Hang on…. Archway? You mean at the carpark? totally forgotten where that is…

LoCo:

Just eBay’d myself a sh1t load of these:

Check-mate.

I’ve only done 54 and 55 laps back to back last year, I think my team mate did 49 and 50. I’d say we’re both considerably quicker this year, but the route is again considerably more eroded in parts… hmm.

I’d be interested to see…. LoCo – fancy a race? I reckon I’d be faster on the ascent, but when you hit the top on that Ariel you’d be proper nipping at my heels.

Top Gear challenge?

I was thinking a large area of compression… not just the nadgers.

We were both feeling it the next day too, we had a road ride in our plans so ended up doing 90km on very tired legs.

Monday’s rest day was so well received. As were the pints of IPA :)

If you fancy a good challenge a bit closer your way, the Bontrager Twentyfour12 event in Plympton is top notch – you could enter a team for the 12 hour or go for the full 24 :) I’ll be there supporting my missus’ 24 hour solo, so feel free to pop over if you fancy a beer and some gels :)

OK, cheers chaps. End of discussion.

Seller is as far as I can see a stand up chap, sent me the bike in a timely manner.

Dont be disuaded from buying from the seller in the slightest.

I completeley agree, I just wanted a general concenus of action so that I’m totally fair with the seller.

The seller hasn’t been underhand, or anything like that. It’s not as if he has sold me a Mojo and sent me an Apollo. It’s just a lack of packaging, and an unfortunete passing around of the bike from depot to depot by Parcelforce.

I’d urge anyone not to shy away from buying from the seller.

I’ll get some photos taken for the folks/engineers on here to peruse over. I dont want to uneccessairly be worrying, but in the same vein – i dont want an aortic laceration, cased by shards of carbon fibre.

Name and shame isn’t going to help, obviously dependant on the response I will post a response so that STW members stay protected.

STW operates on goodwill and the decent actions of its members. I’ve accepted items back if they have not been up to the standard expected, and offered compensation in some cases too.

Agreed :) Me and Huw had an awesome time, dead chuffed you guys had an awesome guided tour of the forest – it was our first ride in the Chrychan and we;ll most definitely be back :)

Hope you had a good ride at Cwmcarn – proper diversity in what Wales has to offer in a single weekend – top stuff.

That final torquing, without the lever pulled may pull the caliper back out of alignment. I’d torque them up *with* the lever pulled.

It was my understanding that the trek bikes came with a lifetime warranty on bearings… so ring the shop you got it from and have them replaced for free :)

Great to see Simon getting awesome feedback. He’s a top guy, works long hours to make sure he gets everyone their forks and shocks back as quick as possible so they can get back riding.

Knowing how good he is with suspension I’m never touching my forks or shock again.

KCNC X7 brakes and Crankset, and seatpost from Clee Cycles :)

Mmm…. functional lightweight bling.

Check out Chris Eatough’s plans. The team use them for our event training.

6 times world 24hr champion, so knows his stuff.

http://www.chriseatough.com/?page=plans

Just a quick moan/note.

I was aiming to do well in the enduro, i.e. set a good time for myself. I led the pack out and decided to drop back for the road and build up my pace throughout the ride.

On the road section, I was about a foot away from the hedges at the side of the road when a chap came level with me on the right, I move slightly to the left, so leaving about 3/4 of a foot at the side, and a chap came storming up the left of me out of the saddle.

Needless to say, he jacknifed and ended up in the hedge – not without tumbling into my brake, pulling the piston rod out of the master cylinder, pissing oil onto the floor and completely trashing my KCNC X7 brakes.

Took me 15 minutes to get going again, and only had one brake for the rest of the ride.

My point is…. enduros like this are charity events, they’re for competing against yourself, rather than other people. there are no podiums, but a good top ten finish is well worth it – and to be honest all those that finished in the top ten are really nice chaps, that dont go mental making stupid moves for a place on the first 10 minute road section.

So – to the chap who ruined my brake, and cost me a load of time, and giving me no idea of how well I would have ridden – chill out, if you’re fast enough and got the lungs for it you dont need to go crazy for a 50km race. XC races, yes indeed – go mental. Charity enduros…. leave the ego at home.

On a positive note, thanks to the three chaps that stopped to help me take my lever apart to get something that worked a bit, both fast chaps who were more concerned for me than racing.

Awesome course, well organised, 99.9% lovely people out on the course, all in good spirits and glad to see so many people out just game for a laugh who wanted to ride some new trails and push themselves.

Well, Hope recommend a max of 85kg on the SP3s, so….

13.38 Stone.

So i’d say go for the Pro2s on crests or flows…. Orange 5 does scream flows to me though, plus you can get yourself some spanky pro2 hub colours to match your frame :)

Definitley not 18.5. 17.5 is what you’d need… probably.

How long are your legs? And what Effective Top Tube fits you at the moment? the 18.5 is about 605mm, which is quite long… you’d feel very stretched out at 5’7 unless you have very short legs.

Ha, awesome. You learn something new everyday.

People must think I’m a cock at work, I’ve been saying Hydroscopic for ages.

the old adage rings true:

“Arguing on the internet is like being a contestant in the Special Olympics.

You may win, but you’re still a retard.”

Araldite? Jesus, I want to use to bar with other grips when they wear out…..

I don’t really want to use something that will bond carbon at a molecular level…. that’s why i was thinking wood glue… as it wont bond to the epoxy resin…..

any more ideas?

You can’t keep that much Dot fluid around for long anyway – it’s hydroscopic so will eventually absorb spongy soft water molecules, eventually leading to you shoving it up your brakes and wondering why you have spongy brakes.

Anyway, they probably come from different suppliers and the trade price is higher for the bike stuff.

Simples.

Plus, it’s only £4.99, you can make a wish with the left over penny. Maybe for a fairer society.

Should have been at the first Welsh XC series race – it was mainly a run, then they lost the results!

Not a good start for the Welsh XC scene.

I’ll be at the next two races mind.

Sweet. I’ll probably strip it down anyway and give it a good grease to get the best life out of them for now.

Love the action, hate the poor build quality.

XCRacer.com

Do the Welsh XC series :)

If it’s Biketart.. they’re tip-top. Always arrived on time, and i’ve bought a lot of tape from them :)

Agreed, it is the seller’s responsibility – proof of posting is not proof of receipt.

Before you removed the syringes you needed to pump the lever, forcing the air to the master cylinder, so you can draw it out with the top syringe.

Did you hold the lever done and whilst pushing the caliper syringe oil into the system, slowly release the lever so that the oil enters the master cylinder?

Yep. But the KCNC parts are still competitively priced in the UK, and from my experience, superior in quality and value to the competition.

Had my first ride with the KCNC brakes, XC2 cranks, ti pro seatpost, chain and cassette… And they’re all awesome :)

The brakes are stunning, to look at and to use. Bags of modulation, and masses of power – more power than Elixirs, and about the same modulation as Tech X2s.

Cranks are super stiff – cannot see any flex when mashing the pedals, and shifting with the matching chain and cassette is special.

On another point – Clee Cycles have the best customer service I have ever dealt with. Andy at Clee was incredibly helpful with choosing my kit, even when the right parts I wanted weren’t in stock (cranks and brakes) he went over and above the call of duty to sort it out for me.

So… in summary.

KCNC + Clee Cycles = WIN.

mmm… alpine would be awesome. Although 160 really is pushing it for my riding, 140/150 is probably max…

Might stand a chance of keeping up downhill

I doubt that. Even something with dual crown forks!

Light 6″ full sus,…. which one then?

Session 88? ;)

Maybe a bit too big for me, I’m a proper weedy XC rider.

It’s a pretty light X series, I did think about the 120 forks… but thought it wouldn’t make enough of a difference to make it a proper awesome trail bike.

Would be interested if anyone has 120’s on theirs to know what difference it makes with the slacker angles and plusher travel…

Halifax. Do it.

If you fancy actually structuring your training properly, have a word with Chris Etough… he’s 6 times 24hour world champ… and does some awesome training plans – he’ll be able to customise one for you that will work around what you currently do.

http://www.chriseatough.com

really nice chap too.

which side is it? I have a spare one which i did the same to on the other one….

Jesus that Flotec website needs someone who can design working on it. Proper headache.

And £20 extra for wiper seals?! Surely that should be in the cost of the servicing.

So £70…..

Simon Loco is £59.99 all in, and he’s done a lot of kit for me, all of it performed like new when coming back.

Awesome. :)

BOOM FTW. WIN.

LOL.

Sounds like she has an awesome job. Learn from her.

You are the only person in control of your destiny, only you can make your career progress.

Cheers chaps,

The most important thing for me, only by a small amount is racing. If the bike is right I’ll use it for XC races and pairs events – but at the moment I have my XCPro3 earmarked for them….

Any more ideas?

One of the team has an Anthem and loves it, I just worry it’s not capable downhill…

Mister Rickon on Moel Elio while wagging work ;)

He’s awesome, did 50k at the weekend on the bike.