I love Merlin (as far as online retailers go) but they don’t offer free returns. My kids bought me a Troy Lee too for Father’s Day, turns out they had hidden a ‘colour’ in the drop down options that was a SRAM branded top…which frankly I would never want. Not sure who actually would pay for a top with SRAM branding. Regardless to return it’s just cost me a fiver! Another tick for LBS…trouble is none of my LBs stock Troy Lee kit. So they have to order it in themselves, at which point it becomes slower and more expensive for me! But at least I wouldn’t of had to pay the postage back

Not in stock?? They just cut it there and then don’t they? They replaced the front triangle specifically on my frame and I ordered a rear replacement set from them. Not something they would keep in stock. Had it 2 days later. Just email them or shoot them a message on Instagram you will almost certainly have the kit by the weekend.

Well I sent some cranks back to them 2 weeks ago, not heard anything from them. Chased today, but had to chase them every stage through the warranty process lately. Complete shadow of its former self that business. But wonderful news for LBS’s who excel on service.

Big Pig is fine, dr Johns is oK in parts but ruined in others.

I am on my third set on different bikes now! Current ones are 30mm version. Frankly the best alloy wheel set in my opinion! I have been close several times at trying carbon again, but why when these are that good.

Living 20 minutes down the road I can confirm it’s the right decision! Site would be lethal! Never get cars and vans off site again. It’s been raining non stop all week!

There is 40% off the at the moment making them £60, you would be mad to buy most SS stuff at full up money, there is always a discount code available. Even then though £100 for U.K. made pedals doesn’t seem far away. These are not my cup o tea, but you can bet they will sell em in bucket loads

Is yours the new tread pattern? Not that it should make a real difference? But mine is. Where and what are you riding with it? Think I have done 2 or 3 races including one in the dales, a load of FOD riding, which is hardly tough on tyres. Oh and a BPW trip. It still has life in it, but is well on its way already. Maybe I’m just hard on tyres, but I don’t believe I am.

It’s insecure and looks dodgy as they come! I wouldn’t touch them!

I am not sure how much you are riding Chaka, but I have destroyed a soft Hans dampf on the rear in 3 months. Great tyre but wear has been awful. My soft Mary front lasted 8 months and the side knobs are ruined. I love the grip the soft compound gives and the fact they roll fast but I’m amazed at the wear rate of my HD (new model not the old one). Side knobs are looking like they have a couple of weeks before falling off and the centre looks like it’s done 0000’s of miles. Think in total I’m up to 300 miles on it. I have asked Schwalbe if they will be introducing the speedgrip as in my experience they seem to last a little longer, but I have not had a response!

I love the gold ibis head tube badge on the front of my Hd4. Dead classy!

This has been done several times, to the point I have had warnings about posting about it. STW need ways to raise funds, not helped by fact most people moaning here are freeloaders and not subscribers! Can I recommend you all
Who want the old classifieds back joining STW. It is actually worth it. You are right though, the new classifieds is rubbish. But there is no way they are going to change back now IMO, not least because it would be admitting defeat. It’s a crying shame as the old classifieds was a great USP of this website. I have tried and tried with the new system, it just doesn’t work in terms of actually selling stuff and is too Much faff to list little bits and bobs.

Another vote for Rimpact here. They are fantastic and amazing value. Not just for rim protection either, they improved the feel of my bike and the lower pressures I can run give insane amounts of grip without ripping the tyre off the rim.

Loving the new Hans dampf myself albeit in the Orange Addix Soft compound I have just about killed it in 2-3 months. Schwalbe said they were not going to release it in a harder compound which is a shame as the soft compound (which is great) takes a kicking on the back end of a bike.

Just run a test ad Cougar, all photos are now uploading! Top work thank you

Russ

The Joe Wicks veggie lean in 15 is brilliant. My wife has been veggie all her life and I have been for just under a year. There are great meat subs Available nowadays and the Greg’s vegan sausage rolls are fantastic.

Classified uploading photos

It’s still not fixed, I have given up. I have tried and tried with the new classifieds, reporting issues as I find them. Seems the only response is to download a different browser specifically for STW.

I do feel for the mods. Drac and cougar are constant go between and get some shit over things completely out of their control.

So youve ben waiting eagerly to give more money to the company that sold you a load of crap products last time?

Umm, yeah! Given how underwhelmed I have been with some of the SRAM kit! For me Eagle was marginally better than the 8000 series XT, but I can forgive shimano as for years prior to the last series they had supplied great, reliable kit. Who is Ben anyway?

Well I’m bloody chuffed. Been waiting for shimano to replace the 8000 series XT as it was bloody awful. Hoping the new stuff has rectified the faults. Such as wandering bite points on brakes and sticky clutches with mechs. Not to mention the awful shifter. I have Ben making do with Eagle XO1 and GX. I run DT Swiss wheels so can get a microspline freehub too! Guess the next question is pricing and likely release dates

It’s a strange on Drac, I have tried ticking the permission box as well. I can get 3 photos loaded, but then it hangs like a time out issue almost. That’s on both windows based PC with Chrome and IOS safari

There are carbon repairers whonwill dona nest job of tidying that up and match the paint work. I was Quoted £150 for a repair to some paint flaking. I have the email somewhere I’m happy to forward on if needs be

Ahh bless! We are still struggling 2 years on from the loss of our Boxer – Tess. A massive part of our lives ended when she left us suddenly. We adopted a rescue dog, which turned into a disaster compounding the hurt even more. We are now ready for a new puppy, finally. Looking for a Lab and excited at the prospect of having some company during the day! (Work from home) plus the summer walks up our local hill.

Lola looks fab Alex!

Sorry Cougar is that really the only answer!?! I have no problems at all and only use safari.

If that is the answer then thanks for your help!

Get yourself a 2.6 Mary with Rimpact inserts. Grip and tyre stability was insane. Agree stage 5 was fun, carried far too much speed at times as completely blind. Gutted with overall time, but results were tight. So a couple of better line choices and pedal strokes would’ve made a big difference. Ironically stage 2 is probably the most similar to my home riding in FOD and was the stage I made the most mistakes in ha ha. Kept rubber side down all day so can’t really complain. Water stop was perfect and meant I only needed to carry 1 bottle all day. Probably best event I have done in a long while. I saw that there had been a load of photos but it seems I managed to avoid most of the 21,000 shots.

There was a post on Facebook in the not to distant past where locals were claiming litter dropped at the inners uplift point was ‘probably English’ seems a bit of local dislike for visitors south of the border. It’s a shame as the riding there is some of the best I have ever sampled. Pretty sure bike tourists bring a load of money to the area. Education and support is probably needed as regardless of race, country of origin or chosen sport the world is full of inconsiderate pricks, that other than some borderline loutish behaviour. I have seen countless edits of locals jumping that fence! Also Everyone seems to love the Dudes of Hazzards edits where they have been seen jumping and breaking you tree saplings etc. To me it’s more that the sport of MTB needs to consider its behaviour and the messages it sends out and that starts at the top with the pros and OEM’s.

Had an amazing weekend, great trails. Ride was about the perfect length. Stage 5 blind was an absolute hoot. Band sounded good but too loud for me and my dodgy ears I’m afraid. Some quick boys and girls out, but I didn’t get overtaken all day so self regulated gaps seem to work a treat. Will deffo be back next year. Oh and it was bloody freezing in the tent!

Stage 2 is fine, some bits which will be blown out and difficult tomorrow I guess. Given a couple of bits were literally deteriorating in front of us as we watched it will have changed since practice by the time we start. Great course all round not sure what the ramped jumps are all about. Had a great day riding, hope the band quit soon. Whilst they are great, I’m more of a child out over a brew kinda guy nowadays. Weather tomorrow looks great so on for a loamy epic I think.

Yep, through local bike shop though who swapped for a new one they had in stock. So unlikely to be of help to you, but echos the importance of a shop to me

Looks like drizzle on Saturday now. Going to make the grassy sections challenging I’m sure. Fitted new Mary 2.6 yesterday with Rimpact. The grip is insane. Looking forward to the event. Packing my kit together tonight. Hopefully going to be the start of a great summer of riding

Give you more, possibly not. But I get a massive grin when I work on my bike or walk Into the garage and see it! Not to mention the feeling I get when I ride it. I ride a Ibis Mojo HD4, Fox Factory XO1 eagle Xm1501 wheels. Whilst not blisteringly faster than my old trek remedy, I do find it faster and more pleasurable to ride. In fact better in every sense. Not sure it’s ££££ better, but the money I spent on the mojo was definitely worth it From My perspective. It’s the best bike I have ever ridden or owned. Agree with demoing bikes. My last high end bike was a SantaCruz Hightower. Again top end spec and I bloody hated that bike! Just horrible. I blew a fortune on it and the new owner loves it. So each to everyone’s own.

Thanks for that.

Is it blind, blind or can you ride up alongside it or walk the trail do you know?

Good news about the weather then!

Woody, email from the Boltby organisers suggested 20miles and 1000m climbing? Sounds reasonable but not killer?!? Hoping I and they are right. Looks like a 3 hour ride at a steady pace? Just need to chill out on the practice day I guess.

So how have you set your suspension up. One thing I find can kill a longer travel bike is running the suspension too soft! If the bike sits too far in its travel if will slacken the head angle and lower the bb. What sag settings are you using? In terms of wheels. The e13 are a nice wheelset. But something like a set of stand arch on DT hubs would likely save you some weight. Coupled with tubeless and some lighter/faster rolling tyres I think you would considerably change the feel of the bike. If you sell the kit you take off you probably won’t find it too costly a change. Worth noting that it is changing the bike from an out and out ‘duro sled! But would be cheaper than selling and changing bike. I run a pair of DT Swiss XM1501 30’s on my Ibis Mojo and they are an excellent wheelset that sit in between stand flow and arch (IMO) but can be pricey. Alloy wheels are just as good as carbon and in many cases lighter and better!

Yeah like the sound of a pizza! Can’t see there being many veggie options on the BBQ ha! I was looking at IPhone weather. Just checked met office and you are right 40% chance of rain Saturday. So hoping that will disappear. Can of lynx and wet wipes it is then! Need to buy a campervan! Looking forward to it. Doesn’t look like a big day either so good amount of practice Saturday looks likely.

It’s been there for bloody years! It’s not Enduro in the modern sense it’s the old Enduro XC look. Parts of it are now included in freeminers. Nice little loop but can’t remember it ever being sign posted albeit it was on an old map.

Yeah I received the email. So guessing no showers on site? Hoping to god there is some for of toilet for the prerace squits. Tyre wise running my stock these days Magic Mary and Hans dampf both soft compound with Rimpacts.

Weather forecast looks wet! Let’s hope that changes as it will be bloody miserable in a tent!

One other question. Notice there is a BBQ Saturday night. However being a veggie anyone know what shops are available close by to the camping area etc.?

So looking at the spec, if it were me.. I would replace the rear tyre with something that rolls faster. Try a semi slick at this time of year. You will be suprised how well they brake and grip the trail and amazed how it makes a bike feel much more spritely. Then looking at the wheels, you could lose some weight from those. Which would have a marked improvement as well. However are you running tubes or are you now tubeless? If running tubes try converting to tubeless. In my experience it lightens the feel of the tyre also. That said there is no getting away from the bikes intended purpose. It is what it is, but I really think with some little tweaks you won’t get it far away from the spectral

What’s the bills spec of your meta? Personally I would stick with what you have. If the bike feels a bit too substantial then lighten it up slightly with some different tyres of wheels. Personally I wouldn’t change what you have for a spectral. Nothing wrong with the canyon. Just not sure it will be much better than what you have if your current bike is set up accordingly. That said the meta is classed as an enduro bike, with some burly bits like 36’s. But you could change a few parts to make it better at meeting your requirements almost certainly cheaper than the hit you will take from selling it and buying another new bike. So what’s the full spec of your Meta? Got a link?

Another vote for Dakine love mine.