Hi all, thanks again for all the opinions and feedback.

Favourite response: “In the spirit of “recommend what you have irrespective of what’s been asked” I’d suggest…. ”

🙂

I’ve found myself a 2022 Top Fuel, picked up last night. 140mm travel front, 120mm (I think) rear. Beside myself with excitement for the test ride, hoping it doesn’t rain all weekend!

Not that I ever doubted but wow, what a helpful set of opinions. Thanks so much.

Scott Spark ruled out. Longer travel 29ers under review.

I’ll update with the outcome.

Thanks. My focus is more XC than gnar. I don’t want to sacrifice capability on the descents – but I also don’t really need more capability, especially if it is adding weight.

I’m looking at a 2019 Spark World Cup. 29er 100mm at both ends vs my Spectral 650B with 150mm front and 140mm rear.

My Spectral has 2015 150mm Pikes and 66.4 head angle. World Cup has 2019 SID RL3 and 68.5 head angle.

That SID can go to 110mm travel which will obviously slacken the head angle a touch more.

Which bike would be more confidence inspiring on a descent like the beast in the peak district?

I’m in the “how much?” camp, too. Bah, humbug.

13.4kg???

I like what you did with the Aldi link.

kidsracing.co.uk

@matt_outandabout : I just spoke to columbus, they advised me that they only provide cover for mountain biking if you are using “designated cycle paths”. So as soon as you go outside the trail centre or off the official cycle trails you’re not covered. Just FYI.

Ooh ooh, I know this one : it’s a known issue with Guide brake levers. SRAM kind of acknowledge the fault and you might get lucky if outside of warranty with getting modified internals free of charge. You have to send them back to be looked at and fixed, took a couple of weeks for mine if I remember right. Bizarrely they don’t like the heat.

I’ll be happy to send you a GPX of stuff on the church side if you want to PM me your email address.

Thanks again, good STW people. I should have said that I would favour aluminium and a frame that would work with my 130mm forks. Looks like I will need to wait for a Pinnacle Ramin 3+ to come up.

thanks all

nothing here that floats my boat though 🙁

works a treat

thanks tjagain, good idea

My VW T4 Caravelle has a poptop roof, sliding doors on both sides and sleeps 4 but has no cupboards/sink/fridge etc. So both beds are full width and because the rear seat/bed is on sliding rails, 2 can sleep up top with (at least) 2 bikes securely stored downstairs. It’s big enough that 4 of us comfortably drove from the south east to Scotland with bikes and all the gubbins (inside the van) and powerful enough (2.5 TDi) that it took no longer than driving a car. Point is – it’s super versatile. And, ahem, it’s for sale 🙂

Thanks folks, sounds good

Oh yes. Thanks allthepies 🙂

panmat thanks! Strange thing – I don’t have a mapsources directory…. I’m on windows 7 and MOBAC 1.8

I created the file with my own new shiny bing key but all the tiles in my MOBAC are showing red crosses so something is obv wrong.

Anyone else get this working?

bspoked and jairaj YGM

Nemesis doesn’t need the workaround. Next?

YGM nemesis

I have a work around for OruxMaps only. With thanks to NRE I can help the next person. Miguel didn’t respond to my email so 1st person to request it here will get my help.

Thanks folks. Miguelo you’ve got mail

Dang, it appears to me that MOBAC 1.8 finally stopped working in terms of downloading OS maps. Disaster! Perhaps the source of the OS mapping has been closed out. I believe that multimap which I think was the OS source has been bought by Microsoft so maybe they have switched it off now.

If anyone has worked out how to point MOBAC to another working OS source, please share!

check these guys, looks like you need to register now which is a bit of a shame, but the group originates from Harpenden, so no shortage of local knowledge http://ottmountainbike.proboards.com/

Also http://www.sillygrin.co.uk/index.htm are more widely spread but do a fair bit of riding within striking distance of Luton.

I’m selling my mum’s 5,000 mile Honda Jazz right now, I’d be delighted to share the details if you want to message me. cheers, Paul

Jeez, was boggy today. Not much fun.

Obv it’s been raining for a while, I was just wondering if it does ever dry out?!

We started at the Carrier Arms which was a good call – delicious lunch!

If anyone’s interested I took scu98rkr’s original route and incorporated the changes he made in his subsequent post (http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/who-knows-of-good-trails-between-london-and-oxford-off-the-m40#post-3921647) into an updated route. It’s now 19 miles instead of 28.

You can get it here: click for gpx

I think the startpoint is messed up.

Thanks scu98rkr, I’m hoping to try this in the rain on Sunday…

Arrived today. It had a DU bearing and the wrong size bush in one end, nothing in the other. Very glad I ordered the bushing kit from mojo!

No major problems, other than installing the 2nd DU bearing. Worked out in the end that I could use the nut & bolt that mounts the shock on the frame to squeeze the DU bearing in.

Test ride tonight!

Thanks for the initial advice z1ppy

I also ordered a 15.75M8 bushing kit on the assumption it isn’t coming with one – 25 quid from mojo.

Mine is due to arrive tomorrow, spent a while in customs/parcelforce processing. Cost me 30 quid in customs charges, still a bargain…

Date Time Location Tracking Event
01-05-2012 10:59 Welwyn Garden City Depot Delivery scheduled
28-04-2012 06:58 Welwyn Garden City Depot Awaiting payment of charges
27-04-2012 23:31 Welwyn Garden City Depot Received at delivery depot
27-04-2012 15:17 National Hub Received and processed
27-04-2012 03:46 International Hub Forwarded for UK processing
27-04-2012 03:42 International Hub Revised charges to be paid
26-04-2012 21:09 International Hub Awaiting Customs Charging
22-04-2012 18:54 International Hub Awaiting Customs clearance
22-04-2012 18:44 International Hub Received in destination country
20-04-2012 10:00 TAIPEI INT AMF Forwarded for export
19-04-2012 12:21 Delivery Agent – TAIWAN Collected from customer

Hi Widge
was from this seller: http://myworld.ebay.com/cyclistbike/

Was this item: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290690769706&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:GB:3160

Bit tardy, but my idle daydreams about upgrading changed Tuesday night to urgent need for replacement. Settled on an RP2 2011 from Taiwan… 184 x 44… Fingers crossed!

Where are you seeing that size RP23, I didn’t think they were available in the exact same size?

http://www.mojo.co.uk/float.html

MM Tracker all the way

Yes you can deffo ask Islabikes to sell you spares, it’s £7 per side for their “custom” brake lever

Right on your 45 minute boundary, but there's a loosely organised bunch riding in and around Bedfordshire you might want to check out : http://www.sillygrin.co.uk/index.htm

Good luck

Check your bike (as much as practical) before you leave the baggage claim at each end. The airline is usually only liable if you get a damage report there and then… Good luck!