Bikes, Buggies and Babies

@slc While I think we can all agree that the state of roads are crap in general, the A4 or A431 (through Kelston) between Bath and Bristol is much smoother. Or at least it’s possible to find smooth sections provided you’re not riding in the gutter at all times. I often ride my 28mm race bike on these roads, but no chance I’d take it on the cycle path. I’d argue that’s it’s more than a ‘few’ roots, and there are also a lot of sections with hidden pot holes. I almost destroyed my front wheel falling into one just this Thursday evening gone! There are certain sections that are definitely adequate, but the Bath end (beyond Bitton) is a bit of a disgrace.

@HoarseMann thanks for the feedback on how it works.

@Sniffer I have a nearly 10yr old Mason Definition that's done plenty of miles including LEJOG, and a Strael 3.0 that I haven't used nearly enough yet. Quite similar bikes, the few miles I've done on the Strael suggest a bit more compliance, but the Mason is still a comfy place to be. Still never had the carbon race bike to compare that end of the spectrum and TBH I'm probably past it now.

As regards the crazed Bath cycle lane protesting nutters: I'm at a fantastic Lancashire Wildlife Trust Supporters Day and there was a talk from a rewilding expert from Arkaty farm near Stirling. They were pioneers of reintroducing red kites and beavers and (rather like the Bath nutters) the tactics of the stupid, stupid objectors have to be heard to be believed. Fake farmers turning up at meetings lying about the made up havoc caused in their fake areas by imaginary reintroductions. Just like the fake concern for children, the disabled, trees etc. etc. fabricated by people who are really only concerned about convenient car parking, and to hell with everything and everybody else

@Global Nomad assuming it's pairing you have a profile (or multiple) within which you can add multiple light modes which you can then customise eg solid/flash 0 -100% brightness. You may not have added a mode to customise? I have 10%, 40%, 60% for long run times but you can have more or less depending how many you want to have to scroll through in use.

Gustav had a falling out with Intend? He used to put their forks on all his wild builds, but the one time the upside-down fork would make perfect aesthetic sense, reflecting the upside down tuning machine layout, its back to RockShox? Sponsor obligations perhaps?

@ChasP Price i have a magicshine but I find the app unusable to change the behaviour of the light - keep wondering if i'm missing a step

This was a horrendous incident. I hope the offender gets a suitably long prison term. A life ban on driving would be appropriate but those aren't used in the US with its driving laws, which are comparatively lax. North Carolina has a woeful record on road safety. There were about the same number of people killed in crashes on roads in NC (population about 10 million) in 2022 than there were in the whole of the UK (population about 70 million). I hope those injured recover fully and my condolences to the family of the person killed.

Regarding the park protesters, lol, placards and 'yack yackers' publicly waiving farewell to empathy for their fellow travellers across all demographics...requires a little more than whinging from us....the always whinging cyclists. For the previous two years or so I've been injecting fictional trickles into those among us who insist the deform party is the way to go currently. Nothing else punctures their drivel. Ironically and judiciously, no lie, last year I was riding 2 miles over town to collect a Decathlon track pump, £28, for £15, off the facebook and I slowly freewheel past this boomer dude, pumping red face, light blue shirt ironed by his wife, light brown brogues copied from his gang members, posting leafys through doors. Anyways, I got the pump, lovely chap, and found myself trundling past the leafleteer a few moments later, the pump rising from my backpack like the sword of truth from one of those myths. Pulling up I hailed the insane, "Hey matey, are you canvassing for reform?" "Yes." "Great, is it true the reform party are going to implement a policy where dog owners in england have to walk their dogs on the roads because dogs are dangerous, and are dogs really being banned from using paths in england?" "What..............no, no, thats not true, where did you hear that? "...because if that's true I wont be voting reform again." I said, with an affected weakness signal slowly moving across my brow like a bright red rear light. Five minutes go by, exchanges were made made in a meaninglessness I find hard to appreciate. "Where did you hear that?" "On the radio." I said. Stood on the right pedal and slowly rolled off, half a turn. "Do you want a leaflet...?" "No thanks bud."

@Hollis Jones As I trundle over the big roots near the brick fish, I wonder if a road for cars would be allowed to remain in such a state. But then I turn on to one and find the answer is very much 'yes'. For the region's raddest thrills I recommend the descent of conham hill. I would say that, a few rooty bits and the warmley chasm (which is almost a scheduled ancient monument) aside, the BBRP is in good physical repair. Because its users don't destroy it.