Missed it, anyone know when it's repeated?

Go inbetween – 150mm, and light as a Zesty if not more so – Pronghorn Trail

Hey stop it with the Pronghorn slagging. They're frickin' rapid and they're actually Danish. Oh, there goes my argument! That's the 100mm XC Race. No bobbing works for me and it descends really well (can't wait for my FOX RP2 direct replacement for the DT Swiss Rear shock though).

Fastest bike you can buy? Really? Please tell me how to display a pic because I REALLY think this is faster.

Sanderson Life?

Gore are amazing.

If you want an awesome climbing bike, maybe one of these? Pronghorn XC or Trail. New shop so discounts aplenty.

http://flyingfoxbikes.com/shop?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=4&category_id=1

He's truly amazing – I wouldn't be able to smile that broadly or continue with my life so admirably if that had happened to me.

Used them, ordered a helmet. They sent the wrong one. Got onto them, was made to feel terrible for asking them to replace it. They said it would take a few days (by which time I wouldn't need it anymore so would have to buy it from a bike shop when I was on holiday). I asked them to refund my money and chased this up by email. They haven't bothered refunding the money and it's been weeks. I've left it because I've been busy and may as well wait to let them hang themselves.

Disgusting. They don't deserve a business. If my LBS was half-decent I would use them. Right now, I travel 70 mile round trip to go to a decent LBS instead. Much rather pay a few quid more.

no more than 130mm for me – bit of a mess if so. I use revs 100 – 130mm u-turn. 100 for uphill, 130mm for descents.

Pronghorn Trail frame? Cube, Lapierre?

Great, thanks very much for all your help so far. I'll make a few calls. It won't be in competition with anyone so should be all good.

MTFU and get a Mitsubishi Legnum VR-4?

Loads of silly cars but best is worth nothing – P reg Honda Accord 2.2 VTEC with 215k miles on the clock. Goes like stink, gives up to 40mpg and never goes wrong. Amazing.

I'm no expert but I take off around 20% of the recommendation on the back of the forks. I'm a similar weight and I think I run around 130 psi in the top and around 120 in the bottom. Works for me, but as I say, I just tried it and it worked!

I've got one on an Alfine and it's had some abuse but it's been fine. Before I made it tubeless, i used to pinch a lot so due to my impatience it ran flat for a while but it's still perfect!

You probably guessed it but I didn't say it – really rate the Formulas if you can get them cheap – K18s and K24s are no more from 2010 so they may be cheap somewhere and The Ones are amazing.

Everyone rates the Shimanos for some reason. I have them (XT 09s) because of this and don't think they're as powerful as the Formula K18s and The Ones I have (the latter are scary good!). They're not faff free for me either. Saying that, I have some 06 Deores and they're fantastic – not done a thing to them.

Tons up Stirling way if you can jump on the train/drive up.

Carron Valley is still fine although shall be "renovated" soon, see below:

http://www.stirlingbikeclub.org.uk/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=33&topic=5686.0

Car park gates will still be locked but you can always park down the road.

Magic, thanks.

I already have one and I like it a lot. Was going to be another for the missus but if there's a new one coming out, I'll wait. Does anyone know when this will be?

Beagy, everyone knows Pedro's views. Or at least they did but they have changed. I don't actually dislike any one person in the club and I won't air my views because life is too short (seriously, I mean this – it's not worth being unhappy about things for more than a (very finite) 5 minutes). I wouldn't like to be treated in such a way, and I have been disappointed in the past. Therefore, I mostly ride on my own nowadays, which is rubbish. I am a social animal, as you know, and sometimes I cannot stand cycling on my own. If I am, especially at night, then I go out on the roadbike instead. Seriously, I'm now too old (31!) to get involved with "politics" and petty rubbish. I would like to ride with them but do not. Perhaps I am very childish!

Anyhow, you have my number, I hope there are times that we can all go out with this club and there are others when we just do our own thing. I'm disappointed with some of my riding friends who either don't want to go out with me, or just don't go out at all anymore. However, I'm still going to be their friends I hope but I'm just looking for more people to join our wee "group". So give me a shout, I'm invariably out and if I REALLY need to, I'll drive, pick you up, whatever. (I like to ride from my front door because there's so much stuff on my front door but happy to adapt for folk like you). PLUS, what I would get out of it is to finally learn some skills from a riding god such as yourself…!

There's now grey gravelly "roads" on some of the trails near Stirling – they will become streams, are incredibly steep (so no use to wheelchairs, buggies etc.), are really slippy when cold and look terrible – it's supposed to be the countryside, not the town! I am appalled by what's happening with this "core path" nonsense.

Northwind – is this the light you meant?

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25149

Anyone else had any experience of On One lights or are they really no better than the above so shouldn't bother?

Still find the AyUps appealing but is she worth it?

Wanted a Zesty but short legs (32" for 5'11") didn't work too well with LaPierre's high top tube. Got a Cube Fritzz. Unbelievable. So glad I did and it's really light for the travel (don't tell anyone though!).

Captain's right – buy Kenny Wilson's book (and some OS maps as backup) and enjoy. Loads of stuff near Aviemore, do Laggan, Strathpeffer is great and you can get maps from Square Wheels (although still tricky to navigate I found!). Fort William is a good base and Stirling area is amazing if you know where you're going. Give me a shout if you need a helping hand.

Bankfoot roadworks weren't there on Saturday and Sunday. There are 30 signs however. Unless they were just being considerate over the weekend? Everything appeared to have been done.

Call me an old man but what's the prob with taking it easy? I will overtake when I can (i.e. SAFE) but the amount of near misses I've seen (and been involved in when people are overtaking looking for a head-on with me and when they pull out on me and stop in the road) it's just not worth it. Nobody would say I drive slow but I certainly wouldn't want some psycho trying to kill my wife because he thinks he can make 20 seconds on the car in front before the next dual carriageway.

You've mentioned pinch flats. Anyone been using tubeless on their cross bikes? Thinking of getting a rim strip from justridingalong and trying it out for the rear wheel on mine.

Just quickly so we don't get such a bad press. I live in Scotland (but not Scottish, sorry Scots!) and it's awesome. We went up to Strathpeffer, Applecross etc. and the drive back through Glencoe to Stirling was superb. We have some of the best biking from virtually every town, village or city in the country and the scenery is amazing.

My friends and family from Switzerland, Spain etc. etc. are always amazed at how beautiful it is and how much there is to do.

Rant over!

Hey Coogan, you're talking rubbish – those trails near Stirling don't exist and if they did, they'd be dire.

entry level Cube AMS? Although I think they've gone up a bit due to currency.

Thanks for that. CTC was very useful and has convinced me I want to do Land's End – John O'Groats. I'm not doing it for speed so will pick very minor roads or even easy offroad (will be on cross bike or 456 with semi-slicks so nothing too crazy). Any advice?

As they've said, everyone's arse is different. However, mine quite like the Fizik Gobi that came on one bike but my fave is definitely Selle Italia Yutaak.

Was just about to say that – it's a road, take what you want!

That was useful, how light are you? That's amazing.

Go to Aldi Alloa big boy, £5 or so methinks. They have a few left. Hang on, does that mean getting away from your computer and entering the real world though!?

Sweet, thanks everyone. I'll stay local but might have a look at Golspie and Balblair if they're fairly close too.

David – dunno yet, whenever I can get there! I'll give you a shout in the "real world" before I go.

Vredestein – amazing. All types are damn fine.

Spongebob, are you serious? I changed my wife’s tyres on her Honda Civic Type R and suddenly, she wasn’t sliding around and could actually grip and go the way she wanted to go (she does not drive like a psycho in any way incidentally). The tyres she had originally were premium tyres and more expensive than the Vredestein Ultracs I replaced them with.

eddyesi has the idea – never skimp on tyres (but you also have to realise that you should not just go for the most expensive). I feel much better now that my wife can actually stop when it’s cold, wet or snowy. It’s not always 20C and dry.

Oh, try http://www.mytyres.com or http://www.camskill.com

Both good although mytyres is now a bit more expensive than it used to be. Make sure the garages don’t rip you off when they fit them or just simply find a local Vredestein dealer and try to get him close to the online price.