Lazarus wrote: ↑Thu Jun 19, 2025 6:48 pm

Suddenly I had no friends

What makes you think we like you

Optimism and denial?

Comfort though?
Mebbes OK if you are short as the bars will be up by the seat height but if you are tall the bars will be too low. Not really the bike you want to put an ergotec stem on....

Suddenly I had no friends

boxelder wrote: ↑Tue Jun 17, 2025 2:29 pm Why the inner - midge protection?

Midges, mozzies, horse flies, ticks and slugs

I've used my borah bivvy bag sans tarp 5 times and it's kind of similar as it's not really water proof. I got rained on once and had to grab the tarp toot sweet.

So no reason why not but I'd be looking for three independent weather forecasters to show 0% chance of rain all night...

Sounds like a wise choice bailing - I've had a few minor epics where I've ended up having to tackle 'burns' after heavy rain which end up being a major obstacle, the fear being you may end up trapped somewhere. I've never ridden the route as an entity but have 'ridden' most of the tricky bits. The o...

'Grand Old Dukes' grovel ride round the Trossachs. I managed not to sleep very much last night so I was somewhat bleary eyed at the start, not helped by horrific levels of midges. I met Paul AKA Dyffers at the start and envied his Jones loops instead of drops. At the finish I envied them even more! ...

Well they all seem to be crossing the border easily enough.

Robin Gemperle is miles ahead - be interesting to see how long that lasts!

Top boots but you need to be 2 sizes up. So I have a pair size 47 and I normally take 45. The replacement MT 90's I have are 46 and the sole is the exact same as the MT91's.

Great boots, buy them for warm, dry feet!

Big ride in the northern Cheviots today. Sadly no golden eagles straying over the border, but plenty of all the usual summer characters: curlews, skylarks and lapwings on the moors, swifts and swallows lower down. Make the most of it. Also saw an adder, which slithered off the path just in front of...

On a related noted I was looking (yet again) for some summer shoes and came across Vaude ones which look far better than any offerings available in the UK so may have to search out a suitable Euro website. Alpinetrek seem to stock a fair range of Vaude stuff, some of which looks worth a punt. TVL P...

Just notice a mail from Woods Cyclery listing STOMPLOX SLAK SPD Shoes , which said 'Designed for both riding and walking" and 'wide fit for comfort and space for your toes to breath' which sounded promising but then a warning that 'The sole adhesive may peel off if the shoes are walked on in w...

Cheery enough. Currently at Download festival and the sun is shining :-bd My first 'proper' festival in about 15 years. So I'm 40, not 25. My back hurts constantly, the closest thing to narcotics is codine, I'm in a campervan instead of a leaky tent and I've brought a yoga mat and smoothies for mor...

Shimano XM9's no contest. Good ankle support, a stiff sole but with enough flex to give decent grip. Some of the walking on the HT / CL is hard - think boulder fields and near scrambling at one point. Sadly the latest version has a stupid boa which are a liability but at least the boot bit is the s...

Shimano XM9's no contest. Good ankle support, a stiff sole but with enough flex to give decent grip. Some of the walking on the HT / CL is hard - think boulder fields and near scrambling at one point. Sadly the latest version has a stupid boa which are a liability but at least the boot bit is the sa...

Interesting that Shaff. A bit overly romantic in places mind... The lone Sitka I kipped under a few years ago grew to monster height and width, despsite being all alone (self seeded from an adjacent plantation which ironically has now been clear felled) so I think there is a bit more to it than that...

Alan Parkinson is a vet of the 2015 HT and a very cheery guy so will keep an eye on him

Alex Houchin is running gears!
Will be dot watching no doubt...

Put the spacer in the other side and re-dish the wheel?
Keeps the brake in the right position

macinblack wrote: ↑Mon Jun 09, 2025 8:11 pm [url][/url]

It's this style. I should mention that it seems quite well held, what's the best way to loosen it?

Cheers, Mac.

That looks lie a couple of flats to get a big open ended spanner on to unloosen rather than an allen key?

Is it an expander plug with a bigger hex socket to tighten it into the steerer? Usually a 6mm with the smaller M5 bolt that preloads the headset screwing into this.
A bit of friction paste on the bung will help keep it in place without having to tighten it too much.

PaulE wrote: ↑Fri Jun 06, 2025 1:36 pm
Possibly slightly biased, as that groupset was the only time I've ever had an XTR one, but it was lovely...

I got one of them second hand and used it for several years before 10 speed became unavoidable... Might even still have it somewhere!

MuddyPete wrote: ↑Fri Jun 06, 2025 8:08 pm
Just for the record: Mrs Reg is one of the loveliest people you could hope to meet and has the patience of a saint .

Well she would have to
Great stuff Reg

They are chainring bolts. Drilling them out won't impact on the frame if you are careful....
Always worth sticking a heat gun on them before you do though.