Aviemore advice…

Weekend booked in summer, looking for at least one decent day out if the weather’s good, what are my options going up from Aveiemore side?

How’s Macdui from that side? General advice seems to be that the descent down to Loch Etchachan is the best but think that would be better from the Linn of Dee side, whats the descent back down to the ski centre like and do you have to do it as an out and back?

Bynack More looks a goer but probably an out and back also, not that that’s an issue.

Or could go up Macdui, down to Loch Etchachan and then carry on down to Glen Derry, then go up the glen around the back of Bynack More and get the last descent back to Glenmore lodge? Could even go up Bynack More if still feeling it by then.

Any of the descents off of Cairngorm worth it?

Anything else?

Cheers all. I’ll clarify a few things:
-Im using a huge allen key to do it up, relatively sure it’s tight enough.
-Splines are greased.
-I’ve now measured the bb width. On one ruler I get 73mm, on one I get 71mm. I don’t have any callipers to hand.
-I’ve added another BB spacer on the NDS. Done it up tight and now there is no play. There does seem to be a bit more resistance though. If I spin the cranks (no chain) then they’ll go for ~1 rev before stopping. It’s not a huge amount of resistance to feel but do you think i’ll be overloading the bearings? I’m happy to leave it like this if it won’t cause the BB to fail prematurely.
-The cranks were on a different frame with a PF BB. They’ve been on this one for ~2months but i’m prepared to accept that i’m a wally and just didn’t notice the play until now.

Sorry, to clear up. I’m running one BB spacer.

The other spacers are the small ones that fit on the spindle to adjust chainline. So I need two and the red thing, see here http://www.raceface.com/media/B10069-B_Aluminum_Cranks_11x17.pdf (3a, 3b and 9)

Some bigger hills – Ben Lomond, the bigger stuff at Kinlochleven and Driesh/Mayar/Kilbo/Jocks road for starters.

Too easy to just keep going back to the tweed valley tbh!

Pretty much what I want to avoid. It’s too easy to do this and forget that there is so much good riding that isn’t in the valley.

Friday managed to find some sunshine up GT, probably the first of the year!
DSC00373 by Gregor Taylor[/url], on Flickr

Saturday was Ae, fairly unremarkable weather but the trails were running sweet. No pics though.

And then yesterday the snow arrived so went to Innerleithen to slide about. Good fun.
DSC00401 by Gregor Taylor[/url], on Flickr

DSC00458 by Gregor Taylor[/url], on Flickr

I’ve got one on my new build, so far so good. I figured they all break anyway so may as well try this to see if it breaks less! Previous KS lev was far from faultless and I like the way the 9point8/Easton/race face ones work.

When you install it just makes sure and follow the instructions when your clamping the cable – tighten each side evenly. If you leave one grub screw sticking out by the tiniest amount then it will stop you being able to insert the ‘quick release’ bit far enough into the post for the threads to engage. It’ll spin and you’ll think you’ve stripped the threads. Only worked out what I did when I read the pink bike review of the 9point8 version and he’d done exactly the same thing.

Ae was running sweet today, enjoy.

Anyone?

Yup, they work.
You don’t get a 16t with it – so I just didn’t bother with one. Had OneUp and 16t before which also worked fine. Both with an XT mech with Radr cage.

New one being launched this week in Peru I believe so I’d expect old ones to drop in price unless they already have.

Where’s this from? I have a mate who is waiting patiently but thinking about buying elsewhere if SC don’t get a move on…

Ive been on Pikes for a good few years now and have just ordered some 36 RC2’s for my new build. Should be on it after next weekend so will let you know my thoughts.

As far as I can tell the Lyriks are just slightly beefier Pikes so will probably be every bit as good as them and a bit stiffer/heavier.

Was snowing today not raining. Tweed was high but not huge so would be fine I guess. Trails were sloppy and snowy by the time I left at 3ish and didn’t look like the snow was gonna stop any time soon.

I think time goals could be a better idea. Say want to ride 10 hrs a week – this takes into account different types of biking (mtb clearly takes longer time per km than road) and still gets you out. Of course if you commute then 10 hrs will go quickly but you get the idea.

Strava has facilities in place to set time per week goals and track progress I believe.

Mostly MTB, no commuting. 5K will be broken by the end of the year.

Distance – 4,659.3 km
Time – 317h 2m
Elev Gain – 114,672 m
Rides – 117

I considered the DWR or waterproof ones and eventually went for the DWR with the waterproof arse.

The waterproof patch is huge and kept me dry in the pish conditions last week but can’t comment on longevity yet – they look well made though.

I returned a pair of RS pikes to them for a warranty job. They forwarded on to SRAM as expected and, after an email to chase them up a couple weeks later, advised me i’d get a new set sent out.

Another month later (six weeks in total) they finally refunded me the money for the forks. I emailed them many, many times. Most of these were ignored and they don’t have a phone number. Eventually I got through on FB chat and the guy was a bit more helpful and agreed to refund me the money. I still have no idea why I didn’t receive my forks as, as far as I know, SRAM agreed to replace them and were sending a new set out!?

They are awful and I won’t buy anything from then again. For comparison, i’ve dealt with CRC returns/warranty lots also and they have always been bang on – reply to emails come quickly and the one time I felt the need to phone them it was very easy.

http://shop.nicolai.net/index.php/fullys-x/ion-15.html

Cheers, but will be too small.

Any thoughts on the Madison Zenith? Looks like a decent jacket with vent zips. No hood though but I think I can live with that for the price saving over the addict.

EDIT: Just saw a comparison with the Roam from the other thread. It sounds like it might be a good bet. Unsure if the other thread was comparing the Zenith Softshell or the Zenith waterproof which are different I think.

I don’t plan on crashing in it. I’m just prepared to accept the possiblity that it might happen.

Why the Roam over the Addict? Roam doesn’t look like it has pit vents?

Paramo Quito looks good but pretty pricey for crashing in.

I’ll have a look at Endura stuff.

Any more options?

Didn’t do any of these last year – what was wrong with Glenlivet?

Nothing. It was a bit different so some people who think anything outside of the tweed valley* isn’t enduro got upset.

* I live nearby to tweed, ride it all the time and love it. Variety is key to these series in my opinion.

BT40s turned up and looks good.

BT21 didn’t although ordered at same time. I emailed them last night and they say they’re having stock problems but expect them within 7 days so hopefully not too long. Build quality looks superb for the price.

I might have a CCDB inline in the size I think you need (200×57) fs in a few weeks if you decide to go for that option.

Its a great shock. I replaced a CTD with it and it’s far far better.

If it’s a large then i’ll buy the old stuff of you if its nice and well used (and therefore reasoanably priced 🙂 ).

Squat
Deadlift
Bench Press

Those are the main ones, you can mix up what else you do. Make sure and get the proper form for each or as you increase the weight you’ll break something. YouTube is your friend. Increase the weight slowly but surely and you’ll see results.

Yoga’s good too.

Thanks Muggo, appreciated.

Any other options? I could get a Solarstorm X6 and X2 for head from amazon for ~£35. This is cheaper than the nitefighter ones but if the batteries are inferior and will need replaced then it’ll work out better to get the nitefighter ones.

Request from a night riding novice…

Can anyone recommend two lights, one head and one bar mounted, that are cheap, bright enough (I don’t need a collapsed sun but I’d like to be able to see where I’m going) and come with batteries?

I’m trying to decipher the various options but it’s boiling down to the fact I don’t actually know how much I need. These will be used throughout this winter, the puffer (in a pair so no problems charging them up) and possibly beyond.

Perfectly happy to buy Chinese and do a bit of tinkering.

Cheers.

I hate getting involved in clearing up the mess when folk bite off more than they can chew…

Good point, and no offence taken.

BSM- with great respect, maybe plan to get some more mountain time and nav skills before tackling this sort of ride. If you need Strava to find and follow the route, then maybe you’re missing the reason many folk love this ride. And please, never rely on technology…

Your right, I am not worthy. I’ll just forget all my nav skills and previous mountain experience and go on a nice jaunt at GT instead. If I can get round the red without following a strava route that is!

Or maybe I just wanted a quick look to tie up with a map later. Your right though, I really wanted to plug it into my non-existent Garmin and follow a little arrow for 8 hours.

😆

Don’t suppose you have a strava ride or similar of the route?

Looks great.

Everyone knows where it is, it’s on Strava and they raced an EWS down it -don’t be a fanny.

Mate rode it last week and said it was fine. I haven’t risked it yet as the EWS gave me nightmares but may venture down soon.

I have been through a long journey of noises with mine.

Firstly, bearing check. By grabbing the different parts of the frame and wiggling try and see if there’s any movement at the pivot points, it should be pretty obvious. If nothing obvious then go to next step.

I’d say the first place to check is the articulation bushings at the seat stay/chainstay joint. All of the other bearings lasted well but these seem to wear at a faster rate. If you pop the shock off, take the bolt out of the centre of the bushing and then separate the chain stay/seatstay. They consist of two plastic top hats that sit in the frame and then a metal tube that slots into it with the bolt going through this. Inspect the bolts, if they have excessive wear (silver instead of black) then they are rotating in the metal tube which they aren’t supposed to do, but seem to sometimes. This can cause noise/knocking/play. If they’re fine then pop the centre metal tube out (it might be quite tight), if it comes out easily and there is room/wiggle around it then the bush is probably just worn and will need replaced, they are available from hotlines and come as top hats/inner tube set. If your bolts are worn then you will need to replace the bolts and the bush.
If you take the top hats out of the frame, clean it up with some IPA and check the inside of the frame to see that the top hats have not been rotating in the frame and wearing it away. Again this isn’t supposed to happen but can – that’s a warranty job for new rear triangle. It’s pretty obvious as a ridge will have formed between them and they will not fit tightly in the frame any more.

If this they’re all fine and the bearings all move easily with no play then it’s probably not the pivots. My bearings lasted 2 years but were pretty shot when I replaced them. The bushings I went through three sets and a rear triangle. I do ride quite a lot.

Bearings for the 2014/15 zesty/Spicy are 6902 x 6 (all main pivot points, two per point) and 6900 x2 (in the shock shuttle). I’ve bought a mix of enduro bearings and, most recently, Katec bearings off of eBay. Both seem fine. Just get the correct size in 2RS flavour. Changing them is fairly easy with a socket set, big ass hammer and a G clamp. Though you do need a bit of imagination and be careful not to ever press on anything but the outer race of the new bearings.

If not the pivots then it could be anything! Front headset lower bearing seems to go as seal is shite. Loose cranks cause a knocking sound too and a couple of months ago I spent days searching for a creak that I kept blaming pivots for and turned out to be a snapped rear axle.

Hope that helps.

Ben damph loop is decent as set out by the book.

Nothing wrong with the circuit but I would go up the the final descent instead (annal descent), round the left side of Loch an Eion, then straight up to the top of Coire Lair. You can then descend all the way down and rejoin the descent from the book’s loop down to Acnashellach. Then complete the circuit.

Really good routes, probably heading up at the weekend unless the weather is shit.

EDIT: Unless your an XC whippet climbing god you’ll probably be pushing/carrying up some of the climb.

but im not sure what the benefit to me would be

You can read the daily star, swig your favourite non-alcoholic carbonated beverage from a glass bottle and wolf whistle at passing females.

I never dropped chains using NW and clutch until the week leading up to the EWS at tweedlove. Then I dropped it on almost every stage.

I got one of these http://77designz.com/product/freesolo-iscg-03-bsa
20 grams including hardware.

Also got a zesty AM with a 160mm fork.

Got rid of the ctd evo about a month ago and bought a CCDBinline. Much improved. Takes a little time to get it dialled in (and I don’t think i’m quite there yet) but incredibly good, especially in the rough stuff.

I liked it. Not what I usually ride but it was sunny, riding with a good group of guys who i mostly hadn’t met before and then sprinting like buggery on the pedals and trying not to touch the brakes on pretty much all of the stages.

Certainly different from the EWS two weeks ago but decent fun nonetheless.

http://www.theproteinworks.com

Loads of flavours and pretty cheap. I recommend Choc Mint, tastes like an aero especially if mixed with milk.

If you use code GT79665 then you get a free little extra bag of a different flavour and so do I. Win win. I would unsubscribe from the email list once you’ve ordered though.

https://instagram.com/p/3Ox4Qhp10K/?taken-by=remyabsalon
Absalon and Clements too. It was kind of the feeling I was getting off everyone today too.

I don’t mind pedaling but you can see where they’re coming from, not the greatest advert for tweed trails. Thankfully there are 7 other bangers so i’m sure they’ll get over it.

Been hitting mine with various implements all week. Mostly ended up reaching for the hammer on all occasions but she’s ready!

Pretty much as expected. Not ridden waterworld but presume it’s similar to boner. All good stuff though! Should be a good week.