just after opinions really, thinking of getting one and i was just wondering if there was anything to look out for? issues? are jungle ok to deal with? etc

We've got a shop demo LT2 carbon. Rides very well indeed. Pretty much the same as the alu version but stiffer, lighter and zippier. Also more expensive by quite a bit. Only you can decide if the premium for carbon is worth the extra money.

So far after about 10 months use and demo there have been no problems at all with the frame other than the usual bush replacement and bearing greasing.

Jungle are very good to deal with as well.

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😉

I know carbon may not be worth it to some people but i like they way they ride. I've been riding a carbon ransom for 2 1/2 years. I'm test riding one a stiff on the 28th with the nomad carbon so we'll see.

Remind me never to go to a bike shop with you dave! 😉

I'm like a kid in a sweet shop.

how long and how hard is it to change the bushings/bearings?

I've owned one for just under a year now and it's proved been a truly fantastic bike. I went through a phase of not being able to find the right balance between travel, weight, strength etc. Being a bit fussy i owned a SC nomad – very good but heavy, Whyte e120 – way to flexy, trek ex 9 – not enough travel… but the LTc seems to meet the perfect balance.

I've placed 160mm forks on the front to slacken the head angle slightly as 140mm felt a little steep.

I've also had to get a replacement front triangle (this was obtained without any hassle) as the carbon around the front mech sheered slightly, this does not affect the performance and i think they have now updated the design to be stronger but might be worth watching out for if you go second hand.

Its also been out 3-4 times a week for a year and there are no issues with the bearings, way better than my nomad that seemed to be made of cheese…

Spudster 1 thats just what i was after. I was actually thinking of putting 150mm revelations on mine. Have you had any issues with the bearings? how did you find out the frame issue? did you discover it?

I'm also looking at the nomad carbon, but i just don't think i need that much travel anymore (Ransom was 160mm).

Yup, I've got a Blur LTc and it's fantastic. The main thing I notice over my previous Horst Fivespot is the massive stiffness, which allows me to chuck the bike around and know it'll track out of a corner straight as an arrow. It's pretty versatile too, I've seen them built up as weight weenie XC racers or longer travel Alps bikes. I swapped the original Revs I had for some Fox 36 Talas and this is how I like it best..the front end feels as stiff as the rear now, and with UST Rubber Queen tyres and Crossmax SX wheels it's a do-almost-anything bike that comes in under 30lbs. Oh, and I did a 100km enduro on it last weekend and it was super comfy. I'd love to try a CCDB on it, but considering it's an air shock the 2010 RP23 seems pretty capable.

Stripping pivot axles for a clean/regrease is an easy job. I haven't changed the bearings yet but it doesn't look hard. I've had some play in the lower shock mounting bushing which caused a terrible squeak that I initially thought might be the bearings. I replaced the bushing with a more hardy one from Tim Flooks a few months back & all has been ok since.

So do we reckon that 150mm Revalations will be alright or shall i just stick my Lyrics off my Ransom on? I have to say that one eye was on getting a lighter bike and my Lyrics are the coil version (so not light).

Personally I wouldn't want to run mine at 160mm all the time, hence the Talas I went for. Great on the descents but very wandery on the climbs unless dialled down. The 150mm Revs will be great (u-turn even better if possible imho), I should have mentioned that my Revs were 140mm.

Yeah looking at the version with that new travel adjust? drops it down to 120mm i think a bit like the old 2-step (although more relaiable i hope!).

Well i think that has reassured me on my fork choice 8)

Looking forward to riding something lighter and a bit more efficent, however i'm not looking forward to flack i'll get for having fewer excuses from not being faster 😉

I have had one since October last year and it is the business! I wanted one ever since the first pictures were leaked and I still think it's the best trail bike out there! No issues whatsoever… I re-greased the bearings for the first time last week after a particularly minging ride and the grease that came out was still immaculate… Top marks! PS. It's perfectly balanced with the 150mm revs, but I also think it would be nice with something like a 160mm 36. It just depends what you will be using it for the most! Here's mine…
My Blur LTc

neil853 – I originally had 150mm rev's on there as they are really light for the travel, good for most riding and v reliable and versatile but the fox floats 160 suit my riding a little better. I jump my BLTc and take it down DH runs etc. I live in wanaka NZ so the riding can get rough in places.

The frame split here –
It think the bolt came loose and the f'mech twisted out of place. The new frames have move metal in that area now.

no pics 😥

That's a nice bike, skids.

got some of those pics now, some of the pics of NZ(?) look amazing!

Skids mines going to be amazingly similar to yours 😉

I have saint brakes on mine but that about it for differences, how do you find thd rockshox rear shock compared to a RP23?????

and yes, NZ is AMAZING!

BLTc by Joe-seph, on Flickr

Example of frame split..

BLTc-fmech-issue by Joe-seph

Here's another gratuitous picture, before the Rubber Queens appeared…clicky bigger…

By the way, pay close attention to the sizing of the frame. Every other bike I've ever bought has been a medium or thereabouts, this one is a large. Dunno if it applies to all SC frames, but this one seems to come up a bit small. I'm about 5'10".

pedalhead – Same for me, I've always been a medium but the new SC's seem a little smaller so I'm now on a large.

To be fair thats what stiff have said, and being a geek i checked the geometry and my medium Ransom seems to be the same reach etc.

Only problem with the sizing I've encountered is that I can't run a i900 adjustable seatpost at full extension, it was just a few mm too high for comfort. Considering the other measurements of the large frame, I think the 19" seat tube is a bit tall. 18.5" would be better I reckon, but then I'm probably just being a bit fussy. Also, my legs aren't exactly super-model material.

Ditto, I'm on a large but am still medium on other brands… The monarch is fine actually! I opted for that just so the brand matches the revelations… (I'm weird that way) I've had RP23 shocks on other bikes in the past and i think it feels identical… It will be interesting to see what the new Monarch Plus shock will be like when it comes out.
Since the photo I now have a remote for the joplin which is a big improvement, Raceface SixC bars, and next on the list are some Continentals (I'm thinking Rubber Queen 2.2 front, Mountain King rear).

I am also of the persuation that i want the shock to match the forks 😉

My joplin in on the 3 so theres not as much drop, plus i'm 5ft 11ish so i think it should be perfect. Might need a shorter stem though as mine is a 90mm, might drop down to a 70mm

That's a 70mm stem i have, and it suits the bike really well. I'm about 5'10". It's only a Joplin 3 I have, but i really don't see any need to have more adjustment than that. If anything I would get on fine with even less adjustment!

I have one and so far love it, I am running the 2011 fox talas 36's on it with 160 to 120mm travel adjust and an RP23 shock. I only swap out to 120mm when its so steep I cant keep the front end down. For more moderate climbs I leave it at 160mm as it feels more natural at this setting, the geometry suits 150-160mm even for long steady climbs. Its worth mentioning though that I run with no spacers on the headset so the front is a little lower.

Pedalhead, I had that creak as well in lower pivot I serviced all the pivots and it seems ok now. I think when it was shipped the pivots were not done up very tight and there was no loctite so they worked loose and caused the back end to have some play. What was the problem with yours? I also had to replce the DU shock bushing after 3 months due to the above I think.

One thing to bear in mind if you buy one is do some work on protecting the frame mine has had a bit of a kicking around the chainstay lower pivot… breaks your heart 😀

I am 5 11 with a 90mm stem on a large

On mine it was the lower shock mounting bushing, the sacrificial bit. Worst squeak I've ever heard on a bike! No problems with the pivots at all, have stripped & cleaned them once after the winter and they needed the clean.

I went from 90mm to 70mm stem & prefer the latter, though that's horses for courses I suppose. I'm not sure what the a/c on the new Fox 36 forks is, but I don't like the 160mm setting for general riding, downhill only for me, feels like a chopper otherwise. I leave them in 130mm mode most of the time. I do a lot of XC and longer rides on this bike though.

I run "bike shield" protective tape on the top tube and head tube, and the outside of the seat stays. On the underside and inside edge of the driveside seat stay I have adhesive velcro and it keeps the frame nice and safe from chain slap and is real quiet 🙂

Have to admit it looks the nuts but £2400 for a frame??

yeah I try not to think about that bit!

it is a lot but if you can afford it and (in my opinion) you use it a lot then its worth it. My Mtb gets used pretty much twice a week 52 weeks of the year, and after all, its only paper 😉

I want one

Pure porn