Thanks very much for the offer it’s appreciated, however I don’t think they will really suit my face (although they may make me look prettier!).

Thanks leythervegas – but she will only give me £40 and I’m skint after buying a new post this week!

Daft dog…guess it will teach him when he goes to the loo though.

excitable1 – About £400. I did think about getting some Rev’s or Sektors and just dropping them to fixed 130mm?

Any suggestions?

I have finally decided to get a Soul instead of a Bfe, but can anyone recommend a decent/fairly inexpensive pair of forks with adjustable travel up to 140mm with a tapered steerer?

Have been looking everywhere for some Sektor RL QR15 tapered and can’t bloody find any!

If you are looking for a tapered QR15 120mm fork then the Manitou Tower Pro is reasonably priced one and gets a decent write up. Just need to be aware you may need a different spring depending on your weight or how you like your fork set up. Weights pretty good too!

May not look pretty but you can always remove the decals or replace them.

‘Just Riding Along’ do good deals on Arch Ex’s and Hope hubs.

I’m doing the same research as you and seeing if I can afford to go 29er (or back to hardcore hardtail if I can’t).

Hope this helps?!

I had an Orange Crush a couple of years ago, but not great for all day riding (probably due to frame sizes jumping from 17 to 19 and I needed an inbetween). It was also really harsh on my backside being alu.

All the reviews I have seen indicate the Cotic Bfe is a good bet for what you want. Frames releatively cheap if you run a straight steerer and get the 2011 model (£300 new). Then just pick up cheap parts on here.

Or like float says just try and get a second hand built up hardtail.

Put a ‘wanted’ add here and search the usual other bike selling sites.

A few here:- http://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/list/?q=cotic&category=0&pmin=&pmax=&region=5

Been hearing a lot of folks being followed home from trails and such to be robbed.

My mate recently moved to York and had 6k of bikes nicked from his garage too.

Police reckoned cyclists are actively being targeted a bit like car thieves now.

Hopefully you’re insured, but doesn’t get rid of the feeling of being violated and it happening again.

All best mate.

I was thinking of a Bfe, just wish the 2012 version came in blue not green.

rgop – add £460 for the slackline frame…so probably a no goer!

Saracen Zen X has got a few decent write ups for £1100 (if you can find one) or you could try a Ragley Pig frame?

+1 Slackline. Blue looks awesome…actually they look good in all colours!

Would buy one of their frames but no tapered head tube and thin seat tube for my forks and dropper. I have a sneaky suspicion they are working on this at the moment though, so may wait and purchase one later.

I’d take water and toilet roll…the two most valuable things in life.

I’ve used quite a few different tyres, but I think I can honestly say the stock Bontrager XR4’s 2.2 on my Trek have been great in all conditions and terrains. They may not roll as fast as some others but as an all round tyre they have been great.

Will invest in another set again especially as they are not that expensive compared to some others.

5’9”, but when I look at my 6’+ brothers, I always feel small!

I’ve had plenty of 26 bikes, but I keep hearing 29ers are ‘fast and flowing’, even downhillers get faster times on them etc, so I was going to stick my toe in the water with a 29er, but after being on one, it feels a bit…unnatural, like I’m riding one of my brothers bikes when I was a kid!

I made several attempts to ride with SPD’s and each time nearly ended up in a trip to A&E.

I really enjoy flats, especially if you have a good pedal/shoe combo. I use Nano’s and AM40’s and have no slippages and easily stay planted when hitting jumps drops etc.

I appreciate that SPD’s keep you more in tune with the bike and will give you better pedalling efficiency. Not that any of this matters, as I have a partial cruciate tear that that would’t allow me to clip in and out without casuing further knee problems!

Cheers SSStu. Anyone know of a flat 710mm wide, 8deg backsweep alu bar which isn’t going to break the bank?

Never used a flat bar, always used a widish riser on all my 26er’s. Cotic advised me to go flat and not too wide.

+1 for one of the best films ever made. My older brother chose it as part of his film degree to do a discertation on. More versions and books than I care to count.

For me Rutger Hauer steals the show.

How long before we see an Earth like that? Just look at the bloody rain we’ve had this year!

I’ve bought one too, £40 might be a bit steep but hopefully it’ll work. The write ups on the XTR have been good, but this version is pretty bloody heavy.

I bought a pair of new SLX 2013 for £96 from bike discount.de look brilliant and came in at 771g for my new hardtail.

I have black XT 3×10 on my XT…be warned, the arms scuff up pretty quick unless you copter them up or use and old inner tube over them.

Lost a brake pin before my ride at Cannock last week and nipped in to LBS but they had no spares…fortunately found some metal wire just outside the shop and made an impromptu one.

Lesson – try and remember to tighten everything regularly and take spares for things likely to break…such as rear mech hangers etc

Cheers whathaveisaidnow…I’m off to Cannock tomorrow too.

email me and I’ll see if I can make it.

Cheers

Thanks folks…just getting a bit bored with Cannock every week but can’t afford the petrol to Wales or Shropshire/Malvern etc every weekend.

Takisawa2 – you made me have one of those laugh out load moments where everyone in the office justs stares!