premium will have gone up. You normally have to fill in a form which describes the accident. You should never admit liability, just keep to the facts of what happened. Should you receive any letters from their insurance, you should pass these onto your insurance, although making a copy of them first might be a good idea. They will use words like negligence and you will almost certainly be considered at fault, which people are pointing out to you here but you don’t seem to like. Be certain about facts, and things like how many people were in the car. Side impacts are nasty no matter what speed, hopefully no one was hurt.