GLOUCESTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(They chant from the the shed at Kingsholm).

Big Blue Book 2 is out by park tools. Found myself using it today.
£15 well spent.

Recons look favourite as they are miles cheaper than Rebas.
Chainset we are unsure on at the mo, it has a 113mm ISIS truativ hussyfelt on there at the mo.
The wheels are Alexrims DH and are sooooooooooooooooo heavy. May sell him my Crossrides that I am currently not using.

Yeah dirt jumper 2's and 2.35 Kenda DH tyres.

We were thinking ;-

Cheap 100mm Rock Shox's, Deore wheel set, Deore rear mech, truativ/shimano 3 ring chaineset (currently 2) and an XC stem and bars.

To gain access to bridleways in England they have to say it is not a race. As you are not legally allowed to race on them. But Scotland doesn't have bridleways, we found this out after talking to the organisors. Anyway, it's not a race as the first home doesn't get a trophey, money or a prize.

jonb, they had no way of telling who cut it short as it wasn't a race so marshalls were not taking notes on numbers.

If it helps
6 Hours for the 85k would have put you about 75th
7 Hours would have put you about 150th
7 1/2 Hours would have put you about 200th

Second the avoid Gloucester and I live here!

Town is good during the day but bikes shops are rubbish.

Go to Cheltenham or slightly up the road to Worcester for the day.

Good forks.

YGM

How light is the commencel? The Giant is under 30 lbs.

You got an email address we can chat on rather than blocking the site up?

22.10 as standard I assume?

You sponsored by them as you are doing well plugging them?

How does the flex system feel compared to a normal hardtail?

The team one is rather nice and loved the previous years metallic blue and green.

Easy
http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/giant-xtc-3-item127576.html

Reduced from £750 to £550 and it is super. My mate has had his for 6 months and rode it at Mountain Mayhem with no issues!

Trail_rat you are indeed correct.

I like the FLX3500D as it is carbon but the HFS3000D looks better priced.

Any idea what weight both are in a medium?

His surname starts with an A!

Or should I look for a different XC 80mm fork?

Nice one Colin (10)

Top Dog, sadly that wasn't me but you did over take me going up the Minch Moore climb where the rock steps were. I spent ages riding with your mate on his Orange and Yellow Specialized FSR.

Top Dog, I was the guy in the White and Blue jersey and on the Trek. I was riding with you for a bit up to Minch Moore and then had a laugh with a group of you when your mate kept falling off his bike while going up hill just after the 41k feed station. I had a chuckle when one of you just said "balls to it" got off his bike and let it roll off into the forrest.

Trail Rat, I guess I was a lucky as I asked them if they were doing a lucky dip and they just asked me what I wanted.

What were you riding? Were you in the Borders MTB lot? I was slow bugger on the Trek EX8.

Makore, yes please mate. email in my profile. Thanks

Anyone get a spot prize? I got a pair of tyres and a pair of socks! 😆

Makore, was that done with a Garmin Edge 705?

JohnClimber, a mate of mine was drawn out for the 50% and is getting £1500 off a marathon race bike with a great spec and super light frame so it's a great deal.

As for the event, damn that was a tough one. Firstly I thight I was fit as a 3 hour ride at Afan or my local trails is easy. But 7 hours in the saddle and I was totaaly ruined. If that last 3 miles wasn't downhill on the road I think I would still be walking it with jelly legs.

Was not really impressed with the downhills as they either seemed very short or just a peat bog to ride through. Also the idiots that decided to lay their bikes on the route through the first feed station was very intelligent (NOT)

That aside I thought it was a great event with all the onsite bits and bobs catered for.

But what a ****** of a second climb, didn't think that was going to end.
The ride up to Minch Moore was not as bad as people made out as it was nice a gradual.

Will definatelly be travelling 400 miles to be there next year.

On possibly a Merida FLX3500D 😆

Bonty Mud X on the front and Trailraker on the back it is then

Does anyone know if it is slippy or muddy?
Saw a post say that most of it should be dry but need conformation before I drive 400 miles!

Is it in Hayfield?

They have changed the course again.
Got an email last night with this link on
http://www.mtb-marathon.co.uk/events/selkirk.php

TIP

Take a sachet or two of vinegar out with you.

When you get badly stung, rip one open and put vinegar on the rash.

Works a treat, but can make you feel hungry 2 miles into a 40 mile ride 👿

Kenda Nevegals after my slippy wood adventure today. They are good all round tyres but will be happy in a sub 7 hour time 😆

First time doing the distance on an MTB so will be fun.

Kendas are staying on then. Sounds like a good 6 hour slog this year.

Taking a set of muds and Kenda Nevegals.

Looking at the weather you should be more concerned with what waterproofs to take!

Yeah, knowing what they are called is always a good start.

I did try hose clips, cable clips and got nothing.

Cheers guys.

Any idea what the trails are like after this weeks mixed bag of weather?

Either MTFU and ride it or sell it to me 😆

bustedcarbon is a rubbish site as every one of those bikes have been crashed. I don't care what the story says about each one but looking at the pictures there are no critical failures in the weave or carbon design.

If you crash a bike hard enouch to snap it, you wont be needing to ride the frame in a while anyway as you will also have breaks somewhere.

WALES MUST DO RIDES! What a joke, hardly any track info utter rubbish. MBR is going down hill again and running out of bike based content!

Looks like fun can't wait to burn it up with the EX8

stevomcd, where one piston stays in place and does not really move thus causing the rubbing. It's a well known Hayes problem. But simple servicing/cleaning clears it all up.

They are great as long as you keep the pistons clean. Typically I was cleaning them after 6 rides to avoid the dreaded piston lock. But all in very basic but super strong. Only get a 203mm front disc if you are planning downhilling. I had one on my XC bike and it bent my xc hub!