Way too much 😉

Glentress Forest 😉 especially midweek when’s its quiet!

I have the reba team 120 in the post. 1.6 kg from what I’m told. The pikes are rather heavy!

Ok my BFe is built as so..

Saint m810 cranks
Saint bottom bracket
Saint rear mech ( new one with clutch)
34t hope front ring
Slx brakes and rotors.
Flow ex on hope pro 2 evo hubs. Qr rear end, maxle front.
I swap tyres but use Hans Dampf, Nobby Nics and Racing Ralph’s. (TLR)
Easton stem and handlebars (not carbon)
XTR shifter.
Currently pike coil u turn. But just bought a reba team dual air (150 quid)
I’m going to compare the forks and decide.
Odi grips and hope seat clamp.
Reverb seatpost

I should have bought a soul. I wanted a mk3 for the seatpost compatibility etc. however just as I was going to order one with a hope headset a mk3 BFe appeared on ebay for 200 quid with headset! So saving myself 375 I went for that option. In my head I thought about becoming this hardcore, jump off everything man, but in reality I still close my eyes on 4′ drops! I’m keeping the frame till a mk3 soul comes up for sale.

Ha! I can’t let go of my wheels! And I can’t afford XTR. There is the reverb but it’s sooooo handy. Gone from ust to tlr already.

After chatting with Cy today (helpful bloke) I’m going to put my BFe on a slight diet. Changing the pike coil forks to Reba 120 dual air. Apart from the forks the only thing I can see to lose weight is the cranks. ( realistically)

I have seen a m665 I can have for 50 quid. I paid 70 for my saints so they can go back on ebay. So the money isn’t an issue.

Thanks for that link bungalistic.

Because the five was incredibly boring at glentress! Strange thing to say I know. My first bike was a rockhopper which gave me a buzz going down at glentress. The five just seemed so easy. I wanted a a frame which would give me an adrenalin rush without having to find incredibly steep stuff. The BFe really gives a buzz when I’m descending. It feels a little bit out of control, which I like. The five kinda felt ‘normal’. I only ride for fun.

I live in peebles so much of my riding is glentress. When I can I get to the lakes etc. I kinda wanted a bike I could also take to fort bill. But 90 percent of my riding is the red route glentress.

Annebr I’m no longer a victim of aggressive marketing 😉 3 years ago and fully subscribed to every mtb magazine, I was!

Colournoise I can only climb while standing. I can’t seem to spin it up hills. This is including roads. I guess it is what it is.

I have done three skills courses! I’m an ok rider! It’s the little trips out when it’s mainly flat what feels a bit unresponsive. Not dead as such just no zip to it, if that makes sense.

Ahwiles. That’s something tbh I hadn’t thought about. My previous frame was a 17 ” orange five with a 50 mm stem and that climbed much better than the Bfe. Same tyres, wheel weight etc. on the five I was running a slx triple but never used the granny ring. In the BFe I have a saint cranks and single ring. I know there isn’t a huge amount in the weight difference (200g) I’m just wondering if that extra weight is actually making a bigger difference than I imagined.

Thanks Northwind. That seems to make sense exactly.

Ahwiles I’m not showing any where near that length seatpost! I only have 31 inch stumpy legs though 🙁

According to the cotic website I’m the right height for a medium 17.5 frame.

Ahwiles? I don’t think the frame is too small. The tyres are pretty nippy.

Mind map 120. Only 140 when I’m jumping off stuff.

Ha!

The frame is 17.5 and fits my 5’11 body perfectly.

Currently nobby nic/ racing ralph combo on 35/30 psi

The stem I’m not sure

I will give you 1 out the 3! ( stem is debatable)

The cassette is XT so that’s about as light as I can go within my budget. Wheels are flow ex running tubeless. I have seen a soul frame for 250 so I’m just wondering…….

My BFe weighs in at 28.4 pounds exactly the same as my previous bike which was an orange five SE. However it doesn’t climb aswell but it’s much much better on the descents. It seems to come alive when speed is applied! It’s by far the best bike I have owned/tried on the downs but not great at climbing. I’m wondering if the soul would be an improvement on the ups and flats but still has that wow factor on the descents.

I have a 50mm stem on it. My forks are pike u turns and I do adjust depending on what I’m doing.

I use a 34t front ring and 11-36 cassette. Any smaller front ring for me would spin out on the descents. However I’m not fit at all and can climb easily with that combo.

Your cranks will be fine, I think. Need to buy a single chain ring and bolts. Hope and e thirteen produce them.

That’s the best price for the SLX groupset I could find when I was doing a bit of price comparisons a few weeks back. I like to mix and match Shimano though. On my BFE build I went Saint cranks and rear mech. XTR shifter. XT cassette and SLX chain and brakes. Cost me 220 all in but it’s 1×10.

I have Flow Ex on pro 2 evo hubs. Around 330 a set on wiggle. Really really good and lighter than my mavic 819s. Schwalbe tubeless ready tyres were easy to fit.

I have Stans Flow rims and have fitted Shwalbe tubeless ready tyres with ease. Literally took 5 mins. I have fitted yellow tape and a cap of sealant pure wheel and no problems at all.

I have a Racing Ralph somewhere in the garage so I’m going to stick that on the rear for Glentress tomorrow and see what happens. I haven’t yet rode in the wet on this bike. Thanks for the replies.

They are surprisingly light. Maybe the Bfe frame, pike coil forks and reverb don’t help!

Fair point Winch.

Wondering if anyone had tried the two different types of Hans Dampf on the front and could actually notice a difference. The Schwalbe website rates them equally, however I take that with a pinch of salt.

I’m fortunate to live within half an hour of Glentress and after four years of going, never once have I been bored. Its fun and everyone seems really happy and chilled out.