I am riding the same trails, and the modern bikes are still better.

Well indeed, which is why I said I’d like a modern geometry/componentry fitted xc steel bike that doesn’t weight or cost the earth.

Aluminium frames haven’t suddenly got a pound heavier in the last 10 years.

This it true, I should probably just buy an old retro bike and get it out of my system :D The Exposif was a crap example, if I’d been arsed I’d have found a nice frame from 10 years ago, going back a bit too much there.

Yeah, always an option. A chap I ride with locally works at Reynolds, so has lots of thoughts on the issue :)

I just find it frustrating, the new Explosif is an ideal example. There used to be competitive XC hardtails made of steel, new regulations mean it’s not even an option. Companies very rarely bother with expensive Reynolds 753 type stuff any more.

I’m not specifically saying everything needs to be that ancient Explosif, everything got heavier, even things like Inbred’s which were hardly known for snapping. I just miss light compliant/flexy steel frames and don’t really understand why anyone would want one of the new style overweight/stiff ones.

I guess there’s always titanium, tragically it’s almost competitive price wise with a lot of the boutique steel now.

I’m keen to show mine, I’ve been using a powerpod, which gives ridiculous readings for the first half an hour of a ride occasionally.

My FTP, going by my turbo, is about 260-270 or so.

To be fair to Kona, the new Explosive isn’t a million miles away from that.

The new one is Reynolds 520, which is just bottom end cro-mo. With a big brace on the seatpost, big Minion tyres, Revelations. The old one was a 24lb XC bike.

And we remarked upon how much better modern bikes are.

How much of this is through bigger axles/steerers and things though?

Building steel bikes to be completely rock solid rigid seems to kill the point of it doesn’t it? Beyond that I don’t really see why you’d want a frame that was 50% heavier than aluminium, or double the weight of carbon, for carbon money.

Any Norcos that fit in that range? Usually loads about in the sale, all fairly hefty looking.

What size is he after?

Cheers all! I had a bit more faith in what was meant to happen, so had another shot at lunch. I think my biggest issue was I’d been tightening it, trying to get the ratchet to unclick, the bar was rammed down as far as possible. I just clicked the button in and pulled up this time, after applying a slightly uncomfortable amount of pressure it just moved upwards smoothly and seems fine.

Phew, one less thing to worry about.

Yeah – if you can push the button in, you don’t need to push down

Ah, in which case I’m guessing it’s this. I do need a very slight pressure down to push in the button, I was assuming I needed downward pressure to get it out of the ratchet. On the plus side I’m assuming it’s always been broken, as it’s never released when pressing the button.

Now, how to get it off.

Yeah, the button moves in freely when it’s unlocked. I’ll have another go tonight, with a second person on the button.

I’d rather kill towbar ball than the rack, I wonder if I could drill holes in the ball to give it a bit more movement?

I think I need to apply the pressure first, then push the button. Doing it the wrong way around just tightens it, which I think is how I’ve got into this mess. I’ll try standing on it later while someone else presses the button. I just wish there was a bolt I could loosen, to loosen the mechanism.

Pretty sure I’m going to knackered it.

I can’t get it to move sideways at all. It can take all my weight (about 200 pounds), without wiggling an inch. I’m guessing it’s on the final ratchet so I don’t think there’s much danger of it getting tighter.

Worst case scenario I guess I could saw through the spring and replace it? It feels very much like it’s maxed out and hasn’t got room to escape the ratchet, quite why it turns that far I’m not sure.

Sadly it’s not, good call though, the bouncing suspension doesn’t seem to help.

I nearly fell off after a little girl high-fived me slightly too enthusiastically. Great event though, probably the best I’ve been to, the crowd especially.

Tainted slightly by the food stations totally running out for the back groups, I didn’t eat anything until the 73 miler due to this, at which point I had a couple of bananas. Not great. A random spectator filled up my water shortly after the empty 55 stop :)

Easily, I’ve done much the same this year. Our son was born last year and I didn’t get any riding done at all (only 400 miles in 2015 too). In about December I picked up a turbo trainer to get Zwifting a couple of times a week. I rode Mountain Mayhem and found I was woefully under-prepared so started hammering road cycling, joined the local cycling club and did their Saturday road rides, with a couple of evening rides (or Zwift if the weather was rubbish).

Finished Velo Brum yesterday, by far the most fun cycling event I’ve ever done.

I went from 16 stone to 14 stone 4 pounds as well, 6’6″ though, so I’m quite content sticking on this new weight! Also 36 years old.

Yeah, setting off in a fairly late pack (sadly):

Start Time: 08:40
Wave Number: C3

Also slightly concerned about the hills and potential rain! I was out on Saturday in the rain and my MucOff dry lube stuff washed off after an hour or so, might need a better plan.

S8 for me, I’ve got an S7 and I’m loving it. With the iPhone I’d miss SD card slot, wireless charging, waterproof (I shove it in jersey pockets on rides) and headphone jack.

https://www.bike-discount.de/en/shop/full-suspension-29-20247/l-24

One option, still loads of interesting frames for not much.

6’6″ here, with long legs. I’ve got an XL Enduro 29, XXL Stumpjumper FSR 29 and an odd selection of 21″-23″ hardtail bits. I spent years trying to get bigger and bigger bikes, until I got the Stumpy, which was absolutely huge and made me realise that getting the biggest bike in the world wasn’t always going to make riding more fun.

To get it in perspective, looking at the new Cubes, like you had before. A 20″ Cube Stero 29 has a 608mm horizontal top tube, a 22″ has 619mm. The XXL Stumpjumper had a ridiculous 668mm.

I certainly wouldn’t dismiss the XL bikes if you’re after fun. The huge XXL bike is certainly quick and looks nicely in proportion, it’s hard to chuck around though.

XXL Stumpjumper FSR

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q603wbrw19tyjjo/20150716_142707.jpg

XXL Stumpjumper HT of a similar era also doesn’t look too silly:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/asrg302u6mhoqa2/2014-05-08%2020.06.40.jpg

Sadly I’ve turned into a bit of a roady this year and ended up with 2 road bikes, my house is getting a bit ridiculous. If you’re anywhere near the Midlands you’d be welcome to have a ride on either and see if they’re what you’re after. I plan to keep one of the full sus, I don’t actually mind which though.

The XXL Stumpy HT frame is rather tragically sat in a cupboard at the moment, I stuck a Singular Swift frame in it’s place for commuting. You could have that for not much if you wanted.

Another donation (and sneaky bump), hopefully those lights will turn up around now as well.

It’s so close now, I’m sure we can get to 4 digits!

Yeah, I used to buy a lot of frames from here. If you flog the old one it’s a relatively cheap way of having a new toy to play on every few months through summer :)

And I totally agree on the geometry front, I’m 6’6″, nothing really fit (without looking ridiculous) before 29ers!

one, for the record. some insane levels of d*ck measuring going on here lol

It’s telling that you describe it as d*ck measuring, then say one :(

OK, I decided I should do it as part of my therapeutic journey.

Thank you for sharing Chakaping.

That’s a new bike every 100 days, for 10 years, I don’t think if that sounds better or worse.

Or have a missus as daft as mine. Got rid of the 456 Summer Season which was dayglo orange for a dark green Chromag. It took her 6 months to notice.

Cheers, I’ll give it a shot. I don’t like my odds though as she was the poster above you.

You people are all shattering my chance of a beautiful carbon road bike.

not going there

Boo!

I was sort of hoping to be middling in this. My plan to help justify a new road bike has backfired.

I had a Mini Cooper S, loved it. Now I own a BMW 325i, an older 07 straight 6 one. Supposedly the BMW is faster, it’s such a boring car though, the Mini felt exciting just driving around at normal speeds. I’d love another one.

If you still need anymore light, I’d be happy to send you a virtually unused Solarstorm X2 with it’s original battery and charger. It can’t have done any more than about 10 minutes, I’ve ended up with a ridiculous amount of lights for some reason.

Chuck me an address if you want it.

Are there any other bikey bits you need?

I like the Shimanos personally, very easy to keep perfectly bled. Can’t say I’ve ever had any issues. Even the cheaper SLX or Deore are workable.

Bizarrely I’m the opposite way around. I wear them most of the time while on my road bike, far less often on my mountain bikes. I generally use big Oury grips on mountain bikes though, which are soft enough as they are.

The SNES/NES Minis are still emulators anyway*. Just nicely setup ones.

My 2 orders were cancelled. Bit cross with Argos if I’m honest, I ordered as soon as the preorders appeared, at like 7am. It seems pretty random who kept them.

Still hunting for another.

* http://nintendoeverything.com/a-look-at-the-hardware-behind-the-nes-classic-edition/ – NES Mini there if you’re curious, similar internals to a cheap Android device.

I went for Tech Enduro, disappointed by how narrow, yet hefty they are to be honest. The claimed weight is heavier than a Flow, yet the same width as a Crest. The internal rim also has little holes (drainage?) drilled in it, which has made sealing them up with Stans tape a chore.

Wish I’d got Stans Arch rims in retrospect.

Because I want a tiny, polished, Nintendo box. I also have a Pi, which requires a lot more faffing, configuring controllers in stacks of emulators, trying to set up shutdown scripts so you don’t kill the sdcard. Even buying 2 decent Buffalo SNES pads would be £40, the Pi would be £31, the case another fiver, another fiver for a 16gb SD card.

It’s probably the same reason people buy a £250 dropper post, when they’d get more adjustability, less weight, less cost, just by stopping and adjusting the QR :P

I ordered 2. The NES Classic is worth a load now, boxed as new. Nintendo have said they’re making more of these, but 3 months on and they still haven’t got any Switch stock at Amazon/Argos etc. I’m sceptical they’ll manage it.

http://www.argos.co.uk/product/7156627

Argos preorders open.

Lotus Evora?

Preorders sold out everywhere again. Getting a bit cross with Nintendo’s complete inability to meet demand, on everything they make. Even now both versions of the Switch are sold out on Amazon…

I’d have had a NES Mini too if they’d not been so hard to source., instead I’m just using a Raspberry Pi full of games, not sure how anyone benefits from this.