Seriously considering moving from Van 36s to Marz 66 Evos at the moment so have a similar quandry. I’d say do it (i’m still in two minds as my bike already weighs 33lb). All the Marz forks I have had have been superb. I know they lost their way for a few years while they set up manufacture in the far east but the 2011 range is meant to be superb.

Stopping power was fine but they tizzed (especially the 203mm on the front) and ate pads (Shimano XT on Hope M4s). They have been replaced with Shimano XT rotors which are the best I’ve used.

Mine had 36s with a CK headset and the HA was 67 I think. Lovely bike, gone but not forgotten.

£5 and a bag of conkers. They are really good conkers BTW.

Sorry, no idea. As the other bloke said, try fleabay.

I paid 30quid for my length of pipe with a park tools logo on it! I already had the hammer.

Holy Cow! Respect.

At least run a supertacky on the front! IMHO they're not that heavy.

I use tubes.

I use them for muddy, wet conditions. Supertacky on the front and a regular 60a on the back. I run the front at just over 30psi and the back at around 35psi. Plenty of grip and I find they are only 'draggy' in dry conditions but then you wouldn't be using them then. The 2.35 single plys are not that heavy.

I'd built the SS up to do the Mega next year as I had got an amazing deal on a new frame otherwise I would still have the Tracer. I had not ridden it at all until on one ride my riding buddy needed to borrow a bike so I lent him the Tracer and I rode the SS. I just felt more confident on it and it certainly corners better (very low BB). It does take the bigger hits better but then it should do and I think that I have been riding bigger stuff because of it. In all honesty though I reckon the Tracer could handle all of what I do it's just I'd rather be on the SS.

The Tracer does get up the hills better, is lighter and probably pedals a little better on the flat but out and out sprinting I'd say there is very little in it if anything.

My Tracer went through several guises and looking back I'd go with the following:

6 inch mode
Fox 36 with a flush fit headset to keep the BB as low as possible
Ditch the RP23 if you are a heavier rider and get a coil ASAP. Freeborn.co.uk sell CCDBs for £485

If anything happened to the SS and I could not get another I'd either go for a Tracer 2 (a few more months to wait for that) or get an Uzzi VP. The Tracer 2 looks like it will have a beefier rear end to the Tracer 1 although this does mean there should be some deals to be had on the Tracer 1 fairly soon as the shops try to shift old stock in readiness. I'd wait if it were me.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=632142

Long gone and a little missed if I am honest. The SS is better though, for me.

I think we did everything including the climb up to the MOD station which was fine, fun on the way down!. We also managed Dougal's Day Off and Sharron's Stone. We also went up some black ascent with some North Shorey bits and then down some bit with loads of berms (I'd like to do that again but not the climb). All good but I found it hard to read the trail ahead in some sections. Then we went to the North Shore section (not the skills loop) at the bottom near the top off the car park and did all of that a few times.

More challenging that Coed Y Brenin not as much fun as Penmachno. Good riding though!

Cheers Folks! I'm not planning the route so I have directed my mate who is to this thread.

Will it be muddy or is it a typical trail centre surface that drains quite nicely?

Dan

I've maligned them recently in the past but today's order was processed and sent in about an hour. Blimey!

I use silicon spray where the rails fit into the actual seat. I seems to work for a ride or two.

Nearly all my recent orders have been delayed and required emails and phone calls to hurry them up. However, this weeks order has been turned around pretty quickly and one a couple of weeks ago was here the next day. It is still a bit hit and miss though.

My nobby nic on the rear pinched at Coed Y Brenin, I put my spare ardent on and gave it some more air and all was fine after that. The nic has been perfect outside of rocky trail centres.

My last order took longer than it should but two emails and a phone call later it was all sorted and my postage refunded. The order before that was dealt with very promptly. I guess the sale has delayed things but then they should have figured that would happen and planned for it. Or, are we asking too much when paying extra for next day delivery and making the order at 7.30am ? To be fair they are usually pretty good but something has gone awry lately.

Don't agree about the cranks at all. Plenty of pictures here http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=484045 of Tracers with XT/RaceFace/XTR/Truvativ etc. all fitted fine. Agree about the RP23 and there have been some issues with cracks but new ones have an improved design. CS appears to be improving. As said my issue was resolved pretty quickly by the importers.

Still bl00dy creaking although not as much after pulling it all apart and refitting it. Grrr.

Currently using 970 XTR on a gen 1 Intense SlopeStyle. They cope well but creak like b4st4rd. The 960s I had on my Tracer never made so much as a peep and had a sensible attachment method. I will pull'em apart this weekend and put 'em back on again to see if that helps but if they start creaking again they'll be off!

Thanks for the comments folks!

I've had two tracers. The first needed a warranty issue which was dealt with by the importers/distributers pretty quickly. The second was fine and rode brilliantly and handled everything I threw at it. Great bike!

I've now got a gen 1 SlopeStyle which is just fantastic. The bearings are good provided you look after them.

My tracers were both large and the geo was spot on there was also no issue in using the granny ring. You also get more travel if you think that is important.

Not a bad choice to have to make although I'd wait and see if Lapierre do the honest and decent thing and sell either the 2011 Zesty or Spicy as frameset.

It's a s*** piece of design. Have you got the slim metal washer between the bolt and the inside of the crank arm? If you're not sure check ASAP!

WTFM. IMHO.

I'll wait for X0… Off to Amazon next; Bank Robbery for Dummies anyone?

Alive again. Let the bankrupcy commence!

I shall take a look. Ta.

Thomson don't make a 60mm stem. Cheers though!

Dan

You will be fine. Pads are optional as there are plenty of rocks to fall on, personaly I did and do at all times but that's just me. When you get there just remember it looks harder than it actually is.

It's pretty easy in reality.

Go to Penmachno, way more fun!

My bike has to do everything up (not so keen on them) , down, jumps, trails the lot. Currently ay 70mm. I'll check the classifieds.

Newer versions have a fix i.e. more material where the cracks would appear. I gave my second one hell and it was fine with the Bos.

http://www.freeborn.co.uk/cane-creek-double-barrel-rear-shock £481 new.

I went for a Bos stoy which I had converted and is now fitted to the SS. I would go for a Cane Creek this time around. Cheaper and apparently better and comes in the right size. At the time I bought the Stoy there was no support for the CCDB in the UK should things go wrong.

The problem with the RP23 is that it blows through it's travel at the sign of a twig in the trail so bottoms out constantly despite putting the correct amount of air in. It also behaves in an interesting manner when braking over rough ground. IMHO it just doesn't suit the Tracer.

If I were you though just see how you get on with it before you splash more cash. These things are not cheap.

Thanks folks, just ordered a pair.

Loved both mine but get shot of that RP23.

Looks lovely in the blue!

SPDs are the Devil's work, hateful things. You have made a wise choice.

Falling off my bike usually does the trick. Agree regarding Judo, whenever there is time tuck in an get your head and neck away from the 'landing site'. All my crashes have been in familiar trails where I have either been feeling unwell and shouldn't have been there anyway, on the brakes or have been over confident i.e. too fast. As the man himself said to me 'speed is that last thing that leaves you'.

I used to have a xizang LE. Work of art.

Look alright to me. I don't see what peoples issues are…

I would imagine that will be written off.

I got three emails, is that correct?