I have 2008 55ATA2s.

First time they went back was they weren’t getting full travel – even without air in them I couldn’t get the last three inches, they just stopped dead. Also the travel crept down. All internals replaced (with 2008 bits). The chap in my LBS told me that his had also been back, as had every set of 55s (regardless of ETA, ATA, ATA2) the shop had sold.

Second time they went back it was because they’d collapsed to show only about an inch of stanchion. All internals replaced with 2009 bits. They’ve been fine since. Hopefully they’ll stay that way. When they work they’re excellent forks.

If you do buy some I would strongly recommend getting them through a LBS. I’ve had other forks (RockShox mainly) from web-sellers but I’m really glad I got these from a real shop who can sort things out for me

Daal and a roti.

Well I rode it yesterday.
The Rooley Moor Road into a headwind is a special kind of treat but I enjoyed it (sort of).

I’m not sure I’d bother with the Waugh route itself again – it’s got some good bits but quite a bit of ‘lane’ type stuff. It’s an hours drive for me and there’s plenty of better route within an hour of me.

Enjoyed the bit from Cowpe down into Edenfield though as an alternative to Sand Beds Lane. Think I’ll use that next time I ride to Lee Quarry from Edenfield.

I live for never-ending climbs.

(not strictly true but I don’t mind them if they lead to never-ending descents)

Looking at the map, I suspect the only nasty bit will be the climb out of edenfield up to Cowpe.

I think I’ll be going down from Cowpe to Edenfield, not climbing.

The only other time I’ve ridden round that part of the world I came down Sand Beds and Gin Croft Lanes. If the ‘Waugh’ route into Edenfield’s a bit of a mess at this time of year, I could always do the same.

Anyone?

Got them yesterday.
Ta.

Filthy – Member
Whats the tyre clearence like on the Blur Higgo, plenty of room for some 2.35’s ?

How do you find the pedaling in the granny ring if its got one?

I_Ache – Member
…I got my brother to bring his 456 …the 456 was fantastic…

Tyre clearance is tight but OK on the Blur 4X. I’ve had dual-ply Maxxis Minion 2.5s in there which just cleared. I’ve also had 2.4 Nobby Nics which buzzed the stay bridge. At the moment I’ve got ADvantages in a (big) 2.25 and they’re fine.

There is some pedal feedback in granny. It’s the kind of thing that I notice for the first few seconds then forget about while I wind up the hill. I’m sure it’s thereall the way, I just don’t notice it.

IAche – coincidentally I have a 456 as well as a 4X. The 456 is a fantastic bike but it’s not direct competition for the 4X. I know before I set off if I’m on a 456 ride or a 4X ride. Although last Saturday I was going out for a ride that would have better suited the 456 but I just wanted to ride the 4X. So I did and it was fine.

I’ve got a Blur 4X with Marzocchi 55s and love it. It’s a large – I personally don’t think it’s a gate but I’m not that @rsed what bikes look like compared to how they ride.

I’ve tested a Hemlock (Cy’s with short travel and Wotans) – if I hadn’t got the 4X I’d probably get the Hemlock.

No experience of the Corsair or the Orange Blood. A mate’s got the Orange Alpine and when I stand my 4X up against it, the angles look similar (slack) but I’ve never ridden his and obviously one’s VPP and t’other isnt.

genesis – Member
…an appeal from the authorities for ‘common sense’ to be used by those venturing up the higher peaks…

I’d say common sense was an absolute requirement. Understanding the risks and making rational decisions based on the risks and your capabilities. That’s not the same as saying nobody should venture up there or (as someone else did) that anyone who did was a ‘fool’

genesis – Member

Why not go over during the summer?Why not indeed – it’s good in the summer. But why not go in the winter too? It’s different.

p.s. this site is useful (but not working at the moment): http://www.llansadwrn-wx.co.uk/ice/snow.html

As previously mentioned DO NOT go up at present, NUMEROUS people have died over the last few weeks, you would be a fool!!!! Need I say more!

In fact, never leave the house ever. And don’t go to the front door – you just don’t know who could be hiding behind Grandma.

Spikerman – I’ve had a look at Georando and registered with the site.

I’m struggling a bit with it. I speak/read reasonable French but I can’t work out:
1) if it’s software (and maps) that I stick on my PC or a web-based thing
2) how to buy the maps I need (IGN 3630 and IGN3531)
3) whether I can draw a route using it and load it onto my GPS (or export as .gpx .kml etc)

Don’t suppose you can help with any of the above?

Dhobie (or Jock) itch.
Lamasil sorts it quickly.
(erm…. I’m told)

I realise it’s too late by now but why not ride from Charlesworth if that’s where the job is?

From Charlesworth up and round Coombes Edge/Rocks, Matley Moor brings you to Lantern Pike and the recommended Chinley (a big favourite of mine). From there you can make your way back via either Rowarth or Shooting Cabins.

BigR
Higgo, I am interested in any of the info you have but can’t see your address.

I’ve not got much info but you’re welcome to what I do have.

Email me on higgo/at/ntlworld/dot/com

Whyter – I’ll have them (if nobody else has a prior claim on them ).

Email me on higgo/at/ntlworld/dot/com and I’ll PayPal the money to you (or bank tx)

Interesting that there’s stuff in La Thuile.

I’ve skied there a few times but the only time I’ve been there in summer it was like a ghost town. Admittedly it was late summer but everything was boarded up, including the hotel we were hoping to stop at. In fact we ended up driving on to Courmayeur.

This was years ago though (when the Mont Blanc tunnel was closed)

Cheers Gareth

Not the answer I was looking for (that MM doesn’t cover the whole route) but at least it’s settled it.

I’ve already found your write-up and got your route, ta. There’s a load of info on the walking TMB but yours is one of only two MTB TMB routes I’ve found. I’ve got ’til the summer to work the route out but it looks like a mix/match of the two.

nobody?

Consider me a luddite.

Can the RSS feed send notification to my email address or do I have to remember to check an RSS viewer (or similar)? If I have to remember to check something I might was well remember to check here.

Any news on email notification particularly?

I find I’m visiting here less since the new forum, simply because I don’t get the notifications dragging me back to threads I’ve been on. This may be a good thing for my productivity but (assuming everydoby else behaves like me???) can’t be good for visitor numbers and therefore advertising revenue?

<must remember to check for a reply>

Well I can answer my own question now and report that they’re great for skiing. I’ve just been for 6 days skiing. For the first three days I wore my normal (expensive) Eider ski pants, for the last three days I wore the CoLab jeans, both with thermals underneath. I didn’t notice any difference between the two pairs of trousers.

There was a lot of snow around this week so I got snowed on on the lifts and was in deep powder a few times (sometimes deliberately, sometimes not). They stayed warm and dry on the inside with snow and water just shedding off the outside.

One thing that did worry me, with a button fly and deep powder (or windchill) was ‘chilly willy’ but I’m pleased to report no issues there.

Nothing much more to say for now. They just worked.
I guess I’ll be looking to see how long the proofing lasts now, particularly as I’ve not washed them yet.

I’m looking into this too.

There’s a wealth of info on the web for the walking route(s) but very little on bike routes.

I’ve found a couple of Google maps routes (one of which was a 4day route done by Sian and Carl from EndlessRide in Morzine). I’ve also been sent a text route description from a chap who did it over 5 days. I’m going to spend the Spring looking over the maps and trying to work out a route for myself based on the info I’ve got.

If you want the .kml files or the route description drop me a line via the email address in my profile.

Terence Trent D’Arby.

My 2nd fix was to put 2009 cartridges in them.

I’ve only ridden that bike a couple of times since though so too early to tell.

My 55 ATA2s have been been back twice.

1) never quite got full travel out of them from new. Over a weekend in Morzine they went from not quite getting the last inch to not getting three inches. Even without air in them they just came to a dead stop. Then the travel started winding down while riding. So I’d end up down to 120mm of stanchion of which 80mm of travel wasn’t getting used. Effectively they were the very stiff, very long 63mm forks!

2) worked fine for a while. At the end of a ride nipped into a pub for a pint, came out to find about 2cm of stanchion showing.

They’ve been fixed again but it’s too early to say wherther they’re ‘fixed for now’ or ‘fixed for good’.

Damn good forks when they work.

I’ve got an off-road one – it turns everything I ride into a bridleway

and then it just started working OK.

Firefox now installed.

Same thing – everything works apart from Google.

Virgin Media (ex-NTL)

IE7

Hmmmm. Not fine for me still.

Windows diagnostics has pinged Google (64.233.183.103) and got no response.

Any idea why (in layman’s terms) there’s a selective problem? I don’t know if it’s my PC that doesn’t like Google or Google that doesn’t like me.

hora said: Do you see Bible bashers down at the homeless and washed-out actively trying to convert them?

You should see the Jesus Army operate.
They actively/aggressively target the street homeless (some would say the desparate and needy).

Yes.

I thought not.

Depending on which brand of the cult of christ they belong to, they are obliged to try to convert you (for your own good, obviously).

Pity the deluded fools.

I ride with a smoker.
It doesn’t slow us down – he normally has one at the top of hills while he’s waiting for us to catch up.

Roaches – Gradbach – 3 Shires and you’re virtually back in Buxton.

Thanks – I’ll have a look at Memory Map for the region then.

The Haute Savoie region will be useful to me generally. If they do include the Swiss and Italian bits near the border, all the better.