I don’t always carry something. I do wonder how important it is. I’ve not got any allergies, so they can do what they need to.

I do like the look of those stickers though, cheap enough to get a couple.

I know it’s a different brand, but Pace are now going direct sales only!

I really want to support LBS’s and I try and buy bits and bobs from them from time to time. I just struggle with paying 30+% more on big purchases, such as drivetrains, forks and bikes. Luckily my taste in bikes often means the LBS isn’t much more, and sometimes cheaper, than online options.

FOG- most bricks and motor shops in most industries do this, particularly chains. I always get a discount ordering online, plus you can stack discounts.
In the past I checked whether a part was in stock, wondered to the shop and its been £10 more than online. They weren’t able to match the online price because ‘computer says no’, so I had to order then and there from my phone for click and collect.

Very nice. Perfect trails to baptize the bike.
My folks where there 2 weeks ago and said it was freezing, windy and rainy. Hope you avoided that!

oh lord. Hope that’s not true! That tyres my go to as a rear all rounder.

Depends on which Fuse you’re looking at and the sort of riding you’re planning on doing..

“Pretty-fly-for-a-wifi”

Or, “No-pudding-for-you”

You can move parts from one bike to another. You can replace the fork without replacing the hub. You can replace parts easily when they break and you have a wider choice of upgrades. You can sell the wheel and more people can use it. You can use more parts in your existing fork. You can swap parts between your bikes. Shops can carry less inventory, creating cost savings and improving availability for customers (without standardisation, good luck walking into a shop and buying anything you want- everyone with daft spokes in a wheel knows how this works). Manufacturers can sell more of each product creating economies of scale. Parts can be used for longer, reducing waste. It’s less likely that you get screwed because a part is discontinued, because there are alternatives.

This +1

Salad type thing
> Bed of baby spinnach
> 6 baby plumb tomatoes- halved
> 3 falafels
> 3 dollops of hummus
> palm of mixed seeds
> Splash of olive oil & pumpkin oil
[> Chunk of bread if you fancy carbs]

Roast root veg with your choice of protein/fat (sausages, chicken, etc.). Super easy prep and painless to cook- delicious for the next 3 days.
> 2-3 sweet potatoes & white potatoes
> 3 carrots & parsnips
> 2 red onions
> 1 courgette
> 3 garlic cloves
> Beetroot (if you like it..)

– Peel, wash & roughly chop
– Chuck in roasting tin
– splash of olive oil (or other)
– Little salt & mixed herbs
– toss with hands
– Oven at 180′ fan for 45-55 mins, mix every so often.

What are the advantages? How would a dropper work? if the dropper is integrated, then would you need to send the whole frame away when it inevitably goes pop?.

You unbolt the whole unit and send it away (as per Reverb).
Advantages and more info HERE on PB
A few though;
– Large drop
– Reliability
– Setting up and adjustment
– Weight

I’d also like to see integrated seat posts. The problem is that it forces frame designs to follow certain shapes to accommodate a ‘standard’ for integrated posts which compromises on geometry, tyre clearance or pivot placement, etc.- e.g.; Liteville has a straight ST, but a Whyte 129 has a heavily shaped ST..

I wouldn’t worry about looking at ‘standards’ until you’re actually ready to buy. Even then, I wouldn’t particularly worry.

Your Whyte 529 has a QR rear end despite being a 2017 model and having progressive geometry. You’ll still be able to buy parts for modern ‘high end’ bikes for years to come, though I’d avoid obscure things like Giant’s overdrive. Stick with an established and proven brand using establish and proven components. The rest will fall into place.

Whyte G160. Good value for money and an excellent descender.
Lots of spares and supported by lots of LBS’s too for peace of mind.

Never even heard of these trails. Looks interesting though.
Is it worth traveling just over an hour for?

Weeksy- be good to hear your feedback vs local trails.

How about getting the lugs anodized? Or just go with some purple anodized finishing kit, like the Orange Clockwork Hope. I’d be tempted to add some subtle purple decals too in that case- maybe a small logo on the fork and frame.

I think I’m on about 10-11 on that list.
Lots of hiking with DofE, Cadets & mates.

Never mind stickers- you need to CNC some awesome headbadge for it!
Could even get that anodized.

I only lock them on long road sections and steep fire road climbs.
Anything remotely technical they stay wide open.

Easton lock-on’s come in thick 33mm size.
I’ve got a set on my HT to add some comfort. Early days, but they are big! Feels like riding a motorbike without gloves. They are bigger than the fat ESI’s I had previously. Also really nice quality with the integrated end cap. At £10 they’re a bargain!

Oh, you could fit spare tyres, mechs, handlebars and almost a whole bike in a pack.. if you wear one. I don’t. All my stuff goes on the bike; bottle cage and seatpack, etc. It’s a trail bike, why do you need a pack for that? It doesn’t tend to be an epic wilderness adventure, but rather a few hours singletrack in british countryside. All I need is a 500-1 liter bottle & a few spares (possibly a layer too)- not a 25 liter bag.

So for me, it’s essential. Many would agree, hence their existence. Even on the ‘enduro’ Airdrop Edit people were outraged* at the lack of mounts on the press release images.

Yes, I can’t that geometry and component choice are arguably higher up the pecking order of being essential. I never said they weren’t.

Anyway, that’s just my opinion. Wouldn’t it be boring if we were all the same..

*slight keyboard warriorism

Bottle mounts are key to a trail bike like that..
I’d look elsewhere on those grounds alone, mainly Whyte T129/T130.

rusted slight surface rust on a bolt on a very expensive frame demo workhorse

Fantastic looking bike and good review. Would love to have a go on one!

My Whyte came with the SR Suntour Raidon. I couldn’t stand it. It was really heavy, yet flexi and difficult to dial in. Sold for a set of Pikes which is night and day, but huge price difference.

If we take like for like, I tried some RS XC32 (similar price point) and they were even worse than the Raidon. I had no confidence in the fork and the flex was horrible when trying to take a decisive line.

So, I’d go for the best fork I could afford, but failing that I’d go for a Suntour over a RS if they are both at the same price point.

I really like these, but they are bloody expensive!

I also can’t help but think that Whytes X29 series for ’17 is essentially the better bike for the type of riding with more progressive geometry;
– longer reach/TT
– slightly longer ST/stand over
– slacker HA
– Touch longer CS & wheelbase
– Lower BB

The kicker is the price.. a full Whyte 629 with similar spec to Transitions full build is cheaper than the frame only. Granted the Whyte isn’t perfect; less tyre clearance, Alu, QR rear (though a good bolt through negates this, especially on a Alu HT).

I’d swing by my garage, pick up the truck and supply bags, then head to deepest darkest Wales where I have a cabin waiting(near a trail centre).

Trail_rat- the tool has to have be a hex key, a.k.a- bolt head.
The cap I need to undo is a essentially like the socket.
So opposite to a car.. I’ve got plenty of sockets in that size, and annoyingly a 17mm & 15mm hex key.

Nope- 8mm cap is for the crank arm to connect to the axle on the DS, 16mm cap is to change the axle on the None-DS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNEel-bLAc8 @ 2:05

Daviek- yup, 16mm

16mm bolt head! Sounds like a monster bolt. Not even sure where I’d source that. There’s a Wickes round the corner that may work..

Ahh, thanks for that.

Cheers! Will get this ordered.
Why are there 2 sizes listed; Hex Socket 12.5 mm (1/2) – 16 mm (1)

Cheers chaps- this looks like it’ll do it;
https://www.amazon.co.uk/KS-Tools-151-2039-CLASSIC-wrench/dp/B007XUI7EG/ref=pd_sbs_60_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=AG8MSW60FXHYFDDQS82R

…

Needs to be torqued up a fair bit though.. will this really work?

My Aunt, Uncle and her friend are getting on a bit now (all retired). They’ve always enjoyed riding and I’ve got some fond memories of family rides round FOD and in Germany through the vineyards.

Sadly with age they physically can’t ride like they used to, coupled with the fact that they live in a massive valley in the Cotswolds, means they don’t get out on the bikes anymore.

Then they had a go on e-bikes and it’s transformed their lives. My uncle can now cycle to the gym and up to town without a bother. It’s the help with the hills that does it for them.

They are leisure and function cyclists- so the e-bike lets them do this with greater access to everything they want. They would otherwise take the car. Nip to the shops and fill up the panniers, go to the friends in the next village and go to the gym, plus all the leisure riding.

In summary, two less cars on the road (most of the time), three more of the aging population keeping fit and healthy and helping to alleviate the burden on the NHS. I think there’s an application for e-bikes in all forms of riding. It’s just another choice, like Pepsi and Cola, Tesco and Lidle, Board shorts and skinsuits. It’s just a case of not being a knob and being courteous in how you use it (this applies to everything in life).

(They have just spent over £10k though!! That’s a huge amount for complete amateurs.)

Like that! My old Stooge is getting used too 😀
Why so many cables though? I count 5..but you only need 3- rear & front brake + dropper..?

That CNC yoke is a piece of art! I love Nicolai and I’ve followed this thread from the start. I’ve always loved the welds and precision engineered look of them. Not sure it suits my current riding, but would love one once I’ve moved somewhere hillier.

Currently trying to get my dad on one of these and off his ancient Trek.
The G13 appears to fit the bill. Just need to organize a test ride day. He’s in Zurich so plenty mountainous over there.

Depending on where you cover the mileage I guess.
I do similar mileage, but it’s 90% country roads, and 10% A/M roads.

If it was me I’d go for a petrol Jazz, Fiesta, Note or Rio.

If you do mainly motorway miles I’d go bigger- focus, Ceed or similar.

I had a really bad off on my hybrid (essentially the same as the roadrat) when I first got it. I tried for about a week on the commute to manual and wheelie it with the same technique as my MTB but got frustrated. I ended up getting a little more aggressive with the technique and found that when you finally find the balancing point it really requires fineness and feathering of the brake.

Sadly my V-brake was appalling and I got caught out. I fell straight onto my arm with the bike and body (first thing to make contact) and I was still clipped in. It didn’t break the skin, but left the most horrific bruise and it’s still left a scar, plus the hair wont grow back in that spot, after 4 years.

I can now wheelie road bikes comfortably, but just we aware that it can go wrong much quicker than on an MTB.

Yes, you can wheelie it (and pretty much every bike), but it’s a different technique to the BFe. I find the balancing point is much lower though, so really small changes are the difference between looping and holding it steady. The BFe is super easy to hold in a manual/wheelie. It’s just down to practice!

You can certainly fit an MTB in a panda.
Whether front wheel off is enough, I don’t know..
Some photos here of an FS in the Panda