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I don't.

I'm quite happy to pay, hell I even registered Buro 9 and started the company to pay tax, so that it was all above board contributing back.

But then, I spent a few years in Sweden and my view on taxation and society is that you get what you give, or rather, you get what you pay for (in taxes, time and investment into people).

I'm actually happy to pay. I don't necessarily agree with how it's spent or the policies, but hey... they're the elected representatives and if this is what the people want then I'm happy to make my contribution.

Of course, that raises wider political questions about whether this is what the people want, but that's irrelevant to my belief that if you want a decent society that cares and protects, then you need to pay for it.

Do you have an ISA? That's tax avoidance...

I love my cross check - it's been set up as:

• fixed gear with guards for the winter
  
• SS cross and monster cross for racing and mountain biking
  
• 1x9 cross
  
• 1x9 road
  
• 2x9 road (current set up)
  
  

Most versatile bike I've ever owned and a lovely comfy ride that smooths the bumps in the road.

Very tempted by a Kindle. Do people think it's worth paying extra for the 3G version? I live in France where almost all wireless is encrypted, so I'm thinking it would be worthwhile

Here's a good example of some North Americans riding the wood work in its natural habitat. They all have their risk thermometers turned pretty low.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmbJrhcP0A8

I think cross bikes are against the rules at mayhem, mainly because it would blatantly be loads quicker on a cross bike. None of it is technical if you are any good on a bike and I think it's always muddy, so a cross bike would rule, especially if you have to carry your bike because of the mud. Skinny mud tyres on a hardtail or a flat bar cross bike would be a good bet.

I'm 6'4" with a 37.5" inseam and ride an XL swift. I reckon it would fit someone a couple of inches taller pretty well. Look at TT measurements as well as head tube length (to see if the bars will be high enough if you have long legs like me) of the bikes you are interested in and compare them to your 26" bike.

Hi simon - how's it going? Like Tommy said I'm in gay Paris now so no more trips to Dorking for a while! It's all very flat round here as well so I'm not super confident of findign a good replacement, although I'll keep looking.

Like you thinking of a big mountain bike trip in Europe. I read some great things about Slovenia in Singletrack magazine a few months ago and they recommended an operator there - apparently the riding is amazing, everyone is very friendly and it's pretty cheap. I threw away all my magazines when I moved but it might be worth asking on singletrackworld forum? Would be great fun!

With you on the Peregrine.
Just thought a lower TT might be a better idea for a shorter person riding off-road. I could'nt stand over the small :(

I make the standover on the 54 ETT cross check to be around 2" less. Plus, doesnt the geometry, of the cross check, become more compact as you go down in size?
http://www.surlybikes.com/frames/cross_check_frame/

I have the opposite problem - 6'4" with a 37.5" inseam - so it's hard to get a frame which gets the bars to the right height. My 62cm cross check has about 4.5cm of spacers and a +15 degree stem to get the bars level with the saddle.

Konijn - I've got a Singular 29er and it is a wonderful frame, so I'd really recommend the brand if you can stretch to it and the geometry works for you. I'd also recommentd looking on singletrackworld.com for second hand MTB components to help lower the cost. I got some great deals on disc brakes, wheels, stem etc from there.

I've got a cross check and it's a great all round bike. Biggest tyres I've fitted were Bontrager Jones AC-X 29 x 1.9, but there's only a few mm clearance so not great in the mud. Makes it into a fun monster truck cyclo cross bike.

I really think the best frame in this genre is the Singular Peregrine. Disc only with an EBB (which is much better than cantis), takes 29 x 2.1 tyres with a bit more clearance than the cross check, looks amazing. I'd have bought one if they did one big enough for my lanky frame. Would do all the things you want plus touring.

I used a good trick (maybe from the art of wheelbuilding ebook) which is to put little flags of masking tape about 2/3 of the way along the spoke towards the nipple end (leave enough space to get the spoke key on and off the nipple easily). These let you can see when the spoke starts winding up. As the wheel gets up to tension I found the spoke wound up a bit first and then threaded into the nipple. The masking tape lets you see how much wind up you have and so you can loosen it off exactly the right amount each time. Probably too time consuming if you build lots of wheels and I'm sure people learn to get a feel for wind up, but a good trick for beginners.

Sounds epic, but unfortunately I won;t be able to come. Still on my list of things to do in life list though

Use bar tape - then you can have whatever width you want, whatever colour you want and you can wrap down the rise and onto the centre section, which gives you an extra hand position which is nice if it's very windy.

Should be fine if you can ride light! I did a weekend credit card tour (fulled loaded carradice camper longflap and 12 stone rider) which included about 25 miles on gravel roads and a bit of nice singletrack on 25mm gatorskins without a puncture.

Sounds good to me - as daccordi says two couriers did it on brakeless track bikes with messenger bags so ignore the doom mongers and have fun! They skitched off trucks to go up the big hills...

I'm gonna come down and check it out, although it's a bit easier for me since I moved to Paris a few weeks ago!

But if they don't have to be carbon, then any shimano road crank will do the trick plus I'm sure a bunch of other makers use the same BCD. If you want track cranks then the Stronglights are 130 and very suitable for a less blingy bike.

Hi momentum,

Ta for your post and apologies for delayed reply.

...

That should keep you going for now! Let me know how you progress...

Thanks so much for all that advice! I'll do some googling to check some of the poses and get cracking.

What is it about cycling that demands so much more perception than driving?

The fact that being hit by someone you didn't notice gets the bike rider a trip to hospital and the car driver a trip to the garage to sort out the paintwork?

I'd love to put full length mudguards on my Steamroller, but no eyelets. OK can fix that by using P-clips, but what if I need to remove the wheel? The clearance is reasonably tight, would I have to take off the mudguard when I got a puncture?

I have SKS full guards on my Bob Jackson. I used the quick release clips that are provided for the front mudguard (so it detaches if something gets stuck twixt wheel and guard, rather than you going over the bars) to attache the rear one to the P clips. That way you can eaily dteach the mudguard (with a little force) when you need to take the wheel out. Works well.

The caps are just held on by an o-ring so they slide off, but they're quite a tight fit. I usually use pliers or mole grips with something to protect the aluminium like a bit of inner tube or a rag. It looks like you've made quite a mess of yours TBH, but you might be able to straighten it out when you get it off.

Bought it and it's good - easy to learn and pretty addictive

This is a a really interesting thread and if I was still in London then I'd be down like a shot.

Bogue - can you recommend any good postures for evening out leg muscles that are unbalanced by cyling? I've had some knee problems which a physio thinks are caused by tight hamstrings and groin muscles putting too much pressure on my knees. I've got some exercises from him but wouldn't mind adding some more!

Bet they'll drill a hole in it and squirt some super glue in

I wouldn't bother to be honest - build it up and ride it and if you ever notice the noise in real life then you can break out the drill.

MY BJ had the same thing from new. So did an Eddy Merckx frame I had and another one before that. The top tube is the only sealed tube on most bikes and so it's hard/impossible to soak the flux off with warm water, so rattles tend to happen. You will only notice it when the bike is not moving.