My N95 8GB is so good I think I’ll forego an upgrade in a coupl of months.

Went for a run in Evanton Wood this morning. Managed to rattle up and down Cnoc Fyrish this afternoon. Was under orders in-between. Weather was overcast with the odd touch of light drizzle, but also a teeny bit of blue sky too. Quite windy, but pretty mild.

Came off Metranizadole only this morning (have been on the wagon for a week), but I have cold beer waiting for me watching the footie tomorra night … must get some cheesey poofs from Markies tomorrow.

Dual air springs and RC3 this year?

I agree about the ETA. I run 2 2006 Z1 Light ETAs – one on a 5 Spot and one on an Alpine. Fantastic fork for general use.

I’ve done a good few variations on the main paths up there. I only live an hour from there, so it’s local. A descent of Coire Lair is far preferable to an ascent IMHO. A nice and fairly manageable(in Torridon terms) circuit is park at Achnashellach Station, ride down to Coulags, go up that glen over the 3 bealachs and down into Coire Lair.

The descent to Annat from the Bealach na Lice may top Coire Lair (I can’t decide), but unless you have the energy to climb back over you are faced with a few road miles and a landy track up and over the Coulin Pass, which is pretty dire.

The daddy is what I described first to Bealach na Lice then down to Annat for a pub lunch (2 pints of Bellhaven and a half pound burger with chips), then back up the trail to Bealach na Lice and over the other 2 bealachs into Coire Lair. Just about killed a couple of pals that one. Maybe it was something they ate.

Another classic is the Tollie Path that runs between Slattadale on Loch Maree up towards Dundonnel. This doesn’t do it justice http://www.mountainbikescotland.com/Tolliepathsample.pdf. Wee bit of road then forest and hillside broken doubletrack, pub lunch at the Old Bridge Inn, around the road to the start proper, then a technical doable climb and ace technical descent.

I pushed a fair bit of the Landy track up Mullach Clach a’ Blair the day. Over in Torridon I tend to do some carrying, mostly in front of me on stepped rock. Shoulders are a bit stiff for over the top manoeuvres.

What is it then?

I have 2 on the go. I smacked one off a rock on a corner in Coire Lair the other weekend and the mech got pushed into the spokes and locked up the rear wheel. I stopped, unhooked it and to my surprise it was totally unaffected as was the mech hanger. I carried on. Great things and definitely a big bonus if you ride a lot of rock.

Slacktastic Bri.

Aye I had one before the test and partly disagree with the test report.

I’ve just rebuilt mine after raiding it for another project in late December. I was out on mine solo in the local wood tonight. Makes an ace, fun bike with a 6′ fork.

6′ and 17/22 and it’s spot-on.

Strath Ruisdale is metalled, although it is so long since it was metalled you wont notice in places. I reckon it should be do-able on tough wheels and big tyres with some tread, but it won’t be that comfortable.

I use the pass as part of a C2C from my house in Evanton to Ullapool each year so know it well. I was also up there a few weekends ago, but had to walk maybe 4 miles over the highest ground as the snow was too deep. At 460m or so (from memory) it may well have snow on the Easter weekend but the Struie road is your back-up.

Wave as you go by.

Im using a 150mm Z1 Light ETA on a 2004 and it feels wonderful. ETA for climbs and nicely (but not silly) slack for DH. Depends on your size and style; and where and what you ride I suppose.

Me? I’m a medium built clumsy rider in Highland that likes going up and down mountain trails.

I guess a Fox Float 36RC2 may have been the ideal if could have been bothered spending that much on a fork to match an old frame.

I’ve used Ourys for a while, but last year tried the Ergons on different bikes. Bottom line is they work for me on the Roadrat, but not the others. I’m about to try Lizard Skins Chargers (should be here tomorrow).

I’ll still have 2 bikes on Ourys tho.

6′ on a 17/22. Had a 17/23 first but found the wheelbase too long for me at speed downhill.

Thanks for the nod Stoner. My 29er Inbred has one, but now my Rat will too. Dead handy for opening beer bottles.

The Summertime Special 8) is a wee bit slacker in the HT as coolhandluke says. I’ve had a pop on my buddy’s one and liked it. You can get a nice slack head without a long fork – it works really well low slung with 100mm up front IMHO. I’ve not ridden a 456, but have ridden or owned pretty much every other incarnation of the Inbred.

What did you not like about the Alpine?

Like some others here it was mountaineering that led me into mountain biking. I’ve had the misfortune to be airlifted off the hill when a climbing buddy pulled a block onto himself at the top of a chimney in the Cuillin. I was at the bottom of the rope and had to move to avoid the block. JET got away with a tib and fib at right angles. I’ve also had been on the other side, in a volunteer MRT.

Today, I did a high(ish) mountain pass (~500m) solo on a bike. I had to walk quite a bit on the plateau because of drifted snow, it was bitter cold and I smacked my chest off a rock on the descent when I slid out on sheet ice. I was committed as my wife had dropeed me on the north side and I was heading for home. I guess that makes me irresponsible.

Yup, I like it too.

I’ve mailed you Junkyard. Check this: http://www.mtnbikeriders.com/2008/01/02/sette-ryde-st-850-suspension-dropper-seatpost-first-impressions/

I’d certainly be in on a Sette multiple buy. swayndoAThotmailDOTcoDOTuk if someone is ordering.

If anyone has a US contact that can get a couple of the Sette one’s I’m in!

A large Veleno fits me perfectly but I was between medium and large in a Xen. I must have a Met head. Very happy with mine and also have a Kaos now.

Mine have helical grooves in them kaiser. Must have been in a full kit sorted by a previous owner.

Bill, I recently bought stripped and rebuilt an 04 5 Spot. There is a small gap between the bushings and grease does get through, but it’s tight. There’s a modification here http://turnertech.fooriders.com/modifications.html, but mine have the helical groove like the bigger pivot shafts. Overall it felt stiffer than a similarly frame with pivot bearings to the hand, but when on it, it feels great.

I quit 2 years ago. My buddies miss it more than me … less stops. We still refer to certain spots as fag breaks tho.

Wind’s really getting up here now. People will start falling off. My homeys Ewan and Alek doing well.

Good point RudeBoy … the birth of my son in February 2007 was why I wanted to stop.

Stick with it Joe. I smoked from the age of 13 to 41 then successfully kicked it into almost exactly 2 years ago. Catalyst for me wasn’t NRT, but the Allen Carr’s Easyway To Stop Smoking book. I was so sceptical I decided just to loan it from the library, but it worked for me. Pisses me off that I was addicted so long, but hey!

Pricepoint got back to my Q on postage. I’d need to spend $50 minimum then it would be $55 postage minimum. If someone is considering a bulk-buy or has US contacts I’d certainly be up for one.

What’s the postage cost like on those Pricepoint ones?

Mister P … that’s the ones I was looking at. They work with any 20mm hub then, not just DT ones?

Many thanks all BTW.

Ah yes it was Williams … I have a Karl Jackson suit!!

Then there was guy called Karl Jackson (or the Caldera Kid) a while back. Mind of him?

He stung me for £30 or so but did others for hundreds.

“cos we have just had donner kebabs n chips with loadsa chilli sauce”

Is that code?

Very wet and very windy all weekend up here. I’ve probably put on half a stone.

The wee lad just brought me popcorn … oh well.

I bought a 42″ Panasonic Viera Plasma out of Comet for £499 last weekend. I’m astounded at how good a picture it is and how cheap it was. Model TH42PX80BA.

Nobody got one then?

They’re all good. Gospie and Balblair are among the best if you can be arsed heading this far north. Most days you’ll struggle to see another rider.

I’m very central in Highland and of all the places I regularly go the west coast of Ross-shire and Sutherland is easily my favourite area. Lochinver is awfy nice.

Shrek