<span style=”color: #444444; font-size: 12px;”>I think I will eventually go for the PUSH coil conversion as this removes the cause of the issue which is the damper itself from that year just isn’t that good.</span>

Just a heads up – the air or coil spring is in the left leg, the damper is in the right leg ;-)

No ISCG tabs on the T130 unfortunately.

To update: I tested the NDS with the BB out of the frame, and with some cranking on the allen key I managed to get it tight enough to clamp the bearing properly without any washer/spacers required.

Refitted to the bike it also fits fine with the BB mounted chain device, the only issue now is that the chain line looks a bit further out than it did with the SRAM BB. I might try putting a spacer on the NDS shell to bring it over a bit (unless it causes rubbing on the drive side), or a 6mm offset chainring instead of the 3mm boost one.

Yep, both bearing spacers fitted and fully compressed against the bearing.

When I put it together as I expected, the NDS crank arm was away from the bearing, hence the play. Adding the star washer/bearing shield from the SRAM BB took up this space a bit.

I might have an idea actually… SRAM BB is 73mm (they don’t use spacers) = 75.5mm with a chain guide. Hope BB is 71.5mm (73 with the spacer) = 73 with the chain guide. Hence 2.5 difference so I need to add a spacer in. That doesn’t explain why there isn’t any play in the SRAM BB at 73mm without a chain guide though…

I can’t speak for the other bikes but can heartily recommend the T130. With some suspension upgrades (I have modded Fox 36’s and a custom tuned Monarch Plus on mine) I never really feel under-biked, despite having raced it at Tweedlove and Ard Rock this year (beating 90% in my cat as well!). It has handled big Peaks and Lakes rides comfortably and most importantly is great fun on my favourite steep, twisty, loamy trails. I even managed 8 pedal up laps of BPW on it a couple of months back taking in all the black descents back down… The original frame bearings also lasted 2 years due to all the extra shielding they have.

Best of all, it encourages general hooning and you spend most of the time riding it like a snowboard, looking for anything to ramp off on the trail, something other bikes don’t always do for me.

It isn’t 100% perfect, i’d like a steeper seat angle, a slightly lower BB and maybe longer chainstays to make the handling a bit more balanced. Also, shock options are limited on the carbon model.

I would like to get some time on an S150, certainly would be faster, but will it be as much fun?

Person buys ebike then complains that a race that has never previously allowed ebikes doesn’t change its rules to permit ebikes?

I’ve had Flow Mk3 and XM481. No problems with the Flow (didn’t put too many miles on it before selling the bike) but I prefer the XM481 I think. They built up really well and needed very little adjustment compared to the Flows. I’ve put a few small dinks in the rear and but also killed a few tyres at the same time.

Back to black (car bumper spray) lasts well on a frame.

The alternative to an MT500 will be a general mountaineering jacket, anything Gore-Tex Pro Shell with a helmet compatible hood and zip vents might well be better than the MT500 despite not being bike specific. I’ve used my Norrona snowboarding shell on the bike and it was perfect, they baggy fit was actually quite welcome in the worst weather!

I’m still running an Aggressor on the rear. It’s not terrible in the mud and worlds faster than a DHR2 (which I have on the front still) when the trail firms up. I’d probably swap out to a HR2 rather than a DHR2 if I was struggling with mud.

I opened up and angled one of the bottle cage mounts on my singlespeed for an internal dropper. So far so good…

I did my bearings last night for the first time, i’m amazed they’ve lasted almost 2 years!

I just used a mix of appropriately sized sockets and a bolt through the middle to press the old bearings out, and sockets and a vice the press the new ones in. Same as any other frame really. I did pop the seals and fill the new bearings with xhp222 before fitting.

First ride since fitting the -2 headset and I was impressed! Didn’t expect to notice much difference, but the front end feels quite a bit calmer/more stable with no noticeable downsides.

Spent years on various ESI grips but now on Ergon GE1 and have much less (zero) finger pain on long descents now.

Logic would say that you will need to lean the bike over more to engage the side knobs, hence making them feel less grippy to some riders and more grippy to more aggressive riders?

I know Froome has hinted that his levels were higher than the number of puffs he took (and his clinical approach to everything would make it seem ridiculous for him to accidentally have too many), but 20+ puffs on the inhaler in one day would be pretty insane. If mine is off (to the point where just standing up and walking around is having me wheeze/cough/get out of breath) 99% of the time 1 puff will have me fine again for 4 hours. Only when the inhaler is nearly empty would I need 2.

Also after the inhaler I tend to cough up a lot of rubbish which clears out the lungs, Froome always has a dry cough after the stages.

Everyone is different though!

Bought a new light from my LBS the other night after a ride with the owners. Cost a bit more than online but came with a free beer and a natter.

Let the air out and see?

Ordered a -2 and a dropper post :twisted:

Hang on, I am going to slacken it out by 2 degrees… not make it steeper!

Stooge is 69 degrees, so I guess that is a good start!

Can’t see a downside myself

Slightly shorter reach is a given, I think I can live with that. Potential for detrimental effect on handling is the gamble?

I’ve had both. 240s were still like new after 3 years, Hopes tend to feel a bit rough after a year of the same usage. I went for Hopes this time due to the price difference, would definitely go for 240s for £50!

£5 delivery means it is actually cheaper to get one from Merlin (£54)

When all the local trails are slow sloppy mess the full suss geared bike becomes much less fun. You just basically sit and grind away waiting for the ride to be over. Single speed comes out and it is fun again.

Looks like the 3/4 giro undershorts are discontinued, a few links but all out of stock.

I find that knee warmers move around too much, especially under knee pads etc. Maybe I have bad knee warmers (dhb ones…)

Not so much – I currently stick a 3 pocket road/xc top under a baggy one which achieves the same. Prefer the built in method in my SWAT bibs though!

I went the Islabike route for my 3 year old. Got a Cnoc 14L first but she couldn’t touch the floor so had to buy a Cnoc 14S as well, which she just about managed to ride with the seat all the way down. It took a bit of patience but at 3.5 she is now happily pedalling around on it without any assistance/support. I didn’t look at other brands but I would say the Islabike seems very stable (slack head angle?), but I think it is surprisingly heavy (You can definitely feel the weight carrying it back from nursery!)

Looks like the trail scorcher would be lower profile with the lower mount removed and bolted up
To a normal go pro clip?

I have 3 pairs of the MTR I shorts, which look the same and based on my experience you will be a medium.

You might struggle to find a balance between on and off road in a single jacket. I’ve been using a Sportful Survival active shell jacket for a few years and it is good, and no damage yet, however I am tempted to get a dedicated MTB jacket as I’d prefer a more relaxed fit than you’d want in a road jacket.

Used an over the helmet hood while riding last weekend for the first time (different jacket to this PSA). It was absolutely mega in high winds and heavy rain, you haven’t lived until you’ve tried it!

cogglepin – do you mean rubbing through the cable outers or the frame? Can’t see any obvious wear on my frame as the cables are held quite far away from it.

Just back from a big weekend in the Lakes on the T130..

Nan Bield on Friday in torrential rain and 40mph winds

Helvellyn on Saturday (up Dollywagon and down Sticks) in thick cloud and high winds

A bit more of a gentle one over Boredale Hause Pass on the Sunday morning.

Happy to report the T130 was brilliant throughout. For a short travel, capable climber it absolutely blasts down the rocky descents with massive confidence and was great fun everywhere!

The knock at 20% travel almost certainly means that the air/nitrogen charge has leaked out of the IFP in the piggyback. I’ve found a loose valve core to be at fault on both that I’ve fixed. Quite easy to fix yourself with a shock pump, a Monarch air valve adapter (~£7) and a regular schrader valve core tool (I also rebleed the damper to be sure). SRAM provide full instructions.

When working right, I really like mine!

Had another great ride on mine at the weekend on the super steep trails at the Wrekin. Still such a fun bike and capable on pretty much any terrain.

Oakesy – I like the lockout/climb switch not to stop pedal bob, but to prop the back end up on steep climbs. Makes it more comfortable and keeps the front end down a bit. I guess I run the rear shock quite soft so you get a lot of sag from weight transfer when it goes up steep. The CCDB and Monarch both seem to prop up quite well, sounds like the Ohlins does similar?

oakesy2001uk – interested to hear any more thoughts on the STX compared to the Monarch. Also, how do you find the climb switch? I think I read it locks out the HSC rather than LSC for some reason on the Ohlins which sounds counter intuitive to me!

For those saying they are flexy – remember it is a pull only saw. Dont push it or you will snap the blade.

Rascal – look at the Remedy one I linked earlier. It should be ok from my guess.