Cheers, I'll give it a go with the washers first.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I reckon Peebles for a bit of Xmas shopping and we pick her up on the way back through. I like the wired on coffee thought but a further 4 hours in the car back to Wales might bea bit painfull

I believe in a thing called muff – The Darkness
You've got the muff – Florence and the Machine
Muff is better than a warm trombone – Gomez
Muff and only Muff – Neil Young

Might give it a try then – it's either that or carry on through to Llandegla (and see what the cafe looks like now then)

I sold a G9 to get the Lx3 as seduced by the faster lens and the Hd video. The LX is a great camera with a couple of exceptions, I found the lens a little too short and missed the zoom of the Canon. Build quality of both are good but I also found the quick joystick on the Lx a bit vague to use.
For me the shorter zoom is getting to be a deal breaker and Im thinking of selling again for a G11!

Dans, lovely pics. If you ever want to get rid of that shock drop me a note. I've got a Pushed RP23 with 3 rides use if you needed something to put back in the frame :D

I agree with Dans, I'm about 14 stone kitted up and the RP23 was pants – either pumped so high it was rock solid or bottoming if you went of a kerb. Don't bother Pushing it, I replaced with a Manitou ISX 6 off ebay and haven't looked back – fantastic bike now. Heard good things about a CCDB if you're feeling loaded. I'd recomend a test ride if you can and see how you get on.

Lockable cycle storage 1

Bike washing facilities 5

Kit washing and drying facilities 6

Basic bike spares (tubes etc) 8

Easy Access to Pub/local amenities 3

Food and energy drinks for the next days ride 3

Drying room 1

Locally sourced food for evening meal and breakfast 5

En-suite 5

TV 10

Similar situation a couple of weeks ago, managed to save £200 and stay with M&S after a bizarre phone call where they wouldn't drop the renewal quote, but were quite happy to let me cancel the original policy and then take out a new one at the internet price. Bizarre.

Ditto for Wednesday night, never known it so foggy or hard to see – made it good fun though!

Great little camera, I love mine. It's small enough to take on rides without getting in the way and the fast lens is great for lower light shots. Only downside is the limited zoom, if you want a travel camera it may be a bit restricting (though I'm told the DMC TZ7 is good in that respect). Canon S90 is worth trying in a shop first, I found it too small in my hands to get comfortable with. Have fun!

Have a fantastic day tomorrow, we'll be raising a glass to you both

At 6'2" I bought a 20" 456 inbred, sold it earlier this year as I always had this sneaking feeling it was too big. If only they made a 19" :(

Yours cracked too and right there? Thought mine might have been a one off.
:(

Love mine, but had to change out the stock shock – using the RP3 there is a pretty well documented problems with heavier riders finding the tune all wrong – either needs setting so harsh you every bump hurts, or you bottom out. Here's one of the MTBR threads on it here

I swapped mine out for a Manitou ISX 6 but others have had success with Cane Creek DB's. Don't know what shock the frames are currently shipping with, the 2010 version with boost valve might solve the problem.

Having said that, and having ironed out a few other problems I can honestly say it's the best bike I've ridden and can't see myself changing for a long long while.

Cheers Ds, much appreciated

What's the concensus for someone 6'2 1/2" with a 34" inside leg? I'm torn between 20" and 18", I've tried a 20" and it felt a bit bit for throwing round the trails, but haven't tried an 18" and fear it might be massively too small?

Cracked the chainstay on a new Tracer VP – replaced under warranty but a bit of a wait.

Had 2 bad offs in recent years, one at Llandegla (I know some will say impossible) where I cracked a rib and the other on a really easy bit of Penmachno where I pulled my shoulder apart with a Grade 3 ACJ dislocation.
12months on I would say I'm more cautious now of getting too fast, but a period of about 6 months taking it steadier (and coaching the GF) means that the confidence has slowly come back and now I feel smoother and quicker than before across most ground. Those sections I came off on are always taken more slowly now but it hasn't dented my enjoyment.
Best advice I can give is go for a wide variety of riding, don't focus on the bits you're struggling with, they will come, just build your confidence and enjoyment and have fun riding.

Thanks for all the advice, the collective experience of the Singletrack Forum never ceases to amaze me!

Jabs on offer are a course of 3 each about 7 days apart. They basically give you an extra 24 hours to get medical help over having no jabs. I'm not planning on getting bitten but it's hard to judge the risk from the information available. The NaTHNaC website my GP has been using sounds exactly the same for Spain as it does for Tanzania!

1) Elite – BBC Tape version, killed how many thargoids before realising couldn't become Elite until I bought a disc drive :(
2) UFO Enemy Unknown
3) Ultima Underworld
4) Max Payne
5) Half Life series

There was also a PC flight sim that took many hours of my life where you flew an F22, but also got to conduct the war from an Awacs in a persistant campaign etc, forgot the name though

Too many to choose but this thread brings back some good gaming memories

A surprise reappearance of my old thread! Though it took a while a new part came through the post (before I had sent the old one back), total time was 4 weeks.

Might be asking the question again though as my Meta 5.5 frame cracked at the head tube / seat tube join and have been waiting 2 1/2 weeks so far with no news… :cry: (Bought from the local dealer but doesn't seem to make things any faster)

There's not a lot I can add beyond what everyone else has said, from personal experience with my father's cancer the following are helpful to us though:

Take a notebook along and write down what's said, it makes such a difference afterwards to have it there rather than try and remember.

If you've got questions you want answers to from the doctors then write them down before your consultations, before you leave read through the list and make sure you have an answer written against each one. It can really save the "Oh I wish I'd asked that" moments afterwards

If you're not happy with your doctors or what they tell you then ask where / who can offer a second opinion and then take it.

People like MacMillan Nurses can be tremendous allies even if it's just at cutting through hospital red tape for you. Even if you think it's not for you give them a try rather than say no straight away

Never underestimate the power of a positive fighting outlook!

Really thinking about you both and wishing you all the best. Get well soon :-)

Fozzy – is that first hand experience about the shock or Intense's marketing claims?
Wondering where to go next on the shock front and had just about settled on a coil but was reluctant to commit due to the weight. Might be looking for the next demo day myself to see if the boost valve's really fixed things.

Chainreaction or Northwest Mountainbike Centre in Stockport both sell them, NWMBC offered me a demo on one last year at one of their demo days, not sure whether they still have it though.

Watch out for the shock if you are weighing in 80kg+ Lot of problems with the RP23 from last year bottoming over anything bigger than a kerb so you may have to factor in a replacement cost.

Cheers guys, I kind of knew I did but I was hoping someone would tell me not to be so silly! Back to the dealer…

This post had me thinking, going to only be a few people getting upset over a low percentage of frames breaking, but then I thought I had better check mine anyway as looking to sell the bike.

Less than one year old Meta 5.5.2, already my second frame as the first one was mis-aligned and the linkage colliding with the swingarm. I checked the top-tube / seat-tube join :cry: I haven't got a lot of experience with this but does it look like I have a problem here, or is it just the paint cracking?

For me it was a case of a couple of first dates at a time but if anything progressed past that it was one by one.

Worked for me, found the right one and didn't feel bad about it.

Just glad to hear everyone OK

Looking very sweet! Reminds me of my old one :wink: Have fun with it.

Still on friendly terms with the shop as they are promising resolution within a week. Fingers crossed and no name and shame unless they are telling lies. Mrh86, the frame is still for sale, but had to be built back up for the Rough Ride last weekend due to the issues on this thread!

Thanks for the thoughts and the link, my gut feel is it’s time to start pushing for action but I know how emotion can get in the way of a reasonable course of action. Sounds like I’m not being too out of order

Cheers

Matt

This was my first and really enjoyed it. Did the short route with the GF and we both had a great time. Agree with the comments about the photographer after the dip, but at least it was an incentive to keep riding. Definitely be back next year, and maybe try the longer route

A) for me, amount varies depending on what’s in pocket

Never tried the Mojo, didn’t get on with the fit of the 575, but loving my Tracer. If you’re 13 stone+ and looking at the large though be prepared for a bit of trouble tuning / finding a shock to work for you, but don’t let that put you off.

Cheers Ti29er! Always nice when one comes out that captures the feel of when you took it.
Spacehopper – I love your pics, esp the last couple

Tryfan back in March, I was quite pleased at how this came out for a quick snap

How did they do on Golspie Max? Still in one piece?

For anyone who doesn’t know Jim and Ian at Llandegla you couldn’t hope to meet a nicer pair of guys, and they’re doing this for a great cause. Whatever your thoughts on Llandegla’s trails, I’m sure they’ll appreciate anything you can sponsor them for.