One of the benefits I can see is that the foam inserts only seem to work properly on rims over 25mm wide  AFAIK so (especially on  a hardtail) you’ll potentially miss out on being able to use one and run lower pressures whilst still protecting you wheel rim? I’m on Hope wheels which aren’t really suitable at 25mm (according to Rimpact etc)

I’m with Yak – you probably won’t notice the extra weight, but you’ll feel good looking at a better looking bike!

Its is really just me thinking that they should have been called

On One Gnar

On One ‘Poon…..

Or have I been beaten to that one?

I dis the race a few years ago, and whilst I wouldn’t rush back to do it again, it was well organised, so hopefully this was just a “wrong place, wrong time” accident, and if that is proved to be the case, it won’t affect the running of the event. Mind you, the IofM seem to have a more level headed approach to these things with the TT, so maybe that will count for something. Just desperately sad for those directly affected – not something any of us want to hear.

Cotic Solaris Max?

Did you want a Di2 set-up?

Presuming Hope wheels are on the Pro 4 Evo hubs, I’m not impressed with the way my rear wheels (2 sets) go through bearings, springs and pawls. Making wheels easy (apparently) easy to service, doesn’t compensate for you having to it too bloody regularly! Would go elsewhere in future…

Brand X – I’ve got 2 (newish) ones, and haven’t had any issues with the remote. The newer ones have a paddle style remote, which is better than the one on the originals. There are probably better remotes out there, but until these stop working, I’ll stick with them! Both works as well as my Reverbs, which I never really had any issues with, just changed to get larger drops.

I built a rigid 29er, then bought a (cheap) gravel bike – a Pinnacle Arkose – the Arkose is far, far better to ride on the same terrain than the rigid MTB. Probably all that geometry stuff people bang on about, but for a huge percentage of the riding that is available to me without driving, the gravel bike is fine – and as said above, descents can be terrifying in a good way! Cable discs take some getting used to though…

When I was doing my road bike build a while back I got some Dura Ace/Ultegra (?) Shimano coated inner cables – only because they were on offer at the time – and the 105 brakes they are on have been very good from set-up and have stayed that way with no noticeable deterioration. I’ve had compliments on how good the brakes are from both my LBS and a pal with Ultegra brakes on his far better bike, so yes, in my experience, better quality inners – along with careful outer cable prep, obviously – makes a big difference, and I will definitely pay the extra again.

I bought a pair of carbon forks off a Chinese ebay seller, which looked the part but were quite frankly terrifying – flexed like mad and produced an appalling speed wobble. After a bit of to and fro, they agreed a full credit and I gave them to a pal who does carbon repairs to cut up and look at. Would definitely recommend going for someone with a good reputation! Avoided the issue by just buying a carbon frame and fork off Planet X in the sale…

Yeah, I’m getting the picture and no words – presumed it was Premier content?

Yep, 2 posts – a 150mm and a 170mm, both perfectly acceptable with the standard lever – don’t think I’d buy anything else now!

Never had an issue myself, normally with the Park ones, and once patched I’ve never had an issue of them failing at the patch that I remember on either road or mountain wheels. This to be fair is only on normal tubes – never bothered with slime filled tubes, as I’m normally tubeless anyway.

Cheeky comment, but I have a 38T Hope N/W I’ve just taken off my retired singlespeed….

5’11” here on a Large with a 35mm stem – tried a medium and just felt it was too small for me. Only 120mm old Reba forks which lets the side down, could do with something less noodly. Black and Gold of course… Can’t post pictures because I’m a luddite/useless but I’m sure everyone else’s will be better than mine anyway!

Millets my arse. Ordered a tyre not long ago they were showing in stock, then got an e-mail back saying the didn’t have any left and had to wait a week for a refund with no apology – wouldn’t touch them with a bargepole.

I’d have considered it. I’ve got a PX Pro Carbon seems more than good enough for me and was as cheap as chips, frame only, and one of the Carnac road lids, which was such good value I’ve just ordered another! As has been said, they seem to have started to get their act back together which is good for all of us in my book.

Always amazes me how much pedals seem to polarize opinions – one or the other are always invariably shite and anyone who uses the “other” is missing the point…. Anyway, for what its’ worth, I started on clipless, tried flats (DMR Vaults and 5:10’s, so didn’t skimp) – hated them, tried for a good while and couldn’t get on with them – binned them off in the end after a big off landed me in A&E, then went back to clips and have been happy ever since. Another thumbs up for Shimano pedals with multi-release cleats, easy to adjust tension and no issues with unclipping until you want to. M530’s are my go to pedal – like everyone says, they are cheap and pretty indestructible!

Hopefully….

Old Pale sunset by Martin Kiely[/url], on Flickr

Mine has long gone now, but thoroughly enjoyed it, particularly when I put a 150mm Yari on the front! No idea how to post pictures on here though….

Cheers all, installed Chrome and now working fine :-)

Cheers StuF – might try Chrome, as find Edge a bit of a PITA to be honest – hence still using IE!

Aye, sounds about right – miserable buggers my lot…

I’ve got some Gore ones recently (not sure what model) but they are the best I’ve tried by a long way. Don’t know what price they should have been as they were an ebay bargain!

Top guy, great repairs  – speak to Phil at Target Composites, based in Cheshire –

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I put a Debonair air shaft in mine and was very impressed in the difference, just need to swap out the damper now – great bits of kit, and very affordable.

I’ve got one of the Aldi ones, and find that it loses more gas than it gets into the tyre, will be getting something else… pal of mine swears by the Decathlon spring nozzle one.

E-road bikes are now coming in too, I noticed from idly flipping through a magazine in WHS recently – MTBers might be resistant to change (whether we agree with it or not) but the roadies will be foaming at the mouth! :-)

Ben, yes I’ve just done it, but seriously – 10-15 minutes? A lot longer than that, far too complicated, and to be honest I only persevered to see how long it took. As tthew said, I think you need to re-think it to get any sensible amounts of replies – again, honest feedback – good luck with the research. Only filling it in, as my son has just finished his degree, and when I did mine we had to do a survey which turned out to be a PITA to get responses to!

Interested in this as I’m in the same boat for my gravel bike, so looked at that Giant system – £96-ish on CycleStore, but by god its’ fugly!

Thanks lovewookie after posting up, I had the bright idea (doh!) to ask Mavic themselves and they said no problem, as long as I ordered new pawls and springs – they don’t come with the freehub – and didn’t mention the axle. Will give it a try when the new frame turns up – cheers

WTB Nano 40’s for me – surprisingly good on front – can’t fit it on the back wheel with super tight clearances on a 26″ frame and 29er wheels….

As already mentioned, Cotic RocketMax? Great outfit to deal with, who are very helpful when it comes to demos. A couple of my riding pals who are both big guys (6’2″ & 6’5″, both 15 stone plus) have the older version, and the new one is longer/slacker/etc etc

Four bikes, four sets of tools etc, just because I can’t be arsed swapping things over and always forget when it actually matters. I work on the principle that I’d rather carry too much stuff with me, than keep it to the minimum and be caught out when the worst case scenario happens. One thing I insist on having at the bottom of my two MTB packs are the aluminium space blankets things as mentioned above – weigh nothing and really can be a life saver. Most people above seem to be far more organised that me though, so picked up some tips here!

Weaken a frame? Yep – one of my pals wore a hole in his chainstay! Glad to say he scrapped the frame when he realised, could have been nasty. To be fair, he is a monster, so it was probably both the frame and the wheel flexing under the weight! ;_)

I used a USE shim for around 12 months until I swapped my seatpost to a 31.6mm and it never caused any issue, and came out fine when I was finished with it – not a stealth ad, honest!

Looked at the new Triban the other day, £550ish seemed a bargain to me and easy to try for size etc. Like others have said there are some bargains to be had, but you’d have to know what you’re looking at and at least there are plenty of Decathlon stores around.

I have some light Fox ones which I wear on bigger stuff/rockier rides, but don’t on normal XC type rides – probably should use them more often at my age!

170mm Brand X here, and very happy so far – especially at £120.00! I also find the standard lever fine, so until it breaks (hopefully never!) that’s another cost I don’t have to factor in.