It sounded like it was hardly getting used.

On a train with tranny and suzanna? Lift yer shirt or choose yer shirt for you?

“Pretty much all the accidents the people I know have had have been the fault of someone else. Attitude and training won’t help one bit.”

The “no amount of training or having a good attitude” part might seem like the answer if drivers are going to pull out of junctions etc.. but its only once you start biking and pass the test that you realize that the training will have a huge effect on your attitude compared to when you first sat there on the morning of your CBT.As for the training,although the instructors wont go into too much detail re: better road use out of town too much,you will benefit from further training which will definately give you a few extra lives.

A good example would be approaching a left hand bend with a junction on the left just after it.approaching close to the white line in the middle of the road would enable many more yards of visability,flow.Not only will you see oncoming traffic sooner,The nutcases see you sooner too.Including the granma sitting at the junction with slower reactions than you do.If any motorcyclist learns to do this,they have done their part.. which could also save their life as old hilda has spotted you sooner.This might give her enough time to decide against pulling out and killing you.

So theres one of many examples on how to be safer regardless of what other drivers might do.Training helps.

monkeyp,i found that i would make matters worse in the rain if i wiped the visor with the glove.I noticed this flexed the visor and opened up gaps.. letting the water blow right in.You can get sprays that help the water bead really well.They should keep your hands away from the visor for quite a while before it needs to be re applied.

The boss has now got a wide carbon monkey lite on his with a gobi xm.It feels braw.Hope to get a shot soon.

“i have owned VPP and 4/faux bar frames and find them better at a lot of things (square edge hits etc) compared to a single pivot but also find them dull and un-involving as they seem to take my input out of the ride”

quick,edit it before the faux bar police come along and tell you that a faux bar IS a single pivot!

Ahhh,well done.Ive done it a number of times now and love the descent.You learn so much about what you can actually ride over.Theres a few bits i chickened out of but the amount you progress over the hour? is well worth it.

I plan to do it soon.For certain reasons.Just waiting for a good weathered monday off.

Oh jeez,nearly forgot the smiley.

😀

Ahh,just been out on the horst linked bike for the past 4 hours.

If i was on a single pivot,you wouldnt be reading this. I recon i`d be about 3 miles from home at this point.

Flow,i dont even take heed of any marketing from Orange or any other company.I wouldnt buy a renault because of how well they do in F1, i would buy it based on the reviews on the car in question.Just like i wouldnt be swayed towards a companys single pivot due to how much their multiple pivot designs get rave reviews.I suppose what im getting at here is why would someone go out of their way to make something,spend all that time and money.. to boost a bike they have already produced? They have all gone on to make multiple pivot models after launching the single pivot because they ride better.If they honestly rode worse,cost more to buy,took more time to change bearings,cost more to change bearings.. do you think we wouldnt have caught on by now after all these years? They higher end models are there for a reason,they arent there just to look cool with no benefit over a single pivot further down their line whatsoever.Some people dont mind a bit of extra weight,cost of bearings,time it takes to service one of these bikes if it means having the frame that has the edge over their base models.

As far as 4 bars suffering like single pivots do,you need to try out a few on different terrain.

Ive said this before,years ago i was riding Laggan with danny mac and we swapped bikes over the large rocky causeway just after airs rocks to see how a heckler tackled it compared to a horst five spot.We both agreed that with similar build and the same shocks, the ride was a different kettle of fish.It was a moment of looking at each other and grinning and thinking the same thing “fek me,theres the answer to all that,then!”

Theres heaps of bikes out there that shine through compared to single pivots with what all we can ride up here. I am starting to wonder if a lot of folk are believing their single pivots do the same job as more elaborate designs because they are riding what they think is a technical trail,when its no more than some enhanced canal towpath.Ive heard this of some of the race courses when the guys return from down south after a weekends racing.They get home and cant believe what some folk are classing as technical.

Going back to single pivot v other types of suspension.. i once swapped a demo marin rift zone with a chap who owned a superlight.Same travel but we swapped bikes half way down a loose rocky track where we were using quite a bit of rear brake to brush off speed to stop everyone piling into each other.We got off at the end,swapped back and agreed on how the rear end was functioning on the rift zone compared to the sc.He is the kind of chap that doesnt really notice when his bearings are worn out,cones are loose etc.. but he definately noticed this.It felt like the rear end was completely locked on the superlight.

More recently i rode an old superlight down off Fyrish and again,it felt like the rear end of my hardtail. Near useless when feathering the brake right through to using it as much as possible.The thing is, having owned a heckler,i only noticed how bad this was once i moved onto the ict 5 spot.

Like people have said above, some folk will rave about the bikes they own but they still havent tried them back to back with designs that blow them away when it comes to climbing and descending.Its all out there,take advantage of demo days and see for yourself.

This isnt a dig at orange or santacruz and their singlepivots.They have their advantages,i owned one.I would even (like i said above) consider owning a new heckler again due to my type of riding these days.They would be more than enough for what i do on them.However,i just feel the need to point out what i said above having experienced it.On another note,i have posted before in other threads on the number of people that have moved away from single pivots from orange (5) and some santacruz single pivots.The bikes they moved onto were horst motolites or racerx. or turner 5 spots or fluxs and without any help.. they all agree that they couldnt believe the difference in the ride.I can honestly say that for the riders that ride up here,i cant think of one that said they wished they could go back to what they owned previously.

Its great to hear that feedback from customers without swaying them towards it.

Gary Lake – “What makes the Five so special is the fact that it simply does exactly what you ask of it. Nothing more, nothing less”

If you rode something other than a single pivot you would find that it actually DOESNT do everything what you ask of it.

“The rest is up to you!”
It certainly is,thank god i have a choice!

“And you can spin it’s weak points however you want.”
I cant be arsed repeating what a lot of folk are talking about thats making this thread so long.

sailor74 – “There are two things that make a Five so special.
The second thing that makes it so special is its UK proof-ness. The frame, bearings and paint job will still be tip top long after other bikes have had to have bearings replaced and are starting to look tired from all the paint chips. Basically these things will generally out last everything out there.”
If a measly pair of 2rs bearings is the do all and end all of how good a bike is,then i dont know.As for the paint being a factor in how special the five is,thats one of the last things i look for in a mountain bike.who cares if it chips or scratches easily if its one of the best riding bikes on the planet?! A company owner/frame designer once replied to one of the customers that bought a very high end,expensive,niche custom build from a shop i used to work at..”Its a mountain bike for christsakes..just ride it!” in reply to his gripe over the finish of the paint.Great riding bike-shit paint.who cares.

Flow – “It goes to show how good the Five is when people who own other brands feel the need to comment on the thread defending their bikes and justifying their purchase.”
Just because something is talked about,doesnt mean its the best thing since sliced bread,Flow.Take Katie Price as an example.

To finish up.Why have Santa Cruz and Orange decided to move on from their single pivots over the years? If their single pivots did everything it says on the tin,they wouldnt have bothered.

Why have they kept their single pivots? Because they are cheaper,easier to maintain,will accelerate and climb better than some (most?) brands more intricate designs but will never,EVER be the best overall design for going up and down a mountain.

Trolling is so much fun!

Leftfield.

Paul Daley was at Cake in Inverness recently.

Try and clean your new Shoei with a visor wipe as often as possible before lifting the visor to stop the grime from scuffing the top of the pinlock.I have a wee plastic sleeve that i have an old sock stuffed into with some water and mucoff soaked into it for quick wiping.Theres not many insects yet but its just around the corner.Thats the beauty up until now.. the bike and visor have been fly free! The wet sock slipped down behind the bikes screen can be used really quick without removing my gloves so you dont waste too much time when it gets bad out there.

Magazines always tell you to buy proper boots.If you buy other types of boots with laces,expect the possibility of laces wearing through in a matter of milliseconds.. then the boot falls off.Brill.The price of some of the oxford boots in the sales right now are very good value.The bone dry ones can be had for £80.Some magazine said they werent too waterproof but it wouldnt put me off a boot if they were that price.I have been doing upto 7 hour rides through the past few winters (leaving the house when its 4c)with non waterproof boots.As long as the socks arent too thick,the feet stay warm enough.They just seem to stay warm enough for me with only a merino sock inside them.
I have oxford heated sport grips.Like others have said,they backs of the hands can get cold.The ultimate would be heated grips with good winter gloves with a bit of bulk inside of them and a waterproof shell.I ride with alpine stars gp plus gloves and if i cant hack it, i put trek ripstop lobster shell goves over them.This takes the chill completely off my fingers.All for around £15 quid.

forget lots of buffs around the neck or big necked fleeces.They cause bulk and wind will still blast through them.If its a sports bike you ride,your head is restricted from tilting backwards into a natural position the more you put on around the neck too.It gets sore after a few hours.The answer is to buy a windproof neck sock like the ones oxford make.The material does the job and even half a buff underneath it can stop minor drafts but still allowing heaps of movement for yer life savers!
If you are normally large sizing in jackets and trousers,expect to buy a size up to fit in extra clothing.The bulk at the sleeves with gloves on could mean that you cant zip up the sleeves easily.The trousers i have are big enough to be comfortable with merino long johns too.

In torrential downpours,the pinlock can let in water.This happened on my shoei not long after getting it.I stuck a piece of electrical tape along the back of the helmet to have ready just to stick on the top of the visor.when this happens,you cant really ride so hopefully your helmet wont do this.Its been so handy to have as the rain and steam can be a big prob.

I sorted it first time.Removed the chainset,checked rings – all fine.

Removed the front mech and main pivot.Cleaned everything up,put a fine lick of grease over the bearings and on the inside face of the main pivot bolt head.Threadlocked the front mech fixing bolts and also the main pivot nut.re-assembled and silence is golden! I need to find out what threadlock to use on the main pivot bolt threads as well as torques.It was a bit of a rush this morning but its pretty much sorted.

I found the bb unit to be smooth after a few months (2-3 dry rides a week and i havent hosed the bike down yet!) Ive also taped over the split at the back of the seat tube to stop a little bit of water spraying down into it off the tyre.I still dont know if theres a breather hole at the top of the bb shell for it to enter into the bb but its worth trying to stop water getting in there as much as possible.

I also lashed grease into the press fit bb before refitting the chainset.Done this with most of my bikes and the bb units last well.

I would recommend removing the pivots and greasing them up a bit as the main pivot on mine was bone dry.I wont say that i am dissapointed,ive seen this with so many bikes and its no big deal.It saves the companys thousands of pounds i suppose.Its upto the customer to decide if he or she wants to leave it and expect things to corrode and seize,or do something about it while the bike is still new.

This goes for all bikes.Not just Lapierres.

Barefoot aye!

Theres something far better out right now by the beasties.. and it wasnt the beasties that made it!

search around.

chest mounted go pro next time.when you have finished,grin at them.. and offer them round later to watch it on the big screen.It would clear the air.everyone would be in fits of laughter at their expressions.

Mine was not only creaking today but i could feel it through the seat and bars.Even my music couldnt block it out!

I will start looking into things one by one starting tomorrow eve.

Ok,the spicy sizing chart recons riders around 411" - 56″ for the 42cm.
The chart also says 55" - 5 11″ for the 46cm.
You say you are a beginner.You told us where you will be riding so i would be confident in saying that you need to go for a 42cm spicy if this is the model you decide to go for.

The zesty sizing chart shows 411" - 55″ for a 42cm.
They also mention that a 46cm would suit riders between 55" -59″ .Again,consider where you are riding,what standard you are at and go for the bike that you are going to be in control of.Dont buy a bike (or be sold a bike) thats going to be in control of YOU.

I ride a 46cm zesty,i have a 32″ inside leg and just over 5` 8″. I dread to think what stand over you will have if you are 30″ or less.

what inside leg are you?

Did you try the anthem with a riser bar or that awful flat oversized thing? It feels like its bent going back to flat bars! The bike feels rather special when you first spin around on it.I would love to try it with a low rise bar.I have to admit,before my current bike,the anthem 29er was on the list. 29 wheels or not,its a topper.It looks stunning in the flesh too.

Aye,the dreaded Facebook.Time sapper of a site! Pauls pics of you were top dog.Nice weather.I havent been up there since they put all the new stones in on the paths.

I was planning a DW flux for a while but compared to what you read on here,it never seems to get the praise of the old horst link versions.Folk are often talking about other issues too.To be honest i would be happy with a tnt version.What i would love to do is tweak an old horst version and completely fit quality sealed bearings into it so it flows super smooth.I know it wouldnt last as well but it would be interesting to wangle it.Not sure if anyones machined stuff up and tried it already.Its just that the majority of 5 spots (must be at least 15) that ive had shocks out of,have all been a little sticky,inc my own.Its just something that has always made me wonder.The angles and handling of the older 5 spot but with no resistance messing with the shock.
Mmmmm.

Grab a rear shimano skewer and fit it.Close it over nice and snug. See if that makes a difference.

Oh i got excited there.Then i viewed it.

The final part of Golspie (closer to home by 3 hours) will do me just fine!

Mine has a creak too.I havent fitted parts to it as it was a complete bike (or taken it apart yet) but i plan to fire an XT chainset into it firstly to see if that cures it. Ive been riding with music on all my rides so the noise hasnt bugged me enough! Might have a look tomorrow.

vortex, have you tried running the saddle a bit more in-line with the blocks of the house? you must have so much weight on the bars running it at that angle.It`ll do you no favours.

Ive got a complete black one with the date (in white) on it from around 89.Its so hard to read the time! shouldnt old stwers be sporting pop swatches as they are easier to read? ;O)

Go for a 42cm.

Although Argos crops up in these threads more often than not.. i cant sit here and not say anything.They resprayed a few frames back around 2008 and the paint chipped off with ease.The size of the chips were a bit of a problem so they had to be resprayed.

That was a while ago now and i can only say that i hope (for the mountain bikes that need a tougher paint job than all the road bikes they have had no trouble with over many years)that they have changed their prep of the frames,painting technique,paint type,application,baking or whatever it was that they used back then.

To look at,they do a lovely job,but i can only hope they have changed their ways for aluminium frames as it was either too brittle or just didnt stay attatched well enough due to other probs.

Fingers crossed.Lets hope they powdercoat or something!

Sanny! you need to get that shock serviced,new tyres and a few squirtz in yer zerkz if thats how you feel about your confidence inspiring 5spot! ;OP

Had a medium one kicking about here for around 3 weeks.Havent ridden it yet though.The wheel size doesnt tick all the boxes for me.Tried it,but i like 26inch.Always will do.Maybe thats because ive ridden 20 inch wheels in the past and they really show how good the happy medium 26″ wheel really is in so many ways other than just the ride over the rough along with the increased contact patch.I might be kidding myself.. as 650 might really be the ultimate happy medium.

29inch wheels are definately not the happy medium mountain bike wheel and they never will be for so many reasons.

Its good,Uboy.You could throw a heap of that stuff together and sell it!

+1 glenh.

This happens with quite a few of them.If you apply a little pressure at the calliper end and pull the lever on and off slowly then you should be able to get it all flowing nicely.Once you can flush a few syringes of fresh fluid through it,start bleeding it the way Formula describe.

I was thinking of a few short clips of a djs own mix of a few songs together.will they still be able to find it?

C&K have just finished the Clydebank bmx track revamp.They know the score.Amazing finish to it all.Cant wait to get down there.

“It can only be the bearings”

Nope,it can be a shell thats bored out a little too much.Its very rare but ive had it with a pro2 rear hub.I replaced all the bearings and found a few press fitting in by thumb.I expected play and sure enough.. it felt no better than before.Not sure of the outcome as the customer never bought the bike from us.. although i gave him a choice of ourselves stripping/posting it back etc.The bike shop he bought it from was the best bet as he would have obviously paid less labour (or none at all if they took it on the head the way they should have)

Hope will sort things out.. its Hope.Yer hardly going to get a raw deal from them.Once they get a part back thats definately not quite up to their standards you would normally get it replaced no questions asked.

14 months and you havent had the chain come off the lower part of the chainring and gradually roll off the ring as you descend a rough trail?

Take that bike up here and even the tame stuff will have it off in an hour.

Its when you descend and stop pedalling that it will hop over the teeth at the bottom.. then work its way off.Sometimes its possible to pedal it back on but depending on how long and rough that track is.. you will lose it.

14 months?

14 freekin months?!

:::walks off muttering fourteen months shaking his head with a frown:::

Restart in safe mode and run them again,tony.Do as much as you can in safe mode with what you have already downloaded in the past.I have avg and spybot and they seem to do the job if it ever goes dodgy.