Nick – Yep, that’s the way the standard wheel mount one fits. Also, if you want a quick responce pick up the phone. Brian is a really nice guy and his racks are great but he’s not great at responding to emails.

You need a two bolt towbar and it all attaches to a plate that sits between the ball seation and the main arm (similar to a Pendel) – longer bolts are provided with the rack.
The rack drops into a square section and is held in place with two bolts to it goes nowhere.
The bike wheels sit in two d-sections and then you drop a swan neck peice down onto the top-tube and tighten up another bolt.
The bike can’t hop out cos it’s held top and bottom and the whole rack is made out of box-section steel and bolted together with big chunky bolts.

Not got any pics of mine either (not really something I’ve ever thought of taking pictures of) but great rack, very solid.
What are you trying to find out?

I believe that the ones from Merlin are OEM forks intended for the build of Merlin or Rock Losters and the steerer tubes are pre-cut to length for them.

Crowdie in a nice little pot
Coverdale (wensledale is nice but too common)

If you’re in the north east (of Englandshire) visit this place, you won’t regret it http://www.northumberlandcheese.co.uk/

If you are gonna get cheap cheddar then at least have cheese on toast with chopped fresh chillis – zingy loveliness :-)

Actually, I could buy one now and not look like a sheep :-)
Now, where to find a 20″ frame on the cheap…..

All those bikes and only one of them is an Inbred?
This STW is it not?
What is going on?
Where have they all gone?

Can’t really afford to be buying a whole new bike at the mo but those Kona Kahunas look interesting.

Is there any super cheap ways of trying a 29er?

Second the Aiston. Much better that the Thule it replaced, sturdy, strong, cheap and built by some bloke in his garage all of which should appeal to the STW massive!

Just got some from MTB Direct and they seem great. Also they look almost identicle to the Orange & On-One grips listed above, but with lots of colour choices and price include delivery.
Can’t recomend highly enough the service from MTB Direct, called them Friday lunch, they arrived Saturday morning and I wasusing them Saturday afternoon.

Pro Bike Kit (Under the MTB tab) has them at just over £61 each end

scaredypants – I ain’t a gorilla!! ;-)
In general, as you get taller your arms will get longer, but so does your torso – so no your bars wouldn’t get lower.

Chevin – without being told I wouldn’t have guessed that was a 29er (wheels don’t look the wrong scale and frame doesn’t look like a farm gate). What size frame is it?
I have thought about 29ers a few times but bits being harder to get hold of, more expensive and less choice along with not being able to share spares with riding buddies when out has always put me off – OK biggest reason being cost. So if a 26″ inch wheeled 20″ Kona is an idea fit for me, what would be a cheap way to get a 29er?

MrTall – thanks for the offer but I’m up near Blackpool, oh and being called a short bloke? I don’t get that very often :-)

Tinsy – Thanks for the offer but I’m more than happy with my Eastons

STATO – Thanks again for the very informative replies. I believe the Merlin has a 23″ TT (might be effective TT), 71 deg HA & 73 deg SA against the Kona’s 24.2″ ETT, 69 deg HA & 71 deg SA . In which case it’s the inch and a bit that might be causing my problem then?

Thanks Everyone
Wiksey

The Kona was a 20″ 2005 Blast and always felt great – only problem I ever had was the front end getting a bit wandery on steeper hills but Maz ETA forks sorted that no problem.

STATO – Good point, I think I’ve got two separate issue here (1) bike geometry causing me to feel like I’m going over the bars, & (2) Big stack of spacers being untidy.

Maybe I shoud try an Inbred then in the search for the replacement for my Kona and put the Merlin back onto spare bike duty.

Cheers for the replies guys.
James – OK so 140mm isn’t the longest, but most of the frames I’ve looked at were 120mm.
Looking at my bike set-up I prefer the bars to be roughly the same height as the saddle.
OK chaps, how would a 29er help?
Would I be right in thinking that a short top tube would make things worse?

Cheers guys

Do you mean other than getting sponsership for doing something like Colne Valley Mountain Bike Challenge? (www.CVMBC.co.uk – links to others on there too)

Booga, missed it. Which program was it?

Stumpy_M4 – If you want more info on the Aiston I would advise going all oldschool and giving him a ring (number is on the website). I tried email first off but eventually gave up and rang and had all my questions answered super quick. My Aiston is a very nice chap who I think prefers to spend his time welding new racks rather than trying to figure out computers.

Minor hijack – what forks are you larger chapies running?

Aiston Wheel Support Rack
Very sturdy and cheap as you like

Can’t Aiston Racks recomend highly enough – solid, simple and cheap. I had a Thule for a few years but the Aiston is far better.

“Single Gear : Various Speeds :-)”
“I’ll put my lungs back in at the top”
“What do you mean They do these with gears these days?”
“Gears would make it too heavy to push uphill”

There’s loads of options, most of which is good for beginners too. Where are you stopping?

I’ve been meaning to give the Manx End 2 End a go for the last couple of years (fitness has been somewhat lacking) but it sounds great and doesn’t involve going round in circles.

"Yeah, OK so a cow can clean my ears better than an ear-bud but I’ve not got a big enough backpack to carry them!"

or "after a misudderstanding at Christmas this is my new Cowm-elbak"

Merlin, with the advantage that if live in the North West and have a problem you can always take it in for them to sort out.
I’ve had two sets of wheels from Merlin both have been fine for a number of years and a few riding buddies have had similar experience.

trickpsyclist – nice one. I’m not gonna get my hope up too much but at least a replacement is not unheard of.

Cheers chaps.
Looks like I’ll be paying a visit to me LBS then – handy that bought local for once.

If Preston LL is close by but you want to avoid them, then why not take your business to Merlin? (No connection to Merlin, just a very happy customer)

Probably not very helpful, but I’m 6’3″ and have a 19.5″ 2004 Malt 1 which once I got a long seatpost and a big stack of washers on the steerer tube I find fits well.

Every time I’ve been stopped I’ve always been asked if I know why they stopped me (it’s tempting to say something smart like “give us a clue” or “don’t you know?”) but there has always been a good reason for it – usually cos I’ve been driving like a twonk.

Any night-crawlers got owt to add?

Tiboy, that is tempting, very tempting in fact.
Can I have a few more details (what travel fork is it for, why are you selling, what condition is it in, how old is it, where in the country are you etc.) and pics please to “wiksey AT hotmail DOT co DOT uk”

Cheers
Wiksey