The rim cost thing goes out the window with hope hoops though doesn’t it? All the builds cost the same. If you want a tough but lightish rim, then I would go Flow. If it’s built well it will be very stiff and take a beating. I have crests on my Prophet, and apart from a couple of cosmetic dings they’ve lasted a good year of heavy use. The flows are a tougher and stiffer rim.

After lots of research I bought an S95, but also seriously considered the LX5.

Si, bloody hard work – I remembered almost instantly why I’d said I wouldn’t do it again last time! Started to enjoy it towards the end, though, as I relaxed into the laps.

if anyone’s interested, the theme is dandelion by Pexeto. I can’t recommend it enough and the support is excellent should you need it.

thanks konabunny, most of that can be attributed to the theme really; although I’m trying hard to get it just right.

bloody hell Simon, how many more frames?! When are you going to buy a Ragley Ti and then realise you don’t like HTs?

I put together my website[/url] recently using wordpress and a cheap theme from Themeforest. It still needs some work to get it just right, but I’m pretty happy with the results. The actual website cost me £22 plus a few days of my time. I still have to keep paying for my domain and hosting, which I get through UK2.net for not too much money.

yeah, I did get referred to someone else as the first two guys had no idea. The frames are apparently all fabricated and are just getting painted up. I’m not sure about metallic copper – could be very much love / hate.

Had a chat with the Guys at PX / On-One at MM this weekend. The new Kaffenback frames are currently being painted and are expected towards the end of next month: black and “sort of metallic copper”. Frame should be around £180-190 as it will have swap outs, and the fork will be around £40.

Most of my Wife’s family are teachers. They do work very hard, but still manage a lot more free time than I ever do. I wouldn’t want to do their job, and don’t begrudge them that extra time, but you compare what they do and my wife’s hours, salary and work conditions in social work and I know which I’d rather do. How about 50-60 hour weeks (and no long school holidays) dealing with people who really don’t want you there, for £26K a year.

I use crests and after more than a year’s use on my prophet which gets a reasonably hard time, only have a cosmetic ding in the rear to show for it. I’m very pleased. A riding mate has olympics which he absolutely thrashes with no complaint, although I’m not sure I could go that light myself.

Phil, yep that’ll look good – Rich Palmer’s meta 5 is black with white forks and looks very nice.

Phil, if you do end up selling the pikes, I’d be interested.

I run my 2.25 non exo ones tubeless on crests with no issues so far and about 12 months of riding with 20psi in each. Rode the same pair for a couple of months prior to that with no flats. Mainly ride in the peaks and they’re one the group’s favourite tyres.

Glad you still have it. Considering it’s a pay and display, they should consider getting CCTV. How’s things?

can’t find a better picture but..

or

or

Moses, did you get my mail re: frame?

I got an email from Planet X. Frames due in July, have asked for the price, but not heard back yet.

Good effort Gareth, nice to see it all edited. Looks like we’ll have our work cut out at the weekender again this year!

i’m a medium in pretty much everything including Altura bibs if that helps.

That matt Bowns does good work doesn’t he. Would be good to see built pics.

I’m a short fella, so would rather a small, I think – but would be happy enough with a second hand MK1 if anyone had one going.

I have a mark 1 pipedream sirius and it is very nice. I currently have mine built for more road type work, but am hatching plans to get fat tyres back on it as soon as possible.

has anyone heard anything more bout these since?

Keep off road down to Torver and the back along the lake shore through the campsites. The descent through the slate quarries below where you turn off for Coniston is amazingly good fun and adds a good length of excellent riding onto the end of an already fantastic descent.

we used slightly upgraded kona smokes for a trip from London to Ethiopia via the middle east. cost us £300 all in plus racks and guards from our supportive LBS.

lush longboards +1

LittleTones, that’s one of the nicest MMbops I’ve seen.

Sawrey House Hotel near Hawkshead is very nice. We stayed there for a couple of nights after our wedding last year and thought it was lovely.

Cynergy, I hear the Bfe is no more harsh than a 456; if anything less so. The two guys I know who have them think they’re great and use them for everything. One of them had a Soul before and doesn’t find the difference between the two ride qualities that marked.

If it’s for bikes, I really would consider the saunders galaxy. We toured with one across europe, middle east and africa. It’s not the ultimate in light weight (2.75kg), but can sleep 3 in the inner at a push, is huge for two people and can fit a bike and panniers (with enough room still to cook) in each of the two porches. You could get the outer up in about 2 mins and be inside hanging the inner out of the rain. Ours needs new zips now after a year of nearly daily use in some pretty grim conditions (especially sand storms) and another 6 years of weekend camping trips.

I assume this is for 3 people then? Or is the extra space because of getting bikes etc in?

I can see both sides of this argument. Firstly, I’m an active member of ride sheffield and I’m definitely not “one of the cool kids”. Getting involved with this kind of stuff is always a thankless task; in the past with trail building in Wharncliffe and now trying to work with Sheffield ROW team. Although we have succeeded in being consulted on ROW issues from now on, our views count for very little (read: nothing). The law gives us no rights in terms of how trails are built or surfaced and currently puts the views of all other trail users first. If the ROW improvement plan included proactive elements to improve things for mountain bikers (like the Lancs one appears to, according to the Tony Lund interview last month in ST) we may have some hope, but the next one won’t be drawn up until later this decade. All we can do is win the small arguments where we can and make bigger gains (like parkwood springs and Greno woods) where the land owner / manager is more supportive. What isn’t useful (although we all do it) is whining on a bike forum; it puts the back up of people who are giving up their time to sort this mess out and it doesn’t make things improve. You really are welcome to get involved in Ride Sheffield and we are an inclusive, friendly bunch.

FWIW (and AFAIK), SWT have stopped the proposed works on devils elbow as they were appalled at the improvements to houndkirk. that’s not to say works won’t take place, but they want them to be on their terms, not on the council’s.

…and Matt will be the first to say he’s not the greatest diplomat; but he is doing what he can and I can understand his frustration.

hoochylala YGM

I would personally go RS SID, or if you can’t afford as much then RS Reba. I know no fork manufacturer is completely infallible, but out of a very large group of people I know who ride with Rockshox, I’m not sure I’ve heard of any issues, and the forks ride brilliantly.

I must admit to finding standard folding ardents to be very fragile in the side walls. I normally get over a year out of tyres before they’re dead, but only got about 6 months out of Ardents before they gave up. I now have Advantages on crests with sealant and at 20PSI they’re over a year old and still looking pretty good considering the peaks bashing they get.

Yep, advantage 2.25 F&R for me as well, great tyre all year round – it’s just me that needs to learn to ride mud better!

I have a mk1 pipedream sirius and it’s been used for almost everything. they’re surprisingly robust, but are also reasonably light and handle very nicely. It’s actually currently built up with drops, slicks and rigid forks; but I’ve had it rigid singlespeed, 130mm suss forks up front and gears, and it rides really well in every guise. It was a great peaks trail bike before I got my Prophet. I’m looking to free it up from its road going shackles as soon as possible, though, because I miss fun local rides on it.

The new one gets very good reviews.

I’d also look at the Ragley Piglet.

I ended up getting a deore bb and some blackspire wide flat bars. Not massively cheaper than anywhere else, but definitely cheaper (than I’ve seen anyway) and I had in mind to buy them soon anyway.