And yet, a couple of weeks ago I was in a gondola with 2 Specialized sponsored riders who were both running Assegai/DHR combos with all the graphics sanded off.

Interesting….i thought the Specialized lads were using Cannibals now and getting decent results out of them

I gave up on inserts when i sliced a tyre and couldn’t plug the hole. It took an hour of faffing and bloody thumbs to get the tyre off and insert out. Everything was covered in sealant and i had to ride out with the insert wrapped round me like some kind of jizz soaked hula hoop.

If i run lighter tyres (like the Butcher GTs), i now carry an emergency lightweight tube. Can be back up and running in 10-15 mins.

Just think yourself lucky that tyre tech has moved on anyway, i remember sitting in Chatel bike park about 13 years trying to wrestle a DH casing Minion off a Sun Double Wide rim with no tyre levers….

I’m running Grid Trail Butchers front and rear at the moment. No inserts (hate the things)

T9 compound front, T7 compound rear, both 2.3

I’m about 93kg kitted up and run 20psi front/25 psi rear.

Theres a little bit of squirm when loading up in berms and also on some bigger jumps, but as mentioned above, just need a few more PSI.

I did kill a Grid Trail Purgatory after 2 rides…not sure if the Butcher Grid Trail is a little bit more robust as no issues yet.

Its quite dry in Dublin at the moment, so the trails are dusty, as soon as this changes i’ll be back to Cannibal Grid Gravity front and rear.

Also have a trip to Dyfi booked in for the end of September, wouldn’t want anything less than Grid Gravity or DH compound there.

The Grid Gravity casing also feels more settled in the rough stuff, they do make pedaling up fire-roads a chore though.

When it gets really mucky i’ll swap the front Cannibal out for a Grid Trail Hillbilly.

Its funny, 15 years ago i wouldn’t have dreamt of taking anything but a DH bike to Les Gets/Morzine

I imagine smashing runs of the Plenny/Super Morzine/Chatel would ruin even a “modern” enduro or trail bike after a week.

The last bike i went to the alps on had a 67deg head angle…….i’m not dead (i also wasn’t very fast)

Just close your eyes and let off the brakes, everything will be fine!

Also….what are you wearing/carrying that you have an additional 6kg of weight??

Plugged your figures into the Ohlins spring calculator as a comparison – gives 502lbs at 30% shock sag

I’d go for 500lbs weight.

I’ve just ordered some Raphas, they only had XS and S left, but when I measure up my legs I came up as a bang on a small!

is the sizing a bit funny? I wouldn’t say I have tiny legs – I’m normally a medium in pads.

I had Code RSCs, came on the 2019 Stumpjumper Evo Carbon that i had at the time, prior to that i’d been on Shimano and then Hope Tech 3 E4s.

The difference from the Shimano/Hopes was night and day – the RSCs gave me more confidence on the steep stuff. With Shimano I’d lock the wheels up and with the Hope i felt like i had to squeeze the lever with the power of a thousand gorillas to stop. Riding gloveless with the Hopes was not pleasant on the old fingers.

I loved the modulation that i got out of the RSCs and the fact i could run the bite-point close into the bar. I ran 200mm rotors front and rear and a mix of SRAM sintered pads and Galfer Purple pads.

What i didn’t love was constant rotor drag and maintenance of 4 pistons in each caliper. I seemed to get them set up perfectly and then within a couple of weeks they would drag again, also DOT fluid is nasty stuff.

I switched to Formula Cura 2s last year and they provide all the power/modulation i need, which is amazing for a 2-pot brake!

Its funny, i re-listened to the NSMB podcast with Chris Porter the other day and he was talking about the advantages of running a 25mm rim over 30mm rim – basically saying they were faster and that 25mm gave the tire a better profile.

He seemed to think most of the world cup downhillers were running EX471 rims at 25mm (even the ones sponsored by AN.Others) this was back in 2021 though!

I’d agree with the others though. Most people will go 30mm inner width – i know i just did (XM481s)

Breast milk

I had Tech 3 E4s a couple of years back, 200mm front rotor and 180mm rear rotor.

I could never get them to feel right – i was about 88kg kitted up at the time and they would always seem to drag, even when following the Hope set-up guide. They just didn’t seem to have the power (had some very scary moments at revs!) that i needed.

The other thing that bugged me was when riding the gloveless, the levers were horrible to use – especially when anchoring on the brakes…i guess that’s just personal to me though.

Had Code RSCs after, much better power/modulation but still struggled to set them up with no rub.

I gave up on 4-pot brakes after that and started using Formula Cura 2s, they are brilliant – powerful, good modulation and if you add in sintered pads they get even better! for reference i’m about 95kg now and have had no issues with them at all.

First proper MTB was a 1998 GT Outpost Trail…..hi-tensile steel frame, rigid forks, threaded headset, what a time to be alive!

I remember my mates taking the piss because they all had aluminum frames – Zaskars, Hardrocks etc.

It was peak Dirt Magazine time as well, so i quickly put a pair of RST 281s on the front and started jumping down steps!

Unsurprisingly i snapped the head tube off it!

One bike that i would like to get back is my Sunn BMIX – it was the chrome one (maybe 97), bought it off a mate when my shiny new Scott got stolen – it was great, singlespeed, Magura Raceline brakes, IRC Missile tyres!

I remember taking the brace off the bars and promptly snapping them!

SLX or Deore rear mech (i’ve smashed 2 XT mechs in the last 6 months…)

Shimano chain

XT shifter

Gabaruk Cassette –  cheaper/lighter than SRAM and lighter than Shimano (they come in microspline and XD now)

XT crank arms with SLX ring.

I think there is a glitch in the matrix RE the Specialized Tyres offer.

I just got 1x Hillbilly Grid Trail and 2x Purgs (T9 & T7 Grid Trails) for 45quid….

The purgs are on sale at 22.50 anyway for that model, but when i added the hillbilly and used the code i knocked my basket down to 45quid!

I put a Specialized Fast Trak Grid T7 on the rear of my U.K. winter hardtail (it lives in North Devon)

Seems grippy/robust enough for the bridleway and singletrack around there.

You can get a lighter casing & T5 compound if you’re going proper XC.

Run it with a Butcher T9 up front – this will prob get swapped out for a Ground Control at some point though.

Reasonable enough cost wise as well! 

I just bought myself a Tudor Black Bay Pro as a 40th birthday present.

NATO strap which is a bit more sporty than the standard bracelet

It will act as a companion to the Longines Hydroconquest I bought a few years back.

I’ve not been to Morzine for years, but just remember the absolute carnage of outside Bar Robbos after they called last orders!

Dehydrated MTBers + mutzig = epic faceplants, both on and off the bike!

One year one of our group tried to do a wall ride opposite the bar after a couple of pints…he ended up in montriond hospital!

There’s a reason they only used to open for a few hours!

Don’t drink more than 3 pints of Mutzig in one sitting…you have been warned!

I bought 2F0 roosts in August 2021 and they are still going strong. Was a bit worried about the suede section but not been an issue.

Dry quicker than fiveten sponges (always take the foot bed out) and have held up to abuse. The toe bumper on one foot has started to delaminate, but that’s my fault for kicking rocks!

The slip knot sole is as grippy as stealth rubber! I also love the lace keepers.

Will be buying another pair soon!

6ft 2

Full suspension bike – 490 reach + 40mm stem
Hardtail – 510 reach + 35mm stem

The hardtail is an experiment in longer reach, 140mm fork so the the reach & head angle don’t change too much with sag.

I always look at reach, stack & headangle first. The above figures mean nothing in isolation – e.g I have a 160mm fork on the full suss (designed around 150mm) and this kicks the head angle out by 0.5degree, decreases the reach and increases the stack. Then take into account the 10mm of spacers under the stem, the reach figure is prob sitting closer to 478mm.

There’s about 30mm of spacers under the stem on the hardtail so again that 510mm reach isn’t as long as you think!

But where does the adrenaline rush come from if you’re not holding on for dear life, trying not to die??

I don’t think the head-angle is as important as people are making out!

65deg is plenty slack enough for all day epics! Especially with a fair bit of climbing thrown in.

I mean how did we all cope 3/4 years ago……

I have one, it’s my cycle to work scheme bike!

I’m 6ft 2 on a grande. I bought it as an experiment in longer reach before I get a new full suspension frame.

I rode it a few times dressed in its standard spec, other than changing the bars and rear tyre.

Yes it’s heavy but if you’re doing “winch and plummet” riding you can just sit and spin up the climbs, you won’t break any PBs but you’ll get to the top! I did a 30km loop yesterday (Dublin city centre to Ticknock) and Strava says I’m faster than if I was on my Hightower.

The head angle is great you just smash down things – the back end will remind you you’re on a hardtail though if you ride it like you have a rear shock! I counteracted this by fitting a 2.6 tyre for a bit more cushion. I’m not convinced yet by the super steep seat angle, it feels weird – however I’m still puzzling with saddle height/bar height.

Standout spec points, the marzocchi Z1 feels great, set the pressure and rebound using the tuning guide and you’re pretty much good to go. The shimano 4-pots also surprised me – I’ve not ridden shimano brakes for a number of years and these felt almost as good as my Code RSCs. The Deore drive chain works well – however I did change the KMC chain out for a Shimano one as the KMC seemed to make a lot of noise and was rough when shifting. Mine also came with a MaxxTerra EXO+ Assegai on the front and a Maxx Gripp DD Assegai on the rear – I’d change this unless you are uplifting or enjoy dragging sticky tyres up climbs. Also ask the bike shop to check the pads/rotors – some El Roy’s ship with resin only rotors and resin pads. Mine came set up with metallic pads and proper rotors which definitely improved the braking performance. The dropper is a bit short at 170mm but it doesn’t seem to get in the way. Will prob swap out for something longer at some point.

I’m going to drop my nice parts onto the Elroy (Carbon wheels, AXS) and use it for hot laps after work. Will prob put light/fast tyres on to make it a bit zippier.

Overall it’s a good bike with some quirks, but if you can get a good deal on one, go for it!

Got the ferry from Dublin Port to Hollyhead, to then drive to North Devon last summer. It was about 550euro return all in (2 people, traveling in a car with bike rack with lounge access and priority boarding)

When i worked out what it would have cost for flights/car-hire/bike transport/luggage etc it worked out a lot cheaper!

Also seemingly a lot less stress as well…if you have your sea legs that is!

Robin Hoods Well, Holcombe – it just seems to get steeper!

Oh and this was supposed to be a thread to swap any “rumours” about new models coming out…not about me buying the “right” bike……

maybe i should have just asked Rhiannon…..

That is lovely!

I got rid of a Reilly Spectre last year and replaced it with a CAAD13….which was a bit of a mistake.

I was going to buy a Curve Belgie to re-establish my relationship with titanium…but couldn’t justify the cost!

Ended up with a second hand Fairlight Strael.

Can your current rear mech cope with a 50t cassette sprocket?

I’d just change the chainring, save a bit of cash!

Had a cold for a week at the start of November, took two weeks to shift, caught some form of it again in the middle of December and managed to shift it (or so I thought) by the 23rd. Went out on the bike for a couple of hours which was probably a bad idea.

Two days for Christmas in the ice box known as my girlfriends parents house and I’ve now developed a barking cough and my nose is bunged up again!

My only solice is that I have the first week in January booked off, so hopefully time for riding then!

Prob don’t help myself as I refuse to take ibruprofen until I’m really really bad!

Two pairs of Outside In (homeless charity) socks, an OI beanie and half a Dyson…we needed a new one for the house so me and my partner just split the cost.

Quite glad to have removed the stress of buying actual presents this year!

Any cover that Mark Ronson has ever done, especially the cover of Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before by The Smiths.

I’ve got a Mission Workshop Fitzroy (backpack) and Rummy (messenger bag)

I use the Rummy for cycle commuting on a daily basis, whist the Fitzroy is used for trips away. The Fitzroy could still be used for commuting if i needed to carry more stuff.

The Rummy can fit a 12″ laptop in one of the inner pockets and and is pretty weatherproof and hard wearing. You’ll easily fit most sizes of laptop in the Fitzroy.

They are a bit spendy but the quality is top notch!

If anyone wants a free Minion DHR2 Double Down 2.3 and is local to Brendon Village (near Lynton) in North Devon, feel free to pick it up from my parents.

One caveat….it has a pinch flat right next to the bead, doesn’t look that big so maybe it could be plugged?. It had about 3 short rides last Christmas and its been sat in their garage since.

I live over in Dublin so its of no use to me, I’d rather someone tried fixing it than it just getting chucked in the bin…especially at 60quid each!

Send me a PM if interested.

I took my own advice and bought a second hand Strael 3.0, was quite lucky and got the frame-set for about 900quid.

There are always a couple knocking around on LFGSS in the classifieds, generally the older models though.

I nearly sold it on as couldn’t be arsed with swapping the parts over from my CAAD13, but I’m so glad i didn’t

Its the perfect balance of fast (but not racy) and comfortable (but not cumbersome).

It was baptized in the North Devon Hills a couple of weeks ago…70km and 1500m of climbing, it felt great!

+1 for PDW – used them for some “light” grav grav action and they held up fine.

Hmmm, interesting – it’s easy enough for me to get a test drive here in Dublin.

I’ll get one booked in!

I’m quite happy with my Rapha ones. Crashed in them a few times and they’ve held up well.

Bit over your budget though.

I agree with RSL1 – I’m a controls engineer, but from a HVAC point of view – I fell into the industry after doing an engineering course at Sheffield Hallam (BSc not BEng)

I’d done modules on hydraulics and electrical engineering but had no idea about control logic or building services.

I basically learnt everything on the job, there are several companies out there you can work for, both big and small and currently
a massive skills shortage in the industry (I think the average engineer age is 45)

With energy conservation and smart buildings becoming more and more important the demand is only going to get greater.

If you’re good (and even if you’re not unfortunately) once you have a few years experience you can command a wage and as it’s a pretty niche market you will never be out of a job.

A building services degree would stand your lad in good stead, and trying to get work experience with a controls or BMS (building management system) company would set him on the right path.

I worked for a very well known multi-disciplinary consultancy for a few years, Civil & Structural wages were much less than the equivalent MEP wage (my other half is still a structural engineer for same consultancy)

There is also a glass ceiling at some companies where you cannot progress until you are a chartered engineer.

Being completely honest for the hours/workload the money in consultancy isn’t great, this is one of the main reasons why we lost lots of good engineers to tech companies like Meta, AWS and Google (including myself…).

I’d say an Automotive degree would be more interesting, make sure he picks a course with a placement year – this will stand him in good stead and he may be able to walk into that companies grad scheme when he graduates.