Stuff from europe is taking ages at the mo. Got two parcels stuck that I ordered on 22nd Dec (not from Bike Inn) but my Bike Inn parcel arrived ok (ordered same day). However, beware of clothing from them as if you want to return it you have to do so via their returns service @ £8 a go. Plus their postage fees are high in the first place.

I’ve had the 5-10 FR EPS and Impact Pro. I find the impact pro far superior. Less feel but lots warmer, tons of protection and no need to use seal skins as a result, especially if wearing trousers.

There is a huge amount of variables.
I am particularly heavy on rear wheels (80kg body weight), i’ve dinged every rim i’ve ever had usually pretty quickly. I got some Nukeproof ARD inserts and ran them in the rear of my hardtail. Quite frankly, it went from a bike i didn’t enjoy riding to a bike i relished to ride. I was running a Nobby Nic 29×2.35 snakeskin on the rear on a Hope Enduro wheel and a Mary up front. Without the insert I was having to run around 34 PSI not to destory the rim. (I ride in the northern peaks so it is pretty rocky). I found I could run about 26 PSI in the rear with the insert and have not punctured to date even on a trip or two to the Lakes. In hind sight I think the ARDs suit those narrower profile rims (Hope Enduro is 25mm i think).
I recently finally got hold of my new FS which I’m running the Hunt Trail Wide wheels (wanted Enduro but the wait was too long) which are 30mm. I went for a Nic again on the back and Mary up front both Snakeskin, both with ARD inserts. I ran the rear at 28 PSI (more than I wanted) as I wanted to see how I went with my track record with damaging rims – 3rd ride, double ding in the rear even with the insert.
I’ve just put a Big Betty on in Super Gravity and it is very noticeable with the rolling characteristics feeling like glue. However, 26 PSI with the insert in feel like rock when I push into it with my thumbs. It’s definitely far far sturdier. I haven’t had chance to properly try it in anger yet due to the snow.
I think i probably got the double ding in the rim with the rim being a wider profile. The insert is still wider and meant to be fine with a 30mm profile but obviously wasn’t.
Interesting to hear the comments on punctures and sealing. Our riding group have definitly experienced that.
In summary, the jury is still out for me on a FS but on a HT they are transformational.

3/4 bib tights. I’ve not had a pair that don’t rub yet.

Nobby Nic 2.35 on the back for me with a 2.35 Mary up front. This has been my setup for years now and seems to work most of the time on the trails around the dark peak. Nic can be a bit flimsy tbf. My mates have just gone double Mary and are loving it (apart from the effort to pedal). HDs are awful on the trails i ride unless it’s summer. I’ve been thinking of DHRII, Vigilante or BB for the rear.

Hmmmm I sent my exposure light back for a warranty claim over a month ago and despite to chaser emails since I haven’t heard a peep. Does anyone know any alternative phone number that aren’t closed?
Thanks

Follow fit4racing on YouTube and listen to the Podcasts he’s done for people like Downtime podcast. From all the material out there he’s done you can get together at least 6 different workout and cycle through them to see if you like the concept. It has helped me loads and I had similar goals to you.

Checkout the Hope Academy. We got ours (20″) for my son (6) around Christmas. It’s ace! My firend also has the 24″ Front Suspension version which is great! They have availability at the mo.

They are not easy by any means. We found the only way was to the the lever to push the bead under the ARD towards the centre of the rim on both sides. This yields some slack so with strong thumbs and leavers with a good set of gloves, you can get them on.

Hope Tech Enduro, Nobby Nic / Magic Mary

Hmmm, I haven’t heard him by very objective about much he reviews. It always seems a sunny day. Bring back Steve Jones.

Is it UK made? The website says their bikes are Designed, Tested and Built in Yorkshire. I guess that does not mean manufactured. The Cotic RocketMAX is £1749 with shock and UK made so pretty comparable price wise. £2k for the Orange Stage 5/6

Like others have said, it totally depends on the tyre size, casing and rim. I have a history of destroying rims and this is based on pressures that were said in magazines to be the ‘ideal’ at the time. However, I have learned for my style and the terrain I ride I just cannot run the low pressures being quoted in some posts.
80-85kg, Park Tools track pump gauge

FS:
Rear – Stans Flow Mk3 (30mm), 26×2.35 Nobby Nic Snakeskin, 30-32 PSI
Front – Stans Flow (25mm), 26×2.35 Magic Mary Snakeskin, 22-24 PSI

HT:
Rear – Hope Tech Enduro, 29×2.35 Nobby Nic Snakeskin, 32-34 PSI
Font – Hope Tech Enduro, 29×2.35 Magic Mary Snakeskin, 20-22 PSI

Anything less and I ding a rim.

I’ve just aquired a Nukeproof ARD insert which i’m going to try in the HT rear and see how much air I can let out as an experiment over the winter.

Since getting a Magic Mary a few years back (upgrade from Trail King’s/Rubber Queen’s), it’s been suitable for 90% of rides throughout the year. They are a real revelation up front! Only the wettest peak bog descents are tricky and have needed a specific mud tyre. Nobby Nic Mk2 on the back is fab throughout the year and similarly only struggles in the wettest conditions. However, you do say death trap on wet tarmac, most MTB specific tyres are not really designed for tarmac.

1x isn’t just about ratio – chain retention is one of the big drivers. I was so happy to get rid of my 2x chain device that wore out twice a winter. Plus 1x has the added bonus of not having to mess about at the top of the climb switching from granny to big rings. I really do not miss 2x setups on MTBs!!!

Rode a Cotic Rocket Demo bike with one fitted at ArdRock ’18, of all the demo bikes I rode they were the best on test (air sprung). I’d deffo consider one for my next bike.

I have had a CCDB Air on bike for 7 years and it has been awesome. Needed rebuilding once but that was me being tight and not servicing it.

Be careful with Magic Shine UK at the moment. I ordered about 10 days ago, received a tracking number, the number does not exist on the UPS website. I have emailed them twice, no response and their phone number is a dead line. Gone bust?

Simple question may be – where abouts are you based? if you’re nearby could always have a bounce around on mine?

Thanks for the offer! I’m in Oldham, north east Manchester. Where a ours are you?

Thanks for the info so far everyone. My current setup is a 26″ 160mm travel weighing in at 34lbs ish so 33lbs doesn’t sound bad as I manage to drag that around and have a Ragley BigWig for the not so gnar bigger days out.

I was thinking of the X2 shock (seems to have a DPS on all the pics). However, my current bike has a Cane Creek DBair which I love and thought about getting converted (length and stroke) as it needs a service anyway. Any thoughs on rear shocks?

A group of us ride every Wednesday night starting from the Police Station car park in Uppermill at 7.10pm. Feel free to come along, we don’t ‘rip legs off’! Usually have a pint or a few after too.

Got an external one for my HT. Run a reverb on my other bike. Once I got used the the transfer I like it. It does give a whack at top end, especially if you are used to operating a reverb but once you get used to the leaver it is fine. I really like it TBH, it is a genuine contender to the reverb. The best thing is the cable is not hydraulic and terminated at the seat collar so you don’t get the cable slack of a reverb when down. Like the other person said, it is a doddle to set up.

Saddleworth

Answers a few questions

I’m also sure I heard it was opening soon too. There is certainly a lot of vertical on offer around Dyfi; it looks mega!

Dan seems to be a bit more personable, I’ve bumped into him a few times at the Dyfi Enduro over the last few years. He even rode it in 2014 on a GT XC bike.

Nicoli / Mojo Geometron

THe Hope bracket is nice but the easier fix is to put a single wrap of cloth tape round the bar, for grip.

Tried duct tape and that failed so went with the Hope mount, far more secure. P.S. mine were alloy, non smooth bars. Guess it depends.

I had an expensive light then it broke and I couldn’t get it fixed so went cheap chinese. I found that the battery was rubbish (like many others on here) so when it gave up I replaced it with a fully waterproof magicshine version. The light unit went after that so I bought a magicshine light to match the battery. All this has been over a 3-4 year period (the magicshine light/battery is now just starting its 3rd winter).

The problem I found with magicshine / cheap chinese is the o-ring mountings are awful and any kind of decent offroad riding renders them a vibrating mess with lights pointing at all kinds of elevations by the time you stop/get to the bottom. As suggested on here I recently got a Hope Universal Light mount and mounted the magicshine on this; amazing difference. It is a great setup now.

I understand why people would buy the cheap chinese and the exposures et al of the world. However, I think the magicshine’s with a decent mount are a good compromise (sat in the middle price wise). They seem to have good longevity but not cost 200+.

Another call from Michael and he’s sorted me out! You don’t get much better service than that. I called them at 10am and by 11.30am on the same day I have had two calls back from the man in charge and he’s sending me them in the post. Fabulous service!

Just had a call from Michael at Planet X. Quite rightly he said that it is the bushings not the inserts that are designed to ware and they don’t have many issues. He said he knew of a handful in the last 5 years. He’s going to try and sort me out. Great service so far!

@fr0sty125 do you know who you spoke? I tweeted Brant last night and he told me to give Planet X a call and ask for Michael Golinski; apparently he’s the Titus man. A quick google reveals he’s the Planet X USA head honcho.

They said he wasn’t there when I called this morning (they were asking who said I need to speak to him etc) but they took my number and said he or someone else would give me a call back. So i’ll wait and see.

It is obviously not just us with this issue. Probably most people with similar aged EGs who ride all year in the UK. I love the bike so I’d like to get this sorted.

Further investigation reveals that the replacement swing arms they sell don’t come with the inserts so you’d think they’d make spares.

Show us ya plums

mtbguiding – Member

@abeach, personally will ride FPs as long as I am 100% sure I ain’t going to piss someone off – my criteria for judging this includes time of day, time of year, day of week, popularity of trail, chances of doing damage to trail, and probably a few more that I can’t think of right now.

BUT… as a guide, I can’t take people on FPs, my insurance wouldn’t back me – so I have my hands tied which is pretty pants. And as a guidebook rider/magazine writer I can’t put FPs in routes, which means I can’t necessarily highlight the best places to ride in an area – again hands tied.

Fair point, hadn’t thought about that. I do think they should “do a scotland”. Lots of high level footpaths are gate/style free and cracking for riding on. Would be great to have them in guides etc

Note to all other EG owners, take your horst link apart and regularly grease.

Nightmare. Looks like a machine shop job then.

The part is a solid metal tube with a 5mm centre hole going all the way through for the horst link bolt to go through. It fits inside the bushes and is the length the seat stay horst link is wide.

Out of interest, how many people don’t ride on footpaths regularly? I am lucky to live on the north west corner of the Peak District. Unlike the beautiful Hope Valley, bridleways round me aren’t ten a penny. However, neither do we get the visitor numbers on the trails they get.

Good riders tend to go where good trails are round my patch. There is the occasional threat from a game keeper or farmer but these are the exception not the norm and if you respect them all tends to be good in the end. Realistically I can’t see the trail traffic increasing a lot on my trails if we eventually get open access like Scotland. It will just become legitimate.

Thanks.

Ha. Was just looking at the Suppressor thinking I could just swap the components. Wasn’t planning on spending 1500 quid though. Thought a tenna might do ….?

Let me know how you get on with On One.

Did you find anything for this?

I have exactly the same problem and cannot find spares anywhere. I have got the spare bushings off “Adapter Man” on ebay, but the metal inserts have worn to hell. So they are ultimately the source of my issue.

Thanks

No the new sections do not replace fire road sections that were up hill they replace a flat bit of fire road with new trail that is 70% up hill then you loose all your height in two shit berms. It also has some up hill rollers in this new section that are shocking

Unbelievable. What a huge exaggeration. There are two new sections, one is deffo downhill all the way, the other which I assume is referred to above is downhill overall but probably only just. I thought those berms were quite good when hit properly. As for the rest of that bit, it is designed for people who are fit and who can ride a bike properly. A decent rider would probably be able to ride it without pedaling (i couldn’t as I am not good enough). It reminded me a bit of Cragg quarry where you really need to pump the bike to get the most out of it and the more you do the better it is.

Rode the enduro there at the weekend, hadn’t been there before and loved it. Great mix of tough natural narrow singletrack and new stuff. The new stuff is a great repalcement for a fire road. I am sure the haters can ride the old fire road instead.

My mate has the RC and me the RCT3. From memory the RC does not have the separate external low speed compression adjuster.

Thanks for the info all.