I quite fancy the X-king. Never had a conti before. They wear out quick, right?

And I’m not fanboy – Schwalbe back and front for me.

Spec tyres are the shimano cranks of tyres. You put them on and forget about them because they just keep doing their job.

Indeed, had my slx for a while and much lower fuss than Hayes – good up until you want to change pads – then a ball ache.

Going to buy a new one for the back, just curious because I’ve seen rumours.

Shimano are a funny bunch. The cranks and derailleurs are excellent, especially for the price, hubs are terrible. Brakes seem to be a bit marmite – I really like mine, mind.

Easton Vice. Not too much. Good component, decent bolts as well. Comes in a high rise version [which I have], which is good if you are shortening and going wider on the bars.

Also, On One Chunky Monkey is Maxxis for cheaper:

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/TYOOCM26X24/on_one_chunky_monkey_26x24_tyre

Hans dampf super gravity?

My mate has geax lobo locos. He says they are indestructable on jagged rock.

Cheap as chips too:

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/TYGXLMLFT/geax_lobo_mas_loco_mtb_folding_tyre

From what I hear Spain is very tough on tyres. Just go double ply, I says.

AJT

Wow that Hex 275 looks awesome! :-)

BUMP!

Bah-dump-chush!

I wouldn’t get a salsa – no brass bush – very gritty action and alloy wearing on mine.

I’d go Hope, or maybe even specialized.

Surprising how irritating a little thing like that can be.

I’ll go a few months after opening. Otherwise will be chocka. Maybe when it is sleeting.

http://www.realcycles.com/m1b0s311p3077/GENESIS_Fortitude_Race_29er_2013

Thanks for the tips – excellent feedback.

Very tempted by the Genesis – especially at that price.

Part of me thinks take the ten speed off that and put on the Ragley…

Genesis always overpriced IMO – especially when you take the rubbish shimano hubs and chains into account.

I replaced my Hans Dampf with a Nobby Nic 2.4 snakeskin.

To be honest, it does roll better, but I do miss the traction and i just doesn’t ‘feel’ as roll-over planted as the Dampfs.

Hans Dampfs have probably ruined tyres for me.

I reckon you might want a look at Kenda – maybe a H-factor? Similar to a Nobby Nic in that it has a big block centre strip, but with more intermediate lugs.

A lot of people would recommend Maxxis, but I’ve found them all or nothing, seem to be more popular where there is hard-rock riding, like Yorkshire. I’m a hater for Contis.

What kind of bike are you riding. If its a full suss you can obviously get away with lower volume and lower traction than a hardtail.

If you get the SLX from Rose beware that they are left-front, right-rear.

Fortunately I got a set, but it is a pain.

Air suspension is better. Basically with coil you are on the wrong spring rate unless you are *just the right weight.

Now that they have got so clever, why not go for an Air fork.

Sektor’s are brill by the way – not massive stiff on a slack bike – front to back – but very good side to side stiffness.

Alex

Well, I can pull the pedal body nearly half-way off the axle – it is loose – before it hits any stop. So don’t think I am talking bollox.

Yeah, well I’ll revise my opinion on the nukeproof electrons. After about 10 rides they are gonnas. Avoid.

Don’t get the electrons – the end cap is held-in metal on plastic. Basically if it works loose the threads are stripped and you can’t fix it.

I should be riding right now.

Some excellent advice there chaps.

Especial thanks to wwass and Ming.

Cheers

Alex

Get a blue pig. Awesome all-rounder, massive confidence booster actually quite comfy for a hardtail.

Alex

Nukeproof electrons.

I got a pair as they were reduced in Evans and am very happy. Tough, nice bearings and light.

Initially I was a bit worried them being composite, but am glad I took the plunge. Gave one a right clout on a rock the other day, barely a scratch.

Alex

Interesting points chaps. Mountain Uni = guts of steel I imagine!

Looks like cley over flint. Tricky.

When I went in August last year it was bone dry.

Maybe I’ll take a mud tyre in the car and see how it goes.

For Leith hill I would probably park in Wescott. You can then head south, up the hill, starting on Wolvern’s lane and then onto the bridle-way.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=wescott&hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF-8&ei=-ydfUZypDKTL0AXUxYHoBg&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAg

This takes you to the top of a trail called Summer lightening – which is excellent, if you like berms and twisty non-steep stuff.

If I were you, I’d save till last, and keep on heading up to the tower – get to Coldharbour and then turn right up the hill. Then you have various trails from there.

Nice little one I did on Saturday you face North and go downhill East then North again into a little river valley

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=wescott&hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF-8&ei=-ydfUZypDKTL0AXUxYHoBg&ved=0CAsQ_AUoAg

Some very nice Switch-backs, pretty steep.

Lots of people about – mostly friendly – just ask.

Alex

Fox 34-killer.

Thanks flyingmonkeycorps

Out of interest, how large are your feet?

Mine are 12s and I tend to ride duck-footed – hence bigger platform is attractive.

Agree that lots of pedals are crazy steep nowadays.

What is the free-hub sound like big_scot? Just under budget, are they dead good?

Cheers,

Alex

Mud it is pretty good. Certainly not poor. I think with mud its usually either OK, or awful.

I cannot recommend the Schwalbe’s high enough; they really are fantastic in mixed conditions and they have really improved the quality of my ride.

For the type of tyre they are I think they are currently unbeatable, and I am running the medium price ORC version!

Alex

@jimjam

Currently using Addidas superstars, so can’t be worse than that surely!

Alex

Thanks for all the ideas, appreciate it. Are any of these membrane / gore-texy?

Alex

I have a Ragley Blue pig not a million miles away from your build, a mate have a BFe

Obviously you’ve already got it, and I’m sure it is a good fork but I would suggest getting an air sprung sektor over the coil;

1. You save weight.
2. You can adjust the spring-rate easily for different conditions, weight and gear changes.
3. Travel adjusters appeal in principle, but the geo on the BFe is just fine at 140mm, its just another thing to bugger up TBH.

I’d seriously check out X-fusion’s new forks too.

In terms of the other components I can’t speak for the Mountain Kings but have just taken my new pair of Schwalbe Hans Dampfs for a spin today and am pretty impressed.

The 2.35” come up over 2.4 on nice wide rims like you are thinking of and their climbing traction was excellent in the claggy clay I was on this afternoon. Definitely worth a look IMO.

For headsets, personally I think Nuke-proof are pretty hard to beat for the money, and Cane Creek I’ve had a good experience with. I think headsets are a bit like pedals – after about £50 you stop getting any real additional performance or durability gains and it becomes more about showing off.

Whilst certainly not popular Hayes brakes last of ever, never need tweaking, even if you prang them around.

Alex

Shim can’t migrate as it should have a lip on it to hook onto top of seat tube.

Fair play, suppose we will see.

Motorman – please elaborate :wink:

Alex

How much does the whole frame weigh, out of interest?

Dead-light – box says 3kg, haven’t weighed as is impressively light to the touch. Very nice frame, building it up over the next few days.

Haven’t ridden it get, but looks like it will be sweet ride.

Do you mean carbon paste inside the seat tube?

I meant carbon paste like;

Tacx

I was worried that the shim might ‘migrate’ down the tube after a while.

Also, I’d have been even more happy with a 3050 gram frame :wink:

Alex

Why don’t you just use the Ragley clamp with the shim? Works fine for me

Well, because the Salsa clamp is much nicer – it should be for 3 times the price.

Thanks for the response Brant.

brant – just out of interest, what was the reason for designing it that way?

Something to do with weight saving on the seat-tube. I can’t see why when the other tubes are externally butted this couldn’t be also.

I’m sure it works out cost/benefit on paper, but it is irritating; much better to have plug and play capabilities, when you have a nice 400 quid frame you don’t want to be faffing with fiddly bits of tin.

Brant, should I use carbon-paste / friction-paste to improve the operation of the shim?

Cheers

Alex

Nope – the internal diameter of the tube is 30.9mm – fine and dandy.

But the exterior diameter is a none-standard size – i.e. you have to shim it to get a clamp to fit, ragley don’t do a clamp in that size either, so they pop a shim in with every frame.

The problem is that my seat-post clamp is deeper than the depth of the shim.

I find it pretty sickening. But to be honest more worried about the price of bills and bog standard mountain-bike parts.

Amazing to see how things like the Specialized Pitch went up year on year with limited changes in spec…

Brant, what are the bearings on the new Escarpe? Also, when will there be demo opportunities, I may hold off buying a Granite Chief for one of these…

Wow! Looks right up my street.

Bushing though… don’t they mess us the frame if you get any dirt or play in them?

Alex