Cycling UK Forum

I have the folding version on my MTB and my Triban 520 at the moment.

The MTB has had HS469 559-50 on it for may be 200 miles. They are good at smoothing out minor irregularities like control joints in concrete paths and give a very smooth ride on tarmac as you might expect. I used them on the rough road along Claerwen Reservoir and they were OK apart from a pinch-puncture that ruined an inner tube and they were a bit snaky on loose gravel.

I am also pleased with them on the Triban 520, size 622-28, not sure of version. The only puncture so far after a few hundred miles was a bit weird: at the bottom of a long steep hill when loaded with gear on Lon Las Cymru. I was stopped at a junction and the tyre just went bang. No sharp object in tyre. May be caused by hot rims or inner tube getting rucked up during braking?

From Carradice website, description of Nelson longflap saddlebag:

Dimensions: 35cm (50cm including pockets) wide x 21cm high x 20cm deep (25cm high when extended)

https://www.carradice.co.uk/bags/saddlebags/originals-nelson-longflap-saddlebag

The riverside cafe at Malltraeth (SH 408 689) is popular with cyclists and you could fit it in with a loop around Newborough Forest gravel tracks and it is on the safe but rather dull cycle track to Llangefni (nearby cafe at Oriel Ynys Mon SH 460 766 is also popular) and Cefni Reservoir.

There is a posh cafe (Marram Grass) near the roundabout SE of Newborough SH 431 651.

Another good destination cafe is at Pen Mon SH 638 811.

As I see it,a fat bike would be most useful if you live somewhere there is a lot of loose sand, e.g. on the coast or which gets a lot of snow in the winter.

Giant Toughroad, currently at discount:
https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/hy ... rey_458017

Cotic Roadrat, various gearing options available or you can just by frame and fork:
http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/roadrat

That rack has built in spacers that should help the legs of the rack to clear the seatstays so it would be worth a try.

Buy it from a company that allows returns just in case it does not fit!

In extremis, you could fit the rack to the quick release skewer but I don't think that this will be necessary. Tubus sell an adapter kit for bikes with tricky disc brakes.

mbcy wrote:It does look good, except 30x25 looks like a scarily high bottom gear to me... Too many hills round my way

You can fit an 11-34T cassette to the B'twin 520, with the OEM RD, which would give you a 23.8" bottom gear. If that is not low enough you could fit a 9sp MTB RD and fit a 12-36T cassette to give a 22.5" bottom gear. That is what I did with mine to try it out as a light tourer and it worked OK.

According to the description on Tredz' website the Orbea can take mudguards and a rack:

''It has quick release dropouts for easy maintenance, and the rack mounts and mudguards mounts allow you to make your Carpe more versatile for wet weather riding and transporting goods.''

Or the wrong sized quick link was used to join the new chain....

Yes^^, assuming that the the tent is for cycle touring, go for a two person tent.

You would save a bit of weight with a one person tent, assuming it is a similar model, but depending on the design it could be like living in a coffin, I am thinking of my Terra Nova Laser Comp. "Coffin" tents are OK in fine weather when you are only using them for sleeping but can be dismal in wet weather.

What is your budget and do you want to have your bike under cover too?

+1 Lon Las Cymru

If you are after silvery metal bling mini track pump, how about the Probiketool:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bike-Inflation ... pump&psc=1

I have a Btwin 520 and reckon that it is a good value versatile bike. I have put Schwalbe Supreme tyres on it to smooth out the ride, a different saddle and bar end grips (it's the flat bar version). My only complaint so far is that I have damaged two eyelets, on a seat stay and for a bottle cage, despite being careful when putting bolts in.

I would try to test ride both on the same day to see if the Laterite is worth the extra in terms of comfort, slickness of gears, braking etc. however Decathlon would only allow me to ride around the shop which was not much use. If they seem similar, go for the cheaper Btwin.

I assume that you have secure bike parking at work, otherwise I would look for a cheap hack.

You might say that I am just looking for an excuse to add n+1 to my current fleet of 4 however the routes I have in mind are the private estate and forestry roads in Scotland which range in quality from pretty smooth and suitable for narrowish tyres, say 28 mm, to really rough and only suitable for a proper MTB, i.e. with suspension. I guess that something like a Genesis Longitude would handle most of these roads and has the eyelets for carrying luggage e.g. for a Munro bagging mission. The Giant Toughroad is a similar purpose beast and is reasonably light but has an aluminium frame so the eyelets may not last long, based on my recent experience of using an Al Btwin Triban 520 for a short tour.

TrevA wrote:Evans do the same, only offering discount on full priced goods, so you will often see their clothing slightly reduced e.g. a £50 top reduced by £1.50, a discount of 3%, which prevents you getting the normal 10% CUK discount.

I didn't realise that Evans offer a 10% discount to CUK but if true then I have learned something new and useful today! I did not find this under the benefits section of CUK website but may be need to look harder.