Huge "egg on face" time for Ferrari and Maclaren pmsl. Why didn't they get a banker lap in early??????????????? Team chiefs are messing it up big time for the drivers.

I have no brand loyalty and have never used Middleburn cranks only their chainrings. The arms are as stiff as XT's from what I gather. The older sealed BB's are just so more reliable than HT2 and the UN71/72's just kept spinning so sweet and smooth forever.

My boss has fitted these to his Ibis and they are bloody amazing! They just spin so freely it's unreal. It's an expensive set-up but well worth it and gets rid of the stupid, pathetic, unreliable HT2 crap!!!! I'll be getting mine soon :D

I'm running a full length Avid hose on my Ultimates and you could easily cut a few centimetres off that. I will do a proper measurement tomorrow for you ok.

I do wish I kept the Merlin :cry:

Where's the skip Mr Riley pmsl

Makes it more bling if you made it yourself

for this

You mean one of these? :wink:

As what tree-magnet says, they work fine with Juicy's and the Elixir is basically the same caliper with just a different lever

That Nomad looks lovely and people will buy it because it exists – just like people climb very very tall mountains – because they are there!

It's sad but tastes have moved on and classics like the Joe Murray Kona's and GT's sublime old school Zaskar are lost in a time warp. We remember how good they were and unforunately there are bikes equal and better now plus they cost less than what Kona and GT are offering. I had a 95 Dome and an Zaskar and loved them both but I've owned and ridden much better since then.

If you want mean meet Julie, my Chilean Rose. She's also as soft as a brush but I will say the first time I went to handle her my bum cheeks twitched a bit pmsl. But she's fine and as long as you don't make any swift moves she will just crawl over you all day :-)

This is my Blue Femur Tarantula and she's a bit shy at the moment and that's why I haven't got any decent pics yet. The clolours are amazing in the right light

He's as soft as a brush, Royal Pythons are probably the best for being handled and only grow up to 6ft for the females and about 4ft for the males. You just have to use common sense when handling him – like don't stroke any small furry pets before you do and make sure you wash your hands after. The female I had Saskia, was brilliant and when she died there wasn't a dry eye in the house :cry:

Marmite pet – you either like them or you don't. My kids love Crouchie, he's friendly, they haven't any silly snake fear and they are incredibly easy to keep. They don't shit on yours or your neighbours gardens and you don't have to walk round with a plastic bag picking sloppy turds up with.
I acually like all forms of wildlife so that was my fascination with keeping one and he's my second as I had a female one many years ago. The fact they can live in small enclosures mean you can see them in glass vivariums and yes they don't move much. But at least they don't swing their heads fro side to side from utter boredom like lots of other animals kept in zoo's.
I like dogs and would have one if I was at home all day but my house is empty for days sometimes so I couldn't and wouldn't like have a dog under those circumstances. Each to their own I guess.

Use Parcel2go.com. They will quote you loads of different couriers ok. Very very good service.

If all the bits are in good nic eventually you will flog them all and you will probably get more money for them than selling as a complete bike. If you want less hassle, less trips to post the stuff etc, then sell as a complete bike – or keep it as a pub bike.

Crouchie – my Royal Python

It's mine tomorrow so happy birthday matey

Chocolate Hob Nobs – thread closed :D

Yeah glad you still like the 575. I think it was a bit too big for me and I could have got away with a small but they are a nice bike and our shop has sold loads and I love the new colour scheme for them.

Ahh the Merlin – I would gladly take it off me too radoggair :-( I really do think it was the nicest looking bike I ever built and owned and I hated selling it but not knowing if my injury was going get better, I thought selling was good sense – at the time. That's life I guess, easy come easy go.

I would have to say this –

my "old" Turner 5 Spot because it just felt as plush as hell, sorted geometry and so easy to maintain. Sold it because I stupidly thought there was better out there. So I've addressed that problem now and have this –

But there's one bike that gets more comments and more praise than any I've owned and it's the one I think I built up to a spec that it really deserved and that was my Merlin Oreas. Defintely my best ever hardtail

Anyone know what day it is today? Oh it's the first of April mmmmmmmmm.

My riding last year was really decimated by an injury and I'm hoping this year will be much better so I sympathise with all those suffering injured or recovering now – at least my illness will be gone soon.

Better still get an SLX front mech that's made for doubles. Cost next to nothing, like all front mechs last forever and it'll be perfect for the job. Simples.

Saddles are one mans meat and another mans poison but I do like the Fizik's I've had but here's a weird one. I've had two SLR's – one on a ti hardtail and one on a FS bike and I hated the one on my FS bike as it felt like a razor!!!

I'd rather take the opinion of a guy who builds frames so I'll stick with that.
I totally agree that a frame builder will use each materials strengths and the properties of ti allows thinner tubes and a springier feel – which is why I prefer a ti frame over a steel one, which is what the OP was asking – I think lol

I don't believe for one second steel and ti ride the same – they have totally different properties and will definitely ride different. It's like saying a good 853 frame rides the same as a bog-standard steel frame – no chance.

Don't you read the comments!!!! No – steel and ti RIDE differently lol

If – and it's a big word, if you could get two frames of the exact same design, angles etc out of steel and ti you would definitely notice the difference in ride. Ti frames give a softer ride, a bit more give and still are rigid enough to give instant acceleration. They take some of the buzz out of the trails and also weigh a little less than steel frames so basically your getting the best of what an ally frame offers with the longevity of a steel frame.
I had a Merlin Oreas ti frame and it was superb and so I would whole heartedly recommend you getting a ti frame BUT I would look for a second-hand frame if it's a more hardcore one your after, then I'd say a Litespeed Pisgah or if it's a more XC one then an Oreas or XLM Merlin.

I think you can save your text as an email then copy and paste it back again – might be worth a try. I've had messages when talking and didn't have to read it – is that what you meant?

I'm on Orange and have an iPhone – it's a 32gb 3GS model and it's brilliant. Sold my iPod touch, put my music and video's on it and browse the net when I can. Some forums use an app called TapTalk – wish this site did – and it's brilliant.

Pmsl @ Nick

Not getting into the issue of whether anyone can do or can't do their own bikes but if you took your car get a new tyre fitted and they put the wheel back on wrong and you had an accident – who's fault would that be??? It's exactly the same – just a different vehicle. I'd be having words with the shop – you paid them for a job to be done right and it wasn't.

I remember riding there just before the new cafe opened up and we rode the older – dare I say better trails and it was raining all day. Had a brilliant time up until when it came to get changed – in the old "bogs" and then suffered mild hypothermia – not nice :cry:

I'm nursing a semi for this stunner

The new BMW M3 V8 is available in white and it looks stunning – and I'd love one. I'll have to stick with my "boring silver" 330Ci until I win the lottery though :cry:

I guarantee you the weight of the Merlin is 100% accurate as I've a set of Ultimate Digital scales that are now used in our shop. I had someone doubt my Yeti 575 which came in at under 25lb including pedals so I took a picture for him. I'm sure quite a few are accurate on here too but I'd never use a spreadsheet – always use some accurate scales.

My old Merlin Oreas – 21.3lb including pedals

Check out the Fox website and I'm sure it will explain. I always thought he F series were racing forks and Floats are more XC type but I could be totally wrong.

Check out what Goldtec have on their site – I'm sure you will find something there for you.