I'm not suggesting doing it all, it was just some suggestions around the existing route

A few suggestions to the route:
http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=29962

Instead of Mam-tor straight to Dirtlow Rake/Pindale, go up onto Rushop Edge and down, then round on the backlanes (includes a very fast backlane, usually very quiet)

Instead of Hope Brink (lots of snow melt* wet grass) you could go up the Roman Road out of Hope

Instead of going up blackley hey, you could go up the long strightish up in the woods used last time, coming out part way up win hill, then take the fast grassy down back to hope cross (then back in edale)

*assuming the snow has actually melted a little, if at all ..

EDIT: Whoops, bikehike says its 24miles ..
I've done it before, its not that taxing, its just 4 hills spaced out a bit more than a typical peaks ride

UP Blackley Hey?! Thats looks nasty ..

"Rockshox Recons (which he's hoping to upgrade to adjustable travel Pikes soon"
Why? Its a 100-130mm XC frame which is said to handle best at 100mm?
Recons aren't a bad fork, not as light as revelations but still feel fine and share 32mm stantions.

If its a second bike, I'm presuming the other is a little more hardcore? Are pikes really neccessary?

The stems not a looker though

Possibly, depends on the snow

I'll be in a worse state fitness wise than the last ride having only done one serious ride in between .. I'll see if I can get a half decent ride in, in between.

""You can only ride one set at once!" "
Yes but they won't wear out before the change in conditions mean something else is more appropriate ..

SLX will be fine

Saying that cheap casettes won't do it isn't quite right

What they need is a casette with a 'carrier', where some or most of the sprockets have a sort of 'chassis' to spread the load a bit over the freehub body. You'll see what I mean when you look at the SLX.
An XT has a little wider one

The freehib body is aluminiumm, not steel and 'normal' casettes where all the sprockets go all the way to the freehub body can guage into it. If it gets really bad, you may find the casette is very difficult to remove

The SS setup (in theory) will be worse than a 'normal' casette as you're sticking all your (SS) load onto just one sprocket (rather than 7 stuck together in a 9spd casette). You might get away with a sprocket with a wide base

"Where is your last pic btw? "
Which one, I just stuck a few more in? The alpine pic that slopes the other way to the other 2? That would be descending into Meribel-Motteret (I think) Part of the 3-vallees resort (Courchevel being the biggest of the 3)

Was taking an SX trail up high street worth the extra effort?

A little snow, now snowed over far more deeply

CRC have the truvativ ones to fit

I've bought from and regularly check for prices before buying:

CRC*
Edinburgh Bicycle Coop, for Specialized
Evans Cycles, for Specialized, Bontrager
JustRidingAlong, for Maxxis, I'd rather buy from them than CRC + sometimes cheaper, or in stock
Leaisure Lakes, for Specialized
Merlin Cycles*
On-one
St Johns Street Cycles, for bizarre bits
Superstar Components, mostly brake pads
Swinnerton Cycles, for Bontrager
Wiggle*, though are rarely cheapest on stuff like they used to be

*These are the main ones though, or at least wiggle used to be

20 used in revoltution (on 4 different bikes)
2 in the post
~4 not worn out, but not used
A few worn out ones that need chucking

"It can do 115-160mm and isnt that heavy really now is it?! "
Well it is. The Coil U-turn is 2.6kg. The 2Step Air (which can only do 115 or 160mm) is about 2.4kg

Its especially heavy if you aren't planning on using 160mm all the time AND a 2010 RS Revelation 120-150mm Air U-turn (20mm axle) is about 1750g?

That stem is just hideous
As is the saddle, I'm assuming its nopt at your proper pedal height? Else you really don't/shouldn't need that much rise

2.4" Mountain Kings at this time of year? When the snow melts they'll be terrible in anything muddy won't they?

Brake levers need moving away from the grips, or do you 'need' more than one finger to brake with?

Everything below the top of the headtube tube looks nice!

When I use maxxis, I use:

Crossmark 2.1" folding 70a front, 2.1" wire 70a rear
Bought for summer use and a C2C ride. Wire on the rear because its cheaper when it needs replacing. Folding up front because its lighter. Have used round Kirroughtree, doesn't feel like it corners as solidly as 50/60a Nevegals for instance, but still carries speed through corners well enough. No problems on McMoab with 40+psi
Have used recently on local BMX tracks. Similar lack of feel in corners but doesn't actually loose grip when pushing it
Will probably try Michelin Dry 2 2.15"s or something else with a little more grip next summer/spring
(on the XC hardtail btw)

2* High Roller 2.35" 60a folding (100-150g lighter than the single ply (wire)) (646-695g depending on Just Riding Along or Maxxis)
Only really use in sloppy conditions as something to actually cut through to find grip (whilst keeping some volume to (badly) ride rocks, stairs and drops) Good cornering at trail centres but don't actually have that much rubber in contact with flatter harder surfaces
Use Kenda Nevegal Folding DTC (50/60a) 2.1" (ever so slightly smaller) in less sloppy conditions and through summer on the FS bike most of the time. Feel/look like they have more rubber contact on harder surfaces. 50a side tread makes up for lower side tread height
Got some (now discontinued) Bontrager ACX TLR 2.2" (55/62a, 650g) on the way as something to ride in more sloppy conditions. Nevegals will go back on when it dries up a little

2* Advantage 2.25" 60a folding (660-700g depending on age of weight quote)
As big as a 2.5" Single ply High Roller/Minion etc.., but lots lighter
I think they're slower than the much more ramped (and smaller) high roller 2.35", especially on the road, but not sure by how much
Make the bike feel very tall in corners, and a bit too round (side tread not big enough) to give decent cornering grip. Not sure how much of this is running too high pressures. Since started using thicker inner tubes that actually fit the size of these tyres, can now use more sensible pressures, need to retry at a trail centre to revalute cornering
I like them in the peak/lakes for flat out over really rocky stuff tyre. Noticably much better cushioning over a 2.1" Nevegal or 2.35" High Roller
May try 2.35" Nevegals in place, or 2.3" Specialized Eskars (55/65a)

2* High Roller 2.5" 60a Single Ply (Wire) = 880g (According to Just Riding Along), bought for an alps trip where I knew I'd be riding a few big ups (900m road up was the biggest, so chose the lower weight and ramps over a minion single ply 2.5", or a 42a Supertacky. It rained every other day onto soaked trails. Open, deep tread proved invaluable in those conditions (well as a compromise of slop and wanting big volume for monster braking bumps on a 5" bike). Way way better than a 2.35" Nevegal, or 2.4" Mountain king on a couple of hire bikes
Took them again this year on much drier, harder trails. Although leant over conrering grip is decent (tall tread), they don't 'feel' that contected to the ground. Wire bead (instead of the folding bead of my 2.35"s) is noticably better for puncture protection). Not quick on the road at 35psi by any means. Bearable at 50-60psi
Will probably try a Specialized Clutch SX 2.3" Single Ply (45/50a, 900-1000g) up front next time, with a part worn high roller rear or a Minion DHR 2.5" 60a Single Ply next time I get to go to the alps

Overall: I'm going off Maxxis, Often heavier, more expensive, no dual compound options (I know theres the £50 ea. 3C DH options), no middle ground between a touch hard 60a and super draggy 42a, not really finding anything (so far) as an all round trail tyre ..
Need to try 2.35" 60a folding Minions probably. A touch heavy (~700g) and expensive, but could be good

EDIT: Jeez, this post is insanely long! Didn't realise until I saw it posted. Whoops ..

"I want to be able to unclip at the top of the hill and ride down unclipped when the trail gets nasty"

Why?
You'll have far less grip than using flat pedals unclipped
If you aren't confident with SPDs either make yourself learn to get used to them (use them more where you don't feel comfortable, build up gradually) or use flat pedals instead?

Back to your question, do you want to do any walking in sloppy conditions at all? Something like a DX shoe (or for eg the Vans SPD shoes) have more of a waffle sole, that will clog more easily than something like a knobbly treaded Specialized Tahoe or Shimano MT series shoe

Disco brakes and Carbon Cycles do one (eXotic?) for £85ish I think. (Same as nuke proof/superstar/white bro.s/and some others)

"Do you need a front chain device to keep the chain in place?
..
Guess it depends on what type of riding you intend to do?"

It does depend. On the road your may get away with just shortening the chain accordingly (round both boggest chainring/sprocket + 1 pair of links).
Make sure your chainline is aimed at the middle of the casette
You can use washers to space out the chainring bolts instead of buying short ones

You can use a single ring chainring (eg Thorn unramped, Onone SS etc etc), that are unramped and have deeper teeth to try to stop the chain falling off
You may find the single ring chainring is wide enough (the Thorn one is) to use the original chainring bolts so you don't need washers or short bolts

You can use just a front mech to stop the chain jumping postioned with the low stop in the right place

The Rohloff chainguide is £40-50 I think,
The MRP 1x (above) and ethirteen versions are both about £40

Many people use a bash ring on the outside (CRC have the FSA one for about £16) with something on the inside. Either an N-gear jump stop (above), an inner ring guide (blackspire do one, CRC sell it, fixes to the inner chainring bolt holes), or I use a zefal pump frame mount, fitted to the seattube (as I had one lying about) positioned so that it stops the chain from falling off the chainring. It only really works with a 34.9mm seattube though, anything smaller and the gap is too big (I've no pics I'm afraid)

I also found that with the chain shortened accordingly, a non shadow rear mech would run up against the chainstay and wouldn't shift too well. I've a long cage mech as its what I had and the bike sometimes gets put back to 3×9. With the shortened chain a longer mech is surely tensioning the chain more than a short one as the spring is under more tension, especially in the smaller sprockets?

Start with minimal parts and 'work up' as you encounter problems?

Is the bashguard significantly larger than the large chainring plus chain?

29lbs for a 4" FS is on the lardy side isn't it? Though obviously depends how much it cost in the first place

Basically the position of the pivots means it is a single pivot
The suspension will become less effective under braking and pedalling I believe giving less traction/tracking in either case. It depends on how you ride as to whether its a problem or not

"so it does not get sticky at the first sight of mud/ wet/ cold and refuse to change down 20 mins into every ride"
I've had this. Adding middleburn cable oilers into the full length gear outer cabling and spraying in WD40 to push out any crap/water and lubricate the cable a little stopped it from seizing on wet rides

"2006 stumpy fsr comp (the last year of shock going through the frame"
Erm no, as above and mine below are 2007 bikes/frames:

Endura Humvees are just too thin. 2 pairs of mine have fell apart
Endura Singletracks on the other hand (thicker, more durable) are holding out much longer, as well as being a much better fit, repel more water, not as annoying when wet etc etc ..

"bet its not as niche as me putting bar ends inboard of the brakes and shifters"
Been there, done that ..

The big block on the handlebars was an attempt at fitting a camera to my bike. It just filmed everything upside down, otherwise okay
Apologies for the saddle bag though ..
And no, the bottle nozzle didn't get muddy, the mudguard just covered it from spray

EDIT: just noticed this was taken after I'd moved the bar ends back to outside the brake levers/shifters and just inside the grips ..

Marys look more 'normal' (less wierd) than H-bars, especially as H-bars have a pronounced rize to them

In case you didn't know what they looked like:
Titec H-bar

On-one mary:

Else you could try an on-one fleagle:

(I think surly do a similar sweep one (the 1×1?)

XT rear hub is very simple to service. 17 and 15mm cone spanners (you could get away with just the 15mm and an adjustable spanner ..). Just grease up the ball bearings. If needs be the ball bearings themselves aren't overly expensive.
Try to measure up the front bearings and get some new ones from a bearing company

Its going to cost the price of 2 new hubs (probably 2 new sets of different length spokes if you go for something different) and the labour. It'd probably be cheaper to buy complete new wheels than do this

Is it possible to make the f80s into f100s? I know some fox forks you can (by removing an internal spacer), not sure which though

25.4mm or 31.8mm clamp?

What to on-one do? They're sometimes quite cheap

"Anyone know who does the warranty work?"
Send it back to whoever you bought it off, your contract is with them. They'll send it to 2Pure

I could be wrong but when I looked CRC only had 75mm drop Crank Bro.s ones, which isn't exactly a lot
My 125mm drop KindShock/Purerace one is much more useful, actually dropping right out of the way for 99% of the time I drop the saddle.
Okay so a lot of the time I might only drop the saddle 30 – 80mm (ish) but being to drop further when required without having to stop, get off, drop it, get back on, try and set off on in a dodgy spot is great

I bought one because even with a conventional seatpost chopped so that its at minimum insertion at pedalling height, I can only get the saddle about 80mm lower when dropped, I was wanting a bit more for silly sections where the saddle was getting in the way fully dropped

I think it does help yes thanks, just odd that Bontrager has failed to say anything on their site about the Tubeless Ready ones being dual compound

Chances are that they'll be 3 layers, carbon, laquer then some kind of coating, paint or gloss. So it could* be the lacquer. Just going off how my carbon frame is layered up

*Just as much as it could be something else ..

'leant' against some pointy rocks

"what's the "Travel Adjust" refer to"
"aye, what is this 140mm travel adjust – all travel?"

It means you can take them to bits and insert a 15mm spacer to reduce them to 125mm travel

"I've got the u-turn which you'd assume would weigh more and they're under 1900g"
Are they 2009 Maxle (20mm bolt thru axle) ones? Or QR?

" have recently made the move to a 2.25 High Roller on the front and a 2.35 ADvantage on the back "
I think you've got the names and sizes mixed up

I'd suggest Nevegals, but not 2.1" ones (unless you want to go a fair bit bigger volume). The 1.95" DTC lite are as big if not bigger than a 2.1" Panaracer (Which will be bigger than the tiny 2.1" High Roller)
The 1.95" Nevegals have slightly lower tread than the standard 2.1" and bigger Nevegals so should roll a bit better. DTC means you have stickier tread on the outside for cornering grip and harder in the middle for rolling

The high roller XC (2.1" and 1.9") have much lower tread spaced further apart than High Roller FR/DH (2.35" and bigger) which have much taller (especially the side tread for cornering) than the XC models

I find that high rollers can feel a little tall in tread at trail centres especially, due to them not actually having that much of a contact patch and have a bit of gap between middle and edge tread. Compared to a Nevegal the tread and contact patch is a bit more spread out and more even. At somewhere like a trail centre where the tread doesn't really dig into anything I prefer something a little lower and spread out like a nevegal than a high roller

What does the nicolai website say? And don't their framesets come with them supplied?

Just a minor point that may or may not be of any real importance
The 1750g weight is incorrect for '09 maxle (pike lowers) revelations. The QR (RVL lowers) ones are 1750g. '10 Revealtion Maxles have new lowers + other bits so are lighter

"have actually pushed the boat out and gone 2.35 Swamp Thing front and rear now"
They'll be fine, as they're only slightly bigger than 2.1" Kends

It can't physically roll off the rim, but because of the angles you're forcing the wider tyre edge upto the narrower rim you may well find that it pinches the tube more easily, so you may need to run more pressure, to the point where you maybe better off dropping a tyre size.

2.35" Kenda on XC717s seems bonkers (to me at least)

They'll be alright, but its pushing it really. The lower the pressures you try to use the more it'll try to roll off the rim. You may find you need to run quite high pressures to stop it from pinchflatting the tube too

"has a very modified, blinged-out Kona Stinky 24"
I hope it wasn't that one in MBUK recently ..

Isla seems to be the standard answer to decent non-adult sized XC MTBs

"I can never see the point in a ss hub other than it looks a bit neater "
The chainside spokes aren't under as much stress/load etc.. because of the change in angle, so should last longer, apparantly

Or buy a steel and carbon hardtail? Supposed to be more comfy than their normal steel hardtail. £425 isn't ridiculous either

(Pipedream Brewmaster btw)

or a Ti hardtail or ..