Doing transects - that's a proper job!

Currently waiting on the tadpoles to start growing legs, so we can give them some supplement food. Only just learned they become very carnivorous at that stage...luckily the pond is chock full of Daphnia that need some predation...

Various headset bits, including all the bits to convert a purple hope headset I inherited, back to a less flashy black - so just cups only and top collar. Worked out cheaper than a new headset, so can just swap bearings. Now just have some unwanted purple cups...

I loved the original, mainly for its sense of landscape and amatuer adventure. Mike Dion was cringeworthy, but that aside it was good. If nothing else it'll probably show what has changed on the racing side of things, and how very much different a beast it now is..

Calibre Line hardtails (from Go Outdoors) in 27.5 or 29 are highly regarded value bike, though the 29er is £1100 with members card currently. Also, nothing wrong with a voodoo Bizango or Boardman 29er from Halfords - they tend to have pretty good specs for the price.

I've never owned a FS but the one I always like the idea of is the Cotic Flaremax. It's probably too heavy and expensive, being steel frame/alloy rear, but it looks to be adaptable, and would certainly be durable and capable. I'm sure it could be built fairly lightly, and made to work well as a bike...

Oh dear, hadn't realised they'd been bought out in 2022 - none of that bodes well at all...

We have a winner for fugliest bike 2024, in April. It firmly pinballed on every branch on the way down :???: It also seems to be very expensive, even in a lower spec ($3799). It may well function very well, and is a bit of a fargo with less tyre clearance...but still... :shock: https://media.therada...

The Panda Sutra on a kids top, the mind boggles!

Thanks! That rack (and whole front end) was on the old town bike, it's a fairly useful rack with the cargo net for soft or bulky items from the shops!

Finally finished off the 'new' town bike build. All built with bits swapped from the old Inbred 69er town bike, and spares from the shed. Some are a bit too nice, like the V12 mag pedals and SLX chainset, but otherwise it rides well enough. Had to do some jerry-rigging of the mudguard, but it turned...

19 degrees here!

Though recent flooding has quite a lot of drying to do here, I'd rate the trail conditions as roughly 'november'.

I've also recently turned to fleece a bit more for everyday, including a nice and cosy Fohn hoody/fleece from the sales, plus a couple of fleece based shirts. I've also got an Alpkit griffon as a mid-layer and it's really good. It's a gridded one that sheds heat and moisture well but is still quite ...

That's good!

Always interesting to read these debates on here, as i'm not much of a bikepacker by the general standards of this forum. There's a leaning towards 'type 2 or it didn't happen' on here sometimes :lol: It might be my advancing age, but also because i've got two young kids, and they provide enough fun...

Titus Silk Road or el Viajero? Silk road is more of a tourer with all the mounts. Think you can spec the rigid fork with 3-boss mounts. https://bikepacking.com/bikes/titus-silk-road-review/ Think the Mason will be £2000 frame only as a minimum, so if you do have similar money also consider Fairlight...

As is lighting a fire to heat up a pop tart later on...

Fear not, Wiggle and CRC are alive again, albeit just a re-tread of all the other myriad Mike Ashley websites. You can probably find what you need on the House of Fraser site just as easily!

Thanks for the heads-up Shaf, they sound great but I've just got a pair of bargain wheels sorted.

What a strange decision, and I would expect this added media attention might help to focus thinking around it. As a historical route it deserves preservation, but it's usage by motorised vehicles doesn't match the environmental conditions and the sensitive habitat it crosses. That should really be t...

A whim purchase 2nd hand frame arrived. Cheap, and really bloody nice Gen 5 Cotic Soul in mercury silver. Going to run it 120mm mullet, hence the need for a 27.5 wheel. Going to be a pure fun/trail machine, and the Titus will be the XC/all rounder machine. Just want to get it built up and enjoy it, ...

Thanks Lazarus, i'm still holding out for just the rear currently, and i've my eye on the Ribble wheelset currently on offer for £99 if I need to get a pair - thanks though. Shaf - if you can confirm the hub and rim/rim internal diameter this does sound interesting so i'd be grateful for pictures. L...

Thanks, not sure if they can be converted? I have to say i'm not really after a carbon rim but a kinlin rim might be good depending on internal width..?

Looking for a decent-ish 27.5 rear wheel, needs to be:

Boost 148x12
Shimano HG freehub (or swappable)
Not too garish colour!
Decent width, preferably over 25mm, ideally 30mm. 40mm+ wide for plus tyres won't fit intended frame or tyre choice.

Thanks

Seems to be a 'new' route launching from Cycling UK in Suffolk. Don't know much beyond what is on the webpages of Cycling UK and promotional article in the guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2024/mar/19/wolf-way-suffolks-new-medieval-cycle-trail https://www.cyclinguk.org/route/wolf-way Goo...

There's a complete inbred 29er being sold on STW and it comes with the carbon fork as a spare pparently, so maybe they could be persuaded to part with the fork?
https://singletrackworld.com/advert/on- ... slot-drop/