Hi. Honestly their are more technical and hillier trails out there. But some are so poorly marked you’d just get lost, some just take but don’t? give back and some are just too far away, unless on a holiday. But Swinley personally blue/red/blue is a pretty good package. A bit of everything and at the end of it you will be knackered but with a after buzz, which is what’s its about in my opinion. I travel 1½ hours each way and i think it’s worth it. There are closer ones to me QECP just takes dont give and no buzz, surry hills, unless your a local or got a guide your get lost, don’t really do the full on dh, as like to make it into work on the Monday

Hi. Sorry to hear about your crash. Doctors always err on the cautious side, better safe than sorry. Swinley is an easy track/trails, but if you take your eye off the ball for a second it will bite hard. A lot of variables involved in your crash i’d say From what you wrote seems like you were concentrating on controls when you should of been concentrating on the trail. Personally myself i wont use SRAM on my bikes for various reasons, one being the gear shifter. It would take me too long to get used to it to the point of it being something i wouldn’t need to think about, when i should be thinking of the trail.( I use chassis mounted cranes for a living , and know with a change from one to another with differently configured controls that you haven’t used before takes 3 weeks to get used to the point of not thinking about the controls, once you know all variants you just switch modes in your brain)i’m not a slow learner,but i’ve always had bikes with Shimano drivetrains don’t think about changing gear.I go to Swinley most of the time, it’s about the after buzz. Got closer trails , a bit more technical perhaps but not the full package and don’t leave you with the after buzz, which is what it’s about to me. Perhaps you should of done the blue a few times to get your eye in with the new kit. Hope you mend quickly and get back on the trails asap. One thing i would say is i wouldn’t jump straight back in with 1x as 2x will be easier on you because of ½ gears, but your choice.

I use FireEye PJ-ACR and Specialized Bennies. The PJ-ACR
are really good 28 pins each side, pins are dirt cheap. Grip is excellent ,very durable,easy to service,lots of colours and just under £50.the Bennies 24 pins each side, they have wider pins as the Allen key goes in the top. Very good grip also, they look as though their gonna be easy to service.i found mine for £50. I got some plastic Nukeproof pedals, for the price their not bad ,grip well, but they have some plastic pins as well which don’t sit properly on shoes, and there is a little bit of flex. My favourites are the PJ-ACR.

MagicMary evo snakeskin trailstar up front and HighRoller2 exo tr 60/62 on back is what i use on my bikes.Their both not the softest compounds? ,but give the best performance vs longevity. The MagicMary although a 2.35 it’s actual size is 2.4 easy, and the HighRoller2 is a accurate 2.3. I use them in all weather conditions and types of trails, and they’ve never let me down, can’t knock them at all.

Hi. Personally what i’d do is hit the web for an evening. Go on the larger online bike stores on the web. See what deals they got. There are a lot out there. You’ll be surprised what you can find, For the amount your looking at spending.

Hi. Lizard skins , North Shore. Is all i use on my bikes. Big, comfortable, extremely grippy in wet or dry conditions. I can’t fault them.

On the road.
In the woods.
On the beach.

Hi. I’ve broken a few saddles on my hardtail.There’s various variables involved, weight with riding style,stiff unforgiving frame, air volume in rear tyre,weak rails,fault in saddle.But I’d say if they keep braking in same place, it’s time to change to a different saddle. I broke one with titanium rails due to poor position and outside influence, two iodine2 saddles due to all variables except outside influence, plus i use a one bolt seat post which can cause problems.iodine2 is a really comfortable saddle, so sorted most of the variables and third iodine2 is holding up just , but changed to Funn saddle with 8mm rails on my softtail, holding up really well, and very comfortable. Got it on my hardtail at moment, with no problems whatsoever.I’ve read that Madison flux and Fabric scoop radius elite saddles are very comfortable, durable and don’t cost much. I realised pretty quickly that it’s worth buying saddles that are low cost but with good reviews, when you keep breaking them. Hope this helps.

Hi. Got the Codeine 650b with the Monarch plus rc3 debonair.Been running it 4 months without any problems. I weigh 102kg and am not light on it,so problems would of shown up by now.not even put rubber tokens on it, so i can’t knock it.

Will work fine. I’m running a 36t chain ring and 11-46 Cassette, with the short cage mech. I wouldn’t use the long cage as would be catching everything near the ground.

Hi. The other replies give valid points. Personally i’ve both.A 2x hardtail which i now appreciate how well 2x10speed,28-40t with 11-36cassette suits the bike and where i Usually ride, i only say this after getting a 1x, which i only got as was a really good deal on its frame, fork, shock kit. While it is a excellent bike at going up and down, i find my 1×11 drivetrain which i set up close as i could to my 2x, 36t and 11-46cassette, i find the overall gearing is good , ie low gear is same as my 2x , top gear is about ½-¾ of a gear down on my 2x which is okay, but it’s the big gaps between gears which stop the flow and the big gaps on hills can cause having to choose too high or low a gear to climb in. being fairly fit i can handle it , but don’t like the loss of flow, but it’s all about compromise. So I’d say if you got the 2x see how you get on with it, then lend or hire a 1x for a couple of hours to see how you like it. Because if you get 1x and it can’t take a front mech, and you find you don’t get on with it your stuck with it.

Yes , side entry cages best. I got one £12 from my LBS so probably cheaper online.

It gets in your blood. Better than any drug. Plus it keeps you young in body and sharp in mind.

Hi. I’ve one of each. An old Saracen blitz i converted to 3x9speed. It’s got shimano’s highest mtb gearing. a On One 456evo11, with shimano XT 2X10, 28-40t and a 11-36cassette and a On One Codeine 650b with XT 1×11, 36t and 11-46cassette.The blitz 3×9 is a beast , largest chainring is extremely high,but useable, middle is good and small is plenty low enough, done QECP on it , it made it around. The 456evo in my opinion is really suited to 2×10 ,28-40t and 11-36cassette with a very good topspeed, the half gears keep it on the boil, with minimal energy loss, and the inner ring and 11-36 Cassette mean i usually have a good choice of low gears for the climbs i do. My Codeine 650b with 1×11 36t and 11-46 Cassette needed a aftermarket chainring to get a okay topspeed, low gear is good. My take on the 1x,2x and 3x is the 3×9 is good ,but can’t help thinking bad trail conditions could cause it problems. The 2×10 in the 28-40t, 11-36 variant on the 456 is the sweet spot on the trails i ride. But i personally find the 1×11 36t,11-46cass let the Codeine 650b down , due to a lack of flow, and having too low or too high low gears on climbs, while i can handle the 1x gearing, i just think it’s over rated on certain terrain, conditions and trails. All in all , personally i feel of the 3 the 2x is the best when used with well thought out gear ratios.the 1x for me lacks flow and too high or too low climbing gears, it’s usable but a pain in the a**e. 2x suits me best.

Makes me laugh. Spend 5-7grand on a bike , when if you look around you could build a new full suspension for under 2g that would go up and down just as well as a 5-7g bike.

Hi. If you want a good deal, and aren’t a brand junkie. Try rockbros cycling glasses. They come with 4 lenses from almost clear but with a kinda mirror anti glare type coating,found the lightest tint perfect on trails. other lenses get darker, but are well thought out shades. Comes with detachable arms, an elasticated band that fits into arm holes.They come in a case. I found them to be very comfortable. I been using for a couple of years on my MTB on trails. Can pick them up for under £10. They don’t look rubbish either.so good not long bought a new set

Hi. Just taken a set of electrons off one of me bikes.i found that once I put longer pins in them they were good pedals, plenty of grip,seem to take a beating okay. Only thing I don’t like about them and all the ones i’ve looked at is they all have some plastic pins on them and they don’t sit properly in flats soles, I cut a couple off of mine helped a bit ,but still not how should be. I got FIREEYE pj-acr which are excellent 56 pins massive amount of grip, under £50,easily serviced, pins are dirt cheap.

Hi. I was at Swinley today also. Got eaten up by a e-bike also, towards end of first half of blue, see it in the distance behind me , bloke in sweat pants and top, upped my input as thought I must be going a bit slow

Hi. On both of my bikes I use a magic Mary evo trailstar up front and a maxxis high roller 2 exo at back. The high roller2 is a excellent all round tyre anyway, but with the magic Mary evo it is a very good combination, in my opinion.

Send them straight back mate,not supposed to leak.your trusting your wife’s life to those forks.Their clearly faulty.

Hi. I’m 51, 102kg. Not that fit I just done it in 1hour 35mins in fairly muddy conditions, and I stopped a few times.But I do it for the buzz,time comes second So you might wanna get a bit fitter , and thinner tyres are a bit quicker, plus humidity can make a big difference. I suspect someone would of done it in an hour, but as u said , would have to be in week early or late in day. Best of luck doing it in an hour. I’ll keep out of your way as you fly by me.

Hi. My track pump was showing 30psi but was actually only 20psi. Didn’t really help my rims. Got a Rolson pressure gauge pretty accurate , checked in shop against expensive pumps with gauges and it’s accurate. Only costs £9-£10 . Last one lasted just over a year . So can’t complain.

Hi. Just get a schwalbe Magic Mary snakeskin evo trailstar, stick it on your front. Like others said snakeskin thicker puncture resistant side walls, trailstar is a harder compound, but not that hard. Of the higher spec magic Mary’s the trailstar is the best all rounder, the super soft has so much grip but won’t last long. I heard of a bloke wearing a set out in a day. And they aren’t cheap. But the trailstar is the fastest version according to their website.grip is really good , their suitable for tubeless and you don’t need all stuff they say. Just tape if. rim needs it and the fluid and valve. I use it all year round, it gets a bit twitchy if it’s really dusty , but even if a little damp it comes into its own.I use magic Mary evo trailstar on front and maxxis high roller 2 on back, it has its own version of snakeskin , it’s a very good combination , logs, roots , rocks not a problem.hope this helps

Hi. It’s a tool mate. A tool to do a job. Some people might keep them immaculate to look at, but like the saying goes look after your bike and your bike will look after you.thats why my bikes are very clean. Out on the trails is what’s its all about. Me personally I don’t care if I’m out with friends or on my own, makes no difference to me at all , as it’s me against the trail.really most of us try to get our bikes to a point where it’s at its most capable. To the point where bike and rider are like one, to where in our mind the bike don’t exist, you don’t think about braking, changing gear, going faster, slower, it just happens. You against the trail. Me I work hard all week ,an all what keeps me going is knowing at weekend be on the trails.to me your at the rawest end not interested in all the fat around the edge ,you just want the meat in the middle.

Hi. You didn’t say which version they are m8000 or m785. I built a new bike a couple of months ago, wanted xt, but not m8000,as hit or miss with them. so sourced some new m785 as my set on my hardtail are 2 years old and haven’t even needed a bleed even after shortening hose. Like other member said even with metal pad hardly any squealing.why are you using brake cleaner after every ride? If you changed pads and still squealing, let alone change rotas as well. And if you’ve got fluid leaking from behind the pistons ,then it’s warranty time. I’ve heard you won’t get problems with shimano and their warranties. You don’t actually say how old they are. You should contact where you purchased them from and take it from there. But to answer your question , of course if you changed your calliper a new one shouldn’t squeal, but that’s assuming you bed in pads properly,with metal pads personally I do like 35 high speed decelerations to almost but not quite fully stopped. Some people do it differently but it works for me. Hope this helps

Hi. I always say. Only buy used forks if you know who’s selling them , and what kind of life the forks have had. Don’t forget your potentially trusting the forks with your life

Hi. If your not worried about following the crowd and getting branded gear. If you want shorts that will last ,and you can put a fair amount of stuff in the pockets go for TUFFSTUFF work shorts. Had a pair for a couple of months now ,good as new no signs of wear in saddle area at all,given that my usual trail is sandy /gritty dirt and wears through shorts like there’s no tomorrow. Hope this helps

Hi.really just £800-£900 for a complete Eagle drive train.Also a sram 12speed free hub however much that costs,and £300+ a year for new cassette and chain.no point in trying to bitsa an eagle drive train.

Hi. On eBay there’s a company called BIKESTACJA,their polish but are very good. They do a lot of DT SWISS wheelsets, various other wheelsets ,forks and a lot of other stuff. I’ve purchased a set of DT SWISS E2200 and a WTB FREQUENCY TEAM i25 on DT SWISS 350 hubs,both were bargains over the last 2years, with no complaints at all.their always well packaged , with fast trackable delivery by ups.worth a look.hope this helps

Hi. You’d be better off going there tomorrow morning, as I reckon it’s gonna be proper chocka on Sunday.as weather looking very good.

Worry about how it rides not if it’s a bit heavier than you thought. Don’t forget the rider makes the bike, not the bike makes the rider

Rhino tape off eBay,cost effective and thicker than helicopter tape. And Gorilla clear tape. Rhino tape better for straight sections, just follow instructions and use a hair dryer to warm areas to be taped then when applying tape use hair dryer to get a better fix on non flat surfaces. gorilla tape better for over lapping.

Hi. Yes last weekend was wet and boggy in places. Should be better this coming weekend as will of had 3or4 days of dry weather.but i expect 2nd part of red to be at least a bit mushy as not very good drainage in that section.

I must admit i’ve wondered a lot where ON ONE get their bike names from. I think the 456 has to be the most sensible name they’ve used. I heard codeine came from someone high up in designing the bike who was injured and was on codeine at the time , don’t know if it’s true or not, but seems reasonable. But I always find it hard to work out the Inbred,I always hope its the best parts of several bikes and nothing else.I could go on. I was surprised with their new bikes colour scheme.i guess trying to move forward and not use the same colour schemes is not as easy as it seems. I think they do come up with good deals from time to time, but not all the time. I think they must get good deals on job lots, but at end of day if the savings end up in our pockets it’s a good thing, but you’ve just got to work out the savings on the parts. As for the bikes falling apart my 456 is 2 year old almost and cant say since I built it I’ve had any build problems with it, but I do look after my bikes. And as for the Codeine 650b it’s to early to say on long term. But I heard one person had a problem with with he’s codeine 650b but I think that was a component rather than the bike. But I think it’s luck if the draw, it shouldn’t be but it is. I’ve spoke to people who work in bike shops , who’ve said from time to time in the bigger brands they’ve been delivered dud bikes and had to send them back. My only criticism is having only 1x as I’m not the biggest fan, but can’t have it all.

I honestly am not sticking up for planet x , as i’ve first hand experience of their sales and quality control, But I gotta say all you people bitching about the bikes, come on now. If you’ve ridden them fair enough but I bet you haven’t. I purchased a 456evo11 a couple of years ago. Had a couple of issues, easily sorted but never should of happened.put a set of lyrik rc2l,with XT drive train and brakes, good wheels and tyres still got it now. It’s a really good bike. Was looking for a softtail for a while, got put off buying used, thought about a new complete bike but bikes I was looking at were fitted with sram which I didn’t want. Didn’t want another ON ONE after the probs with quality control and customer services, but came across Codeine 650b frame,shock fork kit for £750, After talking to planet x sales and stipulating certain things I purchased one, then it got extremely stressful, already was a bit nervous as hardly any reviews ,more chat on forums, saying can’t climb, but someone jumped in an said best climbing bike he had . Plus planet x pissing me about, and their extremely inaccurate online site stock, ie I counted all codeine 650b bikes and frames in all colours and sizes, ended up with a figure of more than 300 with marzocchi shocks , but they couldn’t put one on my frame! I wasn’t impressed in the least, but in end I got a monarch rc3 and the forks were the 2016 model fit4 so a good deal.I fitted xt drive train, xt785 brakes by choice,very good wheelsets and tyres. The time came , honestly the bike climbs so well, better than i dared to hope for, as good as my hardtail which climbs really . I’m talking about out of seat with no Bob, and does downhill like a Downhill bike. It made up for all the stress . So while I’m not a big fan of planet x,On One know how to build a bike, and if you catch them at the right time you can get a really good deal. So when you start reading reviews of on one bikes riding crap and falling apart then slag them off , but til then give them a chance. Be fair.

Hi. I’m a bit confused! 2 syringes? Have you got the yellow pot like thing that screws into the brake lever reservoir? The calliper should be off and pads out, bleed nipple ? turn,syringe tube on nipple, top screw on lever reservoir off yellow pot screwed on , push in syringe ,a fair amount of pressure needed. Fluid will go into pot when no bubbles job done, assuming your completely bleeding system with fresh fluid. I got a new set of XT785 as didn’t trust m8000, long story short , got sent brake system in component form all needed a complete bleed. Done as above , no leaks no probs.how long you had yours? On my hardtail the 785s are almost 2 year old ,I cut down hoses when fitting and have never bled them and their just as when I installed them.

Same as everything in life always changing, always evolving. But with bikes if you stand still you don’t sell bikes.nothing wrong with 12×142 most bikes have that now.really if you want deals for a hardtail 26″ qr 9mm 135mm hubs , 10speed 2x ( Really nothing wrong with 2x),1? forks is where your find real deals.

Trek got deals on ladies bikes, also I’ve seen a lot of ladies bikes on online stores going for good prices.just look online through the bigger online stores, bet your be surprised at the good prices you can find.

Hi. Personally I got both. My 456evo11 got a 9mm qr which I changed to a DT SWISS ratchet axle , which I really like. On my codiene 650b it’s a 12mm maxle through axle.through axle easier to install ,never a problem with rubbing brake pads on instillation, unlike qr axles. I’d say if going for a qr get a DT SWISS ratchet system axle, you won’t regret it.plus with 12mm through your gonna get at least 142mm hub, but with 9mm qr you get 135mm hubs.also it follows that if you’ve got a frame with 9mm qr with 135mm hubs your gonna have a 1? steerer.on one do a hardtail with 12mm through axle but it’s only suitable for 1x drive.but that’s another kettle of fish.

Hi. I use magic Mary evo/HighRoller2 very good combo.mud, roots ,rocks no problem, the HighRoller2 is quite a quick tyre. In fact I use them all year round, the MagicMary don’t like it if it’s really,really dusty,dry and hard but nothing unmanageable,but even if only slightly damp the MagicMary comes into its own and HighRoller2 is good all round. I’ve got that combo on my 26″Hardtail and my 650b softtail.I think cost me about £70 for 650b and a bit less for 26″. Went tubeless on the 650b with no problems.Hope this helps