I'm not sure about these skills courses. Of the folk that I know who've been on them, I've not seen an improvement.

My apologies to anyone concerned, it's not personal.

I looked into torque wrenches recently, and was dissapointed with what was available for bikes – 3-15NM there abouts. Unless you pay a lot of money, these cheap torque wrenches will not be in any way accurate or even calibrated.

I bought one from an online bike store, £60, set it to 5.5Nm and torqued my Thomson stem clamp which was new – it split it there and then. I got my money back.

If it's not got an up to date calibration certificate, you're better of with an allen key! Also, the wider the range, the less accurate they are, especially at the lower end of the scale.

Calibrated wrenches start at about £150 and rise to three times that.

??

I've tried, with more than one gf in the past, as already said, they may want advice – but not yours, is how I've found it.

Good luck!

I can't imagine what 'grief' they could have caused, Euro?

Chain tensioning perhaps if they weren't using a Rohloff specific/ singlespeed type frame. Or, when needing to remove the wheel, the user wasn't noting or moving the shifter to 14 or 1 prior, so that they then had restricted gear selection.

Are you sure it wasn't about money – £1k for a Rohloff gear system as oppossed to a couple of hundred for a mech set up!?

In general merino does shrink over time, no matter how careful it is washed. The two Howie's tops I have haven't yet, they are 6 months old. I have a Swobo top which has I'm sure, it feels so nice though that I have bought another (long sleeve version this time) for the coming autumn/winter but, in a size bigger.

'cock-block' an unusual use of a 'pick up artist's' term in this situation.

Have you been reading Neil Straus?

I've had a Rohloff for over four years, no regrets at all. If I could afford another I would put one on my other bike.

38*16 provides a good match to a 9spd system, I never find myself wanting another gear.

No experience of the other system you mention.

Bilbo's if you're in the South

age

and over doing it

together – not so clever

Why not – if you can! One life and all that………

Was great there today.

That ebay swing arm is 'old', guess if you haven't got a choice!?

I've not heard of anyone wearing out a 5spot, if you keep the zerks greased with the special hooked grease gun, then it should last an age. Mine is 4-1/2 years all original, I do ride other bikes though.

It was indeed 'more interesting' when out of the pit/transition area. Reputed to be one of the most technical uk xc race courses this year.

I'm in the vid, coming in from my lap and tagging my mate, who rides off for his lap. We're numbers 222.

It was a great event!

As far as I'm aware, from the marshalls, who took the pic, the rider was ok in the end. I know where it is was, the first half of the race is theonly way I can describe.

What makes you think a random women you met at an art expo is going to frequent a geeky bike forum!?

And I never really knew why it was valued as a recreational drug – just make you fall asleep surely, Dr?

Makes sense now enrie. Hope it worked for you, and that you're well on the road to recovery.

I'm pretty sure I stayed there last year with an ex, a campsite by a river? We did a ride from a guide book, it was very scenic,with some nice singletrack here and there, we descended to Porlock, had lunch and rode back following the route. I'd recommend the ride, the small guide book series 'vertebrate graphics – Nick Cotton, South West Mountain Biking'. It would've been great if it wasn't such a nightmare – not ride related!

Enjoy, best of luck

Pete aka Woodsman

Diazepam is a relaxant, so in some ways it will relieve the feelings of pain, and I guess relaxing the muscles can only help. It isn't a repeat prescription (being a controlled drug). It is sometimes prescribed for pre-op medication to relax people. It's also presribed for acute depression and sleeping related problems.

It just seems strange to me, I wouldn't have thought it that's all. If it works then great!

If you Have slipped a disc, you should notice some improvement in 6 weeks, then you won't be considered for an op (probably a good thing), a good recovery in 12 months if you take it easy.

Diazapam – what a strange drug tp prescribe for a prolapsed disc! It's normally prescribed for sevre anxiety………….!

I had similar, and got some treatment from a chiropractor, seemed to do some good, after a few visits I ended up in hospital. There is nothing they can do, manipulating the spine aggressively will make it worse. I found that a general light massage (muscle)worked as well or better than 'black art chiropractors'. Be carefull, it doesn't take much to get from where you are now, to where I was. The worst pain I've experienced, thumping pain in legs, buttocks, lower back. I had to eat my breakfast kneeling as I could not sit at all. It was hell.

PS: It takes a year to recover when it gets like that, and that was a year ago for me. Last weekend I entered a race, really pleased with the result. You need an understanding partner, which I didn't have at the time, who is patient and willing to help with light massages.

That is quite funny!

I had to watch it a couple of times, those girls with track pumps were mesmorising!

Yep, I had it a year ago really badly, and gradually I've recovered to a state that I can manage. I was diagnosed with a prolapsed disc, which bulges and pushes on the sciatic nerve.

The doctor did say that it was most common in middle aged men, lifting children in and out of cars etc.

Time and keeping it sensible are the only healers, that I've found. A good general back massage seems to help. Do not go to a chiropractor!

Valid comments there hungry monkey, I like your approach.

I've been running a Rohloff for over four years now, so as long as there is an option for that as a fall back. I'm pretty sure I'll get on with the ss, I've ridden a few.

Cheers

had my 426 Rev's pushed from new at 30 quid upcharge or there abouts. I like the forks a lot, but no idea how they would have ridden without the Push mod's.

My name is Peter………….I am an aggressive rider.
(in an 'aa' stylee)

Interesting, I do have a pretty firm idea of what I want, and it is based on my existing bike. A few tweaks here and there, and Parragon dropouts so that I can have the option of hub gearing the frame, if the SS is disastorous for me, at a point in the future.

I also like quality and attention to detail, which doesn't make the bike ride any better I'm sure, but I know I will enjoy it much more.

It'll be steel and localish, if I do it!

I'm away from the 'puter for a while, I'll pick up the advice/abuse later.

'huge ape index or some other weird body shape'

That's a bit personal sir 😉

Maybe the folk who get out of it in the way you desrcibe, are too selfish to give a sh*t.

Thanks for that iDave – cheeky fecker!

Good advice there tt, I shall do exactly that, before worrying to much about chainline.

Yep, a normal Q factor not a narrow type is what I require. I thought that if I went for a 50mm chainline USING a Uno on a new singlespeed build, then the Q factor would be more narrow and aggrevate my knees. I understand what you say regarding clearing the chainstays.

Body Geometery stuff is dreadfull for me, they assume everyone has the same shape legs, completely the opposite for me – slightly bandy legged, and Time pedals were killers when I had them. There is lot's of advice out there regarding knee problems in cycling, most of it worked against my ailment. I've got that nailed now,understanding my own body geometery just didn't want to antagonise it by going to a narrow Q factor.

Thanks for the advice.

bigyin, two possibly more from this group (see galleries)http://brightonmtb.org/ are 99% sure of making it, Singletrackmind and DezB above also ride with us from time to time. I would say all are competent but we're not looking for a training type of ride, just a day out on the bikes, bit of local singletrack would be a treat, some open riding – what ever really. Social with some nice grub/drink stops and back well before dark would be good.

🙂

I'm using Thorn's standard chainset (a double/triple with a single ring) and a UN54 73 113lenth bb.

I can't see that the pedal spacing would be wider, using a Uno spaced out to get the same chainline. As the singlspeed specific cranks tend to be narrower not having the spider, surely it would result in just the discrepency between the cranks and their curve/width?

SATO, wow! and so simple too. Thanks

I know I'm not running anything 'special' that's just the point, I want to keep the foot spacing as it is, and not go to a narrow spaced singlespeed specific crank width. I should have made that clear, as I intend on running a nice SS Middleburn Uno or WhiteInd Eno which need a wopping 126mm BB axle to get the 54.5 Rohloff chainline. I could just go for the standard SS width and get the 'kneesavers' now. 🙂

The only Hope SS hub I saw on CRC was a 'trials' one?

I know it can be done with plastic tubes and the like, but I want it nice, no creaks and reliable – being a bit of a perfectionist and all!

I want it to equate to the outer (big) chainring 54.5mm.

I guess spacing the pedals out would have the same affect. Just that getting spd's with extra long spindles would be a problem! And I've spent ages getting pedals to work with my knee probs, Shimano oddly enouogh work out best, imagine what it would be like to get custom spindles from them – impossible!?

I notice King do a variable singlespeed hub if I could afford to go down that route. The spacer kits of 9speed seem a bit limited in terms of getting the spocket out as far as possible, I think they are desingned around the assumption that the middle ring will be used.

Cool, there should be a few of us, 2-4 from my local group, yourself, BigYin and I know a couple of folk from the original thread, who are working out logistics.

🙂

Hope the IOW ride is still going ahead for the 12th Sep, have 2-4 riders from my loacl group interested.?

Are we on for the 12th then?

I loved my first ride in the Q's, got totally lost and didn't care, found some great riding. I went back again and followed ( I tried) a route from a very small book (you know the one), and it was a dissapointment.

Local knowledge or just explore not caring if or more likely, when you get lost – is my recommendation. 🙂