Has it definitely been done without permission then?

Pretty much everything up there worth riding is built without permission.

Everyone knows they are there, on the whole common sense is applied.

I can’t believe people are getting their knickers in a twist over some trail evolution & a little jump, that has a chicken line round it.

it’s still annoying when someone thinks ‘this would make a great spot for a ghetto double!’ with no thought for other riders, chicken lines, sustainability, land use, etc. etc.

There’s actually nothing ghetto about it, it’s been boarded & staked properly.

Looks a lot more official than most stuff there. Also there is far bigger & more ghetto out there.

And as freeridenick says, it’s not a big gap, in fact it could probably do with being more than twice the size it is for the speed you hit it at, unless you mince down the trail. It’s barely over a bike length….

Count yourself lucky, when I rode down there on Monday someone had cut a load of trees down and dragged them into all the corners.

And whilst I’m not for kicking someone whilst they are down, it was pretty clear to me it was a gap. From the video you clearly weren’t going fast enough to hit the landing, gap or no gap…

2 months…

We’ve been testing various iterations of XX1 for nearly 2 years now….

Dev bikes get used & abused, that’s what they are for. My own bike with it had a guide from day one. The guys I ride and race with tried it without & all run top guides now. Granted you dont need a full option but you generally do need something especially big mountain riding & racing (EWS, Avalanche Cup, Super Enduro etc).

For the sake of a 60g E13 guide, it’s a no brainier.

There seems to be a lot of ambiguity about this whole ‘course cutting’ thing.

Is there any actual evidence he went through the tape or did he just straightline an untaped wide open section & some other riders have got a bit pissy about it?

Some of these precious flowers better not turn up to do the Mega in the twilight of their careers, they would have a nervous breakdown.

plus, your running a guide? it doesnt look so in the pic? ditch it sir! you dont need it

Ah, the voice of an XX1 (or XX1 style chainring) newbie.

Every single bike we have with XX1 & X01 has a guide (top admittedly, but that’s all you need) because it may work great to begin with, until wear is introduced into the system. Then it’s not very good.

There is a reason why SRAM changed the wording from ‘definately no guide needed’ to ‘a guide may be needed in some circumstances’.

I previously showed an example difference between a 26″ Specialized Butcher Control (quite a big tyre, comes up almost the same size as a 2.5″ Minion DHF) and a 650B Maxxis 2.2 High Roller 2.

The 26″ wheel actually measured 27″ in diameter. The 650B was 28.25″. When compared with the same tyre but in 2.4″ format, the diameter was 28.59″ (similar width).

40mm diameter is a noticable difference. Also a ~20mm difference in BB height makes a massive difference. It can completely change how a bike feels.

I love the fit of the POC trabec, to me it’s barely noticeable on my head. However I can’t justify the price when my 2nd Fox Flux is so good for less than half the price.

Personally I found the Mavic helmet to be noticeably heavy considering the price and uncomfortable. I’d much rather have a Giro Xar or or even Hex, or Fox Striker, all of which I think are better lids

You do realise the Mavic is lighter than the Trabec? (And the Flux, Xar etc)?

Fit is very subjective.

The build quality IMO is a lot better than Giro & Fox. Not far from POC, but then it’s a fair bit cheaper :)

I’ve been running a Notch after using my head as an emergency brake a few months ago.

My only caveat is the typical – buy the one that fits you best.

The Notch fitted, and the POC did too. The POC made me look like this though:

I wasn’t sure whether the fixed peak would be an issue on the Notch, but it’s not at all. On all the various helmets I had previously it just wobbled around anyway.

I like the look of the new IXS one too, when I require something else & if it fits, it will be a toss up between another Notch & that RS lid.

The new Bell lid is awful. Not sure on availability either as the new EBG Distro is doing a stunning bad job of getting up & running.

A little birdy told me STW had one on test last week, only they couldn’t use it, due to the dirty great crack in the back end. Oops!

Lots of times, as my father flew them. Probably wasted the opportunity as a kid in realising how lucky I was. Jump seat take offs in the cockpit were cool though.

I would love to go back and do it again now I could appreciate it a bit more.

Importer & distributor margin? Bet its 40%

Hora in talking b*llocks shocker!

I’ve used it on & off for 18 months now on various bikes.

All started with no chain device, all have a top guide as a minimum now due to dropping chains.

Cassette wear seems good, as does chain wear. Shifting as mentioned isn’t as good as Shimano 10spd & the mech needs a lot more love than XTR to keep it running sweet. All of them have developed the common annoying ‘clunk’ when sat on the bike (it’s something to do with chain growth & the clutch system). Few seized jockey wheels & one mech write off so far.

Ratios work well for me with a 34 or 36T front ring. The GXP crankset is a real pain though, every single bike i’ve ridden the BB creaks. The cranks arn’t a patch on Shimano.

The idea is good still & the ratios work for me. I just wish it was made by Shimano, rather than SRAM. It might work properly in average UK conditions then.

It isn’t compulsory to buy the most expensive stuff.

There is kit to cover most budgets for ‘serious’ riders.

Im noticing a theme here ……… carbon seems to be the key, lighter for xc, stiffer for gnarrrrrly stuff

Generally I would agree. I normally ride an Enduro S-Works with a few trick bits that’s pretty much 26lbs, which I use for everything. It’s done 2 EWS’s, most of the UKGE, The Mega, MOH & a couple of Maxi’s, yet i’ll happily throw my leg over it for an after work blast round Swinley on the way home.

Of course it’s not as quick as a 20lb carbon 29″ HT, but the difference isn’t as great as people think & the same goes the other way. I do still race the odd DH event on it & i’m just as quick on most stuff. It can get a bit wild on the rougher stuff, but you just hang on.

Carbon (not just for the frame) does mean you get the weight down, without making it a floppy, wet noodle to ride. That being said, carbon does have it’s down sides. My bike is visually wrecked after nearly a season’s racing on it. Structually it’s fine, it just looks a mess.

Some people I ride with went this year. He put himself down as a 6, and the top group only had 4 people in it at the end of the week. His Mrs started in a higher group, then dropped down. Not because of the technicality of the trails, but because of the pace they were riding everything at, all day. They seemed to enjoy it on the whole.

The guide they had made reference to it being unusual to have his rear wheel buzzed all week by guests, down and up.

He’s a quick rider though, to be fair.

That’s why on the first day all the groups ride in reasonable proximity of each other, so the guides can assess who’s been billy big boll*cks on the paperwork, but can’t ride for toffee, so gets bumped down a few groups.

Likewise those who are better than they came across can be bumped up accordingly.

They officially close the main area for the walkers, but you can ride early & late season there, plus you can ride each end of the valley full time (Hooches & Vallorcine).

That being said, if you are high up,a fair way from the lifts & don’t ride like a dick when there are people around, I’ve only ever had a positive experience, even mid season.

That looks like the off piste entrance to La Varda to me…

There are lots of little hidden gems, but not places I would want to spend a few days in each at, if I was just riding the best stuff.

It’s certainly worth exploring Chamonix. There is some stunning riding there.

Rather than looking at the SB66C, why not look at the Yeti alternative to the Tallboy, the 95C?

By all accounts, those that have ridden both suggest the Yeti is the better bike, but they are splitting hairs.

If its anything like as good as the 66C, then it will be great. And that’s from someone who works for another manufacturer.

Why has it got a oneway system with waymarker posts. I would have tolerated the posts if it left those of us that know the place to carry on as normal. BUT! why is policed to the extent of us not being able to ride as we have done for years.

Simply put, they had a choice. This, or no riding at all. I’m sure you understand the latter is better than the former.

Sadly that’s the issue with the KS, the lever is truly awful.

Eh? It is sorted? 27.5 is here, 26 isn’t any more*.

*For the most part

You won’t find any current model Specialized discounted online, because that’s how they work.

You can certainly ask the shop are they able to do some sort of deal if you bought one there & then, but considering what it is, and the limited stock availability yu might struggle.

My suggestion would be if you want one & are prepared to wait, there is a certain point in the year Specialized clear through warranty frames they stock for customers. Look at some of the heavy discounters online for them. Bikescene are good for taking bulk stock like that, so chances are you can worst case get a frame and build one up from there.

The frames have historically been quite reasonably priced.

If the demand is very high (and it certainly seems to be, since people can’t get hold of the cranks), then they’ve pitched it at the right price form their point of view – they’re selling out as fast as SRAM can make them.

Not actually the case, more to do with Fishers diabolical stock control and forecasting. Lots of shops that specialise in builds in that end of the market won’t carry stock anyway, because 10 minutes on Google an end user can buy a full groupset for less than a shop pays Fishers for the same items.

There is plenty of XX1 stock about. Fishers are just their usual (in)effective self.

Genuine question, did Sram not rip off Shimano’s clutch mechs?

No, because the SRAM one doesn’t have a clutch per se.

Manufacturers & distributors are getting better (i.e out of the dark ages) about forecasting so there ‘shouldnt’ be a massive stock dump at key season points.

Occasionally it still goes t*ts up though.

Enve, E13, Stans, pretty much everyone.

FTFY. Anyone with a choice and half a brain won’t be upgrading next year, perhaps not even the year after.

Unlikely, but maybe there are a lot of people with less than half a brain out there, as SC has sold more Bronson’s in the short time it’s been available than any other bike in it’s range for this whole year (internal source at SC).

In fact if they carry on with the current sale ratio, they will sell more Bronson’s that ALL of the rest of the range put together by the end of 2014.

The STW cynics are generally nothing like the actual buying demographics for these brands.

My Bulls**t detector has just gone off. Where the hell are you people getting your misinformation from and why are you perpetuating it?

I suggest you get it recalibrated then. Fox have already said to a number of people they are phasing out production of 26″ forks for 2014.

Any manufacturers with a shred of decency will keep making 26″ alongside any other new stuff they feel they have to make to sell bikes.

They will, it will just be the cheap crap.

Which manufacturers would that be then? Do you have the slightest idea how many manufacturers are still making 26″ or did you just make that up off the top of your head?

I’ll revisit this in a few months, when most of the industry has launched its 2014 bikes. I’ll give you a clue though. Very few, to the extent that entire ranges of 26″ bikes that had been spec’d and signed off for production have been pulled & redesigned as 27.5″ bikes.

There will always be smaller, niche brands (such as Cotic) who will do things a little different, but the mid to high end market 26″ is dead for 2014. Whoever is left standing with the 26″ at the start of the year isn’t going to be selling many bikes, whether you agree or not. It’s not going to happen, or happening, it’s already been done months ago.

Read the article by Chipps & digest.

As much as you all dislike Superstar, the problems didn’t come from his end, other than the issues of his own doing.

Manufacturers of ‘a good range & well regarded products’ do not take many months to pick up a new distribution channel, there are people lining up for those brands.

Wow, brave taking on an industry basket case.

I didn’t realise that Zyro were taking over….is that a good or a bad thing? I’ve never really had much to do with them.

Jury is out. There are a lot of people upset with the way EBG manage their OE channels, hence why you repeatedly see their brands being shagged out on price. It’s not very conducive to a manufacturer/distributor/retailer relationship.

Zyro are pretty crap to deal with IME (and mirrored by others opinions) funnily enough the EBG products will be distributed by Pelaton which is a Zyro Sub.

Email Easton for the part numbers & then order through your local Easton shop.

Or, you can use a generic adapter, such as this: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34779

It just a reducer that sits inside the 12mm axle.

It depends on the 3C tyres you are talking about?

The 3C downhill compounds are different to the 3C EXO compounds.

It sounds like you’re talking about the non DH compounds, which IMO are a nice bnalance between grip & rolling resistance. I run one on the front of my bike when I want something that’s a bit more than my usual tyres (Enduro racing mainly).

He rode a 650 at the first round of the EWS, also rode a modified carbon Forcewith 650b wheels at the UKGE.

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb9596183/p5pb9596183.jpg

He raced a 650b bike. His 16 year old team mate rode a 26″ wheel and beat him.

He also used flat pedals & dual ply tyres. The kid must be an animal.

That would be real innovation. I think most would probably use it’s 3G capabilities for arguing on MTB forums though, rather than actually riding the thing.

That’s preposterous!

It’s a shame the EI system can’t have integrated 3G/4G so you can have live KOM updates :(

The 650b juggernaut has set off for 2014 bikes.

We should play a game of which of the big manufacturers will be left at the table offering 26″ bikes for anything other than DH (or other niche aspects like DJ).

The first of many announcements. Of course it’s largely bollards, but it’s still happening.

Faster or not, it will sell because of the wheels & it looks good.

Most of us who have tried it (usually XX1) have found at first it’s great, then as the ring wears it’s next to useless.

Generally its quite a sandy base where we are, so that happens quickly. For the sake of a top guide & never having issues, it’s not worth it IMO.

What is the code on the hub? Some of them (early ones) can’t be converted.