This is how I got faster:

– raced more. enduros, xc marathons, 16 in total this year
– bought a 29er, ibis ripley, on which I’ve done all of the above.
– ‘holiday’ for 2 weeks in the alps. Puts stuff in the UK into perspective a bit!!

I’m 43 and riding faster than I ever have in my 25+ years of biking (feels like it anyways)

Had LB XC 29er hookless rims for about 6 months now. Done XC marathon races, Enduros and two weeks alpine riding and they have been great. I ride pretty hard.

If I was to criticize them, the finish is a bit soft and they scuff up pretty easily. Only a real problem if you are precious about how your bike looks.

Why would you want less travel?

Lucky enough to own an HD and Ripley. Popped a monarch plus (custom tuned) onto it and it transformed the suspension. Love riding the ripley tho’ so don’t get out on the HD anymore.

I have an Ibis Ripley and they recommend a 51mm offset fork. I wanted a SID so just bought a 46mm offset one. It’s fine TBH. Always thought the steering was a tad too fast on the ripley demo I tried anyways.

The Pike I have is 51mm offset but it’s an extra 20mm more travel+slackens bike so needs quicker steering.

Ibis Ripley – awesome bike.

Lightbicycle carbon hookless 29er rims.

Ibis Ripley is the bike for you :)

Park City, USA, 4th year in a row. Jealous now? ;)

Go find a book on mindfulness.

Another vote for Ibis Ripley.

Awsome bike. Ride mine in 10 hour marathon races and Enduros in a combination of light xc build and burly trail/enduro build. Really versatile and fun bike :-)

Ripley.

Very adaptable bike. Use mine for xc/marathon races as a light build, swap out the fork, pop on a dropper and big tyres and use it for enduro races/trail bashing.

My wife is similar in height and rides a rocky mountain element. Loves it.

Owning a Mojo HD160, don’t see the point. Climbs like a bastard and descends like one too.

Bikevillage, third time.

If you want to ride some really rewarding trails (which involve pedaling up to usually) as opposed to lift and bash type of riding the I’d highly recommend them.

Rode my set of 29er hookless xc rims on hope hubs for the first time around the Glentress 7 on Sat. They were awesome. Accelerate so quickly and are super stiff and accurate. They came in at 340grms each. 40grms less than 29er crest.

Whole wheel build was 1600grms with sapim race spokes. You could easily go sub 1500grms but I wanted some robustness.

@alexsimon – http://www.light-bicycle.com/bead-hook-less-rims-carbon-29er-light-bike-rim-tubeless-compatible.html#.U4hjSfldV8E

Have had Mojo HD 140mm for a year now and have loved it.

Recently got a monarch Plus RC3 (custom tuned) at 160mm and it suits the frame so well. There is no platform damping on the shock (pro pedal) but the DW link on the HD is so sorted you don’t need one. This has resulted in the suspension now being super plush.

Just buy one!!

I’ll be there but believe me, after doing the scottish round yesterday at innerleithen, this one’s gonna seam easy!!!

I’m local and can tell you that anything other than man made terrain will be muddy so bring your mud tyres!

HR II front and ardent rear for summer.

HR II allround for winter

I compete but also have a life.

Enjoy xmas FFS!

Slants all day long :)

Not taken one to the alps but my wife was overtaken on a trail (at a straight smooth section) by someone on a 29er.

She later passed him crawling up a banking at the next bend muttering ‘stupid big wheels’

My ibis is shimmed. Working fine.

Never been with TA but have had two year with Bikevillage – http://www.bikevillage.co.uk

Great, great times…..

Order on the 8th Nov, CRC claim dispatch on the 9th.

Show as received by parcel force on the 12th, should arrive today on the 14th.

Poor.

I guess CRC may be forcing people to pay for carriage if they want in the next few days.

I went from revs to Slants on my Mojo HD. Took them to the Apls for two weeks of battering and they were great.

Really stiff coming from revs and tracked excellently. I run about 5psi below recommendation. They are quite long to check the axle to crown against the revs.

I did consider Pikes at the time but wasn’t sure about their bladder damper plus I couldn’t get them in time for the alp trip.

Never tried Pikes but I’m very happy with the slants – Buy ’em :)

I bought a mojo HD frame and swapped my stuff across. This included 150mm Revelations. I felt that the frames stiffness really exaggerated the forks flexiness (if that makes sense!). Felt that I couldn’t really push the bike to its limits.

Bought some slants and they are perfectly matched to the HD. Had two weeks in the alps not long after buying them. Love it.

DLA worth it for steep climbs.

Had my slants for over 4 months now. Had revs previously.

Baptism of fire with two weeks hard alpine riding. Extra stiffness really noticeable on rock/rooty sections and switchbacks. So much better than revs.

I run them around 10 psi less than recommended and they are pretty plush.

Would recommend for the £££’s

really brings the trail alive

Strange you say this, I always thought the point of 650b was to rollover stuff better/smooth riding out. Though this would dull down trails rather than bring them alive.

Hey Ho.

I have the slant DLA which is 160mm to 130mm.

I find it pretty useful for steep climbs. Feels a bit odd having the front of the bike drop down a bit tho :)

Brief real world experience.

Just come back from a weeks trails riding in the Alps. Bike is a carbon Blur xc with 180mm ice rotor front, 160 ice back.

The descents in the alps are long and steep with your brakes being applied constantly.

Other guys I was riding with had bike trail bikes, bigger rotors were complaining about brake fade, etc.

Me, nothing just constant on tap stopping power.

They’re perhaps a bit overkill in the UK where it ain’t so steep but in the alps they were excellent. :D

Kirr Black is great if you are, fit and can commit to riding rocky, tricky section.

Back on topic-

Well, I can’t say it’s the best bike ever as I’ve not ridden all the other bikes in the world.

But I can say that coming from an 8 year old Superlight, it feels amazing (even with a 100mm fork – I like to feel some of the ground I’m riding over!!).

Pros – stiff, outstanding climbing on technical stuff, very stable descending, instant out of saddle acceleration, backend feels like at least 120mm travel but no pedal bob.

Cons – erm, donno. Higher chance of it getting nicked?

@glynP, where in D&G are you at?