Obsessive Cycling Disorder from OTT

Thanks Mark - Great edit and lost on the message board, so I thought I should post it here also- Rich

LATEST NEWS - Leave your bike outside the pub - arriving soon and sponsored by OTT. Can you spot Craigs new bike amongst this collection of quality kit?- Has anyone got a spare cable/lock we can leave at the Inn?

No the title isn’t a painful medical condition, I decided to split and sell my 2008 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR expert. A third baby on the way (definitely the last although I did say that about my second!) means I need to release some funds. I’ve also decided that my opportunies for weekends away in Wales will be so few and far between that I will have to hire a FS for those odd occassions and solely use my SingleSpeed for Herts / Beds based rides. A few bits have already found their way onto ebay (they can easily come off again) but the specification for the bike is here http://www.specialized.com/gb/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?arc=2008&spid=33434 feel free to have a look and if any of the components catch your eye then drop me an email richa@ottmountainbike.co.uk The only part I think I’m keeping are the tyres. Obviously the main drive of the sale is to raise some cash but if I sell locally it saves ebay / paypal fees and I can pass that saving on, so I’m sure we could work out a sensible price if anyone wants any bits.

Rich A

Disaster - dismantling my torch to try and fix an intermittent switch problem and the lens dropped onto my kitchen floor - shattered!  I found I could get replacements from Deal Extreme but needed to buy 10.  Too many but at least they’re cheap as chips.  If anyone else has had a similar trauma, let me know and you’re welcome to one.

PS didn’t get to the bottom of the swirtch problem but seems OK at the moment - anybody suffering a similar thing?  Is there a solution?  I couldn’t find replacement switches.

Tim

Whilst searching for bits for my SS build (by the way thanks to Simon for his single speed phone helpline!) I came across the Bikemonger Wisecracker headset Spacer its top of the list here http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/userimages/procart21.htm if only I’d seen it before my headset was done! Maybe they could do a bike mounted Ben and Jerrys tub holder for Mark? Although if he is putting in 26 mile off road rides in 2 hours with lots of stops then we should feed him up to slow him down!

Other Richard

For all you bike gadget techies, I have gone “retro”. With my chainrings biting the dust (although Simon and James helped with a replacement earlier in the year) it was time to decide what had to be replaced first - so avoiding diving into a new XT Hollowtech crank for £150 I salvaged my old Deore XT and BB replaced the k***d pedals, and with the help of Superstar (Rings) and some heavy duty polishing* of the crankarms ended up with these.

The arguments of std BB V Hollowtech and X type cranks fills many message boards - but apart from the weight (160gms more) the old style crank with replacement rings goes with my economical approach & necessary upgrades - My crank now looks like the old polished chrome 1970’s Campag kit from my days as a “roadie” (thats twice I have mentioned road bikes this year!) - By the way thats not rust on my chain and yes there is a NEW XT rear mech onboard also!

 *Removing the coating from the crank arms with a mild abrasive pad and then brasso with a soft cloth has left them gleaming - although if you do try this remember to also use a polysil cleaner after to give a protective coating, or expect lots of cleaning after your next ride.

Cheers - Rich (updated 16:04:09)

I thought I’d contribute to the “Bikes’n'Bits” section with a few things I like and a few oddities for your perusal/amusement.  I hope you all enjoy these goodies…

1.  Momentum Bicycle Flypaper Pedals

Extra thin pedals for times when those a few more mm clearance is absolutely neccessary.  Good idea but limited to only two types of crank arms at present.

Read the full test here

2.  Industry Nine Wheels & Hubs

These are my favourite wheels/hubs - if only I could afford them.  Super-quick engagement & ideal for all you singlespeed guys.  Up there with Chris King and Phil Wood in the hubs to die for category.

Checkout all Industry Nine goodies here

3.  Delta 7 Sports Arantix bicycle frame

This is the radical Isotruss frame design with a very unique look to it.  Sure it would fill with mud quickly on an OTT winter ride though…

Check out the Delta 7 Sports website for all the details

4.  Onion Bikes Ogre downhill bike

Not quite up there in the style league - who’d have thought it was Italian?  Beauty or the beast?  I’ll let you decide for yourself.

Onionbikes.com

5.  KtraK bicycle conversion kit for snow riding

Turn your bike into an off-piste monster!  Check out the videos on their website - it looks like great fun.

See the Flix & Pix on ktrakcycle.com

6. Christini AWD - The Landrover of the bicycle world

A fabulous all-wheel drive system for those slippery winter moments.

check out the full story at Christinibicycles

7.  Hanebrink Extreme Terrain bicycle

A fat-tyre bike for sand & snow.  Does that guy need a chain tensioner or what?

Winner or loser? Read the story here

8.  Dynamic Bicycles chainless bike

Looks like a nice commuter option to prevent oil getting on your trousers.  Where’s my chainring gone?

No MTB or serious kit but many options nevertheless.

9. Ghost Bikes RT Lector Worldcup

A very nice example of German quality - with stunning looks to match.  Another bike for the wish list.

want a closer look? Click here

10.  Titus X Exogrid

A simply gorgeous fusion of composites and titanium.

Read about Exogrid technology here
For all Titus bikes, check out the Titus website
Well that’s all for now folks -it’s way past my bedtime so I gotta go.   See you all soon.

Mark (Trance 3)

A few weeks ago I punctured in Nomansland in the snow, in the dark. James and Simon helped with a speed tube change and Simon’s CO2 worked a treat when we were all getting cold and needed to get moving again. I’ve since converted to the world of CO2, picking up my pump today. James mentioned he needed a few more cannisters and mine only came with two so I’m looking to stock up. He also directed me to tyreinflators.co.uk. If James can confirm that these http://www.tyreinflators.co.uk/co2-cartridges-16gm/mosa-16gm-threaded-co2-box-of-30/prod_256.html are the correct ones then I don’t mind ordering some and we can split them amongst us. They come in box’s of 10, 30 or 300. I don’t think we’ll be up to 300 but maybe a box or two of 30? I’d personally like to stock up with a minimum of 10 and up to 20 as a max. Rough workings make it around £6.50 for 10 or around £12.50 for 20. If you fancy any post a comment below, I’m looking to order early next week.

Richard

Well not quite yet but its starting to come together. I got the LBS to fit the headset for me as I don’t have the tools for fitting the SFN etc to the forks and didn’t want an expensive bodge! The postman must wonder what is going on as various bits keep arriving. Some new where I see a bargain, some from ebay (more…)

I’ve been thinking about tubeless for a while now, and in the last couple of days have had success with the Ghetto Tubeless method which is all over the internet, thought I’d post up a “how to” incase any one else fancied ago, Mavic 717 Rims with Panaracer Fire XC Pro tyres, so here goes: FULL STORY CLICK BELOW (more…)

Swapped out those cheap Kenda 829’s for my old Schwalbe Mountaineer II’s again in time for 1st Feb ride.  Real pig to get on the rims. The steel beads are so tight. It’s now 8 or 9 days since I swapped ‘em over and my thumbs are still really aching from trying to get them on the rims. 

In the muddy conditions of the ride, they coped really well - the thin dimensions cutting through the mud to find traction underneath.  Probably a bit easier to pedal and they shed the mud pretty well avoiding most of the sideways antics of other tyres I’ve had.  Another ‘full marks’ to the Schwalbe crew - all of their tyres I’ve used have impressed me with price and performance so far.

EDIT:6/2/09

Wednesday night, used another set of wheels and stuck the Schwalbe Space D/H tyres on my Giant. Heavy going but went through the mud like a tractor in Bramfield forest at night. Whoooa! 

Yes, got yet another puncture on Tuesday night as reported in blog.  Still not completely convinced of No-flats solution and being seriously weight-weeny have always avoided slime, sludge and any other jizzy deposits in my tyres.  However I spotted Wiggle ad for Slime Lite (sic) “Lightest Self-Healing Tube on the planet”. Slime claims tubes are 219 g (only a smidgeon above a slime free tube I think) so have decided to throw £15 at the experiment.  I’ll give it a couple of weeks and then think about spending £15 for the other tyre.

Anybody out there with slime lite form?

Tim

Hi everyone,

I just wondered what your favourite winter tyres are.  I’m specifically after those that can handle the mud that is so dominant on our rides.  I’ve been considering some Panaracer Fire Mud tyres but due to supply problems may well go with Panaracer Trailraker instead.  These seem highly rated.

I rode for quite some time on Schwalbe Mountaineer II’s which are only a 1.95 but worked pretty well.  I’m currently running Kenda 829’s which tread-wise looked quite promising but clog easily -but hey, they were only £10 for the pair (new) in a charity shop of all places.  I really liked the Scott Cougar’s I ran a while back but these aren’t available to purchase.  I even had a little blast with some DH tyres (Schwalbe Space) which were great when cranked over but obviously very heavy.

I have thought about taking a blade to the Kenda’s and cutting out some tread to help with mud shedding properties but if you can suggest a great tyre then please let me know. Hey, if you can suggest a lousy one, then do that too - so I don’t buy ‘em in the future.

Thanks & happy pedallin’

Mark (Giant Trance 3)

TAKE A LOOK AT COMMENTS BELOW - RICH