It was originally supposed to be a bigger store with space for one bin but we then found out we were getting two big bins and one small so this now hides the two big bins and has space for about 1.5 cubic meters of logs.

I have a Nestor Martin Stanford 13 which I can’t recommend highly enough. Very efficient, extremely well build, no issues since fitting a two or three years ago (it’s like new) and you can even fit a remote control if you must.

It’s set in a fireplace with oak beam and slate hearth with a fair bit of space to either side which helps for stacking and giving the logs a final dry before burning.

My advice is don’t go too big. It’s better to have a smaller stove burning properly than a bigger one on low as far as I can tell plus the big ones don’t half go through some wood.

I take the point about selling the XX cassette and buying cheaper but as I got it all cheap it’s probably the only chance I’ll get to try it. Either that or I might just put it on a base and display it on my desk!

Add duty at 4.7% then add VAT at 20% on the total.

I know that VAT applies to the total including postage but forget whether or not there is duty on the postage.

Buying parts is better than a full bike as the duty on full bikes is 14%.

It is what it is unless you want to do something dodgy but it’s worth trying to negotiate on the frame price first. Use discountdial and give them a ring or drop them an email. Hope this helps.

As an alternative you could use CO2 cylinders and inflator – I’ve not tried mine yet (bought in case of trouble inflating whilst out and about) as I find a track pump fine but cylinders are cheap on ebay.

Goldtec http://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/contactus.asp

Speak to Kev

I would probably have gone for XTR, especially now the new rear mech has come out but I wanted lower ratios up front for my 29er. A new XX full drivetrain set came up cheap in the classifieds so I bought it, sold the cranks and am fitting X0 with lower ratios and an MRP guide up front. I hope it’s alright – some of your comments have me worried as I’ve only used Shimano before (XT and XTR 9 speed and XT 10 speed triple).

Lol at V8ninety, I didn’t read your post before posting. I started with a La Pavoni lever machine but that was hard work. My current machine means switching it on as soon as I get up (or you can use a timer) then having a shower then making the coffee. Yes, it’s hassle but it’s definitely worth it if you love coffee.

And regarding the caffeine OD, that is so true. I was literally sweating after each coffee when I first bought my Expobar machine. I then started using various beans from South America that Steve at hasbean recommended as being lower caffeine content and don’t get that anymore. Just enough to give me a kick up the arse to get going in the morning.

Regarding the Silvia, they are so well known as being the supposedly best ‘entry level’ proper machine that second hand prices can be daft. I managed to get a better machine cheaper. I think mine was £235 or £270. It was well used but fine after a proper descale and parts are easy to fit if required anyway. I think I sold it for about £330 a year or two later at which point I picked up my current machine for not all that much more.

And the Ibis 29er is due out soon too. I have emailed SC about their view on using the 110-140 fork on the current Tallboy so I might go for that then possibly change frame in future as I would have all the bits to just swap over anyway but there’s also a good chance I’ll stick with what I have. If I was starting again now I’d probably hang on a bit as there are a lot of options around already and about to come out. When I bought mine it was a choice between the RIP 9 and the Tallboy for me and it was a tough choice. I just fancied a carbon frame in the end and got one at a good price.

The current tallboy is approved to run 140 forks hence why I’m considering the talas 110-140 option but I must admit that if/when they launch a Tallboy LT as rumoured/wanted I might be tempted to change frames depending what the net cost would be after selling my forks and frame. Some people in the US are running 140s on theirs but I wouldn’t want non Talas 140s as I do find myself dropping mine down quite frequently although I also run low rise bars (flat stem) and a fair few spacers as I like to be sat a bit more upright.

I’ll update when they arrive. It’ll be just over a week as I think it’s a week today that my wife will be returning with them and it’ll probably be a few days before I fit them. I’m currently running Nobby Nics so if it won’t fit on the rear I’ll leave a Nobby Nic on the back which should still be a good combination.

I get them from Bike-Discount.de in Germany. I’ve ordered from there and had stuff sent to the UK before no problem but there is postage to pay (still cheap though) but my wife is German and she’s going over there next week so they’re being delivered free to her mother’s.

The tallboy has good clearance at the back but if it won’t fit I might have one for sale. If you drop me an email I can let you know and would be happy to sell one if it won’t fit.

This is want Santa Cruz say “We never like to make promises here, as tire dimensions vary so much, but pretty much any 2.35″ tire will work. The WTB 2.55 Weirwolf LT fits with plenty of room. We designed the frame with significant tire and mud clearance- the front derailleur cage is actually the thing that keeps you from putting super mondo tires on there.”

Buying a second hand decent machine might be a good idea. I have now bought three second hand and each one I sold to upgrade was sold for as much as I paid (in face a small profit). I also bought an expensive grinder. I currently have an Expobar Lever Dual Boiler machine and a Macap M4D Grinder so some serious kit but the coffee is amazing.

As a start I would recommend a Rancilio Silvia machine and probably a Rancilio Rocky grinder or similar. Basically you need a conical burr grinder. The only trouble is they’re not cheap as there is a lot of demand on the second hand market. My first proper machine was an Expobar Office Control I picked up on ebay for just under your budget which was a really good heat exchanger machine and better than the Rancilio I would say.

There’s loads of information on the coffeegeek website including easy to follow guides on how to make a proper espresso and how to froth milk properly. I’d suggest reading around a bit before making a decision.

And for coffee I can wholeheartedly recommend hasbean.co.uk They roast the beans after you order then supply them whole or ground how you want, so are really fresh and the service is fantastic.

Once you get the hang of it you won’t want to drink coffee at most coffee shop chains again as your own efforts should be much better.

I’ve spent a lot but I used to have one or two at Neros or Pret a day so the kit has paid for itself over the last few years.

My Tallboy has 95-120 forks on it. I have a 70mm flat stem and 750mm low rise bars. I only set it to 95 on super steep or long sustained climbs and then have no trouble with the front lifting.

I’m toying with the idea of putting the new Fox 34 110-140 forks on but it would be an expensive experiment. I’m thinking that 110 may well be ideal most of the time with 140 potentially be great for the long descents but am just a bit worried about making the wrong decision.

I’ve also just ordered some 2.35 Hans Dampf tyres to try. Yes, they’ll no doubt slow me down a bit but I ride for fun, not to race and fancy trying some really grippy tyres.

We bivvied at the top of Snowdon when we were in Scouts. We just got in our sleeping bags and bivvy bags around the back of the cafe. I can’t remember what time of year it was though but it was dry.

I’ve not had any problems fitting Nobby Nics and Racing Ralphs to either my Stans Arch 29er rims or my wife’s Stans Crest 29er rims with a track pump.

If you want to hit your target weight you’ll need to get a carbon frame really. My XL carbon tallboy has been down to about 26.5 lbs with Stans Crest wheels, carbon bars, XT chainset, XTR brakes etc but it does have a dropper post fitted. It’s now a bit heavier due to having Stans Arch wheels. I have most of a complete XX drivetrain to fit but am waiting for the X0 chainset and guide before fitting so will probably end up around the same weight.

It depends on your budget but a full suspension 29er might be an idea. I have been riding mine all year with a pretty bad prolapsed disc and it’s been a lot more comfortable than my previous hard tail 29er. That said, it’s a Santa Cruz Tallboy so pretty racy and not plush compared to the long travel trail bikes a lot of folk ride. I have put a 95-120 Talas fork on so the head angle slackens a bit when in longer travel mode. Were I bulding it again I would consider the new 110-140 fork (I’m toying with the idea of swapping anyway). I run it with low rise bars and about 35mm of spacers (no rise stem) as I find it more comfortable. When locked out if feels very like a hardtail.

If you can, try a few options before deciding. I had only really ridden my hardtail 29er before buying the Tallboy. I’ve since tried Ed Oxley’s Labyrinth around a car park and it felt like sitting on a sofa, as did a friends Yeti.

Also, how tall are you? 29ers do tend to suit taller riders better.

Just received my orange one from on-one and have tried it on. It feels more comfortable than the Athlon it is replacing and the wheel adjustment is much better to use than the slider.

Looks wise, it’s a bike helmet but as they go it looks good and matches my bike pretty well.

http://www.myspokes.co.uk/giro-remedy-carbon-fibre-all-colours-sizes-cheapest-in-uk-free-p-p-2061

£60 here but they didn’t have my size in orange so I ordered one from On One.

My resting pulse dropped to around that level or even lower at times. I’d been feeling a lack of motivation and tiredness but hadn’t put it down to anything. Anyway, whilst being checked for something else they discovered my thyroid had packed in. Before the test they’d put my low rate down to me being fairly fit. I’m now on treatment and getting back to normal. I’d get it checked.

The ice spiker pro are now available in 29er but are 2.25 so might be wider than you’re after. They’re not cheap though. You’re probably best buying them from Germany.

I have a set of Crests and a set of Arch. I weigh about 100kg kitted up. The reason I have two sets is that I bought Arch then needed another pair for my wife’s bike so thought I’d try Crests. Though I used the Crests over the summer and they were ok I’ve switched back to Arches due to me trying more drop offs and starting to attempt jumps. Were I buying again I’d either go for Arch or Flow. I also went for pro-loc nipples (I think that’s what they’re called) and am told a lot of the strength is down to the quality of the build.

Point One Racing at 139 grams and there’s no top cap which saves weight but can be a hassle if you want to adjust the height.

If you like the bikes I wouldn’t sell them over this but can understand you being concerned that if something else happens during the warranty period nothing will be done.

I’m surprised that they’ve taken the stance they have. If it clearly was damaged by you then I’d understand but in a case where it seems pretty impossible to tell what has happened and given that you also tried all sorts to find out what the cause of the issue was before realising it was the frame (which no doubt caused a lot of hassle) I would have thought they’d have sorted it.

The only other thing I can think of is a mud guard to protect the mechanism of my KS i950 dropper post (made out of part of an old mudguard) fitted to the saddle and the post. Loads of problems with mud causing the cable/mechanism to stick before fitting and absolutely none since (no pic, sorry).

Quite a few bits have changed since this picture was taken and I might have spannered the front one in a big crash a week or so ago (needs checking) 🙁

I recently picked up a point one racing stem second hand (off here) and would recommend it. Very solid as the width of the clamps is wider than the Thomson but it’s very expensive and though I like the fact that it has no top cap, it means you cannot leave any steerer with spacers above the stem.

E thirteen do a bash/chain guide for SRAM 2×10 set ups. I’m currently waiting for the XO 2×10 cranks with lower ratios to be available along with the SRAM X-Guide which is exactly the same as the E Thirteen one (made by them).

I used a homemade press and also added a couple of pieces cut from a nylon chopping board to make a bigger area for my 1.5″ cup and to prevent marking the cups too. Works a treat so long as you are careful to keep it central.

My wheel!

I’m not sure if you can access them but there are a few more videos on there from the day including the new bits on the later videos.

Group page[/url]

Lee quarry is my nearest place to ride and where I go most often. I’m a relative beginner but have done the full black route at Lee. I’m at the stage where I’m practicing drop offs and doing small jumps but don’t attempt table tops yet (I generally just absorb them). I probably went a bit light and didn’t have enough weight on the front to make the unexpeted turn on the other side or was had too much weight forward and slid. I can’t really remember but the line certainly caught me out.

I’d agree that the fun in Llandegla is doing it fast. That day I was carrying a lot more speed on the red route and really enjoying it (I’ve improved a lot since my last visit) and was comfortable on the black sections carrying plenty of speed whilst avoiding air other than on the smaller bumps where I felt comfortable. Table top tecnnique is next on my list of things to learn (a visit to Jedi is in order sometime).

I tend to always where quite a bit as I don’t bounce like I used to and 100Kg results in quite a bit of momentum! Also, quite a few of the falls resulting in injuries amongst people I know have been in pretty innocent places. Judging by the state of my knee and elbow pads, they did their job nicely.

Yeh, to be honest I was really just after a pick up to take me back to the centre and I would’ve decided what to do from there but I think it’s health and safety issues that mean you either walk back or call an ambulance. I’ve not broken anything but was concussed and have a bruised forehead, black eye, compression injuries to neck, bashed shoulder, swollen ribs, etc etc and I was wearing quite a lot of padding (thankfully). Helmet has no visor, a dent and three cracks through it. But I think I got away fairly lightly considering.

Oh and a massive thank you to the lads who stopped and helped me (and the great fella walking his dog but I guess he won’t frequent here) – much appreciated.

I would have to go for the 380mm or less as I have a curved seat tube. There is a Reverb thread on MBR with all the dimensions on which should help.

I ended up in A&E after riding it on Sunday. We weren’t sure if it was open or not as the barrier was there but had been pulled right out of the way. Apparently another guy we know came off in the same place and another had a ‘moment’. Basically there are a few rollers/tabletops/big bumps or whatever you want to call them. Looking back at a video I took went up the centre of one but on the other side the trail kinks to the right so it sent me to the left of the trail onto loose stuff and my front wheel washed out sending me straight into the banking. Front wheel taco’s and I went head first into the bank. So just watch out for it and keep right as it’s a fast section.

Video

It’s at 5m42 on the vid.

I bought two, one for the lower range and one for the higher and the total cost was about £70 and both are calibrated (Sealey I think). I also do the odd job on the car so useful for that too. The only thing is that they only work in one direction but that’s not a big deal. I do have a carbon bike and bits but bought these before. It’s partly a peace of mind thing. I no longer worry if I’ve over or under tightened things. I do build my own bikes though and do most of the servicing so it pays for itself pretty quickly.

I use outlook. I had a similar situation and was not getting a number of emails nor were they in my junk folder. A while later I found when logging into my account through the provider website there was a spam folder with loads of important emails in. My spam filter setting had been set to high (when my service provider merged with another I think) and I was blissfully unaware of what was happening. I changed the setting to medium and have had no problems since/

I’ve been using Nobby Nic front and Racing Ralph rear 2.25 all season and am pretty happy with them. For the winter I will probably put a Nobby Nic on the rear as well.

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of material around the bottom bracket area.