Phoned CRC and they were polite, apologetic, very understanding and offered a quick solution. Well done them very impressed! Well maybe I should hold back on the praise as there was no reply to my email and I will only be really happy once I have the part that I have paid for.

Yeah I’m sure it was the right box for the part ordered- problem is that there is no part in it.

To be honest I was just slightly wound up after opening an empty box. It’s reassuring to know that I haven’t forked out for nothing and should be able to sort this out. Finally I will be able to get some sleep. Thanks

Come to think of it does anyone know what to do in this situation if the company doesn’t play ball?

As for air for my tires gives me an idea that I could get this sorted (refund/replacement) as surely consumer rights stuff must say something along the lines that the product must fit the description. I really didn’t order any air for my tires.

Ta for the reminder, but no voucher or even sweets.

Thanks Brant, I didn’t think of that. So I don’t have to drink copious amounts of beer to use the cans to make a shim. On second thoughts I’ll drink the beer anyway to celebrate (getting the bike fixed)/drown my sorrows due to the rugby. Cheers.

Same problem, so contacted Ragley-no reply surprise, surprise. Also contacted Chain Reaction Cycles where I bought it from- got that kind of reply that computer says no. Not helpful! So where does that leave those of us stuck trying to get a simple thing like a seat post collar size 32.6? Help anyone?

I had a good result with using diesel.

As above!

I think it must depend on the brand- my maguras I think are guaranteed not to require this for 5 years. Don’t quote me on that one as I’ve never needed to check this out and I have had them for about that length of time.

Lac Blanc bike park[/url]Thanks for the recommendation for the kayserburg area as it’s near Orbey and the Lac Blanc MTB centre. Anyone been there?

Munkyfunster- thanks for the info. I hope I make it to the Foret Domaniale de Longegoutte, but who knows?

I think that Ned Overend won the US national single speed in 2010? is he not around 55. Ned Overend[/url]

Is this about a pair of gloves?

Sounds very much like DOMS (Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness)- the etiology is somewhat unclear with 6 main theories been proposed: micro tissue damage, muscle spasm, latic acid, enzyme efflux, connective tissue, and tissue fluid theories. Stretching before and after physical activity most likely does not appreciably reduce all-injury risk but probably reduces the risk of some injuries, and it could help reduce the risk of bothersome soreness from DOMS.

Ta Ianv for the info, but unfortunately I think that Metabief is in the Jura and just a wee bit too far for me to go. What are the other two locations like?

My wife is from Germany and when I’m over I take the family dog out biking. The dog loves it and is obsessed by it, but unfortunately suffers badly from his efforts with cut feet within a couple of miles. My dog back in Scotland has no such problem- being a hard Highlander! Now that dog in Germany is not only the family per but is also a search and rescue dog and as a result has to wear ‘doggy shoes’ to protect his feet. The owner of the dog also works in very posh vets, so should be very well informed as to which shoes may work. The ones I previously tried fell off within a mile! If I can find out further info I will let you know.

Hi Ash thanks for your advice. Couldn’t agree more with just getting out and explore, but if I try this approach I’m highly likely to repeat what happened on last year’s trip to the Black Forest- miles of forest fire road :|. Also being from the north of Scotland I’m used to some very easy terrain to navigate owing to the lower elevation of tree line and a general lack of quality forest. Now being in a thick forest and having to stop and check a map every 5 minutes isn’t my cup of tea. In that situation I would probably convince myself that I know where I’m going and keep riding only to get lost and not find the great single track :cry:. Is the answer to that a GPS or smart phone, something else? I will try to find out further info on the place you mentioned- Thann. Incidentally, why there in particular?

Hey, nothing wrong with the UK trail centres- personally I like most of them. But last year’s biking in the black forest was a bit crap which I think it was just our bad luck/crap map from the tourist office and we probably missed out on some great trails. That’s probably why I would prefer to follow some sign posted designed trail a bit like our UK trail centres. Any ideas?

Good point. More info- reach and stack[/url]Thanks

I don’t really get what point you are trying to make by saying ‘what a **** mug’ as it lacks specificity. Would you care to clarify? I’m aware that it’s not really specific to say ‘aggressive riding’, and it’s a term that can be interpreted differently by us all. But, this is only to act as a guide! That is all. That’s probably why some refer to this type of data as a size guide.

Nay! This sounds way short. The only way to know for sure is to have a go and compare. If you are after an example take Ragley do some hard hitting hard tail bikes and their geometry recommendations for >5’10? is an 18” frame = an effective top tube length 23.5”. With a long top tube you will be able to have a shorter stem and enhance your aggressive side of riding.

700c/29er
For really light work I have the FSA RD-460 Disc Cyclocross wheelset on-one Scandal. Now correct me if I’m wrong but the wheelset is for road type bikes 130mm axle width, whereas my mountain bike is 135mm. The main point is that they work really well and I don’t notice the difference in axle widths. I would recommend this wheelset for most of my easier roots as I’m too scared to do any proper jumps with them in case of a spectacular failure. If anybody else has these and is about 85Kg and is able to abuse these wheels to doing occasional jumps let us know.
And as for my Halo Freedom disk 29er- has its place (for the heavy duty stuff), however the rotating mass you will add to a bike will be massive and really makes a 29er feel like a 29er.
Also consider
American Classic 29er wheelset, Fulcrum Red Metal 29er, NoTubes ZTR Race 29er, Novatec TX 29er, Shimano XT Wheels 29″ MT75, Sun Ringle Charger Expert, Sun Ringle Black Flag Pro, WTB Speed TCS XC Race Fulcrum Red Metal 29 SL, Fulcrum Red Metal 29 XL

Generally speaking crank size seems unimportant for people of average height, therefore worth giving consideration for the taller/smaller rider.
Taller riders > 180cm (6ft.) might consider 177.5cm cranks
Smaller riders < 165cm (5’5”) should be on 170cm length of crank or less
I have only spotted a few studies on this subject (I’m certain there must be more) focusing on the optimal crank length. Findings suggest that crank length was optimal for power (product of resistance and cadence) production when the crank arm was set at 41% of tibia length (lateral knee joint space to lateral malleolus); however this had a very small sample size at 16 trained young adult cyclists. Also the pedalling cadence optimal for power output was found to decrease with increasing crank length. Therefore, an increased crank length increases the lever arm, so the cyclist does not have to pedal as quickly to achieve the desired power output. A longer crank arm may be desirable for power production for a cyclist who style refrain from a high cycling cadence.
Also worth considering crank sizes if
1. You are experiencing biomechanical problems such as knee pain
2. Min increase in ground clearance- if you are between the common sizes of 170-175 (172.5 would be harder to get) and your bike has an extremely low bottom bracket, you may find that the extra clearance from the shorter crank might just be enough to prevent your pedals grounding.