Col de T is not a doodle for me but the conditions were not the best in may this year great place, really well worth doing

thanks used giazzrdman method…..cheers

all done but struggling to get the cable into the housing under sring will not turn the bend, if you see what i mean

thanks folks removed safely

the bloke in 2nd local bike shop took hammer to it and failed

Hi Pryenees, luchon or prades great areas. Corbiers/Durban looks worth expolring
vosages some stunning riding Kayersburg was good for us/jura similiar but we toured more
Dordogne good…Sarlat area…

Alps does have xc /trail stuff but I just do not like the vibe. Much better in the pryennes but do not tell everyone

Litespeed Kitsuma…parent of lots of longtravel hardtails
Turner XCE….then 5 Spot HL

luchon……….wonderful
Prades…………..quiet and outsatnading

Titus main ride, old pic now has fox forks and maverick speedball way way way too much bike for me but makes me smile and chuckle on any slight incline.

Litespeed in bits for the moment

YETI end of may 09, sold pending payment

injured…………again….off for the last 8 days not back on till mid july…. :(

From my limited experience i agree the geomtry plays a huge part in all this but in terms of durablity Turner bushings are the best, my wife has a ten year old turner xce and has changed the busings once, it was her only bike for all this time.
Stiffness for my my current bike a titus supermoto is the best tracking bike I have had .It ia a horst link and heavy but is incredible stiff and true. Big addition to the development of mtb riding is the bolt thru forks regardless the titus is the best for me.
Brake jack after I had a bullit I avoided single pivots for years but recently rode a yeti asr-sl great suspension feel for 3.9 inches of travel but I did not get on with the geomtry. No brake jack as such on the yeti. Chris Porter at Mojo suspension does not think it exists and maybe it is a bit if hype.

Personally the suspension designs, that have worked best for me have been horstlinks and the Giant Maestro system but there were issues on bearings there, so, in my very slow climbing i can do but descending i need lots of help with, Horst link bikes win especially if they can with turner grease port bushings.

isn’t a ventana a faux bar or single pivot with a rocker.

ildred has a good point on the patroit but I am not a single pivot fan

supermoto from titus then Ton great handling bike, very very confidence inspiring quick review here

http://www.spokewrench.com/spokewrench/2007/10/titus-super-mot.html

or see the el guapo review in singletrack.

Had the bullit in the past and never really got on with it, tbh it is a bit limited

titus el gaupo or old supermoto

is a springer too big? good working dogs and able to cover the miles.

try the decathlon range

Warmest for me was in the dorgdone in 2003 heat wave 41 degrees tarmac was melting, so not just temperate

all the trails are rideable , lots of goat tracks though. Use the GR in fact I think it was GR 5 is one of the best tracks I have ever ridden, great

si my Titus is a supermoto I think the frame weighs approx 9.5 lbs, how much for the chumba????/

Mikeww, great suggestion but I think my hardtail days are over and I have my litespeed kitsuma hung on the wall at the moment

thanks dave gr that look like that will work

thanks gone for air as they were cheaper

Loads we stayed for two weeks near Sarlat, get the top 25 ign map brill, loads of short sharp climbs and great singletrack

yeti asr sl

just got back from the pryennes luchon and did the superbagneres ride great area………….better then the alps imo, couple of pics in my profile thing or here

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/couple-of-pics-from-pryenees-cols

also like the area around prades went there last year google VTT Prades for info, futher down the valley is great as well. Corbieres durban region we rode through looked great as well,

also do not discount the
Vosges some blisterering xc/all day riding in the area
The Jura ditto

the dordogne has some great xc riding

good luck and tell us where you decide to go :D

much difference between the el ciclon and x5?

Ton how much psi!!!!

do not knowthe theories but in real world including several 2,000ft climbs and descents no problems at all

This is my old ellsworth moment which i used for towing our trailer a lot last year, no effect on the pivots what so ever imo, miss that bike loads.

fine used 3ltr in the adventure bag

great place, great weather and just fab!

5ft 11 ish/6ft ride a asr-sl med pics on the forum under cols

Depends where you want to go in the range
I am off tomorrow to Bagneres de luchon and a couple of days with AQR, who have been brill on info and contact so really looking forward to going and then road climbs in the area
but
last year we went into perpigan and got the train upto outside prades, we did not use a company but loads of riding really intresting stuff we did not use a company but maps and info on the web, vtt prades, but there is a mountain bike company down the valley. Great unspoilt area.
The other end Biaritz we were not over keen on but we might have missed the trails I think someone on here @doug Basque’ has a company so you might have a look.
For me the pryenees are way more appealing than the alps, good luck

thanks for the advice as long as they last the week no problems

quite a few really, ones that I have owned
Marin Mount vision 1998/9
Santa Cruz Bullit that was a dog to climb on loved the heckler
Pace 2000 could not walk for a week
Nicolai Helius CC, good bike but did not suit me.

Tried or borrowed,
Orange 5, no no no
cannondale raven

mk2 golf gti 8v power assisted steering with factory fitted sunroof and yes still long for itnow, best car I have owned. For me better than the 16v

we are going without bikes in june/july,
try the link
http://www.cantabriaenbici.es/index-en.html#Introduccion
which we looked at, looks good

Simon do not wish to go over old ground, no pun intended, nor were my comments aimed at any one club or ‘group’ it was and is something that annoys me about mountain biking. The bits you mention on longride fell are not dry nor have they ever dried out in the last 3 years and the pics show the damage and devestation caused, I agree with Dave moderators point re group rides.
Agree with the issue of faffing, nightmare.