They’re a rip off imo!

I’ve got some Roval Traversee EL’s on one of my bikes and managed to get them brand new a few years back for £450 (RRP at the time was £600), now I’m aware that some people would baulk at that but in comparison to those Syncros wheels the Traversee are only 1550g and plenty stiff for me, there’s no way in hell I’d pay an extra £1000 for naff all, if any performance improvement (saving approx 3og because the rims are carbon…). The DT Swiss 240 hubs on the Rovals are almost certainly better than the hubs on those Syncros aswell… :-O

Pedalhead off here had a 25mph ish crash on his Easton EC70 carbon risers last year, no apparant physical damage yet at the very start of the next ride they completely snapped on the bend without warning whilst pootling across a pedestrian crossing… v lucky it was at about 3mph not hooning off road I’d say.

Worth considering.

Imagine that it’s probably slightly narrower but there’s no way a 2.4 Nobby Nic would fit with any real mud clearance on my 2011 Blur xc Carbon.

Thanks for all the input, some really interesting discussion points there.

In terms of hose vs bucket – I previously lived in a house where I didn’t have hose access so for the 2 years that I lived there became quite proficient in getting my bike spotlessly clean using bucket & sponge method. From memory it used to take me 4-5 buckets worth to get the bike as OCD clean and gleaming as I liked. I would say that I possibly use less less water now with a hose at home – only use it sparingly to quickly blast, soak and wash muc off / bike cleaner off etc.

rkk01 – cheers for that, will do some further reading on the points you mention. I’m keen to understand this better as the hosepipe ban is frustrating me at the moment with it having rained almost continuously since 17th April!

MrSmith – interesting!

I’m intrigued by the groundwater levels – I completed a Geology BSc many years ago but didn’t touch on soil dynamics / groundwater flow unfortunately so whilst understanding the basic concepts I’m unsure of the finer details – I haven’t seen any scientific analysis in the main media putting any projections forward on when the supply of groundwater increases, surely there must be prediction models on this type of thing? Wondered on the timescales for when the situation might improve?

Hmm,I’m a southern softie so when I read tough northeners complaining about the wet I certainly sit up & listen! :-) I’m currently strongly considering keeping things simple & just taking my hardtail,its not nearly as much fun going down as the other 2 but its going to have to grind away in the mud & I’ve got a new drivetrain to fit to it after the weekend anyway so I may aswell get the most from it for now. Next on my checklist, what inflatable dinghy for Yorkshire…!

Binners-I did happen to see that it would be possible to blend in with the locals & hire a 5 from Blazing Saddles on Sunday! ;-)

SC Blur xc Carbon – 68.5 headangle with some 120mm forks – not as xc biased as some might think!

These are 97’s I’d say – they came specced on the very first 1997 Marin Mount Vision and 1997 Marin Quake FRS bikes.

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26193

Ahh,just reread your post,I’m starting to think that the 6,7,8 inch post mount sizing must relate to caliper offset so that an 8 inch post size wouldnt require an adaptor to run a 203mm rotor,however by using this option it then wouldnt be possible tn downsize to say a 180mm rotor in the future. I.e. 203mm disk 6inch post mount = 203mm rotor + 6inch caliper(to fit 160mm)+adaptor (to allow 203mm disk. Whereas 203mm 8 inch post mount = 203mm disk + 8 inch caliper (offset to allow 203mm rotor)+no adaptor required. That must be it!

andyl-I understand about disk brake sizing so i dont understand why there would be an option for example for a 203mm disk with a 6inch post mount?? I would naturally assume as you mention that a 203mm disk option automatically come with an 8inch post mount size?! Seems abit strange that CRC could sell something that doesnt fit,i.e a 203mm disk brake with only a 6 inch post mount included?

Every time I click ‘refresh’ it’s like a loading page from a ZX Spectrum!! ;-)

I always take a spare tube in my Camelbak just in case. Came very close to needing it during a cold January ride when a fairly hefty broken bit of stick pierced my front tyre. Just when I thought the hole was too big for the Stans fluid to seal it did (after about 2 mins of hissing and spurting). I pumped the tyre back up and rode on again.

If I didn’t take a spare tube I’d always feel like I’d be tempting fate somewhat.

cynic al – ‘Nice Trek’ – ??

That is adding to the ever growing list of utterly tw*tish cars… It seems to bizarrely remind me of an Austin Allegro for some reason from that angle…??

I’d recommend going to see a sports physio – after 16 years of cycling I somewhat randomly developed a really painful knee injury at the beginning of last year – was off the bike for 8 weeks due to it.

After a rather fascinating visit to a superb sports physio I got diagnosed with weak hamstrings, feably puny glute muscles (bum muscles), my SPD shoes needed inserts to rotate the angle of my knee in relation to my foot when I cycle and I promptly sold my XTR M980 SPDs and got some Time ATAC XS pedals (waaaay more float). Within 10 days of doing various leg strength exercises he prescribed together with the above the issue (similar to tendonitis) cleared up.

Basically if I hadn’t gone to the physio I would have struggled on with the symptoms and am sure I would have been off the bike for considerably longer. I’ve also never needed to have a return visit to have the injury reexamined by the physio so the £37 or so quid was well worth it imo (as was investing in the rather pimpy Carbon Time ATAC pedals!).

Njee20 – that’s what I’m attempting to discover. One of the guys I ride with has some worn 2011 TALAS forks and I’ve seen the odd mention on here but wasn’t too sure how widespread it is. It will indeed be abit embarrasing for Fox if the Kashima is wearing within a year’s worth of use… :-O

I used to cycle at Woodbury in my teens, great place, however be aware that there have unfortunately been some deaths linked to goorse scratches at Woodbury. The goorse up there sometimes carries a flesh eating bacteria, can be fatal and has unfortunately killed the odd Marine here and there. Also this from 2006 for example:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1518810/Grandmother-dies-after-scratch-from-gorse-on-dog-walk.html

Bump.

eighteentee – the Spesh manual has a typo unfortunately. I put a Fox RP23 on the Enduro SL i used to own and put a 200x57mm on which is the correct size (bike was much improved with the RP23 by the way).

‘Bearded shouty nut jobs’ (i.e. Israeli settlers) defaced a Palestinian Mosque and burnt out 3 Arab cars early this morning… :-(

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=144975849

enfht – ‘The danger posed by these bearded shouty nut jobs seems to escape some people and the concept that zionists would gladly blow the world to bits in the name of Zion is far too painful for guardianisters to swallow’.

There amended it for you.

derek_starship – I started a similar thread within a minute or two of you doing so! Great minds… :-)

Here’s the story, US Hollywood plot in live action… :-(

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/11/bomb-kills-iranian-nuclear-scientist

The warmongering Republican Neo-Cons need to wake up & realise that the US Gov hasn’t got enough funds to house the increasing number of homeless individuals from the sub prime mortgage debacle let alone start another $1 Trillion war with a Middle Eastern country based on incorrect ‘intelligence’…

oop north – if the bike is ‘knocking’ when you lift it up it’s probably not the bearings but will be the shock bushing that’s worn(having owned various Spesh full sus frames over the years it’ll probably be the lower shock bushing).

Spesh Uk should sort you out for a few £ with new ones.

Double post-deleted.

I won’t be touching a spin session again. Did them for a month last winter during the snow & it had me off the bike injured,unable to ride for 2months after. On my mtb i spin with a pretty high cadence whereas spinning had me pushing stupidly high loads at much slower cadence,result being fubbared knees & a bunch of leg muscle inbalances. Just be warned.

My most recent order took 2 working days to arrive so I’m happy with that however Wiggle have gone and sent me the wrong item… They’ve screwed my order by sending me half the requested amount that was ordered (energy drink).

Been using them for a little while now although only for a select few products and this is their 1st mistake, is frustrating though that they haven’t got a contact centre… will see how long it takes to sort via email now!

organic355 – I’ve got a 2011 SC Blur XC Carbon (matt black) and it’s the best bike I’ve ever ridden, got it set up with 2011 Fox F120RLC FIT Kashima forks and aswell as the 22.5 lb weight (19.5lbs on certain people’s scales…;-)) making it a great xc race bike it’s also an absolute hoot with the 120mm forks on, supremely competent ‘trail’ bike – the frame isn’t far off the stiffness levels of my old 2006 Demo 8 DH bike! :-O

I’d very highly recommend it but the 2012 colours / graphics are utterly crap if that’s important to you! ;-)

Pretty chuffed with mine, had it since March, took a good couple of rides to get shock psi set up to feel right. I found it quite easy if set up wrong to make it feel either ‘stuttery’ or abit ‘soggy’ at the rear, there’s definately a 5psi range where it feels just right.

It’s certainly a fun bike to ride, I’ve got Lyrik Coil 160mm forks on the front of mine so it’s fun on the downs and still light enough (mine’s about 28 lbs with XTR, XO, Roval Traversee, Thomson, Easton EC70 etc) for the climbs to not be an issue.

I really like it and enjoy riding it but wasn’t blown away in a complete ‘OMG’ kind of way. My 2011 SC Blur XC Carbon on the other hand… that’s more of a ‘wow factor’ bike to ride imo.

Yeti’s cracking, never… ;-)

I was amazed to see a 2 week old ASR-5 Carbon with cracked chainstays earlier this year… :-(

Did some more Forza 4 races last night – 1967 Lambo Muira LP400. Hard level opponents, ‘simulation’ steering on, computer opponents upgrades allowed, race class regs turned on = seriously, seriously involving racing! With those settings turned on any slip in concentration had the car going backwards across the gravel.

Excellent stuff imo.

Boardinbob – interesting, I think GT5 on the PS3 is as dull as dishwater… horses for courses! ;-)

SC Blur xc Carbon – rapid, rapid bike and suprisingly capable downhill, not xc twitchy in the slightest, completely confidence inspiring, a complete hoot!

Yet another classic case of OxBridge graduate civil servants with completely inappropriate Imperialistic views putting words in easy listening Tory ears… It’s complete nonsense on the basis of what’s happened in Libya that we (UK) isn’t doing exactly the same for Palestinians and voting for a UN no fly zone for Israel to limit it’s unlawful occupation and continued bombing of Palestine(which the UK mainstream media seems ‘bored’ of reporting on now)… feel pretty sickened by the Western world’s actions in Libya – merely smash & grab in a slightly less obvious way than previously (Iraq & Afganistan) and getting someone else (rebels) to do the smashing…

[In which case I’d buy a Fred…]

Not a chance for me, no waaay I’d ever put a Furious Fred on the front! :-O

RoRo front / RaRa rear is my favourite combo for xc riding & racing, RoRo on the front provides a surprisingly good level of grip and even deals with wet, muddy conditions quite well. I’d always run a RoRo on the front opposed to a RaRa unless I was riding on uber dry, smooth trails.

rickmeister – I got one from Stif recently, arrived next day. Looks like they’ve still got them in stock so worth a try.

http://www.stif.co.uk/mtb/product/ibis-stainless-chainsuck-protector/6483

nickhead – I’ve test ridden the Brookes Bamboo hardtail, very nice it is too, has a lovely ‘softness’ which really takes the sting out the back end but importantly the bottom bracket area is still remarkably stiff. The frame has passed the CEN testing so clearly robust aswell.