a robust, sensible, long lasting bicycle.

[andrewjoseph]

when I'm putting in a post, all the usable smilies appear on the right. I don't have to remember to type in ': twisted :' (in the correct format ), i just click on the smiley. like this:

???

do you not see the load of smilies on the right side of the screen when writing a post?

[[XAP]Bob]

Yes - I just don't think that is the obvious sarcasm smiley....

[reohn2]

when I'm putting in a post, all the usable smilies appear on the right. I don't have to remember to type in ': twisted :' (in the correct format ), i just click on the smiley. like this:

???

do you not see the load of smilies on the right side of the screen when writing a post?

Yes and I am at a loss as to what you're getting at,perhaps you could enlighten me,but a little less criptically?
BTW if I've upset you in some way I can assure it was unintentional.

[Ribblehead]

Yes - I just don't think that is the obvious sarcasm smiley....

I think the range of smileys available is rather dated. Isn't it time they were upgraded?

These are quite nice: http://www.cyclechat.net/help/smilies

[gregoryoftours]

I've a couple of opinions about gearing - Not having any experience of Rolhoff, I'd use indexed thumbshifters (shimano dx - the steel mounts last longer than the alu xt ones which can crack) with 8sp cassette - possibly slightly longer lasting than 9sp. 7sp needs less wheel dish but I like the extra range of 8sp. Thumbshifters are very simple, last for a v. long time, and friction mode lets you mix and match any setup of drivetrain components. Non indexed freewheels last much longer due to having much thicker teeth, but this is offset by the inferior axle load bearing design resulting in greater susceptibility to bent/broken axles. Personally I'd have a steel alloy frame - properly treated against corrosion I'd expect it to last almost indefinitely.

[531colin]

As I said on the first page............

And why would you NOT have the back end offset for a reduced dish wheel?

HGF answered that you don't need it with a hub gear, but with deralliers its the obvious answer.
Modern Shimano freehubs have room for 8 (or more) sprockets, so with 7 you have the same wheel dish and a spacer.....thats pretty pointless, so I have 8 speed.
Bar end or downtube shifters, mounted where my thumbs are!

[andrewjoseph]

To rheon2 and [XAP]bob.

It appears I may have annoyed you two, my apologies, nothing of the sort was intended. There was no sarcasm involved at any time.

I used the ' ' 'smiley' to indicate a tease at the use of the 'how long is a piece of string'. To me it looks like a little smiling devil.

Sorry if I've caused offence.

[[XAP]Bob]

No annoyance over here, just trying to grease the communications

[Cunobelin]

After having broken several frames I wanted a bomb proof bicycle, but could not make up my mind.

Then my wife looked at a Thorn Raven Tour, and we went down for a test ride.

Came back with a Thorn Nomad including S&S couplings

Heavy, tractor like, and boringly predictable when loaded or unloaded.

So absolutely ideal for what I wanted.


Having said that though my real all rounders are trikes... a Catrike Expedition where it is simply road work and the HPVelotechnik Gekko for anything that inolves trains.

[breakwellmz]

Yes - I just don't think that is the obvious sarcasm smiley....

No sarcasm smiley and no worried smiley!
I`m going to write a STRONG letter of complaint.

[reohn2]

To rheon2 and [XAP]bob.

It appears I may have annoyed you two, my apologies, nothing of the sort was intended. There was no sarcasm involved at any time.

I used the ' ' 'smiley' to indicate a tease at the use of the 'how long is a piece of string'. To me it looks like a little smiling devil.

Sorry if I've caused offence.

No worries,glad we've cleared it up

[cycle tramp]

For me, its any bike for which there is still a reasonably large amount of second hand, lightly used, and cheap spares available. The moment that you find that 'whatever' has broken, worn out, or fallen off and that you're unable to find a replacement is the time when you realise that your bike might not be as long lasting as you first thought...

Probably the worlds most robust, long lasting bicycle, is the one you own right now, providing you've also got a shed full of replacement bits, tyres, wheels, saddles and perhaps even a spare frame or two. And a lock

[admin]

I think the range of smileys available is rather dated. Isn't it time they were upgraded?

These are quite nice: http://www.cyclechat.net/help/smilies

I don't really have the time to replace the standard smilies that phpBB comes with, I'm afraid. Even if I did change them it would be bound to result in complaints, whichever set I decided to install.

[meic]

The old ones were quite nice.

Looks too mocking and gloating to use.

Anyway aside from that, thanks for giving us any smilies at all.

[mig]

when talking of robustness which part of a frame takes most force in use? the chainstays?