Out of the two at the moment I would go for the Marin, we’ve had some serious rain here recently so a lot of Penmachno is wetter than normal, which is pretty damn wet, and with felling work there there’s diversions in place which mean you can’t complete the full loops.

If you’d asked during the summer it might’ve been different though!

It’s a common misconception that the TD5 is a BMW engine. It’s a Rover engine but was on the brink of being finished when BMW bought Rover so it started being fitted into vehicles at the same time, leading people to believe BMW brought it to the table.

I believe the 2.5 DT engine fitted in P38 Range Rovers was a BMW unit which further confuses people. The TD5 was only fitted to Discoverys and Defenders.

In my opinion the older 300 TDI is the best engine to go for, less refined than the newer stuff but infinitely more reliable due to the complete lack of electronics and can be tweaked to give a healthy dose more power for not a lot of cash. This means you’d be looking at Defenders from about 1995 to 1999, if you are lucky enough to find one that’s been rebuilt on a galvanised chassis it’s well worth the premium.

TD5 engine, while still being a fairly solid reliable unit doesn’t have the cockroach quality of the 300, though it is hugely tuneable I’ve seen plenty of examples running 200 bhp and silly amounts of torque with no real negative effects.

As has been mentioned already the quickest way to improve is to get out riding with people that are better/faster than you. If you’ve got any riding buddies that could teach you a thing or two just try to hassle them to tag along on their rides as much as possible, ask for feedback wherever you can and take on board any tips they’ve got.

Unfortunately there aren’t a huge amount of girls that are into mountain biking, but as you’re in a small minority any local girls that ride should be well up for welcoming another one into the sport! Have a quick google and see if you can find your local mountain bike club and go along for a ride, most clubs in my experience have got a few female members who would be more than happy to help you out. If you can’t find anything on google, pop into your local bike shop or trail center maybe and ask there.

Might be worth applying for this too, training session with Manon, Katy and Tracy Moseley? http://www.pinkbike.com/news/girls-ride-day-with-three-world-champions-2014.html

(Edit, if you’re in the right age range obviously, I was guessing you are if you don’t drive)

In my honest opinion you can take advice from internet shredders all day long if you like, but there’s no substitute for airtime if you want to be comfortable on jumps of all shapes and sizes. It might seem a bit odd but if you’re anywhere near a decent skills area, i.e at the car park of a trail centre, council/private pump track or BMX track or even round here there are a few official areas in woodlands and tacked onto leisure centre grounds, they’re the best place to start.

Get along to one with a few mates for the day, take some butties and drink and spend the whole day sessioning everything there, experimenting with different take offs, landings and slowly working up to the bigger jumps.

Won’t happen overnight but it’s all about practice. It might just be me but I’ve never really been able to glean any useful info about riding technique from the internet, STW is a great resource for riding, technical and other info but in terms of building up your own skills you can’t beat just getting out there and doing it.

Not a single mention of the Zee stuff then? Granted I’ve never actually ridden any other 10 speed kit, just what I’ve felt/tinkered with on bikes in showrooms but for a tough trail/downhill bike I think the Zee is a decent option if you can’t quite stretch to Saint parts.

Wrong on so many levels, not least the Rockshox stickers on the stanchions where they would hit the seals if the forks were fully compressed!

Also, is that a Tioga Factory downhill tyre? I thought all those had been rounded up and chucked into landfill by now as the single worst tyre ever produced.

I know, but I’m determined to create the world’s first quiet Orange. I’m sure a clutch mech along with a combination of various velcro and rubber products and maybe a squirt of expanding foam should do the job!

These were the narrowest I could find that still used lock on rings, I wanted to keep lock on rings but if you didn’t mind lockwiring them on you could try ordinary foam grips. I’ve got these on both my bikes and they improved arm pump a bit on long descents compared to the fatter grips I had before.

http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/lock-on-grips-size-zero.htm

You’ll need to keep your current Sram shifter and use it with a new 10 speed Shimano clutch mech. The actuation ratios aren’t quite the same so where the cable clamps onto the mech you’ll need to fabricate a 6mm spacer to space the cable away from the arm. I used 3 2mm thick stainless M5 washers and a slightly longer M5 stainless bolt, works a treat.

Ticsmon I thought of linking that bundle as I spotted it earlier while ordering my second lot of 10 speed gear for the downhill bike, but it won’t let you select 104 bcd for the narrow wide ring so you might have to pick and choose your own set up. There are cheaper narrow wide rings available than the RF one too, my Superstar one has performed faultlessly.

I’d be really tempted to go 1×10 if I were you, it’ll save you money and weight.

Could be worth fitting a 1×10 for now (pick it up in the CRC sale at the moment, you’ll get a rear mech, shifter, chain, cassette and NW ring for less than a £100) and see how you get on, you can always swap the NW ring for a double/triple setup further down the line if you decide it’s not for you and you’ll only lose the cost of the NW ring (which you’ll have no trouble selling on with little wear on it).

In my opinion, if you’re going to get a van you might as well get a proper one rather than just an estate car with panelled sides and less seats, which is all the Astravan is. Quite a few mates have had astra vans over the years and they’re a nightmare for carrying bikes, one will just about fit in lying down yes but you’ll have a struggle fitting two in and will have to lie them on top of each other risking damage.

The whole point of a van for mountain biking is it makes things so much easier and simpler. I could never go back to mucking around squeezing bikes in at funny angles or removing wheels and seatposts whenever I want to take a couple of mates somewhere. Couldn’t go any smaller than my Vivaro now I don’t think, though you don’t need to get anything that big just something big enough that bikes will stand up inside. It’ll be the best decision you make.

Am I alone in thinking there’s no way I’d wear a £230 jacket on the bike?

Wow cheers for the replies everyone, given me a few more options to look at. I’ve only just managed to convince him that actually, bikes with full suspension at his age aren’t as good as a lighter hardtail despite what kids at school might think, so the disc brakes are the only thing still selling it!

Plus I’ve got eventual plans to fit some bargain Shimano hydraulic disc brakes I got in the CRC PSA that aren’t doing anything, and go to a 1×7/8 setup on it with a topguide and ditch the Gripshift. 2nd hand Carrera Blast looks to be a good shout, will check out the Scott range as well looks like they do a 24″ Voltage junior that could be the ticket.

If you shot the commentators in the Champery video, it would be watchable with the sound on. Otherwise I can’t stand it.

Oh yes, the Red Bull Rampage commentators were much better. 🙄

Or, if like me, you need to spread the cost a bit, keep your current 9 speed Sram set up and just get a 10sp Shimano clutch mech and narrow wide ring for now, and run the mech with a 6mm spacer to get the actuation ratio right. My 1×9 with a clutch mech works great and I’m loving how quiet it is, and when my current drivetrain wears out I’ll just need to look for a chain, cassette and shifter to go full non-pikey 10 speed.

I’d go for an Overboard pack, mine’s great for commuting in all weathers. The straps and roll top sealing system can be a faff some mornings but it’s a small price to pay for having a 100% waterproof bag that keeps your stuff bone dry.

Wonder if that’s a segment on Strava?

I also have a Continental Trail King that has a definite wobble in it. I got given it by a mate as he had fitted it to several different wheels and couldn’t get the wobble out, I tried it and even 100% seated, fitted and pumped up properly it just plain old isn’t the right shape.

Stuck it on my old singlespeed dirt jump/skatepark hardtail as I won’t really notice on that, but it might just be the way some tyres are.

Boardman CX Comp looks quite good to me at £599 if you can stand Halfords.

I’m thinking of getting one (albeit second hand probably) to replace my road bike as I want a tough capable winter trainer/commuter bike that does everything. Prepare to be corrected if there’s better deals out there, I’m not the most clued up on road/cx kit.

Don’t know if the spec is any good for the price, but I like the look of this one from Planet X, the London Road.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXLDNRIV/planet-x-london-road-sram-rival-22-road-bike

Though I think I’d be looking for a cheap Boardman CX bike with my money, either in the sales or second hand.

I’m uneducated, what’s the difference between a winter road bike and a cross bike, is it just geometry and tyre clearance?

I also wouldn’t mind a cheap disc braked winter commuting bike, can anyone recommend one at the cheaper end of the scale? Anything worth looking for second hand yet? Sorry for the thread hijack.

Quite like my Madison Tempest, however as said, no waterproof shorts will last forever they do seem to be more prone to wear than a tough pair of trail shorts, mine are showing signs of wear/thinning round the bum but I have been commuting on the road bike in them too.

Yep, tapered steerers are still 1 1/8″ at the top.

Avid Juicy 3 brakes. Mine were terrible, overheated and leaked.

Thought this thread was for rubbish kit that slips under the radar?

Avid brakes are well and truly on most peoples radars as being cack!

Haven’t got the lights but my Hope clamps and skewers have all been fine.

Cool cheers guys, sounds like Chrisy is on the same wavelength as me so that’s good to know.

Been meaning to ask but CBA starting a new thread, is there a definitive size that’s best for all round trail/enduro/gnarcore riding on a 6-7″ trail bike? Or is it all completely personal and dependant on shoulder with/armspan etc?

I currently have 760mm wide bars fitted to both my spesh enduro and downhill bike and am considering if I should have slightly narrower bars on the trail bike. The most common option for new bars seems to be 740mm, as I’m not a broad shouldered beefcake or a slender racing whippet, which should I go for?

*I may ignore all internet advice and do whatever I please but thought I’d ask anyway.

What year is it? I bought a large 2011 Enduro Comp as it was a good deal, I’m 5’11” on a good day and I was convinced it was going to be too big for me and that I’d have to sell it on, but I wasn’t too worried as I knew I’d make a bit of a profit.

However I got used to it really quickly, the reach and length is perfect with a short stem and although the longer wheelbase took a bit of getting used to I now love the stability over fast rough stuff and jumps. All my other bikes feel too short to me now, I’ve got a downhill bike and a little jump bike that I need to readjust to every time I ride them!

Comparing the sizes for then (2011) to now it’s evident how much geometry has changed in the interim. the TT length, reach and wheelbase you’d find on a large frame back then are more commonly found on medium bikes these days, so if you’re like me and looking at a bike that’s a few years old I’d err on the larger side rather than go any smaller.

If you miss it they’re normally all over ebay, got mine from there for a little bit less.

Bugger, thought as much but cheers for confirming my suspicions! I’ll have to make do with it I suppose.

Just thought I’d bump this as it came up in a search, I’m in the same position as the OP, I’ve a KS I900L and want to convert it to a remote. Will the linked kit fit mine as well as the dropzone models?

Found this thread on a search and thought I’d ask about my avid problem in here rather than starting a new thread.

Got a pair of Elixir Rs on a bike I’ve just bought, they both need bleeding which is obvious as the levers come back to the bars with much sponginess, but there’s a lot of in and out play in the levers before it feels they actually start actuating the pushrod. How do I get rid of this play? Is it something to do with the bite point adjuster?

I think 5 is about right.

A full on downhill bike (I started downhilling before I really took an interest in any other discipline and still love it)
A 6″ travel trail bike
A lightweight XC hardtail, this also gets used for the odd cross race.
A hardcore singlespeed park/dirt jump hardtail
And a road bike.

If I was really pushing the boat out I could perhaps make room for a winter trainer roadie and a dedicated cross bike, but I’m not into either discipline enough. A lightweight hardtail 29er would fit in there too, but I know really it would replace the 26″ bike which I want to keep out of sentimental value so I probably won’t get one for a while.

To add a bit of balance I’ve got an identical one to the one you posted and I’ve had no issues with it. The coach bolt supplied wasn’t long enough to allow the clamp to fit around most alloy downtubes so I had to fit a longer bolt, and the guide rail won’t fit huge volume tyres very well i.e DH bikes. With everything tightened up and a few straps it seems quite secure.

You need to use your noggin though and actually check it regularly and give it a good look to make sure your bike is on there solidly and isn’t going to come off. I’ve never had a bike rack fail or a bike come off in the 8 or so years I’ve been using one because I use them properly, 9 times out of 10 bikes coming off racks of any quality are down to user error. Even if something fails on a rack you should have seen damage/cracks or bended bits if you’d actually looked before using it.

But, like the other’s said if you want complete peace of mind and something you know you’ll probably never have any problems with spend a bit more and get a thule/pendle/whatever.

It’s the fourth of January, why are your christmas decorations still up?

I’ve just ordered a cheap charger and replica battery set off eBay, the charger and two batteries were 20 quid ish so I don’t mind if they’re not as good as the original, but ill give them a test when they arrive and report back.

In all honesty, if I came across that and had no idea when the owner would be back I’d probably take it straight to the nearest police station. Possibly return to stick a note on the railing with my phone number if I was feeling really charitable.