1/4587.

Forgot I had Strava on and cut a corner. :oops:

i thanked him and went on my way in the knowledge that i was much better off paying off my mortgage than investing in an personal pension.

+1 That and not running up a load of debt!

Dr Swank +1

Doesnt help OP but +1 for event-tyres.

TY. Finally got the full version again.

Slow down?

The Ardent is for days with a fair bit of climbing. Taking quite a few other tyres as well. F&R Minions, a pair of Swampies and a Wet Scream just in case winter returns.

2.4 Mountain Kings and DH Tubes on the Big bike for lift only days.
2.35/2.25 Minion/Ardent combo run tubeless on the AM bike for lift assisted backcountry days.

Wozza. In Les Glieres just round the corner from the funi as well. Look for a burgundy Kia Sedona.

Been lucky with the weather the last couple of times I’ve been but know you can also get snow 8(

Just serviced the car and bikes started to pack.

If a bus passes you then pulls up for a stop just to drop off then chances are the bell wasnt pressed till after they were committed to overtaking. If there are passenger waiting there then that’s a different matter, poor planning or deliberate. If they do it repeatedly to me then they usually find their engine compartment door mysteriously comes loose at the next stop with the resulting cab alarm going off.

1st rule of Secret DH fight club. Don’t post about secret DH fightclub!

Will try to get down early enough on the 13th to meet up for a bite with Faffy and yourself Neil.

You in Versoyen Darren? Will be stocking up on Carrefour Beer d’Abbeye somewhere on the way down, cheap as chips 6.2% Leffe style rocketfuel at around 50p a stubby. Might even have some left to bring over by the weekend ;)

What I paid was 1/3rd basic take home pay but they saved everything over what extra it cost them for me to stay at home for a house deposit. No need renegotiate when I got a pay rise. When I got a better job they just saved more for me until I was earning enough that it made financial sense to get my own place. Win/win.

Bit late to this as I’ve just got back from my non-biking french holiday with the Mrs that buys me the Alps fortnight golden ticket. Will be in Les Arcs 13th to 28th July same as a few on this thread.

Anyone fancy an STW group ride or two?

Large volume tyres at a lower pressure to deform around the roots and be out of contact with dirt for less time. The compromise is slower rolling and less direct handling.

Werezat then. Looks like it could be part of a great chilled out summer loop.

Got 9mm skewers on both my road and offroad wheelsets for my XC biased 456. Makes a noticable difference to the tracking of the 120mm SID’s on there. I also prefer the way the qr axle fits the full width of the fork dropout so spreads any load a little better.

12th to 28th July. Know me way round the main Paradiski area pretty well. Really want to do more of the backcountry stuff again this time hence the fortnight and two bikes each.

Good call Darren. Will give them a shout next week.

Still cheaper than buying Les Arcs season and weekly La Plagne pass if the Express is included.

Downsized a little to a Canyon AL+, then saw a big bike frame and fork bargain I couldnt pass up on eBay and finished it with all the kit off my old porky AM bike.

Get a Stinger and stay 2×9. Cheaper than a single ring guide and you can leave it on back here.

Beefy full suss wheels – Minion/Ardent
Lighter bone dry suss wheels – Larsens F&R
Hardtail – Crossmarks

Go well as a do it all bike as you can also run a 200*57 shock in the XC postion with some offset spacers for 160mm travel. Combine this with 160’s up front gives about 67deg. Add a second pair of heavy duty wheels and your all set for the uplifts/Alps. Pop the aircan and lighter wheels back for all day goodness.

Sold it once and then bought it back as I missed it so much.

Got a Canyon AL+ at Xmas to replace it which isnt quite as capable but a few lb’s lighter as I now also have a dedicated Big Bike. Can’t bring myself to part with my frame again as it’s got a couple of dents so wouldnt get what it’s worth to me.

Cheers for the tip about the train, only £5.50. A large group would only need one or two drivers to go back to Bourg whilst everyone else enjoys a brew and a bite whilst looking after the bikes.

Company rules say I can’t carry bikes on my bus. Wheels off and fits in the luggage rack then it’s just a collection of bicycle parts until I’m told otherwise by management.

Make sure you do the optional jumpy bits, especially the one going off left near the end, down a rocky bit onto woodwork.

Except it’s right at the moment. The normal route up to that point is closed so you get to it by coming up the short red jump section from the fireroad.

Weldtite Outside Tubeless repair kit.

Can repair the tyre on the rim without loosing all the pressure so its quicker to pump up. Also doesnt matter if theres sealant inside the tyre as it grips to the rip rather than the inner surface of the tyre.

Rebound behaviour depends on shock pressure so there is no set behaviour. The more pressure the faster it rebounds. My CTD felt like a pogo stick due to the high pressure needed to stop it blowing through its travel even with rebound fully closed before I fitted the correct larger spacer.

That’s where the volume spacer comes in, you run lower pressures to get the same bottom out so you end up with more sag, better small bump compliance and greater rebound control at any given rider weight and rebound setting.

1st port of call as mentioned above will be putting a bigger volume reducer in. If you get to the biggest reducer and are still not happy then consider a custom tune although IMO using a damping tune to solve a spring curve problem is really bodging the job.

I bought a Blackspire Stinger recently and could not get the thing to fit without fouling on the chain or the chainring bolts. The BB is properly spaced too.

Then space it improperly.

Forgot about t’Guapo. Only 10mm more travel than the AL+. I’d have bought one instead of the AL+ if they did one large enough for 6ft4 all day riding.

Surely their all non lift assisted once the lifts close :|

Exactly, it feels like you barely spend any time climbing to me, almost like a trick of the mind

Nail on head. If you like technical traverses then it’s a great trail. If you prefer your trails to be more along the lines of long up followed by long down reward then look elsewhere.

Have you discounted the Strive for any specific reason. The AL+ may be a little too similar to your XC.

Got 4 sets of switch wheels from CX to DH and the only problem I’ve had needing to lube some creaky spokes at the hub end. I’ve used one set for DH duties for a few years and although a little lighter now I have been up to 19st at times so they have been put through the ringer. Easy to strip and service too which is always good.

I’m probably wrong, but the feeling I get is that Canyon’s frames must be very cheap.

They get everything at OEM prices with no distributor/retailer taking their cuts. Comparable in prices to last years models discounted on CRC which are cheap because the distributors have sold them to the retailers near cost with the retailers making less per unit but shifting multiples.

Another happy Minion/Ardent user. Also use a Larssen when it’s bone dry.

What odds will I get for the 2 horses that have been shot so far at this years meeting not being the last?

725 on the HT, 780 on the 6″ bike and 860 on the DH. I is big.

It’s 300m vert from the top of the Champagny lift (1968m) to the Col de la Grande Forcle (2266m) which heads back over to La Plagne. To get to Roche de Mio from Bourg head the usual way over to the Vanoise Express, drop to Montchavin/Les Coches depending on the day of the week, up on the lifts to Plan Bois (1826m), then traverse round via Les Frasses (1830m) to Plagne Bellecote (1900m) then onto the Roche de Mio lift. It takes a fair while so we’ll probably drive to Montchavin/Les Coches.

The trail in Bigjims photo is a lovely section that heads into the top of Whitelines on the way back to Plan Bois. Will def meet up whilst there Bland.