interesting the comments about 140 best as I`m wondering about reducing my Fox 150 s down to 140 as it can be a bit too sketchy on steering on leveller stuff

I`ve had 2 pairs of RLT Ti dual position 150 / 120; BOTH failed to re-extend properly when at 150mm travel after steady descents, forks settled at about 40% sag and would not re-extend unless fully unweighted—probably due to air leak with air transfer from +ve to – ve chambers. Got money back, bought Fox 150 Float instead, much more trouble free so far, but the 120mm option is missed. See this
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=7747699#post7747699
for much more in depth discussions about RLT Ti dual position forks 🙁

oh bearings bearings…(: , took my Pro 2 to LBS due to bit of play, thought it might be a set or 2 of bearings, ended up being all 5 sets + soem broken pawl springs, whole lot was arusty stiff mess—all comes from riding through deep puddles / stream crossings in mid Wales I reckon as there`s no way to dry them out

I hope it is just the paint ! My carbon road bike has a few short cracks now around BB but using magnifier looks to be supeficial, as above scrape some paint back and check metal

andy! thanks for that 🙂
appreciated

Cant remember which stand I got but it was sub £100 and as with OP there is quite a lot of play in the toothed ring head section, teeth seem only 50% meshed in, and cannot see how to adjust this; I think it is aBike Handmodel…if anyone knows how to tighten up rotating head most grateful 🙂

LEJOG a few years ago, coming out of Altnaharra and over moors towards Bettyhill to see the north coast of Scotland, blue skies and sandy beaches, worth the 14 days riding to get there 🙂 🙂 A great road trip seeing UK and completing End 2 End too

first singing Chiffchaff Saturday, near Hay on Wye; snowdrops now over daffs full bloom, a few more days of this great warm dry spring weather 🙂

Maybe speed of shifting and simplicity? …just like I would not use a triple on a road bike using straightforwards 2 x 10 with a Compact—but I`m still use a 3 x 9 on MTB as have it all set up and cost of changing outweighs the benefit IMHO; road bikes came as 2 x 10 btw 🙂

depends on terrain and ground conditions, anything from 32 psi in 2.25″ Advantages to 45 psi in Schwalbe Black Shark 2.1″, I weigh 85kg. BUT as above I`m veering towards the squeeze test 🙂

No one so far has mentioned, apart from beagleboy alluding to it, that possibly one of the larger forces of erosion on Gorm plateau is the wind itself moving around the gravel! Possibly / probably natural erosion across the whole plateau will cause considerably more longterm landscape change than walking / MTBing / ice climbing; however latter will cause localised scarring –ie path formation. Watergullies will form / change lanscapes, eg look at the Feshie river braiding at top end of teh valley, a great geological feature but if it were due to actions of man would be seen as unforgiveable erosion. Same can be seen in Lake district, contrast water course damage from flash floods with some of paths damage seen.
I`m not condoning this path erosion but asking whether we value the landscape / environment for its own sake or for the pleasure (for want of better word) it brings us? so that we can accept natural erosion as being OK, but man created being unacceptable?

Hope don`t from my correspondence with them do a campag disc hub, as above I thought I could just swop shimano / campy freehubs; but thanks also for other info 🙂

Van Nic Yukon, very comfy to ride and has a lifetime warranty 🙂
But if buying again Id go for Druidhs bike, an Amazon?, as I like idea of discs and wider tyres to cope with appalling state of country lanes, BUT unless someone knows of a disc specific CAMPAG 🙂 hub I`m not changing, as all my road equipment is Campy 🙂

no not sure 🙁 —so will stick with pressures suggested here ie 100-120 lb

It`s the chart on the packet that says 160psi….!your pressures sound much more sensible 🙂

Buzz light
yes I have been on the Cairnagorm plateau several times, in near whiteout, desert like summer conditions and average type days; have walked on Cairngorm / Ben Macdui / Braeriach/ Carn Ban Mor / Ben Avon so am aware of the area and environment; just wish I had more time and knew it better because it is an exceptional place, inspirational in its scale and ability for flora and fauna to survive in such hostile conditions

sanny
glad to read your reply, issue is though although you may have ridden responsibly, urged responsibility there may be teh brigade who read the article, completely disregard your advice and just go and ride wildly across an area that cannot sustain such abuse; and see above yes I do know the area, and I do come from south of teh border and I do love and respect all that the Scottish mountains offer. It is just a case of right activity in right place, and isn`t Wolftrax Laggan just such a great trail centre too 🙂

for Sanny;
no it is not presence of MTBs that would offend me but teh potential for damage by irresponsible riding, eg going flat out along the paths, sliding around corners, skidding down descents. This is what to me separates walking erosion from potential MTB erosion issues. Would MTBers riding up on the plateau not be tempted to treat it as some super trail centre and ride in a manner akin to trail centres rather than in a touring mode? If I recall correctly from the article reference is made to fabulous descents, don`t tell me that part of teh fun is not going as fast as you can down them leading to skidding ??

Further agreement with OP, quite shocked to see STW publicising, and that I believe is biggest issue, a route in such an environment. I mentioned it to a walking friend and although she is also a part time MTBer she was horrified that a magazine was publicising such a route at all. I was up in Cairngorms area end Feb and enjoyed walking / easy climbing in corries and walking out on the plateau; I also enjoyed MTBing around Rothiemurcus and through Ryvoan. Both were great days doing appropriate activity IMO in each part of the mountains. A sure fire way to get MTB access restricted is to use them in inappropriate areas, and Cairngorm plateau would be one such

ah but the £15 saved with an old inner tube v neoguard is something you can`t easily do with other MTB stuff, have you tried making a seat clamp for example 🙂 I NEVER now ride without a tube on front forks, done neatly looks OK and saves mud in face

Gave up MBR years ago, repetitive and boring with far too many adverts. Ride whatever bike suits your style and budget 🙂 put bar ends on riser bars on Cotic BFe 🙂 its about enjoyment after all and don`t become a slave to changeing fashions

Good to see this build; as very happy with my 30lbish BFe with 521 wheels 2.35 tyres reckon can get 2-3 lb off by swopping to 717s and 500gm 2.1 tyres and still enjoy its riding qualities as a trail / XC bike —may even make my VNic Ti redundant ?? 🙁

Drac, point taken about paramedics / helmet removal; however at my recent 1st aid course trainer did a quick throon how to remove helmet at request of group as many of us MTBers. Difficult to do! I also learned how to do removal when with MRT a few years ago, again very tricky; at my scene quoted above 999 controller was about to talk me through getting mcycle helmet off when the ambulance thankfully arrived 🙂

hypothermia rules appear to be you`re only dead when warm and dead; sveral case histories now from MR when casualty with core temp <30c have lived when rewarmed ….with great care and expertise 🙂

re helmet removal: proper ventilation will only be possible with helmet removed; it`s no good having an undamaged spinal cord but cannot breathe. My worst 1st aider case was very bad motorcyclist injury, chap choking to death on own blood; was unsure about removing helmet, but rolled him on side which cleared airway; when ambulance arrive first thing they did was remove helmet to get access to airway with guedels , suction etc. Possible damage to spine takes second place in such scenarios

Actually before ABC is assess, think about your own safety too ;
listen and feel for breathing, if necessary put hand inside clothing on chest, if breathing effort is low you may not be able to see chest movement through clothing. Get help by shouting / mobile if signal available. Keep casualty warm as possible, talk to and raessure if conscious. Deal with any obvious injury only if airway and breathing established. If unconscious breathing >> recovery position, get help as above but may have to consider leaving casualty. Unconscious not breathing > CPR but on your own this is going to be extremely difficult situation, you may ahve to make call on when to stop if no help arrives

Cheers epicsteve and that`s very helpful info; glad someone else goes through a range of forks too ; have used Pace RC40 100-130 coils , OK, RS Revs dual position 150/120, lovely forks on small bumps, etc BUT appears to be big issue with forks settling into an excessive sag position after downhills (eg 40% sag) and not rcovering unless unweighted 🙁 🙁 , 2nd set now and same issue>> back to RS for refund hence looking for something else

is that teh 2011 version 150 / 120 you love or an older TALAS?

gonetothehills wrote : “Aside from that, for ‘The World’s Largest Online Cycle Retailer’ to have such a carefree attitude to resources seems an odd stand to make”

I think using that phrase may be a way of getting CRC to see some environmental sense when I next contact them about it all 🙁 They are setting an extremely poor example in sensible useage of packaging. Yes it probably makes economic sense, but if we all let economics rule entirely over environmemtal sense then we`d be even more destructive
and short term on planet earth !

Dont know if anyone else got this popup but heres teh obvious answer to disposing of all teh forests:

http://www.treeclear.co.uk/html/forestry_mulcher.html

enjoy, big machines eating up trees 🙂 🙂

might result in soem novel MTB trails too 🙂

Has anyone pointed this out to CRC ; YES YES YES, here`s their response and I will update on this:

YOUR EMAIL HAS BEEN RECEIVED! Thank you for contacting Chain Reaction Cycles. We aim to get back to you with a response as soon as possible. If you wish to view your order status or change personal information on your account click on the following link: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/MyAccount/MyAccount.aspx Please also visit our Frequently Asked Questions section using the link below. It contains useful product and order information that may help you with your enquiry.http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Information.aspx?TranslationLargeID=1006 Please be aware of our opening hours for email responses: Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm GMT Saturday Closed Sunday Closed Regards, Chain Reaction Cycles Customer Service Chain Reaction Cycles Ltd. Kilbride Rd Doagh Ballyclare BT39 0QA United Kingdom The World’s Largest Online Bike Store THIS IS AN AUTOMATED RESPONSE AND IS FOR NOTIFICATION ONLY. NO REPLY IS NECESSARY.

so there we go, I await a human (oid) response with anticipation, maybe I`ll get a free A4 cardboard box 🙁 🙁

Surely the cardboard boxes are MORE environmentally friendly as they can be recycled, jiffy bags and bin liners covered in miles of packing tape cannot.

whats wrong with just a A5 manilla envelope methinks for small hardy items? Dont need jiffy bags etc

I fully agree about a single box and limited selection helping CRC packesr but in days when supermarkets are limiting isue of free bags CRC policy is going the wrong wayn environmentally 🙁 Many cycle products, eg lubes and oils spring to mind, use selling point of environmentally friendly so CRC should be looking to what they do themselves IMO

Sorry to repeat thread 🙁 however this excess packaging is really wasteful and stupid. I see cycling as a sustainable activity; there`s a golden rule about recycling which is : REDUCE ; REUSE; RECYCLE; CRC should look to REDUCE, it is ridiculously wasteful

Avoid Ardents on front if any mud / wet —absolutely lethal from my experience 🙁

looks a bit past its best

surprisingly not wet too much here edge of mid Wales, but teh force 7 gusting 8 to 9 since Thursday shows no sign of lessening and according to M/office not until Tuesday, so no biking here either 🙁

a lot of beers and a nice meal out??

good shoes would be my other choice—after all this is the key conatct point where all your power goes into bike. eg .Have never regretted upgrading to Spesh BG carbon soled shoes, fab to wear , ride and walk in

one of key phrases from quick read thro` is limit of human detection of rolling resistance difference is 5%; so basically may not be able to notice any of the differences they found in highly specific lab tests.
I always believed that rolling resistance was, generally within sensible limits, of low importance in teh energy output required to ride a bike. Topically trying to ride into the current gale force winds would IMHO be far more of a noticeable effect than a change in tyre type 🙂

as above quite a few opening buds out in churchyard, south facing, behind our house,(Welsh borders / mid Wales) noted on early morning dog walk . A great sign of Spring 🙂

Dont know how theyll have survived last nights gales though, very very windy here

wouldn`t worry, LBS who sold me a set Hoep Pro 2 hoops stuck some grease in hub and it has , sadly I feel, been silent ever since. Quite liek teh loud ratchety sound 🙂

Wipe over with water, then with silicone spray, cycle forks a few time swipe off excess silicone.
Also have been using silicone spray on frame / lower legs, light spray, wipe lightly >>>next time bike much easier to clean, just with water spray and soft brush. Used to use a lot of muc off etc but with above water alone seems to be OK for cleaning, just occasn use of muc off