I have a new Passat estate and to be fair it is not as big as the Mondeo it replaced. If you are looking for a big car you will not get much better than a Mondeo estate and the Ford was a better car to drive, the front end on the Passat is to soft which makes the cornering a bit vague.

As for build quality I can’t see anything in it, the Mondeo was also cheaper and better speced. The thing I dislike the most is I now have to take the front wheel off my bike to get it in the Passat, never needed to with the Mondeo.

Used copter tape on my 500 and it works fine to be truthful it’s holding the screen together after a off cracked it.

And turning mild again, no real sign of any snow being here to stay yet.

Just standard tappered but inset, Chris King do one here – http://www.aspirevelotech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=CKNTS-INSET-18-15-TAPERED

Had the same problem with my XTR lever, went to change the rear pads last week but couldn’t get the pistions to pump out and then the lever went to the bars and stayed there it’s like something on the inside has broken.

Emailed Madison to ask if they have heard about this happening and they said no. Was told to take back to the shop and get them to return it. Droped it off last Wednesday now waiting to hear back, was told it would be about a week.

Will let you know how I get on.

Don’t think the system has air in it the brakes have been working fine for months this only happened when I changed the pads. I think there is something broken in the lever, like I said the lever will not return to the normal position.

It’s in Black Wood, follow the green route out of the carpark turn left through a gate and over the main road, follow the signs for the hill fort up the fireroad then onto a steep singletrack climb turn right at the T and you will see the trail off to the right a few hundred meters up.

You could follow it right to the top and ride down from there but I have allways gone from the track.

Plus one for Bryn teg house. Very nice place to stay, very helpful, friendly and nice secure storage. The locals in the pub up the road are also really friendly and the pub grub is good.

I had the same problem with a few different glasses and it time I felt sick, finally splashed the cash and bought some Oakleys and have no distortion at all. For me it came down to the lens quality that was causing the problem not the wearing of glasses.

I don’t think the old xtr one’s will work they need to be the new one’s with servo wave.

Have a look at the Alpine Bikes website they still have some stock, not sure if it’s in your size though.

I have done Mount Keen both directions and both have there good bits, but would say the route from Tarfside up and over is the way found to be the best. The descent of the back of Mount Keen is great and alot better than carrying you bike up it, no real path just pick a line.

Have you thought about a day at Bennachie not Munros but a great day out with at least 6 great descents.

The Allt a’ Mhuilinn is not bad but doesn’t last that long, only worth doing if your in the area I would say.

3M make a rubber masking tape that is meant to be very good, have a look for it at there online shop.

Think I will give it a try after the fun of the last one.

Live in the North East of Scotland and fitted two wineries tyres on the front just before the snow arrived and had to fit two the rear to balance the grip out I found that the back would step out all the time. As for grip I was amazed at the difference it made try to go skiing most weekends during the winter and never had problem getting to the slopes and never got stuck once.

The grip is so much better when the temp is below 7 even if the roads are wet with the winter tyres on. Fitted mine at the start of November till April, by that time the fronts were done but the rears will go on the back again this year, I already have a new set in the garage for the front which I will fit when the temp drops. If you are going to get them get them now before the supply drys up and he price goes up.

I have Avon Ice Touring ST’s

If I was you I would check the mountain forecast, they are talking about gales for Friday.

I find it to be a problem with all UST tyres, nothing to do with the brand. Have gone through a fair few tyres over the years everything from downhill high rollers to conti rubber queens all UST.

Sounds to me like you have done the Carn Ban Mor loop the wrong way round, I did it a few weeks ago and the digger was on the descent. The normal route takes you from the car park along the lhs of the river before you turn left and start climbing up the landrover track to the top. Did you come down a landrover track?

Had TI bolts on my DH bike a few years ago on my direct mount sunline stem and had no problems at all and I wasn’t a lightweight back then.

Dunkeld has 3 dh tracks all steep and rocky and a must do if in that area, they also have uplifts on now a days.

I have a pair that I got at the start of May this year and have had no problems with them so far. They far out perform my 2011 Fox Talas 36’s they replaced. I find them to be very smooth and controlled and take anything you point them down.

If you can’t get them in a 3 you could always get the skate one’s resoled with 5.10 rubber by feetfirst http://www.feetfirst.resoles.co.uk/

Also heading up there this weekend and looking for something else for the Sunday. Have stayed at the campsite at Tain a few times and have always found it to offer good clean facilities, it also has a pub next door. We will be staying here http://www.sleeperzzz.com/ it is only miles from Golspie and great place to stay. Might be fully booked but worth a email.

Have you been to Balblair good fun if a bit short, needs to be done twice. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-74EJDM don’t bother with Carbisdale very short and more for beginners.

I got some M6 one’s from them a few years ago and they did the job. They are not as good a quality as the other TI bolts I got from Tasty Nuts. If I was was to get them again I would just spend a bit more and go to Tasty Nuts.

You may find that hay fever can bring on asthma, that has happened to me the last couple of years. Before summer kicks in I feel really good and as it heats up I find my peformance drops, but so far this year I have been fine. Might be worth a trip to the Doc’s.

Ruscle, I did have to pay import duty but it was still cheaper than getting one in the uk and I don’t think you can get 30.9 one’s here yet. I think the problem is they use the US postal service who in turn use parcel force in the UK to delivery so you get a slip from them tell telling you to go online and pay the tax before they will deliver it.

I wouldn’t worry about snapping the inner post as the 30.9 one’s us a larger diameter post than the 27.2 and the also have 3 guide blocks not the standard 2.

I have a 30.9 post with a 5″ drop and a 2″ drop I also got the post direct from GD, I find I use the 2″ drop more than I thought I would, it comes into it’s own on flowing singletrack.

The 30.9 posts have a larger diameter inner shaft so I don’t think you would need to worry about the second hole being a weak point. I also couldn’t decide on the turbo or the classic but in the end went for the turbo and it is faster than the classic you no longer need to bump the saddle to get the post move, but be warmed you need to make sure you have your family jewels out of the way cause the post comes up at a fair rate of knots.

Just run it with five bolts, a few years ago a run my downhill bike with only 3 bolts in both hubs and it was fine.

Yea used them once, great service ordered at 16:30 and they arrived the next day and that’s with out paying for next day delivery

Next to no play when new, play does creap in as the guides get worn but are cheap as chips and quick to replace.

I ordered a 30.9 5″ drop turbo direct from Gravity Dropper in the states and after postage and import tax it was cheaper than the UK and was here in about a week. Have a look a there website, you can get whatever spec you want.

Sorry to say it depends on how you ride, I managed 5 laps in a pair and cleaned all the fresh cut sections until they took them out. Thought the event was great, weather was poor but that’s Scotland. You can’t be a fair weather rider up here.

Is 150mm not a bit long for a bike designed around 120mm.
Mine has 710 width 19mm rise Sunline bars and a Pro 50mm stem.

Why won’t it drop your bb? Surely if you change the head angle from 68 to 67 the bb will drop.

WET

You missed a bit out mate.

The trails used in these events will be largley trail centre quality trails, however we will include more challenging and off piste/natural sections where possible to make it enjoyable and challenging for all riders.

They also posted on facebook the stages that where going to be used and it clearly stated the downhill track, if the downhill was not in the race then it would have lacked any tech sections. Also the weather didn’t help if the heatwave had continued the downhill track would have been fine.

The way I look at is gravity enduro should have a bit of everything.

I thought the event went well, yes a few teething problems but I’m sure they will be sorted by the next round. As for the tracks used I fell they should have been a bit more gravity based or split 50 50 to find the best overall rider not just the xc wippet/dh king more to find the best all mountain rider, but it will be hard to keep every one happy.

I was quite happy with my result but must make a mental note to at least carry a jacket with me I was soaked to the skin ten minutes after the start and stayed that way till just before the start of stage five.

My mkII is just under two years old and has had two full sets of bearings. The good thing is if you send the links to Jungle or into the dealer you buy the bike from they will be changed for free. They come will a life time warranty on the bearings. The other thing is my bike eats rear shock bushings must have changed aleast four.

Still find it one of the best bikes going it needs looking after.

I have a pair on my Nomad (well for the next few days anyway) I have had them since last year when they where first released. To start with they are nice and plush once set up right and very stiff (Have the tappered steerer ones)

The travel adjustment is better than the older 3 stage ones and so to is the damping, don’t really use the lockout but the low speed adjustment is good for keeping to front end up on steep tracks. I don’t know if the coating helps with the feel, it does make them look good.

They have not lasted well, I now have a problem with the damping side, they feel very stiff allmost like the lock out is on or the low speed compression is turned right up. So after having them for about 7 months and not using them at all through the winter they need to go and get serviced not great for a fork costing over £900.

By the sounds of it, it’s time for a trip to Mojo or Tf are about the only way to fix them. My 2011 ones died yesterday.

You could try looking at the Fox website where you will find service instructions and try to service them yourself but because they are Talas you will find them to quite complicated inside.

The best way I have found to try out different compression settings is do a good few runs on a section of downhill trying out different setting one click at a time. Low speed is more to do with how your weight acts on the fork, so if you feel it diving in corners or not staying up on steep stuff a click or two of low speed will help. High speed is more for the big fast hits on the trail.