Big Bike Thread

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LordSplodge said:
My 2008 Focus Variado (when it had 105 Goodness before they crippled it it 2009 and made it cheaper) and it came with Schwalbe Lugano Tyres and they are as thin as paper. I've had more puntures on that bike that any other I have ever owned.
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Funnily enough, I've just taken the Lugano's off my Planet X after two punctures on Liverpool > Chester > Liverpool. Now sporting some lovely looking Conti GP 4 Season which are lighter and should be a lot tougher.
 
Genoma said:
Just reading back on this thread. Is that road gap this one?

http://www.vimeo.com/5531158
Was great watching people doing this. Video does not do it justice.

We went in July, had a fantastic time.
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Yeah that's the one. The freeride park is in the same valley, some of the jumps and drops are absolutely huge. Both times I've been they had some sort of freeride competition running which was pretty cool to watch.
 
SDK^ said:
DanF – thanks, sounds awesome :)
I won't be taking my own bike; too much hassle through airports etc.. I'll hire a Kona Stinky or equivalent.

Do you have links to any websites that would be useful? I've been using Alpine Elements as a base for costing etc but there must be others outs there.
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Oh sorry forgot to check for reply's. There's a few sites doing accommodation although I didn't arrange it for either trip but I think we stayed with Morzine MTB on the last trip. They upgraded us to a really nice place maybe 1/2 mile from the lifts after overbooking our first choice.

I think the first one was just found through google searching, it was a bigger party though so harder to get us all in one place.

I would mention one thing, make sure to sort out your travel on from the airport before going, the shuttle bus has some strange times and it's a nasty trip using public transport. The first time we ended up with two bikes hanging out the back of a local taxi and two of us on the passenger seat with a crazed frech driver overtaking locals on hairpin bends :D
 
I've had a superb day today; really pushed my bike to the limits.
Smashed the downhill courses at Cannock in the morning–afternoon then changed tyres and my clothing and whipped the XC brigade round Follow the Dog.

A true All Mountain machine :)

Me in the car park this morning before hitting the DH runs.

sdk-dh.jpg
 
I've been out round (well, above) Glyn Ceriog and Pontfadog (aka Pat My Dog). Some cracking descents including one we know as Face Plant Alley due to the number of victims it claims :D

Anyway, time for some pics.

My Trance is almost 3.5 years old now. It's had a new XT Shadow rear-mech by default - the last time I wanted to ride it I found the spring in the old XT rear mech had snapped whilst the bike was in the garage :rolleyes: New set of Revelation 426 U-Turn 20mm forks to replace the Reba SLs, which means I can finally convert the front hub to bolt-through (NukeProof Generator II XC wheelset)



My Planet X road bike has added a bit of bling in the form of a FSA SL-K carbon seat post (ammusingly though, it's no lighter than the alloy one it replaced). The somewhat puncture happy Schwalbe Lugano tyres have been replaced with Conti' GP 4 Seasons. I weighed it after taking the pic - including the saddle bag (two tubes & tyre levers) and the tiny Electron Backupz rear light it was 8.4kg :cool:

 
Decided that the cranks I bought for the Mbuzi are going to make the bike way too heavy for what it's supposed to do, I mean the crankset is half a pound heavier than the XT's so I'm just gonna sell them on again (one they turn up pf course)

Saw CRC are having a sale on XT's, so im gonna go for them
http://chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=20679

Can anyone just confirm I can just take the bigger and smaller chainrings off so I can use only the 32t ring?
 
You can take the small ring off no problem. The big ring you will I take it be using a bash ring? If not you will need to use some washers / file down the bolt inserts for the 32t ring to stay in place.
 
Yea I got a ethirteen STS and want to run a single ring set-up (32T chainring with 11-34 casette or 11-32 casette, still to make up my mind)

Think that's a bad idea going for this XT then?
 
How about SLX dual with pedal inserts? I'm just suggesting that after stripping the threads on my XTs. XT's are probably more than strong enough though.
 
What are peoples thoughts on full face helmets for offroad riding? Looking for a new helment soon and I'm not a fan of the normal ones, but would much prefer a full face one.

What are they like for heat etc?
 
shauncr91 said:
Downhill/Cross country. I'm not jumping or anything but it's gonna be rocky/steep woods etc with quite a bit of speed.
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If you are going to downhill, then a full face lid is pretty much the most important peice of equipment.
A ful face lid for XC however is definitely not recommended as it will be too hot, too heavy and you wont be able to breathe well.

You have to remember that when out XC'ing you have your lid on... the whole day. When doing DH you have your lid on in 2 maybe 3 minute bursts at a time... unless you live somewhere with a big ol mountain and the runs last a whopping 6 minutes ;)

By the sounds of you are just starting out? Out of interest where do you plan on riding, and what bike do you ride (for downhill) ?
 
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Supercow said:
If you are going to downhill, then a full face lid is pretty much the most important peice of equipment.
A ful face lid for XC however is definitely not recommended as it will be too hot, too heavy and you wont be able to breathe well.

By the sounds of you are just starting out? Out of interest where do you plan on riding, and what bike do you ride (for downhill) ?
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Yea I am just starting out, and I'll be going around Wharncliffe mainly. The bike is most likely going to be either a Kona Blast, or Cinder Cone.

The riding will mostly be trails etc as opposed to gnarly DH tracks, but like you said I'm starting out so am looking at everything available atm.
 
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