Not much to check really. The USB powered ones are a bit slow as they are all laptop based 5400rpm drives but not much you can do about that. Keep on a decent brand – I tend to stick with Seagate/Samsung drives just cause they have been reliable for me really.

I don't mind :). I am 5' 4" riding an XS Anthem X lol So am a little guy.

One last point – cause I feel like I am monopolising this thread – do yourself a favour and don't even consider Juicy's… Maybe the higher up ones than my 3s are better but I seriously doubt it.

Anthem X with 5" forks.

steve> SLX calipers will fit both post mount and IS. But fair enough if you buy them from Merlin they do come on the offer price with 160mm rotors only and yes at 180lbs I can see the point of 180mm rotors. I am only 120 and not too fast so I can get away with 160mm ones.

I'd keep an eye on second hand Formula's and Shimanos though for that price. Hopes are too expensive – 220 without rotors the cheapest I have found.

No need for IS mount – unless you mean the mount for the 180 rotor. If you are a lighter dude you might be able to get away with 160 rotors.

Maybe second hand? a full set of good condition second hand XT brakes/rotors and new pads costed me 130£…

Well Shimano brakes are so worth it in my opinion. Went from Avid Juicy 3s to a 2009 pair of second hand XTs and they are just so much better. Merlin does the SLX for 169£ but with 160 rotors. They are worth the extra expense I think.

The cheap (CroMo) version is not leather.

I liked the SDG Bel Air on my GT but I love my Charge Spoon – I own the cheap non Ti/leather version.

Banking and online purchases are being encrypted however you access them.

At home if your broadband modem – cable or ADSL – is connecting to your computer via ethernet -not USB- then even if it is not a router it self you can connect it to a wifi router and connect your laptop to it through WiFi. That connection can be encrypted via WPA – modern decent routers can do that nearly automatically.

The wireless networks showing up are wifi based networks.You can't see 'dongle connections'. In that sense they are secure. For extra peace of mind disable wifi on your laptop.

Having said that dongle connections are still wireless and not sure they are at all encrypted so I wouldn't use it for sensitive stuff.

Depends on the bike. I am 5' 4". My 16" GT was too big my 14.5" Anthem is a tad small so I had to move the seat backwards and use a longish stem. But I could ride a 18" Boardman fine especially with a short stem and by bringing the seat forward. It all depends on the bike.

I do it anyway. Best way so you don't have to count is to include some fruit or salad with every meal you have. I put at least two types of fresh fruit in my porridge I snack on nuts and fruit, I have salad for launch and my main meal is accompanied with some sort of salad.

Also it is at the absolute least 5-a-day. It is not like 5-a-day is fine.

BTW I am not trying to be pedantic or say I am perfect I can eat a lot of rubbish too.

I am 5' 4" and the XS feels right. I could have gone for the small but with the seat slightly towards the back the XS feels just right. Not sure how tall the OP is

Anthem X Frame 2010 for 894£

For anyone interested you can get a 100£ discount there also Winstanleys will price match it without question and they have all frame sizes in stock. I was going to buy an X3 or X2 but I needed an XS size and they dont sell full bikes for that price so I bought the frame.

Used some parts from a second hand boardman but now it is getting it a pair of 1300gr Stans wheelset and a SID Team for 325£ from Merlin.

Even with some average Recon's and heavy wheels it is one heck of a bike. You won't regret it!

The mac mini has really become a lot more attractive thanks to having a decent GPU the same as the950£ iMac. Unfortunately they are both shared memory chips which is not ideal if you want to game at all.

The only main difference performance wise is the hard drive. The 5400rpm is slowish however if you didn't care about it in your iBook you won't care about it in your mini.

There are decent monitors for 150£ on the 20-24" size but you probably will be giving up the integrated web camera. Also I find the aluminium apple keyboard REALLY good and if you don't care about the numerical keys the small BT one that comes with the iMac is gorgeous. I found the Magic mouse good not great(certainly Apple's best mouse but that does not say much as their previous ones were horrible).

So if you go for the Apple keyboard/mouse thing you are looking for 225-250 on top of the mini including new monitor. The difference then becomes about 200. For the hard drive speed and flexibility, the camera and the total aesthetics of the package I'd spend the extra 200£. But that is just me.

I was between Formulas and XTs as a replacement to my Avid Juicy 3s. Didn't try the Oros as someone sold me their XTs over here for a fair amount. Haven't ridden them much but on the couple rides I have managed I loved them. They feel a lot more solid than the Avid's and a lot more controlled. Everybody told me they do not have enough modulation but I don't think so. I can't see how the Formula's could be much better if at all.

I am putting 2010 Race SIDs on my 2010 Anthem X – 329 from a very reputable store – not sure we are allowed to name them. Mainly for the price/weight ratio. I am fairly light so I doubt I will have a problem with stiffness.

Avid Juicy 3's ok but nothing more. Have had them in 3 bikes and they have been decent for the price but I wouldn't go out of my way to choose them. I now have a pair of XTs and there is no comparison on feel and stopping power.

Anthem X, got one built up from a 2010 frame and it is just unbelievably good. Can be built very light, pretty much no pedal bob to speak of and very good terrain feedback. An absolute blast of a bike.

Panaracer Fire XC Pros back and front, they would be better in the mud if I hand't stupidly fitted the back one the wrong way.

I normally ride tame XC trails in Herts.

Cool, will wait to see what they come up with! Thanks for the info Matthew.

Matthew any clue as to when they are expected to arrive? I was planning on getting the new wheels some time in January.

Glenncampbell, this is where I found them – that's the initial link, though not with the podium rims. Thought I wouldn't go that far :p

120gr off for another 60£ …. tempting.

Brilliant! Couldn't afford Tune hubs – The 400£ of the Stans hubs/rims/revolution spokes setup is testing my budget really as I want to fit a pair of SIDs to replace the Recon UTurns currently on the bike as well. But I think for 380 at 1360gr is not a bad pair of wheels since it seems they will carry my weight just fine!

Thanks everybody!

Virgin is good but you have to watch your usage on peak times if you don't want speed caps. I think their 50Mb lines don't have the caps but don't quote me on that. I am happy enough with my 10Mb one, just try to fit my downloads after midnight and before I get back from work. Support is OKish.

Porridge with blueberries and bananas cut in plus a nice cup of coffee straight from the Aeropress :)

If it clears out later on I might go for a quick spin otherwise it is Dragonage time for me!

your 8 1/2 stone riding tame tracks, you won't have problems with the olympic build.

i have tune hubs on olympics with revolution spokes. i'm 13 stone, raced them all over the place on technical tracks, riding dh tracks, drops upto 4ft.

you'll be fine with the lighter ones, and better off getting them.

Thanks! This is the kind of guidance I was looking for!

Yes that sounds more reasonable really, so here is the question is the extra 80£ and presumably less burly construction worth the 150gr savings on Olympic rims and Stan hubs? :)

Can't find them on Winstanleys for 260… more like 300£. Plus the quoted weights are 655 and and 877 so nearer the 1600gr mark and defo that wouldn't include the cassette would it???

LOL ok cause I have to say – and maybe I am being overly picky – I can't stand that clicky noise.

In any case how much would they they weigh?

Are hope hubs the ones that do that noisy click ?

Sorry no not OLED. Just LED, the 42" one goes for 1200£ or there about but it is a great screen.

If you can still find them Pioneer Kuro 37". They are still around in a few shops not that many bells and whistles but I haven't seen anything that comes close for picture quality save maybe for the OLED Samsung. I have a 37" and I love it.

Failing that the 7 series OLED Samsung ones are pretty darn faultless as well but they are quite a bit more expensive than similarly specced TVs of other brands. The smallest one I think is 42".

Squaremilecoffee

Really top notch stuff, but there is not too much variety. However every coffee I have bought from them is brilliant. Takengon Aceh I have bought several packs of and it is one of my favourites. For more variety you can use hasbean.

Buy an iMac sell it and keep the mouse? :) Just saying

If you need zoom then the LX3 is not for you at all. But image quality, fast lens (as in fast aperture) and if you can appreciate the wider than most other compacts lens then LX3 all the way.

BTW Matt-P if you do end up selling your LX3 I have a place for a second one in my household :)

I love mine and I paid full payg price for it. When I went the cheapest contract was 34£ for free 8GB iPhone. Are you sure it is 24£ and not 34£? I'd snatch it for 24£ without a second thought really.

Watched the web version. One of the most boring films I have ever watched if not THE MOST boring film I have ever watched. Better half asked for it so I didn't say no but it was one heck of a big favour!

Panasonic LX3 all the way at that budget. Wide angle lens, bigger ccd than most of the rest of the compacts ie less noisy images at higher sensitivities, brilliant images and a very solidly built camera. I have that and a D40 but I use it more than I use the D40, quality is very similar but practicality not even on the same planet.

This thread has convinced me…I want

Anyone know where I can get an '09 Anthem X 2 in medium?

I don't think you can anymore. Was looking for a small one myself a couple months ago and wherever I looked I couldn't find any. Found in a couple places online but when I called they said there was no stock and it was a mistake having left it on the web site.

Having said that the new frame is 895£ so you have 700£ for parts ;) -I built one up but still needs some new forks and wheels before I show it up here – or just get the 2010 X3 a few iffy component choices but you can upgrade those in time, let alone that even mine with crappy forks and wheels rides sooooo nice :)