RealMan – I think that is a slightly out-dated view. It isn't the frame material that makes a race frame but geometry (and stifness & weight). A long-travel frame would no doubt be heavier than an XC race frame but I can't see any reason why making one isn't possible. That said, I haven't seen a long-travel carbon hardtail yet either.

What are the black forks? Longer than the Rebas I assume?

914 and 941/6's were awesome cars. Unusual styling, I'll agree but fantastic handling and full of character. 914/6's are cheap as chips (although pretty uncommon) to buy and will run circles around a comparable aged 911.

If it is only for messing about in your garden, does weight matter?

I like Wellgo Mag1's because they are light and cheap, but they aren't that big.

Sounds like a reasonable plan. Ideally you should get a little bit of coaching from someone who knows what they are doing. Where are you?

Clubber – I rowed at school and then at Cambridge. Gave up the summer after graduating as I didn't fancy balancing work and rowing commitments and the Olympics were 3 years away which was just too long to keep going for.

I was a rower "back in the day". Clubber has said it all already really. I used to set the ergo to "3" on the resistance and most people I rowed with set it there or thereabouts. If you are just training (rather than going for a OB) you should aim to rate between 18 and 22 strokes per minute.

Holding 1:50 (mins for 500m) for 30mins is good going. Just try to do that at rating ~20

Personally, you couldn't pay me to sit on a ergo any more but then I was doing 90 mins on them twice a week for 3 years when I rowed in the Boat Race, which is enough for one lifetime.

Clubber – where did you row?

Another thought – might he have ridden through something that has perished the tyres? doug's suggestion sounds more likely though

That's what happens if you turn your back on a Blur 4X – they are like Herbie 😉

(I write as a Blur 4X owner)

May be the tyre has just reached the end of its life and is starting to perish? It could be a coincidence about the change of bikes.

Has he sold the 4X already? There always seem to be a couple of people on here looking for them.

richc – Pro2s with Flows seem to be on the page twice – the cheaper ones are lower down the page (if you search for all Hope stuff)

Salsa Pro Moto flat bar. 11 and 17 degree sweep versions:

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/product/salsapromotoflathandlebars.aspx?&id=5327

Not stainless

That is a great price from Winstanleys!

Edit – although Flows on Pro2s seem to be £258 (£99+£159)

Second Edit – just seen the front and rear at the lower price so ignore my first edit!

9 sounds great. It would take me that long to do the marathon, let alone swim 2.4 miles and ride 112 miles. He must have done something like 2 hr swim, 4 hr ride and 3 hr marathon – bloody marvellous.

I thought the 26er Scandal was designed for up to 120mm forks. 150mm forks, and the abuse they suggest, seems a bit much for a poor old scandium XC frame.

A Blur 4X (if you can find one) with forks lighter than Pikes e.g. Magura Thor and lightish wheels should be down around 27-28 lbs. Mine is a smidge under 30lbs (on unreliable scales) with air Pikes, DT5.1s on ProIIs, XT etc.

juiced – email me if you want a (rough) map

Slight hijack, is there a basic technique to staying in contact with the bike on jumps!?! When I try jumps I find myself trying to part company with the bike and my feet lifting of the pedals. If I try to grip the pedals I tend to twist the bike in mid-air as a result of pushing backwards on my trailing pedal I think.

Any tips for this super-basic problem?

I'm another "will have one at some point" person. I tested one about a year ago and went for a Scandal on Cyclescheme at the time because it was a good bit cheaper (courtesy of Cyclescheme) but I thought the Swift was great and I am still kicking myself a bit for not getting one when they were cheap – on sale at £280 🙁

Sam will be hoping we all convert in to customers sooner rather than later though I suspect.

Despite the apparently poor review in MBR try a Bionicon Golden Willow. Adjustable geometry on the fly makes it suitable for both racing and mini-DH (eg head angle adjustable from 67 to 74 degrees from memory). They do a lightweight Scandium version too.

Try one out.

Don’t drive it. Bits of broken turbo can find their way to places they oughn’t be. If you are lucky it won’t be difficult to access the turbo – on my old car (Audi S4) it was an engine out job and £3k)

Fun-looking trip and the bike looked like it did the job brilliantly. I’d love one but know I’d never get to use it 🙁

Shame about the jokes 😉

Not up to the standard of those above but a snap taken on my phone from early spring….

I use an older version of these:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Race_Face_Rally_FR_Leg_Pads/5360042074/

I have only used them for rides up to half a day long but they have been fine and stayed put without being too hot, although I haven’t used them in 20 degree+ weather. The number of chunks now missing out of them suggests they have been worthwhile 😉

Did they not like the “rudimentary” suspension? That’s been the only criticism I have seen of the range. I tested a Golden Willow and Edison and I thought they were great to be honest.

Apologies for the hijack, but why did MBR rate a Bionicon 5/10 (and which one was it)?

I have a Blur 4X but haven’t ridden a Prophet. The Prophet is longer travel isn’t it? I would have thought the Prophet was more of an all-day type bike and the Blur 4X a chuck-it-about-for-a-couple-of-hours bike (for me, my 4X is a bit short to be doing all-dayers on)

PS It doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to work out which way you are thinking of swapping 😉

Tbh, I don’t really get it.

Regardless, it would look better smaller as suggested already.

I would have thought Racing Ralphs would be more comparable to SB8s. Bear in mind both RR’s and NN’s have delicate sidewalls so if your rocks and sharp/abrasive you will need the Snakeskin versions.

My 29er is rigid and it is great but…

– Rigid works even better on 29ers because the wheel rolls over things better
– I have a big fat front tyre that makes a big difference on rigid forks
– I am noticably slower going down anything rooty or rocky (and I find it less fun downhill than with sus forks)
– I have just bought some suspension forks so that I can be a bit more of a hooligan on it. I am keeping the rigids for the winter though

I would try rigids out but keep your Marz forks.

Last time I took a bankers draft to a bank they were unable to confirm if it was genuine or not and I had to wait for it to clear.

Strictly speaking, Bankers Drafts still have to clear and aren’t a guarantee of payment. If you want to be 100% sure of payment you have to go to the bank with the buyer and pay the cash in to your bank account there and then. Otherwise there is a risk the cash is fake and any other form of payment can be cancelled/fake (apart from a transfer of cash between bank accounts in the same bank – only possible if the buyer happens to bank with the same bank as you)

So just for clarity (to your original question) bankers drafts are only 100% after they have cleared, which is not the same think as “paying them in to your bank account”.

Definitely larger tyre on the front. Very odd contrary advice from your LBS.

Agree with Northwind re choices for rear tyre

Regarding Bianchi, they have been doing this for years with their EV frames.

The sort of abuse a pair of Pikes implies would surely be risky from a headtube strength perspective. I guess you could wind them down to 100mm but then why bother with Pikes in the first place.

I feel your pain. It usually takes me half a dozen goes to get it right. Bleed bottom up, tap the hoses and caliper a lot, and finally do a small bleed from the top down as I tend to find a couple of small bubbles trapped just inside the caliper.

Does anyone else find them a bit narrow? Another couple of cms on each side and they would be great

I remember Brant saying that they should be angled so that the grips point towards the rear wheel skewer

I remember him suggesting that too. With respect, I don’t think yours are at anything like that angle, and mine were horrendous like that. It was balls.

BigDummy – You are probably right! I do remember trying to follow Brant’s guidance – perhaps I just messed it up!

Regarding upside down or the right way up – doesn’t that just change the bar height?

Great place. Lots of chat on here about it. Chuck “Afan” in to the search engine and you will find lots of reading material.

It is good enough to make a day trip from London there worthwhile IMO, and that is 6hrs+ of driving! Not very environmental though

Similar performance from a 2.4″ Racing Ralph and they are pretty damn wide (although I have only tried the 29er version)