I have a TomTom XL with Western Europe maps bought about three years ago for a drive to Switzerland, it’s been pretty good but I ever updated the maps as always seemed to expensive. Routing has always been excellent and my only major gripe was the time it took to get a GPS fix, sometimes as long as three minutes!

Anyway I finally updated the maps for a drive to the Alpes and it got a software update at the same time… Wow, the new user interface and display is much better and GPS takes seconds – looks like it was a software bug 😳

On the drive to Aple D’Huez last week it was faultless, getting us to the door of both our [remote] overnight stop over and destination.

I’m not convinced about traffic versions, seem expensive but never tried one so can’t really comment. I drive into London virtually daily and the radio works fine for me, just ask SatNav to re route around issues.

I’ve been in cars with Smart phone systems and they are not as good as a stand alone solution for a number of reasons plus, as noted above the cost for data overseas would be prohibitive. Can’t comment on other systems but I’m always very impressed with a brand that improves existing hardware with software updates. My XL feels brand new which is nice. Gets my vote.

Lots of great recommendations above so won’t repeat, one not listed that I love is…

Pitch Black

Awesome opening scene and nice and creepy. Great.

6′ and ride a 17″ Five (16″ standover). It’s just on the small side but very playful which is what I wanted. I have a short leg at 30″ so at 33″ I recon your looking at something too small.

the amount of cyclists that display a lack of any sort of road awareness is shocking

This is very true.I drive almost every day in London and the amount of cyclists that put themselves in danger is unbelievable. As a cyclist you must assume that drivers are a danger and it seems to me that a large number of riders just don’t care. The one that really gets my goat is when two riders pass you one each side of the car, the amount of times I’ve gone to move out slightly to make space for the rider on the pavement side and nearly knocked the other into oncoming traffic is ridiculous.

With such tight roads I’m not sure what can be done other than increase awareness and put cycle lanes where they can fit. Ride safe…

As said above the best solution is a demo to asses charicteristics and ride, you’ll know when you’ve found the right bike.

I bought a Five late last year after testing several, one of which was a Spesh Epic 29r which was a fantastic XC ride but hopeless once the trail got steep or technical. I have tried a couple of mates 29rs since then and my opinion remained, that was until a rode a mates Whyte 829HT. Fantastic trail bike and has had me thinking….

Currently in Alpe D’Huez on holiday and yesterday, on my first ride, I was taken down the DH trail into OZ… My Five was outstanding and I would not do near that on a large wheeled bike, not from what I’ve experienced so far.

That said my next bike will probably be a 650b. On paper it look like it’ll address the advantages of both.

Never, ever watch anything on ITV…. Its a horrible TV channel 😕

Sounds good mastakillah, when should we see them coming through?

Stunners…. Hardly. The same girls pictured with different guys, I assume to measure whether the participants view was influenced buy the guy in the picture. Needed more attractive girls IMO as I think only two got above a 4. 1,1,1,1,1,1…..I found it especially difficult to find any of the girls attractive with their hair pinned back like that.

Not sure if tests where the participant start to question the test are unlikely to produce accurate data. Still, hope he succeeds and good luck.

Let’s put it another way then. I was coming back to MTB after a five year sabbatical and what I wanted was to have as much fun as possible in the hills; small jumps, drops, step technical decents that sort of thing. XC of little interest and as I weigh 15st+ I wanted a strong bike.

The Covert and Five ran a tight race but the Five just felt more nimble and better suited to all day riding… for me. So what Style? That. 😉

Just goes to show how important a demo is…

I’ve ridden a covert (mates) and it’s brilliant. I far prefer it to the orange 5 I demoed.

I tested both and chose the Five. It felt a little more responsive, climbed better and I just felt it would be more suited to my style of riding. That said I loved the Covert and have my eye on the new carbon version. OP, from your opening post it sounds like the Covert would be ideal but do try a few others if you can.

Last minute unfortunately, a loan set fell through and off very soon. Can’t rely on eBay. Jonny, I know zip about these things, if interested I assume I’d need the right fitting for a Passat as well?

Just found the whisper bar Kronos, I take it that’s a firm recommendation. Will check out the aero too.

Thanks Cougar.

Nick, or anyone else for that matter, could you recommend some routes in Alpes D’Huez. I’m off with the Family soon and as it’s not a cycle holiday I’ll need to keep my riding fairly close to the resort. Other than a day or two I expect I’ll get most of my riding in by doing lots of shortish rides rather than all day epics. Looking for the usual challenging Single Track and would like to progress with jumps, nothing huge just confidence building bumps where I can work on technique.

Cheers.

Well we’re all going to plug our rides aren’t we…

The Mega gets great comments so probably best to try one out, such good value it’s hard to ignore. Only advice I can give is don’t look too hard at the spec, very misleading. Granted you may get more ‘kit’ for your money from Canyon, YT etc… But it all for sh*t if you don’t enjoy the ride. I tested several bikes and the Five was spot on, had mine custom built so much better spec than a Pro, but it was the Pro that sold me. Fantastic all day bike, climbs well and so far has taken everything I’ve thrown it down. Off to the alps soon 😀

Short list. Test. Buy.

Reverting to the OPs question. I have tried lots of kids apps but the one both my kids enjoyed most at an early age was ‘SoundTouch’. Pictures of animals, cars, toys etc with sound effects.

All this talk of technology negatively effecting kids is tedious 🙄

All in moderation….

Martin that’s a nice CW. Have to say I’m really pleased with my C11, keeps great time and is built to last. Must admit I also rather enjoy the compliments it draws, most are quite surprised at the price.

For the traditionalists Stowa look good as well.

+1 for Tramuntana tours.

Snap…

52%. But if I had thought a bit more about one or two it would probably have been around 60%. It’s been a long time since my last physics lesson 😳

Depends on the time and day. I’ve done Guildford to Stansted in under an hour and a half by car. Not the most legal of journeys but had a flight to catch… Train would be pretty difficult as you’d have to cross London.

24/7 and part of me now. Only removed to shower.

Sandwich is stop on, go do something in the morning that you enjoy and will leave you feeling good. Anyway you’ll probably find you’re a lot more relaxed than you expect. Enjoy it it’s a great day. Good luck to you both and wishing you the best.

I’ve had one of these for ten years and still love it…

One of these for riding and general wear…

But this is my current favourite and good value to boot…

Now that is gorgeous… Rode the alloy and almost bought one, narrowly losing out to a Five. Thank god, I’d be fairly upset as that is highly desirable.

A nice ‘next bike’ target 🙂

I’ve never really hero worshiped anyone in my years, but this guy is pretty awesome… Wrote the book on surfing and one of the best windsurfers a few years back. Performance is too short a word…

Your welcome… It was quite special wasn’t it.

So was this… for an Englishman that is.

OK so a little after the high performance bit, but this photo completed one or the most memorable sporting events I’ve ever enjoyed…

I see the position is allocated…

My great uncle ‘Sergeant’ Alistair Stuart McLaren (whom I was named after) flew Lancaster’s and was a tail gunner. He was killed on 23rd May 1944 on a pathfinder mission over Belgium. He was 36.

Go to a shop, have a chat, try a few out to see what style of riding suits… Then ask this lot to argue about it for you 😀

Dez, any reason not to go with a Grit? The Extremist 2 looks very well recommended at £79 and I would hope would last years.

Thanks restless, we’ve already moved on from the three wheeler types and I’m thinking along the lines of Grit or JD Bug?

From 2.53 words fail me. And at 5.25 that jump off the wall I’ve never seen before, amazing!

Renewed our insurance this morning, we’re with DirectLine and have their top ‘plus’ package that includes travel insurance and a host of other useful extras. At home my bike is covered (up to £15k I think) but away from home is a fraction of it’s value. No option to add away from home as too high risk.

What, and that justifies organising events like this???

Credit where credit is due but if you’re going to organise large participation events go through the right channels… This will grow as these things do and sooner or later it’ll come to a head.

Don. I dunno, can’t go back far for obvious reasons but the immediate play leading in I would say. The off pitch ref would have to check that the events that put the player in a goal scoring position were legit. Difficult I agree but a fair point no?

Get hawk eye involved on the big screens, massive tension and release = win for the game.

ukraine player was offside in build up to disallowed goal, lucky, but strangely fair?

Agree. Interesting question though. In the event of goal line technology being implimented will play leading up to the goal be taken into consideration? Last night being a perfect example. Pause game to allow Hawk Eye to do it’s job and a goal is awarded; rewind a few seconds further and see the linesman failed to flag offside? Needs to be like Cricket where the immediate events leading to the goal are factored or it’s a fail.

Just imagine if England had needed a win to get through and goal line tech had awarded the goal even though offside? The England fans would have dismantled the stadium and surrounding villages…

I run 40/28 with an 11/36 cassette on a Five. Initially I missed the granny gear but no more, stronger legs and much easier gearing makes for a much better ride. On climbs that beat me a triple wouldn’t help anyway so I’m more than happy.

For £35 you can’t go wrong. Tiny little bike and ours is still working well a year later – passed down to his sister.

Link

are you mad!

Clearly….

The best climber I have ever demoed is the epic carbon 29 ER. Ok only 100m but big wheels make it feel more. Raced up the hills.

This. I tested the Epic 29r as well as the ASR 5, Ibis Mojo SL, Orange 5 and Transistion Covert. There is one short technical climb and the Epic is the only bike I have ever cleared it on, to be fair that was when it was dry last year and it’s a boggy mess now, but at the time all was equal including my fitness and strength so it was a good comparison. I remember thinking that the Epic was an unbelievable all day XC bike. Light, fast, comfortable and a brilliant climber.

As it happens I bought a Five because it suits my riding more; in a completely different league when on singletrack or descending. The ASR 5 was superb, sort of split the Epic and Five in terms of riding style and TBH it was only the fact that I was singlemindedly lay after a great downhill experience that made me buy the Five. A mate has an ASR 5 with full XTR and it’s very nice.

To answer the OPs original question the Specialized ‘brain’ it the key, it completely removes bob and works a treat. Yes It’s a sticking plaster but all suspension designs are – can’t comment on the ugly duckling that is the Maverick but wow… that’s a hideous piece of kit and you’d have to be really keen… 😉 and yes, a Five is much prettier.

My three to test based on experience would be the Epic, an ASR5 and something else…!