Hi, thanks – I’ll look into those 👍🏻🙂

Thanks guys. I’ll try a wanted post tonight I think; I’ve not been able to find anything on ebay yet.

TiRed – part of me is of the same mind, but not knowing what’s happened to it with the wheel out for two weeks and seeing the other damage to the bike makes me think it would be silly to risk it.

I’m thinking that an ultrasound inspection by target composites may be the best option, but nothing is guaranteed.

Thank you so much, that’s very kind of you, but I couldn’t accept it. Whilst it’s bloody annoying to have to buy the bits they took off it I can at least afford to. I’ve got new wheels, rotors and tyres, but the availability and safety for the forks is my problem. There are some Radley forks due at Wiggle in August which are looking like my best option right now.

The air quality inside your home is way worse than outside when using wood stoves, as measured by numerous studies. We got one 3 years ago and since reading much more on them, I don’t use it. Head over heart.
I also hate the smell outside knowing what I am breathing when I smell the neighbours. We need to progress beyond them at least in built up areas.

OP – save your money.

I think from what I’ve read, almost all impacts are not square on so there is some rotation, and our brains are much more easily damaged by that. I’m not only talking about protection when nutting cars!

I don’t think you need to worry about branches moving the MIPS though!

woody2000 – I was wearing a Giro Atmos and it definitely saved me to some extent but given that 5 weeks later I still have issues not a perfect design. Any helmet is clearly good though! 🙂

I feared that binning / recycling / waiting room was the only option… I also keep them thinking I may use them one day but I’ve realised it is not worth it. OK the magazine massacre will begin! Thanks gents.

Thank you. Do you have any idea if you have to or can book in allemont or oz please?

Exactly colournoise, thank you! I must have typed my last reply as you were typing that.

MussEd – no worries, I find the pee-taking amusing!

I think the stereotypes have come from experiences of the old-school (excuse the pun) teaches, it must have been VERY different to current reality (I’m only 26). A now retired teacher once told me he used to do a full term of lesson planning on a single page and watch footy in the staff room between lessons! I can’t imagine that ever being possible.

@Spongebob / scaled: The faith school relevance has been explained and if the number of faith schools available locally will of course be different elsewhere. Thanks though! To be honest there were plenty of teacher who made it in so I probably won’t get a medal, my head and deputy actually get really worried that I’ll die because I am on a bike! 🙂

MussEd, I’ll take the medals please, cash for gold!!

I hope people see my point here – I don’t want a medal for getting to work like most other people do, I just don’t want to de-rail the stereotype ‘teachers going sledging’ etc.

Peterfile – yep, my commute is 13 miles of countryside,up, down and twisty, it’s great although I normally use my road bike!!

Haha no, being a faith school often means that more of the pupils travel from further away and therefore rely on the school busses (about 1000 pupils in our case). Hence when the bus companies say no, our hands are tied!

Yes to the suit. As for preparation, just read up on current issues in education (terminal exams for one) and make sure you have a clue about what you intend to teach if you haven’t studied for a while.

My TDI A2’s economy is sensitive to a clean air filter after about 10,000 miles despite Audi saying it should be changed at 20,000 miles.

I’ve had the EVO for 6 months, I think you will be very happy with it for your chosen purposes – they are awesome all-rounders, almost as quick up hill as XC rapid downhill. Do it.

Option 2, a dedicated bike will have good geometry and ride better, it will be lighter and that is the more exciting option.

Trance for me, better on the downs and probably 99.9% as efficient on the flat and climbing – their suspension is very good for pedalling

Obviously you should do as you say and ride it first, but the latest improvements that are worth considering are:

– Wider bars/shorted stem
– Remote dropper post
– better discs (since yours leak and seals etc may be shot)
– rear shock tuning if it hasn’t got pro-pedal
– disc specific, wide/light/strong rims to support wider tyres nicely assuming the frame has decent clearance
– consider SPDs

OR you can ride it, and if you keep it up, sell it and buy a stumpjumper/ 5 / fuel / trance. The frames and geometry have moved on a lot – slacker angles, lighter, difference top tube lengths, bolted dropouts and longer travel / more efficient suspension designs. I’d do the new bike route if you get back into it.

You’re welcome mate!

I’m experienced in all of these bikes and have owned a 2004, 2008 and 2012 Stumpy. The 2009 stumpy will ride almost identical to the cambers, so I’d get a stumpy frame if it is cheaper.

If you can get a 140mm stumpy you’ll find it more capable and equal fun IMO, but definitely a bit faster on rough downhills and the likes of the Alps downhills.

I do like the shimano hubs and I’ve seen less of their shells fail, but Hope are a) local, b) supportive, c) coloured and d) easily adapted to difference standards. Even if they do fail you are not stuck for long!

If money were no object I’d still go Chris King – hope like serviceability but without the bearing changes. Not sure the shell is any less prone to failure though, you hear of them failing less often but I imagine there are far more Hope hubs in the world!

the red – perhaps it depends which member of staff you get. Last year they sorted my 4 year old hope lights out with new power leads again for free (2 batteries and 1 lamp). At least you got sorted in the end!

Specialized crossroads, the standard one unless you get punctures more than most (£16 each)

If it’s really stuck soak it in a bit of penetrating fluid first. Depending on what you have to lever against (use something to protect the crank!) use a flat-head screw driver to prize it off, working around the bearing by twisting the blade and pushing against the inner race. You may not need to hit it if that’s what you mean by ‘jimmy’! 🙂

I was suffering tight throat and mucus on the bike today and I felt like I had a cold… until I bought more hayfever remedies. Sorted now!

Many thank for the replys!

I’ll have a look, I know nothing beyond a basic Parker pen! Thanks 🙂

I don’t think they brought many into the UK at all – there were 11 left with specialized UK when I ordered my large in January/February. I’ve no doubt the next model will make this one redundant anyway!!

I’ve recently got a dropper post on a new bike – if you haven’t got one and have money to burn, that’d be a great buy. Other than than, new tyres with dual ply walls and perhaps larger rotors if you’re heavier or only running 160mm.

If you end up travelling with the bikes on it makes a big difference to cruise at a lower speed… to time and mpg!

We spent a day out on XC stuff, couldn’t say where exactly but I was riding a 120mm Stumpy for everything, including the DH stuff such as Pleny. If you have more modern stumpy’s and fuels with more travel I’m sure you’ll be fine!

For anybody who feels like telling me to MTFU, or that I am wrong and that all of the larger branches had coincidentally fell in a pile in such places, don’t waste your time. I cleared them for the inexperienced rider I was taking out, and in light of the recent rope trap it is worth making people aware if nothing else.

Skywalker, I see you have learned a stereotypical STW response! There are a few of you who jump on an opportunity to make yourself sound clever in cyberspace. Who are you trying to impress? (Don’t bother answering, that’s rhetorical). I don’t complain about much at all actually. I’ll complain now about people who have little constructive to do or say. I assume you would have just hopped the rope trap too… Anyway if you fancy some confrontation go find somebody who also has nothing better to do with their Sunday instead of making smart remarks to strangers, or perhaps you could demonstrate your awesomeness in a more constructive way.

Hi Chris,

I sent you an email regarding my upgraded Hope 2-LEDs which you upgraded in November. You’ve obviously been very busy! I’ll re-send it, can you please have a look for it?

Thanks,

Antony

send it back.

thomson have a reputation for being ‘a bit’ under in any event.

I have to disagree – I work in a bike shop and have 3 thomson posts, one in a less common size. They measure up fine and I’ve not heard of this before.

I’m sure I have 2 160mm splined XTR rotors that are either new or barely used waiting for me to sell them – I bought a full setup and had to get 6-bolt rotors. Email me if interested and I’ll have a look for you 🙂

swalsey@hotmail.com

Anyway if it is BB30 then you don’t remove the non-drive {this is a pre-load adjusted I think) and you DO remove the drive side. There are torque specs and a ‘do not remove’ line on the appropriate sides.

Is it a BB30?

I like the look of the Sky kit, I got it as a present and I’ll wear it where and when I please – which includes Aussi pursuits, training, commuting and even a MTB marathon. It’s just kit, it’s look and performs well, and if I upset somebody with it I laugh at them for taking riding bikes so seriously 😀

Sorry to hear this. If you used a chain (you said chained) then you really should look at D-locks. Chains and cables are generally very easy to cut through, it takes seconds.

I really like hope but I think the pro 2 are not as reliable (in terms or bearing wear) as many think. I own both and have done less on the crossmax, but they take a battering on my HT and feel/look good. They are light and I’ve not had any problems with the spokes. If the availability of spokes bothers you, buy a few to keep before you need them!

Thanks for opinions so far. I do think I’d use bigger than 36t up front but more for the unavoidable fire-roads… It is actually all mountain riding – proper lake district and alp riding as well as trail centers, however I’ll use my XC bikes for most trail centers. It needs to be the most versatile I can get it to suit the bike (Stumpy FSR EVO).

I’m thinking of ditching the double/bash/chain guide, then running a shadow plus and double without bash guard. That MRP looks like a good option if I feel I need a bash in the future.

I wonder how much can I sell SRAM Carbon BB30 cranks for…