Flapjack and cappuccino!

Graeme, fantastic photos!

As off-roaders you’re lucky not to have contend with motor traffic, the whole scene looks great fun.
Getting my 1996 Gary Fisher hard tail out of mothballs is on my things to do list, but i don’t know how adventurous i could possibly be out in the field these days, and most mountain biking around here is possible let down by too much mud, and closed farmers gates. I would probably need to fit my bike on the car roof rack and travel out somewhere. I maybe just a roadie wimp.

But i do admire the skill of mountain bikers, and fearless anti-gravity bravery, and i always attend the funerals ; )

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Thanks Debs. We gave up on the muddiest rides a while back after a non-mud related crash had me off the bike for 8months and I had to ride our indoor smart trainer (using Zwift) all winter. Lost the appetite for cold wet muddy rides.

Bikes are transported to rides in a van bought and converted for the purpose. Affectionately known as the “Toy Box”, it also provides a car park changing room, and emergency overnight accommodation. I’ll dig out a photo of it later.

As an aside, coffee is always espresso, cake is always fruity, and when we get home, recovery ales are imbibed.

PS: You’ll be welcome at my funeral, just remember to wear ‘baggy’ shorts :rofl:

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I got a very beat up Brompton from a guy at work who is clueless at maintenance and basically ride it into the ground and then bought a new one. I have had to replace pretty much everything apart from the frame. That is in the sandblast cabinet at mo as I have brazed V brake bosses on it and generally pimping it up. Hopefully I will get round to finishing it over the winter.

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An excellent winter project, biddler!

Please keep us updated with progress as the Brompton evolves into a new lease of life.

Are you keeping to red, or choosing another colour?

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@debs colour … nope will not be red. I have a cunning plan for the colour scheme … I have finished the bar stem and that is yellow but rest will be a nod to an old artist and also a bit of a homage to cippolini but not finalised details yet. I am also restoring a defender at the moment so depends what sparks my attention when I go to the garage !

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A trip to the barber’s yesterday morning on my girlfriend’ bike, for a one and a half all over.

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Disc rims should last longer. The new wheels i’ve ordered have a special type of disc rim to include Vibrocore fill in the rim box section, designed to absorb vibration for a more comfortable ride, it will also prevent any water ingress too. Gawd knows if it actually works but only one way to find out.
Apart from being the most expensive wheels i’ve bought they’re my first wheels that feature tubeless tyres. I’m aware of the pro’s and con’s of tubeless and have a mixed emotion of optimism and some reservations, but i suppose the experience will be telling.
Ryan will fit the tyres and then check for any spoke tension drop and adjust to perfection.
I’ll show a review of my new fancy wheels in about a weeks time ; )

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I swear by tubeless tyres for MTB’s. Things to consider if you haven’t already: you need to keep the liquid latex in them topped up. If they run dry, then there will be no sealing upon puncture. Latex seals small punctures such as thorns or small nails. For larger punctures of say5mm or more, you will find a “Weldkit” invaluable. Similar used for car tyre repairs. For the biggest splits, a tyre boot will get you home. Don’t forget to carry a spare dose of latex at all times.

Sounds like a real faff, but if you get caught with a puncture in the wilds or the back lanes of the borders, then having these things, and knowing how to use them, will be a ride saver!

In all cases, only break the seal on the bead if you really have to. Getting it to reseal in the wilds is a dog of a job.

Having said all that, once you are set up tubeless, fixing punctures will generally be a thing of the past.

And Hope hubs, yes!!! Proper engineering which is a doddle to maintain/fix. New bearings are dirt cheap from any engineering outlet.

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This is what i’m hoping, zero punctures, the tyres are Conti GP5000 TL in the 32mm size, they aren’t the lightest tyre but they do have a good reputation for dependability.
I presently use Conti GP4000 II 28mmm tubed which have been trouble free for past year and a half, also have a ‘tool-bottle’ permanently lodged into one bottle cage, contains a spare inner-tube, a few instant patches, tyre levers, disposable gloves, allen keys, CO2 inflator with canister.

Funny thing is, my tyres have been so puncture-free i’ve carried the CO2 for over two years and without having my first experience of using the inflator.
I also carry a mini-pump for back up.

Yes MTB’ers have been happy benefiting from tubeless tyres for ages, i suppose it’s for better traction at lower pressures, more control and reliability. But if the tests are correct the advantages will also apply to road bikes, lower pressure = more comfort, and with better traction [grip on road surface] along with lower rolling resistance, a win-win situation.
Seems almost too good to be true, perhaps i’m gullible?

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews/continental-grand-prix-5000-tl-2018

But thanks for the advise about tubeless puncture fixes, i know the repair demands a different approach than tubed, so will be prepared with the new knowledge and means to get home if i do ever get a flat.
From what i’ve been told, it’s a lot less likely for a puncture to happen, and if it does it’s usually a loss of some pressure but still enough to get home with. This is good cos it’s always better to fix punctures at home rather than with cold hands on a grass verge by a busy main road.

One thing for sure, punctures are very likely to happen when not carrying a spare tube, pump, and repair kit, sods law exists for these very circumstances. :grin:

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I have run Hutchinson road tubeless for several years and would never go back. I carry a tube in case of disasters but have never ever had a puncture on the move. Get them set up right then give them regular pressure top ups up in the first few days when they seem to take a while to fully seal and then occasionally afterwards as they do lose a little bit of air. I re-seal them once on a year on average but generally never add any latex. I use about 30mls for a 700cc tyre when setting up.

Curiously I have only just bought some tubeless compatible MTB tyres and am going to get them up and running tomorrow,

I’ve been out with others who have had non-sealing punctures with tubeless. They have not carried worms and on several occasions have had to phone their wives or a taxi. I think having the confidence and knowledge to use worms is a wise precaution for road tubeless use.

“Worms” :rofl::rofl::rofl:

But yes, carry them, and know how to use them. They have saved my rides a few times. The good news is that once in, you can just leave them in. Forget about them. Ridden many hundreds of off road miles with them in the tyre.

“Worms” :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Saturday afternoon ride, a bit milder than i anticipated, had one layer too much on so i compensated by having an easy ride.
Stopped off at the Hare and Hounds, a pub i haven’t visited in over a decade, but it’s no longer open for business. The place suffered a fire back in 2011, and has remained closed up since. Ten years of neglect and dereliction hasn’t done it any favours.
Back in the noughties we used this pub & car park for our local 10 mile TT HQ, the place was thriving back then and had a good reputation for pub-grub. It’s sad to see these places decline so far.

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Just back from 2 hour morning slosh around tracks and trails from home. This taken at the back of Airton, a few miles from Malham. Everywhere pretty flooded as you can see. I have a selection of off-road routes available to me from the front door avoiding tarmac most of the time. I have tended to neglect these for road miles but intend to get back out into the country now I have a bit more time. There is something about a properly cold and muddy MTB day, somehow I hardly ever use it when dry or sunny!

The bike incidentally is a 26" Moots YBB soft-tail. Sweet, light and resolutely old-school. I only just switched from a triple!

Fruit and spice parkin by my own hand at home post-ride today.

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A soft landing when falling off perhaps? :upside_down_face:

Are the tubeless tyres on yet?, …and if so what’s the first impression?

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Debs

Job for the afternoon.

OK, Here’s a shot of the bike cave. I’m happy to do any job on any of the bikes except suspension and dropper posts. Those go to the bike shop for the experts to do their magic on.

In this pano shot, the MTB’s are getting a latex top up in the tubeless tyres. Oh I do love to fettle. :grin:

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Graeme, your workshop is exemplary!
Is is a converted garage? .
An excellent display of Park Tools, i have accumulated quite a few of them over the years, to include an original 1990s style PCS-1 home mechanic stand that i couldn’t live without.
Over the years Park Tools have gone from Made in USA to Made in China, which may make them more affordable to buy but some say quality isn’t as good as they once were (?) but i still buy them, plus some of my later tool purchases are Planet X which seem well designed and even more affordable.

What’s the wall boarding rack stuff called?
I need to buy some of that to organise my tools, plus the wire tool hangers, always wondered where it can be purchased from and how much it costs?

At this moment in time, i don’t have a dedicated space for bike workshop, it tends to be in the kitchen where the light is good, and i’m not concerned about working on the old Marly floor tiles that have seen better days anyway.

But my kitchen is earmarked for replacement + new floor sooner or later, so a secret plan is to convert a 12’ square dinning room into bicycle park and workshop, replace carpet with industrial vinyl flooring, good in that it’s warm and dry in winter, a nice place to tinker, but it needs careful outfitting consideration because it will be inside the home.

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Thanks.Yes, a garage, which is rarely that tidy. Had an insulated steel remote garage door fitted so garage stays warm and dry in the winter. No need for heating in there. Can open the door as I ride up to the house. Lush! :rofl: The panelling on the wall is steel peg board. I couldn’t find it to buy in this country, so scoured sites like eBay to no avail. As a last desperate measure, I went knocking on the doors of some of the older foundries where I live and begged some. What you see is all there was. It was bent and filthy, but after a good scrub and judicious use of a heavy hammer, it came good.

I do feel very lucky that my wife is into cycling as much as me and is more than tolerant of giving the garage over to bike storage/fettling and cycle gym (far end).

You can’t beat a dedicated space for fettling and storing, and if you have the spare room, definitely go for it. Love Park tools, even if they are made in China now.

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Nice thread! I was out for a short ride (North Bucks/Northants) yesterday - it was surprisingly warm but quite windy.

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