I did a cut n shut on Manitou 3. Fun project, but a lot of work and took a while.

Split the caliper and grease the cam mechanism. It is likely bone dry.

Hawt xc bike. Trek just need to tone down their downtube branding.

Shorts + knees for me. More versatile, and if crash and tear up the knees, they’re cheap-ish to replace.

Sleep apnea. Just because you’re ‘alseep’, doesn’t mean you’re getting quality sleep.

Looks foul.

Paste of Borax + sugar + water

Easily the RS-1 for me.

Fast-forward a couple of years and he’s now saved up enough to buy a WLToys 12428.
It’s currently winging its way from an AliExpress warehouse, so he’s bugging me twice a day to check the parcel tracking app… looks like a decent bit of kit, from the many review videos we’ve watched on YouTube. Can go slow enough for a bit of crawling, but fast enough to bash around and do a few jumps at the skatepark. Loads of parts available for repairs and upgrades.

After a ton of research, I bought our eldest a 12428. It’s an excellent choice, lots of spares and upgrades available cheaply. Loads of info on the web (monster thread on RC Groups). The plastic gears didn’t last long once I switched to 2s lipo, so now running the metal gear set. Have also upgraded to some grippier tyres. Put a 35t motor in it to slow it down for the kids too. It has taken a ton of abuse and still comes back for more. would like to upgrade the servo, but that means a complete esc/receiver/radio change, so am holding off for now.

I have a Tekno sitting in an online shopping basket just waiting for me to complete the purchase…

The reviews are lost to the ether as I don’t have a copy.
Now that I look around the Merlin website at the reviews, I’m not seeing many reviews that are 3 star or less. Pretty disappointing if they are filtering them. Even CRC let you criticise an item if you’re objective.

Thanks, a lot of good advice there. Fwiw, they’re a 9, no box, in the iconic Bordeaux colour scheme. Apart from the size printed on the inside, I can’t see any model number etc.

How is the situation remedied with a multitool? Scratch off the offending Spesh branding and send them on their way, safe in the knowledge that the humiliation is over?

Off the back of a similar xc tyre thread where people were recommending Bonty tyres, I bought a 2.35 and a 2.2 XR2 in 29”. I wanted reasonable weight, fast tyres with more volume than Schwalbe 2.25’s.
I had previously hated the Ardent and its predisposition to wanting to kill me in every corner. The XR2’s weighed in at 630 and 650g respectfully, went on my DT rims with barely any effort, and to my surprise, went up with a floor pump with no leaks. The 2.2 is an impressive 58mm on a 30mm IW rim, and the 2.35 is 59mm on a 25mm IW rim. They ride great on my local terrain too, very fast and predictable.

BB is about 6 inches too low for a karpiel 😀

I have the castelli mid weight jersey. I’m 6ft, 75 kg and got a Large. Fit is great, tight with no loose bits. I don’t think I’d want to be too much bigger. Awesome jersey though, tempted to get a 2nd one.

My Osprey seral arrived yesterday. Bought largely based on rc’s pink bike review. Looks good, first ride in Rotorua next week.

I weighed a large sentinel in a shop at 4.4kg with air shock. no reason that style of frame has to weigh that much, apart from lazy engineering.

I’ve used Nanos, Riddler and GK. Nano was white offroad, esp in any kind of rut. Riddler was Good. Both Nano and Riddler failed catastrophically with the rubber blistering off the casing and splitting. GK have been great for me.

Adidas Evil eye. I have jawbones too, and they’re at least as good.

Used the Miele Cat & Dog to get rid of our feline. Obviously not by vacuuming it up, I’m no monster. The cat bit through the cord and zap, it was a Krispy Kitty.

You could conceivably vacuum up kittens though.

Got Alice in Chains booked for May in brum, Black Grape (supported by The Rotanas) at Cardiff Tramshed next month.
The Rotanas Feb 22nd in Cardiff.

Quiet year for me so far, was looking forward to doing a Festival this summer but the lineups are, frankly, shocking for the cost of the ticket prices!!

Going to see Alice in Chains tomorrow night, can’t wait to hear Nutshell live.

As per JHJ, I used to run one for a dishless rear wheel. Machined the back of a 9sp cassette to fit 7 cogs on (dropping the 11 and 15t IIRC).

I thought the trials hub had more effective POE because only 2 pawls were engaged at a time. Could be wrong though.

Thanks, I’m aware of those threads. My request was about a specific product.

My moxie only works with the 2.3 DHR in the longest setting, wheel won’t turn otherwise. Great frame, but shit cs yoke design.

Solaris St was too slack for me, and the bird BB drop looks like a pedal bashing nightmare (and has old fashioned long seat tubes).

I weighed a Sentinel frame in the bike shop, was quite surprised to see it weight ~4.5kg with air shock.

Used Mazzer = grinder for life. Run hopperless and sits on board to slide it out when required.

My 6600 rear derailleur is super close with a 12-30 cassette. One of those hanger extensions could be a cheap solution.

SRAM + hydro = a solid ‘no’ from me.

Avoiding wtb having had a nano and a riddler rubber blister off the casing (using Stan’s).

No way!

Just awaiting delivery of an Audio Pro Addon. Reviews are very positive, and looks better than most.

Used a UE Boom over the w/end and thought it was pretty dire.

We have one of the older (perhaps 1st gen) Cnoc 14’s. It has a steel seat post, steel quill stem, steel bar, steel crank and ring and steel fork with the drop out tabs on the front of the leg. It’s not light. I replaced the crank with a shortened S600 and a RF Taperlock BB, which saved a decent chunk.

Loved the Ramblers on my Friston – found them nice and fast on road and grippy enough on anything mud sticky mud. Just replaced them after over a 1000 miles as the rear was no longer holding air – tiny leaks all over the place.

1000 miles is pretty shit given the cost. The GK on the back of my bike has done just over 4000km (mixed road/offroad), and I expect to get another 1000 from it. The Riddler on the front has 5000km and is about half worn.

Rambler is effing awful, couldn’t wait to get it off my bike.

– very round profile

– very low height, despite being close to 40mm wide

– very puncture prone

– loosest bead I’ve ever had on a tyre. Could thrown it on the rim from across the garage.

– wears quickly and not particularly grippy.

Rambler is light though. But the GK is better in every other regard.

Riddler is a great front tyre with its shoulder knobs, miles better than the Nano.

I’ll file this alloy on  the dusty shelf beside Aermet.

Welgo KC008

I have the dws780. The extra capacity has come in handy occasionally, but is overkill the vast majority of the time.

Wish someone would relaunch the Ringlé bottle cage. Looked cool and never let go of my nightsun battery.

Still using my 3DV Ringle, works a treat. ALthough a mate once did ask if I had made it myself (!)

Sombrio Vagabond?

That Wltoys one looks like what I had found in my earlier search. Thanks. Slightly over budget though, I thought I’d found a cheaper one

What sort of size are they in real life?

42x25cm. I wind the throttle trim down and the kids drive it around the house. Plenty of spares and upgrades available, can’t fault it.