Have you asked Windwave? They’ve always been good at answering any emails I’ve sent them. It’s just their website that sucks.

Tom kp

Buy a coat and some winter bib shorts

+1 for Tignes. Quiet, flowing trails without braking bumps.

Actually it’s rubbish there and you shouldn’t go – that way I get all the trails to myself.

Seriously though, last year we probably only saw about 30 people there in 3 days.

Perfect
Tom kp

My mistake.

Being a bit special and worst for wear yesterday I somehow managed to get the Touareg and Amorak confused.
What a silly bunt!

Tom kp

Drove one for a week last year and found it to be a very capable truck. A friend had a Hi-Lux out there at the same time and they both seemed pretty good to me.

I’d happily have either if I was in the market for a big arse truck. Certainly seemed as good as anything else.

Tom KP

I tend to give mine away or sell very cheaply to someone either looking to get into biking or looking for a frame/bike/components for spouse/children.

Otherwise it just clutters up the garage and depreciates even more.

Pay it forward

Tom KP

The GF’s Capra seems pretty low. She’s probably only got legs a bit longer than yours and has the 150mm reverb an inch or 2 above the lowest setting. And they’re well within your budget, it’s also a fantastic bike.

She’s 5’6″ and has short legs.

In our house the missus knows if I replace a bolt let alone figuring out the cost of bikes/kit – the only downside to dating a decent biker.
Some of my friends have swapped bikes but kept the same colour and got away with it. But then they have to negotiate shopping:riding ratios on their days off and I don’t.

Mic Off do a helmet cleaner/freshener

There’s a lot of talk about long wheelbases and slack angles being the cause of slow unresponsive handling on 29ers, but having just looked at the Orange website a large 5 29 has a 1189mm wheelbase and a HA of 66.5. My current Alpine 160 (2012 26 model) has a wheelbase of 1200 and a 64.5 head single and doesn’t feel unresponsive or sluggish (apart from the rider).

I recently had the chance to ride a large Five 29 around the Verderers trail at FOD and loved it (although they are massive). Sure it steamrollered all the smaller bumps, but by the gods it was fast, took a little while to get the hang of it but if I was in the market for a new bike it would have been right up there(if they still made it) with the new Alpine (27.5). I just think 29ers are different and 27.5 is similar to 26 so less adjustment is needed. I have only ridden a few 27.5 bikes bug they do seem like they roll faster than my Alpine. When just rolling down a road the GF on her Capra out accelerates me and she’s 25kg lighter, on her previous 26 Covert gravity and my extra mass usually had me shooting off ahead of her (note, both on similar tyres at the time).

Ghetto tubeless.

I use this exact technique on all my non-tubeless Mavic rims and it works with any tyre (Maxxis, Scwalbe and Specialized seem to work best).

I did it for exactly the same reasons you did as I was fed up with Gorse/Hawthorn punctures every ride.

Only had a tyre burp once and that was because I’d let it get really low without checking it.

This is the guide I followed/follow:
http://www.ridemonkey.com/threads/ghetto-tubeless-conversion-diy-tips-and-tricks.240026/

Tom KP

Ps – BMX tubes are cheaper than Stams Rim strips but essentially the same thing. I’m running lightweight Scwalbe ones at the moment, but usually just use cheap Tesco BMX tubes.

You can get some from Offsetbushings.com. They machine regular ones as well as offset ones and they cost £10 each which makes them cheaper than a lot of the others. I’ve had a few pairs off of Jeron over the years.

Great price and great customer service.

Tom KP

I would have thought it would depend on how they have designed the suspension to work on that specific bike rather than just speccing that tune for DW/Horst as not all bikes with a Horst link will ride the same and the same with a DW

I’ve had a spin on a few 275 bikes (Capra and Nukeproof Mega) and have been impressed with how fast they seem to be (the Mega was a battered Hire bike from Todico last summer) and I’m sold on the advantages of the bigger wheelsize, they rolled fast, and handled just like a 26 bike. But I currently have an Alline 160 with offset headset and shock mounts(64.5* head angle and low BB) and it rides and feels perfect for the Uphill/downhill ratio I do (prob 40/60) so I see no reason to swap it out. I can keep up with people on other wheel sizes and it handles like a dream.

I’d like to say I’m 26 for Life but if I’m honest when the time comes to change bikes it’ll have bigger wheels (it just won’t be for a long time.

Have spent the last 6 months looking for a bargain 160mm 26 bike for the brother in law and was surprised to find that anything decent was still holding it’s value. The same goes for wheels, tyres and forks(unless 1 -/8th steerers) so I think you should sell it now or keep it. The bottom hasn’t fallen out of the 2nd hand Orange market yet and unless someone starts flooding the market with 2nd hand 275 Fives you should be ok for a while.

Tom KP

I run ghetto tubeless (currently) with a 2.5 Minion EXO and not having pinch flat or burping problems (just jinxed myself?) but then I run 30psi in it on he front and 35-40 in the rear on a Folding Nobby Nick. That’s mainly as I hate to feel the tyres rollover/fold and am happy to except the reduced grip in exchange for peace of mind and set my suspension up taking this into account.

I still run 30psi with DH tyres for the same reason. I mainly switched to tubeless to reduce hawthorn/gorse punctures and pinch flats on rocky trails and this has done the trick.

Tom KP

Fives and Alpines seem to be holding their price on Pinkbike compared to most other brands.

Stick it on there and see if you have any takers. I find it’s the best/fastest place to sell bikes. And if no one buys it then just keep using it for a while.

Not used it on a fat bike but I’ve been running ghetto tubeless on all my MTBs for a while now and it’s pretty bombproof tried to get a DH tyre off my non-tubeless Mavic rims last week end and it was almost impossible so I can vouch that when done right it reduces burping to almost nil.

In the past I’ve used a combo of Park Super Patches and duct tape. Just realised it has then spent 3 years on the back of my Brother’s bike with out problems.

The wife’s looked a bit like that, but once built up it’s been fine with no problems.
Obviously I didn’t mention it to her

The best one I’ve found so far is from Hydropak,

Stem spacers and riser bars if necessary

I just bought a pair of Marzocchi 55 RC: Evo Ti 2014 from Winstanley for £299.
Happy with them and they’ve got a low A2C for a 170 fork. Shorter than the previous 160 Fox forks

Never bothered. And the only problems I’ve had is the standard ‘Reverb sag’. Just make sure you clean it properly after each ride.

I say return it. If I was left short £100 I’d be in a world of trouble at the moment.

I just tend to run mine until they stop working and then replace the cassette, chain and chain ring together (not always the chain ring) and seem to spend a lot less on drive trains than my friends who measure and replace their chains regularly. I have no more problems with shifting/slipping or breaking chains than they do either. I also only clean my chains with a damp cloth (maybe a bit of GT85 on a rag to wipe over the outside) to get rid of the visible dirt.
Never soaked the chain in degreaser as I was under the impression that the grease inside the chain when manufactured was better than most lubes.

Lube wise I only use FinishLine Wet (in winter) or whatever Juice Lube product I’m given by a friend who works for them.

Quiet and hassle free drive train that costs much less than my anal friends = happy rider.

Tom Kp

It’s great stuff. Although we found out last week that the gloss finish is easier to use and gives a better finish than the Matt stuff. Had it on a few bikes and reckon it is worth the cost (not that much when you compare it to your 3-5k carbon or alu pride and joy).

I’ll probably just run Minion DHFs o
Front and back on my trail bike unless I head somewhere like Triscombe for some proper muddy DH when I’ll fit some Wet Screams for the trip.

We’re doing the opposite, building a tool/general crap shed to free up space in the bike/gym garage. Liking the ideas here

The GF is about 5’6″ and has found that she prefers men’s bikes. She originally tried women’s bikes but found they tended to be a bit crap and middle of the road.

Currently running a Small YT Capra CF (in pretty blue), previously had a small Transition Covert, TR450 and a Commencal Meta 55.

There’s a good article on this website about the myth of women specific sizing.

Tom KP

Borrow some of the scales used on here. Some of those seem to lighten up bikes.

But to be honest, look at what is heavy on your bike, weigh stuff and see what you can afford. Wheels, forks and tyres are often heavy on budget bikes. But too light might compromise your riding. Depends what your bent is

Tom KP

Tried a CX bike once and didn’t really see the point. Wasn’t an MTB, wasn’t a road bike. I’m sure it’s good for some people but not for me.

I used to love blasting my Specialized Langster Monaco around the flat dirt paths in Hertfordshire, I fitted some old Hussefelt Bars and flat pedals and sprinted and drifted that little sucker around on my commute to work(Herts is flat so no need for a real road bike or gear). But I never really got on with Drop bars (never use the drops on my road bike for that matter).

Originally it was the wrong bike when I got it as an impulse buy coz I wanted a fixie (hated fixed wheel) and devon was too hilly for it. But once I moved up there and whacked on some flat pedals and bars it became the right bike. Moved back to the West Country and it became the wrong bike again so bad to say good bye

Try it with just the Narrow Wide and see how it goes, then get a top guide. I prefer ISCG mounted versions personally. With the new One Up guide you don’t even have to remove the cranks to fit it.

Tom KP

Not tried the new version, but I’m currently running an old pair of Sam Hills and they’re the best biking show I’ve used. Also have a pair of the 2nd Gen Impacts from 2007(ish) and I think next week will be their final Alps trip as they’re fairly worn out and now basically my spare wet weather shoe.

All I want them to do is make the old Sam Hill and Impacts less absorbent and I’ll be a happy man.

Also have a pair of Greg Minnaar SPD shoes I got off eBay for £20 and they’re doing well, but get less use. Also 5:10 don’t have the cleat holes far enough back for my liking and unlike the Shimano DX shoes you can’t just drill/dremel the slots further back (Fabian Barel how to video available online).

Tom KP

Don’t Orange sell rubber gromits or bungs on their website? Screwfix might sell something similar and cheaper.

Tom KP

Here’s hoping they accident my deliver a second one on the right date

Just a quick update, Yt Capra CF Pro was supposed to be built and dispatched at some point this week. Haven’t heard anything from YT, last week they said they couldn’t confirm when it would be dispatched as a 3rd party build up their bikes for them. Emailed today asking for the tracking number. No reply, but it was ok because the tracking number was on the box when it was delivered just after lunch! Hurrah!

Then YT emailed to say they’d up date us with the tracking number soon.

So overall, delivered well ahead of schedule, so ta YT, but not so good at the communication bit.

Ps – bike looks pimp and everything worked

Tom KP

Where have you found the Aqua2Go gun for sale as my Mobi gun is knackered as well?

Tom KP

Superstar XLs. Longer and fatter, comfy, cheap and available in a massive range of colours and clamp colours. They wear well too

I was under the impression that the 650b/27.5 Devilles had a different offset to the 26 ones.

Ran XTs for 18 months with no problems or howling (thank you organic pads), great power and modulation. Swapped them for the GF’s Zees as she hated them and they’re no where near as good, one knackered caliper (now replaced with an XT caliper?XTZ?? And they’re fine). Meanwhile the Original XTs are still going strong and as reliable as Swiss railways. Only bled them twice.

Most of my friends ride with XTs and no faults to report.

Elixxers put me off Avid/alSRAM, they were always good for about 12 months then suddenly became shite, inconsistent and high maintenance. We have some Guides coming on a new bike so we’ll see if they’re as good as the hype and if SRAM have solved the problems from the Elixxers.

Tom KP.