“You must see the stories in the meeja all the time”

Maybe not, but theres still the potential for it to happen, all it would take was human error.
It just worries/scares me that its possible when I see someone with a gun near me. Either on the bike, truck or tractor
The gamekeepers coming down, surrounding whats left of the uncut crop (As the combine is operating, and me having to buzz up, down and around to catch corn (As they shoot) unerves me a fair bit. Especially as a lot of them are of an older generation, with quite possibly a lesser concentration level.

On the bike I’ve encountered shoots too, (on the road (on an MTB) – slowly winching uphill) and they haven’t noticed me until I pass right by them (they (30 of them?) being on the road edge, in gateways etc… )and they’re panning the guns round without realising whos in their immediate vincinity.

“Unless you’re ginger with a bushy tail you’re not going to get shot by accident”

Not even panning round (not realising you are there) following something move in front of them, with eyes pointed the barrel? and end up with a loaded gun pointed at you?

“I’m after a 2.3 tyre”
2.3″ by which manufacturers claim?

Continental seem to come up small

Old(er) tread maxxis come up small

Most Panaracer (except Rampages) are small, but perhaps not as small as old maxxis/continental

Not too sure about Swalbe. The ones I’ve seen (on regular riding friends bikes) seem perhaps slightly smaller than the ‘norm’ but not as small as continental/maxxis

Bontager and Kenda seem to be in the middle

Specialized used to come up really big, but recently seem to have changed to more normal sizing. eg 2″ fast trak was quite big, but a newer one (The same volume) had 2.2″ printed on the side. 2.3″ enduros were huge!

New(er) tread maxxis seem to come up really big

“Thanks james, think i’m gonna get the standard 2.5 single ply high rollers”

I didn’t think I’d get taken too seriously, I’m not an actual free-riding person. Maybe consider a 42a supertacky up front? Though the 2.5″ high rollers were marked-ly? more grippy than anything else when I used them last. Probably due to the deep tread, and Kenda StickE compound not being that sticky

“Fortunately, I’m immune to all that marketing malarky and could just see it for what it was”
I thought thats exactly what it was?

A track pump is claimed to go upto 160psi on the best ones? Even a cheap chosk pump will(/should) go upto 300psi. Thats a LOT more force on all the components.
As above, theres not a lot of air involved, so a slight leak would affect the pressure greatly.

If theres an element of All-mountain in there (albeit aggressive) I assume you still want to ride uphill with it? And no need for dual ply?

2.35″ (older design tread) maxxis are pretty small

2.5″ Maxxis High Roller single ply in 60a Maxxpro (or 42a Supertacky – maybe useful upfront) are pretty grippy, wiegh about 880g

I’ve Not used minions

2.25″ Maxxis Advantage are about the same volume, but less grippy. The 60a folding version comes in at 660g
Theres a massively bigger 2.4″ version at 845g

Kenda Nevegal 2.35″ stickE seem alright. Predictable in mud, but not as good as 2.5″ 60a Maxxpro high rollers

Though for a bullit I’d assume you’d be avoiding them anyway, avoid 2.4″ conti mountain kings. Abmismal in mud, and really quite small

“the single ply lightweight ones”
Which ones are they then?
In a 2.35″ theres a single ply (wire) AND a folding bead version (in 60a)

Maxxis’ Crossmark (I’ve used the 2.1″ in a 70a) pumped upto 60psi are pretty quick. Still quite quick at 40psi

“26 * 2.35” 60tpi FOLDABLE 65psi 60a 790g “
from maxxis’ website for the ignitor. Theres no 62a eXception version in a 2.35″

Newer maxxis tread patterns (Advantage, Ardent (crossmark?) are bigger (for the same described size) than older ones and most other tyres. Similarly older maxxis’ are smaller than most manufacturers. Though contintental are possibly smaller

A 2.25″ Advantage is the same volume as a 2.5″ High Roller/Minion. A 2.35″ High Roller is only slightly bigger volume than a 2.1″ Advantage

Bontrager ACX 2.2″ folding (sizing pretty normal – though can get a bit slidey when really pushed on trail centre up-down, side-side swooshy corners)
Maxxis Advantage 2.1″ 62a eXception = 595g

Else Kenda Nevegal D(ual)T(yre)C(ompound) folding 2.1″ say they are 610g +/-30g (mine were 630g ..)
Maxxis Higher Roller 2.35″ folding say they are 695g on maxxis’ website, JustRidingAlong.com say they are more like 646g

Else Swalbe’s come up pretty light (And pricey)

“I’m kind of thinking Pike or Fox TALAS in the 110 to 140 range.

I’ve got some 100 to 130 Revs but I’m thinking they would be too short to do the bike justice ..”

Arch-to-crown hieghts:
Rockshox Revelation @ 130mm = 508mm
Fox 32 @ 140mm = 511mm
Rockshox Pike @ 140mm = 517/8mm
Magura Thor @ 140mm = 520mm

The Revs will almost (3mm) be as tall as the fox’s, so if your willing to run foxes, revs should be fine too

Is there such thing as an external 1.5″ – 1 1/8″ reducer headset? Thus slackening the head angle when running a shorter fork? Ie getting pike/thor ride hieght from a revelation?

Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op:
9 pathces (, glue, sandpaper, a little rubbery tube) = 99p

What is the little rubbery (yellow) tube for?

Where are they exactly? The middle one is not near Torridon is it?

upHills? At CyB? Where were they then?

I can’t remember anything overly steep there. The road shortcut after the cafe out on dragons back was about the steepest bit I can remember. The rest was just annoyingly long (though steepish, not overly so)

26:34 (F:R) works out slightly easier than 22:28, which is the second biggest on a 11-32T casette.
Else 26:32 (F:R) works out slightly harder than 22:28 (second biggest on an 11-32T, or slightly easier than 22:26 (third biggest on an 11-34T)

From this pic from mtbr:

Does this mean the end of Deore 6-bolt hubs?

The Deore bash-36-22T is pictured as new on one of these. Shimano model number 545 apparantly

“I also like the sound of the 29er cassette … so that I can have a double chainring setup with same range that I currently have on my triple.”

How are you going to manage that then? Its only a 36T big sprocket. 32-36T (F-R) is a similar ratio to 21-24T (F-R), which on a 32T cassette is only the third biggest sprocket

“contact coed y brenin and ask what snowdon conditions are going to be”

Why not ask somewhere local? CyB is a fair way away, and if you’re phoning the centre its sort of in their interest for you to go to CyB and not up snowdon if thats the choice.

I would’ve thought asking the local outdoor shops/decent MTB shops if anyones been up very recently is the best bet

“is it doable for them to have in one mag a test of ALL the 110-120 FS for example or ALL the steel hardtail available or all the 150-150 FS bikes.”

What do you think? Of course they couldn’t
How many steel (MTB?) hardtails do you think there are?
Cotic do 3, On-one do 5, genesis do 4, dialled bikes do 4, just to name a few manufacturers. When you consider just how many other manufacturers make steel hardtails it’ll become clear it’d fill more than a magazine

Apart from the Specialized Enduro and Scott Genious I can’t think of any other 150/150mm bikes

110-120mm full sussers?
Spesh FSR XC, Stumpjumper FSR, Trek Fuel EX, Gary Fisher Hifi, Marin Mount Vision, Giant Trance X, Kona one20, Cannondale Rush, Scott Spark, Lapierre X-control, Chris Boardman FS, Diamondback Sortie, Whyte E-120, Cotic Hemlock, Titus Moto-lite, Ellsworth Epiphany, Intense Spider 2, Nicolai Helius, Turner Sultan, Niner RIP 9, Maverick Matic, ..

and theres a fair number of manufacturers that don’t do a bike in this one specific travel range [but do full sussers with nearly similar travel], like Orange, Commencal, Felt, Merida, Norco, Santa Cruz, Yeti, Ibis, Ventana, Voodoo, Cove, Pace, Rocky Mountain, Salsa, Morewood, Pipedream, Viper ..

Again, way too many to fit in one magazine? And what about 100mm bikes? And 130mm ones? Why are they so different to the 110 and 120mm ones?

For the steel hardtails, whats wrong with a similar aluminium one? or a Titanium one?

And the 150/150 bikes, why not test 140/150mm, 140/140, 160/150, 160/160mm bikes? They’re pretty similar?

Trying to get in a sample of each from every manufacturer would be a logistical nightmare as well

No

They’ve all got their differences which should be enough to help you decide what would suit what you had in mind
(price, weight, angles/geometry/handling, suspension design/ride quality, material (for hardtails), designed fork capability ..)

Theres always a few reviews kicking about to help you find out if they’re any good (for your riding), asking on here what people reckon of them or you can Demo some of them
If/when theres a couple of bikes that still fit the bill, choose between where you can get it from, whether you like the shape, the colours available ..

Researching and narrowing down which bike/frame to buy is surely all part of the fun of MTBing? Well for me it is anyhow.

I wasn’t trying to have a go at it, I just don’t really know what aggressive XC is supposed to mean.

I quite liked the video, Its a different take on riding that sort of terrain that doesn’t get seen all too often through (most of) the more XC UK mountain bike media

I just wish I was as physically fit and skilled
Shame about the lack of anything remotely rocky though

So is that what aggresive XC is then?

Basic XC in the woods but jumping at EVERY oppurtunity
They must have been knackered after all the jumping and manic pedalling, or rested in between shots

If your based in matlock then maybe something in the white peak, rather than the further north (tends to be steeper climbs) dark peak would be better?

The V graphics white peak book has been pretty good when I’ve used it I thought. Plenty of suggestions to join up to neighbouring routes in the book.
You coulf always get out the map, get the/a guidebook, pencil in all the routes they use across all the routes and pick your own from their essentially reccomended set?

“Re: Telegraph Valley – You’re doing it the wrong way round! Down TGV to Llanber is the way “

After riding it that way, thats what I thought, but thats just what the bikefax book said to do.

“I’ve never been to Snowdon before so have no experience of it. I know when to take advice though so I think we ‘ll be sticking to the trail centres”

Why?
Whats wrong with everything else?

Get the Bikefax book on snowdonia and have a go at one or two out of there
(though they’ve given route instructions on the signposted marin and coed y brenin trails – which just seems like an easy way to bulk up the book)

The one heading NE out of capel curig is a favourite of mine: Though the grassy bits may be a bit wet at the moment

Theres one in there heading out of Llanberis up ‘telegraph valley’ over a pass above the bottom of the ranger path which was quite good too when I tried it (last march):

I’m not saying don’t ride the trail centres, some of them are really good, penmachno springs to mind. Just don’t dismiss everything else because its not a trail centre or snowdon

“they are always the same. any type of weather”
The north loop was ‘interesting’ in the wet with all the de-barked roots. Though last time I went they’d built up most of the approaches/run-outs from them with soil/rock making them a lot easier (but much less fun/challenging)

“found the long fire road climb hard going and boring after the wonderfully technical (for me) singletrack climb that precedes it.”
Before the zig zagging singtrack was open, the ‘long’ fireroad went all the way from the exit of the very first peice of singletrack (straight after the shop)

“I’m told the bike wash costs £1 and only lasts a minute”
It was 50p when they opened and a tap, so unlimited. Though on my return recently there was a ‘pressure’ washer unit similar to those found at other trail centres (ie the ones that don’t actually have any) – which at a £1 per minute is a real shame

Theres a quality Hope QR?!
The lever is sooo short
The salsa metal on metal ones (not the metal on rubbery-plastic, which will wear out) ones look nice

If you’ve got a decent QR (one that will go from full clamping force to just enough to hold the post (unweighted) but move with a small force) you can just about push it down by lightly sitting on it (be careful) on smooth bits before steeper descents.
Though a full dropper (The superstar/pure race/kind shock i900 R one is apparantly (According to the mag (i think?)) the one to go for, having more drop, being lighter, cheaper and likely to develop the least play. The R bit meaing you have the handlebar remote.

For some reason only available in 30.9 and 31.6mm sizes, which is a bit restrictive on frames with narrow seatpost sizes

Theres a lighter i950 on its way though with a better (looking) seat clamp

Anyone know if anyone does a seat QR with an internal cam like shimano/mavic etc wheel QRs?

Tarw (over the road) on the shorter day with the travelling
The Beast (vast majority of mbr and dragons back) on the middle (long) day

As martyntr said, after the cafe part way round on dragons back/the beast, take the steep road climb upto the next bit of singletrack (its pretty obvious on the trail map)

Definetly do penmachno though. Ideally loop 2 as well as loop 1, but if you’re really pushed for time, then just loop 1
(loop 2 stems of loop 1 part way round)

“Why have a fun FS bike and a less fun hardtail?”

On the largely nothingy local XC stuff the hardtail is more fun as its quicker (being a better fit for pedally stuff) and I can leave it with quicker tyres on, so for that, the HT is more fun.

When it was built up with the 130mm revs and bigger tyres, it was fun, but it was still VERY umcomfortable

Unfortuanetly the HT ends up being more fun on steep stuff given the seatpost will move about 200mm from pedalling position (ie completely out the way), whereas the FS will only drop 90mm, not sure I want to sell the frame and go to say a hemlock as it’d be pretty costly

If all my bikes (theres only one more – a rigid commuter) then I’d have even more problems trying to choose which one to ride at any given oppurtunity, and they’d all be slow and less capable on the ups. Besides I’ve not got enough bits to go round to make them all burly

The saddle angle ruins it for me too
Covering up the saddle much improves it (finger over screen)

It reminds me of this monstrosity as well:

which is NOT mine!

After more looking around, it turns out bontrager do 25.4mm ones in 10 and 25 degrees of rise, but are 2-bolt (not 4) and look a bit pants:

Salsa also do 15 and 40 degree stems in 25.4 and 31.8mm sizes, but look arguably worse than the 25.4 bontrager ones:

“Even harder for me as I need an oversize stem”
Bontrager do them in 17, 25 and 40 degrees in oversize

a 17 degree 31.8mm one looks alright

A thomson stem is only 15 degrees of rise, and costs a whopping £60. Wondering id theres anything for much less about

“Hope do their stem in a 25 deg rise. Would that fit the bill”
Only available in 50 and 70mm, which is too short. They’re almost £60 as well

“Reba Team Air U-Turn 85-130mm”

pre ’09 Reba U-turns were 85-115mm

Are you referring to the magazine titled ‘singletrack’?
Else I hadn’t noticed that much difference between this ‘edition’ of singletrackworld.com and the last one, apart from the forum being ordered differently

I know it was a theme, but there was rather a lot of bonking articles. More international trip articles and more articles on races than usual. Combine that with a head to head of 2 out and out XC race HTs and (though this soundsa completely stupid) I felt a bit alienated by it? Can’t moan though as the content varies all the time which is what makes singletrack so much better than the rest.

I was disspointed to see only 3 members of staffs long term test bikes. Thats usually a good bit (to me anyhow) and its a bit of a shame when there has been 6 or 7 in the past

“i’ve got a few mates who couldn’t believe how much a set of Ti rails could actually absorb”
The SDG Bel Air was a Ti one

“When it gets bumpy on a hardtail you should be thinking about standing up”
I do do that (same with the FS), but its when its on pedally flat bits and climbs and slightly rough that its an issue.

“Where are you based? If you’re near sheffield”
I’m based in durham at the mo, thanks for the offer though

“replaced it with a GF Ged with 2.5 tyres and a big fork. My riding progressed massively with the change”
I’ve got the FS for that, the HT is more for local XCy stuff and goes to a 1×9 setup a fair bit. I’m not quite upto SS (yet).
When the FS was broken for a bit last summer, I had the 130mm revs off it, a 2.25″ advantage/2.5″ high roller up front and 2.1″ kenda on the rear and it was really good.

“then ride your bike again and realise it is quite comfy and forgiving.. “
It could still be made better though

“are you running tubeless?”
No, I’m not sure I want to invest in it that much. Its the spare/local bike, and gets leftover bits from the FS.
I’ve hit the rim with 2″ mud Xs at 40psi down steps before, so not sure lower pressures would work that well (with narrow tyres on)?

“You have a budget 80mm corrected xc race bike there”
I know, well the one above was. Mine (the SE) came with a 100mm (never got more than 60/70mm) Marzocchi MZ fork with a ride hieght only 5mm lower than the 120mm MX thats stuck on it now. Thats my excuse (to myslef) to run it anyhow

“Carbon up the bars and post and use if poss 25.4 bars”
Bars are 25.4mm. The front ends not so much of an issue, just the seated comfort for the slightly rough pedally ups/alongs.

Right, so the general concensus is 27.2 USE carbon post (shimmed) if I keep it, else maybe a thudbuster, but at that price I could get a new frame, though it may not have much more give, if any. A more expensive (soul? altitude 853? (sirrus?)) might ‘give’ a bit more on the rear end

The RRP was £500 and at 32lbs or so it was never going to win XC races. Admitedly it was the lowest spec version of the frame though

The bars aren’t really a problem, and the fork is relatively nice.
Its got some 04/05 ish 120mm MX pro’s in, and I had 130mm revs in when the FS was out of action so I’m not thinking of racing it. If I was going to get a new frame I’d be getting a 120/130mm steel frame for the extra give (though will there be much difference?) and actually being designed for a fork that length

Its just seated comfort thats a problem really

Because I can, heres a pic:

If you’re running a 11-32T cassette, your second biggest rear sprocket is a 28T anyway, so you’d only be loosing the one

You say you don’t use the biggest (slowest) three, which on an 11-32T are 32-28-24, the next one being a 21T.
So you could get a road casette with a biggest sprocket as small as a 21T and you wouldn’t be loosing anything other than a load of weight.

On that basis you ought to be able to just not use the 22T ring at all and just use your 32T? ring and all of your current cassette (and still have slightly easier geearing than 22-21T (F-R)

Come on, somebody must be have bought themselves a higher rise stem, what did you end up buying? and from where?

Is that your final offer?
£450 doesn’t exaclty fit your own guidelines you put up before .. or the other ones

When you say 2 years old, do you mean 2 model years, or actually 2 years old?

Would my 2007 (bought mid-december 2007) Specialized S-works Stumpjumper FSR frameset be 1(+2 months) or 2 years old on that basis?

How desireable/run of the mill does anyone reckon it would be?
ie one of these

Humvee (outers – the inners are rubbish) are pretty good. Better than singletracks for unobstructiveness I reckon, being thinner. The flipside being the seat of my short and 3/4 humvees have both fallen to pieces in about 18 months

So thats where it is? If thats an idea of the standard, then I’m really looking forward to getting over there sometime

Bontrager Mud X 2″ Tubeless Ready (Though take tubes easily) = 550g. A racey mud tyre that seem to corner nicely.
The only issue I have with mine is their volume in the rougher stuff/when attempting drops

Bontrager ACX 2.2″ folding (theres also a lighter sub 500g 2.1″ verison) = 565g (I think) are a similar tread to the mud X, but stighlty harder compound. The only issue being when really pushing it on trail centre bermy corners they can start to slide a little, and not as good in slop as the MudX’s

Kenda Nevegal DTC 2.1″ folding = 630g or so, seem good at everything, but not super-duper (not had them long though). It could be that they’re like good suspension is meant to be, that you don’t notice them they’re that good? (Not as good as the Mud X in slop though)

Else (I’ve not used them) 2.1″ High rollers in a 62a compound is sib 500g I think and should corner and clear very well, and roll quite well