A good mate of mine works for Howmet who manufacture the single crystal compressor blades for Trent engines. I have a couple of test ones he gave me ready to mount on a plinth. The most amazing bit is the cooling holes through the middle to stop them melting as they operate above the melting point of the alloy! Can’t remember the exact figures but each blade which is about 5″ long costs around £15k!

From vague memory there is a serial number under the crown which has a year on it 08XXXXXXX etc

My sadly no longer with us uncle did this in his 20s and had a ball! He did it with a mate in one man canoes of some description (no idea what they were as it was 30 years ago!). I remember him telling me all about it when I was younger including a farmer who shot at them for upsetting his cattle as they paddled by!

A friend and I recently swapped bikes out on a ride and the first thing he commented on was how easy the shifting was. I have full XTR with Gore cables and he has XT with XTR cables (all newish and well maintained).

I have the same setup on both of my bikes and don’t envisage going back.

Gore cables made quite a difference and are much more consistent than regular cables, almost zero maintenace too.

I must have done that run 3 or 4 times before that crash – obviously blamed it on incorrect tyres pressure rather than my apparent desire to ride a line 6 inches above the top of the berm!

Liking the look of the 2011 Specialized Sub Zeros with the semi mitten approach.

I had some Fox Antifreeze and they were good down to about -2, but I found them a bit lacking below that. The Velco also came apart, so I took them back in the spring, got a full refund so will try something else this season! Have some Altura Thermolites which are brilliant for days like today where it was 3 degrees at the start of the ride.

My favourite is Sancerre Pinot Noir which I prefer chilled. Unsure if I should but that’s how it tastes best to me!

I’ve recently gone from Tech X2s to new XTs and although they don’t look as pretty, the difference in performance is quite soemthing. Massively more power for any given single finger input. I have a Tech M4/X2 combo on my other bike and have bought some more XTs to change them to.

I loved the Hopes and they never felt underpowered until I tried the new XTs! Had Elixir Rs before the Hopes and hated them – they felt like on/off switches to me with almost no modulation despite having plenty of power.

We’re heading over for the first time on the 9th – will most things be open then? Booked an uplift day but planning to ride Verderers first as a warm up!

As a parent of 2 with a 3rd on the way, I can’t imagine what your friend are going through and think that it is an honour they have asked you to do this, however hard you may find it. Professional detachment called for I guess.

Also thoughts go out to dirtyrider and maxray – again, incomprehensible, but a sign of how strong the human spirit is to be able to carry on after such an event.

I wouldn’t have thought there’d be a huge amount of load on the cranks when near the chainstay – obviously the real load is on the downstroke. You sure there isn’t another issue with spacing maybe or frame misalignment?

Guy who was selling some on Pinkbike told me he was getting rid as they were the crappest wheels he’d ever had and had been back 3 times in 6 months for freewheel issues! Not a great salesman, but refreshingly honest!

Unsure if they newer ones are any better.

Look pimp though!

Not sure I wanna post this, but my gym ‘should’ cost £133 a month (www.stokepark.com) plus £30 for the racquets membership (which the wife had). However, they’re a client of mine so I get a corporate deal.

Expensive, but do lots of business there so it pays for itself many times over.

Does make you an awful snob though – not happy in changing rooms now without a deep pile carpet!!!

More help than anyone else so far!

No one got one then I take it!?

Spud – Member

We bought a Bugaboo for number one, easy to use, light etc etc. Within two weeks of our second we bought a Phil & Ted’s. I’d look at the P&Ts and you have the option for further kids should you ever get to there. Our two aren’t far off 6 and 4 and they get no use, they have served us very well though, when I get my act together they’ll be sold.

Are you me?!!!

Quite literally exactly the same here – have number 3 on the way now but have sold the Bugaboo and are keeping the P&T as it’s far better offroad.

I think texting has to be worse than talking – both inexcusable though. My car has Bluetooth and I still miss turnings etc when on a phone so handsfree still isn’t idea or fully safe.

I know I’ve certainly done it in the past and it is a mightily stupid thing to do and completely inexcusable.

tarquin – Member
I would be questioning why driver of the red car which ploughs into the side of them was driving on the wrong side of the road….
But hey, don’t let facts get in the way of a road safety video

Maybe they were texting too!

Seen that before but it’s still mental to watch!

Few guys on my trip this year had them and both tore on their first outing and wobbled a lot, although so did all the other bags apart from the really expensive Evoc one someone had with very wide rear wheels.

The ML8 has the bearings in the monolink so pretty easy to strip – what about the Fox 36s – any idea if they’re easy to strip?

Thanks

Aigle, but when last year I lost some brand news wellies on the beach when surfing, I ended up with some Jack Pyke ones from a local farm supplier – £45 and 4mm neorprene – comfiest wellies I’ve ever had so I’d add them to the list given the price of the others!

Hmmm, quite liking the pink!!

Thanks for the info – as above, does the frame (and forks) need completely stripping?

Anyone?

Bump

If you’re on Vodafone, they can give you a sure signal box that connects into your broadband and works very well.

Other than that, I’ve used boosters from here before and they worked very well – http://mobilerepeater.co.uk/shop/home.php . Not cheap though

I use these and have a Torx version too which is great for rotors – the T handles mean you can spin them very quickly. The only minor gripe is that some bolts within a frame can be tricky to work.

http://cpc.farnell.com/wiha/26247/hex-set-t-handle-6pc/dp/TL11154

Rheola doesn’t seem to be running that weekend. Quite tempted by Triscombe after looking online although it’s a little further from me than CwmCarn

I got a remanufactured unit for the Range Rover fitted for about £1200 – a new one from RR was circa £1500 plus fitting.

Where is Triscombe? Is it all DH ?

One finger only but so much power that I had re-adjust my one finger braking technique as I kept over-braking!

Good stuff – something to plan for the winter!

Just gone from Hope X2s to the new XTs and the difference is amazing. Both had plenty of power and modulation, but the XTs require so little effort to get the same power.

I had a carbon Answer Pro Taper snap on me a few years ago when I overshot a tabletop and landed on the flat – went with quite a bang and thankfully the rather jagged end missed my arm. It dented my confidence in them somewhat.

With hindsight, I suspect I had overtightened the gear or brake clamps as it broke right next to one of these, so am pondering giving one another try, as a mate had some big offs this year in Les Arcs and he’s running a Monkeylite XC.

Just double checked and it is the right way round sadly – that would have been a great fix!

Easiest option is a new rotor or to take a file to the offending area of fork – it’s only about 6mm long so that might be the best bet.

Have plans to get that frame and fork powdercoated anyway so no major issue.

Big thanks Dez – just watching Dirt know and loving it! I started riding in 92 and remember his death vividly.

Very talented rider from the days when one bike and one rider did all events!

Edukator – Member

Quicksilver, in Quicksilver red. Reseach shows women find men in red sexier.

My 3 year old boy has a red QS hoodie and loves it – always gets loads of attention from the ladies but he is a terrible flirt and very cute!

Lots of good advice people – will do a little online shopping!

Gore RideOn for me – fit and forget, particularly with full length outers – should literally last for years.

Initially a but more money and a minor faff to fit if you haven’t used it before, but the smoothest shifting I have ever experienced.

Am sure normal cable is cheaper and fitting middleburn oilers might help keep them lubed, but I reckon the Gore stuff could outlast 2 or 3 sets of normal stuff and save a couple of hours of maintenance over the years so well worth it IMHO.

Can’t imagine ever using anything else again and I was sceptical at first.

Terralogic forks had an X at the end of the name.