Well, it opens a whole new can of worms! What bike for 2-3k!?!?

Is the obvious answer not a Codeine then…? ;)

Typical valuation seems to be 55% of original value after first year, then dropping by 10% each subsequent year. Entirely dependent on brand/spec/condition though. Edited as I’ve just seen it’s a road bike – I’d say the relatively unknown brand won’t help.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fox-F80X-Terralogic-Forks-1600g-/291138150595 ?

Shouldn’t be too hard to buy the V-brake pivot studs if the seller doesn’t have them.

orangeboy, wouldn’t the Marzocchi 55R fit your criteria, or too heavy?

http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/353/9141100s/marzocchi-55-r-26-fork-2014-1-18-steerer.html

Edit: 2.5kg, maybe a bit heavy but not that bad. And £320 new…

Specialized Command Post with static external cable. Never going to happen due to its design, but would keep me going til I get a new frame.

Specialized Pitch with internal dropper routing and 44mm/tapered head tube.

Use one of the crank bolts to bolt the BB tool in place, clamp the tool in a bench vice then (gently) use the frame as a lever.

How do you know the cameras were on and filming at that point..?

Coffee. I have horses that make less of a stench..

Update – A&E referred to Minor Injuries, got checked over, doc reckons mild post-concussion so nothing to really worry about. Have instructions to go to GP and see about an MRI if it doesn’t improve over the next couple of weeks.

Yup, pretty much! I mean, where would we be if we took advice from people on the internet..? ;-)

In all seriousness, only really phoned 111 to find out whether I should go to GP, minor injuries or A&E.

Cheers guys – phoned 111 and they advised getting it checked out so going to pop along this afternoon :-)

If you have trouble moving the bike around on flats but not on clips then it’s poor technique at fault, not the pedals.

or, put another way:

Under some circumstances it is useful to be able to pull up on the pedals. You won’t be able to do this with flat pedals, so you will need to adopt a different technique[/quote]
Hah, ok – I’ll give you that…!

SPDs on the rigid retro, flats on the Pitch. If you have trouble moving the bike around on flats but not on clips then it’s poor technique at fault, not the pedals. Not saying either is better, mind, but having spent years on SPDs and only gone to flats a couple of years ago when I started riding modern FS, I’m in no hurry to go back.

I’ll add another question into the mix – I’ve read on MTBR that there are plans for a 650B 160mm version; how far behind the 29er do you think they’ll be, and will the spec be the same?

I used to have a cheapy one, now have a Barbieri and it’s miles better.

Damnit, wish I’d seen that!

Just bought this: http://www.rutlandcycling.com/107637/products/fsa-orbit-mx-sealed-headset-1-1-8-inch-bike-cycle.aspx – looks alright for the money.

Mate of mine’s just got an S-Works Enduro 29er – had a crack on it today at Swinley and it’s a proper weapon, so so fast. Never felt like it had too much travel either. Sizing of the Large was spot-on for me at 6′ with a 35mm stem.

Personally I’d say put it on eBay at 99p start, no reserve, and list the clutch fault – you may be surprised at how much you get. Done this a couple of times and final bid has always been higher than I thought it would.

Post-ride Frijj is a bit of a ritual, wouldn’t be without it. Try and make sure I have a banana for the potassium as well otherwise I get really bad leg cramps later on.

Oh hell yeah…

Looking at a set of these for my Pitch – I see Winstanleys are out of stock of the straight steerer model CRs. You lot been buying them all!?

I have Elixir 5SLs on my Pitch and they’ve been great. I’d change them but a)I have no reason to, and b)I’ve heard Shimano/Hope/Formula are all quite wooden-feeling compared to Avids.

No experience on Schwalbe tyres though…

Agree with most of the above – I wouldn’t leave the dog in a van unsupervised for any length of time anywhere, and especially not on a warm day; it’s essentially a big metal oven in that situation. Either plan around the dog or don’t take him, it’s not fair otherwise.

Cheers for the input (and offer of forks – will email you over the weekend), given me stuff to think about :)

Yes, I did see that the 55CR are 170mm – was planning to machine a custom travel spacer to take them to 160mm (don’t want to invalidate the frame warranty!). Good to know they ride nicely though, cheers.

In all seriousness, try both before you buy – I’m 6′ with short legs/long torso and I ride a medium. Dpends whether you want it as an all-day epic bike or a sub-4hr ride hooligan bike really I guess. I went for the latter…

Granted it’s 5″, but Kurt Sorge uses a small Trance X as a slopestyle bike. Just so happens I have a cheap one for sale.. ;-) climbs well too!

Another +1 for the Pitch as well – 6′ on a stock 2011 Medium here. Sometimes feels a bit small but point it down and it’s awesome. Looking for a set of 160mm 36s or Lyriks for it and I just wish it had a tapered head tube…

Orange have got a few ex-demo Patriots at around £2400 if that tickles your fancy?

Ah, fair enough. They do a 170mm travel Wicked Comp that uses Rockshox f&r that’s about two thirds of the price…! Edit: 26″

YT Wicked 650B Pro?

Spec looks pretty tough to beat for the money (though I realise that isn’t the be-all and end-all)…

Hmmm, didn’t look at the weights so never realised they were that much heavier than the competition. Wonder why that is – are they likely to be significantly stronger/tougher?

No-one..!? British company, based in North Wales too.

Pitches used to be worth quite a bit as they had a really good reputation for being a great all-rounder but I think that these days the problem with them is the 1 1/8″ head tube – anyone wanting a beefy do-it-all bike is likely to want decent forks on it and it’s getting tougher and tougher to find them with straight steerers.

Additionally, the Pitch is known to be a big bike, such that even at 6′ I’m riding a Medium, so I’d say the market for a Large will be smaller.

FWIW, bought my 2011 Pitch Pro just over a year ago for £875, completely standard and hardly used.

cbmotorsport – Member

idiotdogbrain – Member

Sainsbury’s Basics Lasagne or Bolognese Pasta Bake – 75p

Surprisingly good for how cheap they are; British beef Eastern European horse, free-range egg, no preservatives or other rubbish. I’d be amazed if you could find better for the money tbh.

FTFY. [/quote]
Oh, how original! Tell me sir, are you of the comedic persuasion…?

Sainsbury’s Basics Lasagne or Bolognese Pasta Bake – 75p

Surprisingly good for how cheap they are; British beef, free-range egg, no preservatives or other rubbish. I’d be amazed if you could find better for the money tbh.

1) Yup – 3yr old Sproxer (spaniel X boxer)
2) 16 miles/2 hours seems to be his current limit with plenty of water stops
3) No food, just water
4) Happily drinks from water bottles or Camelbak but there’s cattle troughs around the army ranges where we go

My sympathies and thoughts are with you. My fiancee’s brother took his life just over three weeks ago at the age of 21, 8 years after they both lost their younger brother to cancer at the age of 10 – it came as a complete shock as none of us had any idea that he was feeling this way. We had not long been on holiday with him and his mum, and he seemed his usual cheeky self. I’ve had the job of sorting out his computers (he was partially disabled and spent a lot of time online gaming) and found a suicide note that he emailed to himself, obviously knowing it would be found… :(

Having struggled with depression myself but never quite got to that point, I just feel a great sadness that he felt unable to talk to anyone about it, and that none of us knew how he was feeling. The only consolation is that he’s no longer in the terrible torment he must have been going through, but it doesn’t make picking up the pieces any easier.

Deerstalker into Labyrinth