A direct mega 6 nuclear missile strike would bounce off a blue pig!, would not worry about throwing some 36s on it, although I would be more concerned about its “new found geometry”

Kev

Yeah, Merlin Cycles are tops for brakes, recently got a pair of Formula K24s for £160 all in, was struggling to find anywhere with deals on Formulas.

Kev

None of us moan about keeping bike costs realistic by procuring from Taiwan etc, and the subsequant build quality etc you get, but you do have to pay the consequances of being 1000s of miles away from the company you are totaly relying on to perform. My company demands high QC but I am there on hand to oversee it, we have also dealt with China and there was an issue with regards some units delivered and the fact that the delivery was 4 weeks late after the ship set sail. It even docked on the south coast rather than Felixstowe (I think)causing me even greater delays and expence.

At the end of the day…the sun is shining and poor RR is sat at home with 2k of parts, no frame, and maybe no real answer as to when his frame he has paid for will arrive. The thread has decended into chaos (something you would expect to see on Retrobike TBH), and this forum, generaly, is not like that, and we should all keep it that way. But come on start a tetchy thread and close it off when you get the answer you are looking for or even if you dont, 3 pages of **** spaming from many party does no one any favours.

PS:RR, LL in Bury will loan you a Speshitalised for a week if you are really struggling, they may even “ring” you a 224 and a 17lb carbon hardtail to satisy your particular bike needs, at least it will get you ready for when the troof lands !

Keep it real, the offer of the 96 CC still stands!

Kev

Putting Mountain biking UK stickers on things in my house to annoy the wife, like inside my 3 year old daughters wardrobe, on her car numberplate etc… love seeing how long I get away with it before she spots them.

Drives her mental. Her car is currently sponsered by Nukeproof and Muc-off, 4 days so far ! :lol:

Kev

Ralph,
Consider some maximum rise 765mm Nuke Proof bars !, this will give you loads of play by spinning the bars to suit, NP also do a lovely 65mm stem to suit. This is what i run, pulls you into the bike but the extra width also gives you loads of stability.
Kev

I have 819 USTs on mine and sometimes notice that air leeks from the nipple base on some spokes, do they simply need tightenting with the abovementioned tool.
Sorry but i am very naive when it come to maintenance.
Cheers
Kev

My mate has a 2010 model, good bike, decent spec for the price, but my god it is one big lump!
Kev

Hi Rob, I need a 47!, long shot ?.
Regards
Kev

There was a review in last months ? What Mountain Bike. The KS got a 7, and the Rock Shox got a 10 (I think).

I definately know that the RS got a far better write up. It also looks far better being all black.

Hope this helps ?.

Kev

Cheers Steve
Looking like I will get my order pinged through in the morning.
Cheers
kev

Hi Ralph,
I take it you use them with a traditional SPD pedal ?, do they give good support and locate OK ?.
Cheers
Kev

I agree, CRC getting knocked again for all the wrong reasons.
They have pulled me out of the shite on numerous occasions, and stopped me from having to go and see the egotistical w@ankers at “my” LBS…..and more importantly saved me a small fortune over the years.

The packaging is, Ok….ridiculous on some occasions but all the packaging I have had from CRC has gone straight into my recycling bin, and yes most of them are delivered by the postie in a van.

Long live CRC !

Kev

Yeah be aware of sizing on the AM40s, I am a size 11 but had to get a size 12
.
Also you may need to put the stiffer sole in (that comes with the shoes) as I got a bit of foot strain with the standard ones.

But in my eyes the AM40s are way cooler, very comfortable and quite? warm, feels more like a stiff trainer.

Have not heard of any negatives on the AMs

Hope this helps
Kev

Blacky, dont think that you will be too dissapointed with the Troof looking at the pic above, I could not picture it built up from the images on the Rag site. I take it that must be a custom colour but the red will look as equaly as sharp.
Kev

An XX groupset or an SLX, I know which I’d rather have…

At 25.5lbs it clearly wasn’t top spec anyway, I reckon 23lbs is about right for that. Still nearly 3lbs heavier than my FS anyway

Regulated perfect weight for a hard hitting Ti
Mavic 819 USTs, XTR (mechs, cassette, chain, gears, cables), Formulas, Atlas Double, Nuke proof finishing kit, V12s, Fizic, like I said…top end gear, but since when when does top end gear mean it is the lightest. I could easily have got it 22-23 Lb with lightweight XC gear…but it aint that type of bike.

Love the Pic Bol, couple of bonny bikes there…BUT GET THAT BFE TO “MAN UP!!!”, :lol: then destroy that soda on the vertical rock gardens.

Kev

Sorry guys, but epicsteve has clearly showed us how to build a Bfe….stunning !, although the lightweight one looks Ok too (for the time being)

Come on though I think its time for them scales to be calibrated. I struggled to get my Rag Ti under 25.5lbs with top notch spec. My brothers steel version with mid range parts also tipped the scales at 31b, or did they spray a soda accidentaly in Bfe colours! :lol:

Kev

Should be able to ?, try CRC.

Just changed my Hope Hubs from 15 to 20mm, simple knock out and replace adaptors

Kev

A lot of Ragley bikes have been put back to the end of March ?, my brother has a troof on order with CRC which should have been with him now.

Dont know if the Pigs are delayed, but they look worth waiting for!!

Kev

Boardmans from halfords, high specs, great reviews and look superb. Even better deals on line. Boardan Pro Mtbs with Elixer carbon brakes, X0 rear mechs etc..are now under £900!

The only good thing ever to have come out of Halfords!

Kev

A friend has got a 2010 Fritzz and he has had major problems with the rear mech dissapearing into his rear wheel, both results were disastrous. The second happened within 15 minutes of landing in Morzine. He has had the bike sorted under warranty and has now got chain tensioners galore!. He loves it.

Plenty of people on here saying the same, I have a couple of tensioners up on ebay as we speak :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DCD-Daves-Chain-Device-plain-alloy-Mk-2-version-/200579559920?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item2eb37931f0

I had one, and only got rid of it because my back warranted more comfort in the form of a full suz!

Some more simple pointers (from a simple bloke)

1) It is direct !
2) It aint as sloppy as some 100mm traditional XC Ti frames, but you know you are on a Ti frame.
3) Set up wrong it is turd, set up right it is superb (I ran a 65mm Nuke Proof Stem and Nuke Proof 765 bars, this is essential)
4) Be carefull with frame sizes, the new geometry pretty much demands you will need a smaller frame i.e I am 6`2″ but I only needed the 18″
5) Definately need 140mm forks
6) Tubeless tyres certainly add to the comfort, recomended.
7) It is a vision of beuty and totaly suitable for UK conditions, I live in Hebden Bridge (actualy 1 mile from Ragley) and it just makes total sense. The drop outs are like nothing else and being Lynksey made the quality is 10/10!.
8) No one really has had a bad word to say about it, all reviews “rate” it.

At the end of the day you have had an Orange Crush (hardcore hardtail?), the Ti can be used from all day rides to 3` drop-offs.

I would not class it as a general trail bike, but being a “general trail bike” is one of its traits.

Hope this helps.
Kev

I would get the Zesty 714 and make sweet love to it, now and then I would take it out on a ride.

Stunning looking bike……., and I would get rid of 10 Scotts and Yetis for one of them.

Kev

German….it looks like it was made during the cold war era in the eastern block. I absolutely love these no nonsense industrial looking things.

It was a toss up between one of these and the Epithany I ended up with.

Enjoy !

Kev

Cubes all the way, they are 50 times bigger than Orange hence why they can spec bikes far higher.

I spent a reduced £2690 on a brand new upgraded 2009 5 SE, my brother spent £1810.00 on an upgraded Stereo. His looked better and there was nothing in it performance wise!! (other than nearly 1k)

Leisure Lakes in Bury have a 2010 Stereo HPC (Carbon) with full XTR, Formula R1s and draped with bling in a matt black and red colour. Tipping the scales at 27lbs and only £2500. It is stunning and pathetically priced…I was looking at it 2 weeks ago and it looked like a 4k bike.

The main reason I would not go again for a 5 is that I was parked up waiting for about 10 mountain bikers to come past me on a night ride, I bet 7 out of the 12 were on 5s….Zzzzz. Overhyped and common as muck!

I am struggling, as like most people I stopped using them in 1994 :lol:

My SE was just short of 28lbs, but my mates stock 5 Pro was 29.4lb. We weighed these on our companies calibrated industrial scales.

The Cubes are definately worth a look at. I have rode both, both are quite different but the added value for money with Cubes would win over every day.

Kev

Roddi

Have you considered the Cube Stereos / Fritzs, far better specification, better looking and miles cheaper. My mate bought a brand new Fritz last year and took it to the Alps, it was only slightly heavier than my 5 SE ! and he is still in love with it. My brother has also just sold his 09 Stereo which has a bit of an AM feel which he adored (BB a bit low though!)

Also most Cubes have Formula brakes (many of them R1s) perfect for hard AM / DH use

There is bike beyond the “5” !

Kev

Sefton

I love the Rock Lobster Tig 853s, skinny bright red tubes, superb workmanship, boutique brand feel, very rare and steel inparticularly the classic 853 which will still be cool in 67439387376 years!. I would go for one of these over the Soul if I was running a lightweight 100mm XC setup…..they are also cheaper

My neighbour has the Ti version, and it is stunning, can you stretch to the Ti price ? (Merlin are sometimes good with discount!)

And yes there is a difference between Alu and steel, also you could run 20psi in the tubeless giving you an even more comfy ride

Cheers
Kev

Look further than the 5 and Spez Enduro because absolutely everone has got one!.

I agree with the angles but any bike can be bouncy or solid as this is adjusted by the rear shock set up, isnt it ?. The Covert is a good option, “boutiquie”, and you wont see many of them on the trails….

Alternatively what about the Pace RC405, currently cheap on CRC and again a rare find, perfect for trail / AM use, oh and personally they do look quite stunning

Kev

We all used snowcard last year during a trip to the alps as they were the cheapest and offered the most comprehensive cover. My brother ripped his knee badly and had no problems whatsoever in claiming back the costs.

Cheers
Kev

Hi Granny_Ring,

All down to the wether the geometry allows it, however I would imagine the difference is negliagable. But aint the ST4 a 100mm travel bike ?.

Cheers
Kev

Cheers for the replies guys,

“Gordymac” I went for the Thomson as I have had one before, and being a Yank component may suit the ellsworth a little better ?. However if you really dont like the Hope I will give you a can of Red Cola and a “fish supper” for it and return the Elite to CRC ha ha ha..

The Controltech is exactly the same unit as my Nuke Proof Warhead which equals a complet F%^&*g joke to get the saddle on and make any adjustments, although it is again good quality and a bargain all round.

I just remember the Thomson, despite being popular, having awsome gripping power, the slight rough feel which helped slow down its ageing process! and the overall quality feel of it.

Cheers

Kev

Just flogged my Rag Ti, and not because it is a bad bike, very different to ride for all reasons positive, recomemnded.

Why not try a Ragley Bagger with some 180s up front ! 8O

ps: Simon….you ride too slow!! :lol:

Sorry Stoner, 73mm holl0tech type for a Race Face XC Crank set.

Looking at a Shimano Deore on Merlin for £17 notes, bling is only bling if it is seen !

Cheers

Kev

I agree, the slippy surface issue needs to be in your mind, however to me, a day out riding is not all about the riding, i.e…

Great Cafe
Great Location
Option of North or South Loops (or both)
Stunning views over Brotherswater on the first climb
Plenty of great vantage points for a dinner stop en route
Some good Black (optional) sections
Great singletrack and jumpy sections
Good exposure
Well maintained tracks with a natural feel
Oh and Great Cafe again, when you finish.

Enjoy !
Kev

If you dis a Yo-Eddy on Retrobike you will be hunted like a witch from the 1400s!. I simply dont get them?

Me and my mate both had wet / winter tyres on….no affect whatsoever. Just try and keep the bike as straight up as possible, dont lean into corners!!!
Kev

CRC vouchers :D

Brant,
What is the deal with the Troofs, my bro is currently up on scammonden bridge with £2k of new parts, 160 forks and nuke proof bling on the back of hearing deliveries have been put back. He aint spoke for 2 days!

Cheers
Kev