I’ve been on 29ers for last 2 years, a codeine and now a stumpy. I’m no fitter, haven’t ridden any more often, less if anything. However, all of my fastest times on strava have been over the last 2 years on those bikes. Also, even at 15 1/2 st ish, I’ve never wrecked a wheel, so don’t buy into the fragile 29er wheel thing. I’d just like some more options for decent 140mm travel or thereabouts and slack trail / enduro type frames in a 29er as I’m loving them.

I absolutely loved it, did the sport yesterday. Highlights for me were stages 1 and 2, and 5 was a nice one to finish on with those big grassy turns. Glad we got through ahead of the stage closures and diversions etc (hope those involved make a speedy recovery)

finished on 19:54.10 in masters cat.

I faired well on a pair of maxxis with exo casings, run tubeless. No tyre related issues at all for me.

Got stuck behind the odd person, but I’d say generally people were really good about pulling off line to let past. With small start gaps and no seeding catches are going to be inevitable.

I’m running a 29er set. I’m heavier, prob 15 1/2 stone kitted up. Running 80psi on my pump gauge, 30ish % sag. No HSC, 4 clicks of LSC from open too. Feel good for me, I don’t know if they have any tokens fitted as I’ve never opened them but bought used.

Thanks for the info all, I’ll stop panicking and leave the bike as it is!

The forecast seems to be changing, was rain all day Thursday when I first looked, better now so hope it stays like that.

Defo looking forwards to it, I’ll be trying out my van conversion in anger for the first time too, I’ll be the one in the blue high top LWB vivaro (very un-T4/T5-fashionable I know, but very practical). Just got the sink / hob fitted and up and running last night.

I tried the 35mm LB rims on my 29er, I didn’t actually like the feel of them. They were stiff to the point of making the ride feel harsh. Maybe with low spoke count and thinner spokes they’d have been better. I went back to alu rims, currently running ARC 30’s.

Lol, yes they would do! But only up there for photo purposes as I’d just laid the floor! Now have the foam matreses up there, wedged against the roof, with a cargo net type thing that clips across the front to hold them in place (although they don’t budge)

double post

I had similar requirements to you, I wanted:

– Campervan to sleep 2 adults and 2 children in family mode and with reasonable level of comfort
– Bike van for me to use odd weekends weekends and bikes have to be able to fit inside
– Van to be our second family vehicle but I have to be able to use it around town and for commuting when needed

I bought a high top LWB vivaro which I’m currently converting myself. Couldn’t afford a decent transporter (or didn’t want to pay what they were asking anyway). Ive fitted 2 rear seats on QR rails, which in addition to the front 3 can carry our family of 4 easily, 2 side windows, fiamma skylight, insulated and carpet lined, lino floor. I made a 3-piece bed platform similar to the outside van ones that spans across the van. Its a good size double when folded out, but can also be completely removed if needed. The bed height was set to clear the bars / saddles of bikes in the back, so in biking mode with the rear seats out I’ll be able to have easily 3 bikes stood up in the back side by side (accounting for kitchen which will be on far side), no need to remove wheels etc. I can then sleep in there over top of bikes if im on a riding trip. We can then have one child in a bed across cab seats and another in the back under the double bed (just simple boards with foam matresess on top) I’ve got a swivel on the front double seat, so with that spun round its a dining space for 4 (dining table to be made to sit in between seats). Now working on a kitchen setup which Im making from cheap and cheerful birch ply, its going to run down far side of van much like the traditional transporter side kitchen conversions, also got all the electrics to do. It’s going to have a full leisure battery setup, split charge, 12v fridge, 240v hookup etc etc, ive got all the bits, just need to fit it.

I use the van for commuting 1-2 days a week and can fit it in a normal parking space.

It seems to be working as intended, super flexible, but also enough of a ‘proper’ campervan to convince the Mrs that she’s not going to be ‘slumming’ it in the back of a builders van. I should have it finished in next 3-4 weeks to do a few trips this summer.

Also got a drive away awning to give loads of extra space.

I need to decide on a solution for carrying bikes for family trips, the winner so far is to just get a towbar and use a towbar rack, we wont be taking high value bikes for family camping tips anyway so lock them to the towbar, cover them and take the risk.

Couple of pics below, its progressed a bit since then too.

Minnion front 2.3 exo tr flavour (on the front), was running an ardent race 2.2 exo tr on the rear and loving it until i ripped a hole in it on a sideways landing at glentress last october, not the tyres fault!

I would have gone for same on rear again but couldnt get hold of one, so now running a 2.25 exo crossmark on the rear, but noticeably less grippy in corners than the ardent race, so will stich back when this wears out.

I’d definatley go ardent race rather than standard ardent on the rear, its faster rolling and handled most conditions I found myself in just fine, including BPW with an inch of snowfall at the top last year

I’m 6′ with long legs for my height, I got a large to get a decent TT length and ran it with a 50mm stem. I prefer a bit of room for breathing space and moving about a bit, hate bikes that feel cramped length wise. This was a good fit for me, I normally ride large size frames from most manufacturers, now got a large stumpy fsr carbon 29er.

Agree with all the comments above, rode great, I only changed frame cos I fancied something a bit more pimp.

I used the goodridge stuff on a few builds and it’s been really good. Gave much sharper and more powerful braking with both road calipers and discs. Noticeably better than standard generic brake outer cable.

I’d second castlerigg, stunning views in good weather as its on an elevated hillside, good facilities too.

Be careful of weather coming in from the west as it doesn’t half come howling down the valley, thought our caravan was going to tip over during a storm one night there, pretty much the whole camping field packed up and left during the night! Great fun

Obviously I can’t be certain on my speed, but it was in that ball park.

If the car had drifted right but with left hand indicator on, there’s no way i would have passed on left as I would have known what he was setting up for. He had moved completely over to the right of the road and slowed to a crawl, hence appearing safe to continue down the left hand side of the left of the road, I didn’t consider it undertaking and I wasn’t shooting for a 1m wide gap. His drift to the right had also started probably 80ish metres further up the road, further giving the appearance he was moving over to stop on that side of the road.

I haven’t actually gotten up to look at it myself, but yeah it looks like the wheel is pretty straight! I did hit the car completely square on, don’t know if that’s helped, but they must be good tough wheels!

Got all insurance details as police have been involved, although they said there’s no offence involved and it was just an accident…..

I’ve been in touch with a solicitor. Doubly sucks as I’m a self employed design engineer contractor, so 3 days pay lost already. At least Easter hols will give me some more recovery time.

Certainly did, not on sammys fortunately (picked up some vittoria’s from cyclomonster yesterday avo). How muddy was that!!! Spent a heap of time pulling handfuls of mud out of the drive train each lap! How do the fast folk seem to keep their bikes so clag free?

Defo need to practice running with the bike more and loose some lb’s. Oh well, 9 months or so to practice for next season.

After my old prefab garage with up-and-over door was broken into a couple of years ago, and all my bikes were nicked, I went with the following –

New timber build shed (i built it myself, more like a chalet than shed…), two 5 lever deadlocks on door, triple security hinges, as hinge pins were exposed I also fitted hinge bolts which engage into frame when the door shuts, door edge trimmed in steel which overlaps frame and eliminates pry/crow bar access, windows are 6mm toughened and only 50cm square between uprights so no chance of getting a bike out, stand alone alarm in there with pin keypad, also wireless PIR linked to house alarm with twin bellboxes, when all those go off its bloody noisy!, all windows have blinds to stop snooping, I’ve set up one of our old babymonitors in there, other end lives on my bedside cabinet, bikes anchored to steel racking in shed (doesnt fit through door). Ive also go another custom security touch, but i’ll keep that one to myself!

Once bitten, twice shy they say

No repeated break in attempt yet, still wondering when they’ll come back…..

Yeah dont worry about BB option, Ive got a stumpy carbon with PF30 BB and a CAAD10 with BB30, both running praxis works adapters to use shimano 24mm, both silent and rock solid many miles in.

I’m running valves cut from old tubes, have been for 2 years with no issues at all

We did penhyd in the morning and Blade afternoon on a recent visit, we rode between the centres but I’d drive it in hindsight, providing you don’t have to fully de-kit to get in your car

I’m running minnion 2.35 front and ardent race 2.25 rear, 29ers and in EXO casing, set up tubeless. Great combo, been running them since I built my codeine up a couple of months ago. Rear was a bit slick on a couple of wet (with snow too) rides, but never really struggled. Going to be great in the summer whenever it eventually arrives

Much prefer EXO casings for running tubeless compared to spesh controls at my 100kg heft

I think my codeine’s great too, im 6 foot on a large (used to spesh 19″ bikes) and it fits great, wouldnt want medium for myself as TT would be too short.

Im in Derby if that helps for s sizing test.

Hi danti, I’m just in Allestree, if you just need quick jobs doing like the ones you mentioned (save for wheels / full build which will be a bit more time consuming, though I can do either), drop me an email and I’ll give you my mob. No.

Bring the parts and a beer and I’ll swap you for a cuppa, and I’ll lend you my tools and show you how to do it yourself.

I’d also happily just take you’re cash off you if you just want a drop off and have it done service.

You can check out my bikes which are all custom builds if you want to check if I’m capable.

I’d imagine a large would still be too small at that height. I’m only 6′ and the large / 20″ is just right for me.

We were there yesterday, blizzard like conditions in the morning made it interesting….

2 of our group were on HT’s with <100mm travel up front, both managed just fine on the blues and reds

Maxxis Exo’s for me, id go with a pair of those in a 2.25 rear 2.3/2.4 front. Im currently running Ardent Race 2.25 on rear and minnion 2.3 on front, Exo / TR casings. They’d handle anything a ‘normal’ rider would put them through on a 150/140 trail bike and across 95% of trail surfaces. Im pretty heavy on tyres too and weigh in at 15 1/2 stone.

I run mine tubeless and the casings are strong / stiff enough for anything I do, I find them way tougher than Schwalbes (even the snakeskin wall variety) or Spesh control casing offerings.

Was planning a very early lap of the monkey tomorrow. Is it just lower cliff that’s closed or other sections of the monkey too? Cheers

@Esher Shore

Yeah I did read up on construction differences, and almost talked myself into one of the 2015 models with the size specific layups etc being as I’m 95kg and riding a 58cm, thought I might benefit from the extra frame stiffness.

But I paid less for a barely used 2014 sport model whole bike than the used s-works frames were going for alone, and at my level of road riding I doubt I would appreciate the benefit of 11r or whatever s-works cf is.

My first road bike was a 2010 Trek 1.5 with 9spd tiagra, which I still use for cummuting, and compared to that my tarmac feels comfy but stiff, and lightening fast!

Agree with disconoir. Im running some on my codeine to keep the front end low. ive rotated mine upwards a bit to a point i find comfy, think it offsets the larger back sweep. Great bars for that price and d look very nice in the silver

I bought a barely used 2014 tarmac sl4 sport, striped it for frame and rebuilt with ultegra 6800 Inc wheels. Reckon it cost me £1200 in the end, would have been less but I kept some bits off the original tarmac to put on the commuter when needed.

Could easy have got an s-works frame and built with same stuff for less than £2k.

That’s if you would consider a used frameset. Mine didn’t have a mark on it, think it was only ridden twice!

I grew up in great ayton which is next to guisbrough, lived there for 18 years and spent years riding those hills and woods, admittedly the scene seems to have got bigger since I lived there, but some of the new stuff is very well hidden. Nowhere near the guisbrough marked trailway.

Have a look at strava. Also, there are a few decent bits if you want to extend your ride over to captain cooks monument. There are a couple of good DH’s down the sides of the monument, again check strava.

I’d second the 6800’s, light, comfy ride and nice looking too, look great with the rest of my 6800 groupo

On the bb30 conversion topic, I used a praxis works converter to run an ultegra chainset on my tarmac sl4 which has specialized osbb, but basically same as bb30.

Really nicely made piece of kit, felt totally solid when installed and hasn’t developed any creaks etc which I’ve heard some converters do.

Oh, and ive run 1×10 on my previous stumpy 26 and other bikes for years in 34×11-36 config, and wouldnt want a front double anyway, I recon 32×11-36 will do fine.

I was looking at trying bigger wheels having been on 26″ only beforehand, other than a 29er charge cooker for taking the kid out on (cross bar mounted seat).

Being 15 1/2 stone I liked the bits in the reviews about it being stiff, and I doubt a few lb’s extra bike will bother me. A few people commented theirs are around the 30lb and a bit mark, which really isnt bad anyway as far as im concerned.

For the price and obviously having the CCDB included in that I couldnt really sway myself towards anything else. I would have loved an Enduro 29er being a spesh fan, but £3k for the s-works frame??!?! and I wasnt that impressed with the spec of the comp or elite for the money. I figured I could have built an s-works frame with used and discount parts for the price of an expert if id gone that route.

Currently shopping around for discount or nice used parts to build the codeine frame I have now bought. I was really pleasantly surprised by the finish of the frame for the money. Mine arrived with no shock by accident, but on-one sorted it within 2 days, just sent me one in the post. Got a long weekend at afan / BPW coming up in feb to give it a good test. Recon I’m goint to bring the build in at around the £1800 mark.

Nope correct shock with reducers and timely delivery by royal mail, no more drama here I’m afraid!

Cheap pikes you say, what kind of money we talking?

Oh yeah and ignore hora, never sold him anything

Sorry all, I’ve been meaning to update this honestly!

Rang them first thing the next day, they were very apologetic and said it must have been a mistake and rang me back within an hour to confirm the shock was in the post.

I now have it so all is well and I’m feeling smug with my bargain frame buy again. Now frantically getting bits together hence posts on classifieds and not updating this, my apologies again!

Thanks for all the replies. Really like the look and finish of the frame (the Orange decals over blue don’t look too bad in the flesh) so hoping things get sorted tomorrow……

They don’t even sell frames without the shocks do they? No option for it on website now