Matt Burrows

After trying 2 sets of organic and 3 sets of sintered I would say that sintered are slightly better. You will find all sorts of arguments to say that one is better than the other, but to be honest both of the avid compounds are great. Considering sintered pads last longer I would go for them, plus mine seem to work even better when the weather is cold like recently.

Not if you're careful and do it right. Although saying that Kool pins can be really stiff and a nightmare if you don't have a professional chain tool. Infact Kool chains are just all round rubbish these days, go for the kmc z510 or z610. You can get the z610 for under £10, and in 13 years of riding trials its the best chain I've ever used.

Seriously, try before you buy. Both the fox and the hex helmet I find really uncomfortable, the fox is actually painful for me to wear. There's no point having a helmet that you don't want to wear. If I was you I'd go to my LBS and to Halfords and try on all the helmets they have, then if its cheaper online you can go and order the one that fits. Personally I love my Xen but then it is quite expensive and it might not fit your head if it's a weird shape

No they don't. Its only really Shimano chains that use a special joining pin. Most chains you can just split and rejoin with the same pin if you are careful and don't push the pin too far out. Or you can use a split link.

Radial lacing puts a lot more stress on the hub. I'm surprised how many people use it now, the weight loss compared to a 2 or 3 cross lacing is minimal.

I've been spraying outside when it was -10°c using the methods mentioned above, results have been great, lacquer and all.

It's not ideal, and can lead to a rubbish finish but there are things you can do to make it easier. Once you have finished preparing a part, clean it well and then leave it inside to dry and warm up. Put your spray cans in a bowl of warm water for 5 mins before you use them, and make sure they are warm to the touch when in use. Obviously make sure you shake them thoroughly as well. Then I just take one part into the garage at a time to spray them, so they don't get a chance to cool down too much. Leaving them to dry in the cold isn't much of an issue, but obviously it will take much longer. I tend to just bring them inside and have car/bike parts hanging all over the house

Yeah, funny how nearly all of mikes riding is on my bike as well! Plane, Wizzair I think it was haha Love the vid Lukas, brought back some good memories! Hopefully we can make it out again this year.

No worries dude (I'm unemployed with a lot of spare time on my hands ) And yes that FSA one I linked to or the Atomz one on Tarty will work just fine.

Yes it should do, although it doesn't have cartridge bearings according to the description. This is the cheapest cartridge internal headset I could find on CRC. No cheaper than the Atomz one on Tarty. Before you rush to spend money though, what is exactly wrong with the current one? Do the bearings feel really rough or are they just creaking? If everything is greased and you are just getting a creak it would suggest something more than bearings, possibly the cups moving in the frame. You can replace the ball bearings on the headset you've got which would be the cheapest option. Aslong as the bearing surfaces aren't damaged it would run great with new bearings. You can just pop the bearings out of the cage and replace them all one by one. Obviously it would be quicker and easier to just replace the whole headset if it is the bearings which are your problem. P.S. I deserve some rep for typing all that out

Sell the Reset BB, then buy an Echo and ask Tarty to upgrade you to the Ti BB? Then marvel at how your new BB is not only lighter than a Reset but also far far more reliable in both bearing longevity and axle strength

You must be really bored... Reported.

Another vote for Trialtech sport risers. They have a really comfy shape and a lot of rise. The high rise versions are absolutely massive and I would avoid unless you have a 24" or your front end is miles too low.

The mechanic at your LBS is wrong. He's thinking of the external BBs that come on most road and MTBs now, which are very different to the Echo one. Any 68x128mm ISIS BB will work, including the Trialtech. It is a well designed BB with a good bearing design, but the axle won't be quite as thick as the Echo one. If you can get the Echo BB fixed it will be reliable and is the cheap option. The only advice I can give to take out the bearing is to be patient and try not to damage the cup the bearing sits into. If you heat up the outer cup that can help. Aluminium expands quicker than steel when heated, so if you do it right then sometimes the bearing will pull out much easier. The last resort if it's really stuck would be to cut it out. Break up the bearing so the balls and inner race come out, then cut a line into the outer bearing race with a keyhole saw or a dremel tool. It should be easy to prise it out then.

No it won't, you need an internal or semi-integrated as Jake said. That link you posted is for an integrated headset, with a typically incorrect and shit listing from CRC. The link that Jake posted for the headset on Tarty is what you need.

What do you mean by 'sharper'? Most people say the plastic hosing gives a better feel and the lever return is quicker. Due to the bigger bore diameter compared to braided hosing. That was certainly the case for me anyway, plastic hosing felt better.

Yeah I had to do exactly the same to my Urban bashring. I ground out a patch about 3-4mm deep and an inch or 2 wide at the outer edge. I found the bashring would twist round when you tightened it on though. So I put a bolt through one of the bashring holes next to the crank to stop it twisting for the first few rides. After that it should be plenty tight enough, then you can just unscrew the bolt.

The only other option would be to replace the lever body so...

They are a very similar weight so I doubt there is much between them. The Trialtech does look like a nicer design to me so I think it would be a little stiffer, but probably not enough to notice. Neither will be as stiff as the Tensile or an old Echo Control booster, but then I am sure they will be stiff enough to improve the brake performance.

If its an Echo BB then it is almost certain to have cartridge bearings. They aren't always replaceable, post a photo up so we can see what model it is?

There is a good booster for sale in the thread here. The silver Echo Urban booster, very stiff and a bargain for £10. Plus Ben is a decent guy and a respected member of the forum so you can trust him.

128mm The Trialtech Lite BB only comes in one size which should fit just about any set up.

Hose splitters are more hassle then they are worth. A brake booster is definitely a good idea, it'll improve the brake performance as well. I'd go for Trialtech 4 bolt if you can afford it, if not try to pick up a second hand Heatsink booster as they work great.

Trialtech Sport Lite BB Trialtech cranks (or Tryall Expert if you want to save £10 and don't mind the extra 50grams weight)