The first time I rode the black I was trying to keep up with faster riders (including a super fit single speeder)and thought I was going to die although I did really enjoy McMoab and some of the descents. I enjoyed it much more the second time as I was fitter and could go faster and knew it better. At the moment I like it just as much as Dalbeattie and Mabie but can see it becoming a favourite as I ride it more. It’s a real treat to ride on so much exposed rock.

No

Thanks. Those Ardents look good and quite light too in 2.25.

Doesn’t it just encourage you to choose a better place to brake rather than slamming them on in the middle of a rock garden?

Me? Sorry. No I wouldn’t pay that for them, not if they turn out like mine did. I think I asked too much of my Juicy’s though.

I forgot about the bleeding. It is faff and I’ve had to do it quite regularly. I found that I had to work really hard at getting all the bubbles out to make them work well.

Mine, like some others here have been a bit unreliable. I don’t like the alignment method and it seems to promote sticky pistons which I’ve had trouble with. When they work they are good in the dry but are more for xc I would say. Mine have over heated quite easily on long steep stuff and don’t work great in the wet at all. Maybe I’ve just been unlucky.

On the plus side I really like the feel of them when they work well and the levers are much more comfy than the Hopes I have now. My Hopes are so much better though. If I were you I’d save up for something better unless you’re just going to be doing a bit of xc. My juicy 3’s felt much better when I changed from organic pads to superstar sintered.

OK thanks. You’re not pulling my leg are you? 🙂

neninja – Member
Almost every other bike at Hamsterley this morning seemed to be an Orange Five so they must be doing something right.

(The other 50% seemed to be Giant Trance’s)

It’s funny you should say that because I’ve noticed lots more Trance X’s on the trails this year. I was starting to think that I was the only one in the UK who rode one but now they really seem to be catching on.

I’ve never ridden an Orange 5 but I would say that they must be a good bike to be as popular as they are. Everyone say’s they’re great fun down hill which is probably what most of us crave.

Hope Tech M4’s that offered no more stopping power than a £50 set of s/h Juicy’s. Duly sold on. And quickly.

Did you bed them in and set them up right? I just bought a pair second hand. I tried them out first because they looked to be in a right state. I spent time setting them up right, sanded the pads down, bedded them in and they’re 10 times better than my Juicy’s.

I think it pays to be friendly to people. If I came across someone whose bike was broken I would be much more inclined to help them if they had been friendly previously. If they hadn’t then I might assume they would rather be left alone to sort out the problem themselves.

I think you’ve picked the wrong hobby. I hear doggers are a friendly bunch.

I know they are. I’m more into sea-gulling though.

Thanks. That gives me a few to look at. Forgot to say that it’s just a frame I’m after.

Any one any ideas?

TandemJeremy – Member
The ruddy moo dropped me on my head when I was 18 month as well NO ruddy helmet either

never did me no harm

Are you ‘Sloth’ out of ‘The Goonies’?

Stand in the street and see how many people walk past and say hello without you prompting them.

That’s totally different to passing someone on an MTB out in the sticks though isn’t it? There are also some places where people do say hello to strangers as they pass in the street too, although it’s increasingly rare these days.

I don’t think we should expect to be acknowledged but is a simple ‘Hi’ between 2 people enjoying a shared hobby too much to ask for?

I was looking for somewhere earlier on in the spring but many places were shut. I just spent another night at Urr Lodge Hostel instead. I know it’s not camping but worth bearing in mind as it’s very comfy, only £15 a night and it’s near Dalbeattie.

Pity it didn’t happen prior to the nesting season.

Maybe if you went for a curry they would deliver?

Yeah. They’re definitely not the square type fitting anyway. I just found the bikes original spec and it say’s Octalink.

OK thanks Mister. The Shimano cranks came with the bike but the BB is newer but not sure what type. So if the cranks are Shimano it can only be Octalink in this case right? If the adaptor does both then that’s fine anyway. Thanks again.

I think it might be an ISIS I just found a youtube vid with it on and the bloke has an adaptor for the crank removal tool.

” get a real bike “

I thought the same thing first time I saw an Orange. 😉

Not as crazy as many stories here but memorable all the same:

I once went out drinking with friends after we’d all had a big helping of ‘mushroom soup’. About ten pints later we were running to the kebab house when I tripped down a couple of steps I hadn’t seen, taking the full force of the fall on my face. I ended up sprawled in a pool of blood in the kebab house doorway with smashed teeth, chin cut to the bone and dislocated jaw.

After stitching me up the hospital decided to let me go home so they put me in a wheelchair as I was too wasted to walk. As the nurse briskly wheeled me to a waiting taxi my undone laces wrapped around a front wheel catapulting me into another painfull face plant with the ground. A friend of mine out did me a few nights later by surviving a 50ft cliff fall with only minor cuts. They reckon he was so drunk that he just kind flolloped down the cliff without too much fuss.

Got my teeth rebuilt but my jaw still plays up at times to remind me of my excess that night.

Poor saddle choice.

I took part in line dancing on friday night. I’ve done some pretty stupid things but never though it would come to this.

Thanks I found a few threads. I might just stick with the ratios I’m using now. It’s not often I need to peddle faster. Maybe if I go into town along the road but I plan to be using another bike for that.

Any one any ideas? It’s just there’s so much to choose from.

I’m looking into getting a new cassette at the moment and a few people are saying the XT ones wear out quick and that some of the cheaper ones last longer without weighing much more. Something to consider if it’s the case.

Bookmark

If you’re worried about nicheness then an Orange is the last bike you’d want to get surely?

I’m not sure. There is what looks like a manufacturing date by the logo on the side of the caliper of 01/04. A pin goes through two holes half way along the pads to hold them in the caliper.

I’m pretty sure these brakes are designed for 160mm rear and 180mm front. My juicy 3 rotors are 160mm rear which seems to fit but my front rotor which I’m pretty sure is 185mm is too big. I think I just need to get 180mm and 160mm rotors that are suitable for these brakes.

I would start by setting up and indexing your gears before looking into checking for damage. New gear cables stretch causing your gears to do funny things which is what I suspect here although I could be wrong. If you’ve gone for six months without having to do this yet then you’ve done well. No doubt you can find instructions online. I use ‘the bike book’ (haynes) which is useful although the instructions can be hard to follow.

Does anyone use these rotors with Hope brakes?

OK thanks. I’ll do that. I once tried that on some juicy pads I’d spilled dot fluid on and they were fine. Never tried sanding the discs though.

I want some red ones, or maybe some white ones.

OK thanks. I was thinking that too. You can kind of tell the power is there but the pads are very shiney so I’ll replace.

TandemJeremy – Member

Hopes tend to have a different lever feel to other brakes – less initial bite and more modulation – confused by some folk with lack of power but M4s did us fine on the tandem for power

I should be able to lock my back wheel up at high speed with these brakes though shouldn’t I?

Thanks Neil. Can you recommend any rotors please?

I’ve put the brakes on my bike. They don’t feel that sharp yet but I didn’t expect them too as I’m not sure the rotors are compatible and the pads look very shiny.

I think I will probably buy these brakes, get the right rotors, bleed them and sort out the pads.

What would be good rotors to get and what kind of pads would you recommend using with them? Should my Juicy 3 rotors be compatible with these brakes or not? Thanks.