aener

Some seriously large riding in there! Beastin'

Good to see you still reppin'! Been far too long since you were last out

Oh riiiiiight, You see, I thought you meant it. My sarcasm detection skills are pretty poor.

I'm perfectly happy to admit I'm no mechanical genius, but I'd've thought it pretty standard that you shouldn't tighten most bike parts that much. If you want to do it to yours, that's fine - it might well work for you. If - on the other hand - people new to the sport are looking for help, then they follow that advice, they're going to be sorely disappointed when they bend their brake clamps beyond being useable, or snap a lever clamp, or strip the threads in their frame (etc. etc. etc.). As I side note, I don't get paid for mechanical maintenance either, so you needn't worry about that

Most of us will have encountered them - if you haven't, just look for any made by Ross McArthur As the title says: which is the most deeply misunderstood meme? DEBATE.

To any new riders searching for help with maintaining their bikes: DO NOT DO THIS. You will likely misjudge where you think the "too tight" point is and actually strip threads, or damage components from over-tightening them.

He's still f**king ace. He's not been riding all the much the past few months, but seems to be getting back into it of recent. I'll keep dropping hints to him about how a video would be a really good idea

He has my full support. I just don't understand how it's any different that he's from the same country as us. Sorry for bringing it up - the way you guys are talking about it, it seems it's one of those things you either understand, or you don't. I take your point about the next generation taking inspiration from seeing him ride in the flesh at comps, but that's not really what it was about. I don't think any higher of Jack than I do Gilles because we are geographically closer. (I may think a little more of him because he's at the same level having ridden for so much less time, but that's very different.) Anyway - yeah - didn't mean to provoke as I apparently have. Re: that hook. Yeah. Just... What? Forks must've hated it, but I sure appreciated it

You just have to get lucky. Not seen any floating around for a loooong time, so you'll have to scour the For Sale section and eBay and hope (unless someone with one in their shed sees this thread and offers you it) I had one once and - as above - it leaked a bit. If you mean the RB lever blade in an '04 HS33 body, however, then I salute you. Best feeling brake I ever had! Edit: As for alternatives, Racing Line levers feel bloody fantastic. Stan's got the newer style one (split bar clamp version), and it feels seriously ace.

I know he does. That's my point. Jack's from England and Gilles is from France. Who gives a f**k? They're both amazing on a bike - that's all that matters. Why shouldn't people who live in England be proud that someone is as good on a bike as Gilles?

So it wouldn't be cool if he was Swedish? Where he was born is arbitrary. What's cool is that he's as good as he is.

People who don't ride brakeless advising people how to ride brakeless and why you need what is a bad thing. (Most of them, anyway.) The biggest tip I can give is that you should absolutely learn to gap to 90 and go up to 90 in both directions. I didn't, and it's a constant source of embarrassment when someone suggests a line that looks really fun, but I can't do it because it's my "bad way". If you do it right from the start, it'll be normal to you, and will open up a huge number of lines in the long run! (Having a favoured way is fine - just don't neglect the other way.) Other than that, it's mostly been said: firmer tyres, concentrate on getting strong parts rather than light ones (because you WILL break them), and have fun with it. Don't take any instructions anyone gives you too seriously, 'cause from my experience everyone has quite different methods other peoples' just don't work for them. Sometimes their way might suit you too, so listen to their advice - but don't feel obliged to adhere to it

I f**king love you, Joachim. You're easily the coolest person I know of.

Ace

So there's usually a "New Year's Resolutions" topic on here at this time of the year. There isn't one yet, which is unusual, but perhaps it's just a late bloomer. Anyway - this is the opposite. People always talk enthusiastically about what they're going to do in the new year and over-congratulate each other on how much they wish they could be like each other, but no-one ever gets any credit for sticking it out. Almost all of said resolutions are dead and buried by March, so it's a shame the people who actually meant it don't get any recognition over the posers. Post in here if you made a resolution at the start of the year, and actually stuck to it! I'm a believer that resolutions should be made at any time the desire to do something arises, but this idea only struck me at the very time I was considering how stupid the whole "New Year" element is, so it timed up perfectly as a result I have only ever made two New Year's Resolutions. One, around six years ago, was 1280x1024 (which lasted the full year, but not much more) - the other was as follows: I was getting bored of riding the same old places, so made the decision that I would ride an average of one town/city/distinct riding location per week. I've actually exceeded that. I got something closer to 60, but some of them were either so shit, or such half-arsed attempts that I didn't dare consider them as valid. There were periods when I forgot to add places to the map, so dates with question marks are from when I rode there but didn't fill it in until much later and forgot when I went. I have ridden several of these places many times, and many of them more than once during the year. The dates correspond only to the first time I went there this year. Moving back to the north of the country half way through the year helped an AWFUL lot https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=204621622610177772675.0004d2ee55a328d37268e&msa=0

For the record: two of my three Jafs lasted longer than my Marino before cracking. The geometry was also correct. I've stated many times that I understand and regret that Jaf went down the shitter. At the time of those comments, you were not correct. My blue frame was made during that period and happily outlasted the Marino I had. It was those made after that time when he was trying to make them lighter/fancier that they started going wrong. My blue frame weighed the same as my Marino, for reference. I've also made it clear on several occasions that I know Jaf were not without issue, but I supported them as they were the better option of the two. (Until things started going really bad.) My problem with you is that you consistently spread misinformation as fact, ignore reason, be generally antagonistic and then try to weedle your way out of it by claiming it was a "joke" and that it's the German sense of humor that's different/doesn't translate. I know this not to be the case as I seem perfectly able to communicate amicably with German members of a music production forum I frequent. Chimp - thanks for highlighting that. I have become increasingly irritable of recent for many a reason, and since that's obviously been reflected on here I'll not come back for a while. You're one of the very finest people on here and you thinking ill of me makes me very uncomfortable.

Shut the f**k up. You're boring, and I hate you.

People are going to need to know if you mean the handlebars or the forks

If you discussed anything with Mark in real life, I expect you'd get your ass handed to you at least as thoroughly as you do on here.

Stand a bit further back this time. Now matter how "superior" your equipment, bad filming makes for a bad video.

I would urge you not to strip the rest. Looks awesome as it is. If it's the look you want then go for it, but I personally think it would be a little unbalanced, and too silver. The black bar/stem and pedals break the expanse of silver up just right as it is!

I wanted to not get involved in this thread, but this particular sentiment bugs the shit out of me. I'm glad you've the sensibility to accept it and move on, but there is a big difference between "over-priced" and "expensive".

Saw this on Facebook. Loved it! Awesome What's the frame's reach? I think 20" trials bike bar and stem on a bike with a saddle looks absolutely awful, but the riding is good enough to distract from that!

HOW desperate? From the description, I guess fairly, but are you desperate enough? My old red one's just gathering dust. It's a quite beaten up, and I think the back end is a little splayed out, but at least it's in one piece I say you need to be desperate as due to it being one of the very earliest Jafs made, it's made from plain-gauge tubing and comes in at 2.8kg. If you just want something to ride and can hack the weight, it's yours. The geometry is a little off (a touch shorter front end), but it's pretty close. I know we discussed it before and you ended up not having it, but it's still there if you want it.

It's not the people themselves - it's the curious lack of them in our sport. What's "funny" - in the sense that it's "odd", or so stacked against the odds that it seems there must be a reason when there clearly isn't one - is that there are virtually no black trials riders. What's genuinely funny is that he was referring to the coincidence of him discussing the lack of black trials riders with his girlfriend (which presumably isn't a frequent daily activity ), only to come on here and see a picture of one that same day, and the people that read it on a forum construe it as some form of racism. What's also funny is people being so scared of being labelled a racist that they're afraid to mention, converse, or even acknowledge any such trend, even though it's glaringly obvious. In my entire time riding (7 years or so), and on forums with pictures/videos of trials riders all over the world, I've seen a grand total of two. That's funny. It doesn't make you laugh - it's simply bizarre.