My (small frame admittedly) BFeMAX was 12.8kg plus pedals, nothing overly expensive or bought specifically for weight-loss but the main spec is below. I still had 2.4″ tyres, a dropper and 4-pot brakes on it, with a pretty budget groupset:

Hunt XC Race wheelset with 2.4″ Bontrager XR4’s (these combined were the biggest difference)

Answer ProTaper Carbon Handlebars (were cheap on Chainreaction, 740mm)

Fox 34 Performance Elite at 140mm (I think these are pretty light even compared to the Rockshox more XC forks)

Sram NX 11-speed with a Hope BB

Sram Guide RE brakes (4-pot E-bike brakes!)

Oneup V2 Dropper & Burgtec Cloud saddle (metal rails)

None of it was bought specifically to be light except the wheels, everything I just picked up in sales with half an eye on weight if there was a straight choice between two parts.

Glad that worked out well! I’ll be honest I didn’t realise he did so much in the way of MTB/custom parts, we just use him for regular black anodising on automotive bits/inserts for the most part!

At work we use Acorn Plating in Sandhurst which might be fairly local depending on which end of Hampshire you are? You’ll find there’s normally a batch charge but for a common colour like Black you might find they’re running it anyway and can put your parts in for a partial batch cost?

Thanks @curto80 those three plus points are essentially the reasons I also want to give one a go, I’d forgotten about Goodwood even though I do cycle the circuit semi-regularly on their open days.

I do need some road (or at least less trail) shoes anyway for road running league races this autumn so I’ll look at laceless for those to kill two birds with one stone and pick up a tri-belt.

I’m not competitive with others particularly, only against myself/want to know I’ve tried my hardest so I’m more than happy to be left for dust by everyone on a TT bike!

I don’t really have anything to add other than to congratulate @dangeourbrain on this line, which is a great description:

“people trying to figure out why their banana tastes of pineapple”

The only ‘standards’ which have briefly annoyed me in the past are asymmetric chainring bolt patterns, and when Shimano changed the diameter of their BB cups so I needed a new tool (although they did at least supply the plastic adaptor ring with it).

I think they’re more “not round” than a full deep section aerofoil shape but from above they’re quite flat (third picture on this listing shows the shape best):

https://www.merlincycles.com/zipp-service-course-70-xplr-handlebars-293748.html

I like the Zipp 70 XPLR (because ‘Explore’ obviously has too many vowels in).

I think they do a Service Course and SL models in Aluminium, plus a carbon model or two but all essentially the same profile so up to you if you want to spend £50 or £200 or somewhere in between.

Not super flared but enough to make a difference, flat/aero enough to have a nice extra hand position and short reach too.

Woohoo! Make sure to post pictures.

As above you’ll probably need a simple press tool to fit one side (or some threaded bar and big washers if you’re careful to keep it all square) then you screw the second half onto that with the spanner/socket tool which pulls them together.

In some cases the fit to the frame is loose enough that you don’t need a press for the first half, but as a result you’d need two spanners so that you can stop the first half from spinning when you tighten the second half up to it.

Also depending on the frame, you might be better off with the socket type tool? On my Yeti ARC frame it was very borderline that the spanner nipped it up tight enough just at the point it was about to foul the frame around the BB junction to the chainstays. I reckon with a socket I’d have been happier it was fully torqued and may even have got an extra 1/4 turn on it as there’s less ‘land’ around the outside of the tool.

I was thinking about that for mine, I’m currently running it with stock geo but a 140mm Fox 34 and was thinking at some point of going shorter travel but slacker head angle. It’s entirely unnecessary I expect, but then so was the whole bike purchase really :D

Another vote for the Win Wing, works far better than I expected/hoped. Really good bit of kit.

I use it on my flat bar rigid MTB off road and it just seems to stop everything off the back wheel coming up.

I see no flaw in your plan, go for it :D

Love mine still, it’s great.

I’d agree with Core, it sounds like you’re trying to justify/talk yourself out of the Cotic you actually want because of the price. But if it’s what you want, the chances are you’ll either end up buying one anyway having spent money on something else first or wishing you’d bought it every time you see one! And it sounds like you keep your bikes a long time so getting the right one is more important, and the extra cost will be pretty small over a 5/10 year ownership.

Headset Spacers. I think they’re the bike equivalent of the 10mm socket in car mechanics terms in that the moment they’re put down they either change size, location or just disappear completely and you can never find enough/the right one again.

Nukeproof Scout 290 I’d say ticks most/all boxes? They were punting out 2022 frames at £300 for a while on CRC which included headset & seatclamp but may no longer have stock?

I have the 275, it’s squarely what I’d call a Mountain Bike. Doesn’t feel super slack or burly, rides along nicely on more relaxed trails but can also be chucked down anything you’d reasonable consider riding on a Hardtail. Basically fit the tyres that suit how you want to ride it!

I imagine it’s the same bike pretty much as one or two of the Ragleys, but lose track of which one! I’d say between a Ragley or Scout whichever one is on offer/in stock and you like the look of would be a safe bet?

There is/was a ‘Glorious Gravel’ event on Salisbury Plain this year, and they often have the route files available from their website or you can hunt it out on their Strava page too. Might be a good starter at least to build from, along with the King Alfred Way route which I think runs straight past Stonehenge.

Yes I was quite pleased, they let you pick various options to see what would improve things the most and even customise it. For example you can see the difference between the effect of larger limit/less use compared to smaller limit maxed out on a credit card and adding a loan/car finance for ‘x’ amount etc.

Ultimately I’m sure they’re using this information/tinkering to then try and offer me loans or similar down the line but it seems quite handy to help get your head around things!

It does look like I won’t be spending enough each month to utilise the better cashback cards, unless I book myself a nice holiday using an introductory offer on a first purchase which probably defies the point of having it to save/make money. I’ll do some digging as I may just be better off using a 0% card for purchasing and not overthinking the rest of it.

Thanks, I’ll head on over there and do some reading. Oddly they wouldn’t extend my current £2k limit past £2.5k when I requested it recently for a bike purchase so I just bought it outright but they will happily offer me something many times larger on a new card. But perhaps the type/age of card I have with them just can’t be increased past a certain point.

My monthly outgoings are pretty small currently and mostly direct debits (just gym, phone, car tax essentially) and I’m not a big spender on a daily/weekly basis I just have the occasional splurge on a bigger purchase (bike normally!) but I’ll see about swapping across to a card that gives me a useful reward/cash back and see how that plays out. My car insurance is due shortly so perhaps I can chuck that on it for starters…

@rickmeister I think you’ve nailed it. I do just need to buy a Caddy. Although those Delica’s are a strong contender!

In terms of others comments on picking a compromise you’re absolutely right. In order of priority for me it’s:

Conveniently chuck a bike in the back without wrecking it/the vehicle, ideally with both wheels on.

Drive as much like a car as possible. (As in sit comfortably at 70mph on a motorway, and not be massive for parking/navigating small country lanes. I don’t mind lack of mod-cons).

Be slightly more comfortable than sleeping in a ditch occasionally.

4wd/AWD (in the not getting stuck in a field sense, not the going greenlaning at the weekend sense).

As mentioned I’m really not fussed on economy, as I only do 60 miles/week normally and any bike trips it’s just part of the cost of a weekend away/holiday for me.

I think 9spd Shimano MTB Mechs work on 9spd road shifters? Not sure if anything that age/spec would have a clutch though.

Chainreaction sell the nice moulded rubber chainstay protectors for the various Nukeproof bikes pretty cheaply, it may be an option to pick one that looks suitable and trim to fit? They stick on with 3M tape and stay on nicely when washing etc. and some versions are only £6.99:

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/c/bike-parts/frames-and-forks/frame-protection

Also VHS (I think) sell essentially a rubber/mastic tape to make your own,

@benp1 that Jimny camper is fantastic!

Economy isn’t a great concern, I only do 60 miles a week to work & back and often cycle in anyway in the summer.

I might have to divert my attention onto larger estate cars, or just buy a cheapish Caddy van. Or perhaps persuade my parents they need one for their antiques business and it would be best if I keep it in regular use (and full of mud). Plenty of options to think about between now and the winter.

I’d always assumed that flared bars came from Cyclocross to Gravel and not the other way round.

Thanks for all the ideas and pointers! I was sort of expecting that a freelander size 4×4 would be fairly useless (or no more useful than an estate) in the grand scheme of things, I’m just not sure I can bring myself to drive a people carrier or van around by myself when I’m not on biking trips. This is entirely vanity/self-awareness being a single man in his mid-30’s not an actual logical issue!

Currently I have an Impreza Sti Hatchback, which is pretty practical once you’re used to 24mpg (which I am, as it’s more economical than anything I’ve had previously!) but while I’m happy with the bike on the roof for shorter/single day trips it would be nice to have a bike inside without wrecking the interior or having to move everything around all the time. Particularly if stopping somewhere overnight or even for fuel/food etc. as I don’t like leaving the bike on the car unattended. Being able to kip in the back would be a bonus, but not necessary.

I absolutely love the new Jimny, I really regret not getting one when they first came out as they’re now quite difficult/expensive to find now they’re only available as commercials.

Maybe a cheaper Forester/Legacy/Outback might be the answer as I’ll be a lot less precious about it, and they’re cheap enough that I could leave it at work/on the road when I’m not using it. 4×4 isn’t entirely necessary but I have got quite used to it as a daily, and do seem to spend a lot of time in muddy fields when doing trail runs/XC races etc. and it’s nice being the one that isn’t stuck at the end of the day.

I use one of these instead, although it looks like the Grey 26mm is out of stock typically! I’m sure others sell them though.

Flat Top Cap Socket Spanner – Fox & RockShox Forks

But yes, any 26mm socket/spanner if it’s flat faced, a regular one won’t always seat properly. Sometimes you get lucky!

Or if you have an angle grinder and a vice you could flatten off a stock one (disclaimer: don’t die, ask a responsible adult to help etc. etc.).

Same here, I oddly enjoy hunting around and putting a groupset together from a few places. Plus you get loads more parcels to open, which is always fun!

There are 11-speed Shimano drivetrain groupsets on Ebay for about £150 new/complete but unboxed, but I’ve never taken a punt on them.

I picked up cheap 11spd bits recently but it was a mix, Deore Cranks from CRC for £40 (incl BB, although it said it didn’t). XT Rear Mech for £60 and Shifter for £50 from Fawkes Cycles. Cassette/chain I already had but I think they were cheapest somewhere else again,

The days of just buying a groupset seem to be over, or at least a discounted one compared to the deals on individual components.

I really get on well with Nike Trail shoes. Pegasus Trail when it’s not super muddy/I have a mile or two of road to and from the trails, Wild Horses when there’s little/no road to worry about or I’m doing less distance (they’re grippier, but lighter and less cushioned). There’s a Terra Kiger too, I think that’s marketed for rocky terrain but no experience of it personally.

I didn’t get on well with the Inov-8’s I’ve tried, but that was just from a personal foot shape/size point of view rather than an issue with the actual product.

Saw plenty of road cyclists when I was there in October last year, it struck me as a great place to ‘train’ rather than ‘ride/enjoy’ cycling but perhaps that was just because most road cyclists seem to have perfected that steely/earnest grimace that lets you know they’re a serious athlete and not just having fun.

That may just be because they were all riding into 30mph headwinds though.

Or the opposite, it actually sounds like a Peacock at full chat in turbo mode.

I’m 5’8″ on a good day and ride a Small Cotic Jeht, to me it seems really well balanced and I never feel too far forwards or backwards on the bike. I’d say the only thing I’ve noticed (or rather not noticed) is that you never accidentally get a bit of a power-wheelie pedalling hard out of corners which I occasionally have with other bikes, and the front doesn’t feel like it needs weighting as much on climbs (and as a result you keep traction better).

Agree on looking at the whole picture though, I ran it with a Pike Ultimate at 140mm & 150mm and it felt super stable but not that chuckable, you had to consciously work to crank it over into turns/changes of direction. I changed to a 140mm Fox 36 and it’s turned into the most agile bike I think I’ve ever ridden (27.5″ bikes included). I think that maybe the Fox is shorter offset, but didn’t think that would make such a huge difference especially at my skill level. I was planning to compare the axle-crown measurements on the two forks as well, but whatever the reason the bike has come alive.

Yes, that’s a very good looking bike/spec for the money! I still keep an eye out for that frame colour in a Medium to come up, but they never seem to (or are £2k+ for a full bike!).

@asbrooks I’ve been now on a 130/130 Santa Cruz 5010 (never again), a 160/160 27.5″ Enduro bike (Cotic Rocket) which was great, and this year on my 150/140mm Cotic Jeht with 29×2.5 tyres.

For me the Jeht was perfect, the bigger wheels I think made more difference than the ~20mm travel per end that I lost because the rollover for the braking bumps, drainage channels and roots etc. just made things a lot more pleasant and faster as a result.

Everyone is different, I’m nowhere near as ‘gnar’ as most of these thread replies would suggest everyone else is and still had a whale of a time!

@beargrease that’s an odd one, I have the 6s non-Solar and it’s never done anything like that. It’ll just occasionally not upload to my phone automatically when it’s due an update (I reckon that’s a programmed feature to make you update!).

I did just google it though and it seems quite common, so I guess I’m on borrowed time! Jinxed it…

Only anecdotal, but all my running friends (3 or 4) that have swapped to Suunto (including a couple that were gifted them/sponsored by them) have quite swiftly gone back to Garmin due to watches freezing/uploads failing/various other usability issues.

Which fenix does he have/what’s it doing? The only time I’ve had issues over the last 4/5 years it’s been with failed upload/connectivity to my phone and it’s always been fixed by doing the software update I’ve been ignoring for a few weeks.

I’m sure others will be along to say the opposite, but from the small sample of experiences I’ve seen they don’t seem to be that well sorted/reliable.

@baxy I skim-read that as “He’s dead now though, so not much help”..

@turnerfan1 they are available still from here for £6 but the website is temporarily down: https://www.thewidgetarium.co.uk/shop

Troy Lee Speed Knee Sleeves are really comfy, don’t really notice wearing them after a few minutes.

Pretty good, but sometimes if worn a bit loose it’ll over-read strangely. Tighten the strap and it’ll often drop ~10bpm while running back to what it should be reading.