We’ve used Available Car near Cannock and they were great, well presented cars at a reasonable price to the market, Have also used Car Giant many years ago and also Arnold Clark.

Not had any issues with any, usual rules apply give car a good look, in and out, do your own history checks, check docs and service history if due before committing, we’d bought cars still under manufacturer warranty, so check service been done if due so remains valid.

Have had two pairs from Mark, at spokesman and both spot on, delivers quickly and well packaged easy to deal with too.

http://www.spokesmanwheels.co.uk/

What Kelron said running 27.5×2.6 in mine, have the roughcut version on my hardtail very nice fork and good value, realively to the price of new forks !

Thanks stocked up on a cleaning kit @ 56% off! And a couple new wheel bags.@20% off and free shipping.

Saturday supposed to have 1-2-1 skills training but trainer forgot and didn’t turn up at meet point, so took a ride around the monkey and dog at Cannock ended with Bacon a Roll and Cake at the excellent cafe by the railway between monkey and dog

Mate got demo Specialized e-bike, so we went for a ride up and over a few times Long Mynd which was a great fun.

A good bikey weekend e and non-e.

Can anyone with an ebike confirm how much faster their average speed is on a typical ride when compared to a normal bike?

Daffy difference in average for me so far around Llandegla 8.5mph average on my self propelled bike, and 10.9mph average on the assisted bike.

Took me 11 mins longer to get the Red/Black Split on the self propelled bike today.

Update to pedal strikes, longer ride, opted for a more thoughtful pedal positioning, and using momentum like I’d normally do and today 1 strike which was near the end tired and poor pedal position.

So no changes needed took onboard geex feedback and the results spot on, many thanks geex

Good points geex

I still ride my normal mtbs as much as my Emtb so am not really keen on picking up poor habits from running super short cranks on my Ebike.

This ^^ is why i don’t want super short arms either, by more forgiving it was more I didn’t get turfed off the bike it’s just kept pretty stable on its path like a subtle reminder.  I am sure once I’ve ridden it a few times I’ll be more mindful of pedal position and it not happen, was only the first proper run, I suspect novelty of assist played a part too 🙂

geex – Ebike seems lies forgiving to strikes, back end of the ride had less as was being a bit more thoughtful on pedal position which is no bad thing.

Don’t want to run 150/155mm cranks would rather a smaller pedal as they are wide and get the technique more polished 🙂

Picked up in the week, first ride on trails I knew as done demo days till now and Long Mynd which I didn’t  know well.

I did Llandegla Black with red end missing b-line, back up for the blue taking in the Green on the way up then back up to do the final section of the decent where the green is.  21.8 miles in 2 hrs.

I didn’t have much time yesterday so it was great to pack so much in, loved it, need to adjust technique, look at small pedals as a few pedal strikes.

Ran mainly in Eco/Tour used emtb a little and turbo for the final short run up and down 🙂

I looked at these as relatively speaking good value, with discounts, was put off by some reviews, did try a pair of Hunt’s that didn’t work out, so Stan’s Baron Rims on Pro 4 built by Spokesman Wheels was what I have gone with.

I’ve used the they work. Dry well, they are though very fiddly to fit as fin is separate to the pad and the spring took a few goes to get it right.

I’ll not use them again will just get a Shimano or unfinned, reminds me to round up the spares and sell them

How does it climb forge , are you able to put some effort in and it accelerates uphill?

Or is it sit and spin away?

On loose stuff up hill it’s got so much grip you can just sit and spin, equally I did stand up and pedal up a loose climb and all good if does both well, it feels more natural seated but responds well and seem fast enough up hill, and it’s not draggy which I expected I run around 20psi or a touch under back and front   It will accelerate up hill and will respond as such seated or standing.

I am more of a sit and spin rider that up on the bars, I’ve climbed around 1950ft today at Nant Yr Arain and it climbs brilliant, I’ve not had it long but so far there is very little to fault it’s quite an incredible bike I am amazed how good it is, I never thought I’d have a hardtail that is both comfortable and that you don’t need to find the smooth line you can take the line you would on a full suss up or down.

The grip it has on berms and corners with the wide tyres is comical really and the STW review is right you do sometimes arrive with a touch to much pace.

Second ride out today, changed the wheelset as had some issues with the last set, it’s a very confidence inspiring, it’s exceeding the expectations I had.  Great fun bike, carry’s so much speed and so stable.

Hi kd48,

Indeed mine is a small, with a 35mm stem, I’m 4” shorter than you, your probably right on the edge of small or medium.

Be worth seeing if you get to a demo day Cotic have a few coming up and try both sizes as your height puts you in range of both small and medium on the MAX, they are long top tube so you may get away with a small with longer dropper, but that is something you’d want to check is comfortable.

Just off for my second ride hope it’s as good as last weeks, now I’ve got the wheels sorted should be better, that’s my hope looking forward to it 👍

thanks I needed some bits and that was good timing.

Ard Rock demo on the Haibike and Cube SL160,  Hope to get the Cube soon been my favourite of those I’ve tried.

Firstly should be no guilt using an e-bike 😂 it’s still riding, it’s different riding for sure, it still burns calories and gets the heart rate up and more importantly gets you on the trails and fresh air.

I’ve done three different demos now across, Trek, Haibike, Lapierre and Cube.

Most enjoyable has been the Cube really got on with this bike the SL160 most fun of those I rode overall.  Also preferred the Bosch motor over Yamaha I tried.

Should add really is worth demoing a few as they do all feel quite different in terms of handling, any draggy that can be felt, and what they feel like when it switches off power over the max speed, and power modulation for slower bits and hill starts.

New Bike First Ride Day

Blue and Tarw Du at Coed Y Brenin

First ride today, after finishing the build at 11pm last night. Not had a hard tail for some years, even so inspires confidence being nice and stable plus it’s fast and handles very nicely looking forward to getting some more miles on the bike.

I tracked mine, driver had 100 drops to do, it got to your driver is 7 stops away, the next update I’d been logged as building shut, yet it’s an office I was there and near the front window, it was still 7 stops to go and I’d been carded effectively but nothing through the door. 😂

All the options for the parcel for redelivery or collect greyed out, it came the day it was supposed too in the end, I spoke to CRC and got my next day delivery charge refunded.

it seemed very accurate the next day it was also annoying to see how close it was the day before they gave up on delivering for the day, with 24 of 100 to go…..

I’ve a Nathan belt with a couple bottles for short runs up to 10k, doesn’t fit a iPhone 6 size of larger, but room for keys, a gel bit of change.

Have an Osprey Rev 6 for longer runs not sure the equivalent 10k to Half Marathon Distance

The Nathan now seems to come with day glow bottles where as mine are grey also can be worn front or back find it more stable for me at the front.

Not saying best but both these work for me and I did try a couple of other belts and didn’t get with them.

I went yesterday but only to demo a few bikes, really enjoyed the Demo loop was just enough to get a feel, the manufacture and supplier stands were good and the chap selling Yorkshire Food at Yorkshire Prices did a good sausage roll, so a nice day our for us.

Cotic bike demo ride was brilliant top guys and great to ride out with Sam @ Cotic good to natter about the bikes and tweak them on the way around, how demo rides should be.

A shortish 12 mile loop with a mix of trails at Llangdegla followed by a well earn’t Welsh Breakfast.

Don’t own any of these yet, but did a weekend’s demo, three of them at the Malvern Classic and the Trek half day at Long Mynd.

Trek have just bought out the 2019 the one here is the 2018, but it’s between the Cube and Trek.

Planning to head to Ard Rock for one more demo on the Cube and make a decision.

Nice ride around Long Mynd.

Changed plans headed to Cannock, got there early but was feeling the heat on the climbs a short but knackering ride, good to get out rides a ride and all that

Going to ride red into black into red then maybe blue at Llandegla, whilst talking myself out of pre-ordering a 2019 Bronson Frame to replace my Patrol :)

To the op +1 I had a big off first for a few years, 4 or 5 weeks ago and just back from the alps and think it has affected confidence, never been a jumps and drops rider, but just lost lost a bit of confidence on sketchy rocky stuff and just general confidence at higher speeds.

Will check some of the recommendations out as I could do with a bit of a reset,  Llangdegla is my nearest place think they also do some bits there too.

Timely post as reflecting on my trip and what I could improve on.

I’ve a 556A (556.014) had it about 4 years lovely watch nice detail with the visible movement, I’d happily have another.

I went down too really good day out demo’d a few bikes, good atmosphere, if on next year some bits they could build on, dedicated demo route, more food and drink outlets bit better signage other than that great event, looked well supported.

I am going bit last minute want to try a few bikes out and it looks a nice day out.

Yesterday loop 3 Minarour at Coed Y Brenin then over to the Tawr Du then loop 2 on Minatour.

Longest distance ride of the year and indeed for many many many months due to injury and time.

Lovely day for it 21 odd miles and it was so quiet out too .

Second ride off road in 4 months popped to Llandegla, did bits of Red, Black and Blue, uphill was tough for me but I had fun on the flat and downs!

10k trail run tomorrow

Mu-So here too, very pleased with it had a couple years now, still sounds lovely, use it as a soundbar for the TV and for Spotify mainly.

Also have a Ruark R1 MK3 very nice sound supports Bluetooth so can stream from iPad if that’s your need.

Have my eye on the Ruark Bluetooth speakers MR1 at the moment….

Nice little review thanks for link

I’ll be able to see for myself ultimately as ordered Matrix, thanks for feedback,

Northwind – interesting feedback one set would be for a bike I’d use in the alp’s will make sure my backup set are something else if need be for the bottom of the first decent :)

thanks :)