Timmo, what size is the frame and how tall are you?
Thanks.

I think swedish chef is being optimistic

possibly, however steve_b77 has provided a solid build at 26lbs

My handjob is 26lbs with Reba Races, RaceFace Evolove XC/LX drive train, RaceFace Deus finishing kit and Crossrides is based on opinion

and njee20 provided a realistic weight weenie one.

Now my solid build might be different to others, but LX, Reba's, and Mavic's is a perfect example of putting together a XC bike for racing/all day riding that's gonna last. For me 26lb is a boundary between getting heavy and going light. For others it might be 28, and others 24. Horses for courses.

sub 20lb nice but something will break before the end of the season
21 – 23lb race weight
24 – 26 solid all round use, so my guess would be around here somewhere
27 lb + could do with a diet once you work out your riding priorities

supinerider – Member

I'm based in Göteborg. Been here 3 years

If you fancy a blast when this damn snow finally goes, just give me an email.
Where do you normally ride?

very cool. stolt pappa

I'll find out if we've booked anything tomorrow, currently Åre is favourite due to the improved business outlook, otherwise we'd be staying in Gbg 😉

Funny, I've been trying to get my company to hold our 2010 kick off at Vallåsen!

What do you do and where do you want to do it? But in general better than this time last year

I'm based in Göteborg, been a ton of snow on the ground since Christmas.

Interested to hear that the Soul and Soda share the same geometry, I'm gonna have to have another look at a Soul.

Any chance of some more colour options?

Thank you Oldgit.

Commuting is a good call. I work with a guy who's gone sub 10hours at IronMan, and whilst not in quite that condition now, he commutes 20km each way and keeps the legs moving that way.

trail_rat – Member

used to do all the miles god gave time for – about 20-30 hours a week riding as a student. Was hit or miss in events – one week id be on fire the next week id be shit

Interesting, what was a "hit" result, top 10 in a National event?

Interesting responses, I'd assumed a 3-4 hour race time when I threw those figures together, rather than an hour and a lap cross race. What are expert level MTB races, 2.5 hours?

Clearly correct use of a turbo trainer with intervals can result in excellent sessions from 40-90 minutes, so two sessions there with the two hour blat on a Saturday and a little longer on a Sunday would be more doable time wise.

The 2010 Expolsif frameset was quoted at around £600, which puts it in Pace 104 range and a ton more than Cotic Soul.

It's gonna have to be really good at that price!

You guys rock as normal.

Something like this then?
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/trek/disco-tech-is-disc-mount-2002-onwards-ec012048?query=Discomount

I'll ask around in Sweden but I feel an Evans order coming on.

Thanks.

Second the Reba options. I've been goolging around for the last month and keep coming to the same conclusion for the type of riding style we both describe.

ta,

120 for just riding along! 😯

JRA ? "Just about right" with a cryptic typo?

Glad that story had a happy twist to it, excellent. Nice bike too.

Must be around 25 years now.

First generation
Peugeot something, 3 of them as 2 frames broke, sold the last to fund a
Gary Fisher A1 with seat post pump – stolen the same night as a friends Clockwork Orange, his father Overburys and Tim Gould's race bike that he'd won in a MBUK comp ;-(
Kona Expolsif in gold, loads of Syncros and Cooks Bros – sold, freaking great bike
Amp B4 with Marzocchi oil/air forks, seriously blinged in silver and blue – sold

The road years
Specialized Allez carbon
Giant compact

Re-born MTB'r
Gary Fisher Malin – currently being seriously upgraded

Not that many bikes, but each one ridden like it was stolen, and each gave me a smile.

Got an 06 Forester, fantastic car, feels great in the snow and ice over here. The 4WD system means I can drive to my house, whilst my poor old Volvo has to be left 300 meters away as it can't make the last bit in winter weather conditions.

stuartanicholson – Member

If you want a 100mm fork max then why not get a frame designed for a 100mm fork?

Funny you should say that as I've just checked the Pace 104 spec and it has been designed for 100mm forks not 120 as I had originally thought, excellent news.

Interesting stem choice, I had assumed that these frame were for up to around 90mm, rather than the race style flat and long as I'd never seen one with that style.

Thanks for that, I'll take a closer look at Reba's. I assume that the number quoted in the model name is the max suspension available, as there seems to be quite a few 100mm Reba's around.

Pondering over this a little longer I had another idea too. Quite possibly a lot of the folks who got into mountain biking in the 90s (during the "steel" era then drifted off and had kids etc. etc. and came back to riding and wanted something with the same feel as the bikes they rode in their youth but with a geometry to match the way that riding had developed in the intervening years.

Well said! I'm currently lusting after something with 853 tubing that is "British" in its heritage. The Pace 104 and Cotic Soul fill this need very well.

Edited to add that I grew up with an Explosif and my mate had a Cloclwork, thus we got used to riding bikes with that feel.

Oh nice Cannondale! I've been looking at the Flash 4 as a race bike, (something about lefty forks that just seem wrong), but have yet to see one in real life.

This is a great thread, and a credit to the MTB community.

whoops, sorry. Stand corrected

Five Point Gully?

Yup loving it

who assume they've just been humiliated by some 'gay roadie' on a full roadbike

Funny.

Think I've been reading too much Rouluer.

Might give this is ago with a 26" wheeled bike I've got an idea to do up. Add some drop, change brakes, get some narrow tyres. Would suite the area where I ride quite well, and complement my normal mountain bike.

Explosion In a Spaghetti Factory – that's effectively a 29" MTB with drops, right? Nice looking though. Cable discs?

wwaswas – I grew up riding the south downs outside Brighton, how on earth does a single speed bike work without crushing your knees on those ascents?

Question to simondbarnes, is that a standard Inbred with drops and larger cross wheels or a different frame altogether? Looks sweet.

ta muchly, now added to the "must have list"

Could you run 1 * 9 with one of these, or just SS?

postierich and Barry Bethel, (or anybody who knows), what chainsets are those?

Thanks.

Very good price even if they do look very old school.

Both the reviews on their site stated that 100mm was the most suitable length of fork, which seems a shame given its designed for up to 130mm.

just a thought.if you are spending a little cash here and there on brakes, disc wheels, fork upgrades and all the odds and ends that then go with that, would it just me worth considering a new bike and selling all your bits etc?
its not always that economical and you are also about to go into spring which is bike sale nirvana!!!

'tis a fair point.

However I'd idealy like two bikes. I'll keep the Gary Fisher for XC racing, put some rigid forks on it, 1 * 9 gearing, v brakes, get it to around 23lb.

In the interim period I'll get disc brakes then new forks for it. Once that's done I'll get a semi 'ardcore frame (456/Altitiude/Soul) swap all the bits over. Then upgrade bit by bit till bike nivarna and swap the old bits back to the Fisher.

Easy right?!

You guys rock, thanks a bunch 8)

Wow, great response guys.

Frame is a Gray Fisher Malin, most likely 6 years old, Forks are Manitu Six's, again same age and came with the bike.

Not sure on brake brand, but cost wise, XT, Avid Elixir, Hope X2 if found on the cheap. I have no brand preference.

I'm 75kg and ride XC for want of a better description, so was thinking no bigger than 160 would be needed.

Really liking that build, proportionally very nice.