Likewise the 44 RC3 ti that I had never felt overly smooth just pootling about but as soon as you hit the rough stuff, crikey.

It’s a while ago and maybe I’m a bit slower nowadays but I remember it being so controlled and grippy. Much better than any pike, lyrik or 36 that I have tried (to be fair I have never tried a grip 2).

Not sure what the answer would be. Maybe a coil conversion with a grip 2 cartridge?

I certainly wish they did a modern version of the old Marzocchi.

Like Steve I put an slx on to replace a gx and it shifts fine.

Not sure on the longevity of the SLX but can’t see how it could be much worse than the gx.

In all fairness it’s on a short offset fork so I did have to shave some plastic off as the crown wasn’t clearing it deep into its travel so it might be worse from that.

And yeah it’s set as high as possible.

Does anyone find that the rrp flexes and bangs on the tyre on heavy hits?
Mines very noisy.

Iv just ordered some Kydex for my stumpjumper. Hopefully can fashion something that looks decent and offers good protection.

PG1230 is shimano type freehub not XD.

Same for all shimano modern 4 pots.

Osprey escapist 25 or 32?
Got a 25. Standard well thought out Osprey quality packs.

As above bike register. It’s free to register bikes with serial numbers and photos and free for prospective buyers / shops to check serial numbers too to see if they have been reported.

One other thing to check would be if you can get full travel with no air in the fork.

If not it might be worth checking fluid levels in the damper side. It’s relatively easy to do being motion control and if it’s over filled could be why you can’t get anywhere near full travel.

They have all travel spacers in the air shaft.

As long as they are 10mm ones as per the service drawings it should just be a case of removing one to extend the travel 10mm.

The one at crc / wiggle is listed as addix soft which is the orange stripe version.

Depends how much puncture protection you are after really. The apex part (which came on 2.6 and 2.8s) refers to extra sidewall protection so will be pretty much like a new super trail I reckon.

If it were me I would run a super trail (or apex) front and super gravity rear but I’m pretty hard on tyres. If you don’t puncture very often you may be fine with the apex / super trail version on the rear. But I would only run a Mary on the rear if was riding constantly steep soft conditions as I imagine it will be a drag on uphills, flatter sections and hard pack trails.

And the above is assuming the description on the crc website is correct.

Fingers crossed that clears it up a bit.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-magic-mary-snakeskin-tl-easy-apex-tyre

If you haven’t already push the tyre under the insert into the well of the rim as much as you can then get soapy water on the last bit to help in slide onto the rim. Hopefully that helps. I sometimes zip tie one side of the remaining tyre that isn’t on the rim to stop it further coming off the rim as you get the other side on.

It very much depends on rim / tyre combos.
Just put some maxxis onto some deemax rims. Strangely the dh casing tyre went on nice and easy. The double down was a different story.

Anyone tried the trailcross?

How are they fit wise? My current free riders are pre adidas so nice and wide for my flippers but I hear the newer ones are pretty narrow so wondered how the trailcross were.

Similar then. Although the 2020 versions are down as being steeper head angle / seat angle but I wouldn’t be surprised if that was a mistake on the website. They may well have copied the data over from the 29 version.

Yeah I really enjoyed mine although it was an alloy model with a super deluxe rather than the fox dpx2. Like I say the rear suspension was great. Nice and active. Didn’t seem to get hung up on square edged stuff as much as the other bikes I’ve had. Had a bottomless feel to it too.

Not the lightest of bikes but I used mine for everything. Found it fine for long rides and it was great on uplifts too.

Current or previous year?

I had a 2018 vrs 27.5. It was a great bike. Lovely rear suspension.

27.5 boost lyrik definitely won’t take a 29.

Islabike are about as good as you can get but it can be hard getting folks heads round the prices. That said you rarely lose much value in them as long as they aren’t completely knackered by the time you finish with them.

Mine started with a carrera cosmos which was fine but the 16’ islabike after definitely brought his riding on a level. We managed to pick that up for 160, he used it for about 9 months then sold it on for a profit but it was in very good condition.

He’s now on a wild bikes 20’ which is really good. I would say on par with an equivalent frog. We bought that new for about 200 ish which isn’t as hard to swallow.

Anything wiggins, hoy, squish (wild bikes I believe are the same bikes as squish) will be perfectly good and no doubt other brands too such as ridgeback etc. Just look out for something of a reasonable weight with suitable components for their age.

I agree but I would also expect the wheel to sit centrally in the frame.

I had a vee flow snap 2.35 on at the start but had to take it off as it was rubbing the paint on the drive side. For a frame that is supposed to take 2.6 it’s poor but I can live with that for the price.

Would be nice to sort the shifting issues out. I definitely think there’s too little room between the 11t and the seat stays.

Aye suppose it could be the hanger but it all looks straight.
The frame is definitely not aligned very well. The wheel is closer to the non driveside and that’s with a variety of wheels.

I’m enjoying mine. Got 150 lyriks on so gives it a nice slack head angle but the seat tube angle is still fine being relatively steep so not at all wandery on the climbs.
Probably used it 10 times or so over the winter.

Medium is a good fit for me at 5’7.
Paint is very poor but I can live with that for £150.

Is anyone else struggling with gear set up though?

Initially had new gx eagle with an nx 11-50 cassette on which shifted fine initially but every now and again gets stuck on the seat stay when shifting up and down to / from the 11t cog.
It has also steadily been struggling to shift off the 50t so I thought I would swap the relatively new drivetrain over to the full sus and use the nx (still in good condition) that came on the full sus on the big dog and replace the cables to solve the shifting issue. However it’s even worse with the nx even with new cables.

It simply won’t shift off the 50t without me physically moving it with my hand.

The hanger is pretty chunky and I’m wondering if the mech doesn’t like being moved so far inboard to onto the 50t?

As for it jamming on the stay I have no idea. It’s not an issue I have ever had before. The stays are pretty chunky and there’s not much room looking at though.

I used to swear by renthals non lock on types in either Kevlar or super tacky but they are a pain to swap between bikes being non lock on.

I tried death grips and really struggled with them. Had the soft ones and still found them too hard.

Then I stumbled upon these for a cheap build
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/brand-x-mushroom-lock-on-handlebar-grips?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&sku=103895755&kpid=103895755&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Shopping+-+All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mckv%7CsCtYTrmWn_dm%7Cmcrid%7C295292317327%7Cmkw%7C%7Cmmt%7C%7Cmrd%7C103895755uk%7Cmslid%7C%7C&mkwid=sCtYTrmWn_dm&pcrid=295292317327&prd=103895755uk&pgrid=58852352866&ptaid=pla-892925889520&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn7CUoeKO7gIVCu7mCh2DBA5qEAQYAiABEgLsfvD_BwE

I find them nice and comfy and they are cheap too.

Cheers all

I had one albeit 2.8 on the rear of my hardtail.
Great in the dry. Grippy. Rolled well.

Different story in the mud but not surprising. The knobs are pretty shallow and fairly closely spaced.

What about a 2.3 DHR 2? I only say 2.3 as the 2.4 are good bit draggier as they have bigger/taller knobs.

Depends on your preference really. Il put up with a bit more drag for grip in the wet.

If you do struggle for the tools it can be done by using an Allen key in the air valve to undo the footnut and once you have the lowers off I think from memory a park FR5 cassette tool clears the nut at the bottom of the air valve shaft to get the air shaft undone.

I wouldn’t want to use that method regularly as the footnut is aluminium but once in a While will be fine.

The foot nuts undo the opposite way too as they screw in from the inside of the fork.

Easy forks to work on.

Routing is correct. That tab that it’s rubbing on is bent upwards for some reason. Should be at a right angle to the back plate.

I’d just bend it back and it should be fine.

I had the same issue but it was the Hard plastic edges rather than the rubber. It’s quite sharp so was digging in a fair bit.

I sanded them so they were more rounded and they have been fine since.

I’m pretty tough on tyres and wheels and would have no qualms using the newer slash guard version on the rear. Especially with an insert on an all round hardtail.

I would go light fast rolling for the rear
On the trail boss. The new light ones have a slash guard on them so are still pretty sturdy.

£25 at wiggle at the mo.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/wtb-trail-boss-26-tcs-light-fast-rolling-tt-sg-tyre?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&sku=100889183&kpid=100889183&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Shopping+-+All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mckv%7CsDsWPH3HH_dm%7Cmcrid%7C295270531587%7Cmkw%7C%7Cmmt%7C%7Cmrd%7C100889183uk%7Cmslid%7C%7C&mkwid=sDsWPH3HH_dm&pcrid=295270531587&prd=100889183uk&pgrid=60973737802&ptaid=pla-522417752144&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI59e42OjD6wIVCIBQBh15lgfLEAUYASABEgJlJ_D_BwE

As long as it fits in your frame it should be fine. Ideally the rims would be a bit wider but it won’t make too much difference.

The 29’’ 2.4 trail boss I have isn’t very wide and likewise Specialized 2.6’s tend to be pretty narrow also. Certainly not true to size.

Depending on your weight you could certainly drop some pressure which would increase comfort and grip with a 2.6.

I have Schwalbe 2.35s on the hardtail with an insert and run it at 28psi on the rear and I’m about 100kg. Very rarely ding rims and that’s in the peaks and Hebden way so depending on your weight I would imagine you might be able to run a bit less on your current set up too.

Haha. Thats some interesting reading between the lines!

I have been using it. Iv not really had issues with it. It did get a few clumps on the bead but only a couple which I thought might cause issues so pulled them off by hand and it re sealed fine.

It did seem to dry out pretty quick when we had that hot spell but other than that found it to be pretty good.

It didn’t seal a double hole that I got (one on the bead) but I’m not sure anything would have.

Tyres don’t lose much pressure when the bike isn’t used so must seal the bead pretty well.

It’s a pain in the backside to get off if it gets on anything and dries including my bike frame but especially clothes. My windproof is covered in it where I got the above puncture and there’s no way it’s coming out.

If the forks are a year old and not had a service it’s probably worth at least doing a lower leg and air shaft service.

If they have been serviced maybe they are over dampened for your loss of weight?

I have a 6 month old 36 with a fit 4 damper (oem 3 position without the 24 clicks of open adjustment) and find them really good.
I did just do a lowers / air shaft service and that made a big difference to small bump break away.

Nothing compares to the Marzocchi 44 rc3 ti that I had a good number of years ago though. Never tried a grip 2 fork but that was the most controlled fork I have ever used. Annoying they stopped making them.

I have a gamut cillos DH. It’s a bit heavy but I like the shape with 7 degree back sweep.

Renthals are 7 too. As are azonics but not sure if they do an 800.

CRC have black, blue and orange E4s in stock but they are full price.

I think that’s where my money would go mainly because you can get spares and they are easy to work on.

I wouldn’t get Shimano brakes with the free stroke adjust. I had a pair of zees for years which were spot on. Likewise a simple set of Deore 2 pots.
XT m8000 came on my new bike, first time I used it in anger the bite point was all over the place. I got a good bleed on them and it was exactly the same the next time and I’m still waiting for the warranty on them (can’t complain mind with what’s been going on).

Maybe slx 4pots?

Had a pair of guide re for a couple of years too which have been good. Just starting to get sticky pistons but they feel brilliant. Heaps of modulation with power in reserve.

So maybe codes as well?

If it’s to upgrade because you want some fancier brakes then fair enough but if it’s because you think the 520’s will be rubbish it might be worth trying them.

I have just got a pair and they are plenty powerful enough, have more modulation than the two pots and have a much more consistent feel at the lever than the XT that I had on for two rides

If yours was fully built up it doesn’t have the easy joint system, which I presume is designed so the brakes can be boxed up with out being built up and then you can internally route the hose and connect it theoretically without having to bleed it.

Yeah it’s just a normal olive, hose and insert.
If your brakes were already fully built up and hoses attached and there is no olive with the insert I presume it has been forgotten or not included and you will need a couple to shorten the hoses.

I usually place the rubber nut cover, nut and olive on the hose then place the hose fully into the lever and then move the olive and nut to the lever and thread the nut in. The nut moves the olive on as it’s threaded in and creates a seal when screwed in the desired amount.

As above the olive will be sat in the lever where the hose connects.

Found that out recently when I got a set of Deore 4 pots. There was an insert already in the hose with a bit of plastic over sealing the oil in along with a plastic sealing nut on the lever (with the olive in). Presumably for internal routing.

Was also a spare insert and olive included with them for cutting the hose down.