I've always been a dog lover. It all started with my Grandad's Black Lab. He was given it as a retirement present in 1982 about a month after I was born. I grew up with Flair and always felt close to her as we were the same age. At 18 yrs, she sadly passed away, the day after my grandad did. Ever since, I've wanted a dog of my own.

Of course, being an avid mountain biker means my idea of what kind of dog I wanted has become quite exact. For years, I wanted a black lab just like flair, but lately I've seen a breed of dog on the trails that have taken my attention. The Hungarian Vizsla is a stunning dog with the good looks of a labrador, but a leaner body. Think of a chunkier greyhound with a lab's face and floppy ears (I love the ears).

I saw two at CwmCarn last Autumn. They were brothers and were having so much fun chasing their owner along the trail. They were fast, exciteable and always seemed to know to stay behind his front wheel. Perhaps they got it wrong once or twice in the past and learned a lesson?

A mate told me to search for "Swinley Dog" on YouTube for a vid of a guy riding the Swinley trails with his dog. So I did. If there ever was a convincing argument to get a Vizsla, or a dog at all...this video is it. This is Amber...

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I've had around 8 bikes stolen over the last two years in two batches of four. A punch in the guts it was on both occasions. The first theft left me without my £6k Knolly Delirium T amongst other bikes and I'm still gutted none of my bikes have turned up, despite how boutique and rare some of them were.

Although it doesn't help me, it does bring a sense of reassurance to see examples of police forces taking bike theft seriously. Like Hampshire Police just recently uncovering a haul of 60 or so framesets as MBR magazine reports in the latest March 2012 issue.

PC Richard Smith had investigated a spate of thefts back in 2010. He had suspects, but it wasn't until a bike was stolen in Aldershot, and a fingerprint found, that his hunch was substantiated. The owner of the bike had spotted his Fox Talas forks on eBay and notified the police. His identification of the forks enabled PC Smith to obtain warrants through the courts, which led to finding five people linked to the eBay account. Three of those are appearing in court this February charged with conspiracy to steal and are expected to recieve a costodial sentance each. The account saw £240,000 pass through it which is strong evidence.

If you've had your bike stolen within 30 or so miles of Farnborough and is worth anything £500 plus, check these details out at the following link where you will subsequently find a link to an image gallery. http://www.nhampshirectc.org.uk/pages/Stolenbikes.html

There are some nice framesets in there. No complete bikes, but some look like complete bikes less wheels, so take a look just encase you recognise one of these bikes

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However the design lives on and is still produced by SRAM, although in smaller numbers because OEM sales are near non-existent for their MTB offering. Production exists in higher numbers for their city/hybrid bike sales.

I love twist grip/Gripshift shifters. I like how light they are, how precise they are and that they're cheap to buy when compared to their trigger shifter counterparts.

Some people hate them. But I struggle to understand why. With Gripshift, you're able to change gear instantly without having to adjust your hand or fingers. Just twist! If you think miss-shifts would be common based on your hand resting on the shifter as part of the grip...think again. Bull sh*t! Your weight rests on your palm and not on the shifter.

What do you reckon? Will Gripshift continue? Judging by the new XX shifter pictured below, I'd say there's some life left in it yet...plus some loyal customers.

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I'm only just starting to get my head around the 29er revolution. I've been hooked on 26" wheel mountain bikes for 15 years and now more and more people are turning to 29ers for their trail needs, I've decided to hop on the band wagon with the addition nof a Felt Nine Elite 29er 2011 to my fleet.

My theory is, use my 26" travel aggressive full suspension bike for technical trails and pulling some moves, while using a 29er hardtail for less-technical cross country riding. I wouldn't want to take my 29er to Wales as I wouldn't think it would be the ideal bike for technical trails, jumps, drops etc.

With the evolution of the 29er, bike companies have been trying to build bikes to resemble full line-ups like a 26" bike line. For taller riders, or those who love the benefits of larger wheels, bikes are being built to cater for as many categories as possible. But there are limits.

Santa Cruz have been proto-typing 29er down hill bikes and other companies have been slowly launching longer and longer travel bikes with 29" wheels. The problem is, the larger the wheel, the more restricted suspension travel is. This requires radical rethinking when it comes to geometry and suspension designs.

I question the ability for 29ers to replace my 26" long travel all mountain bike (Rocky Mountain Slayer 70), but an old standard is starting to re-emerge and could change my opinion on the larger wheel.

650A, 650B and 650C are a wheel size that came about many years ago. Primarily used on time trial bikes and touring bikes, to offer a stronger, faster accelerating wheel. 650B is now available from some mountain bike wheel and tyre manufacturers. Lots of frames and forks can cope with the increase in wheel size from 26" to 650B, which seems to me to be a bit of a patch. A larger wheel might interfere with your foot on tight turns, of hit your seat tube under suspension activation or even limit the size of tyre used when it comes to fork crowns. But the idea of a larger wheel for increased rolling speed, yet a smaller wheel than a 29er, is an idea that is appealing to me.

How will this evolve? Well it's evolved quicker than you might think. You probably haven't seen any 650B bikes in your local bike shop, nor have you seen many/any in press but they're emerging from the wood work. US brand, Jamis Bikes have two new full suspension trail bikes with 650B wheels as standard. Geometry has been adjusted to allow the larger wheel, plus the longer suspension travel demanded by trail riders. In typical fashion, it's the US brands who start new trends...KHS is another brand building 650B bikes in 2012.

I'm uncertain if the 650B phenomenon on mountain bikes is something that has a future, or it's an obscure aftermarket alteration some people will make to their bikes. I for one, love the idea and would expect I'd try 650B as my next 6" travel all mountain build in lieu of a 29er setup, which I'm fairly sure I wouldn't have as my main bike. However, still a few weeks away from my first 29er experience, opnions can always change!

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Cycle Safety has always been a concern of parents of young children, but it's only lately people have become wise to the risks of serious injury or even death as a cyclist on Britains roads. So how many cyclists have been killed on Britain's roads?

Since 2001, 1,271 cyclists have died on British roads. That doesn't count serious injuries! To put it into perspective, 576 soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan. While 576 is too many deaths in any situation, you would expect a war zone to provide more fatalities than your local ride to work.

The majority of deaths are caused by large vehicles, such as HGV's or articulated vehicles. Some blame the truck drivers, others blame the cyclists. As a cyclist myself, I've seen far too many cyclists stop and wait on the inside of a truck waiting at lights, ignoring the trucks' indication or riding on the inside of a vehicle on a junction. While some truck drivers are certaily to blame, you can't forgive a cyclist who undertakes a signalling and manoeuvering vehicle of any size.

In tomorrow's Times newspaper, a supplement will be published focussed on Cycle Safety. I hope this supplement will educate readers, whether they be drivers, cyclists or both, that the roads are to be SHARED by all.Clearly the City of London are communicating with its residents. I hope the rest of the UK takes note.

A cyclist should know road rules are there to be obeyed by both drivers and themselves. They shouldn't get preferential treatment and should do what they can to treat all other road users with respect. Set a good example, use lights when appropriate and ALWAYS wear a helmet. Remain fully aware of your surroundings and make very obvious signals.

Likewise, a motorist should LOOK OUT FOR BIKES. They should use their mirrors ALL the time and not to take a turning without doing so. Signal and give cyclists, both peducular (new word?) and motorised plenty of space. A cyclist is OFTEN moving quicker than you expect!

REMEMBER: A car is bigger and tougher than a bike!

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Last weekend, Whittlebury Hall Hotel hosted the 2012 Core Bike trade show.

Unlike other shows, Whittlebury Hall was an intimate afair with a number of smaller rooms housing the latest bike gear hitting the UK trade now.

I saw some great stuff and spoke to some great people. ALthough I spent all day looking around, I missed some of my must-see's. I-Ride (2-Pure) were representing Ibis and I missed the Mojo HD which I really wanted to see.

A couple of highlights though, a restored Yeti C-26 from the John Tomac Glory days adorned the entrance to the Silverfish room that was displaying all the latest Yeti and Mondraker models. This Yeti frame was the last of all of the C-26 frames. The tubes were found buried in the Yeti factory and made up years after the C-26 died. This model is up to spec, complete with Tioga Disc Drive rear wheel.

Other kit to note includes the X-Fusion suspension line up. A big grip eamongst many mountain bikers is the lack of 27.2mm dropper seatpost options. Well lookie here at this X-Fusion Dropper post. Available in various sizes inluding 27.2mm to fit most MTB's that can't take the larger 30.9 and 31.6mm post diameters.

Yeti C-26 John Tomac replica

Yeti C-26 John Tomac replica

In order left from right, Yeti SB-66C, Yeti ASR-C, Yeti 4x, Yeti 303WC, Yeti DJ and Yeti SB-66

X-Fusion Dropper posts available in 27.2mm

Tell me these forks don't look at all like Rock Shox? Yep, X-Fusion are looking good for 2012

MicroShift Mechs and Shifters are starting to appear on bikes, like this DMR Bolt

Lovely candy colours on these Intense models. Give me that Uzzi any day!

More candy colours on these Marzocchi 4x and DJ models

The new Marzocchi 55 RC3 EVO Ti models are highly desireable...oh look, added incentive under the 888's!

The COlnago C59 was my road bike of choice at the show. Matt black with gloss black graphics was simply stunning

Fibre Flare are popular lights amongst commuters now. They are slimmer than they used to be now and the smaller ones look like you could attach them to your spokes for a ring effect

Lynskey Ti frames were lovely in their "twisty" guise

Love or hate this Mondraker

Pivot are looking pretty special

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I've had mud tyres before, from various brands and I've even had these before too, but not for a couple of years and after struggling on my semi-bald Maxxis Ardents for the past couple of months, today I clearly ha forgotten what decent tyres that are made for purpose really are.

Today around Swinley, I was thrilled to have the Specialized Storm Control tyres. They dug in and enabled solid climbing up every surface I encountered. Even on wet roots you could really feel them grabbing hold and propelling you forward. On the occasion they did slip, they gripped firm again quickly.

Every corner was sure footed and precise with real unlimited grip when in tacky or boggy situations. On stoney and hard but loose corners grip wasn't so plentiful. This might be because the ultimate tyre for every purpose doesn't exist, or it could be my riding style as tyres can't do all the work!

So I confirm the tread pattern digs deep, sheds mud and seems robust enough. The casing of my S-Works model is superb. Folding and light, the tyre took shape easily and is a voluminous 26x2.0 that offered plenty of structure that enabled my usual flair on the trail. Compound was fast rolling but soft enough to grip well on the hard pack.

Specialized use their tubeless technology on this model called 2Bliss which does the job of UST well. Locking in air tightly.

At around £25 per tyre, they're a bargain!

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After my article earlier in the week about Rohloff hubs and their failing compatibility with modern MTB suspension frames, I was asked by a reader what the big deal with Rohloff hubs is. Why do I prefer a Rohloff hub over a conventional derailleur set-up.

Well, the idea is simple, even if the execusion can sometimes be more complicated. In short, I love the Rohloff Speedhub because it gives you an incredibly useful 14 gears with near zero maintenance requirements in a package that guarantees function in any condition, in a quiet and good looking package.

I originally built up a Knolly Delirium T with a Rohloff Speedhub. I wanted a bike I could ride every day, hard without having to check my bike over, or fiddle with gears/brakes. The gear solution was the Rohloff hub. On a hardtail, you can run a chain as if it were a singlespeed, so ZERO chain slap. On a full sus bike, you need to run a chain tensioner, however you can run this tensioner very tight to almost eliminate chain slap.

What this gives you is a bike that rides so incredibly quietly. No noisy chains, mis shifts or scrambling for traction accross a cassette. A Rohloff always has the right gear for you and lets you descend with prowess giving the illusion that you're floating while everybody else is going "clang, ding, slap".

I used to go months without washing my bike. And went 3,500 miles before replacing my chain and chainring (Roloff sprocket was still fine). And WOW, it looks great. Certainly is a conversation starter on the trail. With a 44t chainring, the 14 gears would spread similar to that of a 27spd drivetrain enabling you to go up and down anything.

What was particularly neat, say you're folling your mate up a steep grade and he fluffs his gears and looses traction. Fear not, you can simply chainge down and carry on pedalling. No need to wait for a chain to move accross and you loose your footing. Shifting without the need to pedal is far more useful than you think.

At c£1k it's allot of money for a a heavy hub, but factor in a Chris King rear hub, XTR shifters, cassette, chain, rear mech, front mech and chainrings and you have yourself a comparable value dream component that will have your bike the envy of desire. The hub does weigh allot though. My Mavic DH rim with straight gauge spokes and a 2.4 ST Maxxis High Roller gave me a 12lb rear wheel! However, dressed smartly, the rear wheel could match the weight of a bike equiped with a conventional SLX drivetrain.

Rohloff Speedhub, if it fits your bike it'll be the best upgrade you could make!

Comment below if you have fitting concerns and I'll get you the answers!

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I'm a big fan of Rohloff Speedhubs. They should last you a life time and ironically, I've had two. Hubs, not lifetimes. Both were on bikes that were stolen.

Owning a Rohloff Speedhub is like buying membership to a club, but this club has a specific type of member and unfortunately, new technologies in bike manufacture, means some members, including me are growing out of the brand.

Compatibility issues have always been the number one reason why you might not be able to buy one of these amazing feits of engineering. Well, maybe joint with cost. c£1000 for hub with disc brake attachment options. Rohloff produce a number of versions to facilitate the fitment of aSpeedhub to many different bikes. Any roadbike or touring bike should facilitate the fitting without a problem and until recently, most hardtail mountain bikes and full suspension bikes too.

Sadly, with the evolution of the disc brake mount from IS (international standard) to "post mount", frames with this method of disc fitting are no longer compatible with the "Dogbone" attachment Rohloff make available for full suspension bikes that is critical to the function of the hub. Even if a new Dogbone was made to be compatible with a postmount disc (the disc rotor would have to be 140mm or less to function with a new adapter anyway), Rohloff hubs are no longer compatible with the new wider spacing of new full suspension frames.

The widest Speedhub axle is 135mm threaded or QR. I've heard of people modifying axles to fit downhill bikes before (not sure if this is true), but the hub is totally uncompatible with the 135mm Maxle thru axle design and especially incompatible with the new 142mm standard that I'm running on my Rocky Mountain Slayer 70. Indeed, I challenge you to find any modern mid/long travel all mountain bike that still runs a 135mm QR axle.

I asked UK importer Ison-Distribution - who in-turn forwarded my query to Rohloff AG directly in Germany - if a new plan is a-foot to offer modern axle types. Their response was completely valid and understandable, yet sadly Rohloff remain a small company who can't afford the radical re-tooling, marketing and R&D involved in building a new Speedhub compatible with modern frame standards, especiallyu as the mountain bike market remains such a small part of their business. Rohloff's response hints that unless the mountain bike industy settles on a true standard (142mm is new and may not be what all brands settle on), Rohloff will not consider making the hub compatible in these formats.

I'm sad that I will not own another Rohloff in the forseeable future. My style of riding demands one, but my style of bike will not allow one.

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Rohloff's response:

The SPEEDHUB cannot be cheaply adapted to accommodate an axle of wider or longer dimensions. A different axle diameter or length will involve numerous internal components being completely redesigned and produced on a small scale for what is an incredibly small percentage of our customer base. We would love to offer solutions but alas, this will not be possible until the market settles on a standard for these dimensions.

The Speedbone issue is unfortunately a similar issue but one which goes hand-in-hand with that mentioned above as most frames with the new axle dimensions also incorporate the Postmount brake style.

The Postmount itself causes issues because the only standardized face is the caliper mount itself. A new adapter for torque support over this face would result in e.g. a 180mm disc being required as opposed to the normal 160mm - because the adapter would cause the caliper to be mounted further from the axle. Now, generally this isn't such a problem and we could develop a solution. Unfortunately however, the true issue why we do not offer such a solution is the dropout itself and not the brake mount type.

The axleplates of the SPEEDHUB require a plan surface of 40mm diameter around the axle (see owners manual - page 29). These Postmount frames no longer need to remain flush up to the brake mount (as was with the IS standard) and the increasing majority of designs tend to no longer offer this necessary 40mm flush area. New Speedbone or not, we are unable to get around this problem.

The result of both issues you inquired about is that a small company such as the Rohloff AG is simply unable to recuperate the R&D, logistic and marketing costs on such a small scale development. As a small manufacturer are forced to focus our limited resources on our most profitable market sectors and to date, MTBs equate to just a small percentage of our customer base. Developments specifically for the MTB market are therefore understandably slow in bearing fruit.

We are continuously investigating all possibilities in these areas but I (personally) do not see any cost effective solutions in the near future.

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Some time ago, Velominati blog published "The Rules". These rules consisted of common faux pas of the road cyclist in an effort to retain common sense, improve the opinion of non-cyclists (motorists?) by ensuring cyclists are considerate to other road users and generally seperate the "sport cyclist" from the die hard enthusiast.

As a die-hard cyclist myself, I applaud many of the "rules" raised in Velominati's article, but I can't help but feel some of the rules seperate the sport a little too much. You know when you're riding along and a group of road cyclists pass you by in full team strip, without a smile on their face and ignore your 'nod of acknowlegdement'? That's the kind of rider who would adhere to every one of those rules and as such I urge you to read the rules with a pinch of salt.

Some of those rules can be transferred to the world of mountain biking, but others not. Here is bikdibley's take on "The Rules" for mountain biking, geared up to improve mountain biking for everybody.

Major Contributor: Andrew Gardiner of Kingley Vale Mountain Bikers

1. Obey the Rules (Oh yes)

2. Never aid the breaking of these rules by anybody else

3. Have fun

4. If your MTB ride should join the public road for any period, remember to ride responsibly - you're used to riding as you wish on the trail, but form an orderly line and be considerate to each others' safety

5. Don't be an idiot to other users of the countryside - if the mountain biker before you was an idiot, those users would be less acceptable of you. Set a good example

6. If you see someone injured, stop and help

7.If you see someone with a broken bike, stop and offer your help.

8. Offer you mates a lift. They're your mates and riding together is fun.

9. Always carry a phone with you (unless you're racing).

10. No digging on, around or near anyone else's trails. There are 2 exceptions to this rule:

• If you case a landing or blow out a berm you must fix it. You must only return it to it's previous state. You must not "improve", alter, or otherwise change it.
• Otherwise, you may only dig someone else's trail if you have been invited to do so.

11. If you ride someone else's trail, you must offer to help dig (If you ride Queen Elizabeth Country Park, fine QECP Trail Builders on Facebook)

12. If you turn up at someone else's trail and they are digging, you must not ride, unless you are invited to do so.

13. If you ride someone else's trail, unless it is obvious that it is a well know location, you must assume otherwise and therefore not tell other riders the location of this trail. Secret trails are secret trails.

14. No Littering. Anywere. This includes car parks as well in the woods. You carried it to the woods. Carry it home. It's lighter and smaller once your eaten/drunk what was in it.

15. Goggle tear-offs are litter. Treat them as such. Tear offs are crap anyway.

16. If you ride at a location where you are required to pay, you must pay. - Trail centre "charge schemes" are often operated on a trust basis.

17.If you park where you are required to pay, you must pay. - These funds go towards maintaining the trails you're riding. So, even if you ride at night and think you can "get away without paying for parking", it's normally cheap so pay!

18. Close gates that were closed before you arrived. If you find an open gate, use common sense to decide what to do. If you see livestock, you'll probably need to close the gate.

19. No stopping in the middle of singletrack. If you stop, get off the trail.

20. No riding around puddles on singletrack to avoid them. Manual or hop. Riding around puddles causes erosion and widens the trail. Singletrack is narrow for a reason.

21. No pushing up "downhill" tracks. Use common sense.

22. Matching race kit is for racing only., and even then only if you are fast, or under 12. You may wear coordnated colours.

23. Number boards are for racing only.

24. Wear a helmet whenever you are on a bike.

25. Wear a helmet appropriate to the trail. No XC lids on DH tracks. No DH lids on XC rides(unless you only have 1 helmet). And while we're on the subject, full facehelmets should not be used while commuting!

26. Wear appropriate protection/body armour for the trails you are riding. - Full body armour isn't needed for riding bridleways.

27. Never wear body armour over your riding kit. You'll look like a tit. The only exception is a neckbrace.

28. If you're going to wear a neckbrace, Only wear one with a Full face helmet. Avoid wearing it off of the bike.

29. Do not have your name on your bike. You are not a pro. (Unless you are a pro)

30. Never use the word "freeride". You are not Canadian. This is not the 1990's.

31. Never call your bike a steed. It is not a horse. You are not a presenter on Top Gear.

32. Spiked/wet weather tyres should not be used in dry conditions on soft soil. You'll do more damage to the trail and the rest of the countryside.

33. No one shall ever use a Maxxis Minion Rear tyre. They are pointless (personal opinion of AG. Super Tacky Minions work well on Whistler rock. But that's it - BD).

34. Own a multiple tyres. Fit the correct ones to your bike as dictated by the weather and the tracks you are riding. If you get this right, they should be the only part of you/your bike which make regular contact with the ground. Get this wrong and more of you/your bike will make regular contact with the ground.

35. If you catch someone else on the trail ahead, don't buzz their back wheel or force them off the track. Say excuse me like you would do if you weren't on a bike. If you really must and only if it's safe to pass, shout "rider".

36. Bikes belong in cars, not on cars where possible.

37. You shall not attach a bag or toolkit to your frame. If you really have to, you may attach it under the saddle.

38. A pump should never be attached to a frame.

39. Mountain biks should never have a kick-stand attached.

40. If you're riding downhill for any length of time, or if you intend to jump, or if you think you might accidentally leave the ground - lower your saddle as appropriate. Not doing so could result in a "dead sailor".

41. Keep your bike clean. It cost you a lot of money

42. Keep your bike well maintained. broken bike = crash.

43. Use appropriate footwear. White running shoes look terrible and novice-like.

43. Shop at reputable bicycle retailers. As long as you go to a proper bike shop and avoid "superstores" you'll buy a good bike, built by a professional. You don't have to pay a fortune, just buy it from the right place.

44. Buy an appropriate sized bike. Small bikes may look cool, but if it doesn't fit, you won't have as much fun.

45. Try night riding. If you don't, you won't ride for half the year.

46. Don't be scared of rain. Unless you live in sunny SoCal, ride in the rain and cold from time-to-time or you won't ride.

47. Don't buy bikes, bike parts, or clothing if you suspect them to be knocked off - I did once and felt terrible.

48. Ride a bike park. If you've only ever ridden in the UK, you must get your bike on a plane and ride at a ski resport in the summer. Most cater for bikes in the off-season and offer some of the most spectacular trails you can't imagine. Try the Alps if you're on a budget, or Whistler if you have pennies to burn.

49. Don't have strong opinions of bike gear you haven't used.

50. Use magazines as a guide to what kit to buy. They're not a bible though. Their opinions are not your opnions until you've been there, ridden that or tried it.

51. Don't be a Shit mountain biker and say any of the following: (video below)

Got more rules? Post the rules below and include a link to your website/blog and I'll publish them in the article.

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It seems to be the season for snow bikes. I only wrote an article featuring the Hanerink extreme condition bike a month ago which Blue Peter's Helen Skelton will be using to get her to the South Pole. See that article HERE. Well, it seems Moots has given in and will be building 20 FrosTi models with 3.7" tyre capability and geometry that will be able to take a 29er suspension fork (with a conventional wheel added).

The below article was grabbed from BikeRadar.com which includes the details. Note Moots' earlier RigorMootis custom bike which I think is waaaayy cooler than the FrosTi. This Rigormootis uses a rear wheel on the front complete with cassette. This provides the ability to swap wheels if you find your cassette becomes compact with ice. Awesome custom painted rims, with matching fork crown, bars and Race Face Next LP Carbon cranks.

It seems Moots are forgetting something...Don't you find when riding in snow, your cassete becomes clogged with ice at times? Well wouldn't a rohloff hub and Gates Carbon Belt drive solve this issue? I would think so, which makes me wonder why these "extreme condition" bikes aren't using the famous gear hub?

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Bike Radar

After years of producing fewer than 10 bespoke one-offs for insistent customers and Iditabike racer Mike Curiak, Moots will finally put their titanium snow bike into production – albeit in a very small run capped at just 20 frames.

The FrosTi is designed around a maximum 3.7in tire width front and rear, with a 100mm-wide threaded bottom bracket shell, 170mm rear hub spacing, ultra-widely-set chainstays and seatstays, and 135mm front hub spacing for the recommended Salsa Enabler rigid chromoly fork.

According to Moots, the FrosTi's geometry will also accommodate an 80mm-travel 29er fork for fair-weather riding. Other adventure-specific features include through-guides for full-length housing throughout and options for a third water bottle mount and rack mounts. Up front, a 44mm-diameter head tube allows for straight and tapered steerers.

Snow bike fans will notice a number of changes on the FrosTi relative to Moots' earlier custom builds – understandable since the original versions were said to be so labor-intensive to construct that Moots were virtually unwilling to sell them. There'll be no optional slider dropouts on the FrosTi, no belt drive option, and no option for S&S couplers.

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I was sent a link today by a colleague to The Rules on Velominati blog. An interesting and incredibly appropriate piece listing 87x rules that must be obeyed if you are to become a successful road rider.

When I say "successful", I don't mean the next Mark Cavendish or Lance Armstrong, I just mean the kind of cyclist that other people want to be around and the kind of cyclist who makes the most out of the sport.

The new phase in cycling is the advent of the MAMIL. Middle Age Man in Lycra. Golf is no longer the default sport of the discerning gentleman. Cycling is. Some like mountain biking, more like road riding, but equally, our sport is growing and people should know how to participate.

It's common to see somebody on the street in all the gear but under the torque of pedalling, the bike sways radically left to right, or perhaps blasts through red lights.

This very useful and interesting list should be the bible for any new-comers to road cycling. We should probably take a few tips as a mountain biker too!

Who fancies a mount

ain bike version? I think one needs writing. Coming soon...

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Having a busy life doesn't have to mean you can't find time to ride your mountain bike. The other morning I was up at 6 and instead of my usual run, I jumped on my mountain bike and hit the single track.

I'm lucky enough to live in the country and be no more than 150ft from the first bit of single track. I gave the Frensham pond a blast and took in all the singletrack I could.

There's something quite nice about being up early in silent countryside watching the sun start to creep up in the distance.

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I don't know about you, but I can't remember the amount of times I have shouted my head off at car drivers who don't see me. A common one is their ability to completely forget about you instantly. A driver might overtake you and instantly decide to cut you up as if you weren't moving. They must think you were standing still and can't comprehend the fact you might be moving. In some cases, at quite a speed.

I've owned cycle horns before and while they have performed averagely, they do nothing more than sound a polite "excuse me please". The Hornit db140 Horn says something more like "watch where the hell you're going!!!".

As the name suggests, this horn - about the size of your average bike headlight - packs a whopping 140 decibles to make sure nobody misses your presence. A neat remote button comes with it and can be mounted right next to your thumb.

This video is a good way to show you the effect it has. It costs £34.99 which seems reasonable to me and available directly from www.thehornit.com.

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I have a wiered facination with commuter/city bikes. These could be geared bikes, fixies, low riders or whatever. I love the idea of building a bike or owning a bike that is so amazingly simple but beautiful and unique. Riding in to town on a Saturday mid-morning for a coffee and maybe a pub-lunch, giving your bike a clean for the purpose.

It's amazing how many bike companies exist where the owner of one of their bikes - if a passionate cyclist - would have "done things a little bit differently".

I'm one of these people. I'd adore a titanium bike and would further more adore a Merlin Newsboy frame from the late nineties (Now & Then article coming soon). Crusing www.bikeradar.com the other day I came accross this beauty from Paul Budnitz. Never heard of him? Nor me. But being based out of Boulder COlorado, you know he's going to have something special. Boulder isn't too far from Crested Butte, the home of the Mountain Biking Hall of Fame. It's also not far from Golden, Yeti's home. Boulder itself is a little hippy and all about the great outdoors. WHat a great place to design a bike that suits your own needs down to the ground.

In the Newsboy style, this Budnitz has the lovely arched one piece split titanium top tube - chainstays, super comfortable swept back titanium bars, and ti seatpost and stem all for comfort and unique feel, with a Gate's Carbon Belt Drive for simplicity and reliability.

This is one clean looking bike and one you'd probably rather hang on the wall, rather than ride. At $5,600 though, it's not a purchase you'd take lightly. That's allot of dollars for a fair weather commuting bike. An option of a Shimano Alfine 11 hub upgrade exists, but if you're spending this sort of money, surely you should be installing a Rohloff?

This article does inspire you to sit down and design your own bike.

The feature as written by Future Publishing's BikeRadar:

BikeRadar says:

Say you're looking for an everyday city bike. Most of us would simply shop and search until we found something satisfactory. But not Paul Budnitz, the founder of world-renowned 'art toy' creative engine Kidrobot. Uninspired by everything he saw, Budnitz instead built his own custom machine and then started a whole company around it to sell his vision of the perfect bicycle to others.

"I couldn't find what I wanted, which is how this usually starts with me," he told BikeRadar during a visit to his office in Boulder, Colorado. "In this case, I wanted a bike that was incredibly fun to ride, incredibly elegant and would last a really long time. That was my thing and it was either really high-end road bikes or city bikes that generally were made with lower-end components but weren't so beautiful."

Paul Budnitz Bicycles' current catalog includes two urban-flavored bikes: the No.1 with dual 700c wheels and 35mm-wide slick tires, and the No.2, a 69er (26in rear wheel, 29in front) with ultra-fat 2.35in street rubber. They share a common theme, with comfortable and curvaceous cantilever frame layouts, dual small-diameter top tubes, classic lines, internal cable routing, sliding rear dropouts and a minimalist aesthetic that's intentionally devoid of logos and flashy colors.

While pleasant to look at and comfy to ride, the No. 1 model shown here is also light at just 9.32kg (20.55lb) all in

What's also shared between both bikes is lots of titanium, which is used for not only the frame and fork but also the seatpost, stem and handlebar – nearly all of which is custom built for Budnitz by Lynskey Performance in Tennessee. Budnitz says he prefers the mystical metal not only for its light weight and durability but also its unique ride characteristics and renewable aesthetic. "If it ever scratches you can just buff it out so it'll still look new and there's an environmental component to that, too," he said.

The componentry follows that same simple-yet-durable motif with Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes, Devinci machined aluminum cranks rotating on a Token square-taper bottom bracket, Schwalbe slick tires, Paul Components brake levers, standard maintenance-free Gates belt drives, Nokon segmented aluminum housing, and custom wheels built with White Industries hubs and Velocity Blunt rims.

Budnitz says the cantilevered, twin top tube layout lends a smoother ride - not to mention a more elegant look - than conventional double-diamond configurations

The result is a fast rolling and comfortable but very lightweight – and yes, elegant looking – machine that's still well suited for the rigors of everyday use, complete with a relatively upright position ideal for navigating traffic.

Outrageously priced or good long-term value?

Budnitz's bicycles may be mechanically simple but they're not cheap at US$5,600 – and that's not including pricey options such as a Shimano Alfine 11-speed internally geared rear hub (+$750), a SRAM XX 1x10 chain-driven transmission (+$900) or a titanium Tubus rear rack (+$255-300).

He doesn't apologize for the bike's seemingly high cost, though, instead pointing to the idea that it's a bike that's not only prettier to look at than most city bikes but also one that could last the user for countless years of regular use, what with the titanium frames and array of high-quality, mostly US and European-sourced components.

Internal routing keeps the exterior surfaces clean and uncluttered. There will eventually be a more finished-looking metal cover for the unused down tube port on singlespeed models

"I'm basically saying, 'You're going to spend $5,600 on a bike and potentially that frame's going to last you forever'," he said. "Or you can spend less than that on something that's going to be creaky after a while and it's going to get rundown or it's going to chip – the whole replacement mentality."

"The funny thing is, people get it for cars," he continued. "People without a ton of money will spend a ton of money on a really beautiful, high-end car. If you've got a really beautiful bike and you can identify with it and just love it, you want to ride it all the time." Budnitz also has an interesting theft replacement policy: a 20 percent discount that – assuming a reasonable homeowner's or renter's insurance policy – should make the replacement close to free.

One would think that for that kind of money, Budnitz would offer just about any option under the sun but that just isn't the case. He offers no apologies for the surprisingly short options list. Aside from the drivetrain and rack upgrades and additions mentioned above, buyers can choose from a few Fi'zi:k and Brooks saddles, a Pitlock wheel and component lock system, some fenders, one or two bottle cages (in titanium, of course), and a brass bell – and that's it, with few exceptions.

Welded-on fittings for racks and fenders are included on the neatly constructed seat cluster

"We’re offering very few things on purpose," he said. "This bike is dialed for what it is. Things were chosen for a specific reason. From a marketing side of things, it's my belief that things have gotten really complicated. It's not clutter, it doesn't cause anxiety, everything works really well together. We're just keeping it simple. A lot of it is modeled after the way Apple sell computers – just choose a few options and you're done and you don't have to be technically oriented to buy an Apple. Do you know what goes inside your car?"

Consumer-direct – and where to go from here

After being dissatisfied with his own experience looking for the bike he wanted, Budnitz decided to offer his bicycles consumer-direct though the company website, a channel he says offers him a more direct line of communication with his customers, streamlines his business and – yes – allows him to keep prices lower than they might otherwise be.

"[When you enter a bike shop] you have these sports-oriented people [behind the counter] and you go in and they're telling you all these things you need on your bike which have nothing to do with what you're doing with the bike," he said. "And then there are the city bikes, which are generally in the dark corner in the side."

Budnitz doesn't want to push the hardware aspect of his bicycles but rather the experience of what his bicycles could offer. Currently, the Paul Budnitz Bicycles catalog includes just two models but a third – and possibly a fourth – is on the way. Budnitz wouldn't quote exact figures but sales are apparently modest but brisk, and while the entire operation is situated within a small, rented downtown space that's eventually slated for demolition, the design icon has no intention of creating another Kidrobot.

"I want to stay a small, direct-sales company," he said. "I think we're on track here to support three or four people running the company – I think that's all we really need. We're selling all over the world. I think in September I sold a bike almost every day or every other day – it was awesome.

"When I was at Kidrobot I had around 100 employees and I miss being physically involved with what I'm doing – it's so much more fun. In this culture we glorify people who build something big, and it stays big, and it becomes this giant thing. The fact is, I looked at we could go that way but the reality is that it's 10 times more fun for me [to stay small]."

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I used to be fat. No really. I was about 18.75 stone (262.5lbs). That was rathe rportly. It doesn't matter how much I thought I was "heavy boned" or "had a slow matabolism". Let's face it people...I ate too much bad food and didn't ride my bike enough.

The thing with me is, I eat what I like and rely on exercise to keep me fit. 4 years ago I was that heavy and in about 6 months, I'd trimmed down to 179lbs and was very fit. So fit that I was going dizzy and falling over regularly due to my low blood pressure. I got to that weight by riding miles and miles every week and not owning a car. The only eating I improved upon was cutting out the three tubs of Ben & Jerry's I was eating every week. I still ate what I wanted otherwise and thought it was OK because I was riding so much.

A couple of years later, I buy a car and meet a girl. I ride less and weight starts to trickle back on a bit. At first, it was a good thing as my dizzy spells were getting frustrating and a little extra weight made me more stable. The problem was, I would never be able to maintain the rate of exercise I was doing for the long-term. I didn't modify and improve my eating habbits.

2012 has just turned and I have quite clearly put on weight again. I'm chubby around the middle and a little slower on the bike (just a little). If I'm not careful, this will be the beginning of a serious weight gain and in a year I'll be big and unhealthy again.

The new year has since started well. I have been careful of my intake, slipping slightly here and there but on the whole eating better and I don't feel I'm missing out. Simply being aware of what I'm eating has helped. I won't even go near Tesco sandwiches or pasta salads now. Or crisps. The pleasure is far out-weighed by the fat and calories consumed. I have found a simple bit of organisation has put me on thebike more regularly. Knowing where my shoes, helmet and bike gear are, having my camelbak and water bottle on-hand means it doesn't take too much effort to get out on the bike. I've been mountain biking two or three times a week and road riding on top. A damaged ankle has halted my running for the time-being so more riding is essential.

I must remember though...I can do as much exercise as I like, if my eating habbits are bad, I'll always end-up fat. If I think it's hard to squeeze in the riding now, wait until I buy a house that needs renovating and kids come along. I don't want to die of heart disease or get diabetes.

I suppose this serves as a warning to all...fall into bad habbits and it's very difficult to get out of them.

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It's been over a year since I last rode at Swinley, but last Saturday I ventured out on my own and was fortunate enough to tag along with a couple of locals for a guided tour of the best bits.

There's been a forest fire in the area since I was last there, and while rebuilding it's evident the park centre has invested some time and effort into making it a better place to ride.

The trails flow really well and despite the rain we've had lately, had drained really well making many parts of the trail fast flowy. If you've been to Swinley recently, none of this will seem a great suprise. Indeed, if you ride Swinley regularly you may even get a bit bored of the place (as some riders tell me). But as I rarey visit, this ride was very pleasing.

Mountain bike trails at Swinley Forest are plentiful but I think as a new-comer you are likely to take a wrong turn as I did right from the start. Take care to set off in the right direction and you'll make the most out of the area. Don't be put off by the hordes of families near the car-park of Go Ape! that facilitates right where you park. Once you're a couple of miles into the woods, the walkers quickly become cyclists and good trails start to appear.

After about 3 miles of riding in the wrong direction I hooked up with two local riders Alan and Barry. They quickly turned me around and showed me the way. Barry had been busy that morning painting arrows on trees in anticipation of a race on Sunday. He seemed to know where he was going and passionately told me which trails to take for the best ride. He needn't have bothered as he showed me most of them in the end anyway.

The new tight and twisty XC trails were so tight and twisty they've build high berms that enabled you to rail and keep the power down. It wasn't long before I'd broken a spoke. It's strangely satisfying when I brake the odd bike part as I feel like I'm getting the most out of my bike.

So, good trails in a trail centre that's easy to find. If you're new to mountain biking, it's a great place to give mountain biking a go. You don't have to have a particularly high-end bike to ride there. Unlike Wales, the terrain is as demanding as you make it. My 6" travel Rocky Mountain was way too much bike really. 

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Yes I'm a mountain biker, but that doesn't stop me appreciating the sexier things in life. This stunning Cipollini RB1000 was awaiting me as I turned the front cover of the January issue of Pro Cycling.

Those curves, carbon weave with grey paint, lightweight wheels and Di2 Dura-Ace is simply jaw dropping.

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I was totally sold on the passion and technology that have gone into the Garmin Vector pedals. The only down side was, despite the fact they were on show, they weren't ready for production and planned release wasn't until Spring 2012 with possible delays.

January's edition of Pro Cycling, though, has a feature on Time's new Keo power pedals. Available to buy now. Have Garmin missed the boat or will there be a superior product?

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There are so many great bike brands out there, it's very easy for me to continually rave on about a brand being one of my favourites. I hold a softspot for Foes though, as one of the brands that I first noticed when I picked up my first magazines (particularly American written Mountain Bike Action) back in the early/mid nineties.

Back then, full suspension had been around in a small way for a few years, but only a hand-full of brands were pushing the envelope with true trail-ready suspension designs that behaved, were stiff and had plenty of travel. Brands that come to mind in particular are:

• Mountain Cycle - With their 4" travel San Andreas, made popular by an effective suspension design, great monocoque looks, their own suspension forks and even their own disc brakes. Disc brakes were particularly un-common back then. When equpped with HED rims, it was a beuaty to behold!

• Yeti Lawwill-4 - A down hill bike with a triple chainset for all mountain riding. Do you remember the HED DH rims, Rock Shox DHO 4" triple clamp fork and stunning Lawwill suspension? Check out a nice selection of Yeti Lawwill bikes on PinkBike HERE

• Foes Weasel & LTS!

The Weasel, along with the LTS was one of the earliest truly great full suspension designs and pushed the full suspension frontier with full force to what it has become today. Although it was a single pivot design, similar to the San Andreas, Foes chose to lower it's pivot location to ensure a more compliant and efficient when climbing. This also enabled a greater range of suspension travel.

Over the years, Foes developped the design originally created with the Weasel and followed the LTS's path with more unique monocoque shapes and exotic curves. Using a monocoque design enables Foes to create stunning boutique bikes that are strong and stiff, while remaining light. The DHS Mono will be one many remember.

Keeping things even lighter, I had a Foes FXR myself back in 2004. Equipped with Chris King and X.0 (new to the market then) and the 2nd generation of Fox forks. I loved that bike. 5.5" of the plushest all mountain travel you'll find on a single pivot bike. See a couple of pics of me building my Foes from scratch and then a week later having blasted a couple of days at Mammoth Mountain. The same summer I visited Big Bear where I was proudly sat on the chairlift next to Brent Foes himself and another team member I neglect to remember the name of. That was a memorable moment. One year later, I ride with John Kirkaldie in Santa Barbara. He was a Foes team rider in the 90's and then thrashing me on his current race Bike, a Turner DHR.

In the last five years, Brent Foes has developped his leverage design to patent the 2:1 ratio. A suspension rate that precisely turns one inch of suspension travel into two inches ensuring a sublimely smooth shock action. Working with Curnutt exclusively (motor cross shock manufacturer) has enabled them to reach this level of suspension execution.

Every dream garage should have a Foes. If you dissagree, chances are you've never lived with one.

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