Oh, don’t get me wrong, I know most people aren’t saying that. I just noticed a few people saying it wasn’t, or that having an old bike is somehow better or more genuine (it isn’t, it doesn’t matter).

If I lived in the peaks then I don’t think I’d ever go to a trail centre again. The quality of riding there is brilliant for both XC and ‘enduro’.

I don’t like the idea that XC on natural trails is ‘proper mountain biking’ but dicking about in the woods or trail centres aren’t.

I enjoy all 3, with the vast majority of my rides being natural XC esque ones until very recently. Each one has a different appeal so I can see why some people don’t like certain types of riding.

I did my dissertation on the atomic bombing of Japan so have read a lot of the original sources. There wasn’t really any discussion on whether they should drop the bombs or what the aims of them would be. Nearly all of the discussion was on how they would be dropped and what the target would be. They chose the two targets for 2 main reasons; they were relatively untouched by the war so the destructive force the bombs could be seen, and they were big enough targets to hit and there was nothing to stop the blast e.g. mountain ranges.

The main reason they wanted these criteria was to shock the Japanese government (and possibly the Soviets). They deliberately picked civilian targets to do this.

There was no mention (in the documented history, at least) of them expecting unconditional surrender as a result of the bombing. They used the bombs simply because they had them and saw no reason not to. If it was simply the shock they wanted to scare the Japanese into surrender then the declaration of war from the Soviets could potentially have also worked. The declaration wasn’t a surprise to the Americans, they’d been discussing with them for months, although the timing was probably brought forward by Hiroshima.

After the event, a lot of the leading military figures came out against the need to use the bomb, although of course this is “what if” history. But the idea that they wouldn’t have surrendered without it is also guess work. As others have said, they’d twice approached the US indirectly with offers of peace, although not unconditional surrender. So the idea of them been willing to surrender wasn’t exactly unknown.

In regard to the random photos of Japanese military atrocities, I’m not sure what the point you’re trying to make is. Yes, their army committed some horrendous war crimes against both POWs and civilians, but I’m not sure how that justifies nuking a city full of civilians. If the mass murder of civilians is bad, then it’s bad regardless of the nationality doing it (see also Dresden and Katyn for other examples).

I’d be happy with any of them! I had a similar short list and ended up with a Stanton Slackline.

The Xfusion McQueen roughcut feel miles better than my Fox 34 Performance forks.

They’re also cheaper than the Fox forks, thinking of replacing the forks on my other bike with them too.

Agree with the above. Great day out, trails are fast and fun, but not massively technical.

I’ve only ever seen one Bird bike in the wild (at Ard moors enduro) so it always amazes me when so many people recommend them. I’m not sure if it’s because the people who have them love then so much and are vocal about it, or whether most riders are from the south. I’m assuming it might be the latter due to where Bird are based.

I’ve found Pilates to be incredibly helpful over the last 6 months. It’s good for your core muscles, but the main benefit for me was increasing my mobility, especially in my hips, which now means I can squat deeply whilst weight training.

I’ve tried yoga once, and imagine it will also be useful if done regularly, but I found Pilates to be a bit more relevant for people who are training for other sports/activities.

I’m not sure if recommend using an online course in either until you’ve learnt the basics with a qualified instructor. It’s amazing how many things you get wrong without someone there to correct you.

@dragon – I have a 2×10 on my full suss and 1×11 on my hardtail. I usually ride from my door but like the odd bigger day out. Should I sell my Seat and buy an Audi?

Seriously though, that’s a stupid argument. 1x is just a change to gear ratios, not a sign of the demographic of mountain biking changing.

I don’t think you could go wrong with either bike, I’d just choose the one that you prefer the look of, or the cheapest.

It might also be worth considering if you have any spare parts or other bikes that you might want to swap kit over. One of the reasons I ended up picking a Stanton Slackline was that pretty much everything from my Canyon Spectral would be swappable (wheels, forks, seatpost etc.).

This is such a ridiculous argument. Pick whichever suits your riding style, fitness level and where you ride.

2 x 10 / 3 x 9 still work perfectly well, so there’s not really a need to upgrade unless they’ve worn out, or if you fancy a change. But to insist that they are inherently better than 1x is also daft. It’s just whether the compromises of one system is greater than the benefits, and this is a personal choice.

The journalists that are doing the “bullying” are saying it tongue in cheek, for the most part. I don’t read many other websites, but the comment that Wil made was clearly not meant to be taken seriously.

Personally I prefer 1x, although 1 of my bikes is still 2 x 10. I’m not bothered about the higher gears for pedalling down fireroads/ roads, and I find the lowest gear is generally enough with a 30t chainring and big cassette. If I rode in more extreme terrain more regularly then I’d probably prefer 2 x 10. One of the things I like the most about 1 x 11 is how easy it is to clean after a muddy ride, I always find front mechs are a bit of a mud trap in winter.

The other common recommendations in this category are Orange 4, Cotic Flare, Bird Aires 120 and maybe a Canyon (I think Neuron in their short travel bike).

Although I’m sure someone will also come along and suggest an Edit or Radon 170mm travel mega bike soon :)

I don’t see the point of having two similar bikes, you’ll always prefer one to another. But riding different styles of bikes can be fun, even though one may be more capable than the other. E.g. full suss over rigid or hardtail.

It’s also useful to have a spare in case one bike needs maintenance or a spare part, and riding simpler bikes in the winter makes sense.

Everyone I’ve spoken to who’s done it have had a lot of punctures, so spare tubes/ tough tyres is a good idea.

There’s two separate issues in these type of discussions.

On an individual level, the podium girls (or strippers, or whatever else this type of discussion is about) should of course be allowed to do whatever they like.

But at a society level, having women (or men) there simply as eye candy is not a healthy thing as it promotes inequality and bad body image, especially for younger people. It shouldn’t be banned, but I don’t think it’s the kind of message that should be encouraged at major sporting events.

Has to be Painkiller by Judas Priest for me. I only quite like the rest of their stuff but that song is ridiculously heavy.

I had to deal with their warranty for a problem with the rebound on my forks. Easy to deal with and pretty quick turnaround.

Bike is great but can’t compare it to other similar bikes as I haven’t ridden many others.

Out of interest, why would you do that? What’s the benefit?

Have a look at the Onza Payoff too. I think they have a deal on them at the moment and they’re lovely frames.

The DMR Trailstar looks a lot better in person than it does on the photos. I think they do a black version if the retro one is a bit funky too.

Stanton frames are things of beauty. I own the latest Slackline and love it, but it’s well over the budget you mentioned so won’t do the usual STW thing of recommending what I own.

I love steel bikes, but again it’s mainly down to the look of the things.

It depends on the style of riding you do. I bought one but didn’t really get on with it as the local riding didn’t really suit it (busy roads but lots of local woods).

If you live somewhere with nice country roads and gravel farm tracks then it’d be perfect.

I am 5 9 with fairly short legs and had a large. The reach felt good (fairly long, although maybe not if you’re a lot taller) but I didn’t have enough stand over on it.

I’d step away from the Daily Mail if I were you.

Remember that water levels in your body is likely to be the biggest cause of weight loss or gain over a 24 hour period, rather than body fat.

Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea to publish it on social media, but definitely tell someone about it, whether a partner, friend, personal trainer or colleague. I found being held accountable to someone really helped.

Also, do a food diary. Its amazing how much the shame of writing down what you eat and drink can help you resist temptation.

I’d probably look second hand. Can sometimes pick up a second hand Stanton or Cotic for that sort of money, might be worth keeping an eye out on the classifieds forum.

I know people seem to rate the Voodoo Bizango too, which is roughly £600 I believe.

John Keegan is a very highly regarded military historian, so I’d start with that.

Also, rugby league’s rules have evolved dramatically over the last 100 years. I think there were unlimited tackles until the 1960s, then 4 tackles until the 80s, and 6 tackles after that. Having unlimited tackles meant that teams weren’t forced to actually do anything with the ball, just keeping possession instead. A bit like how no one ever scores a try in Union.

It is contested in theory, just most teams don’t bother pushing.

The scrums used to be properly contested 30 years ago but they were such a mess that it made the game dull to watch as they took ages.

The other problem is that teams would spend all the time practising scrums in training if they were important, rather than other skills. This would make the rest of the game duller as they quality would be worse. A bit like how northern hemisphere rugby union teams play, really.

For the fork, I can’t put my finger on the precise characteristics but I’ve always felt it feels a bit harsh. I have a xfusion on my hardtail and it feels a lot plusher even though I haven’t really messed about with the settings much yet.

The shock feels ok but the cost of a service/time is roughly 40% the cost of a new one that is possibly a better spec.

As they’re due a service soon anyway, I was just wondering whether now would be a good time to upgrade and sell the old ones.

I’m happy with the bike and it fits well so don’t mind investing a bit into it if it will improve the performance.

I know 1×11 isn’t an upgrade as such, but I think I have a slight preference for it for the simplicity. It’s a lot of money though so might just put a new cassette and chain on instead.

I’ve only ever had one fork and shock serviced and it did make a huge difference, but that was mainly because the bike was bought second hand and it was a bit knackered.

Sonder do a few decent bikes around that price range don’t they? I know someone who has one and he seems to like it.

Everyone should read Catch 22.

Pretty sure the Payoff will be 27.2 and the jackpot is 31.6.

The Jackpot has 27.5 wheels and is designed for 150mm fork, I believe, whereas the Payoff is a 29er with a 120mm fork.

The Jackpot wasn’t 27.2 so it’s probably the old model still. Can’t really go wrong for that price though!

They normally release the new bikes around September/October.

I’d be tempted to look at who were doing demo days nears you, or which demo bikes local bike shops have in stock. I bought a Canyon without demoing it as my previous bike was an old one so any modern bike would be a massive improvement, but if in were to buy one now I’d want to demo first yo make sure it was better.

That purple looks lovely! Any more pictures of It?

I had one and it was a great bike, only sold it due to it being a bit too big for me. The copper colour looks amazing in the flesh.

They were more expensive when they came out 2 years ago but recently have had a price drop, I’m assuming because they have an updated model coming out soon.

The only problem with them is the 27.2 seattube, so dropper post choice is limited. They’re not light but they climbed we’ll enough. Although if you’re looking for a ‘race steed’ then a steel hardtail might not be the best bet, they’re designed for fun more than XC.

Hardtails still have a few advantages:
They look pretty (well, steel ones do).
They’re lower maintenance and easier to clean for British winters.
They feel a lot different so can make the same trails feel fresh.
They help improve technique as you notice clumsy riding.

It a hard to argue that they’re better bikes than full suspensions, but there’s still a place for them.

Whoops, I should have said that it’s a brick shed but with quite a thick wooden door. I think it was originally an out house.

Is it worth getting one or would they just cut through the door?