I can’t make head nor tail of the Soplao website unfortunately. I’ve tried a couple of browsers but Google translation seems to be messing up the site.

postie – have you done it? 40 hrs on a bike!!!

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I will investigate them.

A “what bike for…” thread may follow 😉

FWIW, what I thought was a BB creak recently turned out to be a rear hub.

Routes in London tend to be limited to canal and Thames towpaths and Richmond Park, IME. Generally the advise is to head out.

I am no mechanic and even I have managed to fit headsets with a piece of wood and a mallet to steel, ti, carbon and alu frames. It must be one of the easiest jobs you can do on a bike. I am more scared of cross-threading a bottom bracket (yes, I managed that!)

Yes. I bought a carbon frame second hand and sold no problem. You just have to inspect it as carefully as possible.

+1 for EBB

matt23 – so you run it with less travel up-front than rear for general ridiing. Does it feel mis-matched like that? Although more front, less rear seems fine to me, somehow the reverse seems odd, even if it is only a cm or two.

It would be a shame if you can’t upgrade RAM in the Air and Retina – worth looking in to/confirming. Certainly in the “standard” MBP, upgrading to an SSD and decent amount of RAM is a must. I nearly threw mine in the bin before doing that (and now love it).

I have not been keeping up with fork technology. Does Rockshox not do travel-adjustable forks any more?!

Although you are quoting seat tube lengths, you are actually comparing top tube lengths when looking at frame sizes, right?

If you do decide your current frame is too long, don’t limit yourself to just looking at this modern fashion for sportive-labelled bikes. Lots of “normal” road bikes have long head tubes and are available in a length of top tube that will fit you, and they tend to be a good bit cheaper, particularly in old stock (as MAMILs have bought up all the 2012 and 2013 stock of anything with “sportive” stuck on it.

E.g. I just got my wife a 2011 Giant TCR from Wiggle. Loads of money off RRP and has all the right dimensions for her that the supposed womens-specific, sportive bikes have.

kcnc

kcnc, 93g, 58 squid. Job done. Thompson 50% heavier, pffft

“Aggressive or scenic mode”. LOL.

Looks like a nice stem though.

Thank God for that. The financial controller would have had my balls.

(But I might be crying, just a bit, on the inside)

Please tell me all the 19″s have sold!

Must…resist…

What a bummer.

The seller has been a member of the site for only a week. I fear you cash has disappeared for good I’m afraid.

Swayndo – Sorry if I sounded like I was taking the p1ss, I didn’t mean to. My riding is nearly all woodsy stuff with very little rock so I don’t know how well they would stand up to rocky trails. My guess is that they aren’t much/any more robust than Nobby Niks (which I also use albeit in 26er variety). Ralphs are primarily designed as a light-weight, racey tyre after all.

I have a Gore Oxygen SO, which I think is pretty similar to a Contest. It is very definitely a cycling top and would be obviously a cycling top if I wore it for other activities. IMO, anything cycling-specific looks pretty out of place off the bike (if that matters).

The Oxygen is very water repellant. I haven’t ever worn it under a waterproof outer shell and tbh although it is very breathable for a jacket, I’d want something even more breathable under a waterproof. I don’t think softshells make good mid-layers.

Not directly relevant experience to your question but in the absence of any other replies….

Not ridden them down “scree strewn hillsides” but another vote for Racing Ralphs. A remarkably versatile tyre in 29er size.

Just to reinforce the fact you have made a good decision. Not at all harsh. I miss my old Scandal and wish I hadn’t sold it 🙁

Don’t drop the pressure too low. 30psi is a minimum. Below that the sidewalls can fold on hard cornering. It cost me a measurable amount of blood to find that out!

Above 30psi I really like them and run them 30psi on the back, 35psi on the front (13.5stone kitted up)

For a given amount of travel a 29er is smoother than a 26er but that is all i.e. 100mm 26er hard tail is smoother than a rigid 29er. Short travel FS 26er is smoother than a short travel hard tail 29er etc.

I’ve not tried a Supershuttle but I’ve tried a couple of other bikes from the Bionicon range and I love them. Enjoy.

I am a rare breed of Dual Control user and have found that fitting the Reverb remote is a real pain. It seems to fit only on the top and even then I can’t get it quite where I want it.

I’ve had a Phantom and an Oxygen SO. Very similar. Oxygen SO doesn’t have the zip off sleeves and is a snugger fit which I prefer. Wear the Oxygen SO without anything underneath between 5 and 15 degrees, -5 to 5 degrees with a base layer.

Uninspiring photo but…

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P1020569[/url] by BillyB29[/url], on Flickr

BB7 and Shimano R600 levers on mine

Does anyone know why it uses “True Temper OX Platinum steel tubing” for 2 of the 3 main tubes rather than 853 like the Soul? It is because the tubing size/profile isn’t available in 853 or just a cost saver? Its seems pretty unusual to mix True Temper and Reynolds tubing in the main triangle.

PS Agree it look nice

Thanks! I couldn’t resist

Leith Hill was pretty quiet on Saturday. Unlike Swinley Forest last Monday (Bank Holiday, to be fair) which was annoyingly busy (having to pull over repeatedly on the same trail due to people riding them in different directions etc). That said, my sense is these places are getting busier, aren’t actually that bad and finding a quiet time isn’t difficult (i.e. first thing in the morning).

I like Nic’s up front pretty much all year round and they can be moved to the rear with something even grippier if the conditions get really bad. They are very pressure sensitive though IME.

I have XT hydros on one bike and BB7’s on the other and the BB7s are definitely less hassle. I have them on a rigid drop-bar SS so they probably get a bit less hammering than than XT’s (which are on my FS “fun” bike) but they feel plenty powerful enough to me.

Just not getting mystery pad contamination is almost reason enough for me to vote for BB7s over any hydro brake set!

I’ll be the first to say it – invest in some coaching with someone like Jedi[/url]

Money very well spent

“Short, high and steep”! Are you sure?!

Of course, fashion has caught up with it so it isn’t as odd as it once seemed.

Very nice indeed.

catvet – Member
Still have one of the first Cotics running with a 120mm fork (max I feel as otherwise seat angle too slack)

Seat angle? Unless it is already on the limit, just slide your saddle forwards

They aren’t pretty but they are fun

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P1020569[/url]

I’d like to try a Cooker. The high bottom bracket (and oddly still long chain stays) sounds like a nightmare to me, but I’d like to understand why it got such a good review.

pnik. I am beset with the same problem. My only conclusion is that it is my bike-washing technique. I think I must spray oil water off the chain on to the rear disk. Despite being very careful and despite not having a leaky calliper I regularly have to clean my disk, bake the rear pads, sand them down a little and re-bed them. All is then well…until the mystery contamination strikes again.

Fit is as important, if not more, than construction. If the fingers of your gloves are not quite long enough they will get cold. I have this issue due to long fingers.

You could get a Singular Swift made up SS for not much more than a grand. I did with a Gryphon.