Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

Hit a tree and broke the my carbon forks, bounce is back.

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Hi guys. Wondering if you anyone has some advice on MTB tyres for off road touring on a pretty epic trip across Uganda? My frame has clearance for 2.1 wide tyres and I’m planning on going tubeless. It will be mainly off road on dirt tracks connecting local villages but there will be some road riding too. I’m looking at the WTB Nano 2.1 at the moment but wondering if anyone has advice on some other options? Puncture protection and strong side walls is top of priorities.

Cheers,

Tom.

And is going tubeless a good idea? We’ll have all the stuff to sort out punctures, tears etc but would taking tubes be a more simple, fixable option?

You can put a tube in if your tubeless setup fails. Just take the tubeless valve out and pocket it.

Yeah was planning on doing that.

Vittoria Mezcal seem popular for the Tour Divide

Don't forget, that if you have to put a tube in, you will probably have thorns and sharp bits sticking through, that the tubeless set up sorted.....best trick I've seen, is take a small cotton wool ball, and run it around the inside of the tyre.....that way, your fingers don't get shredded checking, and all the thorns will have a little bit of white fluff on, to help you spot them.
My preference is one of those 'dogshit' repair kits. Poke a solution soaked rubber worm through an enlarged hole jobbie.

hi! I've been to uganda and walked along many of those roads.

first, read this article, it is great: http://www.bikepacking.com/plan/traveling-tubeless-guide/
second, what season are you going in? if it's always dry the Nanos will be a very good bet.
if it's wet then you need something much, much more aggressive. I have seen the roads there, they are terrible at best after rain. You should take at least a Schwalbe Nobby Nic with the tough sidewall option if there is a chance of much rain.

That article is brilliant. I’m looking at Vittoria Mezcal 2.1. They seem a great all-round tyre.

We’ll be going in December so will be less rainy.

cool. I would suggest a tire with a stronger sidewall, like a Maxxis EXO casing. that one is quite light

good deal for someone who wants a new plush hardtail
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Niner-ROS-9-Custom-Build-Steel-29er-Hardtail-RS-Pike-Syntace-Ergon-Rotor/273319859116

Finally getting this dialled in!

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Thanks! Will have a look.

I'm finally tackling Pete's 50k epic Epping route this Wednesday/Thursday - who's in?
conditions are as close to perfect as you'll get.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27204492

Need to get my pivot bearings done.

Who in London can I trust not to fuck this up? My go to now works at fecking LMNH who have served me one shit breakfast too many, then not apologised / offered something else when my reply to their question of 'how was your [half eaten] breakfast' was 'awful'.

Presumably the chefs won't be responsible for your bearing service?

If you trust Mario go for him.

Moose Cycles have always been good for me. However, they are in deepest sarf London - Colliers Wood.

Moose Cycles

Doable. Will hit them up. Cheers.

I've been thrashing my 1x1 around the Peak District for the last couple of months and after taking a beating on Cut Gate, I don't feel confident enough to take it on the trip up Helvellyn I'd got planned for next weekend. So, intro over with, what "modern" steel hardtail frame?
Requirements are:

1. 27.5 specific
   
2. Tapered headtube
   
3. 142 rear end
   
4. Modern (not really sure what this means, I just know my Surly isn't - lots of manufactures are throwing the word 'slack' around?)
   
   

Current options around the £300-400 mark are Ritchey timberwolf, DMR trailstar, Transition transam, Sick something or other, Pace RC127. The latter looks a bit conservative to my eyes (i.e. not slack) and is reduced for today only.
Opinions and advice appreciated. I have no idea what I'm doing :)

https://www.bird.bike/product/zero-am-frameset/

https://www.bird.bike/product/zero-tr-frameset/

steel

I'd be very inclined to pick up the Pace at that price. Seems a real Goldilocks bike, good writeups.

Is the 1x1 rigid ? bouncy front end will help you go faster.

1) if going from 26" and staying rigid look to 29" over 27.5 or 29+.
2) Tapered head tube opens up many choices of tapered or reducer cups to run 1 1/8" forks.
3) wider equals better. I am still on 135mm haven't had any issues :)
4) Slacker equals better. rewind 10 years and world cup level downhill riders where getting custom made frames to race, some only designed to last a few races (silly light tubing). At the time the industry wouldn't release the pro spec geometry, partly in fear of lots of legal action as it was deemed you needed to be a world cup contender to actual be able to ride the bikes with super slack geo. 10 years on and this is the new normal. depends on what your riding and how fast.
Would deffo get a demo ride first if looking at something Slack. it may take a bit of getting used.

Yep it ticks all the right boxes. Thoughts on the Ritchey? Equally bargainous at £299, paint defects or no.