@thegeneralist It’s Mammoth Lifestyle bear Cannock Chase, search for them on Instagram and it shows their Black Friday offers which last for 4 days.

My LBS is doing 20% off 2019 bikes if purchased outright and 5% if taken with 0% finance. I was planning on waiting until the sales next summer to purchase a new bike but could be swayed with 20% off.

I do wonder if this means the sales next year will see a higher % discount and I will be kicking myself though!

Started mine with the bike around the garden then local fields and moved onto fire roads and canal paths. I then ran trails with him and taught him the command “go” so if he stop to sniff I shouted go and if he didn’t move he got a kick up the arse, he soon realised it was better to get running. He now knows the sound of my Hope hub so adjusts his speed accordingly to how loud the clicking is!

He cannot and will not stay behind me so I gave up trying to make him and encouraged him to go ahead, he can maintain 25mph for quite a long period so I very rarely catch him and when I do he cheats and takes shortcuts to ensure he stays ahead.

The only trouble with him is he overtakes other riders on the trail that we are catching so I have to ensure I catch them and overtake them and thank them.

Most importantly be patient and courteous, I won’t take him if the trails are going to be busy and the odd riders we meet I either ask to go in front if we meet at a trail head as he will only catch them or give them one hell of a head start!

Our daughter is 10 days old and we have used our Out n About nipper sport twice already on gravel paths and fire roads round Cannock Chase. With the newborn support and careful line choice/speed she seemed fine and not too rattled! It wasn’t stupid money and will hopefully hold its value when we come to sell it.

Been tempted to buy a trailer but most people I have spoken to said a cross bar chair was more practical so I will wait until she is a little older and get one.

@theotherjohnv yes it’s the one of Tj’s link, I have thrown the mech hanger away so will order a replacement!

The rear cog is spaced with a spacer kit.

The chain tensioner was delivered today but I am a little to confused to how it fits to the frame?

Do do I use the old derailer hanger?

Appreciate all the help

It’s a mountain bike but with slick tyres to be used for commuting so not rough terrain! So best option is buy than chain tensioner from the link above, get the chain as close as possible and use that?

It is a narrow wide chainring, it’s a standard frame and using nothing to create tension.

Is it just the case that with this ratio of gears it will never work?

Website is down at the minute, I have a £50 voucher to spend from Tesco vouchers, hopefully it’s back online soon or I can swap them back!

I am soon to start commuting to work everyday for 6 months which is only 6 miles each way and was thinking of using an Apidura saddle bag, i only have to carry a polo shirt, trousers and my lunch.

Maybe an expensive solution but can use it for bikepacking trips.

We parked on the outskirts of Arras and walked 4 miles to the start village stopping for the caravan to pass us and spray us with water!! It was baking in that Citadel with no shade!

We then drove to Roubaix and got to the 300m to go point with 40 km of the race left which we watched on the big screen! The riders looked ruined as they cross the line!

We managed to get in amongst the team buses/vehicles after the finish and saw quite a few riders giving signatures and having pictures took which is pretty commendable after what they had just done!

We then watched the World Cup final on a big outdoor screen in Roubaix and went into town for food after it had finished, that was a mistake, it can only be described as carnage with fireworks, motorbikes, smoke bombs, flares and horns blaring for well bet 3 hours before we managed to escape!

Thanks for all the help, conversion kit and bottom bracket ordered.

Could I use the triple crankset and leave it intact, remove th mech and just put the chain in the middle ring? Would that work or is it best to remove the redundant chainrings?

My GSP is fed on Natural Instinct and some locally sourced raw mince not fit for human consumption.

He has irritable bowel syndrome so couldn’t eat any processed food, we tried hypoallergenic and other expensive kibbles but nothing worked. Raw food has now sorted him out and he is healthier than ever and is as fit as a butchers dog!

The only downside is the cost, feeding guide says he should eat 800g but he eats 1500g and that sustains his weight so it’s costs us roughly £100 a month to feed him, he does weight 35kg though.

We were very skeptical to start it and tried many different foods before it, my wife is a veterinary nurse and we tried everything. We both wish we started raw sooner now.

I have just fitted whispbars to my car, very impressed with them especially in conjunction with the whispbar Bike carriers, they fit and can be removed in seconds.

My Skoda has roof rails already so fitting was also very swift.

@psling If my dog knocked a child off it’s bike and bit them I would expect it to be kicked or whatever needs doing to protect the child. An aggressive dog like that shouldn’t be off it’s lead and not wearing a muzzle.

This dog in question stole his Strava Kom downhill and he was annoyed about it!

Kick my dog and expect a Jean Claude roundhouse from me!

My dog has got in the way of a few people on the trails but they waited a few seconds for me to recall him and get him out of their way before they happily carried on.

Similiary when catching slower riders me and the dog have been held up or had to suddenly brake for someone slower than us we encountered on the trail, I didn’t feel the need to kick them and tell them to **** off!

In conclusion calm down and grow up!

I have my wife’s 5ft 1” Liv Avail 2 2015 for sale, it’s lights and has mudguard eyelets so could make a nice light tourer.

I am staying exactly in between Afan and Cwmcarn in April, I have one day to ride with the trail hound, what does everyone recommend?

Thinking either Y wall at Afan or Cafall then Twrch at Cwmcarn?

https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b78s184p7772/LIV-TEMPT-2-2017

This is what my wife rides and loves it. On sale at Rutland at tredz in other sizes also.

Snap! 95km done today leaving 60km to finish it off tomorrow, looking forward to it finishing it now.

308kms done, got a 30km commute home today and then a 70km ride with a mate tomorrow. New Years is going to be a struggle hungover after curry and beer night with friends on 30th.

It’s been slow and tough going with ice, wind and hail on most rides!

I am 16km in with my commute at 5 this morning, will make it up to 50ish km with my commute home, happy with my start!

@spooky Bike goes on a fork mounted carrier on the roof.

@neilwheel All 3 have been at Cannock and running around 25psi, I must admit I have been a bit lazy in checking tyre pressures recently and have ridden 5 or 6 times without checking them, I ride once or twice a week so they could of lost a fair bit of pressure.

I will mark the spot it had torn and do the paper towel test tomorrow!

2.25 width! It’s the same rim and I think the same side each time. On the second occurrence I inspected the rim but couldn’t see anything wrong with it, I will have another look.

Good idea about the tyre boot, I will get one ordered with a replacement tyre!

You fill out a form when you have completed the challenge with your details!

I can commute by bike on the working days, it’s a 6am start and only 8km away but I can extend it on the way home, not keen on extending the commute on the way in!

@chilled76 You get a roundel!!

@zomersetglider He’s handsome and he knows it, loves posing almost as much as singletrack!

I have a German Shorthaired Pointer and he loves the trails, mostly do fireroads and out of the way singletrack but have taken him to trail centres in the week! As soon as my Garmin beeps to start recording he just runs and runs and only looks behind if there is a choice of trail to follow! He can’t stand being behind so will do anything to get past me. We are upto 16 miles once a week now.

The only downside is the 2 hour walks everyday we don’t go mountain biking!

Here is me following him at Nant-yr-Arian

View this post on Instagram

Last section at #nantyarian and sure #Klaus was getting faster or I was getting slower! #mbwales #gspoftheday #germanshorthairedpointer #gspofinstagram #dogsofinstgram #mountainbiking

A post shared by David Williams (@willstaffs) on Mar 30, 2017 at 9:38am PDT

Got a 59 plate 1.5dci Kangoo just coming up to 77k, had it for 4 years and had a few niggly problems like window trim coming off on the motorway and the under guard at the front rattling. Had an intermittent airbag warning light for 2 years but spraying electrical contact cleaner on everything sorted it out eventually.

It’s quite slow and the engine noise can be annoying but you only really notice it after driving a car and getting back in it.

It does it’s job of lugging me the dog and my bike around admirably!

It’s a Giant Defy Composite 3 2012, I ordered this: https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Shimano-105-FC5750-Compact-Road-Chainset_35780.htm

Cranks are the original FSA omega exo and the BB is FSA megaexo pressfit. I am no planning on changing the BB as it was replaced last year.

Thanks for your help

Anyone? More googling and I am still none the wiser!

Hi Katie,

I cycle regularly with my dog, Klaus the GSP, my email is in my profile if you want to ask any questions!

View this post on Instagram

Chasing #Klaus around #cannockchase #gsp #gspofinstagram #dogsofinstgram #gspoftheday #germanshorthairedpointer

A post shared by David Williams (@willstaffs) on May 22, 2017 at 11:44am PDT

I have a GSP that is nearly 2 years old, he is walked for 2 hours off the lead everyday and never stops running or hunting for things, I keep meaning to attach my garmin watch to see what distance he is covering.

We do 10-15 miles once a week on the mountain bike with him, he would go everyday if I let him, sits looking at the bike crying somedays. I stop at any water for him to play around and ff we meet a dog that’s willing to play we stop. More often than not I stop for a breather and he continues running around like a loon!

Short video of me chasing him at Nant Yr Arian!

View this post on Instagram

Last section at #nantyarian and sure #Klaus was getting faster or I was getting slower! #mbwales #gspoftheday #germanshorthairedpointer #gspofinstagram #dogsofinstgram #mountainbiking

A post shared by David Williams (@willstaffs) on Mar 30, 2017 at 9:38am PDT

Would you mind emailing it to me also please? I have been to Dyfi twice in past couple of months and been searching for a bigger ride. Thanks

Trail maps.co.uk

I listen to music, make sure you have full fat coke or sugary tea, I was white as a ghost after 3 hours on my ribs!

Just got a Session 5 for Christmas, what mounts does everyone recommend for mountain biking? Obviously the chest harness but any others?

David Walsh is an imbecile!

Waited until my GSP was over 1 year before I introduced him to the bike, practised on a few fields before finally at 15 months took him for a 5 mile trail ride, he is now 18months and we did 10 miles yesterday after slowly building the mileage up. He is a ball of energy though so he has been going on 6 mile walks everyday since he was around 7 or 8 months!

Tried everything to get him to follow the bike and gave up in the end, he leads but he is rapid, 20mph yesterday on a trail and I wasn’t catching him! Only had 1 instance of him stopping dead in front of my because he saw a squirrel, fortunately I stopped before clattering into him!