Tricky to find in shops but based on your needs I would consider a Vitus Sentier or a Commencal META AM HT. I went for the latter as I don’t want an overlong TT.

I do think the political landscape needs refreshing, Macron stylee.

The FPTP voting system with a single tick in the box discourages anything but a two-party dichotomy, which is why we’ll never get an alternative. (IMHO of course)

Yep, sadly. And I think a duopoly is almost as bad as a monopoly, particularly when it comes to power…

I’d love to vote but I’m not British and I am therefore only allowed to vote in local elections. Which is just as well as I wouldn’t have the first clue who to vote for. My local Conservative MP has suddenly become a populist hypocrite so I’d have probably voted Lib Dem.

I do think the political landscape needs refreshing, Macron stylee.

The old parties are obsolete in their own ways.

Not sure if that’s what the OP is after but difficult to beat Endura Hummvees at £25 @Wiggle although they were £20 a few weeks ago…

I don’t race, but a dropper post has been the single best thing I have ever bought for any bike. Genuinely.

You and me both Ken, although I rank x1 gearing as the co-singlebestthingIhave everboughtforanybike.

Put together, they have single-handedly rekindled my interest for MTBing.

Built it myself courtesy of some almost new Revelations that I bought for £170 on ebay…lucky. The rest is pretty standard, Crossrides, cheapo dropper, Easton stem and carbon barS.

Oh the shame of having 26″ wheels, straight steerer and square taper. I’m condemned to night riding just in case anybody sees me riding it. And having just as much fun as I did back in 1999.

That made me chuckle John as I am the same as you. Or was. I have eventually moved from 26/straight steerer/conventional geo to a 27.5 Meta HT that I built up.
It cost me a bit more than you but the contrast is striking. And I had already done the upgrades that you mention.

What benefits/downsides does a longer top tube bring ?

What benefits/downsides does a longer top tube bring ?

Hi James,

I have just emailed you on the address in your profile. Cheers, Nick.

James you can have 2 out of those three for £15 posted (for both). Very little wear as were on my son’s XC race bike and he doesn’t brake, nor races!

Sonder Transmitter https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/bikes/sonder-transmitter-nx1-1×11

Or

Vitus Sentier http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-bikes-sentier-vrs-hardtail-bike-slx-1×11-2017/rp-prod146561

Or Commencal Meta HT, I just build one of those for £1300 with a dropper, XT and nice bits so SLX should be doable for £1,000 + dropper

CRC are cheaper after the 10% BC discount. £315 BUT that includes the x2 Ice Tech rotors in 180mm if you’re happy with Centrelock.

only needed to buy a new front mech

What are those ? ;-)

HT/FS – I really prefer HT for South of the UK, including BPW!

I am in a minority in my riding group as most have big heavy FS. They consider them as “the next step up” and consider HT as “cheap” – I can’t explain to them why I prefer HT as they’re mainly recent riders who unlike me, didn’t start on a fully rigid, which I am considering going back to.

The main benefit of FS that I can see is uphill traction. Very similar to the 2wd/4wd thing ; I prefer 2wd, however slow that makes me.

I appreciate the benefits of fat bikes tyres for climbing but aren’t the downsides outweighing those benefits (for climbing) ?

I rarely see fat bike riders being very efficient/quick uphill. They seem to really struggle compared to “normal” bikes overall.

For me geo and limited weight are the most important thing and 2.35 tyre width seems the sweet spot with good technique.

Two things I know about buying a car:

1 – Never buy new; ask the dealer to use their network to find the car you want, ex-demonstrator. It will be out there somewhere and you won’t take such a hit on depreciation.

2 – If you’re planning on paying cash many dealers won’t be interested in talking to you because they are so strongly incentivised to sell on finance.

Sadly, neither of 1 or 2 are that often true in today’s market anymore.

My BMW dealer didn’t give a hoot how I was paying, I still got the same 23% off a new M135i LCI – sold after a year with less depreciation then second hand cars would have yielded (£175/month depreciation).

Shame you can’t wait a few years – record levels of new cars on PCP will surely mean a flooded second hand market will follow soon?

You would think so people have been predicting this for a number of years and it still haasn’t materialised itself.

If anything, as most cars stay in the networks, clever yield management helps keep second hand prices as high and there is obviously even less competition from private buyers so I can’t see values falling off a cliff.

Cheers – had its first outing today at Whyteways, coming from a 2012 XC/Trail 120mm bike (69 and 72 deg) this feels quite different but much more capable downhill while as good uphill (to my surprise) and despite 1,000g more.

Yes, get them !!

At the risk of a flaming what about…

5: Cyclist misjudges road layout and runs a junction.

Agreed, that’s a possibility and it’s pointless drawing conclusions before…the conclusion of the investigation.

But everyone is an expert…or a bit of a vigilante in epicyclo’s case.

“Get them” (in Stewart Lee’s best impression of the average angry man).

I wouldn’t change a perfectly good 3x or 2x set up but if it comes on a new bike it’s ok. Got both, don’t really have a strong bias to either.

That’s what I assumed 10 years ago when I went 1×9 – but today I’d ditch any double or triple for a single.

It has dramatically (no exaggeration whatsoever) enhanced my enjoyment of riding a MTB.

I can’t see any way back unless perhaps I move to the high Alps, and even then…

OP : you are not really “losing” gears and even if you do, it will be insignificant against the benefits.

Cheers.

Other question : would anyone know the overall radius of a 27.5 Crossride wheel fitted with a 2.35 Nobby Nic please ?

Trying to fit the dropper to the right height but I haven’t got the wheels yet. I estimate it at 385mm but that’s just an empirical guess…

I’ll leave a bit of spare cable at the front in case of course…

I have applied PACE carbon friction paste to the stem’s clamp as I have Easton carbon bars – should it also go under the brake lever clamps ?

I was pleased to see that the fitted cranks yielded an almost perfect 50mm chain line, which I believe should be optimum for the XT 11 cassette.

LOL !!!!!

Thanks antigee – I was “brave” enough to apply a little force and it went it quite nicely in the end – BB and cranks all sorted.

I just need wheels (still somewhere in France thx to Acycles…) and I am done, just cassette and chain plus adjusting rear mech.

Yeah ! All solved thx to LBS.

Next problem : the BB went in very nicely on the drive side.

The on the other side fine up until half way by hand and then won’t go any further. So I am not not using force and hopefully not cross threaded and I don’t dare trying harder. It seems to be stopped at the point in meets the sleeve (is that what would require more force?) : what do I do ? LBS on monday ? LOL.

They’re just a threaded rod with square plates and bolts. It was partly operator error and someone more practical than me and who would have followed the advice above (grease, fridge, etc…) might have succeeded…

Took it to another shop this morning. £20 to fix and put the other bit in – fair and I should have done that to start with!
Thx for the advice.
N

Shit, how much paperwork did you need to **** up a headset?

Take it to a shop before you break it.

That really made me laugh – I shall (reluctantly) visit the LBS with my tail between my legs in the morning.

The ebay press (supposedly improved version) is now bent anyway (the twin plates on one side).

Bottom line is I tried to save a few quid and I failed.

Going well

LOL. Happens to the best of us…

Thanks for that !

It’s a 68mm bb shell btw and the bb is compatible with that and 73mm, however I don’t if I need to adapt it to 68mm in any way or if that’s achieved with the 3 supplied spacers ?

Zipties, grease, heli tape, food. Sounds kinky but duly noted.
Forgot 3rd question: the frame spec says 51m chain line. What does that mean? The BB comes with 3 spacers and I am very keen on the chain being perfectly parallel to the frame’s axis when in the middle sprocket (6th). Does that mean that the ring should be 51mm away from the axis of the frame ?
Should any BB spacers go to the non-drive side ?

Thx foe the quick responses ! Much appreciated. I guess that’s why there are 2 additional boles at the bottom of the tubes, for a smoothed radius of the cable a d would explain why there is no bb tube… It’s just a shame cosmetically.

Noted for the BB. I don’t suppose my car wheel torque wrench will help. Could someone suggest a cheap one for crank application and general bike range, 5 to 20nm range ?

PS : this won’t help setting the BB cups torque values I assume ? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/x-tools-torque-wrench-2-24n-m/rp-prod11142

Ended up going for XT. For clarity the cranks have the threaded steel sleeves for the pedals like SLX and the Ring have Shimano’s own chain retention profile whatever it’s called, like SLX. It might be a late effort but I didn’t it 3 years ago so that’s OK ;-). There doesn’t seem to be anything half hearted about this stuff either tbh so far.

Well, they’ve lost the parcels but I have sauce in my sandwich so all OK I suppose.
CRC asked me to contact PF to investigate, hey why not ?
Spent a bit of time on the phone with two 2 different PF offices/depot. They’ll call me back when they find it.

But hey, mistakes happen. No one is hurt, that’s the main thing.

Guaranteed next day delivery.

Ah, ah, fair comments, it’s not the end of the world indeed, to try and emulate the binary reactions to my (admitedly a bit puerile) post.

Just very annoying when there seems to be a significant drop in service levels of late at CRC confirmed here and within my riding group.

I am off on holiday Sat AM 6.00 so I don’t particularly want my stuff, including a frame, to be out in the world of logistics for a week, hence, logically, paying for next day guaranteed (in CRC’s words) delivery. I even allowed for a buffer day (today).

It is CRC’s fault/responsibility as my contract is with them, not PF.
Refunding the £5 is a given but that really doesn’t solve the issue.