So after lurking around the forum for months if not years, gleaning as much ww info and cycling-related knowledge as I could, I’ve finally decided to take the plunge and announce my presence, you lucky things, ahem

What with a full-time job, time on the bike, trying to have a social life etc. and (mainly) my crap typing skills, I just don’t find much time to contribute to the discussions, and in many cases you folks are just way more knowledgable than I could ever be. Saying that, ww is an everyday part of my life (along with the race ‘live coverage’ on cyclingnews.com).

I would certainly develop arthritis trying to write an epic of the quality of Drjones69 introduction (good stuff by the way!), so here’s a condensed version…maybe, I have been known to get carried away…

Born & bred in the Midlands, UK, graduated from Salford University with a BEng degree in Aeronautical Engineering, currently living in Montreal, Canada, after being offered a job with Pratt & Whitney aero engines 5 years ago.

Been biking since about 13, just recreationally until around 6 years ago (at the time I was 27) a friend introduced me to mountain biking. Had a year off the bike when I emigrated, and started racing cross-country in 2002. Found weightweenies in 2003 and I haven’t been the same since, I’ve been cutting things down, changing bolts, buying a scale to weigh parts, my friends probably have me down for one of those jackets where the arms tie around the back in the not too distant future,

Currently racing Masters Expert 30-39 category, i'm supported by a local bike shop here in Quebec, and was lucky enough to win the overall Provincial Marathon cross-country series last year.

There are 3 bikes currently in the stable (the figure has been known to hover betwen 2 and 5). The race (mountain) bike is my baby, and I was also lucky to get some support this year from the big ‘S’ (not Shimano, not Sram either, the other one!) and a certain manufacturer of tubeless tyre conversions and importer of FRM goodies, which helped the build.

My ‘training’ bike is an nice titanium affair, the only way I could justify the expense is that it should last me a while, (plus I’m hankering to try a bit of road-racing and wanted something decent to do it on), and my beater/commuter is a 15 year old steel Pinarello with fenders

I’ve broken my collarbone and suffered a collapsed lung after being forced off the road by a non-attentive motorist, and my left wrist is held together by a stainless steel plate (damn, should have gone ti) and 6 screws after losing a fight with a technical rock garden. The collection of scars are too just numerous to mention….

I’ve attached a few pics in no particular order, and a below is a breakdown of a couple of the bikes...

Cheers
Neale H.


MOUNTAIN (RACE) BIKE

Frame: 2006 Specialized S-Works Epic (Medium)
Fork: Fox F100 RLT (disc-specific)
Seatpost Clamp: Specialized, ti bolts
Seatpost: Easton EC70 setback 30.9mm dia. x 400mm (to be cut down)
Saddle: Selle Italia SLR XC
Headset: Cane Creek Integrated 1 1/8
Headset Spacers: Carbon 32.5mm
Stem: Ritchey WCS 90mm, ti bolts
Bar: Specialized S-Works Carbon 25.4mm dia., 23”
Grips: Specialized Durango
Brakes: Hope Mono Mini, al clamp & reservoir bolts, ti caliper bolts, Koolstop Pads
Brake Rotors: Stans Notubes 160mm Aluminium Coated Rotors, ti bolts (front), 3 x ti & 3 x Al bolts (rear)
Shifters: Front – Sram X.0 Twist Shifter, al clamp bolt
Rear – Sram X.0 Trigger shifter, al clamp & lever bolts
Front Derailleur: Shimano XTR M761, ti cable clamp bolt & al clamp bolt
Rear Derailleur: Sram X.0 Long cage, ti cable clamp bolt
Cassette: Shimano XTR 11-34
Chain: Sram PC99 Hollowpin
Cables and Housing: Shimano
Crankset: FRM CU2 Evolution, 175mm crankarms, FRM Pro 44/32/22 rings, ti crankarm bolts
Bottom Bracket: FRM External-type with Phil Wood marine-grade bearings
Wheels: DT Swiss 240S Hubs, Stans ZTR Olympic Disc Rims, DT Competition Spokes, Al nipples
Skewers: X-Lite Camlock Steel
Tires: Usually Kenda Karma L3R 2.0”, IRC Serac 2.1” for the mud
Tubes: None, Notubes tubeless conversion
Pedals: Time ATAC Carbon
Bottle Cages: None usually






#1 ROAD BIKE

Frame: 2006 Litespeed Sienna (Medium)
Fork: Easton EC90SL
Seatpost Clamp: Litespeed
Seatpost: USE Alien Carbon 27.2mm (cut down to about 280mm) with Cyclops clamp and USE seatpost shim
Saddle: Terry Zero Y (though waiting on a Specialized Toupe)
Headset: Ritchey WCS 1 1/8
Headset Spacers: Carbon 32.5mm
Top Cap: FSA Compressor
Stem: Ritchey WCS 90mm
Bar: Bontrager Race 26.0mm dia., 42cm, cut down ends
Bar Tape: Specialized Bar Phat
Brakes: Shimano Dura Ace 7800
Brake/Shift Levers: Shimano Ultegra 6600
Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra 6600 (ti cable clamp bolt) with Shimano braze-on collar(al clamp bolt)
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra 6600 (ti cable clamp bolt, al pulley bolts)
Cassette: Dura Ace 7800 12-25
Chain: Dura Ace 7800
Cables and Housing: Shimano
Crankset: Dura Ace 7800 172.5mm with 53/39 rings
Bottom Bracket: Shimano Ultegra 6600
Wheels: Mavic Ksyrium SL
Skewers: Mavic
Tires: Michelin Pro2 Race 23mm
Tubes: Bontrager Superlight
Pedals: Speedplay Zero Stainless
Bottle Cages: Tacx Tao

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It IS about the bike...

Wow! I beat you have a hard time getting through the metal detectors at the airport!

Welcome!

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Self-Proclaimed Resident Master Fattie - Vicious DC Slither

Good to have a fellow AE on the board

PW? What do you do specifically?

Nice read!

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This board and the world in general would be a much nicer place if everyone could just take themselves a little less seriously.

I was so disappointed, i had all the evidence ready, i.e. the impressive wrist scar and copies of x-rays, and after removing my belt, shoes & watch, the damn walk-through detector stopped sounding
I kept running through it hoping it would go off, until i was told to "stop being silly sir".....



Well, i don't have quite the 'claim to fame' as working on the JSF, P&W Canada makes the smaller engines, turboprops/shafts, business jet engines, APUs etc, though we are making a few engine parts for the JSF, some compessor or turbine discs or similar.

I'm a 'Quality Specialist' which is a big misnoma really, it should really be 'Quality Generalist', originally i came out here to work on developing new measuring systems, heading-up research projects with Universities etc., then 3 weeks in 9/11 happened and put the icing on the cake for the biggest ever industry slump to date, so (and probably you saw this first-hand too) people were being layed off and budget's were slashed, my dept. included.
Luckily i found a new role supporting engine build centre quality issues, and currently i'm pushing paperwork working with Quality regulations and liasing with the TCCA (Canadian equivalent to the FAA), Department of Defence etc. on anything Quality-related, engine certifications etc.

I'm not exactly using my degree, but hey, the money feeds my high-end bike part habit nicely

Cheers
Neale

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It IS about the bike...

QA is just another tooth in the cog.

I had heard that some of the bits for the F135 were being built in Canada. We've got bits being built all over the world for the old JSF.

_________________
This board and the world in general would be a much nicer place if everyone could just take themselves a little less seriously.