If you have the cash and the time (and effort..) then buy a complete bike and flog the bits. Retail on a Giant frame is often very near to the price of the cheapest complete bike.

On GXP bbs the drive side bearing is ever so slightly larger than the non drive side.. for absolutely no reason whatsoever. They just wanted to be different.

It looks like there's some kind of spacer in the bottom bearing. I've not had that much experience with GXP stuff so that may be normal.

You were looking for inspiration and look what you got…

Note to self: Never ask STW for advice…. W@nkers

+1 for the deores

+2
+3
Strokers tend to have problems with sticky master cylinders. Julies are reliable though.

bikefridge are disco brakes. Same peoples.

These people are cheap. Not tried though.

The first GP I ever watched that Lotus won. And so it should have.. It was the coolest car on the grid.

nice topiary!

On being told that the metal backing of his brake pads has scored his rims.. "How am I supposed to know that? I always ride with my iPod on."

What, seriously?!

Yep!

He stormed out of the shop shouting "I'd heard you guys were a rip off!"

Bye.. Get well soon!

shameless self promotion! can you make me a singlespeed hub please?

I'm pleased with it. Not the longest lasting in chronic mud, but better than most. I clean my chain now by sloshing it under the tap… That part is priceless.

Front mechs

whaaa? you've just got to set them up right!

I agree with you on gripshits though.

yes?

Anyway.. The answer is cane creek.

Cuntstomers.

On being told that the metal backing of his brake pads has scored his rims.. "How am I supposed to know that? I always ride with my iPod on."

Twunts.

Its like groundhog day this..

just bin the o-ring. It won't miss it.

edit.. sorry, should qualify that a bit more. close it up so it expands a bit, so it will grip on the steerer. It should be firm to press in. Then it should have enough friction to tighten up and not spin.

my shimangos always seem to eat pads when it's muddy, but they never squeal. My 5 year old hopes squeal sometimes but never use up pads. I've found that the noisiness depends on which rotor you use. My front hope quietened down when I got a floaty rotor.

normally use a 32tpi one at work, although 24 will be alright if you go gently at it.

But the fiver is cursed, if you spend it you get ball cancer

ooh. karma cancer.. that's a nasty one!

Actually Mark Datz is right. The oven is your friend. Just open the windows before you open the oven door.

@hungry monkey..

Those ones were made by Suntour.

So spill the beans… From where to where? The south downs are pretty extensive you know!

Never ever Pedros. I'll sum it up in two words:

snap. ow!

I got 2 broken torches in one batch. I combined the broken bits into one and kept the other. I sent the broken one back, and they sent me 2 in return.

Result.

TBH they're alright. If you buy something then there's a very good (100% for me so far) chance that they ACTUALLY have it.

Not so may other places (J E James and SBR I'm talking to YOU!) that advertise some obscure and hard to find item, take your money, wait three days and then inform you that it's not been in stock for a while. So you search again 3 days later, and surprise surprise; it's still for sale.

Way to go to loose my custom forever guys! Invest in some EFTPOS and e-commerce software that shares the same stock database. Simple.

Yip yip! I'll be there.

What lemonade for a chalky downlands Pimms?

Niice… and no ****-uppy-downy seatpost either. I salute you sir!

Put me down for it! I grew up in South Wonston, so I used to go up there all the time. Haven't been back there in ages.

+1 for artists spraymount.
It's also really good for sticking innertube to the chainstay.

Really incredibly extraordinarily heavy. Better to save on the components and get a much lighter and better performing frame.

Oh yes!!

You need to borrow another chain whip. Use it to pull the smallest sprocket forward, while pulling a bigger one rearward. You can remove them one by one like this.
Many people will be along in a moment to tell you to only use XT casettes. SLX or PG980 will be fine.

Conventional ones last longer, shift better and weigh less.
And they look better, if that flips your biscuit.

[Edit] whoops.. too slow! Go for xt over xtr. The difference being a cast cage versus a pressd one and a tiny difference in weight.

When it's all together give the ends of the axle a firm (really firm) tap with a mallet (i.e. don't belt the crap out of it with a claw hammer) and check again.

Yeah.. Give over people!!

At least his tyre label is lined up with the valve.

Some people.. 🙄

Edit.. I am however, unimpressed with the front brake hose going up the back of the fork leg. It goes round the inside of the fork leg and is zip-tied to the front of the left side of the brace. I'll let you off this time though.

Yep.. Gotta change the tyres too or those nips will clash horribly

I've heard this said but never seen it work well.

I've had it running fine!

Odd. I always thought that those two were actually mechanically the same, but the XT just had different labels and an ally clamp rather than a steel one.
Anyway.. If they shift past 7 then they will work. The extra gear doesn't have as distinct a click as the others, but friction holds it fine. The mech will work fine too.

By "Deore Thumbies" are you talking about the xt or DX thumbshifters? If so then are you aware that they have an extra click? You can run them 8 speed fine.

£2.99 Zefal plastic anti-fashion accessory. You know, like you get from a bulk bin in Halfords…

No, wait, hear me out!

They're extremely light, do high volume tyres quickly, and they're almost indestructable.. And if you do manage to break it, so what? It's £2.99!
Now if only people would stop laughing at it..