Thanks again for the replies. Will go and have an explore tomorrow and then hook up with some of you next time.

Thanks for the info guys. Only down the road a bit at Worthing but for some reason only really ridden north and east.
If anyone else fancies showing us around please let me know.
Cheers.

X9 crank arms with XO DH spider, Hope 34T ring and E13 LG1 Trail on the 146, and X9 crank arms with Homebrewed Components 34T ring and Superstar XCR upper chain guide on the 29er.

Loads of good riding, but you need the right bit of the South Downs. Def best to get a local guide who can show you the best bits. (Obviously no one has shown Continuity 😉 ). Try Blacklands Farm near Henfield for camping. Close(ish) to A27/A23 and some of the best riding the South Downs has to offer.
Its a bit soft out at the moment though.

I tried for years on various pairs of Hopes but just couldn’t get enough power through one finger, or it felt odd. Both bikes now have Avid Elixirs and I find it easy with one finger. Don’t think the Avids are more powerful, they just seem to fit my fingers better.

Bolle Spyders. Cheap as chips and don’t look like safety glasses.

That USPS Electronic Shipping Info Recd means nothing. Had the same thing with my spiderless chainring. Took over 10 weeks to get here (from order).
Had probably the same email with tracking number and for the next week it wasn’t updated. Chased him and he replied saying it had def been sent. Surprise surprise the next day the USPS tracking info was updated to say they had it in their CA depot. Basically you can asign it a tracking number before USPS get the package which makes it look as though it’s on its way.
He sent it the day I chased it, not a week before like he said…

The USPS system isn’t updated very often though. Mine showed it in CA, then NY, and then nothing until it arrived about a week later.

Sorry for the hijack, but do you (Alan) do day rates? My girlfriends parents live in La Cala hills and every time we go over I look longingly at the surrounding hills. Wouldn’t need accommodation but wouldn’t mind joining you for a day. Is that something I could do?

Yeah, thats exactly what I got. Don’t forget some chainring bolts too tho. 😉 The X9 2×10 rings both bolt in to the spider so you can’t use them on the XO one.
And there is a difference between the BB30 and GPX spiders so make sure you get the right one.

Following on from monogramman’s link, I’ve now found another way. Changed the Homebrewed chainring over to the X9 crank on my 29er (guess I’m a 1×10 convert) and bought a XO DH spider from Descent Gear (has the advantage of being 104BCD), plus a Hope 34T chainring. The XO spider fits straight on to the X9 arm. This setup is about 60g heavier than the HB ring but means I can easily change to a 32T if I’m off somewhere with bigger hills. 🙂

Stevelol – When I started looking it was the only way I could find of converting my SRAM chainset to 1X. Its BB30 too so not mega easy to change cranks to something with a 104 BCB. Thinking of converting my 29er now but won’t bother with a spiderless chainring.

Monogramman – Went for a 34T. Climbs fine around here although I did wonder how I would have got on at Cwmcarn. I just changed the rear mech to short cage. Seems to have a much stronger spring than the long cage.

Anyone…..???

I bought a similar one to your link on eBay for £6 for exactly that reason. 😀
I often get out for a local hour or so ride and don’t want to carry a full pack. Mine is just big enough to get a tube, multitool, small pump and keys in, plus the water bottle.(which is in Olive to match the pack and does look a bit naff – must get a new bottle)
I find it ideal though. It makes drinking a bit more difficult than with a bladder, but access to everything is easy when you stop as you can just twist the belt round.

proflexforever – You’ve hopefully sussed this, but how are you converting it to 1 X ? Just removing the 44t ring? If its the 10 speed X7 I think its like the X9 and X0 chainsets running 120 and 80bcds. This means you can’t easily fit a bash ring. I’m in the process of changing to 1×10 on my X9 chainset and the only people to offer a decent solution seem to be Homebrewed components. They offer spiderless chainrings for Sram 2×10 chainsets. Only problem is the delay. Ordered mine nearly 10 weeks ago…
They also do a set up using the inner ring and a bash which looks interesting.
Sorry if I’m teaching you to suck eggs.

Epicyclo – yep, that’s what I am waiting for. All ready to go 1 x 10 apart from the spiderless chain ring.

Fitted them recently to replace my old Jones ACX. The new XR4 is probably the best all round winter tyre I have ever used. Can’t fault it. Can’t tell you on the weight though.

Just like to add my best wishes to Mike and say I’ve always gone straight to his column too. Thought this last one was thought provoking, poignant and slightly inspirational.
Interested to see how the revamp turns out.

I ditched the Crossmark for an Aspen 2.25 which I found much better. Running Bonty XR4s at the moment tho. Seem to suit the bike really well and fantastic winter grip.

Thanks guys. Have Avid adapters so no problem.

Running a KMC 10 speed chain on my other X9 set up. Much prefer it.

Cheers Wozza, I’ll give that a go.

Yep, thats what it’s doing but doesn’t seem to be a stiff link. I can pedal it backwards and its seems as smooth as anything. Perhaps the chain is just worn already, in which case I won’t be getting another SRAM one…
Checked the suggestions in the link too.
The chain does seem loose in the smaller chainring, but its as short as it can be for 39/36. Annoying.

Ok thanks guys. Call to Fisher Monday morning then…

Thanks Bez.

Sorry guys, should have been more specific. Running X9 2×10. Current is 26/39 crank and 12-36 cassette. Plan to go 34t front and keep rear.

Ah. Have just seen that these cranks have their own unique bcd; 120 4 bolt. Guess thats probably a non starter then? In that case does anyone know of a cheapish BB30 crankset… ?

Just put on one my 29er last week, Couple of rides and it seems great. Spot on shifts and nice and quiet.

Can be better. Can be worse.
Can be faster than a 26er. Can be slower.
Can be more fun. Can be less fun.
Can fit a shorter person well. Can be a pig to fit a shorter person.

Love mine (09 GF Paragon upgraded to 10 speed). It’s great for local riding (South Downs); balanced, easy to hop over obstacles, fun in the woody singletrack and on average over 1mph faster on my regular loop than my 26in FS, but if I were going to Wales, for example, I’d still take the FS every time.

You’re gonna have to try one before you know the answer in your case.

I have a scaffold pole that sits in two brackets bolted to the wall either side of the door that stops the door opening. Also park right up next to the door. Back door has Yale lock, no handle to pull on, high security padlock and motion sensor inside.

They’re only going to deter but hopefully enough to draw attention.

Just to update in case anyone is trawling the forums with the same question in months to come – don’t use Stans tape…
Front tyre sealed ok.
Rear has two layers of Stans and won’t seal.
The Bonty rims seem to have a deeper profile than Stans rims and the tape doen’t like it. Tried twice now and both times I have ended up with sealant oozing out the spoke holes.

Pumped up again and went for a ride this evening. Five miles away from home and decided to give up and put a tube in as it had gone down again.
Pumped the tube up, took the pump off and the valve core shot out. Spent 20 minutes trying to find it before giving up and walking home! 👿
Bonty strips on order…

I got hit by this too. Tried running rkill but it won’t get past ‘Preparing Rkill’
Goes on to this screen and then closes itself.
Any ideas? I have tried all the various alternatives?

Seven months riding two full X9 setups, one set over three bikes and only fault is paint peeling off the rear mech. No play, no hassles.

Haven’t we decided there is no perfect tyre yet? Thats why most of have a shed full of tried rubber. Come to the conclusion that it’s more down to my lack of riding skills than the tyre I’m running.

Having said that I thought I’d try Bonty XR4’s this winter on the FS. 🙂 I don’t think we get enough mud around the South Downs to warrant full on mud tyres. Trying to see how far I get through winter on Bonty XDX on the 29er…

Nope its pretty central on the rounded section joining the two halves together. And it’s definately not meant to be there with the shape of it and that cracks radiating from it/

No cables. It’s not a round hole. I thought he meant a split when he told me but it is a hole, irregular shape, jagged.

Yeah thought you’d want a picture. Didn’t have my camera unfortunately.
It is the right size for a bullet I guess, but it’s enclosed. There is a tubular piece joining the two sides together and the hole is on the back/underside of this, almost facing the seat tube. Wierd. I can’t imagine its a particularly stressed area of the arm.

Noticed I don’t need as much sleep, which I think is normal as you get older. Trust your body and not your mind. If you start thinking you need more sleep then you start feeling crap. Tell yourself your body is obviously rested enough and make the most of waking up early by getting out on your bike. Works for me.

Something to do with What MTB I think. Seem to remember seeing it advertised.

Cheers Northwind. Is that the cable with the rubber sealing bit at the end??

It’s a KS i950. Inevitable with this design I guess.

ChrisL – Does it stop it from sticking tho? Got caught out in a heavy shower last weekent and within 10 minutes it was sticking. The cable pulls in ok but doesn’t extend again so the post goes down fine but then won’t stay in place, which means I have to stop and fiddle until it moves freely again. Which sort of defeats the object of a remote…