They’re not much lighter and, in fact, Ashima and Alligator make lighter steel discs.

he benefit if floating rotors is that, when they get hot, they distort less and more evenly, so perform better. This only applies for prolonged or heavy braking, or both, and certainly isn’t an issue in the British winter, but definitely an advantage in the Alps for example.

Hope that helps (and is clear)

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

Ouch! Looks like you were lucky not to have a nasty accident on holiday.

I’d contact them directly as you might find they’ll at least help out with low cost replacements – getting failures back to them is valuable development info for their designers and is worth something to them, so they should give you a good deal on a new main triangle at least

Rob
http://www.bigrobracing.co.uk

Superstar do one.

Careful thought, there are a couple of different head tube options to be aware of, integrated or external upper race, integrated and external lower race with two diameters of lower head tube available, it’s a minefield out there in headset land! My advise is use the 4 digit headset codes as a reference, Superstar reference them and they’re normally on the frame manufacturers spec pages for every bike/frame.

Hope that helps

Rob
http://www.bigrobracing.co.uk

Cheers singletracksurfer, too kind! Thanks for looking too. You just made my morning :D

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

Lezyne do some lovely tidy compact ones, two of which always go in my race day kit and are <90mm:

CLICKY LINK

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

KCNC do some silly light ones.

I’m a big fella (6’4″) and the two I’ve got don’t let anything slip about too. Very happy.

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

I had to wear white kit when I rode for Leisure Lakes last year. I found Glowhite, that you can find in Tesco & Sainsburys helped:

Glowhite

Happy gleaming!

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

The problem is probably made worse by trying to use a UST tyre with a Stans rim.

The No Tubes rims are designed so you can use a normal tyre, with slacker tolerances, to convert to tubeless, with some latex to seal the sidewalls. A UST rim/tyre is designed to work as an airtight system, with the associate tighter tolerances. No Tubes rims do work just fine with UST tyres though. Use some something slippery, like very soapy water, to help the tyre slide up the rim profile.

If you’re using rim strios, not yellow tape, this will make the problem much, much worse.

I’ve had several tyres over the years refuse to seat fuilly, even at 60PSI, this has always been fixed with soapy water, occasionally I need to pull the tyre up with my hand, but this has maybe happened once or twice and only when I didn’t use enough soapy water.

Good luck – and make sure that young childern are removed from the room before yiu start to protect them from the swearing! ;-)

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

Another vote for Alligator Aries, thicker (more durable) than lightweight Hope as well a cheaper. I use them in endurance racing in the rain, no worries.

ALLIGATOR ARIES LINK HERE

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

Just getting back into it with a separated shoulder. Very frustrating, but very happy to be rolling again.

It’s ALWAYS worth waiting just a little bit longer (and seeing a proper physio) to get properly healed before jumping back on!

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

Have a look at last year’s Masters 24hr Solo World Champion Rich Rothwell’s Enigma Ego ST
HERE

I chased it around TwentyFour12 last year for a few laps (until i crashed and broke my bike) – it’s pretty nippy!

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

At that age you’re best off buying new spokes, even if your new hub has the same flange diameter and spacing as your current XT. Once you’ve paid for new spokes and a wheel build (assuming you’re not doing it yourself?), you may as well buy a new hub as the difference for a full wheel price will be less than the cost of a hub service and new bearings (probably)

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

Crests are very light rims. if you’re asking how strong they are, and you’re currently using 719s, not 717s, you’re giving yourself clues!

It sounds like you want something sturdier – check out the weight of flows vs 719s, you may be surprised, flow is wider (22.6mm vs 19mm) but only 10g heavier (470g vs. 460g) so, unless you’re xc endurance racing, I’d recommend the flow

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

Had a great ride cheers! 52miles of downland, woodland and singletrack, dusty, smile inducing bliss :-)

Read All About It On My Blog HERE!

First proper ride after a long lay off with an injury (separated shoulder – very painful!)

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

I’m sure you’ve done your homework, but just in case, 32:18 on a 29er is equivalent to the “it’s the law” gear of 32:16 on an old fashioned 26″ wheeled bike of yester-year ;-)

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

I’ve used various foam grips over the years, here’s my two penny’s worth:

1) Forget lock-on grips, you lose lots of comfort compared to a pure foam grip as you replace a good amount of nice soft, light foam with hard plastic shell. Also, the hard collars are a nasty rim on the edge of the grip compared to the soft crntre and hurt the outside of your hands on a long ride

2) Old school foam grips are comfy and super light but, after a few months use, get permanently compressed so can need replacing. Also, some can get slippery when wet. Replacement is quick and easy and they’re nice and cheap – bonus!

3) ESI grips seem very good, I’ve used them through the winter and for 24hrs, nice and comfy, seem to hold their spring for substantially longer than old school foam, they also stick to the bars without any drama, stay grippy in the wet, despite smooth round surface, are still light and, importantly, come in pretty colours ;-) but they are more expensive and harder to get hold of then plain black foam grips from other people

Hope that’s useful

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

That looks like it definitely needs replacing.

Not a fatigue crack by the looks of it. I’d say that it looks like impact damage from a “foreign object” crashing into it or, perhaps, a chain? If so, this is not warranty from a fatigue crack and “normal wear and tear” but more something that one would expect to be covered under a cut price crash replacement policy.

The bonus is that, unlike warranty, where a bike company might, reasonably, expect to have the part back to inspect to determine whether it’s fatigue or abuse, a crash replacement policy is normally no-quibble i.e. they don’t distinguish between a foreign object impacting the frame through no fault of the rider, or you hitting it with a hammer or through just abusing it some how (like with a hammer!).

Hope you get a replacement in time for TwentyFour12

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

I should clarify, an adaptor could be made, but the disc would not line up with the calliper, it would be too far outboard

I’m afraid not – the spacing correct isn’t possible

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

LOTS OF INFO HERE

(or here)

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

bigrobracing.co.uk
You’ll get a marginal weight saving, coupled with the advantage of not having to undo 6 small bolts should you ever swap discs, but you’ll not make any functional improvements to the bike and incur significant expense, buying new, centrelock, rotors. I’d stick with what you’ve got until your wear the discs out and replace then.

I run a selection of 6-bolt, adaptors and “proper” centrelock discs and none of the solutions have ever given me any issues. Revoving and assembling centrelocks is a big improvement in convenience though.

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

I believe all gear cable for all types of mountain bike and road bike is 1.3mm diameter.

Perhaps the one from your parts bin was sticky as it had dust on it that had stuck to the anti-corrosion or any lubricant that was applied in the factory? Or maybe it was just bone dry?

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

I can’t recommend a Santa Cruz Tallboy highly enough!

More info on mine HERE

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

A great, light, fast tyre in 2.25″ width. Not so good in the wet and muddy but perfect for summer front and rear. And at that price a good deal. They tubeless well too. Buy, fit and enjoy!

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

Cheers raceface90, you’re too kind :oops:

The frame finish is a cheat, it’s a one-off with a Chrome finish, given to me by the nice guys at Charge for winning Set2Rise 12hr (now Erlestoke 12) solo last year. Unfortunately I was injured this year so couldn’t go back or you may have been able to see the bike a few weeks ago!

Enjoy your new bike :D

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

I used to always use Endura shorts, the fit and pad are both great, but they were never durable enough, I have had singletrack and humvee shoerts and preferred the more robust humvee.

I’m now a massive convert to the The North Face Levada short, have proven to be more comfy thanks to a soft liner and super comfy outer and are proving to be pleasingly durable too:
http://uk.thenorthface.com/tnf-uk-en/activity/mountain-biking/men/trousers-shorts/men-s-levada-short-1.html?colour=667

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

More HERE

Complete with lots of polished things, including “Jones-ed” cranks and a powdercoat white chain :-)

It’s a Duster 8 frame with EBB for neat singlespeeding

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk[

Pain killers…..

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

Good point, I completely forgot about the third “middle” tyre with UST-esque beads (good for sealing, inflation and security) and light sidewalls, an excellent compromise design, in my pre-coffee brain haze.Coffee now consumed, normal brain service resumed!

I have even used some of these “tubeless ready” tyres myself: Bontrager do a similar tubeless ready range too, which I have had great success with with the use of sealant too.

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

Here’s mine and it has a whole bunch of podiums to its name (rather than just calling one of my bikes a race bike ;-))

There’s more on the spec HERE or HERE

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

It is possible to run proper UST tyres on UST rims without sealant – the special UST bead is airtight without needing sealant (the advice up there is wrong), the cost of making the tighter tolerance special bead is one of the main reason dedicated UST tyres are more expensive.

However, UST tyres are heavier (although they do have airtight and toughr sidewalls). The most popular way of going tubeless, and my preference, is for a cheaper and lighter “normal” tyre with either a UST rim or a standard rim with rimstrip or sealing tape (depending on rim type) and a scoop of latex to get the puncture resistance referred to up there.

A UST tyre on a UST rim with latex is the most robust, but heaviest and most expensive way of achieving a tubeless setup

Whatever way you choose, the reduced rolling resistance and pinch-flat-proof-ness of the setup should see you smiling.

Hope that helps

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

A compromise of maybe just one bar end, to minimise the changes, yet realise some of the benefits perhaps?

Just like Jo said:

NEVER try anything new on race day, let alone on the start line of your fist 24hr race!

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

No but that seems like a damn good idea! Why has no-one done this before?

Weight is a little high at 680g for a general trail tyre, but at only 1.85″ I’d steer well clear, and the weight seems way too high for the tyre width

Here’s some reviews on mtbr.com

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

Took my SB8s out on the SDW in the week for the first time in ages; got a slash that wouldn’t heal with tubless goo……

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

The Rocket Ron 2.25″ is a lice light, big-ish, tyre that’s a good alrounder: reasonable grip, fast rolling and sheds mud well in the wet. It’s available in 2.4″ if you want really big too.

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

As I occasionally worry about these things, rather than go on the claimed weight, I actually weighed a pair of 2.1″ Crossmarks and a pair 2.1″ SB8s and both Crossmarks were under their claimed weight and lighter than both SB8s, which were both over their claimed weight. They were both non-UST and “good” compound.

They were also both 29er versions but this shouldn’t make a difference as they’ll scale up the same

I’d go bigger, something like a 2.2″ width. A fatter tyre rolls quicker off road, thin tyres roll faster on road (but there’s a weight trade off if you go too wide), check out the schwalbe website for their testing summary.

I second the thick-ish sidewalls comment. Ian Leitch got 6 punctures on his “out” ride with Small Block 8s fitted, and a massive slash in his sidewall.

A Maxxis CrossMark is a good option, used by Mike Cotty on 26″ wgeels when he set what was then the SDD record, and by me (in 29er flavour) when I set the SS SDD record.

Hope that helps

I haven’t ridden one, but, yes, they’re still distributed by Upgrade.

I’ll be there, but you know that already it says that in the press release up there ;-)

My top tip is: Don’t forget to smile and enjoy it

Oh, and some more advice type stuff HERE

See you there!