Just had the same issue. New caliper time I’m afraid. Sent the caliper back to Merlin and they agreed it was goosed. They’ve returned it to Madison but Madison haven’t got any M775 calipers left so ended up having to buy one off Hargroves Cycles online and I’ll hopefully get some credit off Madison via Merlin.

New brake feels lovely and positive now though, which is just about the only consolation :(

Coolbus, or get in touch with bikevillage.co.uk and see of they’ve got any space that morning. Another option is to get the train and stay in one of the cheap hotels across the road from the airport overnight

I’ve got a Rumblefish, came about six weeks ago and already I feel as in tune and flattered by it than I have by any other bike I’ve owned. I had one of the 160mm Remedys a couple of years ago (the ones with Fox 36s on the front) and downhill it feels so similar it’s unreal. Couple that with better climbing and it’s one he’ll of a bike.

I imagine that the slimmed down Superfly 100 is equally as good, just a bit more oriented towards ups than downs. The platform works well and you can’t go wrong with a Trek. Fair enough you pay price but well worth it in my opinion

Makes a huge difference. I’m a really sweaty bastard and couldn’t as much as walk to the butchers wearing my radars without them fogging if they weren’t vented. They still fog if it’s humid/wet and I’m working hard but I just slide in to my helmet vents if they do

I’ve got a pair of the XTR trail versions having come from a pair of the older, non caged version. I can’t tell any difference once my foot is engaged, but where I do notice a difference is extra protection for the mechanism from trail obstacles. I’ve whacked them a few times and the marks on the leading edge of the cage would have definitely have done some damage had the cage not been there.
A big plus is also when you’ve become disengaged from the mechanism and are fishing round with the sole of your shoe. I’ve got some mighty fine scars on my shin from doing this and my foot slipping off in the past but it doesn’t happen with the new ones.
Well worth it in my opinion, look sexy too :D

Edit: found some Arch rims in stock with just riding along. Crest rims will be available early next week, I’ll give PJ and Schmiken first refusal on them

Cy: the Arch looks like a good option looking at it now. If that will go straight on I’ll do that and save a few grams over the Flow.

Chaps: ill need to wait until the new rims are in stock but I’ll email you once I’m ready to sell

Been using 2×10 38/26 11-36 on my new build and really don’t feel as though I’ve lost any gears in comparison to my triple set up. What I do find is that I have more useable gears and don’t have to worry about using the extremes for chain line concerns. Find myself in the big ring quite a lot just shifting up and down the cassette and only using the 26t front ring when it’s getting steep. Would never go back to a triple apart from if I was going touring round the alps with 10kg of kit strapped to a cyclo cross bike a la Chipps!

New Rumblefish build, four rides in now, can’t fault it

Steerer now trimmed, fence painting on the ‘to do’ list

Eurostar to Annecy in July is currently £189 for a non flexible ticket. It should not be too much to get from there to Bourg St Maurice on a local train

That seems like a decent deal, Bourg is only a few stops down from Annecy, takes about 70 minutes and is a spectacular journey. We head to Bike Village on 14th July for or Honeymoon…how on earth did I manage to have her agree to that :D

Rumblefish. Done three rides on mine now and it’s the most complete I’ve ever ridden

LOL at Chunky :D

My new Rumblefish, first ride last night.

Really rides well, feels like something with 150/160mm travel on the descents and climbs very competently, unreal how well it rolls over stuff.

Granted mine has had a bit of a pimping up, but the Elite model is a belter of a bike.

For reference, I am 5ft 8in and ride a 17.5in model

Well, first ride done and I’m smiling fom ear to ear.

It really is a chameleon of a bike: It climbs as well as the likes of a Trek Fuel or Stumpy 26er of old but when you point it downhill it has the hallmark of something with far greater travel, maybe my old 09 Remedy with 160mm Fox 36s on the front or a Lapierre Spicy of the same year that felt like a mini DH bike.

With a coupe of tweaks of the shock and fork pressures it is going to be perfect. Roll on the summer!

Ps. It’s a 17.5inch and I’m 5ft 8 ish

http://www.bikevillage.co.uk

Simplybearings.co.uk

Compare the Kick Start vid above with the modern equivalent:

Toni Bou, what a boy :D

I’ve been doing trials since I was 8, do it, it’s ace fun, it’ll really help your MTB skills

Unless your ‘Dale is goosed i’d stick with that and put your money towards a pair of Pro2/Flow wheels,some 2.4 tubeless tyres, some 740mm bars and a dropper post. I guided out there on a 120mm full suss for a season then an Orange P7 with a pair of Pikes on the front and didn’t need anything bigger.

I understand if the lure of the shiny new bike proves too strong though :D

I’ve had two bikes from around this price point over the last four or so years and they’ve not let me down yet. I had a Trek 1.5 to start with then got a new Allez Elite in 2010. The Allez has about 3000 miles on the clock and the Trek did something similar before I sold it.

Bikes at this price are a great starting point for getting in to road biking, if you can stretch to about £600 you’ll get a piece of kit that will last you a long time. I weigh about 90kg and haven’t found the quality to be compromised by my bulk in the slightest.

As mentioned by drinkmoreport above, getting the Tiagra shifters is a nice spec point to look out for and a 9 speed compact group set is ample for any sporting rider.

The good things about bikes at this price point is that the frame they use tends to run through the range up to the £1000 + models with only componentry changed. I worked for a Specialized dealer when I bought my Allez so once the standard Sora/Tiagra kit and standard Alex rimmed wheels started to get worn and needed replacing I managed to get my hands on some OEM 10 speed new style 105 kit and some Mavic wheels so I now basically have a bike with the equivalent spec of the £1100 model for about half that value.

Oh, and I’m also a new dad to a little monster of a one year old boy……time is very much at a premium :D

Good luck

I tried to get the 2.35 x 29er on a crest 29er rim and it was a definite no no, the thing would barely go in to the well

I’ve got a solution……pedal you wimp!

Most of the best riding in Les Arcs isn’t lift accessed anyway, more backcountry terrain than you can shake a marmot at

Very sad news, chatted with him at length at the TDN a few years back, found him to be very amiable and a true gentleman. Unthinkable that he can be lost so young, will have a big impact on the world scene as he has been so active on it with the FIM and Italian Federation right up to his death.

He would have been world champ at least a couple of times had it not been for a chap called Tarres.

RIP

Loving that Ibis, seriously sexy :D

+1 for Bike Village.

Turn up at Geneva with your bike on a Saturday and they’ll do the rest.

I should know, I used to work for them :D

I’ve had 2 FSRs and a Remedy in the past few years, I’ve also done a stint working at a Trek and Spesh dealer. VFM then yes, I accept, the FSRs do seem a better buy. However, in terms of quality of ride, finish and the components you get with the bike, the Remedy wins hands down.

Unfortunately I’ve seen first hand how cheap and tinny FSRs are and their longevity is poor. Compare this to many Trek full sussers and there’s no contest. Get the remedy and you won’t regret it. Well worth shelling out a bit more on, absolutely ace bikes. However, saying that…I’ve currently got a Trek Rumblefish on order…come join the revolution!

Rob

Rusty spanner – I was at the Gooseneck for the 92 senior and got sunburnt too. Blame my old man (as in my dad, not my cock) as I was only 9 at the time!

Seriously though folks, bring your bikes. So much riding and everywhere is pretty much fair game…great way to get to remote spots for racing and practising too. Massive MTB scene here at the minute, club winter series had 175 entries in December. There’ll be loads of people able to take you out riding, just post on manxmtb.com and someone will shout you up. Not me though…Police resources stretched to the limit for the fortnight!

Happy riding

Rob

Cheers for the advice folks, I’ll stick with what’s on it to start with

Happy riding

Thanks Matthew h and b r for your concise responses. Good job as I’ve got loads of 25mm already!

Happy riding

100mm = xs neoguard

Simples

Crispy bacon: cheers for the email, but not quite what I was after unfortunately. I’m aware of the deals that are available through CRC at the mo, but what I need is someone to have already spent £100 and to have opted for the ‘xmas50’ option rather than the ‘UK15’ immediate discount.

So if there’s someone out there who has a discount code for £50 off your next £100 quid spend and isn’t going to use it then there’ll be mega positive karma for you if you are able to donate it.

Email in profile

Cheers very much

Bump.

Anybody?

I tell a lie….16gb model is £369 but it does have 3G aswell:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/apple-ipad-16gb-wi-fi–3g-599740

Has to be new, buying my missus a second hand pressie would leave me sleeping in the shed. I know what i’d say if the Rumblefish she’s ordered me was second hand!

Another vote for Flows here. Wider, more solid, little wieght sacrifice and definitely confidence inspiring. I’ve put countless dings in my 819s but never so much as put my flows out of true.

Easy decision

Lucas- know exactly the bit you mean – I did it on a nasty slippy day and nearly came down to earth with a thump too but just managed to save it with an unintentional 10 yard long 45 degree rolling stoppy!

I did the red route a few weeks back to get a bit of an escape from the missus and kids and absolutely loved it, very flowy and some nice technical bits thrown in too. Descent back down to the trail head after the north loop as it switchbacks down with big banked corners is absolutely mega! Very easy to navigate and great views…thoroughly recommend

I went from Hope to Shimano and never regretted it. 785’s about to go on to their second bike with no concerns whatsoever apart from wishing that i’d ditched my Tech X2s sooner. Hope’s look great but lack power and feel. Shimano work out of the box, take no maintenance and stop you on a sixpence

I ordered one today (17.5″) and i’m a short arse at 5ft 8in!

Bump

Thanks for all the advice folks, a combination of Druidh and Rondo’s solutions have sorted them right out

Happy riding

Guys. Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. As if I need much more of an excuse to get one now!