5) and 10) good but trueing a wheel, maybe not.

Luckily, with discs they tend not to be effected by a buckle. Some of the fleet have quite a tight tolerance of tread to frame at the rear wheels. So slight buckle is noticeable.

All the bikes are hardtails. The trailers are BOB IBEX ones so the group are used to being careful with the pins and they puncture often even with the shock.

Training. They have done a lot. Some of the group have done up to RED level and weekly class on and off since June. So quite well trained. They know M checks, fixing punctures on the trail (not with CO2 cannisters as too risky with frost burns).

Thanks

My work have a fleet of GENESIS bikes, rigids but shimano discs and 1×8 quite wide bars.

I would not buy a new bike as in a few months he may shoot up an not fit it well.

We also have Scott Aspects which have a low top tube and they fit smaller 12yr olds up.

Remote first aid is what you need. You witness a crash as you say, but then no phone signal no other bikers, no fire road nearby. What do you do ? That’s what you need first knowledge in.

BASP or REC are good.

Don’t give up, it’s not easy (just ask Bardet).

Look at the TDF, media saying Quintana is weak as he did the Giro but other riders high up on GC did do the Giro. Domestiques that do all grand tours. So not as easy at it sounds.

Nutrition and ‘feel’.

Weird, so have you tried a larger tube ? What pressure ? Does the tyre fit the rim tightly ?

1. Be careful applying lube, although a lot of people don’t realise GT85 or WD40 is actually a degreser.

2. I use either £1 Nail polish remover which is acetone or £2.39 http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/car-maintenance-accessories/maintenance-fluids-and-greases/maintenance-fluids/?NOR2897333500&0&cc5_858&gclid=CKeN2t_r7dQCFfEK0wod8OsNWA

3. Always wipe down with an absorbent cloth eg paper towel or poundshop jiffy cloth.

4. Finally, ride bike down a wee hill repeatedly till brake disc hot to burn off any residue.

Plenty trails down from the first stop of the cable car and you can go through the village and get a wee bubble cable car back up.

5 mins of rain and the trails change to become very slidey.

Les Deux Alpes, both sides have good trails, in July I always find them full of brake bumps. Best trail is the Venosc red. Bubble car back up. Although red, nothing hard and its wide.

We camp down in Venosc.

Your bike will take a hammering so maybe replace rear shock bushes etc before going out and take spare pads as they cost a lot more in the resort. And bleed your brake before going.

The resorts have plenty bike shops and will fix your bike ‘tout suite’ but can be 30E for an hours work eg fixing a buckled wheel or bleeding brakes.

This has 84 hairpins in a downhill. It’s opposite the 21 haripin road. http://bike-oisans.com/noesit/!/fiche/le-chemin-de-malaine-334888

This site has plenty Enduro type routes. NO cable cars.
http://bike-oisans.com/fr/vtt/itineraires-vtt-oisans

PDF of routes inc. Enduro ones, all without uplift.
http://bike-oisans.com/noewp_telechargements/!/dl_id/5/titre/guide-vtt

Plenty trails down from the first stop of the cable car and you can go through the village and get a wee bubble cable car back up.

5 mins of rain and the trails change to become very slidey.

Les Deux Alpes, both sides have good trails, in July I always find them full of brake bumps. Best trail is the Venosc red. Bubble car back up. Although red, nothing hard and its wide.

We camp down in Venosc.

Your bike will take a hammering so maybe replace rear shock bushes etc before going out and take spare pads as they cost a lot more in the resort. And bleed your brake before going.

The resorts have plenty bike shops and will fix your bike ‘tout suite’ but can be 30E for an hours work eg fixing a buckled wheel or bleeding brakes.

Followcam Friday by Nate Hills is aspirational.

Menteith Hiil track and the trails around GoAPe/Aberfoyle. You can lap the Aberfoyle routes till your goosed.

Definitely not the mountings ? Even a half millimetre play can knock.

As above, measure it. I used a £10 micrometer and steel rule.

Scotia Bearings

If you can see the bearing number then this place will post it out to you. Less than £2 a bearing normally. They normally do ceramic sided bearings for a bit more.

Just buy a ‘spinner toy’ that every teenager is buying, four SRS bearings for a pound.

If you ride lift serviced trails you re missing out on an amazing range of trails. Above Grasse, Bourg D’Oisans, Sisteron, Nice, Provence there is an amazing range of trails.

Take a look at the VTOPO website, all the guidebooks have maps and range of routes.

Lift Assisted

Southern Alps: Les Orres, Vars, Montegenvre all good for a day each.
Pyrenees: Ax Les Thermes

A small torque wrench – mainly for handle bar stems – to prevent you breaking; bolts, nuts, stems. less than £15.

Torque wrench

Has anyone had issues with SILVERLINE hex and torx screw drivers ?

Under £20 for a set of: 6 hex and 6 torx.

Tox and hex set

The aerial photos show the newer house is very close to the shore and path so I think it’s a no no, it’s their curtilage/privacy.

A good two weeks Easter hols all dry except to rainy days. Lots of exploring of new natural trails. Fife Costal path some bits are very underrated.

And East Lothian beach/JMW routes.

This says more about your ‘quality’ parenting, than the riders. Excellent stuff.

Plenty to go at, this pic is the older style VTOPO guides, newer ones have the full IGN 1:25k maps.

DSC_0549

I did the VTOPO route around Crillon Le Brave. Just west of Bedoin. I have the VTOPO guides for 5 areas of France and every route I have done has been 100% worth it.

You can download their GPS routes for a few euros.

Work out either the area or the level you want to ride, then download the routes same as the guidebook.

http://www.vtopo.fr/vtt-vaucluse-edition-2014.html

What are fat bikes like on steps/drop offs ?
Do you get pinch punctures with low pressures or not.

Muddy trails, fat bike better ?

As others have said Decathlon, synthetic downs. £17.99.

Decathlon

Trek X Calier 7 Shimano hydraulic brakes and groupset with a nice rockshock fork. Great bike, I use when when leading groups.

Trek £500Trek X Caliber 7. Lovely bike, Shimano hydraulics, rockshok fork and good shimano groupset.

Both LAZER and BELL say 3years, on their website. Even if it’s been unused and stored in the box etc.

Not worth the risk having it longer.

As above and also there is an engraved number on them, google and look for this.

Feeling the disc with your fingers or looking at it will show uneven wear. Measuring that disc will still work with Vernier gauge.

Looking at disc should be part of a pre ride check like headset play etc.

It’s spoke nipples that tend to fail, and from fatigue. So brass nipples last longer and stainless spokes.

A Vernier gauge for measuring thickness of the rotor, internal holes too, micrometers are for measuring outside diameters.

Outside calipers also measure outside diameters, inside calipers measure internal diameters.

When you say ‘physical challenge’ do you mean the ‘physical section’ or his ‘expedition’ ?

If it’s his physical section then he must have an assessor that’s not a family member and he must do an hour a week for 3,6,9 or 12months. Depending the level he’s at.

If it’s his expedition it’s about time per day journeying. So at Bronze 6hrs, Silver 7 and Gold 8hrs. Minimum per day is half the hrs journeying, the other half is exploring or activity.

I use a Trek X-Calber 7 with groups, lovely bike and it’s a 29er so rolls on natural trails well. £500.

http://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/bikes/mountain-bikes/cross-country-mountain-bikes/x-caliber/x-caliber-7/p/2040600-2016/

3mm neoprene kayak gloves are good if cold and wet. Winter climbing presents cold/wet conditions and I just take 2-3 pairs of gloves. Biking, I use a thin inner with ski gloves. I think NI Issue leather gore text gloves would be good. Warm, dry and dextrous.

I have the North Cape mitts with pile inners as mentioned previously.

VTOPO guides have IGN 1:25k maps per route. Descriptions and GPX downloads. I have them for three other areas and all routes we have done are excellent and varied.

Jura

http://www.vtopo.fr/vtt-jura.html

Thanks, it’s for a group ride, they would ride Blue difficulty trails.