Stayed in Les Gets a few years ago with the road bikes. Spent a day up the chair lift out of Samoens and picked up a trail map; there’s loads up there. Shame I can’t find the map for you. Try looking for it on the internet or try the Explore feature on connect.garmin.com.

Here is the lift details for the area:

http://www.samoens.com/php/sitra/pdf/sitraloi581856-338584-itineraires-vtt.pdf

Downhill trails are here:

http://www.samoens.com/en/winter-more/objets–sitraLOI581856–downhill-mountain-biking-trails-on-the-grand-massif–samoens.html

http://summer.grand-massif.com/mountain-biking

Maps are here:

http://summer.grand-massif.com/summer-maps

WOW, awesome! Thanks Brant, that’s great, wasn’t expecting that!

Thanks Brant, replied just now, cheers.

I sent an email via the website a few days ago re the swap-out bolts for the Whippet frame; discovered one had been cross-threaded when the frame was put together. I just want to know if I can get hold of a spare one, so I can fit my SS sawap-outs, but I’ve not had a respnse yet. Any ideas Brant?

The best looking shoes I’ve seen are the Pearl Izumi ones that look like running shoes. However you’ll struggle to get around the problem caused by the stiff soles with whatever SPD shoes you have.

Does anyone do a shoe with the stiff bit of the sole just at the front to allow proper flexibility when walking?

I’ve done long hikes in the Lakes where I’ve carried some lightweight trainers with me and swapped shoes for the long climbs, but I wouldn’t do that for lots of short climbs.

I think it’s called clutching at straws personally. It was cheap so they did it. No other reason. Oh it’s a bit crap? We’ll add some tar. WTF.

Don’t know if this is the proper route:

http://connect.garmin.com/course/5992114

But it looks about right.

Just an hour of carrying? Standards appear to have slipped.

If you could post some more routes that would be great!

I’m over in Lanchester, but don’t know the area very well at the moment.

If Glentress is on the cards then you might as well go to the Lakes, closer and better.

Actually I have a Ging chain device too from 1997, but it’s not been on a bike in a long long time.

I recently tried to replace the cleats on my SIDIs and found they were seized on. So reverted to my spare pair, some Shimanos that I bought in 1997. Still awesome.

I also have a Kona pertex jacket from the same year, that is still two sizes to big for me and a bum bag that I use occasionally from the same year.

I have an x-lite heaset spacer that I bought in 1997 that I still use and my GT Fury has the top-cap from a 1999 GT XCR 2000 on it.

The only old significant component I run is the 2009 Lyriks I have, they’ve still awesome, just put them on the front of a new 456C.

Best thing I’ve found for training for DH is riding single speed. You’re stood up all the time, so you work the muscles that let you resist the urge to sit down on the DH bike and you get all of your muscles worked out properly which gives you better strength for fighting the terrain.

I’m sure a dedicated programme of weights and sprints would be better, but if you’re time limited and like to use your time on the bike, you’ll probably struggle to do better.

Ooooooh! That’s what that clicking noise is! Thank you!

Average budget and the new 456 Carbon frame is the one you want. It’s got a relatively long reach which should mean you don’t need to buy one that looks lie a gate.

Has anyone ever trashed the ISCG mounts by bashing one of these things off a rock?

My instinct is that it’s better to put that load through the bottom bracket shell, but don’t know if that’s bollocks or not?

Totally want. No idea why.

If you need to remove the smoothy from your frame, you’ll likely find that you can’t get a drift on it because of the stupid design of the aluminium insert that’s in the head tube.

To get it out you need to clamp the headset in a vice and twist the frame off it.

Bear this in mind if you’re considering an inset lower cup option (though you probably can’t get one for a tapered steerer) as you’ll never get it out again unless you’re very very good with a dremel.

The new 456C doesn’t have the same problem.

I must add that I gave my last 456C smoothy headset a damn good thrashing over about 18 months and it never caused me any problems.

I have the 456 Carbon Evo, looks great and will piss all over those other suggestions when I get round to riding it I’m sure. The last one I had was a million miles better than BFe and all the other nonsense you can buy. Can’t see why anyone would buy anything else really.

My reading was that the OP had contacted company and said, “Where’s my stuff”, but the sticker chap doesn’t know which sticker is missing, so can’t resend.

I’d guess the fake tracking number relates to another order that the chap thought was this guy’s.

It’s more likely lost in the post than someone trying to rip a tenner.

I have a Whippet built up light with x-lite forks. Sounds like what you’ve after, unfortunately you can’t have it! I do have a spare medium whippet frame though that is going on eBay shortly that might suit you. Needs the singlespeed drop outs buying from On One though. Message me if you’re interested.

How much travel, any ideas?

That fork is ace, I have one on my whippet.

That Pinarello stuff is complete guff, but it’s a good looking bike. Shame it’ll be about £10k though or they might have sold one or two.

That is the issue that Hope’s Bolt-in axle setup negates. You can get the wheel in, with the chain on very easily as there’s no axle to get in the way while you fit the chain.

PSPS – I forgot to mention that I found that rigid forks are generally too short when you’re stood up. The ones I recommended are 29er forks, which are 470mm long. Longest 26er forks are 440mm long. I’d probably go 10mm longer in the fork in an ideal world.

PS – I use mine for sliding about in the mud in the winter, but will ride it anytime really, when I fancy something different. I don’t use it for mega rocky trails because you do get an absolute thrashing trying to carry speed over big stuff, but anywhere the trails are mroe straight forward I’ll use it to make the ride more demanding. If I go away for a weekend I’ll often take the SS with me and ride that on one day and a real bike on the other.

I can highly recommend the Hope Pro2 hub. I have the trials version with the 5-speed free-wheel, obviously with spacers and a single cog. Go for the Bolt-in option though. Rather than a solid axle, you have two massive bolts that screw into the hub. You don’t need chain tugs with this system at all, just pull the wheel back and tighten the drive side bolt, then pull the wheel to the middle of the frame and tighten the other bolt. Then add a bit extra to both bolts for good measure. The wheel is dead easy to get in in the first place as you’re not trying to get an axle through both sides at once and you can slide the wheel in from in front of the drop outs if that makes sense.

BMX chains look better, should be more robust, but seem to just stretch more. Not run a normal chain, but suspect they would be better. I adjust my rear wheel every few rides as the chain stretches, but you can just run the drive chain until it’s completely shagged as you don’t have to worry about good shifting obviously.

I can also recommend the On One Whippet frame and the X-Lite rigid forks, though I think neither are available new. Whippet is very light and very stiff, so ideal for what would be a light build anyway and the stiffness helps when you’re cranking away at the bars. The forks are 15mm through axle, so more likely to be cross-compatible with your other bikes. If you go rigid, get some huge tyres and run low pressures (tubeless) to damp the trail buzz. it’s great fun and turns boys into men.

I have a medium Whippet in bright Yelllow going on eBay soon if that is of interest, would need a set of swap-outs from On One though for SS use.

Is it peppermint blue?

It’s 1/18th” straight as Mindmap says. I ran one with 170mm 888s as a trail bike a few years ago, great bit of kit!

Interesting!

I’d push the boat out and spend the £400 On One want for the new 456C. It’s much better than any of the options suggested above.

There speaks someone that hasn’t ridden his bike off Great Gable!

Of course it’s over hyped. It’s nothing special, nice and everything, but not exceptional. But it’s priced absolutely bat-shit mental. Santa Cruz have always been a bit up their own arses when it comes to pricing though.

I reckon it’s better route if you bin off the descent in to Wasdale, which isn’t all that great, and head over to the top of Great Gable out of Ennerdale. Descend to Styhead, then head up to Sprinkling Tarn and as far up Scafell as you can get, then turn round and descend all the way back to Borrowdale to pick up the rest of the route. Warnscale is an absolutely brilliant way to end a ride.

I’ve not done west to east, so can’t compare the two. East to west stays off not so step, quite fast and good fun, but gets gradually steeper all the way to the bottom. It’s not a classic rock descent, but is quite grassy, while still being very technical. Great fun.

The sticks descent to Thirlmere us totally epic. You have been warned.

Rick, my frame is a Jekyll. Would you like me to take some pictures and measure the headtube?

That’s interesting, especially if it’s correct. It doesn’t tally with my previous research though, but I’m happy to be corrected.

I was aware that the lefty steerer is a different size. I have normal 1.5 forks. Last time I checked the headtube was a slightly different size too. Will check again and measure mine.

Happy to post it off if it helps Works make me an angleset.

Thanks all.

Hello Rick,

Do you have any options for the Cannondale 1.5″ headtube? Think it’s a slightly different diameter to normal 1.5″.

Thanks.