Cheers guys- for a bit of context I completed the Dirty Reiver 130 option this year on a whyte gisburn but had to push up 1 hill towards the end- it was all a bit slow though (av 16km/hr)

I may try the smaller front ring and a new cassette and mtfu- can I assume I would need a medium rear mech to go to a 11-34 rear then?

I’m a smidge over 6ft so thinking large- keep us posted on how the first ride goes!

Looks good- what size is that?

Short and sweet 😊

What bike did you have before? I’m thinking of changing from a full Susser ( smuggler) is it relatively comfortable ?

Ta

Any more reports on how these ride?

Proof hard tails are dead?

Thanks roverpig ( I think!)

My mates would use another word albeit some of them have done very well out of my revolving garage door policy

I need to spend some time with my chosen bike to tweak the set up etc otherwise I will just keep changing – not helped by my mechanical ineptitude especially when it comes to suspension set up

I was only thinking about creating a thread on this subject this morning in an attempt to give my head a wobble as the answer is not very long!

In a shade over a year I have owned:

Ti spaceframe Jones- loved it and owned for 2 years but I convinced myself I needed suspension as I was getting old

Steel spaceframe Jones- 1 ride before selling as I realised 2 Jones’ was just greedy

Singular gryphon- 3 rides before buying something lighter

Santa Cruz 5010- bought this between me and my son – I rode it 200 yards in the lane before he said he wasn’t bothered about riding anymore and I didn’t think the little wheels were going to be my thing

Salsa Horsethief- great bike but rear triangle cracked so I replaced it and sold it as I fell out of love with it

Whyte T129 frame- bought and never built up

Trek Farley- 2 rides before realised I wanted full suspension

Carbon roadbike- 3 rides before I realised I don’t like road riding

Whyte Gisburn- bought because I don’t like road riding- done a fair bit on that including Dirty Reiver but will be selling soon

Singular Pegasus frame- has been sitting in the garage for 5 weeks unbuilt so in in the danger zone of being sold before being built

Salsa Beargrease- 2 rides before being sold as realised it was bought on a whim in Merlin sale

Salsa Bucksaw- 1 ride- still got it but jury is out…

Transition Smuggler- still got but don’t like the colour so may be selling!

Most of the list above were second hand so not huge financial losses but I find myself looking for immediate chemistry with a bike and if it’s not there my head gets turned.

Ive really got to decide which bike from the bucksaw and smuggler to keep as Im fed up of changing but then only last night I saw a Hightower on Facebook and started thinking about whether that would be ‘the one’- I need counselling!!

You can put in some decent mileage on the fire roads around the Chase without needing to do on the mtb trails

Hi
I have recently acquired a new smuggler and took the wheels off ( actually front did 1 slow lap of Degla)

Spec is as follows: SRAM MTH hubs, WTB STP i25 rims

Can deliver for £110

18inch I think – will get some pics

I’ve got a kona big unit frame with hope headset you may like £50 will do it plus some postage

39,000 ft2 isn’t that big for a factory – for context the latest Amazon warehouses are 1m ft2- now that’s big!

How are the conditions under wheel? Does it handle the rain ok?

Ive tried and owned a few and can recommend the trek Farley – even in aluminium form pretty sprightly nd the hodag wheels are really quite good

How much were they?

As Mr Picto said we did a nice route around the Chase but still have some Peaks on the agenda

I know it’s late notice but only got clearance for a day out late on

Podge- If you’ve got a gpx of a decent route happy to wait and use next time

Boxelder- not a bad call although defo more hilly than the rail trails!

Cmon guys and gals I did say please!

2 weeks to do both would be a challenge- we did nearly 3 weeks this summer albeit first week was based with family near Edmonton- we did Banff, lake louse then a few days in panorama, a night in halcyon springs, some time in kelowna for the wine valleys and only got as far a 3 nights in Vancouver before we had to leave so didn’t fit the island in- the scale is massive so lots of driving – awesome trip though

I had visions of doing jasper, whistler and Vancouver island but it would have been too much- just means we need to go back!

OK please be gentle here

I’ve just invested in a tacx2240 and went on the other night to just check things linked up ok and using Bluetooth got on the phone etc like a dream

so…..what do I do now?

Should I get used to it all via ftp type stuff or what?

I’m frankly a bit intimidated by all this race talk so want to ease myself in before making Cat D my own!

OK thanks everyone- signed up to British Cycling and got one ordered- hopefully I wont get a Friday afternoon one!

Oh well looks like you’ve made me spend more cash then- thanks stw!

Cheers jambo I thought Id read it didn’t- so it that the thing that would be missing instead of using an elite crono?

Interesting- can you expand as I was just going to buy a smart trainer but thought Id make do with what I had which is unlike me as I like new stuff

The 2240 doesn’t alter resistance does it which is what I thought would be the biggest miss

HI everyone and especially whatyadoinsucka
Ive got an elite crono plus the garmin speed and cadence sensors what do I need on top to run zwift on an ipad mini (original) ?

Is it just a ant+ dongle and convertor to lightening pin?

Good review Orena- any advice on sizing- I’m tempted but at a smidge over 6ft I’m on the cusp of 56 and 58

Taz- yes

Dekerf- that’s sort of it- Im selling a roadie, a rigid mtb and a fat bike so this will be filling the gap for days when its not too technical/rocky and the focus can be on miles/views and not getting run over by lorries

I will accept punctuation but not sure the sentence highlighted was grammatically incorrect- but thanks for the telling insight

Taz- leave me alone it makes me happy but I have been liaising with Riley but as I said I know that the day after I pay full whack for a pickenflick they will reduce it by 30% and that will make me sulk

On the Slate Im not convinced on little wheels for the intended use and as Cannondale are discontinuing in the UK Im probably not alone

Andy-.drop me a mail on the tripster if it’s a large – I’m a smidge over 6 ft

If I could get a warbirds for £2k I would be all over that

Speak to fodmtb guides – used James a couple of times now he’s excellent

Tyre clearance wise 40mm should be fine

Good to see my Stw description wasn’t missed tomhoward ( or was it!)

Dougal- I may drop you a line

thanks guys some new ones on me to review tomorrow when I’m working from home….

Interested in what the differences are between the cotic and the smuggler as I decided I was going to be really sensible and not rush my next purchase so was going to demo a flaremax but then saw a good deal on a complete smuggler and promptly forgot all that which I then took the wheels, dropper, brakes and gears off to replace …….

I’ve only had one ride so far but was impressed – still around 32lbs but doesn’t ride heavy

I’ve got some pikes in need of a home 140mm rct3. 51 offset- £300 plus postage – drop me a mail if interested

IN true Pop Larkin fashion instead of taking my time etc I saw a deal on a sale offer transition smuggler and jumped straight in……

Just swapping over some bits to knock a few pounds off so first ride should be this weekend-keep an eye out in the classifieds if I hate it!!

Bright yellow spesh rockhopper in 1988 followed by a marin eldridge grade in 1990 with the zolatone paint

Hmm- I was very interested in your smuggler at the time but then did wonder whether it would be too similar to the segment although the reviews seem to suggest its quite poppy- you’re experience suggests otherwise so again gives me doubts

Best full suss Ive had recently was the dw salsa horsethief but the rear tyre clearance wasn’t great and I had an issue with a cracked rear ( albeit sorted by salsa in a good way) but still caused me to lose the love a little

Cheers