curly68 – yep that mtbr thread is me :-)

Yep I saw that thread on here below re the tracer – worryingly the guy saying it's flexy turns out to be the same guy that I was considering buying one secondhand from!

I realise that the Tracer isnt an ideal DH bike but I really only dabble occasionally and my current foes fxr (and my old giant reign) coped well enough with it.

As i've mentioned in previous threads I'm just hoping the Tracer could cope with the rough stuff as well as my current bike whilst being considerably lighter (my fxr is 34.5 lbs at the moment). . .

anyone?!

I could hear the screams… 8O

Sooo….. anyone tested one near Sheffield?

eh?

hmmmm?

ta

i guess someone must have measured some – it seems a pretty odd rumour to start otherwise . . . I guess?

Lovely looking bike btw . . Just need to find one around my way that I can bounce on!

Dino – I think that's the point though, the Tracer's are all supposed to have the same geometry just that for some reason some Large models came out with steeper head angles. .

tbh though in my experience je james' customer service is pish – poor so if the new guys are approachable and don't try to sell me a complete bike when I come in for tyres then i'll be dropping in fairly often I reckon . .

eighteen bikes – I'd be seriously interested if you could source foes or intense. Jamie at balfa will let me buy direct from him as there's currently no stockist near me, however I have no way of trying one out first!

really? That seems pretty bizarre and a bit lazy on the part of Intense not to re-jig and correct geometry, or is there a reason for it?!

really? That seems pretty bizarre and a bit lazy on the part of Intense not to re-jig and correct geometry, or is there a reason for it?!

arse burgers

Just when I thought I was pretty keen on one and you like make me think they're made of bent floppy noodles!

Should I just stick with the tank-like foes then. . Hmmm

And yep it was one for sale in the classifieds that I was thinking about . . Just need to try one!

I'd be very interested if you managed to secure some posh lovely brands such as Intense or Foes- je james allegedly can get Intense but never seem to have test bikes :-(

have fun Si! :-)

I'm Lee Anderson

They certainly look strong enough, maybe email Orange to check though?

Fastrac, NEMBA, Dog's b*llox DH runs were fine t'other weekend after a similar amount of rain.

The rocky chute start to fastrac was a bit slippery but it always seems to be tbh…

Red is definitely faster than black..

Up then down Llanberris.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz!
Why?

Because if you take the descent in pretty much one, bwarrrrrrp-factor run (chasing DHers helps) then it's one hell of a buzz!

we did the whole climb/push up llanberis and then a flat out blast back down the same way in one go.

I was a gibbering, adrenalin-fuelled wreck by the time I got to the bottom, scaring ramblers with my excited rantings!

Yeah, there is that. I can only compare my air wotans to the previous coil fox 36's..

the 36's were a bit smoother and tadge more controlled but tbh I rarely notice such things whilst riding, my mind being nearly entirely occupied with missing the next tree / sheep / rambler..

.. and Pikes are just a little bit too short for my bike :-/

give over. i've heard of foes' coming apart on rough stuff

:D

what nonsense is this?

Well I'm talking properly rough stuff i.e. DH.. that's the thing, I need something capable of the odd DH day without too much worry..

My current Wotans are great but I really could do with losing some weight from the bike, hence considering an upgrade..

I've heard of revs coming apart on bigger stuff though… and I'm a fairly clumsy 15 stone …

.. and revs would look waaaaay too skinny on my Foes.. ! :-)

Yeah I think if I did get them then I'd reduce them to 150 or 160mm..

tbh I would go for something light like a RS Rev 150mm or Fox 32 but my occasional DH riding really warrants something a bit tougher..

Will 5.88% more travel really make that much difference to you?

Probably not but I figure there must be a point at which forks get too long for all-day use ( I feel like the Wotans are as long as I want to go).

tracknicko – I've moved away from coils as I can never get them to feel right. I had some Fox 36 Vans and the medium was too soft (even with max preload) and the firm was too er… firm..

Ah it didn't occur to me that you could reduce the travel; that kind of sells them to me.

They're about the same weight as the Fox 36 float RC2 but a fare bit cheaper at the moment..

I use single ply for all day rides in the dark peak and they're fine.

However, I once tried an uplift day with them and flatted within the first rocky drop. . . Although I do weigh fifteen stone!

Generally I find single ply tough enough for everything apart from DH . .

you actually used em yet si? ;-)

give it a try! Personally I'm considering swapping to a Tracer myself for Peaks riding and occasional DH . . . i reckon it'd be fab on the fast rocky dark peak descents! :-)

*counts RRRs toes/fingers – 12/10 and 2 thumbs* How's yer sister?

how dare you!! 8O

I was born in Cambridge though so I'm not a pure-inbred.. :-)

see that's about the same as my Foes Si (about 8lb) yet I don't know why mine is so much heavier?>!

see

I started my MTB career as a teeenager living in the Fens of Norfolk.

I really think I win – miles of completely flat farm tracks, with no grdient whatsoever and no trees or features of any kind. At all.

Is there a prize?

I've had curries that weigh more than that..

yer bunch of lightweight weenie whippets..

;-)

Interesting, I really don't see why mine comes in at over 35lbs!!

Bregante – they've replaced the bushings of the 2008 with needle bearings for 2010, supposedly resolving the small bump response issue.

As for the frame flex, I'm not sure..

They do look nice and for a handmade frame are quite a bargain (£1800 for frame and Fox 36 TALAS RC2 )

tbh though I'm not sure if they're any lighter than my foes, so possibly not worth the change..

Bumpety bumpety bump…

cool. which bit of peaks do you ride?

if Dark peaks (hope, edale, ladybower) then give me a shout as I'm around that way!

btw forgotmename, how did you get yours in a custom colour? I thought balfa could only get red or black?!