In the interview bikeradar did with the head of RnD for SRAM, he stated they wont be bringing out cheaper versions of 1×11, so expect it to be an expensive must/must not have in 2013.

Will be interesting to see what Shimano do/dont do about 1×11

Danny,
Did you get the beam shots?
Would be interested to see the comparison with the X2.
Rgds
Jonathan

don’t worry, very good friend of mine rode 5 bikes back to back including asr5 and orange 5 and decided on the orange. must say he is super fast on the downhills. I bought the asr5 having never ridden it and now spend more time on hardtails so go figure. always best to ride what feels best. as longs as its fun who gives a hoot

Ive just used the nikwax reproofing for soft shells. Will be out in the jacket tonight so will let u know if it works. GORE and others endorse the stuff.

These guys are excellent.
http://securityforbikes.com/torc-ground-anchor.php
I run their ground anchor and then 13mm chain with the squire padlocks. expensive but very good. Worst case is scum bags cut through frame as they wont get through the chain or ground anchor.

Ps. You can daisy chain multiple lengths together with additional padlocks. Thats what I did when I went from 2 bikes to 4.

I had the same decision this time last year and do very similar riding.
I actually ordered a BFe and then cancelled it, and now very glad I went for C456.

Main factors for me were:

1. Weight
2. slacker angles on the C456 which makes a difference on the downhills but still enables it to make it up hill very easily.

I run 140mm fox floats on the front and its great.
Would definitely recommend a clutch rear mech (either XT or SLX) as its eliminated chain such completely.

We’ve got a 3 year old yellow lab with long legs @ 47kg weight but trim.

Although he’s ok at keeping up with wife on her runs (she competes alot on long distance trail running), after about 5miles he starts to suffer and Im sure its because of the body weight vs long legs. Not convinced all labs are good trail dogs compared to says spaniels or collies.

I’d say a trim short legged lab would be better as a trail dog compared with longer legged labs.

Definitely worth talking to a vet.

My new MW81’s were great until the monsoon that awaited them yesterday. After an incredibly wet 2 hour ride, I could literally pour water out of them. I reckon most came in through the cleats and down between leg and ankle gators.

But in the cold and moderate wet they are very good and super toasty in -6 degrees.

Is it losing pressure or just need bleeding.
I bet it just needs a bleed. Ive had a couple like this now.

run an xtr and an xt clutched rear mech and never had any chain suck on both the yeti and c456. excellent bits of kit

Wasnt daily mail, it was on a BBC documentary or equivalent and couple of months ago. Could all be bull, but sounds possible given the way the system works and birth stats from ONS.

Kids have it too easy, I see graduates every day who utterly believe they should be fast tracked and promoted immediately the get their foot in the door on their path to being chief exec having only been out of school for a couple of years. They seem to think its a given right and if they dont get what they want they quit and move back in with mum and dad whilst they take another 9 months to get a some mug to employ them.

Then we have a new generation of school leavers aged 16, who have never known either parent to work, thus dont see why they should and expect the state to fund their lifestyle….utter lunacy!

Then add in the 25,000 kids lliving in poland who are receiving UK child benefit, and it just shows how pitiful society has become.

gee – sorry swinley was no where near a swamp.
funnily enough we had riders all over swinley today from Surrey hills as its such a bogfest over there and being ripped up by too many riders at the moment, oh and swinley is not my back yard.

each to their own though :)

Good ride everyone, hard work but fun.
Well done for those that travelled from far and wide, especially the chap from Dorset.

Trails were in good condition given the weather recently and excellent leading guys!

Biscuits were super yummy!

Roll on the next STW meet.

Jonathan (black Yeti).

In one word – “YES”
It is an excellent bike.
I have one with full XT, Mavic Wheels, Fox 140mm Floats and a reverb.
There is a spare cable guide on the left hand side that the reverb can use. Mine is a non decalled black satin finish with no paint to fall off of. Used primarily as my night bike, but keeps us with the full sus lot I go out with.

With XT, Mavics, Fox and a reverb, haven stem/bar combo its very light and goes up as well as down really well.

Variflex – was yours working ok until you had to bleed it?

Mine was working fine up til I banjod the lever and had to swap. But then the two replacement levers I had on, an xt one and a slx have had the same issue.I even bought the slx in case the xt was from a faulty batch.

Yes it was to a point, although after changing pads the lever went slightly spongy and couple of pumps on the lever got it back up to a solid feel again, hence why I thought it had air in.

hmm, Ive got some 26 inch Mud-X’s and didnt find them any use, if anything bogged down quite a bit.

Will look at BEavers and Spec Storm Controls.

Many thanks

I bled my rear 785 XT brake the other weekend and had major problems, so admitted defeat and took it into my supplying LBS, who after an hour or two also had problems and decided it was faulty. I am now awaiting a warranty swap out from Madison, who dont have any in stock until end of month….so I guess its not just mine that is faulty?

Im lucky enough to have both a C456 and an ASR5.
Both totally different, but the ASR5 is fantastic.
Im running full XTR, reverb and 140mm fox forks and its perfect.

It goes up as well as it goes down.
Go for the bolt through rear end, as I did manage to snap my rear triangle (2011 frame), but that was a QR rear end. Silverfish replaced it under warranty in 5 days flat which was great service and with the bolt through rear end Ive had no more issues.

2012 frames onwards I believe only have a 2 year warranty now, but could be wrong.

Go for it.

good old Richie and the silverfish guys.
sorted me out via my lbs within 5 days for a yeti rear triangle failure.
it does prove one of the arguments about using your lbs and how important their relationships with distributors is

It’s possible/likely that Madison can’t get as much as stock as they’d like from Shimano given that they have to “compete” with other distributors worldwide for available parts.

Good point. Just thought I would give people the heads up so they know what to expect at the moment.

Im planning on running it 2×10 would I need a long cage rear mech if i get a 11-36 cassette or can i stick with a medium?

Yes you can go with the smaller rear mech.
I run a 2×10 XTR setup with clutch rear mech and is the medium cage.

I think many people have thought about this over the years.
As richiethesilverfish points out. Distributors are unlikely to let you buy unless there is a retail element as it can undermine the market.

As suggest above, you may be better approaching an LBS that you like and suggest they run a club with a membership which gives them a discount level on new (not sale) items depending on the margin those items are sold at. So for example 20% off complete bikes above a certain price, 10% on components when spending £50 or more etc (some sort of scale) so they dont end up totally out of pocket.

Throw in some events and socials, it could be good fun for members and LBS.

The plus for the LBS is perhaps say a hundred odd members paying them £75 a year and additional business they may have lost to online companies previously.

My LBS gives a years 10% off accessories and components (apart from labour and sale items) when you buy a complete bike. So although not quite as competitive as online, they are close and open at weekends and usually chuck in minor labour (eg mech change) for free when you buy items.

This really comes in handy for warranty replacements and technical help as sending stuff back to online companies and forever chasing by email and phone sometimes isnt worth the effort on a £10 part.

Swings and roundabouts I guess.

Im 5’10 and a 15inch bike is definitely too small. I always go for mediums or at least 17 or 18inch frames. I have an 18inch c456 and its perfect. My wife who is tiny has the same frame but 16inch and definitely too small for me, its like riding a bmx.

C456 is a really good all round frame so i think the bikeradar tester was having a bad day or biased as i dont know anyone that has a significantly bad thing to say about it

Fantastic….I have an 829 purchased in March this year.
Very well made, good spec and pretty burly. Ive come off mine a few times and only scratched some of the lovely white paint off and even that left such a smooth finish, it doesnt need touching up.

Its my middle range bike also having a Yeti full sus and a C456.
All very different.

I think the hard tails and their designs are fantastic and great looking bikes, and with the right spec fly incredibly well.

May be covered under warranty as M988 havent been out that long, so no need to prove proof of purchase. Ask local LBS who can contact Madison for you. Definitely worth a go as Ive had a 9 month old front mech crack and fail. They coughed up in the end, but did take some pushing.

Ran MUD-X’s for 4 months and then changed to Trailrakers.
For me the trailrakers are SOOOOOO much rideable than mud-x.
More grip (apart from roots) and dont drag anywhere near as much.
Perfect for UK changeable weather conditions.

Yes thats whats weird, everything nice and tight. All i can think is hubs? Being sealed i guess they have to go to lbs. only other time i get the noise is when pedalling up hill when raised. Scratching head really

Skynews is reporting that local police are asking for as many volunteers to help search area on foot, car and bike etc.

I started using a QR and replaced it with a hope bolt through.
No more slippage and its easier to get the right torque with a bolt through. If you over tighten a QR the reverb slows down and doesnt reach full height.

Definitely worth starting with multi release cleats.
So much easier to get out of quickly. Im still using them after 6 months, but have now tightened the tension on the pedals,

just bought some raceface shorts. Super smooth material and stretchy. Baggies, with a bit of give. Really nice and warm too.

I dont turn my lights down for cars or pedestrians, so why would another biker be any different to anyone else.

If you cant see, like in a car with oncoming traffic, you slow down and then carry on afterwards.

Both excellent tests. Just tried both and can still feel the movement. Guess its a bearing :(

Was out with ASK1974 last night and was really impressed with the gloworm. Long throw of light with a nice and wide profile. I’d say the perfect helmet light!

Always reckoned ASK1974 should write for magazines. You should see some of his write ups on actual rides, frigging marvelous!

Will see if we can remember to take comparison shots next time.
Three of us out last night with

1 x Gloworm
1 x Exposure MaxD
1 x Exposure Joystick
1 x High end Magicshine (not sure which one, but it has a cluster of 3 small lights).

All very different beam profiles.

Ive got the new 34 CTD 160mm floats and currently waiting on Mojo for the spacer kit to reduce them down to 150, possibly 140. Kit isnt due until October though which is a shame.

Oh YES!!
You have Queen Elizabeth Country Park (QECP) which has an excellent MTB loop alot man made by STW members. Also, the downhill MTB track at Rogate, and if you want to come along there will be a number of us going out on night rides during the week from Haslemere, and then Hindhead on the Sat.

Google: QECP2, ROgate Downhill, Devils Punchbowl and Gibbett hill.

Lots to do and see. Drop me an email (on profile) if you need more info.

Jonathan

Looks like only specific sizes are that much cheaper.
31.6 100mm is £193, but everything looks like the normal prices.

Where have you seen the 2013 reverb cheaper than last years model?

Muddy Fox Courier for me until it got nicked with another bike it was locked to in Canterbury in 1995 :(

Thanks, gone with British Cycling for just under £22 p/a including first year discount. Excellent!