I work at stupid o'clock in the morning.Start time vary from 12am – 06.30, as long as i get 4 hours im ok, as i usually get a cheeky 40 winks in during the day on a break. Friday nights are a mare, im usually up for work at 3am, work all day, Ice Hockey training( not tonight as its the off season) at 22.30pm – 00.15am, home and bedded for 1.15am then up again at 3am for work… Grrr im a real man…and very tired most Saturday's! I usually catch an hour before heading out at night.

Takes a bit to get used to it, but i do get finished for 1pm ish if im on earlies so not all bad. Plus i quite like my job.

Morning dudes,

I find the tech x2 brakes very disappointing aswell, i thought it was just me! I preferred my stroker trails on my old cove handjob! I could just swap the calipers tho i suppose, or change to saints? I do have set of mono minis on the house from 2005 ish, in mint condition, are they any better?

I had wide barw becore but wasnt keen on them, maybe try it again as the sunlines are well priced. Ill phone mojo today about the shock, i have interest in the frame tho so maybe sell it if i get the money!

Thanks fot all that grantway, where did you get your shock from then? You have answered alot of my questions in your post. Is that just 32's your running up front?

Sadly..well not really, im up in sunny Scotland so will have to take your word for it but thanks alot for the offer. The Apple green is a great colour, wish i had gone for it now but still like my chrome grey, what brakes are u running? I have the tech 2's and cannot get them to work for me. Thinking off changing them for M4 or saints.

Sailor: thanks again for ur suggestions.. im running a 70mm 0 degree rise stem just now so ill swap that for a 50 mm perhaps, running easton monkey bars, low rise and 685mm in width but like them so gonna keep em.as for the bb height being raised, is it something ud notice?

I find the five handles great in corners, i throw it in and let it drift.. only bike i have ever managed to do it on!

Yes sailor, i see where you are coming from. Somebody suggested getting the rear shock tuned so maybe phone mojo tomorrow and see what they say or perhaps a coil shock. As for the front i think a set of 36's should sort out a few issues and slacken the head angle a bit.

Then at least in the future if i decide to upgrade the frame to an Alpine ill have suitable forks. I did consider a Blood but think ill stick with the Alpine if and when i decide to change. However if somebody offers the right money then everything is for sale!!

Thanks for the input so far guys, i did consider a proper DH bike but id like to use the bike for other things aswell.

I was referring to the World cup downhill course molgrips, i thought the Alpine 160 would be a good compromise and give me that little bit of extra travel i felt i needed to up the speed of my descent. I did consider a coil shock or a cane creek double barrel affair, id like a set of 36's up front on whatever option i go for. Is the Alpine 160 front triangle the same as the 5? If so it must be the swingarm that is a different shape to allow the extra clearance.

Nice bike grantway, how do you find the double barrel shock? do you ever use it for full on DH duties? If i decide to go for the Alpine 160 frame im haveing it in Apple green..looks ace. I have had interest in the 5 frame so maybe…

One bike doesn't have to do it all for me as im currently building a nice Cotic soul with light parts. Can't wait…i say currently but the frame won't be here until the end of the month.

Hi cabbage,

I just replied to your wanted add! Yeah thought about that but id like a bit more travel at the back so i can ride it with more confidence on the wc course.

OOps wrong forum..my bad. Mods move please.

Left a fart in a lift? – Yes
Peed in a public swimming pool? – Yes
Knocked one out in the work toilets? – Yes
Left a floater in someone else's house? – Yes
Made someone else sleep in the wet patch? – Yes
Had a tactical chunder half way through a night on the lash? – Yes
Knocked one out in the shower at home,or anywhere else for that matter?Yes
Floated a Mersey Trout in the sea? – No
Faked an orgasm? (Blokes can too you know!) – No
Crept out of the house before she woke up? – Yes
Told your mates to "avoid her…" then copped off with her yourself? – Yes
Peed in a sink? – Yes
Floated a silent trouser trumpet and blamed someone else? – Yes
Forgotten her name when you woke up? – Yes
Looked in to a female friends underwear drawer? – No of course not!(yes)
Got a semi on a topless beach? – No
Said you were full because the mother in law's cooking was so bad? – No
Touched cloth? – Yes
'Accidentally' gone up the wrong avenue…..? – Yes

Plus:
When i was a car salesman i used to drop a stinker then make them hang around to smell it! The look on they're faces was priceless!

Describe car colours with funny names in front and say it really quick so they were never sure if they heard it or not, eg, bawbag blue, baloon knot brown, boner black.

Added flavour to your mates pint/bosses coffee cup by the stealth art of porky tanging! Ill not go into too much detail but it involved the unbuttoning of trousers!

Truely disgusting gentleman (and ladies)..
of course, i never did any of the above..it was a "friend" who answered the questions.

Working really hard pricing my Cotic Sould parts!! Thanks again Chris, great service again from Cycle World.

I would have come to Glentress with you but in my current state im not allowed!! BOOO HOOO!

Enjoy your well earned day off.

I have a bolt through front fork and in the process of getting a full facer. All good advice, looking forward to riding the red and the wc course…i think.

Obviously a seasoned pro at such a young age. Im hoping i like it as much as i think i will, i think alot of it is "if you believe you can or you can't, your probably right".

Yeah, just had them bled 6 weeks ago.

DOn't you hate people like that??? ha ha, i still can't manual after loads of practice! Sounds good, i was planning on walking the course first anyway. On the tyre front, my mate has offered me a set of 2.35 Nevegals part worns for much cheapness, im thinking they would do the job for me?

How far apart are the jumps radioman? And what size drop offs are to be expected?

Anybody recommend a good chainguide foe a double crank set up?

Brakes are up to the job, Hope tech X2 with 203mm floating rotor up front and 183mm floating rotor out back. Well i shall prepare my bike and body for the wc course then, away to hunt down a full facer, elbow pads and dh tyres…

Thanks for all your advice folks.

Crikey so he is…If i only had my Cotic built up! ha ha. I have knee pads that cover the shins a bit.

Yeah it is a super tacky id be looking to fit, 2.5 may be a bit wide and draggy if i decide to use them for other riding duties though? Considering im used to a 2.1 Nevegal on the rear and a blue groove up front.

Just got to look into the full face helmet thing now, not sure on hiring a lid! Need elbow pads aswell, any recomamndations?

Great advice guys, thanks. Kinda what i thought. Im running 120 psi up front and 175-180 psi at the rear so maybe start with that, i was thinking Maxxis minion on the front and a high roller on the rear?

I suspect you could be right, he runs Fox 36's up front, he is 6ft 3 and 15+ stone id say, im just s nipper at 5ft 5 and 11.5 stone.

Cheers 5lab, i expect i will be aswell, maybe if i liked it and went up again i could hira a dh rig and get the full experience.. Im not hashy with my bikes and look after them but i ride them hard and like to push the limits of my skill ( its the only way to improve), also i run 2.1 Nevegals, is it worth upgrading the rubber to 2.35 for extra grip and protection of the bike?

Im in Dundee mate, id be happy to go have a look at it for you. Im not that clued up on road bikes though! Let me know on mikedonald@hotmail.com.

Right! This is all your lots fault, if i end up living in the shed or bin then im blaming u…

Im off to the bike shop today to discuss my requirements, not 100% sure what frame colour to go for, i like the Orange but its an awkard colour to get shiny bits to match and look good. The black will look good with a few silver bits me thinks, and i was thinking gunsmoke bits fo the orange frame.
Not sure i want to be around when he gives me the rice tho! Started with a budget of £800 for an off the peg bike… and now its doubled and turned into a custom build! Ur all gits! ;-)

Im going to bookmark this link so i can drool whenever i want! This is going to be expensive! Im thinking the Orange frame, 120mm forks,1×9 gear set up, hope hoops or mavic cross rides, hope brakes, head set etc and thomson stem and post and easton bars! Mmmm…nice.

Right! That's quite enough of that! Who is going to sell me a Cotic Soul? Ill have yours wildheart…come on hurry up, i want to ride it NOW! Serious tho, they all look ace, where can i get one built up like wildhearts and how much is that likely to cost.

Cheers,
Mike.

P.s anybody selling one?

Wow, what a stunning bike! Bet that cost a few squids to build!

True! Any suggestins other than Genesis then?

I dnt find them nice to look at and they dnt excite me tho. I know they are sorted bikes etc but dnt want to splash out on something that doesnt inspire me to ride it. My 5 makes me want to do thet "1" last run even if my legs are funked or hit the jump quicker etc.

Geetee ur a swine? Nice bike tho. Thanx for the offer of the frame, an 18" would be a bit big, plus id rather get a complete build i looked at the Genesis range but the khs and voodoo are better value for money and better looking.

Oh forgot to say what id do…..ill sell my Orange 5 pro for £5, give up biking and take up rambling, knitting, extreme ironing and train spotting…. maybe even shave a squirrel.

Trailmonkey…..oooh very touchy!
We know we suck at football……and Rugby…but hey we are good at Curling, bowls, making shortbread and chasing Haggis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so beat that, and we have nice scenery, crappy neighbours tho! lol. Just kidding.

I am a proud Scotsman, but wish England all the best in the World Cup, Can they win the World cup..Yes, WILL they win the world cup..NO. I get £10 back for every goal they score though with the deal i got on my Television so come on Englandshire.

I agree that it is the media who go on about 1966, most England fans are realistic with the expectations, some are optimistic and some are deluded. Maybe we should all remember who was the first team to beat England after they won in 1966 ?? :wink:

I play Ice hockey twice a week, roller hockey once a week, i try to get motivated to run but find it boring so end up on the bike for a wee pedal, i also have a pair of pro jump stilts that get the occasional outing…oh and i cycle a fair bit aswell.

Thanx for the inut folks, i saw 2009 model hardly ridden for sale and thought…yes i like that. If i got it for £750 id have been happy. Didnt realise it was that heavy looking for something lighter with good spec. Had a budget of £750 max as its a second bike…kee thon eyes peeled.

I had a superb day's riding with my 2 mates, went to Innerleithen, did a lap of that for 1st time and thought it was superb. Then over to Glentress for a climb to the top then 3 runs of the top section of downhill, catching good air and riding it mega fast…. then right down to the bottom. Frikkin awesome. Golspie next weekend…woop woop.

However i have decided that the Hope X2 brakes on my Orange 5 suck so im upgrading the pads and the rotors to 203mm up front and 183 at the rear. hoping that will rectify the situation, if not M4's here we come.

Hi Chris,

That's great news, congratulations to Gemma.

The Hope brakes i got on my Orange 5 Pro are HOPEless!!! Serious lack of power, im going to try bleeding them, then change the pads. I heard the floating rotors are crap for braking performance? Any ideas?

This week i have mostly been eating poptarts!
This week i have mostly been suffering from DIOHERRIA!

Not me personally of course, Jesse i mean. What a guy, what a show.

All good advice. Thanx guys, im after an older van, maybe 01-03. Partner looking like a good buy. Look good with a set of alloys 2. Ill get on the hunt 2nite.

thanks for that guys. Pic was a big help aswell. Wanted something that looked quite smart aswell. The partner is a nice van, caddy's look smart but maybe rethink after what u said. Thank again guys. Now where did i put my life…ah there it is!

Thanks for that mate, so no bikes at all if i get the crew cab? even with the wheels off? I was thinking of going for the 2 seater anyway. Just got to find a good one now. They do look a bit plasticy inside.

I purchased my Orange 5 pro from Cycle World in Arbroath last year, it is the 2010 model in Chrome Grey and i have to say it is superb. Easily the best bike i have ever owned.

I went for the performance pack which saves around 1lb, i got the Hope pack aswell, went for blue seat skewer and rear skewer (didn't maxle as im a small bloke), blue headset and bottom bracket and gunsmoke hubs and floating rotors. Bike looks amazing and rides even better. The brakes take a while to bed in but once they do they are really good (although id argue my Hayes Stroker Trails are just as good).

I considerded the Fox 36's but decided they were overkill for my riding weight and where i ride. My mate has a set of 35's on his Nomad though and he swears by them, id say you would need the talas model though as the front end may feel a tad high for climbing.

I also swapped the triple chainset (well cycle world kindly did) for a double and bash and don't miss the triple at all.. I run Nevegals and they suit the bikes chuckability (great word) really well, im away to swap the 70mm stem for an 80mm though but i guess that's a personal thing.

In a nut shell, great bike and very light for a full suss, i reckon mine is around 28lb. Apple green looks amazing by the way, i nearly went for it but did't want to regret it as i hadn't seen it in the metal, happy with my chrome grey though.

Click the link for a pic of my bike.

http://www.moredirt.co.uk/ratebike.php?id=16379