Had a Snabb. Bought it as I needed a bargain full sus in a hurry. It was incredible. Suspension worked, it needed next to no maintenance, and was just an excellent carthorse of a bike. Oh, and I put a massive dent in the downturn, and it was fine! Would recommend.

Could you put the first formula inside an IF function to return 0?

Every bike I’ve had with a Timber bell has been stolen. Which is annoying, because it’s a really useful bell and much less aggressive than a standard ‘ting’ bell which often gives you all the sarcastic comments from pedestrians/other trail users you could require.

Dark Docs (history, odd incidents, that sort of thing)
Curious Droid (science, aviation and space)
Camping with Steve (just a man camping. In various locations with various constraints)

A suitably interesting and soporific mix there! Colin Furze is excellent.

@trailwagger That’s great, think I’d come across it before, but really useful! Good pictures as well!

No yet, I’m still waiting for delivery!

I had a Planet X Full Monty beforehand, and that was very good for all those sort of things, but a little sluggish. And a CAADX prior to that, that was a little twitchy.

The Kinesis is a bit of a gamble. Looks ideal, but like you say, not a great deal of information about. Seems to have plenty of clearance and be a bit more ‘fast and light’. There’s been a few murmurings in the other various gravel threads that have popped up about it, and Kinesis seem to know what they’re doing? I’ll update accordingly!

For a similar sort of usage, I’ve just bought a Kinesis G2 from Epic Cycles, who are doing a Hunt wheel upgrade for not much more, if that is of interest – would be well under budget I’d have thought.

@WEJ – Also ordered some coffee, and @singletrackmind will definitely be ordering some beer to make up for my homebrew efforts!

I’ve been using a See.Sense Ace – really nice little light, ‘smart’, Bluetooth etc.

Small Northern irish company, really good bit of kit.

The light pattern is excellent as well, very bright without being focused, so good on road without blinding drivers.

I used Flinger F50s, seemed very solid.

Another vote for Planet X – I use a Full Monty, you may be able to pick one up cheap? Not fantastically light, but nice and solid.

Transition Smuggler. One of the earlier generations.

Was in a similar position recently and that’s what I’ve ended up with.

Had a Transition Sentinel and an Octavia. Similar, I would drop the back seats and take the front wheel off.

I used to put the bike into the boot side on and prop it up at the headtube on a box.

Either that, or take both wheels off, invert the bike so it was resting on handlebars and saddle and do it that way.

Another one for Aviva here. Most competitive for me. They also included business use for free weirdly.

I picked up a 2017 Transition Smuggler after my Sentinel got nicked. First impressions are pretty positive, it’s not dissimilar to my MK1 Solaris, but slightly more relaxed. Seems plenty poppy and adequate for Peak District/Derbyshire riding.

Pretty reasonable price second hand as well, there’s a few bargains about.

+1 for the Patagonia Half Mass. Mine has done 10 years and still looks near enough new, despite being used daily.

Lifetime warranty as well for when it does eventually die!

Yup,as Rhid mentioned, been swiped. Looks like a targetted job as they knew the kit required to get in and where the bikes were kept. If you’re in the Nottingham area, maybe just be a bit more aware for a while. Picture to follow.

I’ve created a stolen bike thing here:http://stolen-bikes.co.uk/?p=85523
Cheers,

Toby

[waves back at tall_martin]

I was lucky enough to already know someone in a house who gave me a tip off. It’s a nightmare trying to find somewhere with bike storage though, and often mentioning you have bikes really puts people off!

Definitely worth putting an ad on here I’d say. Good luck!

I also did a Chemistry degree. Graduated 10 years ago with a 2:2. Done a pretty wide variety of things including lecturing, working in pesticides, and medium-size pharma. My background is analytical R&D, currently a Project Manager for a pharma CDMO.

I found it’s not so much the actual knowledge of the degree, but more the way of thinking and problem solving. I didn’t bother with a Masters or a PhD. To be honest, I found not having a 2:1 closed a lot more doors than a Masters/PhD would have opened (caveat: in my experience), and I wish I’d spent a bit less time climbing and drinking, and more time studying.

I’ve never struggled for work, and have moved around a fair bit, so I’d say the employment prospects are pretty good.

Great thread, really enjoyed it. Very inspirational stuff!

Standard Skoda Octavia estate recommendation.

It’s big (an L Transition Sentinel goes in with wheels in, XL Geometron and Sentinel with front wheels off).

Ridiculously comfortable on long journeys (I’ve done Fort William to Nottingham in a one-r), averages 60mpg day to day, 75mpg on a long motorway run. VED is £2 per month or close ish to it. In terms of bells and whistles, it’s got cruise control, air con, heated wing mirrors, SD card and Bluetooth.

Downsides, the 1.6TDi is ‘underpowered’ to put it charitably, but chugs along nicely once it’s up to speed. Handy on motorways. Actually seems pretty much solely designed for motorways.

A quick look on Autotrader says you’d be able to pick one up with reasonable miles for 2.5-3k.

I’d second the Cycle Inn in Beeston, good work, reasonably priced, pretty chatty and knows his stuff.

I’m also looking for some slightly lighter wheels..

Is that RCZ shop legit? The prices look ‘too good to be true’ which makes me inherently suspicious!

I ride a 2018 L Alloy Sentinel, and I also don’t recognise any of the issues above…

No tyre clearance issues with a 2.5 DHR on the back, and ample clearance all around, so not really sure where that’s come from. I’ve got a 32t on the front, but there’s plenty of space if you wanted to run bigger I’d say.

It’s a big bike. Takes some muscling around corners, and it’s more ‘flatten everything’ than playful. It’s also pretty weighty if that sort of thing concerns you. I really enjoy mine though. Used it for uplift days, long days out in the Peak District. A 12spd drivetrain helps.

I had/have a pair of the 29er in 130mm flavour and I loved them.

There were a bit tricky to set up, but there’s an excellent thread on MTBR, with good set-=up tips. I found the ramp-up chamber needed a lot more pressure than in the default set-up tips, but was almost coil-esque once I’d got it dialled.

I’d still be suing them had I not moved the bike they were on on.

Stealth ad: Could be convinced into selling them if anyone is looking for a pair of hard-htting 130mm 29er forks.

Toby

I’ve got a Chronicle.

It’s a BIG helmet, almost mushroom like on my head. But, it was dirty cheap, runs googles easily (if that matters to you), and fits really well.

Buy both and send back the one you don’t like?

I’ll throw a suggestion in for Andorra.

Me and a mate have been a couple of times, for a similar sort of thing for you. Mainly bike park, just going up and down constantly, rather than guided stuff. Stayed in La Massana, rode Vallnord for 5 days. Plenty there to keep us occupied for 5 days, though not much beyond that.

We got it all sorted through Singletracksafari. Singletracksafari organised hotels, lift pass and transfer from Barcelona, we sorted the flights to Barcelona. Nice easy holiday, smaller town to stay in. Really enjoyed it, kind of regret not going this year to be honest!

Toby

I’m 6″2 on a Large, just to add that. I occasionally think I’d have maybe appreciated going smaller, it’s a big ol’ bike. Which I guess shows that fit is subjective!

It takes a lot of getting used to (I came from a Cotic Solaris), in temrs of speed, stability, and getting the length of the thing around corners. I’m a big fan though, it goes down well, up steadily, and round corners like a sledge.

@tetrode -not sure if it’s a bit North for you, but Creation Cycles near Nottingham stock them.

I’ve had a Patagonia Half Mass for 10 years – it’s been brilliant. Still looks near enough new.

And a lifetime guarantee, if that sort of thing matters?

I had a lovely set of Ohlins RXF34s. Brilliant fork – really really impressed with them.

Also here to register interest.

2,3 or 4 for me! Dark grey would be ace!

Shamelessly lifted from the Guardian comments today.

‘The Government could have bought Sunderland Messi for #80 million. That would have boosted the economy’.

I’ve got a full set on my Mk2 Octavia estate, far better compared to the ditchfinders that were installed initially. Not done a great deal of miles on them and can’t comment about cold weather performance, but not difference in economy, road noise is reduced, and the car feels a lot more ‘planted’. How much of that is a premium tyre thing, and how much is the tyres, I’m not sure.

I’d get them again when I replace them. Cheapest place for me was ATS, with free fitting and an Amazon Echo (!?). I paid £65 a corner, for the standard 195/R15 wheels.

I believe the Galiber offering is highly thought of, and reasonably priced if you wanted something bike specific.
From a more generic perspective, I use a Montane Prism vest – packs down suitably small, very warm. Maybe slightly short for riding but does everything else for me.

Used to live in Belfast, as mentioned, the Mournes is ace for riding, particularly Rostrevor, Bigwood and Donard Forest. Rostrevor is an excellent trail centre, and there’s plenty of off piste stuff to go at that’s a bit more engaging.

In terms of a general holiday, the North Coast is beautiful – will get busier depending on the time of year, and the weather can be a bit hit and miss, Donegal over in the ROI is stunning, all the way up the North West coast. Super rural and isolated, and a lot of the roads away from the main trunk roads are little more than gravel tracks. That said, pristine beaches which you’ll generally have to yourself when the weather is good is unbeatable.

One thing to note, if you were planning a summer holiday, I wouldn’t head over in July. Can get a bit lively, and a significant proportion of the population choose July to go on holiday.

I’ve used it a bit for pulling out podcasts and like. It’s a bit harder to find stuff compared to the iPlayer though.

And it doesn’t presently support casting which is a bit of a deal-breaker at the moment, for me at least.

I rate my Sanuks – there’s a fleece lined option as well. I’ve had a pair for a few years now and they’re still holding up well.

I’m surprised none of the rabid Brexiteers have spotted the obvious solution to the Irish border problem and suggested a military take over of the South. Kill several birds with one stone.

It was proposed by the DUP. Other solutions from this notable collection of thinkers also included Irexit in which Ireland also left the EU.

I went through something similar and picked up a Transition Sentinel recently.

It’s superb, but it is a lot of bike, and it does seem to need steep/fast., It’s not a just-riding-along bike if that makes sense. I’m very pleased with it – goes very fast indeed!