I’ve not ridden a 2013 bike but I have a 2011 XL Spec Enduro as my only MTB, and I think it is excellent. If the new one if as good or better then it should be fine. I love the short back end and long front end geometry, mine is a big bike but still feels really lively and manouverable, and it climbs very well despite 1 x 10 gearing and the travel, I have 170mm forks on the front. Not sure if I’d go a size smaller if I was still in the UK, probably not. If they made a 2013 carbon frame in XL I’d be seriously considering upgrading to get a lighter version. The only thing I dislike is the fact that the shock has to be custom for the frame which means its hard to try different shocks but the standard shocks are good. I doubt you would be dissapointed if you got one, I can really recommend getting a size bigger than you think you need and running a really short stem, makes for an really confidence inspiring bike.

If they struggled 20 years ago….. perhaps this thread should have been named

“Totally Not Shipped in a 30 foot container from Asia apart from some raw materials and standard components All-Mountain FS bike”

Continental Tyres are made in Germany aren’t they? Are Mavic wheels completely manufactured in Annecy?

No rear shock options either. I think forks and shock would have to be European items, Marzocchi or BOS

As I said – its just for fun, I was turning it over in my mind, I thought it would be hard :). No-one has mentioned forks yet, are any made in the UK?

I was stuck on the rims, rear mech, shifters, cassette. Can do Hope for the pedals now, I think DMR stuff is all manufactured in Asia but as a second tier option at least it is a British company / brand. Any other thoughts?

FWIW An Orange Alpine would be spot on for the kind of riding I do, I like the look of the recent proto. I have not owned a set of Hope brakes for years having gone the boring but brilliant shimano route but I love the way they look.

Just thinking about it the big new Prodains lift will be running in summer I think and that is a short ride from the centre of Morzine and takes you up to Avoriaz directly

Blur lt rider you can take the Super Morzine lift up and then its about a 15min – 20min ride along the ridge and then a short climb up the road to the centre of Avoriaz. Apart from the bit of climbing on the road into Avoriaz its part of the route anyway.

I would suggest that to take the place of a hardtail you should buy any good FS XC or trail bike, one you like the best after testing a few, and set up the suspension fairly firm with the rebound on the fast side of right. You will then get a lively FS bike that is responsive and fun. But you will need to test a few FS bikes to find the FS bike you like first, rather than trying to find a FS that is “like a HT”. So much choice these days it is hard to know where to start, try a few different bikes and start to whittle it down. Its taken me 10 years to really refine my idea of what it is I want in a bike, and I’ve tried quite a few in that time.

2011 Specialized Enduro Evo (Alu) XL, with Marzocchi 55 Ti’s, Hope Pro 2’s with Stans Flow rims, SLX cranks, XT shifter and XTR rear mech, Renthal Fat Bars and a Reverb dropper, weights 32 lbs with Maxxis Ardent tyres and DMR Vault pedals.

The boat looks a fair bit bigger than I initially thought, so 300hp not completely outlandish after all, but still a lot. I wasn’t saying it caused the accident I was just saying that it was clearly a high performance boat with that much power and would need to be driven properly as a result.

I encourage my boys to ride bikes, scooters, run about and take risks (within reason of course) and apply as much supervision as possible. I have always told them to wear helmets when riding bikes or scootering but am not militant about it. I always wear a helmet for proper rides but occasionally forget if I’m just pootling up the road with them. They occasionally forget to put their helmets on but make no complaint when reminded, and they wouldn’t dream of going on a proper ride without one. They wear helmets, they get to do fun stuff, as do I. Everyone is happy. They get to have helmets they like an put stickers on them and its all part of the fun. Gloves as well.

Yeah when I was a lad we had a similar sized boat with a 90hp motor on the back, perfectly nice for water skiing behind so 300hp seems crazy.

If its correct that it was 300hp outboard that’s a massive motor for the size of the boat. Lots of potential to get into trouble if you are not a very experienced and well trained power boat handler with that kind of power on tap for a boat that didn;t look much bigger than 17′ long. Is that really correct?

DMR Vaults – they are fantastic.

Yes. Companies can set their prices as they see fit really, unless they are acting in an anti-competitive way.

Near to Morzine, Samoens is lovely and you could try

http://www.chalet365.com/

Very nice.

Our CNOC 16 did our oldest boy proud, has been well used by our youngest lad and will be absolutely fine for number 3 son when he is old enough – they are proper bikes and last. Well worth the money. I’m now looking at the new Creig 24 for our oldest next year, looks like a great bike.

Her pout was massively annoying.

I thought it was mildly entertaining rubbish. The ending was quite bemusing.

I’ve got a gravity dropper Turbo – 4″ drop in 2 stages and 350mm total length for sale if you are interested, looking for about 80 pounds posted, its in very good condition, not a great deal of use. E-mail timbo_tep AT yahoo.co.uk if interested 🙂

This is the funniest thread I have read for ages, thanks.

I’ve been playing with a 55 Ti RC3 recently, and its very good. Doesn’t seem to be a drag on the ups as it sits so nicely in the middle of its stroke and no complaints on the downs. Hopefully it can only improve as it beds in further.

Lots of good advice above, I use the Continental puncture proof summer and winter tyres, both very good, well worth the price (which is a lot). I do between 12km and 18km each way everyday during the week come rain, shine or snow, and apart from the odd moment when I tired out and the weather is grim I love it, I think it keeps me sane. Some days when I’m feeling frisky I push it, particularly on the way home as it doesn’t matter so much if I get sweaty. Other days I just go steady.

Kids and work have not slowed me down as such but I’ve changed my mind set when I ride – I focus more now on technique and control rather than trying to just go fast. I there are definitely lots of gap jumps and drops that I think I could do if I went for it but don’t because there is no point taking the risk. But I’d say I ride just as fast now, but always try to be well in control. I’ve also chilled out and accepted I will never be a world cup rider, not even in my own head!

No Les Gets shut at the end of September. I’d +1 the Col du Jaman, uplift via train from Montreux, nearest big mountain uplift or you can ride the trials on the Saleve by Geneva which have cable car uplift, It runs weekends I think and there are some good trails up there which are fairly easy to find.

+1 for the X-Trail, I’ve been mighty pleased with mine, make sure you get a 2006 onwards model with the improved 2.2l diesel engine. 100k on mine and it runs very nicely.

I had a 2006 5 frame, ace fun bike but yes the quality of the rear shock makes big difference to the ride. I loved mine. I wonder if its still going strong somewhere…

It depends on how big your bike is for you. I have recently gone the hole hog and got the longest frame I can find that still fits me and bunged a 35mm reach stem on it, and its great. If you like a super stable bike. Depends what you are after I guess, and how long your frame is relative to you. Try lots of things and then you can settle on what works best for you.

If you have Tesco Clubcard points you can use them to buy Eurotunnel crossings, still a good offer if not as good as it used to be. I think its the easiest and quickest option and not too costly if you can subsidise it this way

It was a metaphor wasn’t it? 😉

There’s a balance to be struck, I think I’m gradually getting there but I’ve had to spend a lot on money on the way… I tried to add up how much I have spent on bikes in my life recently, I gave up when it became too shocking.

I loved that Lotts Wood circuit, a real pocket race track packed into such a small space, and there was never any let up when you tried to ride fast. I live in the Alps now and I still miss having it on my doorstep.

Heyeyeyeye – there’s nothing wrong with a bit of MR TUMBLE! 🙂

+1 for Lyriks or Marzocchi 55 Ti’s – both good.

TV strictly rationed in our house, and now when they occasionally ask to watch some TV we generally say yeah fine cos they don’t ask to that much. Lots of playing with toys, playing in the garden and doing stuff as a family at the weekend instead.

Dogtag did me for the Mega, seemed good to me although I didn’t have to make use of it thank heavens.

Its self reinforcing too, people with good genes tend to do better because they come from families with good genes who tend to have done well. Hence they have the expectations and advantages from the start, plus the ability / assets. Plus successful men / women tend to have good look partners, hence good looking children, and so it goes on.

Its another of those “Life’s not fair” shockers. It really isn’t, and you get what you can. Its a bun fight and any advantage people can leverage they will. The biggest difference is ambition, if you don’t have it you won’t do what it takes to get to the top cos you won’t want to do what it takes, which generally isn’t very nice or fun.

Yup, spare pants / socks in the draw, keep work shoes at work. Always underdress rather overdress, better to get wet from the outside than the inside. I have some endura overtrousers which I find very good, not expensive and work well, not too hot. Carry supermarket vegetable bags to put over your feet and tie if you get caught out by the weather, stops soaking shoes that turn smelly. I need to sort out a decent front mudguard that doesn’t fall off all the time, needs a bodge job this weekend I think! 🙂 And yes, finally, MTFU, what doesn’t kill only makes you harder! Although I did ride a few days over solid ice in -20 Deg C and a strong headwind to boot last winter and it was in no way an enjoyable experience 🙂

A MASSIVE +1 for new tyres, you would not believe the difference they make. Apart from anything your 20 yr old tyres will be perished and provide zero grip on anything like roots / rocks. Modern bikes have better geometry, wider bars, more tyre clearance, better brakes, all of which will make them easier to control but the tyres will be the thing change on our current bike.

And don’t dismiss a good instructor as being too advanced for you, the basics are the basics and Jedi will be able to teach them to you. I recently spent three days on a training camp with Fabien Barel and all he focused on was body position on the bike, for three days. The basics are the most important thing.

What CheezPleez said – I’m not very good spanners but have built up a number of bikes now and its very satisfying if you take your time, don’t rush and don’t force anything! Getting all the right parts ready to go and good clean working area makes life much easier, and if you can get or borrw a bike stand that really helps too.