There's also an interesting read about knee pain here:

http://treadly.net/2007/06/11/seat-height-and-my-knee-injury/

If your knees hurt also make sure you ice them (Saver sell blue gel packs for £2) while you work out how to resolve the issue…

If you do any of the VOM/ quad strengthening exercises only do one leg at a time as doing both legs at the same time puts a lot of stress on your back (the one where you sit on on chair and raise your leg out parallel to the floor). Another one is lie on your back, knees bent at 45 degrees. Straighten one leg out and raise it to same height as the bent knee and lower to the ground.

My age is the same as my Shimano shoe size 😉

http://www.mudtrail.co.uk/trails/leith-hill-surrey.php

http://redlandstrails.blogspot.com/

http://www.mtbsurreyhills.com/index.asp?pageid=109274

It's not trance but it get's you going: Earquake – Decibel Point: http://eradik.com/mixes/Decibel_Point-Earquake.mp3 and a whole page of stuff here: http://www.shahdjs.com/media.php – all free and legal.

I’m sure I’ve read it’s cheaper to buy a new M525 hub as it’s cheaper than the spare parts -about £9? but can’t remember where from…

I don’t have one but:

http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Frames_23.html

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ProductList.asp?A=resetsearch&ProdPerPage=999&CatID=119&BCat=1,214,119&RootCatID=1

Might be of interest: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/fitness/article/health-knee-care-and-maintenance-part-2-17445

This thread makes my £150 on a 2nd hand coffee machine seem like small beans 🙂 and £350 on a pair of DT Swiss wheels a bargain.

If you hold your arms out roughly parallel and measure between your hands what is the measurement? Is it comfortable?

@Ju – did the car park track stand skills (Marin) help you on the trials part of the weekend? 😉

Don’t the i-Beams have a bit of reputation for breaking?

Couple of other areas you can save weight on items you’ll probably be buying anyway are a KMC X9 SL chain (~250g) and an XT cassette (~260g) -XTR is lighter but much more expensive.

And if you use 6 bolt rotors Alligator rotors are very light and cheap, as are Ashima rotors from Merlin.

How about some 16g handlebar grips for £7? Scott Open Lite grips from kudubikes.co.uk

Not all carbon seatposts are uber light. Depending on budget have you looked at the Thomson posts at Merlin? Masterpiece is under 200g and Elite is just over (weight weenies)

@nunuboogie – any excuse to show off your bike 😉 Is that at Long Mynd?

I found this on mtbr.com:

Race Lite hubs are DT Swiss 370 hubs and Race X Lite hubs are DT Swiss 240 hubs.

I may have read the website wrong but doesn’t wheelpro.com now just check the wheels over rather than build them to order?

I no longer offer custom wheelbuilding, I only sell Hope Hoops made by Hope Technology. These are standard issue Hope made wheelsets meaning there are no options on colour, spokes and nipples.

The Formula bleed kits work with Avid Juicy (the brass threaded connectors fit prefectly) and I used a bread bag plastic clamp on the tubes.

Cheers Biffer 🙂

Did they come with different wheels for top and bottom as the “normal” top jockey wheel on a Shimano mech has a few mm of float in it?

If that is you I’ve got two photos from the start line/ start area of you. Email me if you want them (in profile).

rough ride site works for me.

First time I’ve done and thought it was very well organised – big thanks to the organisers 🙂

I thought Dyfi was harder overall but I only did the short route at Marin. Great day out!

There were two big water trucks with taps on the back (bowsers?).

Forecast is dry and it’s sunny just down the road in Worcester at the moment 🙂

Good to hear he’s OK. We were there when the red chopped landed- impressive 🙂

I thought this was this weekend but it’s been cancelled:

http://www.wheatonastonfestival.co.uk/

which doesn’t really help 😉