Above is all good advice. If Qatar will really let you take 2 bikes in addition to your normal allowance for $600 then that seems like a good deal to me (it’s all relative..). When I’ve looked into air freight in the past it has never been worth it (expensive, won’t insure high value items) but maybe I didn’t look hard enough. Mike seems to have got a good deal ^.

With regards Emirates policy, it is quite hard to follow and differs significantly by route and even by ticket within the same class. Generally though, for economy LHR-AKL, it’s 30kg total, which can be a suitcase or a bike or whatever. Bear in mind that they also limit total luggage volume, which means you can take 2 small suitcases weighing 15kg each but if you take a bike you will only be able to take that one item, regardless of weight, as anything else would take you above the volume limit. Their excess baggage charges are per kg and prohibitively expensive.

Another thing to note is that for flights within NZ they will not take any bag weighing over 23kg. For example, if you fly into Auckland with your 30kg bike bag, spend a couple of nights there then try to fly to Queenstown you will get a flat refusal to check in your bike bag unless you take 7kg of stuff out. You may get away with this if you can check your bags through from UK direct to your final destination but I haven’t tried that.

World cup race teams must spend an absolute fortune in excess baggage…

I’d say get a guide. We thought we’d gone well prepared with gpx files and maps for day one but hadn’t factored in that trails evolve/fall apart/get closed. After one pleasant but slightly frustrating day doing our own navigating we jumped in with a guided group and got a whole lot more out of it. If you’re spending all the money to get there you might as well spend a little more to actually find the trails you’ve gone for.

4 days in Montreal back in 2002. My ticket, booked with airmiles direct from KLM got lost in the post. They told me it would be fine and I just needed to go to the airport with my passport for the flight. The airport is 20+ miles from the city centre where I had been staying with my then girlfriend. I broke up with her before leaving for the airport. They wouldn’t allow me to board the plane, despite being able to see I had booked a seat and told me I would have to come back the following day when the ticket office was open. I spent my last money on a room at the airport hotel for the night. Then next day I was very rudely told by the obnoxious man on the ticket desk that I would need to get another ticket from KLM or buy a ticket for $2000. Due to the time difference the KLM ticket office in the Netherlands and the ticket desk in Montreal were never open at the same time. I had to go grovelling back to the poor girl I had just dumped for a place to sleep while I spent the next 2 days on the phone and bussing the 40miles back and forth to the airport sorting the mess out. I have refused to fly KLM ever since.

I had the AM V4. Liked the ride a lot, though I agree on the flexy rear end. I know a lot of people like a bit of designed-in flex but I don’t. It’s a really capable bike though. No real weakness. Oh, except pivots loosening, as others have mentioned. What are you riding at the moment?

The downside of the Commencal, and the main reason I got rid of mine, is Commencal. A few bits fell apart. Clearly warranty issues, mostly with their own brand/rebranded kit. They couldn’t have cared less. The whole warranty experience left me resentful of the company and the bike so I got rid. Compare that with warranty experience from Giant and Specialized which made me want to go out and buy another one of their bikes immediately…

+1 for Mobil XHP222. It’s great quality and has the added bonus of being very versatile. I use it for all bearings and some suspension duties (Fox recommend it too).

I think a lot of the Santa Cruz grease gun problems come from the fact that SC recommend marine grease in their pivots. Because marine grease is so thick it needs really high pressure to force through the ports and into pivots. The Mobile stuff isn’t so thick, so is much more user friendly.

I haven’t used the specific hub you mention but I have owned cheap Novatecs which came OE on a bike. They were pretty dismal. Freehub and bearings didn’t last 6 months. More like 4 I think, and not the winter either. For reference, I ran Hopes for 2 years before that without touching them.

Interesting. That would be spot on for me.

Yep, I’m 6’1 and the L felt very cramped. XL a good fit but the slack seat tube with limited room for a long dropper is a bit of a pain. Phenomenal bike to thrash around on though.

I don’t know if Specialized still sell an externally routed version of the Command post? I’d vote for that. Used mine for 2 years in all sorts of cack, never touched it bar lubing the stanchion occasionally and it was faultless. Cable clamps at post end too, so you can use it with your choice of gear shifter. If they made the Command post with a longer drop I’d still be using them.

I run 95psi, 3 tokens, 4 clicks from fully open compression on 160mm 29er dual position. I weigh about 85-90kg depending on kit/pies.

Numbers are all irrelevant unless you’re comparing the exact same spec forks (travel, wheel size, solo/dual position). The different travel and wheel size Lyriks have different volume air chambers.

The problem with gear shifter mods and the Transfer is that the cable clamps at the lever. There’s also very little space to try to insert any kind of cable clamp onto the end of the post. The Fox lever is rubbish. Mine lasted about 2 weeks before dissolving at the hinge, like a few others here. Wolftooth lever is good, but I struggled to get it in a comfortable position. I’ve just found a Bontrager lever which is pretty good. Happy with the post itself though.

+1 for IXS Flow. Great pads.

How big are your hands? I struggled with hand pain for a couple of years and I’m convinced it was due to trying to hold onto narrow diameter grips (the vast majority of grips out there). I’m also not a fan of thick rubber grips so now I run good quality cork tape wrapped around a lock-on with the rubber grip cut off. Ideally I’d like to try larger diameter bars but nobody makes them. Apart from golf, which probably isn’t very relevant here, I can’t think of another sport where grip on your equipment is important, which uses such a narrow diameter grip.

DNAR forms are a tricky area in medicine with a lot of misconceptions around them.

For your immediate situation, as bails says above, I think your best course of action would be to contact the PALS service at the hospital that treated your grandfather. IME they are very good at resolving situations like this. It’s worth contacting your grandfather’s GP as well to make his wishes clear, in case the GP has amended his records to note the DNAR.

As an aside, and contrary to popular belief, nobody has an automatic right to have CPR performed. It is ultimately the doctor’s decision whether that treatment is appropriate, not the patient’s. That being said, if a person is of sound mind then that decision should always be discussed, even if it is to say that CPR would not be offered. It sounds like that didn’t happen with your grandfather, which is disappointing.

All that being said, the default course of action where there is any doubt whatsoever is to attempt CPR.

I agree with keeping your bike in the house for a while. I was targeted after being followed home from a ride. Stupidly, I thought my bike was safe as it was locked with heavy duty chain to a cemented in anchor point, inside a locked steel cage, inside a private parking garage. Don’t underestimate the lengths these bstrds will go to!

Enjoy it Mike! Rotorua was my third EWS and easily the hardest. That said, despite the horror conditions on race day, I made all the transition times fairly comfortably (actually, “comfort” is the wrong word, I was a crampy mess but had a few minutes to spare). I too was quite teary on completion of this one and that was only partly due to 65km worth of rain/mud/grit in my eyes.

For me, practice days are the real fun of entering EWS events as an amateur but sadly I chose to limit my practice days a bit to save the legs for the race. They still brought some special moments though. Sitting in the shuttle line behind the Canyon team listening to Barel/Barnes/Leov/Thoma discuss bike setup was fascinating. Keeping pace with a train of pros including Sam Blenkinsop and Keegan Wright down stage 6 was awesome. Having Chris Ball shout “Perfect!” as I minced my way down one of the hardest sections of the race might be my proudest moment on a bike.

Before the race I had made up my mind that it would be the last one I entered. Risk of injury, poor fitness and general responsibilities of adulthood all being factors. I’m already reconsidering… I’ve no doubt that in 10 years time people like me will get nowhere near the main event. We should all make the most of it while we can!

Yeah, I also agree that the race should be testing. My comments about the course length were meant as a criticism of my own fitness, not the race itself. I have no business lining up alongside Jared Graves, but since I can, I will! I’ve done 2 previous EWS and this will be the biggest single day by quite a distance.

Apologies for the thread resurrection, but I thought folks might find it interesting that the first round of the series in Rotorua is actually undersubscribed. EWS still have places in the main event available to anyone who wants them. With a slightly disappointing choice of stages (IMHO), 2000m+ of climbing and 65km in one day, I’m starting to wonder if I really want my place in the race!

I’ve always found Easyjet to be surprisingly cool and quite generous with their sports equipment allowance, both bikes and snowboards. No problems with that video either. I clicked through expecting to see the bags being launched out of the hold and freefalling onto the tarmac.

Except, when I plug in the numbers… “The information you are looking for is unavailable at this time”

Thanks DJ!

Does anyone have any info on the 2017 OEM “Performance” 36? They seem to come in a few varieties, with different adjusters. Mine have a LSC dial and a rebound dial only, and come with the 15mm QR axle. They don’t seem to be listed on the Fox website. I may just not have looked hard enough.. Any help appreciated.

I’ve been shopping around for a similar “epic weapon”. Only considering 29ers, as they’re clearly the future. I rode the Trek Slash, which is ace but didn’t feel quite right for me (and I really wanted it to). Specialized’s offerings were a bit meh – good bikes but I didn’t find them fun. Yeti SB5.5c is the standout so far. It just felt like the right bike in any situation, and FAST. Don’t be fooled by it “only” having 140mm of rear travel, it deals with rough terrain as well as most 160 bikes. I’d still like to try a Hightower but somehow I can’t see it being better than the Yeti. For reference, my current bike is a Giant Reign. I’ve also owned a Meta AM V4 and a Nomad in the last few years.

Anyone know what’s going on? Strava tells me Baller has been out riding his bike..

I’m surprised they are trying to charge you – not my experience with Rockshox warranty. I think you’d be well within your rights to question that fee. The shock was within warranty and if it developed a fault should have been sorted FOC.

IMO the only way Fisher could justify charging you is if they believe the shock had been poorly maintained, resulting in the fault.

Daver27 I am indeed after the 21.5″ but I’m not buying in the UK. It looks like there might be one or two left here. Given the supply/demand mismatch on the Slash it’s tempting. If in a few months something else catches my eye I could probably sell a Slash for almost what I would pay for it (more if I took it back to the UK on my next visit!)

Chakaping, that was my reasoning for looking at the Slash. It’s an absolute stunner but perhaps too “big” a bike for the stuff I ride most of the time. I’ve tried Specialized’s offerings and didn’t get on with them. Yetis look phenomenal but pricey and I worry about durability. Any other 29ers I should consider? I won’t touch Evil based on their history of poor customer service.

Thanks for the input everyone.

Goldenwonder, I was pretty set on buying a Hightower and I went into the local SC dealer mainly to discuss build options. TBH I was quite surprised when, instead of taking my money, they suggested I might want to wait for the Nomad. I’d told them I specifically want a 29er. Read into that what you will…

I’ve heard the theory that the golf is grippier in the wet than dry before, tbh, I don’t buy it. That said, it’s still very rideable and great fun!

Some things that help me:

Tyres – get the right ones. Shorty/DHR2 is my default choice in the wet. Then, crucially, don’t put too much air in them!

As per Tracey Moseley – Point and shoot. Trying to steer round slippy roots or brake on them is futile. Look for your next safe turning/braking spot, find the straight line towards that and commit to it. Ride that line loose and relaxed. Accept that the bike will squirm under you but will still hold that line.

For the most part, the front wheel is for steering only. This is not really true but it helps me to keep telling myself that. Those crucial, steep, slippy turns require that you put the front wheel in the right place. Don’t fall into the panic trap of front wheel braking when you should be steering. You can hit those turns much faster than you think, providing you find the catch berm/rut with the front wheel and it’s not locked solid!

Man, NZ is brilliant and all, but I miss the Golfy!

I got quite fussy about tyres when i had an mx5. After trying loads I settled on Toyo Proxes T1R. Pretty much all I cared about was grip but they wore better than most too. Ordering from Camskill was always loads cheaper than anywhere else, then just get the local fellow to fit them.

I’ve not ridden the Patrol but I own a Reign. It’s brilliant. Previously I’d been a bit of a serial bike swapper. The problem with the Reign is that I can’t find a fault to justify buying anything else. People who say it feels dead must be riding it with the Monarch shock in stock set-up. If you tune the Monarch properly it’s great; with the X2 it’s phenomenal, and you can set that shock up to be as lively as you like. The 2017 Advanced 1 is a stunner and they’ve got the build kit almost bang-on IMO (you can debate the own brand dropper if you’re being really picky). It’s so good that I’m considering scratching the new bike itch with another Reign. Giant warranty support have been faultless too (all componentry problems, no issues with the frame). Buy it. I’d be amazed if it’s not the best mountain bike you’ve owned.

I’ve also had issues with Air NZ domestic flights. We ended up with a layover in Auckland, meaning we couldn’t check our bags straight through. We called their customer service line to buy more weight and specifically asked about the 23kg limit and bikes. We were told there would be no problem. When we went to check in they initially refused to take the bike at all and quibbled about our cases being a few kg over limit. Eventually, after speaking to managers etc about having called the helpline (they checked their records on this, basically calling us liars in the process), they allowed the bike but made us unpack our cases and put our clothes in a plastic bag, which we had to pay for as an extra case. This bag then burst open in transit.

Possibly an isolated incident but I’m pretty wary after that episode..

+1 for Nelson/Abel Tasman region. It’s the sunniest part of NZ. The biking around Nelson is truly world class and there are some well organised shuttle or heli trips from Helibike Nelson. I’d recommend the Wakamarina. If you want to Kayak then Abel Tasman is stunning and very well set up for multi-day trips with lodges or campsites. The region also has dozens of vineyards for your rest days.

Queenstown is a must too but very much a tourist town. Rotorua is also ace and the geothermal stuff makes it feel otherworldly at times.

I have nothing useful to add, but the scanty information in this thread is enough to convince me never to buy a BOS product. A disgraceful way to treat customers.

This website has all the info you need: http://www.upgradeable.co.nz/apple/macbookpro5-5-core-2-duo-2-26ghz-13-inch.html
Just pick your machine from the homepage and it gives you a list of parts to buy and simple instructions on how to install everything. It’s NZ based, so probably not much help for actual purchasing but you can always copy and paste part numbers into google. Solid state drives are a revelation in speed.

I like mine a lot. Sizing is slightly snug but I find they’re consistent with other shoes I own (i.e. The same size as my other shoes but I want my cycling shoes snug, less so my casual trainers..). Also available in a wide version if you find them tight that way. No issues with sole delamination. The new mid model looks great.

I had one in large and absolutely hated it. Really harsh ride and getting it around corners felt akin to manoeuvring stepladders through a bus shelter. I’ve owned a lot of bikes and that thing takes the title of worst ever. I’ve heard the smaller sizes ride much better but I’ve no intention of ever finding out.

csb speaks the truth here. Imagine someone hears you’re a cyclist and wants to buy you a bike. What you propose is equivalent to going out and buying any budget bike from Trek/Spesh/Giant when you don’t know what size, weight, style of riding etc they prefer. If you’re set on a tennis gift then maybe a voucher from a specialist shop would be the way to go? If they’re even a semi-serious player they would probably spend £50 just on racquet strings…

I had the same thing a while back. Bought my kit and informed the police who told me in no uncertain terms not to meet the thief to collect. The police then took forever to do anything, despite me providing the address of the criminals and offering to arrange to pick up the goods. They then seemingly announced their arrival to the thieves, giving them time to dispose of all evidence. Needless to say I’d do things differently if it happened again. One small point to consider – you will need evidence that the items are yours. Pictures showing those mudguards and brakes, distinctive scratches or, ideally, serial numbers. My bike was almost entirely custom built and I had pictures of it, still no help from the police..