16 Questions to:

[Tad]

1) Who are you ?

I don't know myself yet, I keep hoping I'll wake up one morning and my life will all make sense to me. 'Till then I'm just Tad

2) When did you start mountainbiking ?

I got my first mountain bike in 1992 (or there abouts), wouldn't really say I ever did more than bimble about the countryside on it though.

3) What was your first mountainbike ?

1992 (I think) GT Timberline. I still have the knackered, grey splatter frame, forks and stem in the man cave.

4) What do you have in your pockets right now ?

A pair of latex gloves. I've just cycled home from work and always have a pair in the back pocket of my jersey, I hate getting mucky hands when the bike needs running repairs.

5) What is your favorite mountainbike ?

At the moment I'd have to say the old Saracen I commute to work on. No matter how much I don't want to go in, riding to work like a loon always sees me arrive with a smile on my chops

6) What's your most hated chore on the household chore list?

Dealing with bills and all the paperwork nonsense.

7) What bike would you buy if money was no object ?

I'm sure that there are more worthwhile things I could do with the cash, assuming I'd done them I wouldn't buy a bike if money was no object, I'd find it too boring. I prefer building them and riding them to just owning stuff. I'd buy a load of courses to improve my brazing and silver soldering, next on the shopping list would be some 953 tubing, stainless frame lugs, tools and consumables and I would build my own frame and rigid forks starting off with cutting my own spearpoint lugs, possibly some fillet brazing...

Groupset, I'd nail some old Shimano XT to it. It would have to have thumbies, a threaded headset and probably cantis (possibly Vs but never discs), it's good stuff and I know how it works.

8 ) Name one thing that not many people know about you ?

There are too many things I don't know about myself to be honest.

9) What is you favorite bikepart ?

Hand cut frame lugs, a nice clean spearpoint, I can't be doing with faffy Hetchins style fancy cut stuff.

10) Which bike (brand) is overrated according to your own humble opinion

I don't care, they all mean something to someone, who am I to pi$$ on their chips?


11) If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be ?

I used to say Japan, Canada or NZ though just having come back from a business trip to Sweden I'd have to say there. Beautiful country, full of beautiful people.

12) If you could go on a road trip with anyone alive or dead, who would it be? And where would you go?

I'd go with the love of my life. It doesn't matter where, we'd just make memories that would stay with us for ever.


13) What is you next bike going to be ?

Still a bike despite the attentions of my spanners.


14) Which bike(part) do you regret selling.

They're only bike parts, they really don't matter.


15) Do you think it is cruel that there is an "S" in the word lisp?

no



16. My question for you is....................do you really believe in fixies?

Yes, I have one lurking in the back of the man cave. People laugh and point at it on club runs, they soon stop when they're left gasping for breath on the first and subsequent climbs.


Next up is that young boulevardier chris667

16. My question for you is....................

Biscuits, to dunk or not to dunk? Remember to consider and discuss different types of biscuit as well as dunking mediums both hot and cold. Marks will be awarded for a long, rambling and comic answer.

 

[barry2017]

Fame at last!

1) Who are you ?

Chris Davies.

2) When did you start mountainbiking ?

I was 21 before I did mountain biking on a mountain bike. Saying that, I have always ridden off road and over jumps and stuff, so if you classify it like that I started when I was 7.

3) What was your first mountainbike ?

1987 Peugeot Alpine. Lovely bike, bought secondhand from a brilliant bike shop that is long gone now.
Only recently retired it because it was really, properly bent and wouldn't go in a straight line anymore. Still got the frame, and quite fancy learning to braze, so watch this space!

4) What do you have in your pockets right now ?

Wallet, mobile phone, my dog's lead and a spoke key (bike tinkering today).

5) What is your favorite mountainbike ?

It changes almost daily. Today it is my Dynatech Diabolo, but generally anything with charm, and nice attention to detail. If it's lugged, that is a big plus.

6) What's your most hated chore on the household chore list?

I have a rather laisez-faire approach to this sort of thing, so my home is very, very low maintenance. Vinyl floors, varnished walls, nothing that requires much work. Beyond that, I don't really mind cleaning once I've started.

Although next month my boat is in dry dock for reblacking, which is a horrible, dirty job.

7) What bike would you buy if money was no object ?

I don't feel the need to own really exotic bikes, and don't have any really odd measurements, so I'm happy with stuff that already exists. Any of the bikes I own have capabilities far beyond what I could get from them.

Saying that, I found the discussions with Geoff Apps fascinating, so I might one day build a frame in tribute to the Range Rider. I have something like that now based around an old Raleigh with drum brakes and singlespeed, but it's not really as good as it could be.

8 ) Name one thing that not many people know about you ?

I am a direct descendant of Oscar Wilde. That's why I'm so goddamned witty.

9) What is you favorite bikepart ?

The head tube lug on my Clubman. So intricate!

10) Which bike (brand) is overrated according to your own humble opinion

If we were all the same, there genuinely could be one ultimate bike for everyone, but we're not, so I wouldn't say anything was overrated. Any given bike is almost always right for someone.

Saying that, I think a £90 full suspension bike is fundamentally dishonest.

11) If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be ?

I'm still trying to work that out. I like the idea of proper wilderness, although long term I'm not sure that would be good for me.

12) If you could go on a road trip with anyone alive or dead, who would it be? And where would you go?

My favourite thing is touring, so it would have to be a bike tour. Not sure who I'd go with yet, I'll let you know when I meet them.

13) What is you next bike going to be ?

I have a long bike project currently on the go, which I will show you all soon. It has SRAM drum brakes and a 3 speed hub, and will be 7ft long. I like making my bikes carry improbable loads, like passengers, sacks of coal, etc. If funds allow it might even include electric assist to wind up roadies on hills.

14) Which bike(part) do you regret selling.

They enter my life, I play with them for a bit, and then they go on a bit for other people to appreciate.

15) Do you think it is cruel that there is an "S" in the word lisp?

No, but I think of that episode of Top of The Pops where Chris Eubank was presenting the show and had to say "And Now, at number six here's Suggs singing Cecilia!" probably was.

16) Biscuits, to dunk or not to dunk? Remember to consider and discuss different types of biscuit as well as dunking mediums both hot and cold. Marks will be awarded for a long, rambling and comic answer.

It's a very, very important question you've asked there, as biscuits are one of the most important tools to be found in a retrobiker's workshop. While the majority of my biscuit dunking experience has been of a functional rather than of a scientific nature, my observations are as follows.

There are two major considerations. Firstly, one needs to consider the dunking medium. Tea is the beverage of choice, although coffee may be preferred, especially by our continental bretheren. Cold drinks like milk, Smirnoff Ice and Guinness are at best misguided and at worst a sign of a weak, jeuvenile mind.

Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, the biscuit. I have found choice in biscuit says a lot about a cyclist's wider choices. Is the retrobiker keen on a taut, efficient biscuit such as the rich tea, or do they prefer the flabby but reassuring substance of the hob nob? This may very well be dependent on the kind of frame they own. Aluminium/Carbon = Rich tea, Steel = Hob nob. Continental biscuits bought outside of their country of origin are very often an attempt to show off, so perhaps they are more analogous to botique parts such as Pauls rear mechs, or even a clumsy attempt at seduction. Mechanics, beware of the bike owner that arrives with a matrimonial glint in their eye and a box of biscotti in their hand.

And the next person will be PurpleFrog.

My question to you:

16) If today was the last day on Earth, what would you spend it doing?

 

[bojangle]

1) Who are you ?
Steve (i'm never growing up) Hughes

2) When did you start mountainbiking ?
1988

3) What was your first mountainbike ?
Raleigh Mirage

4) What do you have in your pockets right now ?
Sim card, car keys, wallet and 35p

5) What is your favorite mountainbike ?
Raleigh Dyna-tech

6) What's your most hated chore on the household chore list ?
Washing up

7) What bike would you buy if money was no object ?
Trimble

8 ) Name one thing that not many people know about you ?
I have cheated death 3 times (offically told by the hospital)

9) What is you favorite bikepart ?
Seat

10) Which bike (brand) is overrated according to your own humble opinion ?
Specialised

11) If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be ?
Whistler, Canada

12) If you could go on a road trip with any person (dead or alive), who would you choose and where would you go ?
Burt Reynolds, Coast to Coast USA (route 66)

13) What is you next bike going to be ?
Saracen (if i win it on ebay)

14) Which bike(part) do you regret selling
Raleigh Burner gold GS (hens teeth are easy to find compared to this one)

15) Do you think it is cruel that there is an "S" in the word lisp?
No, Learn to speak properr

16) (make up your own question for the next person in line)
Answer to previous - Go out and steal lots of fast cars ( or just hump anything in a skirt!)

If you had to drown in alcohol, what drink would it be?

 

[clockworkgazz]

Ha ha love your style mate feck waiting for an invite, nice to meet you Steve.

 

[bojangle]

Sorry, I nominate driftingjames.

 

[drifting james]

1) Who are you ?

A science geek who has made curious career move after career move and now finds himself working as a manager in the nuclear industry. A contented man with one wife, 2 kids and currently 4 bikes.

2) When did you start mountainbiking ?

1992

3) What was your first mountainbike ?

Muddy fox Pathfinder. Weighed a ton, rusted easily and was massive. So I could 'grow' into it. I got it when I was 11. It would still be too big for me now. I crashed it on roads and it did nothing for my love of mountain biking.

4) What do you have in your pockets right now ?

Holes.

5) What is your favorite mountainbike ?

Tough one.

Either:

The first Pace Research suspension bike. I can't remember the number but it was purple and never went into production because (presumably) it was cr@p. I loved it because it showed off Pace's engineering vision from concept design through to detailed production. Bold moves by Pace, they weren't afraid to see things through despite knowing things were not great. A true research organisation.

Or:

My second bike. A dynatech 2070 in team colours with full Suntour XC Pro. Bought from the local bike shop second hand, it was alledgedly David Bakers training bike. Whether this was true or not, I don't really care. I took the bike onto Dartmoor and discovered what mountain biking was about.

6) What's your most hated chore on the household chore list ?

Mopping the kitchen floor.

7) What bike would you buy if money was no object ?

Any retro Pace

8 ) Name one thing that not many people know about you ?

I love playing online chess

9) What is you favorite bikepart ?

The bike candy. Purple, blue or red anodised bits that you change on your bike for no apparent reason other than a pathetic attempt to be colour co-ordinated and lose weight

10) Which bike (brand) is overrated according to your own humble opinion ?
Klein.


11) If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be ?

Pakistan, Karakorum mountains. No really I would.

12) If you could go on a road trip with anyone alive or dead, who would it be? And where would you go?

My idea of a road trip?
We go out and buy some (good nick) honda cub bikes. The ugly, but indestructable bike with gears. Put panniers on the back (camping equipment etc) and ride across Europe, Russia etc. The plan is to bin / sell them when you have had enough, but aim to get round the world. Those bikes are so robust they could run on mashed banana. And spares are available anywhere.

Who with?
Just friends with the expectation of making many more on the way


13) What is you next bike going to be ?

A road bike. Or a Pace. But I really need a road bike. Both. But I've got no money. None. Pro flex on offer locally - good price. Another modern bike offering biking nirvana as described by a bloke who writes for a mgazine who didn't have to pay the $^$^&&%$ extortionate money that we are expected to part with. My wife wants a new bike.

Welcome to my everyday dilemna. Help.


14) Which bike(part) do you regret selling

All of them, but especially my original dynatech 2070


15) Do you think it is cruel that there is an "S" in the word lisp?

Yeth.



16. "If you had to drown in alcohol, what drink would it be?"

Hmmm... Lovely frothy beer. Although an inflammable liquor would probably assist with the following funeral arrangements...


My question 16: 'Why do Dogs have black lips? Discuss.'

Quesion to....I'll get back to you in a bit - looks like a long thread.

 

[drifting james]

Question to - Baj

 

[Defiant]

who wants to go next?

 

[FluffyChicken]

bump ?

 

[yo-eddy]

bump ?

After you my friend