Im thinking coils are the way to go.

Still not decided what to do- there are some new pike coils > over in the classifieds which has the standard spring (I'm 12 st and think the STD spring would suit?) or I can have some bling 2010 white revs off my GF's bike but there will be a mismatch. Aarrgghhh decisions decisions …..

I'm getting the CCDB with the frame so it's costing me less than it would if I bought off the net but it's still more than my GF wants me to spend!

I must add that the service I have had from Si @ progressive has been really good so far, I've prob emailed him 50 times over this & at all hours and he has always replied promptly. And as my frame will take around 2 wks to arrive but the CCDB takes longer – he is going to loan me a rp23 in the meantime. Which IMO is great service.

Back OT though- I'm quite excited to try this kind of bike/kind of riding with a coil – as I've said many times before I've had 8 bikes in a year with 4 of them being FS with different suspension designs; it will be interesting to see how they compare.

Nope. Weight is relative though.

My target weight for this build is around 30lbs which is perfectly achievable using the parts I've taken off my Five and bought with with this build in mind.

Thinking about it this morning though I think I've decided on the "nick the forks off the GF" idea and I'll buy her some 140 revs as she has never touched the uturn function!

I'm in same boat- started a new job which gave me a 40% payrise on Jan 4th – same company but different business area completley. I don't have a clue what is expected of me, I have had zero direction and I don't understand what my teams overall objective is!?!

I was offered a golden handshake to stay in my current role which would have paid me same as my new job but I was advised that it would be a good move as I will get different exposure in my new role.

This sums it up- I wrote an official communication which was to be published to many 1000's of staff introducing myself in my new role and what we will be doing going forward -I spent two days on it and just before clicking the send button my new boss wanted to have a look – she changed the font colour for what she was doing – in the end out of about 400 words only 6 were mine! – she then proceeded to tell me she was control freak! No sh£t Sherlock!

So I know exactly how you feel- but having a mortgage, commitments & a dog means I can't just leave. I'm hoping it's true when DT78 says it's normal to feel like this.

Si, did you get my email today?

I've just sold my 2009 orange 5AM frame with maxle/hope headset/thomson post/racefce BB and hope QR for £800 cash- which i thought was fair. The frame was in 9.5/10 condition BTW

The more I read the more I dont know what to do!!

Has anyone ridden the ventana? i have to opportunity of getting one for a good price.

Forge- the vf2 is growing on me now – I'm looking about the net and the reviews are positive, I also like the idea of it been a bit left field.

Thanks for the info BTW

Btw- what are peoples experiences with the ventena el ciclon – I've been offered one 2008 – are they similar to the 5spot?

I

Hora – my girlfriend has a 2010 blur lt2 and it's this that has made me want one. She has been riding for 3 years and does all the stuff I'll do – all day peaks/lakes rides, blacks,big rocky decents in Sierra Nevada etc etc normally on her meta, but since getting the blur she has really started to gain bags of confidence and is really testing me at the moment. The only stuff I do which she doesn't do is bigish drop. I.e. 5 ft etc but she is getting close, she's progressed to 3ft drops on the blur – all I keep telling myself is it must be the bike!

It's just too small for me- I'd need a large.

And yes the 5 spot would seem to be my perfect bike – ever since riding with marco @ ciclo Montana (who imports turners into Spain) I always thought that our paths would cross – I just thought I'd keep my five for longer.

Bump for the Sunday morning crew

A mate at school was called Nick Dick,

-Brilliant!

Willie stroker is winning though- even thought you don't personally know him.

the ebb allows you to run as a singlespeed without a tensioner or slidey dropouts.

The pink stuff belongs on the bike!

i've zapped you some pics over.

I did (and have) & then the frame I was buying fell through so im keeping until i get something sorted. If that makes sense!?

Your as bad as me Tom with all the bike changes.

Why dont you buy my chameleon – I think it would be a perfect bike for what your after. Do it all bike etc?

Cheers coogan

Id seen that offer & have seen Si pop up now and then.

Its just at that price i might as well get a 5 spot + i dont like to buy new – much prefer to buy ex demo or S/H – & i have some u turn pikes & Talas 36's to use.

Ive had 7 bikes in the last 12 mts trying to find 'the one'. I currently have a 2009 five AM and a 2009 chameleon and I thought this was it for a few yrs. But..

Im really interested to see how the chumba's ride plus i have never seen one on the trail. Ill keep looking.

Ton I think you would need a Xl. My mate has one who is 6 6". Ive a large and am 6 1" Sorry oxnop. Not trying to scupper your dealings.

– dont worry I never would expect to sell this bike to someone as big as Ton!

19".

Im 5 11 and its way too big for what i want it for (chuckable, jumpy etc). I only have a small amount of seat post 'out' and for a bike like this you need a tall seatpost to take some of the 'harshness' away.

Craig @ jungle (who is about 6 3") told me he had a medium so it was chuckable; which when i bought it i thought was a bit strange but after owning it for 3mts I know what he was talking about.

FWIW i ride a 18" five and the chameleon feels much bigger.

Im selling a large 2009 chameleon – EBB version if anyones interested :oops:

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/2009-santa-cruz-chameleon-a-small-clearout-xt-crank-arm-bars-hope-etc

vauxhall 1.3cdti combo is a good bet (we use this as our MTB vehicle) we paid £2.5k for a 05 with 55k. Which was a great deal.

We get 55mpg on a run which is better than the car with bikes on roof which gets 26mpg!

Speaking to the SO about this she has told me that she was working on a project with the FSA and her project leader was

Mr I Crapp

and thinking about work names I get emails from

Nicholas Nicholas

what are parents thinking?

Looks fine to me. Floating rotors to finish it off.

Wtf is

going on here?

puno? ?? ?u?uu?ds sd??? ?uo?d? ?? s? s??? p??? ?,u?? ?

Brilliant. Arsehats.

Ciclo Montana here too. Hopefully get back here this year.

Nice family who run it + they will send you a Xmas card

Don't agree with auto's been sh1te in snow.

I initially thought that my little van would be better than my DSG(auto) golf gti, it isn't – the golf has been fantastic (Touch wood). But I can go into a higher gear using the flappy paddles which really helps.

Alot of the best deals are only available direct now. As the above poster states it's better to search around yourself and contact the mortgage company direct.

The application process is really simple (all companies follow the same process and all quotes now need to look the same) so it's really easy to do. you'll feel smug knowing the ifa/mortgage broker hasn't made £ xxx's doing something you could do in 5mins with google.

+ the corsa/combo – I was told my 1.3cdti combo has the JTD engine.

Edit- if it is the same then it will be fine. We use the combo just for mtb duties and is fine.
It will cruise at 75mph (it will do 95 on a private road :D )
we also get 500 miles on a tank- £45 to fill up. So unless you are carrying a heavy load then why would you need anything more powerfull?

Supa Leeds

I was in the same boat about 6mts ago and was dead set on a blinged up alpine 160.

Had a go on a 2008 5am and loved It, it could handle what I could throw at it but was happy on all day rides.

I ended up getting a 2009 5am which has slacker angles than the 2008 and I love it. But I'm fairly light 12st and the guys over at orange said that they only know of a few frames failing and one of those was rowen sorrells and as you know he hammers his fives.

Thanks for all info.

I'd considered both the kaffenback and the ribble you mention as both come in at just under a grand and I think the ribble comes with guards, which is a plus considering the time of year I have decided to start commuting!

JTH- was it £500 new?

I was looking at the allez as there ways seems to be a few on eBay.

I live near all terrain cycles so I was planning on going down to see if they had anything I may be interested in as they are a giant dealer.

Also, should I aim to get something that will be worth upgrading in future?

And should I try to buy a carbon framed bike?

Soak in plusgas. Then get a big hammer and hit the post into frame – then put a old seat onto the post. Then get a lever (I used a barbell) then twist out.

I tried everything when an alu post was stuck in an alu frame.

BTW Tom don't sue me if it damages your frame.

Orange Five

looks like good fun.

I live 5 mins from this place and I didnt even know it existed!

I had a hope semi integrated. Nice bike. Wish it would of fit me better.

Yep it was icy but nothing we couldn't ride on- both myself and the GF enjoyed it more than normal- Harden moor was ace BTW.

We were going to go over hebden/tod way but glad we stayed local.

If you do choose a ride further away tomorrow I'd be interested in where you go/conditions as we need to plan a ride for Sunday.

Did bingley bash + hills over oxenhope & we dropped down through wilsden to fit in a bit of cheeky singletrack.

We really enjoyed it.