Mikee

@monkeyseemonkeydo Interesting bike for a SS conversion. Did you go for a bigger chain as well?

Recently converted one of my bikes to single speed and I can't get my chain tensioner to shut up. I've use plenty of chain tensioners before, but I never remember them being this annoying. Probably because it's not on a trials bike this time and the chain is actually doing lots of moving. I'm currently using the Heatsink tensioner installed and everything looks straight to me. I just don't get how one jockey wheel can make more noise than two on a mech. The other variable is the KMC Z1eHX chain. Do these not play nice with jockey wheels? I'm getting to an age where unpleasant noises really get on my nerves. Someone please help me.

I don't use this bike as much these days. Since starting a new job further away from home, I no longer cycle to work. So I decided to give single speed a try. I took it for a spin this afternoon and it certainly added some spice to a short, regular loop. It was hard work, but I managed all the hills (which are plentiful where I live). Gear ratio is 34:18, as that's what I had in my spare parts box. Luckily, that actually seems about right for me at the moment. But as I get stronger/fitter, I would like to make it a bit harder, as it does spin out on the flats. Only thing that I'm not happy with at the moment is the chain tensioner, as it fairly noisy. Everything looks straight, but it sounds disgusting.

I bought some second hand RS Revelations about 2 years ago, for about £130 on eBay. They have been 100% reliable, as well as being cheap and relatively easy to service myself. Only complaint is that they lack the small bump sensitivity of more expensive forks. A damper upgrade can fix this, but I can’t be bothered.

I predict self driving cars being outlawed, as a matter of liability. As said; Hopefully battery electric cars become a thing of the past, in favour of hydrogen fuel cell.

Had my first Pfizer yesterday. A bit sore where it was done and mild muscle ache in most of my body today. But nothing too bad.

It was dusty yesterday. Almost lost it on a few fast corners. Silver lining was how clean me and my bike was. Picture taken roughly 10 miles into the ride.

I think that a minimum wage on top of the benefits riders are getting, will just cause a lot of the lower ranked riders to lose contracts. We can't forget that it has to be financially viable for the sponsors, otherwise they wouldn't bother. It's a similar story with many sports, which don't have silly amounts of money to throw around. Unless you are at the top of your game, making a living from the sport alone can be tough.

Getting shafted by a buyer on eBay, confusing poor performance of older hardware with a hardware fault.

No bash ring?

I've heard of the pro 4 ratchet ring, stripping the threads on the hub shell. Is that what you are referring to? I've also heard of bearings being more of an issue, compared to the pro 2.

I know a roadie that uses a garmin adapter that sticks on the back of their phone. I wouldn't have thought that it absorbs shock, but it's small.

Anything shoe box size or bigger, I always use a courier. I think the last time I sent handlebars, I used Hermes. And I think it was roughly £6 to send tracked and insured.

I should have said that I don't see why MTB companies would want to get involved in producing trials bikes. That would have been clearer. I know why they would want to sponsor popular trials riders, and get them riding their MTBs. Visibility/going viral and people actually having a genuine interest to do what they see, are two very different things. I've seen lots of things on the internet, that I have no intention of trying. Although I kind of agree, I don't think that many people are turned off from trials riding, because of the way the bikes look.

Yeah, it will never happen, as comp bike would have to be made "worse". But I can't see any other way to get big manufacturers involved. Go back 25 years, when trials bikes were basically small, slightly modified MTBs (Ignoring the mods), there were several large MTB companies with trials teams.

@isitafox I agree, that will always keep trials rider numbers relatively low. The point I was making was purely on a bicycle production point of view. Bikes under the trials umbrella vary greatly, which means lower volumes of more models. And particularly on the comp side, the parts are too specialist. FFW cranks for example. If a company only had to manufacture a frame and forks, and spec it out with off the shelf MTB parts to cater for all trials riders, it would be a much more attractive market.

@monkeyseemonkeydo Plus those 3 are from the era, when trials was ridden on slightly modified MTBs. And Danny is probably fulfilling contractual obligations. I think it would be both a step forwards and a step back... but if all of trials bikes were standardised to something like an inspired hex (26" wheels and kind of normal looking), trials as a discipline would benefit massively. But that's never going to happen.

So I don't see why MTB companies would want to get involved. Also, trials is split into 2 different disciplines. And within those disciplines there are 2 - 3 different wheel sizes. Which really dilutes an already niche market. If comp and street riders all rode the same type of bike, then it would be a different story and I think that there would be more companies involved.

There must be more to it then that. Onza could have stayed in the trials market as well, of which they were very well established. I can't see why they would throw in the towel, if trials bike sales were still profitable.

Why did Onza step away from the trials market?

I guess that will depend on how successful this version is, and whether the masses prefer it. Man, I hope they do continue it though. I liked what Snyder was doing with DC. The dreams/visions of what would be the future films, looked incredible. Particularly that scene with Leto's joker. which although was only a few minutes, was night and day better than the joker we saw in suicide squad.

I watched the Snyder cut of justice league this evening, in one sitting. It’s by no means a perfect film, but I was blown away by how much better it was then the abomination released a few years ago.

The brand-x ones are really good, I have nothing negative to say about mine. I’ve never had any issues with them coming loose, but I do bolt check reasonably regularly. Look way better then the qr axles as well.

@manuel You can get window films that reflect heat. I have no experience with the stuff, but I know that it exists for conservatories etc. Could be worth looking into.

Inspired seem very dominant in the street trials market. But I wouldn't be surprised if even Inspired's whole market share, wasn't enough to get a lot of the big companies interested. Let alone just a slice of the pie.