I run 2.25 UST NNs F & R and they roll really well. UST sidewalls are really thick, so you can run stupid low pressures if you want, plus you won't get slashed sidewalls.

Muse are one-tune ponies imo.

2.25" UST Nobby Nics front and rear, with the tread patterns set specifically to F & R. They work a treat.

Got to be one of the naffest brand names ever. Sounds so dated, even "back in the day".

Second the battery/flimsy strap setup comment. I envy mates' neat little Lupine battery packs when I'm having to run the long length of cable to the battery flapping around under the top tube. Scratched the top tube too :x Why do I have to run the long cable? Because the damn battery won't fit under my short stem. Pants. Apart from that the light is great.

I reckon there's only so much you can do differently every issue. I would rather have six issues a year, quality over quantity. Leave the others to monthly issues.

25mm for Flow and Arch rims, narrower tape for the rest of the ZTR range. I bought mine a couple of weeks ago and have put the yellow tape on with the Olympic valves. I've put UST Nobby Nics on and they pumped straight up with a floor pump, no faff whatsoever. Put a bit of sealant in and job done. I've not tried a standard tyre with just the rim tape, but I reckon they'll seal ok with just the rim tape.

Rim strips are only needed on non-tubeless rims. ZTR rims hold the tyre in place so well the yellow tape is all that's needed to make a seal. Plus, if you use rim strips, you might have to enlarge the valve hole on ZTR rims and you can't go back to using just tape once that happens!

My recommendation is to go the whole hog and set up your system with decent UST tyres. If you've opted for ZTR rims in the first place, make the most of the advantages they give you. Running my front tyre at 25psi!

Also, I can see myself getting anal about tyre pressures now I'm a UST convert. What do you use to test pressures? Is there a really good quality digital gauge out there?

What type of NN were they? The UST ones I fitted today had beefy side-walls so hopefully will stand up to more than the standard ones.

If you've had them for a while they probably need a decent service and the sag setting correctly. Easy to do. Download the manual off the SRAM site, get some fork oil (from any motorcycle shop), 20-minute job. Then try them out.

Nice one. Simple pleasures, but getting new bike bits is one of the nicest feelings. Clocking off today at 16.30 and my new Hope Hoops and Avid Elixirs are sitting in the kitchen waiting to be built up. Itching to get the allen keys out now!

Those are my upper limits. 2.3" and technical trails are the norm. Still, like has been said, Flows are not heavy anyway.

Had a Wanga for a couple of years. I did have it built up geared, now I'm setting it up as a SS ready for the Wobble. Nicely finished frames, not sure how the ride compares to others, but it's definitely compliant and can tackle all-day epics no bother. Not had any probs with the dropouts. They've always stayed put for me.

uplink, good point, but surely wiggle should be able to source out of stock I would have thought? Hope recently launched their new rims choices, so I believe these are all credible options available.

I tried the method of boiling onions, ginger and garlic but it stank the whole house out. Recently came across a Jamie Oliver recipe for a vindaloo, which is really a madras-strength, and it's the best homemade I've tasted – as close to curry house flavour as I've got.

I just did a search for it online but can't find it. It's in one of his books.

I haven't got any route details, but head up to World's End and you'll see where the boards begin on your left. Where you enter Llandegla, exit at the same point, head uphill until you reach the masts, keep on the singletrack back to the road, then, it's a little tricky to describe. Also, I have to be up early and can't give you any more details – sorry!

Have been really careful with typing. Yep, should be fine, doing my favourite ride anyway – starting @ Llangollen, riding up to World's End, across the boards into Llandegla, doing all of that, then back out and down via the natural singletrack along the cliffs back to Llangollen – a classic ride, hungover or not!

hitman, I'm on it. I have two bottles of Tesco's finest own-brand isotonic drinks in the fridge ready for the early start. Have texted my mates to agree a rendevous so I miss out the first climb of the day. Should work out ok…

I ate a so-called steak-sandwich at a Weatherspoons about three hours ago and since arriving back home I have drank about two pints (so far) of water and have eaten a whole bag of Barratt's Milk Bottles. Is this the training regime of champions do you think? Would Oli Beckinsale adopt a similar routine do you think?

I'm hoping they will look like this:

Do you wear rings on your fingers? I used to get horrendous aching and had to lift my fingers off the grips at the end of a downhill. Real throbbing pain. I then decided to take off my wedding ring and another ring I wear on my right hand, and the pain just disappeared. Worth a try.

Do you wear a ring on the finger? I was getting unbearable throbbing in my finger joints after rough downhills and started taking off my rings (I only have two, I’m not that Eastend gangsta/chavvie). Straight away, the pain went. Long shot, but just thought I’d mention it…

I’m missing most of my mid-week club rides over the next three months due to work. At best I’ll get one decent ride in at the weekends. The worst bit is missing the social side of riding. Grrr, f’in recession.

Ok thanks LenHankie. I’ve also greased the inside of the bolt face and threads on the non-drive-side arm, because it was a bugger to get off.

I think Giant only distribute through independent bike dealers, not large chains, but then again, I have seen Giants in the usual back-of-the-mags ads. Perhaps that’s why you haven’t seen many around your neck of the woods? If your lbs doesn’t stock em, you won’t see em.

I bought an 08 Trance frame 7 months ago for £600, stuck my existing bits on it, bought some 120mm Recons for £150 and imo, I have one of the best XC/trail bikes around – all for £750. Makes me smile when my obsessive mates spend £4,000-a-piece on new bikes and mine still looks and rides as good.

I second Junkyard. The world is bursting at the seams with people. I think your offspring will thank you in a couple of decades’ time too.

Jamie Oliver recipe chilli con carne, jack spud, cheese with garlic ciabatta – flippin amazing recipe! :-)

Guinness

Not listening to anything – too busy mashing this chilli

You don’t need to remove the axle on Crossrides. Just hold the axle with a 5mm allen key and undo the locknut and remove it. Then just turn the freehub anti-clockwise and it should pull off the axle easy. Clean everything up, put a dab of light grease and lube on the pawl seats, 10 or so drops of lube on the freehub ratchets and bung it all back together. I use loctite on the axle thread.

Up there Wednesday night and it was pretty unrideable, well for serious biking. It was very comical trying to ride through the snow drifts though. I’m in Shrewsbury and just looked out of the window this morning and we’ve had another fresh bout of snow overnight. I’m sticking to the lower ground today and doing Cannock, zzzz.

I bought some pads a while back and just fitted them and rode – they lasted three rides. I’ve recently bought some and this time followed the advice on the back of the pack to properly bed them in – so far so good.

Chilli and cheese jacket potato and garlic bread (using a massive jacket potato).

TI Bolts ones I’ve used for my stem are soft as sh*t. They just round off on the allen keys.

Cheddars, can mash a whole pack in one session. My mouth stings afterwards, so that sort of behaviour can’t be good for me.

When measuring for the cut, I’m going to cut it a few mm below the height of the top of the stem so that the top cap can tighten down on the stem, correct?

Didn’t realise you can get plumbers’ pipe cutters for that wide a diameter. The ones you gradually tighten and move around the tube with the wheels cutting as they go?

I run one third sag and keep the rebound on the slow side. Nice n plush that way and I get full travel. Always amazes me that people run big forks without ever achieving full travel.

Shrewsbury has two top lbs’s, Dave Mellor Cycles and Stan Jones Cycles. One’s a Trek dealer, the other’s Giant and Spesh. Both owners come out on the Wednesday night club rides and both will usually price-match tinterweb. For stuff you really need to try before you buy, they’re essential imo. Now that’s a plug for you :-)

The DHB ones have a fly making it easier to have a slash al fresco. I’ve worn mine for two winters now and the pad shows no sign of wearing out. They’re fleece-lined and as toasty as you need for our winters.