Right…. new Ardent bought for the front and tyres pumped to 55 psi. Maximum load is 60 psi. Next stop knarly shit to see if that keeps the buggers from splitting.

Can you recommend a guide or do you rate… http://www.mountainbikecyprus.com/

Maxxis 2.25 Ardent up front and Maxxis 2.1 Advantage out back. Best tyre set up I’ve ever had. Very quick because of the width and lack of rolling resistance but the Ardent is very gripy. The Advantage also gives enough grip in the loose stuff when you need to stand up and climb, no slippage. It’s on the quick knarly down hills and the corners that you notice the difference though. The side knobbly on both tyres really hold on and guide you through (both UST btw)

Thanks Jason.

The video on the web site shows off what looks like some great trails on the Troodos. I’d be pretty peeved if they sent me out on a ‘path’ if I’d booked an ‘expert trail’. On the back of what you’ve said I’ve sent them an e-mail. I was hoping for some good challenging guided routes all over the Troodos. Like you when I was there a few years ago I spotted loads of trails and swore to go back but it’s taken till now.

I’d be content with the Marin Alpine cause I’m not risking my bike with the airport there, you should have seen the state of the suit cases last time we went !

I’ll see what comes back in the e-mail but it maybe that I need to search out another guide company.

Thanks again, Garry

Anyone ??

+3 for mountain morph. I’ve even managed to pump up a new tubeless with it. Admittedly I lost 2 stone and nearly died but it still did the job

Well two big rides including a fairly big off and we’re doing fine. The whole set up is working well.
I still contest that it’s far better changing down than up and you still need a good technique, but only when your doing the really slow technical stuff. The quicker the better; for instance changing up before you hit the climb rather than hitting the climb and searching for the right gear…. but that’s good technique isn’t it ?

DONK… thanks for the advice. You could be right. I do ride a lot faster and harder and come to think of it I did dint the Mavic Rims (once), I suspect the Easton’s are a lot stronger, they have a taller profile so will be more rigid in a horizontal impact. I am running the new set at high pressures though. Maybe the Schwalbe tyres on the answer. It’s a pitty because the Ardent on the front and Advantage on the rear is one of the best tyre set ups I’ve had.

POPARTPOEM…. ditto, I’ve just had to have the bearings replaced in the rear hub and I’m just 5 months in ! I was told that the wet summer and the amount I ride doesn’t warrant a warranty claim !

Geoff1…. are you eating your packs ? that’s a lot of packs you’ve been through !

The Mule NV has a webbed structure at the back of it to add ventilation and stop you sweating.

I’ve had a Mule NV and ran it for 18 month now without a single problem. For a day ride I carry 3L in the bladder, a small first aid kit, 2 spare tubes, my wallet & phone, a shock pump and tube pump, a hand towel wrapped around a multi tool, tyre levers, pliers a small adjustable spanner and a puncture repair box with a spare mech hanger, chain links and instant patches. There’s enough room left for some energy bars and gels and a (very)small sandwich.

The standard Mule has slightly more capacity but not much. I looked at the Hawg but just thought it was too big for what I needed but if you do a lot of big remote trails and need to carry a sandwich then the Hawg will do it. When the Mule is full though it really is full and bulky a full Hawg would be a burden I think !

I also ran UST Highrollers on a Mavic Crossmax XT rim for 18 months on a previous bike and only had one flat which was a result of some over exuberance at Coed Y Brenin !

Not gone back to the shop YET.

Can’t find anything else on the net but haven’t looked that hard yet (third pinch was yesterday afternoon).

Ride the bike every weekend.

The last ‘knock’ was a jump over a small stream and landed the front wheel on the opposite bank, but not hard. The other 2 ‘knocks’ weren’t even noticeable they were just there at the bottom of a descent. I do run high pressures and I’m just over 11 stone….. not a recipe for pinch flats !

Any budget ?

If your prepared to spend a bit then look at the Mavic Crossmax ST. Not as light as some of the recommendations here but I abused a pair for 18 months after swapping them out from a Shimmano XT wheels. The difference was noticeable instantly; lighter, faster, solid and went through everything from hub deep fords to Scottish snow without a single problem.

I’ve been messing about with different combo’s of waterproofs for years. I was really happy with the Endura eVent waterproof 3/4’s (as an all year round solution) and the Endura eVent Venturi jacket, but the quality took a bit of a dive when they replaced the eVent material with their own brand. I now use the Endura Stealth Extreme tights in the winter as they’re thermal and waterproof with an Endura MT500 jacket and switching the tights for a pair of Humvee shorts with the clickfast liner in the summer. The tights are really comfortable and don’t sweat at all. I even wore them in July on a shitty day and a climb up Helvelyn. The Humvee shorts are quite cheap and they come with the padded liner that you can put under the tights for minus temperatures. I just use a cheap Nike base layer from Sports Direct that’s plenty warm enough under the jacket. This tights and Humvee combo will last for years where as the previous all year round 3/4’s was lucky to last for one year, so you’ll spend more initially but save in the long term. Hmmmmmmmm I like tights….. (to quote Homer) ‘it’s like you’re totally naked !’

Parkamoor at great speed is well worth it, but you’ve got to let go (said in an Obi Wan style) and jump off the big drops ! there are loads of routes to get you back into the Forest but why not head over to Blawith and pick up the BW’s through Woodland Fell and the Knot, carry onto Coniston then go round to Tiberthwaite over Oxen Fell and come back into the forest round the back.

I have an X0 10 speed 3 ring set up and I’ve had quite a few problems with it.
At first I started to get a lot of chain suck which in turn buggered up the chain. So new chain and re set up I thought I had it sorted only to find the rear mech cable hanging on by a single thread on the last ride meaning lots of barrel adjustment.
I also find that I often get the chain jumping from the big front ring straight down to the smaller ring. I’m convinced it’s because the quick change down relies on too much cable tension.
That said on the few occasions when I have had it running without any problems the change down has been amazing. Very rapid and very responsive. Changing up depends on your pedal technique, get the whole thing right and the change up is also sweet, get it slightly wrong and it does feel awkward.
My next outing should have a perfect set again with a new cable. No more problems will mean I’ve just been unlucky up to now, more problems will mean it’s a piece of shit and Sram can expect a warranty call. I’ll let you know.
I have an XT set up on my hard tail and haven’t suffered any problems at all but then again I don’t hammer that bike as much.

Tomaso, when did you see the work at Sadgill ? It was about 6 weeks ago when I was last there… don’t tell me they’re messing that up as well !

I knew they’d been through the boat application thing for the Walna Scar and kept it as a bridleway. It’s amazing how many cars get up beyond the half way point though.

The top is still fairly knarly, it’s just so loose after all those rocks they’ve thrown at it on another attempt to re surface it (I think that was to stop the 4×4’s).

The Pakamoor trail is cutting up nicely though. A good quick descent with sections you can really throw yourself down.