Big Bike Thread

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I'm running XTR 9 speed crankset with 10 speed XTR RM, shifters and chain. Shimano say it won't work. Works fine.

Edit: That XT chainset is about 4 generations old...thats why its so cheap.
 
Just got news my work has appointed Halfords as their supplier for the cycle to work scheme and will be introducing it at the start of May.

Now I'm tempted to try and sell my Kona hardtail and get the Boardman Team FS as it seems to get decent reviews and I feel that the Kona being an XC bike is starting hold me back a bit as I become more confident.

Any thoughts on the Boardman spec as I think the bike has been out for a couple of years now and might be superseded this year with a new model?
 
CasKirensys said:
I'm off to Sherwood Pines on Sunday, anyone else been? What are your thoughts on it? I've read that they have a red and black route, everyone I've spoken to about the place say it's all just very easy going single track.
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I go sherwood pines at least once a month, theres no black route I know of :/ . The red is alright, nothing compared to cannock chase, but still worth a rip.

The 1st section of the red till you reach a road you have to cross is awesome, super fast flowing, berms, stumps n all. There's some really good parts on the red, but a lot of pedal work too. You'll come to a point at the red where you get a choice of carrying on with the red or carrying on the red via the bike park. The bikes parks new and improved now, you have various mini downhill runs to choose from with jumps, drops, berms, rock gardens etc etc nothing too challenging, but loads of fun and you can just keep pushing back up and spend a few hours there easily. The only downside to doing the bike park is you miss the best bit of the red route, some pretty crazy downhill run with fast berms, roots and about a million more berms ;). So if you do decide to do bike park, its worth back tracking back to where you choose bike park and go straight red route to hit the good stuff.
 
Juggy1985 said:
I go sherwood pines at least once a month, theres no black route I know of :/ . The red is alright, nothing compared to cannock chase, but still worth a rip.

The 1st section of the red till you reach a road you have to cross is awesome, super fast flowing, berms, stumps n all. There's some really good parts on the red, but a lot of pedal work too. You'll come to a point at the red where you get a choice of carrying on with the red or carrying on the red via the bike park. The bikes parks new and improved now, you have various mini downhill runs to choose from with jumps, drops, berms, rock gardens etc etc nothing too challenging, but loads of fun and you can just keep pushing back up and spend a few hours there easily. The only downside to doing the bike park is you miss the best bit of the red route, some pretty crazy downhill run with fast berms, roots and about a million more berms ;). So if you do decide to do bike park, its worth back tracking back to where you choose bike park and go straight red route to hit the good stuff.
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Thanks for the reply. :)

I'm going with my parents, who are taking the dog for a walk, so they'll be on the other side, and they are planning on spending a full day there, so I'll probably do a loop of the red, and then go have something to eat with them on the other side, then pop back over to do the red again. So I'll get a chance to do the park, and do the best part of the red. :)

I'm quite looking forward to it tbh, first time in ages I've done anything other than Greno. Think the last time I did something was a week before my bikes got stolen, when I went to Lady Bower! :eek:
 
Alright guys, need some help picking my next bike as I haven't had one in years.

Problem is I want one that I can cycle to work on (road bike) but still can cycle over fields (mountain bike). Mountain bike with road tyres?

Budget is £300, plus another £100 or so for helmet and anything else I need.

Road bikes seem really expensive, what is the main differences as you go up in price? Frame material and construction?

Cheers!
 
Concorde Rules said:
Alright guys, need some help picking my next bike as I haven't had one in years.

Problem is I want one that I can cycle to work on (road bike) but still can cycle over fields (mountain bike). Mountain bike with road tyres?

Budget is £300, plus another £100 or so for helmet and anything else I need.

Road bikes seem really expensive, what is the main differences as you go up in price? Frame material and construction?

Cheers!
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Think if you definitely need the over fields bit then you could get a Carrera Vulcan for £360 which is probably the pick at this price range. If you don't need the fields bit then you want to get yourself a BTwin Triban 3 for riding on the road, will be much more efficient and make your commute so much easier.
 
Elixir 5's gave up the ghost :(, from internet research it sounds as if the seals are gone. Ordered a set of Deores from chain reaction, £84 the pair :D. Hopefully here by the weekend.

I'll be able to run them with my old mounts and discs right?
 
Chulainn depending what you're after you're much better off looking at the vulcan for £30 more, better spec all round.
 
Looking at getting a new bike for of road bumpy trails ( will be doing some road riding but thats not the main use. Bought a bike last year for £80 and it was pretty bad so it never got used. It was heavy, had front suspension but it was very uncomfortable and v brakes which were not that useful ha ! Looking to spend £350 on the bike so what would you suggest? the carrera vulcan ?
 
Got loads of biking done this weekend. Demoed 2 Tall boy LTC's. Then tried my Blur on the same short test track. Tall boy is a better climber and keeps speed up. But it's cumbersome on twisty stuff. My Blur xc was just more fun on the decent. The SC rep said the medium would be fine for me but it still seems too big. mixed feelings about the Tall boy because I really liked it. Mrs weescott tried the Tall boy and the blur Tr. plus some other bikes that weren't SC...but I won't talk about that. She wants a blur TR. :D.
 
Is she going to get one? I've been out on my blur today, still feels like a new bike, so much fun to ride, had to change the rear shock bush but all the bearings are still good after about 6 months.
 
SoliD said:
Think if you definitely need the over fields bit then you could get a Carrera Vulcan for £360 which is probably the pick at this price range. If you don't need the fields bit then you want to get yourself a BTwin Triban 3 for riding on the road, will be much more efficient and make your commute so much easier.
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Thanks, hard to make my mind up. Can't find the Triban 3 in stock anywhere, any ideas?

Journey to work is 3.7 miles or up-to 5 if I take a quiet/longer route home.


Few questions:

1. Does 6kg really make that much difference? I'm really not that fit at the moment but idea is to sort that out!!
2. What about Helmets, one that fits or are there ones that are better than others?
3. Frame size, I'm (178cm - 5ft 10 ish) which suggests I should be a ~57cm frame, I assume the 60cm frame is the one I want for the T3?
 
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So I went to Sherwood Pines and did some of this cycling stuff.. Was quite fun, did the "red" twice. :) The amount of Orange 5's out there is absolutely mental, and they all seemed to be old blokes riding them! :p I enjoyed it though, much more climbing than I like, but so is everywhere else... :o

Anyway... While I was there, I came across this dry stuff, I think some people call it dust? Well I've never seen it before, and I was wondering what the best way to clean the chain etc is after getting covered in it? Also, I was using Wet Lube.. Because I don't own Dry stuff, as I've never needed it. :(
 
Old blokes riding Orange 5s are your typical accountant and surveyor types who think that Sherwood Pines is a tough trail and drive Beemers and Audis. Way too much bike for Sherwood Pines, it does make me laugh.

Anyway, I've been to Sherwood Pines and though it was the worst place I've ever been. Pan flat and nothing resembling a proper red trail aside from the skills area. Are you sure you went to the same place? :p
 
R0B75 said:
Old blokes riding Orange 5s are your typical accountant and surveyor types who think that Sherwood Pines is a tough trail and drive Beemers and Audis. Way too much bike for Sherwood Pines, it does make me laugh.

Anyway, I've been to Sherwood Pines and though it was the worst place I've ever been. Pan flat and nothing resembling a proper red trail aside from the skills area. Are you sure you went to the same place? :p
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Haha, don't worry.. I didn't find anything even remotely difficult there, I'm just really unfit, and found it too much climbing, but so is walking up the stairs. :o

Must have been the right place though, as on the little "descents" I was held up every single time by an Orange Five. :( It did my head in, most of them didn't even want to let me get past!

Edit: The main reason I wanted to go there is I'm sick of Greno all the time, and my parents can give me a lift somewhere, if it's somewhere the dog can go! And anyway, I'm more bothered about improving my fitness a bit than anything else atm.
 
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