I have always ridden a bike in “medium” flavour.

I swapped from an 18″ 456 to a 17.5″ genesis Altitude and the Altitude comes up smaller.

In fact, it made me think I have been riding oversized frames before now. I am 5’9″ and it fits me perfectly with a 90mm stem, but is very ridable and comfy with a 70mm stem

edit. Dont know how the Lattitude compares but the Altitude is Awesome.

Winter tyres for the bike? Winter tyres for the car?

I am in far to low a class to take part in this forum…

Might buy some waterproof socks.

Dont get hung up on full suspension. I would be much happier with a decent forked hartail than a FS with dodgy shock and forks!.

Really spend some time looking at your choices. Ask questions on here!

If it was me, I would choose something with the best fork I can afford. even budget Disc brakes are generally good and you can always rely on deore to work. This stuff can be upgraded later.

Verderers is brilliant. last red section is long, fast,smooth, bermy and jumpy. (although it had developed some inevitable braking bumps and had broken up in places the last time I went )

There are some good sections in between as well.

Also do a quick loop of the freeminer’s trail to warm up.

As said, there is loads of stuff in the Forest to find. Dont forget the downhills to if you like it a bit more bumpy

My latest. Best bike I have had by far and a keeper. Now with forks at 120mm and longer stem (and a minion on the front) oh and a smaller disc.

but you get the idea

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100_2813[/url] by Dancake2010[/url], on Flickr

Some kind of hose guide for forks would be cool . like the marz one but universal

nb this might already exist…havnt checked

Went out yesterday on My Genesis Altitude with 120mm on the forks and shock horror a longer stem.

Not so long ago I had a 150mm FS which wore me out just for the advantage of getting some extra confidence on the tiny amount of rough stuff I encountered. For my riding and my local area, this bike is ACE! Turns really well and quickly , the front picks up easily, it climbs nicely and I can ride it for much much longer.

The short travel revolution 🙂

I leave the old pads in, spread with a kitchen knife 🙂

I was dozing on my mate’s floor one night and froze in horror as he woke up, stood over me and took a slash in the corner of the room.

Later that year, I puked in a box that contained all his important documents. Swings and roundabouts

Im hoping to blag a tivo as my V+ box is playing up AGAIN. Thats three replacements in a year. Nice

Local chemist, Mine had 2 sizes. I went for the 100mm one. Cost 80 pence

I go for the “brightest light I can get for 30 quid” approach.

Worked out quite well. Wear a torch on my head for looking at stuff

I ride all year – 4 miles each way. As long as my fingers and neck are warm, I get by. No fancy gear here. Keep some spare clothes at work.

If its flat, ditch your gears and fancy forks. Simplify to win

My Genesis Altitude. I think It is the first bike I have had that actually fits me properly. I just want to ride it all the time.

Did a night ride last night and got in at 2.00AM. Might do it again tonight. Ace!

I have a BBB tool bottle on my ‘crosser,loads better than a saddlebag.

What a great idea! Is it well made and secure? – wouldnt want it flying out with my keys in it

my mate once came to my haloween party dressed like this

Had a Scandal 29er for a bit. In light, rigid SS form it was ace as a second bike. When I sold my 26″ stuff and fitted proper forks/ gears to it to use as my main bike, I was underwhelmed

It only lasted a few months before I went back to 26″

I expected a revelation – didnt get one

Silver forks?

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100_2820[/url] by Dancake2010[/url], on Flickr

If it was raining, I might have got out…

BBQs in October ?I had the kind of hangover yesterday that could only be fixed by drinking more beer.

My Wife loves my night riding. We sort tea, washing up etc etc etc and I go out after my boy has been bathed and put to bed – She gets some peace and I get to ride my bike!

my problem is going out during the day –

The first time I rode a quality 100mm fork I was amazed how bottomless it felt.

I ride a 130mm Recon right now but might go down to 120mm which might suit my Genesis frame better. I used to ride around a 456 with 150mm coil forks. probably wont go back to that now

NeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwWoooooooshohfuckohfuckohfuckWOO
HOObumpbumpbumpbumpbumpbumppingpingpingboshboshNeeeeeeeeeeeooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwE

this

plus idiotidiotidiotidiotidiotidiotyouknowyoucandothisaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggg

Only been once. By the time I had got back, my face had swollen up, my eyes were streaming and i couldnt breath freely. Worse allergic reaction to anything I ever had

It was worth it though, just for the look on my mate’s face when his beast did a runner with him on it. I am grinning now recounting 🙂

Singletrack in the woods, nothing better IMHO so where’s your best?

agree 100%

you can keep your boring straight lines and giant chainrings. Twisty and turny and rooty and ducky and weavy and slidy and all those things is where it is at for me. FOD, Painswick, Cranham, standish woods is where I like to play

24/36

Shorter mech and chain.All neat and tidy and out of the way. All the gears I need. (I can say with absolute certainty I will never spin out 36/11 off road. Dont care about on road- it is a mountain bike)

Triples look crap as well

Be careful getting the batteries wet. It messes up the protection circuit and you cannot charge them. (The protection circuit is there to protect Voltage from going under/ over limits which kills the lipos)

This happened to my first set. Was ok after removing the shrink sleeving, drying and re-sealing.

The XML unit is very spotty. I have bought a “flood” lense for mine and run it alongside an older P7. Together they work well

http://brightstonesports.com/shop/index.php/magicshine-wide-angle-lens.html

(had to find a thicker o ring to make it seal but its ok now)

NB Dont DX have a UK warehouse now for the more expensive lights?

http://www.dealextreme.com/c/100002

Night shift this week so like to get a couple of rides in. Get off around 7.00 and get to work around 10.00

Machine pie, huge coffee and off we go.

Had a brill one last night. Clear and warm 🙂

OMG I have just realised what camp Bastion is – thought you were off on a MTB holiday. Good luck dude

I am a lot happier riding from my door. Rather that than get brained by the chavs up to no good in the car park

I’m curious as to how you can’t email but can post on here!

was sort of thinking the same thing

gmail, hotmail. ymail etc would all work surely?

Well I’ve learnt one thing. Always ask for some STW feedback on a MTB outfit before booking. I’ll be giving SC a miss ta.

if you had googled them last week though, STW has this on googles front page

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/sierra-cycling-spain-any-experience

not detailed but not negative…

The mind is powerful. See a smudge in the corner of your eye and it can be what yo want it to be. I dont believe in all that and guess what: I dont see it.

That out-middle-classes most anything else I’ve read on here in years.

If you aren’t sharp enough to sort out the transfer of £15k to another currency a little more in your favour, you deserve to get dry humped by every money-grabbing banker en route to your villa. Numpty

😆

“hey, everyone, just thought you should know I have 15 grand. bye”

My mate was trying to get me to get one of these

You can run custome firmware on it based on 3.2 and it is super fast. Capacitive screen too.

edit. all the £140 vegas are sold out.

They dont turn left

Man milk.

You will be sadly missed.

I am having a beer a waiting for the cricket highlights on 5.

If it was the other way around, I might have a dabble

Didnt use Hermes did you? Absolute filth. Ended up going down to the Post office to send my parcel in the end due to so many failed collections. Gave up trying to get my money back…