Carbon – Yes
Bar ends – Yes
2 x 9 – No (but never use granny – honest!)

I got lapped by Liam Kileen in a cross race last year. 🙂

Still running original Campag style push fit bearings on my 08 s-works carbon HT. No damage to headtube so far although lower bearings are getting a bit sticky now – not particularly well sealed. No issues so far removing and pushing in bearings but always use liberal amounts of grease.

Thought it was – I never forget an old wreck!

We ride around Shipley area most Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings.
Will give a friendly wave if I see a Roadrat! 🙂

theboatman – That wreck looks familiar (not the Roadrat – Honest!) 🙂

It isn't by chance on the disused railway line between Mapperley and Straws Bridge is it?

oldgit – They are Panaracer Crossblasters 31c. Very light at 290g and ok
unless really muddy. Although when dry at the start of the season I like to
run Kenda small block 8's.

To be honest I only use my crosser for racing.
It is very capable both on road and off, but why bother when you already have mountain and road bikes. Best tool for the job and all that.

Another vote for M520's here. Cheap as chips, adjustable and plenty of float. My 13 year old has been racing cross and road with them for a couple of years and gets on with them fine.

PS. Liking your TCX2 on the other thread.

Only once in 20 odd years of biking.
Happened last season in a very muddy cross race. Wrecked rear mech, bent hanger and damaged hub flange and spokes (too vain to fit the plastic spoke protector). All in all quite an expensive race. Don't think 10 speed road groupsets like that much mud!

Never worried about this before, but having read this thread I may have been doing this wrong for years on Mavic / Shimano combinations.

For Shimano 9 speed cassettes use the Mavic spacer.

For Shimano 10 speed use the Mavic spacer plus the Shimano spacer supplied with the cassette.

Never had any problems, but any thoughts appreciated.

105 headset, Model No. HP-1055 (circa 1989) – 5/32" bearings loose or caged.
Hope this helps.

"Tracker – I know some on here are a bit simple, but me being self employed might be the first clue
If I break myself, I need some income."

Well seing as you are so clever why not sort it out yourself!

My circa 94 Torus still going strong.
Not noticed it "flexes like crazy" to be honest!

In response to the op's preference for mudguard/rack eyelets and Giant TCX's
In the range only the TCX2 comes with eyelets. The TCX0, 1 and Frameset have no eyelets. It also has an alloy fork in lieu of composite but the frame is the same grade alloy.

Manuf. stated run times;
Max. 3hrs
High 10hrs
Low 24hrs

If you need to check run times switch to desired output and leave on till red light comes on. To keep cool indoors aim a domestic fan on it to generate air flow.

Yes it can be done. I used an Easton shim in a Thomson stem to hold Race Face bars! Simple.

Dad's xc hardtail

Son's xc hardtail – new frame and rest from the 'good spares' box.

PS. Not posting any weights coz njee's about 🙂

"half the price of the Thule one….mmm "

and probably twice as good! The adjustable wheel supports and top tube straps are far superior. Very fast to secure bikes. Had the three bike one for about 5 years and still going strong.

Not sure if this is any help but the Specialized size guide states;

Large 5' 10" to 6' 3"
X-Large 6' 2" to 6' 6"

"We should arrange a forum ride with everybody who has had an input in this thread!"

Good idea Will, but where in gods name would we park!

"Verge". Nice one Gee. One all. Over and out.

Sorry Gee. Just couldn't resist it. I know it was a cheap jibe.

Seated. However, best done while seated in a disabled parking bay at Fairholmes on a Bank Holiday weekend to simulate a good angry/attack stance. 😉

myfatherwasawolf – That's a great solution.

Bomber Biking. Get airlifted in, just like Heli-skiing. Parking problems now a thing of the past.

"Does that mean that Cut Gate is right out for any Derbyshire folk, what with it being entirely within the City of Sheffield boundary"

porterclough – Yes that's fine. If Cut Gate is in fact in S. Yorks the Derbyshire clan will respect this. Rules is rules. 🙂

Access to the Peak can easily be solved by the introduction of Border Control and barbed wire on the S. Yorks, Greater Manchester and Cheshire county boundaries. This will keep out all the Manchester and Sheffield based scumbags. Keep the Peak District for the good folk of Derbyshire. 🙂

Also in response to an above thread, the Winnats Pass is in fact a collapsed cavern. The roof of the cavern collapsed due to the weight of illegally parked cars over it on a particularly busy Bank Holiday weekend.

"Copper grease won't last 2 years"

Rather a sweeping statement. Where is it going to go then? Can't get washed out trapped between threads, if applied correctly it's still visible upon dismantling whatever the time period.

Not much help once stanchions are worn, but I have always stored my bikes inverted (hung from roof), which keeps the felt washers under the seal bathed in oil and lubricates the seals.
I have a pair of 2004 and 2007 F100x forks with no sign of stanchion wear – and yes they are both ridden weekly in all sorts of conditions. They also only get serviced yearly, if that.

Should be ok.
I have some old type Cateye Cordless 2 transmitters which run ok with the current Micro computers. All the transmitters seem to be compatible with all the head units.

560's on mine. Ooeer missus!

"On another note, is a carbon post a really bad idea on a cross bike?"

Can't see why it would be a problem. I've got carbon post, stem and bars on mine. No real performance gain but they look nice!

sponge

Hope you enjoy the Jake – nice machine.
Just an observation, but won't it be a bit of a faff swapping the big front chainring, as you will need to reposition the front derailleur each time.
Unless you are TDF fit, I would imagine a 46 big ring would be OK for most of the time, plus it's good to spin!

Thomson or Use. Try CRC and Merlin.

Or even a threaded rod, 4 nuts and a few washers.

Ooh yes! Liking that a lot.
Check out those laser cut dropouts – nice.
A bike for the grown ups.

Nah! Just ride your Soul to work.
Strange question though? As the guys you occasionly ride with already have a couple of Spesh Tricross and a
Giant TCX.
Why not ask them?

Ooooh! Liking that alot.
Great to see a proper lightweight xc race machine amongst the usual jungle of freeride monsters.
Good to see flat bars and shifters inboard of brakes – but where are the bar ends?
Also like the cheeky use of Spcialized finishing kit.
Great bike. Lead me to the podium.

[bumpety bump]

Nope. Nobody gives a toss! Looks like you'll be the only one there.

Have a nice ride.

solamanda – I agree entirely.

2005 Fox F100x
2007 Fox F100x
Both ridden weekly all year round, rarely serviced, kept meticulously clean, bikes stored upside down. Both still work faultlessly with no visible stanchion wear. Best forks I've ever owned.
Can't see what all the fuss is about re Fox reliability/wear.