2.1" Advantage(/Crossmark) are a 'proper' 2.1" size. A bit smaller than a 2.35" Maxxis High Roller(/Minion/Ignitor/Larsen TT/Swampthing ..)
Not as big as eg Kenda Nevegals (which are only slightly smaller than 2.35" Maxxis)

2.25" Advantage(/Crossmark/Ardent) are very similar in size to a 2.5" High Roller(/Minion). HR has deeper tread, advantage probably has more volume but is lower tread and more round profile though

"(a Singletrack group test perhaps??)"
See issue 30
(I've been reading through some (older) issues)

FSA plastic one. Claimed to be 50g. Much lighter than the truvativ one when 'weighed by hand'
Cheap(ish) at £16 on CRC

"Do you really think I weighed mine with mud on?"
No not really, just attempting to thinking 'out loud' of anything that could contribute

"26.8lbs that my heckler weighs in at is pretty damn good considering – brakes, forks, wheels"
Is it though? Heckler frames aren't light? You could have something like an ibis Mojo with Lopes Link and it'd be lighter and be similar (eg same HA)?
Air/Coil U-turn Pikes are heavy. 2.2(ish)-2.4+kg. RS RVL Air U-turn (20mm) are 1750g. Magura Thor (20mm) are a touch less. I think manitou minutes (20mm axle also) are less again?
M4s? Could you not 'make do' with Marta SLs, perhaps with ventidiscs?
I can't remember but I thought XT wheels weren't super light?

Specialized Tahoes aren't that grippy with flat pedals

The (too) stiff sole and (too) hard rubber compound are better suited to SPD pedal use
Decent hiking boots are often better I've found

You could buy an Anthem X3 for under £900 (I think?) off Pauls cycles, and sell the bits to recoup some of that (perhaps all or more of it?)

XT 761 is the 2004-2007 groupset

XT 770 is the 2008 onward one

Although the total weigh for an XT761 22-32-44T is claimed at 860g and SLX 22-32-44T is claimed to be 889g (XT770 22-32-44T being 853g), the XT arms are heavier than the SLX ones (I weighed them)

XT761 and LX rings are made of aluminium and wear out quite quickly (made of cheese)
XT770 and SLX have a part steel middle ring (the teeth) (lasts way longer but heavier) and part 'composite' (the part that connects to the crankarm spider. (SLX double/bash has an aluminium 36T ring I believe). Inner/outer rings are aluminium but I reckon (just my experience) are longer lasting than XT761 and LX chainrings

As above the 48-36-26 rings may tip that crankset over the weight of the SLX too
Go for the SLX

I like oxnop's ibis. Those white 5.1s (and fork) and a dark frame look good. Not decided whether the red goes with the dark gray though

" I'm just trying to work out where it's saving over 2lbs on mine "

lack of bar ends
lack of speedometer
lack of saddlebag (though I assume that comes off for 'weigh ins')
lack of extra stickers
It looks like it has those Alex Scandium rims on?
Integrated seatmast
Much smaller shock, no remote lever
Smaller/narrower tyres
It looks to brand spanking new, so no mud (or grease?) whatsoever

Maybe not 2lbs, but some way toward it?

"heavy DH bars, heavy DH seatpost, D521 rim rear and Random heavy deep section front, and good old coil-oil bombers"
On an NRS? Aren't/weren't they XC (race) bikes?

"Looks like the whole thing has been done on a budget"
What, of about £4k? (RRP)

"What's the deal with massive tyres instead of a suspension fork?"

In the case of endomorphs, they're for (very) soft sand or snowy conditions. a narrower tyre + sus. fork would sink in

"answer to your pinch flat worries! Tubeless!"
It'd also take 3 times as much faff to swap tyres to suit the ride though too ? ..

Not mine, but I quite like this one

He walks away from it

Fair enough. I can still pinch flat my folding (2.35") HRs if I don't keep the pressure up, though they do seem a bot better than for eg folding Kendas

"Try using MAXXIS tyres"
Do you mean wire bead maxxis tyres?

Try using maxxis 1.2mm/freeride inner tubes, they're a bit more difficult to pinchflat, though I've still managed it, with wire bead maxxis

I may be there, I may not. I'd like to come, but I'll have to see whether I can get myself there or not

Trans Cambrian?

Trans Wales is an endurance/race type event held over I think a week?

On the XC bike it stays up for 95% of a ride, drop it out the way if I find some drops/jumps I fancy having a quick go on

On the FS I used to leave the saddle up as much as I could, the sensation of just about to go over the bars got old though trying to ride stuff with more sudden gradient changes (eg multiple sections of stairs). That and wanting to be able to learn to ride/absorb 3' drops. I bought a (5") dropper post as my frame only has about 3" of saddle drop with the seatpost cut as much as possible, and use it quite a bit, a lot of those times may only be dropping it 1-2" though, so I can still pedal reasonably effectively
As above I could mince my way down stuff, but its more fun to drop the saddle a bit and try jumping off stuff, moving weight around a bit (quickly) and going faster

"I suspect it'd cost too much to be worthwhile"
When I sent my shock/brain for service, the shop I bought it from (Bikescene-Guisborough) said I should insure it for about £450. So it'd probably cost you more than a Fox RP23?

Surely it depends an awful lot on the actual excecution? That and how good the shock attached to it is at ironing out the bad points of the suspension design and highlighting the good points

I'd like a go on a DW link for the antisquat characteristics. An FSR does seem to sit its travel rather a lot when going up steeper hills. If I had a lockout or even a propedal adjustment on my SJer then it probably wouldn't be a real issue, as I don't and 'only' have a brain, it is an issue

I've got a brain on an '07 Sjer, I know its a slightly older system that the current brain fade, but on a SJer, I'd much prefer a propedal adjustment on the shock than a brain. I leave it turned off most of the time to let it respond a bit quicker and to get a bit more traction (brain on runs less sag) when climbing
My brain leaked its pressurising nitrogen once (brain completely off) and the rear wheel had so much more traction than running the brain on its most off setting

On an epic I can see it being pretty awesome, but on a SJer I don't (personally) see it as an 'upgrade'

""here comes the sciency bit"
Hmm, probably. Whats needed is probably already there and as I find it interesting I 'think' there should be more. Stuff like linking geometry/suspension rates/etc to why how the bike handles/rides etc ..

"Most Tesco's sell us"
Aside from Express and really quite small ones locally with a tiny selection of magazines, the Tesco Extra in Doncaster has never had it when I've checked
A local garage used to sell it, but now seems to stock Dirt instead

"That one with Nick Larsen was very good"
I quite enjoyed that, usually I find interviews too nothingy to get through though

"problem I can see with it is thats more suited for people already established in the sport "
I think thats one of the things that makes it what it is though
I don't go back to mbr/WMB because they churning out what bike to buy for £xxx, double page spreads on how to mend a puncture etc etc .. and theres nothing of actual interest. When I was still getting into the 'sport' I didn't really 'get' a fair bit of it, but I wasn't really buying it to be told how to be an MTBer (like some others seem to do)?
WMB used to be good when I think they tried to relaunch themselves a bit in 2006? Since then they've moved (back?) to being a 'WHAT' magazine. (ie full of group tests and nothing to actually read)

The reviews and grouptests approach I really like. mbr and WMB appear to be obcessed narrowing stuff down to a definative best buy approach. ST always seems to conclude with how each bike would suit different riders
In depth reviews (especially negative ones) are good too. I thought the one of the (2007) Marin mount vision was very useful (I was considering one)

I quite like the £100 weekend theme of articles and the Long Term test bikes is good, though have the long term test bikes lost a place in the grinder recently?

"Mike Ferrentino chap does get a bit much though"
+1, perhaps if he had a column every other issue they might be more apprieciated?

"Dont be scared of losing some readers with complicated stuff"
The tech sort of stuff in Dirt is the most interesting thing in there for me when I've bought it
You could always shove it somewhere near the back?
Quite whether comprehensive (half) page on one particular 'tech' item would end up being that relevant, to eg trying to work out why/how a bike works
Perhaps it would be more relevant to try to include a little more in bike reviews themselves (I know there is a fair bit, maybe its enough and I don't realise it), even if it means putting little reminders of what little perk suspension type x has and that suspension y is always going to be that much flexier ..
I don't know, perhaps that would be more annoying
It'd probably just going to make armchair reviewers more set in their ways if anything ..

EDIT: Apologies for waffling on, I didn't think it was that long

Those Pedros ones are £5 each (£2 for the mavic one) on CRC (or £23 for 4?). You just have look a bit harder to find it ..

Nobody comes close? Whenever I've bought or price checked wheelbuilds merlin usually works out cheaper than CRC

XM719 (non-disc) is heavier than XM719 Discs

I find I have to find something wrong with it (either actually or just whether it may be lesser in some regard) before I can stop thinking about buying it

The problem is then I'd be looking at something more in the middle, like a Prince Albert ..

I've fell off a good number of times? It still works?

The original lever for my i900 has broken twice (And no I don't run the lever exposed on top of the handlebar, but out the way next to the shifter lever. The lever is just brittle. The newer ODI compatible one shouldn't break as easily

After 9 months it does have a bit of play side-to-side play in it, but isn't noticable when riding. I think superstar can do some kind of service where the play is gotten rid of

The post always returns (going up) to the same height, so you simply play about with where your ideal proper pedalling position is when the seatpost is at maxiumum extension, then leave it until you feel the need to drop the post further (into the frame)
There is no way of setting a minimum drop, but you get the hang of setting it by sitting on it. Theres enough resistance to do so.

It depends what you class as a normal post? Normal as in what came with your (budget) bike? A carbon post? A standard Thomson?
KS i900 I think was supposed to be 550g. The remote kit will add a touch more
A i950 is supposed to be a little lighter

A 3" drop crank brothers Joplin is about 460g, but is only 75mm drop

Just out of interest, why is the first section of the main logride (much) narrower than the second, when you can only get to the second by completing the first?

Whats the paint job about? Why are there 'random' position/size black stripes within the brown bits

The brown looks too purpley

Otherwise it looks like some sort of take on one of those bamboo bikes (brown and black)
If you'd just stuck to white and black (like the headtube/top tube/downtube it could have looked alright

Also why have you got your brakes set up Euro style/other way around?

Nooooo, get those MZs off of that Sanderson ..

Second park tool puncture repair patches, either use a whole one on the frame, or cut in half and wrap around the offending outer cable/brake hose

I use middleburn cable oilers on my gear/seatpost cables to push any crud that gets inside the (full) outer cables with WD40. I've positioned them along the length of the outer such that the rubber O-ring seal touches the head tube sepearting the outer cable from touching the frame when the handlebars turn

"but thats not a right at all. The climber has the right of way"
What?!
This is all well and good as a 'discussion' on what would ideally happen, but in reality there are no rules?
You (as a cyclist) should only give way to walkers (and horses?)(quite why that rule is there I don't know, its not like cars have to give way to walkers (regardless)? )

"desperately trying to clean that climb they've always struggled to do, only to be bullied off the trail by a loon hairing down towards them with gravity on their side"
I was trying to refer to non-b@stard climbs, though didn't really say so
If it was bad enough to need to wander across the whole width of a trail rideably wide enough for both to pass if both keep to one side then perhaps (I'm sure there'll be instances where this doesn't happen) the descender may be happy enough to watch the climber attempt it (eg steep section near top of Jacobs ladder)

9! How far? perhaps more importantly, how much climbing? 2000m?

Given Cut Gate + Doctors Gate is what, 60km? Whats Cut Gate + Jacobs Ladder (I'm assuming I've followed the right link for 'cut the beast')?

Doctors Gate + Jacobs Ladder would be good too I reckon, though less distance than the other 2

Go onto the monkey spoon site and pick a few descents from the pics on there? Then try to link them up. Granted theres a few good descents not on there, but one place with some good pics to help you choose?

Notable* exceptions being: Blackley Hey/Clough, Bradwell Edge
*Not uber techy, but I think they're fun
Roych Clough and the bottom of Rushop Edge you'd do if you did jacobs ladder anyhow

Any particular reason you have to ride from Hope?

""on the road when there's a big queue of traffic behind a tractor… "
They removed that rule (3 cars qualifying as a queue) a few years ago"

"what do you think for giving way up or down a trail when you meet someone?"
As much as possible I think both riders should try to get out of each others way, people who climb with their head down wandering from one side of a trail to the other is a pain (as are walkers who do the same)

"rider who is struggling up the tech single track and the rider bombing down"
If its climbable it can't be very difficult in descent to stop/start (or descend it)
Though its usually as much a pain to break up the flow of a descent as not being able to clean a climb. If the person descending is clearly out of control then the climber might want to get out of the way for their own safety

Odd because its sitting so high above the outer (36T) chainring?

I believe the term is a top swing mech (when the mechanism is above the seattube clamp)
(the other type that hangs down being a conventional swing, ie like road bikes)

Merlin too sells them, £5.04 cheaper, and actually have them in stock

from SRAMs site, 473mm (for 26" wheel)

JRA = Just Riding Along

Theres an english staffed/owned? shop lower down (away from the pleney lift) in Morzine I hired a £1900 Giant Reign X1 (was that or a 100mm Trance) ago the other summer. Nothing wrong with it in terms of maintenence, they'd even put 185mm rotors on (the stock bike came with 180/160). Was a little more expensive than other shops and had to give back by 6pm (was only one day)

Also hired from another shop, also lower down in Morzine (not as low as the other shop), that had Lapierres, had a Spicy 316 for a day, a little less than the reign and could return by 7pm. Nothing wrong with that either

Both were fine, though it was early in the season, so perhaps hadn't had the hammer yet?
Also, both bikes had their brakes the UK way round 🙂
(I think the lapierre shop had some in euro way round too though)

Can't remember what either shop is called though

Bear in mind when a XC717 and XM719 have 17 and 19mm internal widths (XM719 is 24mm external), a DT Swiss (EX 5.1D) may be quoted as having a 28mm outer width which looks massive when its not actually that much bigger

What tyres are you hoping to run (that don't 'work' on your XC717s)?
For eg an XM719 IMO doesn't support a 2.25" Maxxis/2.5" Maxxis (they're the same volume, a 2.25" is much bigger than a 2.35", 2.4" is bigger than a 2.5"), a 2.35" Kenda, 2.3" Specialized, 2.35" Bontrager .. that well, they're fine for occasional use, but I don't think they're best compromise if you want to use them all the time. Something with a width more like 26 or 28mm (External) would be better I reckon

EDIT: just read you use 2.25" Schwalbe's, XM719s should be okay. Make sure you go for the XM719 disc's over the XM719s as they're lighter, and look better ..

Do mean a 180mm caliper? Or do you mean a normal caliper with an adapter to make it fit a 180mm rotor? If so get an avid 185mm adapter (for about £7) and it'll work