Feel your pain,choosing the right Hope bottom bracket is a pain.I also got fed up with killing GXP bearings and bought a Hope for my Free Ranger.If its binding you probably have an MTB version with thick spacers which cause everything to bind.The correct BB comes with thin 1mm ? spacers of which I only need one on my bike.SJS sell the correct spacers which will correct the problem,once installed the bearings last for thousands of miles which is probably down to the extra seal Hope put in the shells.

The obvious answer is yes.I have had an One One Free Ranger (same frame as Vitus) for 4 years and 12000 miles.I use it on everything from tarmac to off road trails,the only changes I make is to the tyres and wheels.For pure on road I use lightweight Novatec CXD wheels with 28mm tyres,for everyday use Novatec with Schwalbe G One Bite 38c,and when I go to the Cairngorms then the original wheels with something knobbly.The same frame is found on Tifosi/On One/Vitus etc.and is a Carbonda 696.Gets you out of the N+1 scenario as it is many bikes in one depending on how you set it up,mine has an elastomer stem and seat post to filter out the vibrations plus Hope RX+ calipers and Hope bottom bracket as most of my riding is off road trails.Hope this helps

Has this with a Novatec cxd wheelset I bought off eBay.In my case it was a quick fix,the DS wheel bearing hadn’t been fully seated and a quick turn of a bearing press sorted it.The stiffness was caused by the freehub touching the bearing.

The original Allen head thru axles on my Freeranger were made of cheese and rounded off so I replaced them with Brand X axles with handles.The front sticks out by 3mm,the rear is recessed by 2mm.I have just passed 8000 miles and counting without problem so I don’t think small discrepancies matter.

Problem solved,or put on one side for another day.The wheel was my spare wheel which has been sitting in the attic for ages.When I first got it out I rotated the freewheel and it seemed ok,but fitting the cassette and spinning the wheel seems to have stirrred up some sludge in the pawl area which is suspiciously quiet.I’ve drenched it in GT85 and it is moving better now but it would be better to do a full service.Cassette now on my old wheel and spinning freely,so thanks for the help.

No the freehub was left on wheel,also it seems to spin freely when the cassettes off.

+1 for the Freeranger.I normally run mine on 38mm Schwalbe G One Bites,but on my spare wheels I have tried 25c Schwalbe Pro One on which it felt very sprightly.

If you don’t like lurid paint schemes Tifosi do a black version albeit higher cost.

I went through two SRAM gxp bottom brackets in the first year/3500 miles on my Free Ranger.I fitted a Hope with the adaptor and it’s still spinning silently and smoothly after 18 months/4300 miles since fitting without any attention.It’s long since paid for itself (I was paying £35 a time for the SRAM)

Not the same I know but my SRAM Force rear had exactly the same symptoms.I was suffering hanging gears,having to go up 3 and down 2,the indexing was varying all over the place.Turned out that the gear cable had been run bare through the frame and had been rubbing over a plastic guide into which it had worn a deep groove preventing the cable moving smoothly.Peace was restored by running a continuous outer cable through the frame since when shifting has been as good as SRAM gets.

Road bike or mountain bike? Last week I did Kingsteinton to Bovey mainly off road on the Stover trail,then Bovey to Moretonhampstead on the Wray trail.This cut out all the overcrowded main roads South Devon specialises in.You can access Dartmoor from Bovey and Moretonhampstead.Did it on my gravel bike.

I have always bought Specialized however with their current pricing I now have an On One Freeranger gravel bike bought for £1500 new just before Covid struck,which is about my limit for new bike purchase.Best bike I have ever owned.

Recently I bought a 2007 limited edition Orange Clockwork for £500 as my hard tail and a 2010 Specialized XC FSR for £350 as my full suspension.Both have reminded me how good these older bikes are for general mountain biking.

Secondhand the problem comes when people try to pass on bikes bought at the new stratospheric prices and expect equally high prices on resale,however for most manufacturers the frame warranty only applies to the first owner and the prospective new owner is worried about risking too much money on a bike with an unknown history.

As above lift rear and try to raise handle.Less intuitively try flooding lock with light oil,working theory being that one of the tumblers in the lock is stuck.

One thing worth mentioning,mine was one of the first Free Rangers,bought for £1500 in December 2019 so it is now 2 years and 6500 miles old.Despite the negativity around Chinese carbon frames it has not spontaneously destroyed itself.Under the dirt the paint is unmarked apart from a tiny scratch in a transfer,mea culpa.

I’m 6ft with 33” inside leg length and I ride a large size Free Ranger which fits perfectly.This was the original Planet X recommendation,subsequently amended to a medium.For me I prefer a head up riding position,especially off road and this size gives extra height.

This is the best,most versatile bike I have ever owned and it will swop effortlessly from road to track.I run 38c Schwalbe g one bites tubeless,which cope with road and rough tracks.I have tried 28c and 30c tyres on the same wheels but although they were slightly faster the ride was rough and the grip on mud was inadequate.

I swapped the original stem for a redshift elastomer stem and the seatpost for a Specialized CG-R elastomer post,both improve comfort.

I don’t like SRAM Force.After the first two bottom brackets wore out I changed to Hope BB.The Force calipers squealed like a pig so were swopped for Hope RX4.The jockey wheel bearings wore out so were swopped for Hope jockeys with replaceable bearings.There’s a theme developing here.Finally I had endless problems with gear changing which needed a complete outer run through the frame,the original exposed wires had eaten into the plastic guide inside the frame.

If the bike was stolen or broken I would have no hesitation in buying another one to replace it.

Hope this helps

PS Cadbury Creme Egg colour rules.

I have one of the first Free Rangers with SRAM Force and can confirm that it is very tetchy and just about anything can throw it out of sync.I have a full cable outer because I found the original wire dug into the plastic carrier under the bottom bracket.I have found that the chain plays a part,the original cheap one was not as flexible as more expensive hollow rivet chains,and any chain wear beyond 0.5 results in hanging gear changes.One bout of poor changing was down to the jockey wheels,tooth wear was fine but bearings were shot.

I am currently running a wipperman connex chain,hot wax lubricated,with Hope jockey wheels and have no immediate problems.

In short this is my first and last foray into the SRAM world,and will be going Shimano GRX when I can find and afford it.

You’re welcome.

+1 for Specialized Defroster.I have very wide feet but can use Defrosters in my usual size while wearing thick waterproof and insulated socks.

I have bought a couple of bikes with mechanical disc brakes and have immediately ditched them for HY-RDS,the mechanical being simply no better than rim brakes.The HY-RDs are much better provided you carefully set them up according to the instructions.They are however not as good as the most basic full hydraulic brakes.This opinion is based on real life experience,some people say the HY-RDs can be problematic in service but mine did two seasons on a gravel bike before I did a brake fluid change as part of routine maintenance.

I fancied a cheap full suspension bike for pottering around on local trails,too old to do jumps etc.I picked up a 2010 Specialized FSR XC for £350 off eBay.I was attracted by the claim that it had only done 200 miles!Laughs on cynical me because when I stripped it down everything was bright and shiny and there is not even heel scuff on the cranks.No way could you have got it for that last year.

Similarly I got a set of Fox Talas 32 forks for it for just over £200,they were going for shed loads more last year.Specialized are back in stock for Ground Controls so I could go tubeless on the original rims.

Facebook supplied an Orange Clockwork 2007 limited edition fully blinged up with Hope hubs on Mavic XC717,Hope BB,Chris King headset,full XT and carbon seat post for £500.

To me these are bargains and I am enjoying my cycling doing something different from endless road bike rides and for not much money.

Word of advice,run a full outer through the frame for the rear derailleur cable.Planet X run a bare cable through the plastic guide over the bottom bracket which over the miles digs into the guide and affects gear shifting.

This was my first attempt at fitting and bleeding a disc caliper,in my case Hope RX4 in place of SRAM Force caliper.Did it on the bike,the front was very easy,two syringes,one at each end and I used the Hope video as a guide.The rear was more of a struggle,it took three bleeds and I ended up propping up the bike vertically as I got air trapped in the hose run somewhere.The result justified the effort as the Hope calipers are much better than the Force ones.Bike is an On One Freeranger with internal routing.

Large 56cm and I am just on 6ft tall.Please don’t get me started on PX sizing guide.I went on stack and reach and this gives me the right feel and seating position however as always I use a shorter 80mm stem.In the end it’s personal preference but I prefer a higher front end.

I bought an early Free Ranger so I’ve had it 18 months.No problem with frame or paint finish,rides well and has been a joy to ride.It ticked all my boxes,like carbon frame,bsa threaded BB,1×11,outrageous paint schemes.Wheels are basic but tubeless ready,I run mine tubeless with 38c Schwalbe G One Bites.

Dislikes are out of PX control,I don’t like the SRAM and would have preferred Shimano.On mine I have added a Redshift stem and Specialized CG-R elastomer seat post.Force brakes squeaked like pigs,changed to Hope RX4 calipers,problem solved.SRAM bottom brackets didn’t last so changed to Hope.SRAM jockey wheel bearings wore out so changed to Hope jockey wheels (there’s a trend developing here).

Bottom line is that it’s been a fantastic bike and if it was stolen tomorrow I would replace it with another.There is too much brand snobbery around direct sale bikes but I only paid £1500 pre COVID for mine and for the money it couldn’t be beaten.You have to be capable of doing your own servicing but most people on here are.The Carbonda 696 frame seems to be well regarded everywhere.The funniest thing I came across was a small “boutique” brand offering a Carbonda 696 framed gravel bike in their colours,SRAM force equipped for £4000,go figure.

I use a chiropractor,has always sorted me out,plus they can refer you for a private mri.As a guide when the ex-wife hurt her back in a fall her mri cost £325 including a radiologist report for her chiropractor.Only waited for a week too.MRI showed three herniated discs pressing against her spine,so much for the doctors take ibuprofen and rest for a few weeks.

Search for bike bleed block in eBay.I got one of the fat red ones in my bleed kit and it centered my hope rx4 calipers perfectly.

I live near Crediton and can confirm that there is no proper mountain biking until you get to Haldon.If you have a gravel bike there are miles of poorly surfaced rough lanes which can be very quiet.

Quick measure of my large suggests that 565 is accurate.On a personal note I feel that a gravel bike is not a road racing bike and should have geometry closer to a touring bike ie more upright posture,head up,enjoy the scenery sort of thing.

If I wanted an aerodynamic position with more seat showing and all the headset spacers slammed I would have bought a medium.

On my large I have used a set of hover bars and an 80mm Redshift stem and have a very comfortable position from which to observe the world as I potter around!

I am 6ft with relatively long legs but short arms.

Planet X sizing chart changed.I bought one of the first Free Rangers and bought a large at 6ft as recommended.Now they suggest a medium.The large fits like a glove,would not want to go smaller.Other sellers of the same frame such as Dolan/Tifosi etc make different recommendations.Frame is a Carbonda 696 and seems very good quality.

Sorry in love with my new callipers,not so much with SRAM gears.When they finally pack up I would change to Shimano.

Just used them for the first time and they were very good.I ordered a front Hope RX4 caliper off their website which arrived quickly.I still wanted a rear and after an exchange of emails they found me a rear very quickly when everyone else was saying they were out of stock (thank you Activesports).

Can’t complain at service like that and no I have no connection to shop or proprietor.

I use Orange Endurance sealant and I routinely top up every 4-5 months.In summer and if I have had a number of punctures I might need to top up sooner after 3 months.I never take the tyre off,just deflate then remove the valve core and inject 60ml of sealant using a Stans syringe which fits over the valve body.A five minute job.

I have just fitted a pair of RX4 callipers to my Free Ranger and front and rear are totally different shapes,hard to see how an adaptor would work.Brakes themselves are great,better than the Force callipers they replaced.

Although Chinese carbon frames can have a bad reputation I did my research and it does seem that Carbonda are becoming a main stream supplier.I have an On One Free Ranger gravel bike which is a Carbonda 696 and that has been superb over the last 10 months and 3000 miles,The same frame is available from a number of sources which suggests that there is confidence in this manufacturer at least.I would be more hesitant about buying from a re seller or agent off eBay or Aliexpress.

I had the same thing happen to me when I tried to register a Cannondale.In that case I was sold a bike as new but with cosmetic transport damage.Turns out it was from a demo fleet,had been crashed,and could no longer be registered as new despite me being the first owner.

Cannondale referred me back back to the dealer,dealer did not want to know,never gone back to the dealer since or bought another Cannondale.

Just saying,perhaps you should chat to the dealer?

La Passione use a version of the Rapha pad,however even Rapha have different pads.

Most stupid one I had was a lace on the cycling shoe pinging the frame once every pedal revolution.

I have an On One Free Ranger gravel bike as my only bike now and I live in Devon.Having no interest in racing or chain ganging I use it 5 days a week for recreation.Recently I swopped from my 38c tubeless to 30c tubeless as an experiment and did not like the narrower tyres which were less comfortable but slightly faster.

Living in Devon I have done the off-road Princetown loop,the Tarka mud and gravel trail from Torrington to Meeth and endured what passes for a tarmac surface on numerous cycle tracks.I also cycle locally on typical Devon lanes,the surfaces of which are third world in places.

The point of a gravel bike is that it is a drop handle bar fast bike which replaces ordinary road bikes because of its versatility.It is not a replacement for a trail centre mountain bike.You can put lightweight wheels and tyres on it and use it on the road,or you can put on a tougher set of wheels and wider tyres and explore rougher terrain.

One bike to do everything.

Could do with some more precise advice as to how far you are permitted to drive.My usual haunts vary between 18 and 25 miles from home.Is this too far?Acceptable?

The problem down here in Devon is that the police have insisted on re interpreting the clear CPS guidance and attempted to deny the ability to drive short distances for daily exercise.

Classic case of arse covering,They can’t test everything,and standards are so variable,they have gone with one manufacturer whose products usually work.

I have two sets of fulcrum 900,on one I run Schwalbe,on the other I have WTB.Both work equally well.

My three,by memory.Orange Clockwork DX £600,Orange Prestige Suntour £700 and 1993 Cannondale M800 Beast of the East £800.

Oh for the days when you could just walk in and buy these things.

What makes a compressor work well inflating tubeless tyres is not so much the air pressure generated but the size of the tank ie the tank provides a large reservoir of compressed air.Without the tank you simply have an electric pump.