*registers interest*

I do what Mike mentions a lot and people make fun of it – but I'm a graphic designer so to me its just an expression… and I think you need a degree of OCD to be any good in the first place.

However, I do things like lock the car twice and then get half way out the car park and have to run back… it's something I'm keeping an eye on but not worrying about. I'm a very stressy person (not a psycho, more of a worrier/concerned) and a bit of a daydreamer so I think it's more a genuine case of locking the car without realising I'm doing it and then needing to check.

Either that or I'm flippin mental!

I doubt Orange would 'make a killing' on an XXL bike. The market is small

Yeah but Orange build so few bikes (you wouldn't think it from how many Fives you see out there mind), they wouldn't need to bash out that many for it to worth while!

So you're not the Karate Monkey mystery buyer?

Trackends and discs is certainly a PITA, unless the caliper mounts on the chainstay

I'm confused. My Genesis has disc and trackends and they're not a PITA with regard to the brakes – just slots right in.

The track end screws on the otherhand!

Chrome isn't another browser for the sake of it. It's meant to have a mega slick javascript engine – for non techies, javascript is the stuff that makes things like Gmail and Wave work the way they do. It's quite slow and intensive but it seems it's going to be the backbone of the way we work online going forward, so hence google chrome!

So the answer really is, unless you use a lot of online apps such as google docs, wave and gmail etc – it's probably irrelevant to you…

In terms of Orange doing an XXL, why not? They make them in house and are knocking out random protos all the time – I could see this happening, especially with the bike's hardcore reputation (stiffness and strength), they could make a killing.

I've gone pure 29er now

I know who bought Agency_Scum's Karate Monkey!!!

Mountain bikes are for suffering on, not having fun on – be gone with the lot of you!

Amazing!

Loads of singletrack riding < 1 mile from city centre and loads of active clubs. CwmCarn, Afan, Breacons, Mendips, Quantocks, Cotswolds, Salisbury Plain, Exmoor all within 1 – 2 hours.

Check out http://www.thecheesyriders.com and http://www.bristolmountainbikeclub.co.uk

+1 the photo book

Looks like some of the XC trails we have here in Leigh Woods in Bristol, like the Picnic Bench… only easier.

I bought a couple of copies of Dirt and found it awful. Page after page of people writing about how rad and sick they are.

Sick to the back teeth of the future mags. Just cancelled WMB subs.

I'll pick up MBR from time to time and don't mind it – they seem to get a real slagging from everyone but it's deffo better than the Future mags.

Just ordered a STW subs – will see how it goes.

Ikea meatballs and chips…

We're returning a lamp straight after work and need some bits for the kitchen. :-/

Honda Asimo Robot

Genesis Day One and buy an alfine for it?

Big fan of Quadcam and Pano

Based on 100mm ampthill.

I had a stock ST4 Pro with pedals at 28.5lb so about the same as Mount Vision 5.8

The ST4 is very good but not really a classic 4" bike, it's 5" up front, weighs the same as something on the meatier end of 5" and rides like it too.

Got much more in common with something like a Marin Mount Vision IMO (and was quicker)

I've only had a brief blip on an Anthem but from what I experienced, it was startlingly good. And surprising on the downs.

why do people insist on 'a HT for the winter and save my FS for summer' WTF??

I generally concur, although if it's really shocking out, HT singlespeed is the ultimate in "I'll clean it later" biking.

I believe the Soul will be around 68.5 in the head at 140mm which is the same as my Five and has the same Eff top tube.

But I won't be running it at 100mm.

And tbh, the travel I run it at isn't set in stone. The Fox Float it will be running is currently at 100mm on the iO.

And I've ridden my mates Soul at 120mm so I know I'm happy with the frame and what size.

John, the iO is limited to 100mm and feels rather steep for a lot of my riding. It's also a bit short in the TT but I couldn't actually stand over the 19"

The Soul is nice and long but low at 17.5"

Oh, I have a Genesis iO which will be going to make way for the Soul so I'm not without a HT for the winter if I wait.

And the full suss is a Five so no worries about winter muck.

I love em but agree X2s are prob worth the extra – they are everything that's great about the mini (pad life, weight, feel/modulation, looks) but with more power.

I find my minis adequately powerful on 183/163 rotors but then I'm only 11.5st and don't ride the alps…

My mates have just convinced me to wait for the orange while we were having lunch.

The reason for running it at 140mm is because it will have nigh on identical geo and riding position to my five. Which I quite like the idea of (this might not make sense to some people but sometimes I just want to ride a HT, sometimes FS, I don't want anything different from them really in terms of intended use).

Yeah, see colour wouldn't matter if it was a 456 or something.

If I get a black one I know I won't bother getting it resprayed… it's going to be March isn't it? lol

Cheers 18bikes but honestly, I've had a hard enough time convincing the mrs that £470 is not an insane amount of money to spend on a steel HT as it is!

(as I broke into "but it's 853 and the geometry is sorted and it's a long term investment" she kind of folded her arms and gave me that look of "who are you **** kidding but fine, go on…")

Bike: Orange Five
Front: Kenda Blue Groove 2.35 Stick-E
Rear: Maxxis Advan 60a 2.25
Riding: Most things although a bias on south wales, rocky stuff

Thoughts on combo: Tough and reasonably light relative what they'll let you get away with. Not too fussed what's on the back but I clearly connect with the blue Groove tyre in a way that makes everything else feel crap. If it's seriously horrid mud, I'll ride elsewhere and let the place recover.

I am constantly astounded by the incredibly high standards STW members have when it comes to women, when considering what a bunch of middle age munters most of you are in the mugshot thread…

*hides*

Hmmm, got my first 24 hr solo booked, going to be hard enough just riding for the duration lol

New Fox's and Rock Shox are **** cos you have to strip em down every couple of rides and change the oil.

What an epic amount of bollox. I ride more than most and I've got two pairs of fox forks that only see a wipe down and a bit of wet lube on the stanchions for maintenance and they're problem free. One pair finally got opened up and serviced by a shop after 18 months (I didn't bother with mojo as I assumed they'd be screwed after believing all the hysteria) and they were in perfect nick.

I can't figure out what people are doing for their stanchions to die.

(I bet my Vanillas will be screwed when I get them serviced now I've said that lol)

Sorry but that fixie stuff is like learning to juggle, you do it enough and you'll get there.

That 4 friends 4 bikes is pretty freaking awesome. When 360ing off north shore across a 20 ft gap onto a downslope, at some point you gotta trust yourself enough to have a go in the first place. They have skill and reactions that I think most people simply aren't born with.

Orange Five – for similar reasons listed about the Patriot above.

And the fact that it behaves so impeccably to every input I give it, it's probably the most natural feeling bike I've ever ridden.

Sounds good, looking for a sort of novice friendly DH event – I've only ever ridden Cwmcarn on a five with DH tubes and 2.35 single plys you see.

Checked out some of the vids and the course looks good.

Mountain biking was niche once!

The reason the bikes are different from freeride IMO is that Slopestyle courses are a bit like DH dirt jump tracks, quite perfect and groomed. But the jumps etc are quite big so a bit of rear suss is desirable.

Tsk, luddites 😉

Quite happy with this one…

Well STW are dabbling in charging for content online but the mag is still effectively protected. I think future have simply sailed their mags down the river in a big way.

My initial comment was really aimed at those suggesting Bike Radar had good content, which I personally think is quite terrible, Maybe I'm wrong though 🙂

I think the bike radar content is terrible and lazy. It will never work because they've got the mags to protect. It's all cut down, shortened and delayed to not upset the mag buyers.

Like all bigger media and the music industry, online scares them and their traditional business model and they need to adapt.