Cycling UK Forum

More than anything else....a correct fit. The wrong sized bike will always be a pig, no matter how fancy. I would prioritise: Frame-most modern frames will take a lit of hammer, don't go for something heavy duty unless he's planning big jumps. Forks-good rigid forks are better than cheap suspension....

My mother had surgery for stenosis a few years back. Had a huge improvement in symptoms for about 3 years, but has gradually deteriorated again.

I've had the chance to ride all 3 wheel sizes off road, and each has it's own pros and cons. 29/700c roll brilliantly over obstacles, and you could use a cx/touring tyre to make your bike more versatile. However, they take more effort to get up to speed, are slower to turn, and when the wheels leave...

Thanks for that guys, and thanks for the link-the Halo hub is a reasonable price. Given that I'm not fussed about running a disc, and I have all the parts apart from the spindle, I might give it a go, out of curiosity as much as anything.

Has anyone ever converted a 135oln hub to 145oln for tandem use? I've just been looking at the price of 145mm hubs, and they seem very overpriced for what they are. My thinking was to replace a standard axle in an mtb hub with one by Wheels Manufacturing, and add extra spacers to the non drive side....

I had an off once, on a seemingly innocent, straight trail. No bumps, roots or rocks to be seen. There was however, on its own in the middle of a forest, a single yellow Lego brick! Maybe I spotted it on a subconscious level, and crashed due to curiosity. Who knows..?

Depending on how much clearance you have on the drive side, removing spacers equally on both sides might get you enough clearance. Why not see if any shops have old hubs you could butcher for spacers? As for springing the frame, quite a few manufacturers set the o.l.n. distance at 132.5mm anyway. It...

Thanks folks, that's helped narrow things down a bit.

It was simply that I'd sen a decent looking campsite just South of Wrexham. No offence to Wrexham residents, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of nice things said about the town....any reason?

Can anyone advise on whether the Wrexham area would be suitable for a family camping trip? I don't know Wales very well, but from the bits I've seen it looks lovely. Quite happy with moderate walks with the kids, exploring forests etc. Llangollen seems to be scoring a few points on web searches, but...

Does anyone know what the parking is like at Whinlatter in the Lake District? I know the parking at the trail centre is pretty expensive, but there used to be some free car parks on the left, as you drive up from Braithwaite, about a mile from the trail centre. Are these still open, or have the F.C....

I would advise checking whether your fork can take more than a 160 rotor first. I've seen a 203mm rotor destroy a fork designed for 180mm, and only by luck it didn't destroy the rider too! If it can take a bigger rotor, great, but shop around for a well vented rotor. As stated by others, discs, espe...

It's saddening to hear of kids being put off riding by a selfish minority. If you'd been on a black or red route I could have perhaps understood the speed differential, but a blue route? Sadly there are a few Sunday warriors at every trail centre, who use the blue and green routes to show how 'fast'...

Thanks for the replies folks. It sounds like, unless I can get lucky at Lidl, the Ergons might be a worthwhile investment. I like the 'hoods' position on my distance bike. I suppose to replicate this on my mtb, it would mean new bars, levers, shifters, cable disc brakes and maybe even a new stem. Ad...

I've just had a look at a pair or Ergon grips/integrated bar ends, and they look lik e a great bit of kit for my mtb tourer. But the price tag is pretty hefty, compared to a pair or 'normal' grips and bar ends. Does anyone know of a cheaper alternative, or are the Ergons really worth paying the extr...