Get a bike box from a bike shop and cut it down to use the side to run along the bag sides – keeps the bag shape and adds a bit more proctection without much more weight. Remove your disc rotors! I best mine! Detatch hars from stem and buble wrap bars and run the vertical next to forks – cable tie.
Put spacers in disc calipers. Remove derailleur and hanger.
I left crank on and put my knee and elbow pads in a stuff bags and put them under bb.
Try and keep seat and seat post attached if you can

A creak develped in mine too, but it has lots of play and is ready for some new shims and I think that's why it's creaking. HOw old is your GD? Check the roundness of your bolt holes, but saddle sound like it might be the culprit if not much movement in gd

I've got an R8 and love it.
It's fast and fun to ride. Really responsive and forgiving at the same time – given it a good hammering over the winter and seems to have held out well.
Orange is a great brand, and their customer service is second to none. In order to get a dealership with a brand like Orange there needs to be a partnership, and rightly so – the dealer needs to be passionate about the brand as this sells the bike. You bike shop X dont sell Orange, and wont be able to offer the customer support it can as a dealership for it's other brands. Agreed your bike shop should seem willing – go find an Orange dealer that's passionate about the brand and I'm sure they'll bend a little
My beauty[/url]

Crazt legs – You drop me one – you've got my email! No breakie I'm afraid

Jimmy – Great advice

http://www.biketart.com

life's too short mate to clock watch.
I did a degree in teaching and became a teacher for 10 years, and loved it for 9 of those yrs, but began to look at the clock, become cynical about my job and generally just not enthused by it any more.
Get out there and do stuff that you want to do….it's a cliche I know but life really is too short!
I left my teaching job eventhough my boss wanted me to go for a senior management position that would have been well into 40k – work should pay for you life.
I left and moved to Scotland to start my own bike shop, it's been bloody hard and I have very little £££ at the end of each month to call my own, but I have a business I love in a place I love…happy daze! I'm hungry to get better at what I do, and get up in the morning feeling great.
My advice is to put the house thing on hold at the mo, take a real honest look at your happiness and where you want to go with your life etc, what motivates and drives you.
Working for someone else would be a safety net – but get looking.
Craze legs – get some quals man! Invest in your exp. See you at 10@ k x

what kind of bike are you looking for?

have a look at ATG (rec) – these guys do CYTECH 1 -3 and wheel building etc etc.
Yes there is funding availabe if you are under 25 and are in employment with a bike shop or related co.

I love my gravity dropper – it's given me loads more confidence to hit corners harder and i really would miss it if I took it off my little hardtail. Needs servicing every 3 weeks or so so it's running like butter, but it's so easy to do, and it done in 10mins.
Gunna take it to Canada….can't wait!
I have a joplin for sale if you are interested in that? It's a non remote one 31.6 and it's as new condition

Another vote for TFT

thebreakpad at Kirroughtree have a twitter linkon their site which they update regularly with trail conditions there if that helps – no snow there and riding well – we get the golfstream over here so we're lucky. GT looks to be jit bad. Missed out too on the trail quest event at Inners today cos it was cancelled :-(

sv – we're based at Kirroughtree, and love talking tyres. I ride ignitor 2.35 on fr and cross mark on rear for my fullsuss and hardtail – ignitor 2.1 fr and monrail on rear – and would rec both set ups. Mark, who's a much more agressiverider rides a adent 2.25 on front and an advantage on back – come and chat to us.

cheers

wi – canadaffair? i think. £480 return June
Mrmick – probably looking at camping/rv rental – anyone any exp with renting a motor home etc in canada?
Cheers Bear back – will check you out

yep – the first techy drop is on the miners drop with the sweet berm at the bottom – I take the inside line there, as it's the straightest – and as for Gillons Gulley – gunna wait for a dusty dry day to launch myself at that one again I think forge

what? ridden by and eatherquake…..weird

thanks guys, yeah I mean in terms of the conditions – ie ice/snow etc. I've ridden it before – awesome descent down the coniston side…cheers can't wait to give it a spin again

I did the two week test with my Endura BaaBaa baselayer – and it still smelt sweet

Camino Austral in Chile – that was pretty hard – two weeks of weather challenges and big hills with no support….but brilliant!
Then went on to Costa Rice and cycle toured for 2 weeks, then over to NZ, hired a camper van and bought the MTB bible for NZ -Kennet Bros guide to mtbing in NZ, and travelled from trail head to trail head – grrrrrrreat!

Tomalsop – where'd i get me one of those?
Juan – wont be telling you where I live then!
gazza100 – like it very funny story – I'm a female, and will be trying my best to keep up with the boys on it that's for sure.
Forge – pink forks is taking it too far dont be rediculous ;)
stompy – widen your mind – come on man!

Thanks for your comments

I think you can take the value of your voucher to another shop – give the guys at cycleshceme a call they're really helpful – 01225 448933 – but I doubt that the other shop will sell you this bike at the sale price as shops are chaged 10% commission through the scheme – it will only be polite to let the LBS your intentions as they may have already bought the bike in for you and built it up.

Yeah – we're running a womens course in nov for the intermediate mtb riders – Helen Gaskell's going to be helping out too
WOMEN ON WHEELS

Cheers Linda – owe you a slice of cake next time i see you x

Sam
thebreakpad

Endura singletracks

skills course at thebreakpad – Kirroughtree aimed at RED to BLACK and run by Mark Wilcox – have a look
:lol:

MrNutt – is there much drag on the highroller tho? Which compound do you use?

chilaxing in the Scottish sun!

thanks CP for your recommendation – always nice to hear positive stuff – makes us feel all warm inside and like all the hard\ work is worth it!

Sam
thebreakpaddotcom

Dalbeattie – for me too, but Kiroughtree’s even more fun!!
Ae might possibly be quite snowy, but Dalbeattie’s fine – go early if you want to avoid the white stuff

it’s really riding well druidh – if you come over early cos the snow’s heading over from NI in the late afternoon.
See you in the shop for a hot chocy after ;)