@kcal – do you have a gpx for the route you took? Sounds like the section I am struggling with you have already covered.

Thanks, Dave

@robbie – second half, couple of options:

Head up the great glen way, pick up the Corrieyairack Pass to Laggan. From Laggan, heading east through Gaick, Dalmanein then Blair Athol. Then north east up Glen Tilt to Linn o Dee. Lots of options from Deeside Line east then straight up the Formartine Way to Boddam. Or we could traverse our way from Braemar to Boddam, through speyside.

Another option from FT Bill is to follow the Great Glen Way to Nethy Bridge, then head through Abernethy to Tomintoul. Then Braes of Glenlivet to Blackwater Forest, Cabrach, then a traverse to Auchnagatt where we pick up the Formatrine way to Peterhead.

Will break out the OS maps and have a look at all the suggestions above, thanks again

Thanks for all the responses.

@duncancallum – I hadn’t thought about Koomot, great idea

@sbtouring, that is very kind of you, thank you

@mashr – will check out bikepacking Scotland

@scotroutes @13thfloormonk @yetidave – thanks for the suggestions, will check them out

@trail_rat – Not set on Blair at all. Its just that I know you can get through to Linn of Dee from there. I just want to avoid the Lairig Ghru! Not adverse to hugging the great glen north east before heading east to the coast.

That’s about what I get from the MBR link above. Only I had 1130g lighter rather than 950g lighter.

That’s cleared up todays dilemma!

Thanks everybody!

Dave

No, not looking at builds. Really want to know the frame weight only. Looking at 140-150mm travel frames from other manufacturers there seems to be 1 to 1.2 kg between the alloy and carbon version of the same frame.

using that only, would put the HT C at around 3kg

Poor maths but all I have to go on at the moment!

Looking at comparable frames, its around 1 to 1.5kg lighter

So the C would be in the region of 3ish kg?

Thanks, I had heard there is only 250g ish between the C and the CC.

Really interested to find out Alloy to C

Fettlin – possibly the best response to a post I have ever seen! Darn Brexit impeding flow at cakes.

Thanks again for the suggestions. I rode a Stage 5 and liked it. Issue was my irrational hatred of no bottle bosses on the frame….

A foot and a half of snow at all my local riding spots. Anything low level is sheet ice. Sold the ice tyres last year after 11 years of mild winters……

Hmmmm Stollen. The winter mountain biking snack of champions. Washed down with some sloe gin from the hip flask when we reached the top. Our boozy xmas eve ride out was chaotic. Fairy lights, tinsel and reindeer onesies….and mud. lots of mud.

Thanks everybody.

Lawman, its good to know they are overbuilt. At least its good to know they are heavy for a reason!

I think the observation on the rear tyre and tubeless set up is valid.

Simon – yes. 3kg from me would help. That’s a work in progress…..darn lockdown.

We have just approved a C2W scheme at work and I might use it as an opportunity to buy parts to put it on a diet.

I went for the WTB Trail boss as its pretty good rolling, but I had noticed its heavy. Will start another thread and see what folks recommend.

I found the DHR2 was too draggy, same for the DHF on the rear. I have a minion ss in the garage and found it terrifying.

HR2 general consensus seems to be they are not HR at all.

I have a maxis aggressor on the back of my e bike and it seems to roll pretty well.

Shimano ME7 here – buy em a side too big and wear 2 pairs of socks. Best winter boots I have had.

Alex, did the weight ever bother you?

I think my issue is, its niggling at me, largely as a result of mates with bikes twice the price that are a fair bit lighter.

Subconsciously at least, its putting me at a disadvantage uphill

Mashr – manufacturers weight for a size M

chrishc777 – that’s interesting. The lads I ride with are always staggered how much my Smuggler weighs when helping throw it over a fence or even onto the roof bars.

Its just got me thinking. I am relatively heavy at 104kg and always built my bikes up burly, having snapped frames in the past….

To compound the problem, my LBS has a Santacruz Hightower C frame at the moment, its considerably lighter and a bit more capable. All the parts from the Smuggler would swap over.

Its tempting. The man maths says its a no brainer. But, its a huge chunk of cash for the HT X frame!

Thanks folks

Yeah the roof load is not an issue.

The ProRide is no use, my bike does have an internal battery. Even if it didn’t, I don’t find them the most stable at the best of times. Even with a 14kg bike on them

So, no takers for the Thru Ride?

chiefgrooveguru – Really? You lifted a Levo onto an UpRide? Sounds like you are being modest about those crashed on shoulders. Either that or I am waaay more feeble than I first thought…

Yes, totally. There will be a big margin for error, as in, they need to be able to keep the bike on in an accident. Thule state 130kph if I recall. Not sure if I would be all that worried about the E-bike in a shunt at that speed..

Is it stable enough on the UpRide then? Driving sensibly

Or maybe just bikes?

Why the UpRide? Have you got one?

Regarding lifting….my feeble pipe cleaners masquerading as arms can barely lift a pint of ale…

Oh! I didn’t realise that. Will keep my eyes open early 2021!

Mine is a SBG one. Ran a 140mm Pike at first but the bike felt like it could take more. For only 120mm at the rear it feels every bit as plush as my 140mm bike

I now have a 150mm 35mm Yari on it and its perfect.

dovebiker, that’s a really good point. Up here in the north of Scotland for the next
months is either man made, or its peaty and / or snowy!

I wish I had never asked. That looks like such a nice bike!! Lots 2nd hand too, guess some folk buy them and don’t use them.

The Bin Hill near Spey Bay is short but good fun if you are in the area, they are on TF. Ben Rinnes is not far away either and can be ridden in a nice loop – see OS map or WalkHighlands for the route.

I have a 29er Boost custom 2019 Orange Crush in the classifieds if that’s of interest. I liked it. Had a P7 also and preferred the Crush, the resultant build was way lighter!

supersessions9-2 – I got mine from Triton Cycles. They still have some deals on.

https://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-forks-c6/mountain-bike-frames-c48/transition-m348

Have you weighed it? Would be interesting to see what it comes in at

Campfreddie, that is lovely. For me I like the DHR/F combo but I am in the North East of Scotland where, frankly, we don’t get a summer. Burly tyre all year round!

Its just arrived. Its heavier than I thought but seems like a very well made frame. Forks are due back in 2 weeks and will start the build. Headset ordered, as is dropper post. Everything else will just swap straight over.

Until then I will need to slum it on the she-bike.

Great! Good to know that the 2.4 fits. I have DT481 wheels and a spare 2.4 DHR2 in the garage which I was hoping would fit, if not the 2.4 Trail Boss or a Minion SS (for whats left of the summer) should fit ok.

So, excuse my ignorance, there must have been a revision at some point as the one I have ordered is 120mm rear not 115.

I have 140mm Pikes to put on it, 481/pro4 combo, XT 4 pots, SLX everything else, brand X dropper, just need to get a 780 bar sorted for it. Mine is anno blue and will look crap on the orange Smuggler.

Mine is the alloy one and hoping it wont be too heavy. It’s a burly bike from what I read so I will forgive some weight for strength and longevity.

Glued to the window today waiting for TNT to arrive!!!

Ok firstly, thanks to all for the responses on this. Really wide range of thoughts on this.

I have tried grips, suspension set up, bike fit, gloves, tyres and tyre pressures.

The biggest difference I have noticed, which the exception of carbon bars (which I have not tried yet) is changing to a higher volume front tyre and running it at a correspondingly lower pressure.

Got a buddy offered a shot of a raceface bar he has in the shed. Will give that a go. Really is just fine tuning at this stage, once the tyre/fork set up is nailed properly

Sadly, the frame design and bottle cage precludes a frame bag. Also, I wanted something with more flexibility to go on my other bikes.

I ended up buying an Apidura Back Country saddle pack. If arrives later this week. I actually saw a lad with one when I was out this weekend and stopped to pick his brain. Looks really well made and not prone to sagging or moving about too much

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Thanks all for the replies.

I have a small pod sac and its a mare, always slipping down and rattling about. For a tenner or whatever it was, well fair enough. Never thought to put inner tube round the seat tube. Thank you!

Guess its not about the money. Spending 30 quid on something totally compromised is worse than £90 on something that’s great and will last for years.

I avoid rucksack as I don’t like the extra pressure it puts on the ass bones!

Heading off 2 weeks on Sunday, cant wait!

Despite the Merida E160 and E140 being the same price for any given spec level, I bought a 2020 E140 8000 in November last year. Its a mullet so you get the best of both worlds (imho)

Done nearly 1800 miles / 3000km of hard winter riding in the north east of Scotland and its been flawless. Frame bearings still tight as a drum.

You could pick up a 2019 E160, with the external battery on some really good deals online just now. I also know that my LBS has access to heavily discounted 2019 stock from Merida UK.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for all the replies. Will check them out. Didn’t realise big brands like Trek and Spesh sold frames only…

How old is it? Shimano warranty is 2 years (3 on XTR)

https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/information/warranty.html

Well, that escalated quickly :-)

Specialised do suggest that the Slaughter is a rear tyre. I think if I lived somewhere with a more agreeable climate than the north of Scotland, I may consider one on the front too and just be mindful of its limitations in certain conditions.

Off for a ride at the weekend on the Slaughter / Trail Boss combo and will revert back

In that case, I will try the 2.4 trail boss up front and the spec slaughter on the rear for a start at least. Will try and park my OCD!!!

Thinking of doing something with it this weekend once the heli tape has arrived and will report back!

Thanks again for the help!

Thanks for the replies fellas.

I have a FS for the more hardcore duties, I am just too broken to ride hard tails on gnarly trails these days, but I still love them! They have their place in the fleet! The FS runs a DHR2 on the rear and a DHF in the summer and an Assegai in the winter.

Interesting what you say about front not contributing as much drag as the rear. How does that work? They both have a similar contact area so rolling resistance must be almost the same? Obviously the difference is in the rear being a driving wheel so rather than being rolling resistance its forward motion resistance?

2.6 Mary does sound like a good shout. I can get over my tyre mis match OCD by pairing with Rock Razor…

2nd AM9. Had a demo of one recently and it was a superb bike. Infinitely more capable than I am! The chaps at Birds seem to be really good to deal with. Benz is building one up at the moment, not an AM9, the earlier 650B version. Frames are finished really nicely too. Quality bit of kit. Think of them as Orange bikes 20 years ago!

Morning,

I took the plunge in Nov 19 and bought a Merida E140. After 1600 miles I can say the following about the E8000 and 504WH battery combo

1. Its a lot lounder than the Bosch systems but its never intrusive and I pretty much tune out to it.

2. Like you I bought it for range, gaining altitude rather than sticking it in boost and playing 25kph until the battery died. I am 102kg and with camelback etc probably nearer 106kg on the bike. In Eco my range limit is consistently around 50km and 950m of ascent. That is in a mix of estate roads and singletrack climbs. If you climb less the range goes up and vice versa. I have never found the range a major issue.

3. The Merida specifically, I know the 140 is the oddball choice given its the same price as the 160, but I wanted something that would climb better and be a bit more playful on my local trails (stuff that I would ride on 80% of the time) Its been perfect. Not put a foot wrong in 1600 miles. Eats chains in the winter time when the abrasive grit etc is at its worst. Experimented with expensive chains (although not tried e bike specific yet) and they all wear. I typically wait until CRC or similar has a 50% discount offer on bobby base 12sp chains and buy 3 or 4 and keep them “in stock”

I don’t think you will regret any of your shortlist. Also, I don’t think there is any merit in waiting for better technology. If we did that nobody would own a laptop, phone etc…

Hope this helps

Dave