I’ve got my tow rope packed & ready!
Predictions:
Mud, lots of it.
Fast lads will still be fast, the rest won’t
Fun, no point on getting wound up about it, just enjoy it
Tops:
Plenty of clothes
boots
spare mech hanger
spare cables
bike cleaning stuff
coffee

Stop it, you’ll make my head so big it won’t fit through my li’l workshop door!
Feel free to get in touch though, no reason why I can’t help if you need it, although I’m away at Mayhem until Sunday evening (B&DCC team if anyone wants to say hi)

LBS on a quiet day? See if they’ll let you do it, or at least watch them fit it, not a big job at all with the right tools.

Blimey, there’s a blast from the past!
Very popular back in the day along side DCD’s & purple bar ends.
All I can remember about them is they’re not the quietest of things.

Yes you can, if you can find an e type bb the right size. They have an extra space for a bb mounted front mech & would give the space needed to clamp in the chain device.

I also find that spoke length is more critical with alloy nipples too, as if the head of the nipple inside the rim isn’t supported properly, they’ve got a tendency to shear them off.

Sounds like the seals on the air piston aren’t sealing, letting the air go straight past & into the negative chamber.
Get better seals-repeat repair-job done.
*edit* yes, pump the +’ve up first, so you did it the right way round.

Racing Ralphs/NN’s for normal conditions.
Medusa 1.8’s & Conti xc 1.5’s for normal Mayhem Conditions

Just tried a quick check on Giant bike registration & that number isn’t recognised, although the GC number does look like a Giant frame number.
Might be worth asking your local dealer to give the guys at Giant UK a call.

It’s a Giant, but not an XTC as they didn’t have the lugs on the wishbone, but they do have a gusset on the top tube, welded unto 2002, from ’03 onwards they were fluid formed like the one on the down tube.
I’d have a guess at Terrago disc, but if the frame number is still stamped into the BB, Giant UK can tell you.

They seem pretty strong, much more so than I would have thought for the weight. I ran them on mine for two races last season on American classic hubs, DT Rev spokes & didn’t have any problems just wanted to test them! I know quite a few guys are running them now as race wheels without any problems, just be careful fitting your tyres.
Wouldn’t go for a really low spoke count though for cross, as they’re not the stiffest rim out there.

They’re still good for a clincher, but quite a few are moving to Alpha 340’s to get the weight down.
Or do it properly & fit tubs.

You won’t get hold of a 2012 XTC Composite now, they sold out a long time ago. Next stock will be 2013 stock

At Sherwood Pines the times vary on time of year (currently 10pm) but there’s always access to the woods & Parking at the Dog & Duck at the bottom of the Hill or Eakring road at the other end of the woods.
Or in Rainworth & ride in on route No6-takes about 10 minutes.

No problem, please do excuse the website though, I know how bad it is, but I’m a bike man not a website man, although it is being sorted.

Yes, but the website is dreadful & currently being redone.Feel free to drop me an email tp info@custom-wheels.co.uk

Yes, but the website is dreadful & currently being redone.Feel free to drop me an email tp info@custom-wheels.co.uk

Will on here bought a set & they’ve been great, including commuting in London & the Tour of the Peaks on Sunday (98 miles, 55mph decents etc.)

Hammer in a torx bit, wind it out, take it to local nut & bolt supplier. Job done.
£25 for the ‘official’ one comes as a complete kit for the top of the rocker including the bearings, not just the bolt. Try getting your local dealer to speak to Mark, Jon or Russell at Giant nicely & they might sort you out.

About the going rate in most shop.
The one I worked in they were £4.95 for decent quality ones, or £3.95 for bulk unboxed ones.

Yep, always cover it up when I can. Usually with an old sheet or use a plain bike bag.

Well I’m riding it, but not racing it 😉

1993 Ridgeback 706RS
1997 GT Zaskar custom build
2001 Giant XTC Mammoth (NRS)
2002 Giant ATX Team
2003 Giant XTC Team
2004 Giant XTC Hybrid
2004 Giant NRS1
Giant Cyclocross prototype
2005 Giant VT1
2006 Giant TCR Composite
2006 Giant XTC Composite
2006 Giant Reign
Giant Cyclocross Prototype
2007 Giant XTC Team
2007 Felt RXC Team
2007 Felt Redemption 2
2008 Giant Anthem 1
2009 Giant Anthem Advanced 1
Another 2007 Giant XTC Hybrid
On One 456
2010 Giant TCR Advanced
Empella Bonfire CX
2011 Giant Bowery

Roughly in order & bound to be the odd one I’ve missed off that I can’t remember

Rainworth, Notts. About 5 minutes ride from Sherwood Pines & less than an hours drive to the Peak District.
Although possibly moving to Mid Wales 😀

A2Z are available in the UK via Windwave & seem pretty good.
My personal choice would be DT either 240, or if you want something really nice, 190’s.
American classics are ok, I’ve got them on my road bike-brilliantly light, but certainly not a fit & forget hub.

Couple of frames, three pairs of forks, several brake sets, cranks.
Three bikes I haven’t ridden in two years, a brand new bike that’s been sat in its box for six months that I haven’t even built yet..really must get round to that :S

I had K24’s back in ’07 & thought they were awesome & easy to bleed.
Have you tried just back bleeding them? Worked fine for me & always had plenty of power with 180 rotors in the Alps & no overheating problems.
OK they felt a bit soft compaired to Hayes or Hope, but only when sat stationary pulling the levers, never noticed them feeling soft when actually out riding.

Manitou Prep M is great stuff too if you can find it.

Any mavic dealer will be able to order the right bits in, all they’ll need is the number off the rim (by the little bar code)
That gives all the details required to make sure the right bits arrive.

Giant have a lifetime warranty. I’m on my third

No they don’t, it’s five years for all Giant frames, regardless of frame material.
I still regularly service 90’s Giant CFR team road bike, think it’s now on it’s 4th groupset & still rides fine with no sign of dying any time soon.

Post mount forks are M6 x1mm, I’ve done a couple of pairs, works well enough.
M6 means it’s 6mm diameter & the 1mm is the pitch of the thread.
I bought my kit off ebay, just a cheapo one & works fine.

Sadly not much to say how good they are.
I’d guess £150-200 depending on condition.

Worth keeping an eye on here as well:

Jobs

PS- I’m not overly worried about money. Job satisfaction is far more important at this stage in my life.

Just as well, I’m trying to leave the mechanic’ing as the money is crap!
Most places would be more interested in your actual ability than Cytech qualified, but many would put you through it if thought it would be of a benefit, but obviously you’d most likely have a contract tying you in to thier employment for a set time period if they did.

I had a look on thier B2B site & they’re listed as in stock & available in packs of 20 for 30mm stantions. (Really should know newer ones are 32mm, I only serviced three pairs last week 🙄 )
So any LBS should be able to get them, if you can’t find them online somewhere-I haven’t looked, but CRC/Merlin et al. might have them.

Aren’t Psylo’s 30mm Stantions? Same as Reba/Tora etc?
If so, a dust seal kit is about £16 & if they’re that age, possibly due a service.
Or a bag of 20 foam wiper rings can be bought from Fishers by your LBS for not a lot, so should be available for about £1 each.

I’m assuming they’re not MTB shoes? As I’ve never comes across an MTB pair that you can’t take the cleat plate out from the inside

RRP is £250 according to Hope for a full set including calipers.
Yes they’ll run 140 rotors, the cross bike Hope had on show was running 140’s fr & rr

According to the guys at Hope at the Core bike show yesterday, they’ve sold around 150 sets so far since they went into proper production, so should be a few getting around now.
I’d be very tempted if it didn’t mean having to buy a new frame (still might if I have a good year work wise)
They had Paul Oldhams bike on show & it looked really good running 140mm rotors fr & rr.

Possibly lens flare, REALLY dirty sensor (unlikely), lens fungus, general dirty/wet lens?
To me it looks like flare on a filthy lens, but could be wrong.