FGF 602: We Mean It Maan Edition

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No doubt you’re all as excited as we are about the imminent bunting-fest that awaits us next week. Please try and keep those forelocks untugged for a few more days though as we delve into The People’s Republic of Fresh Goods.

Doff your (energy price) caps at this little lot…

Making perfection more perfect

Marin Rift Zone 29 Carbon XR

Unidirectional carbon fibre (alloy back end) trail slayer from Marin. 125mm travel at the back, delivered by a coil shock. That’s something a little bit different to what we’re used to seeing. This Large size comes with a 450 weight spring (which may be a bit too firm for some of our Test Squadron, so we’ll get a lighter spring ordered up too).

140mm fork up front. 65.1° head angle. 76° seat angle. 4575mm 475mm reach on this Large. 4-pot brakes. 150mm dropper. Shimano XT and SLX stuff. Vee tyres. 35mm stem. 780mm bars. All in all, a very promising proposition.

YT Crooked Jersey LS

Breathable and moisture-wicking fabric. Interlocking anti-rip fabric. ‘Standard gravity fit”, apparently. Round neck. Drop tail. Integrated glasses wipe. Available in this anthracite/black colourway or a slightly jazzier light grey/khaki.

YT Small Log Tech Jersey LS

Soft Drirelease fabric claims to wick moisture four times faster than normal cotton, and “keeps skin up to four degrees cooler”. Brrr. 81% polyester, 14% cotton, 5% elastane. Shoulder seams set forward for comfort. Drop tail. Integrated glasses wipe. Only available in this khaki kolour.

Carbon Wasp Truffle

  • Price: £2800 with Cane Creek DB Air shock, £2400 frame only
  • From: Carbon Wasp

120mm 29er mountain bike from Yorkshire. Made in a Carbon Wasp factory (RIP Iain Banks) in Leeds, using the pre-preg carbon fibre. BSA threaded bottom bracket. 30.9mm internal seatpost. Integrated headset cups. Full internal cable routing; ‘Swearbox’ routing system “makes installation a breeze”. Downtube lunchbox storage. Available in Wasp-Yellow paint scheme with custom paint options available.

65.5° head angle. 76° seat angle. 480mm reach on a Large. 440mm chainstays. 460mm seat tube (Large).

We’ll have a feature all about this bike and its creator soon.

Rockshox MY23

  • Price: Fork £1,119 / Shock £578
  • From: SRAM

Yesterday RockShox released their vastly revised range of forks and rear shocks unto the world. We’ve had one of their 2023 Zeb forks and Super Deluxe Ultimate rear shocks on test for a couple of weeks. Read the review now please.

Nukeproof Scout 290

  • Price: Range starts from £1,399.99
  • From: Nukeproof

Amanda’s got herself a new toy. The latest version of the Nukeproof Scout range of hardtails is sure to be as popular as ever. What’s new? Longer reach. Longer wheelbase. Slacker seat tube (shock!). Higher BB height (horror!). Lower standover. Shorter chainstays.

Oakley DRT3 MIPS Helmet

Say hello to Aran!

Oakjey’s DRT5 helmet has a reputation for being one of the most comfortable premium trail/enduro lids. This is kinda the slightly more affordable version, the DRT3. Multi-directional Impact Protection System (aka MIPS). In-vent Eyewear storage with Unobtanium (yes!) grippers. Silicone sweat guard (feels weird, works great). Adjustable visor. ‘Skull Matrix’ – 360-° fit system.

Brand-X CNC Alloy Seatpost Shim

A sign of the times in the Haworth Household. Ted is now tall enough to ride his Mum’s bike (a classic Kona Process 134 from 2014). Ted is not quite leggy enough to use the Reverb that is (was) on his Mum’s bike so this seatpost shim mean he can use his 27.2mm PNW 90mm dropper in there. For a few months anyway. They grow like weeds etc.

Gore Wear Trail Daily Shirt

Designed as a single layer or – if you ride in the UK – combined with a base layer. “We wanted to offer a lightweight, quick drying and rugged trail shirt that is comfortable and feels great next to the skin while also matching the visual styling of the off-road community.” Well alrighty then.

Made of 100% recycled polyester. Available in Black, Utility Green or this Uniform Sand modelled expertly by Ross.

Coffee Machine Repair

This machine is not only older than Singletrack Magazine, it’s older than some of the people who work here (we think!)

Anyway, it was sounding a bit ropey so we got someone in to look at it whilst sucking air in through their teeth and saying “well…”

Anyway. It works again. It needed a new water pump or summat. We didn’t really listen. We were too busy frantically grinding our beans whilst shiverin. Cold turkey ain’t pretty.

Aeropress Coffee Maker

Speaking of life without a plumbed-in coffee machine… praise be for the Aeropress. Not only was it invented by the same guy who invented the Aerobie flying ring, it makes excellent coffee no matter when or where you may be. We like it so much, we actually sell it. If you don’t yet own an Aeropress, buy one. They are fantastic things. And if you already own one, buy another! Keep it at work. Or at your parents’ place so you don’t have to put up with instant. Don’t forget your ground coffee though!

Thread Of The Week

Congratulations go to reeksy this week for his pioneering work into the holey world of nasalogy…

#STWFGF Winner

Every week we run a competition over on that there Instagram to win a Singletrack Forum Bottle Opener.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sam Dexter (@samdexter60)

Congratulations to @samdexter60 for this week’s chosen pic. Smiling faces FTW. Literally. Please email editorial@singletrackworld.com to claim your prize!

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Harmony+

Slán!

Until next time. Enjoy yourself. It’s later than you think.

Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

More posts from Ben

Home Forums FGF 602: We Mean It Maan Edition

  • This topic has 11 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 2 years ago by ouzel.
Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • FGF 602: We Mean It Maan Edition
  • johnnystorm
    Full Member

    The Marin has a 4575mm reach? Oof. 😉

    footflaps
    Full Member

    Interesting welds on the rear triangle of that “carbon” Marin bike…

    Ben_Haworth
    Full Member

    🙂
    x
    2

    Northwind
    Full Member

    That Marin is pretty much exactly the sort of bike I used to always want, crossed with the sort of shape of bike I want today. Doesn’t fit my riding any more but it looks bloody brilliant tbh

    johncoventry
    Full Member

    Hello Aran.

    captain_bastard
    Free Member

    That Carbon Wasp looks spot on, struggling to find anything I’d change on it (apart from possibly the colour)

    lightfighter762
    Free Member

    Not impressed with the NP scout tbh. I guess maybe too much change is bad. If it rides anything like the last gen celery.

    zerocool
    Full Member

    YT jersey, for when you’re really slow and fat but want to look ‘Team’ anyway.

    chipps
    Full Member

    Good to see the Wega machine getting some love. It originally came to STW Towers Mk1 via a car-park deal with an Elektra machine dealer in, ooh, late 2002? And it was well-used even then.
    Buy quality, but once, folks! 🙂

    reeksy
    Full Member

    What a way to find out Iain Banks is dead… and nearly ten years ago!

    ouzel
    Full Member

    You say “120mm 29er mountain bike from Yorkshire”. Alas, not a bike. Just frame and suspension. I was excited for a minute !

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

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