Any other options / opinions?

Chameleon – best bike I have by far. It’s just mental fast and goes over anything. Mine runs with a 130mm fork. They are simply brilliant.

I have to say that the Chameleon is one bike that I have a real soft spot for, but I run hot and cold on it due to my pals saying it is a ‘jump bike’, and also some reports of it being too stiff for an all day bike. However, the geometry and size is close to my old Cannondale, but with a 2 degree slacker head angle. I’m still tempted, PITA that there are no demo ones in Scotland in large!

Soul seems good, I agree the head angle looks slacker than the reported 70 degrees would indicate. A pal was waxing lyrical about his a couple of weekends ago.

My “around £1000 max” budget is frame only BTW, parts are on top of that… but I don’t mind not paying that all. Seems only the Ti frames would eat up that budget. Less on frame may mean I spend a bit more on parts…

Wookster – bFe seemed a bit too much bike for me, seemed to be heading into the 140mm hardcore hardtail – more suited to going down than up?

timwillows – Scandal seems a bit too ‘race’ for me – want to put on 2.4 tyres and cruse.

I looked at the Soul, maybe a contender, was wondering if the head angle was a bit steep? Also wasn’t sure on the sizing, the large sound too big, and the medium too small. Anyway, I have put it on the shortlist… thx!

elaine anne – There is a bunch of stuff wrong with the Cannondale, including a cracked frame, forks badly in need of service, freewheel bearings shot, breaks annoying the snot out of me… it just feels like it’s time for a new ride. It is 4 years old and it seems that it has reached end of life in a way. Plus I think something a little less XC would be better for what I do.

FWICS, Piglet is coming in the next month, which is OK – I can wait a month.

I kinda fancy a new frame TBH, but once I decide what I’m looking for, I won’t rule out S/H stuff.

Likewise, interested in any photos of the frame bag that buggybags make for you.

Slowly with lots of lube.

I have invented a new type of MTBing – “Uphill”

Here is the plan – we ride like billyo uphill, then at the top there is a van waiting to take us safely down again, so we can ride back up.

Who’s with me?

I just do it like this:

32 / 36 = 0.8888
22 / 32 = 0.6875

That is certainly loosing a bit of low, but it isn’t awful. Put your current bike into granny ring up front, and nearest to 25 tooth at the back, and that will approximate it.

Looks amazing!

Extra points for the 1st person to make a carbon / ceramic version for weight weenies :-)

WHAM-O appear to be alive and well.

*Buys shares*

Wham-o

They don’t make company names like that any more.

Good vid!

This place is the cheapest I found Oakleys http://www.body-armour-protection.co.uk/buy/oakley-si-flak-jacket-sunglasses.html

I ended up getting a pair of transition Oakley Flack Jackets from elsewhere (can’t remember where, were something like £115), but if you are happy with the SI military frame, basic lenses, and no case, that is the place to go.

I did get a set of clear lenses from them. They take a while, I’d say something like 21 days, but they are reliable.

Tried flats at the weekend, clipless are gettin fixed.

Didn’t really bother me on the ups, but going over anything that drops the back end scared me senseless. Loosing foot position and finding foot on outside edge of the pedal sucked as well.

I guess with practice, flats would be fine. Other people do very well on them.

For me, I quite like being connected to the bike.

Thanks for the reply. How would the piston seals be affecting this?

I am totally fed up with my brakes. Similar thing – pads work ok for a ride or two, the develop a banshee like howl and don’t stop as well.

Tried removing them and boiling pads / sanding pads and discs at the weekend – no improvement.

I have noticed this happens when not using any cleaning products – bike just cleaned with water.

I don’t know what happens, but I am starting to suspect salt on the roads may be an issue.

What make are your breaks / pads? Mine are currently Shimano LX / Clarks pads. Dame thing happened with Shimano pads and other brands I’ve tried.

Having done Morzine last year for the first time, on an 80mm XC bike, IMHO you just need to run what ya brung and enjoy yourself. For me, the XC stuff is more enjoyable, but running (mincing) the DH tracks on my wee bike, although not a good match, brought on my riding I think.

Don’t worry about other people, consider what you want to do, then do it.

I got an offer of a DH bike for a day, but didn’t take it up, as I’m not a DH kinda rider, I’m too timid and not into big jumps / drops / fast descents. Other people are, more power to their elbow!

More pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/30225435@N00/sets/72157624415022941/

Any reviews of this frame?

What’s the best lightweight 140mm forks for this thing?

What’s the TT on the large?

Thanks for the info on the Loch Morar path folks – looks a good one indeed. I have a cunning plan for this summer, but it needs a chartered boat for it to work, which is proving difficult. Packraft is a backup plan, but I don’t know anyone else with one, so I’d be on my tod for that :-/

bump?

jojoA1 – what was the path along Loch Morar like? I take it you went to Tarbet / Swordland?

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=tarbet&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=23.246083,44.077148&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Tarbet,+Arrochar,+Argyll+and+Bute,+United+Kingdom&ll=56.964374,-5.632124&spn=0.020846,0.043044&t=h&z=15

I have Shimanos as well. I have also had intermittent problems with horrible squeak, no bite etc. I am having these problems at the moment.

This has happened over all types of pads.

I have a theory that what is causing this is salt. This time of year, we get tonnes of the bloody stuff on the roads, and it is going to get into the brakes.

Now, salt is added to washing up liquid, partly as a thicker, but also I believe to make the ‘squeaky clean’ feel to glass etc.

I think the same is happening to the brakes.

Try washing the brakes with plain warm water, give them a good rinse. Other than that, I haven’t found any solution :-/

Seems (pun, sorry!) to be common that the seams aren’t sealed. Dunno why that is, maybe due to costs or space – I have heard the tent needs to be left up for 24 hrs or longer to let the sealant dry.

Been looking for a tent myself recently, but a 1 man. Tarptent appear to be very highly rated, possibly more spacious, better in foul weather, and better handling of condensation. This is the one you’d want for 2 man – http://www.tarptent.com/scarp2.html – have to import from the states though.

I’d like to know as well, bump!

Anyone got any idea what it is like over the Borestane track? Fancy a cold XC ride tomorrow but not sure if it’ll be 3 feet snow drifts still, or rock hard ice, or muddy nonsense! Or all 3…

All great till you get a puncture, then it is really really stupid!

The extra weight, limited adjustability, expense, and more mechanical things to go wrong all put me off getting one.

I’m no riding god, so I don’t have much ‘flow’ to get spoilt by stopping for 10 seconds to adjust my post (if needed).

Maybe in some years they will be lighter, cheaper, sturdier, more adjustable.

Yeh me too, was wanting to keep riding this winter, but 1 feet + of snow is unridable no matter how determined, and the roads seem lethal.

It’s a scam to get him to buy those domain names.

When I was at primary school, a wee boy in a couple of classes down was sledging one winters weekend, and accidentally steered his sledge onto a frozen river, fell through the ice, and drowned.

We got told about it on the Monday by the headmaster.

I won’t go onto any frozen body of water now unless I am confident I know it is safe. In fact, I don’t know how to tell if it’s safe, so I generally don’t bother. Walked out about 3 metres onto a frozen loch last year, people playing out on it, but heard a crack and promptly went back.

I’d imagine being trapped in frozen water under ice is a horrible way to go.

Yes, don’t forget that it is a managed timber plantation, and the whole thing could be raped for it’s wood, destroying the trails and the ‘vibe’, if timber prices rise or the wood becomes harvestable.

Get a sense of humour ffs.

Oh, sorry, I forgot, it’s a thread on football. Long faces and seriousness all round please…

“It’s only a game” :roll:

If I had a time machine, the first thing I’d do is go back and un-invent football.

Killing Hitler not a priority then?

Naa, maybe second on the list, but only after I’d made sure that nothing like that hateful game (*spit* football *spit) would ever come out of human civilisation, EVER.

:-)

National sport indeed. National excuse to sit about and point at the telly for 90 minutes, then talk to your mates for at least another week about same 90 minutes of a bouncy round thing getting tapped about by twits.

:D

If I had a time machine, the first thing I’d do is go back and un-invent football.

Pointless stupid game for pointless stupid voyeurs (sorry, ‘spectators’, see also ‘fambois’) to watch overpaid thugs kick a bouncy round thing about interminably, whilst simultaneously telling the other side of the city how much they hate them in amusing simple minded music-hall ‘sing-alongs’, with a side order of mindless gang hooliganism for the more moronic of the ‘supporters’.

Watching things is not a sport.

c) Tow ball mounted.

+ Better fuel economy (I’m convinced with the old Subaru Legacy the economy went UP with bikes on the back – reduced drag?

+ Easy to attach bikes

+ Don’t trash bikes driving into things

+ See bikes all the time

+ East to take off (1 bolt)

+ Comes with lights and number plate

+ Looks cool

+ Much easier than roof mounting on a 4×4!

House of Bruar has a huge ‘captive audience’ though because it is on THE busy main north road, and is surrounded by miles and miles of nothing. Glentress isn’t on the main road to anywhere in particular FWICS, you go out your way to go there, it isn’t somewhere you drop in on in passing.

Th terms of geometry, what are these frames like compared to an XC alu Cannonade frame? Is the Holeshot ok as an all day bike? What is it like for climbing? Is it more for ‘playing’?

inbred – I think the FC have a grand plan for GT to make it into the borders premier tourist attraction which is great but there numbers are way to optimistic 300,00 and growing that’s 821 people per day. Given that is not open everyday due to snow that’s a huge number of people to go through every day that its open. FC have split their numbers 200,000 bikers 100,00 walkers. I cant see them getting 100,00 walkers (273 per day) I hope whoever wins the tender hasn’t based there business plan on those numbers otherwise it might not go to well for them.

NZCol – Splurging 10mill on a ‘visitors centre’ is clearly the end of some form of ulterior motive or utterly crazy business plan. If they seriously think those numbers will come I would eat my hat.

Heather Bash – In my view this is a small Tourism project which has simply got out of hand – it wont produce a net gain in mtb participation because there’s a mobilty issue with the location.

I would tend to agree. Although it is possible to say that the above feelings are negative and not progressive, I think it is sometimes easy for these projects that use OPM (other peoples money) to spiral a bit away from reality. Would a private investor sunk this much money into this? Ten million pounds to sell cakes and a campsite?

Also, for those that think the Hub will still be there – remember the lease runs out, what will happen is E+T will be kicked out, the portacabin will close and be knocked down, and the whole lot will be paved over for car parking.

I still think, after all is said and done, that it is bad karma for the FC to kick out E+T.

I have seen these type of developments before, and also been part of ‘changes’ from the other side, and I’ll say this:

If I was E+T, I’d be thinking maybe this is a good way out. I don’t know the ins and outs, but I’m guessing they had to get together some pie-in-the-sky business plan where everything was going to grow 100% a year and they could cover a 500% increase in rent etc etc. This type of thing can easily go tits up, and they could have ended up overstretched or bust.

I understand change, improving things, not getting stale etc etc, but I think that too many times, the soul gets cut out of these type of developments and gets lost. IMHO a proper development plan would have incorporated things rather than discarding them.

unfortunately it was everyone else that got stuck and stopped me moving.

Bosh. Precisely why I haven’t bothered.

Typical fatalistic British sheep mentality – other people get stuck, so I may as well join them.

Me, I like to at least attempt to not be the one that blocks the road, and may even be the one that hauls your ass out the ditch.

If it’s the central diff, and you drive on firm tarmac, you’ll get transmission windup that could break the transfer box.

If it is an auto with electronic diff lock, make sure the engine is running and you are in neutral when you turn off the diff lock. Other combinations may work, for example start in drive, turn off diff lock, then put into neutral. Consult your manual.