Another suggestion for Blur 4X. Some guys have put shorter length, revalved shocks on to Blur LT’s to acheive a 4X type bike but a bike that is current available (http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=572419)

What about a Hemlock (120mm rear)?

+1

Top tube length on its own is misleading. Horrible expression but “front centre”, as Jedi described, is the key measurement

No decent 29er options…… boooo!!!

Racing Ralphs in 29er size. Great tyre.

Ashridge again tomorrow. 9.00ish.

+1 for Gore

Has anyone used Gore and then decided against using them on the next bike (I’ve never had any need replacing!)

3 of us yesterday morning in Ashridge. Saw two walkers all morning. Perfect 😉

Its been said before but anyone with a turbo ought to pay special attention to letting the engine (ie oil) warm up before giving it beans, let the turbo cool down somewhat by driving the last mile or so gently and changing the oil regularly. Turbos spin damn fast and get damn hot (those are technical expressions btw).

You were looking at the best part of £3k to replace the turbos on my old Audi S4. I looked after those babies rather carefully!

I copied a list of axle-to-crown lengths of here some time ago. It isn’t 100% complete but it states black comp 2002: 475mm at 100mm. I don’t have the Rev’s sorry but FWIW: Revelation 130mm (2006): 508mm

This as a compromise?

I have been totally unable to bleed my XT dual controls. Tried all variations of bleeding I can think of and they are still spongy 🙁

Correction to my post above (FWIW), I had to fit the rim tape.

Mine came with rim tape already fitted.

Give Hope a ring/email. IME they are great at sending out small bits and pieces if they are missing.

[/quote]Phantom or the Oxygen if you want something more fitted.

+1

Good work!

I’d take it as a compliment.

Same wheels, different bike:

Its boutique but cheap(er) – how about the Hustler that CRC is doing for a grand.

For somewhere different and not too far away, what about Swinley Forest near Bracknell. Not on your doorstep though.

+2 Brilliant all year round in 29er size. Just bloody expensive. Not used them in rocky conditions mind you.

After the posts above I was intrigued and tried to view it. Too large, too slow, watched precisely zero seconds.

YGM

Now sold (lovely bike):

and replaced with:

Ignore seat tube length. As long as the seat tube is long enough that you can fit on the bike with a 400mm seatpost all that matters is the ETT (or "front centre" to be more accurate). 20mm extra is loads IMO.

I sold mine only because I couldn't justify 5 bikes including two 29ers and one had to go. It is a great frame and I suspect I will regret selling it.

I'm 6'3" but have shorter legs (and therefore longer body, I assume!) than you. 19.5" was spot on for me.

Might you be able to try one out for size somewhere. I've sold mine otherwise I'd offer.

Oh, is that what all the people were doing outside Carphone Warehouse at 7.30am this morning?! Waiting for an iPhone 4.

I think larger grips may help. I like these:

Oury Lock On grips: Here

Lizard Skins Northshore Lock-On: Here

You used to be able to buy rebuild kits for these which included pistons, o-rings etc. I would have thought the UK distributor should be able to help you out with these. Dead easy to rebuild.

Thanks chaps.

The grinding happens with a slack chain as well as a tight one (I initially thought it was a tight chain causing the issue).

Chainset isn't tight without wheel and chain, neither is the sprocket/freewheel. And the chain was fine before I changed the chainset and sprocket.

I am waiting for a proper chain whip to be delivered (my chain + claw hammer usual bodge isn't working) and I will put a) the old 16tooth sprocket on and b) the old chainring on the chainset and see if the grinding disappears. Thanks for your thoughts though.

They are vicious little blighters aren't they. Just knocking against them while wheeling your bike draws blood. Sounds like you were properly attacked by them 🙁

I used Cheeky Monkeys in Morzine a couple of years ago on a skiing holiday. They use young women for the childcare, mainly 18-20, some of which are good, some of which I gather are less good. We had a good one to be fair, apart from when she tried to cover up the fact she had put my crawling baby on a bed and he had fallen off cutting his nose quite badly. My 3 year old dobbed her in so she ultimately confessed. I would use them again but I would try to ensure the child carer they provided had some prior experience.

Cost-wise it works out best if you can share the child care with another family. We had one person looking after 3 kids.

I am thinking along similar lines. I have a road bike but use it so little I am hoping that my recently acquired Singular Gryphon will fulfil occasional road duties. the only problem is that when I do get on the road bike it is with roadie friends who don't hang about (and are invariably fitter than me) so I can't really afford too much downside from being on a 29er mtb rather than a proper road bike.

Every morning as I ride to work, I pass a woman with bars so high her wrists appear to be above her shoulders.

Now I know what bike she rides.

🙂

The drops are actually a couple of inches below the saddle but the tops are around level. The bike is on a slight slope in the photo. I think the set up is about right for a drop-barred bike but I admit it does look….unorthodox.

Another question on the bars, if I may. Have you doubled up your bar tape? I have some pretty thin bar tape on at the moment and could definitely do with something a bit thicker.

Great bike. Aimed as a XC race bike but it does a great job of being an all-rounder as long as you don't want to fit long travel forks on it.

The woodchipper's much wider than the midge.

Ah. I need to have a look at these then.

The Woodchipper bar has longer drops than the Midge but is narrower, right? I'd like a combination of both I think!

LOL at thepurist. Good job on keeping up the STW garden comment tradition 🙂 I tried hard to avoid weedy borders, wonky fences and walls with poor rendering!

Junkyard – drop-barred 29er – Singular Gryphon. Clearly it won't be everyone's cup of tea but I like it.

singlespeedstu – Have you got one?

I am about to put a set on the classifieds. Email me if interested.

Controltech Team Issue 1

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=19622

Great, especially if you want a little bit of layback (Thomson layback seatposts are just plain ugly)

Drop necesitates wheels off the ground. If you can roll it then it is a steep slope.

+1

nicolaisam, I love you. I used a self-tapping screw. Took a few goes but result!

Spey Stout, 🙂