Ali C

cheers for the help. Knowing me though, I want all this nice stuff, but when it comes to the crunch I can never make myself split with my money too many options, which is really the BEST way to spend my (soon to be) money?

sorry, not a fan of konas (I dont know why, I just dont like them) but ta all the same.

bit too xc based and I can get a lot better specced bikes for the same cash on ebay or shop sales. When lee mill quarry is done I want a bike to do the dh lines and drops there but also some of the trails too, the quarry is going to be awesome for riding with ladder bridges, wallrides, jumps etc. Maybe I should just get a hardtail for cheapish and spend the rest on a motobike (always wanted one)

sound advice. I am REALLY tempted by a Giant, they get awesome reviews and the one I have seen is a great spec too. I wouldnt be doing too much hardcore xc, just a doddle about (though the hills round here are dam steep!) I was also tempted by a specialized enduro (last years) or an sx. I went on a xc ride with a borrowed enduro and managed the ride fine (22 miles, steep hills!) and thats got nearly 7" of rear wheel travel. My other idea was to buy the marin and try to sell it on for more, but if you say they are uncool, then that might bugger that idea up ok, new idea...scrap the dh bike and get a moto trials bike?

I like the looks

My house is over 200 years old with the origional windows! Beat that! Although double glazing would be nice, shame its a listed building

I am 5, 11. when you say your feet wont touch the ground do you mean its got a high bb? or frame size is measured differently meaning they come up bigger?

Back in september I won a trackstanding competition at the uci world cup in fort william (1 of 4 winners) and my prize was a limited edition painted Kona four delux worth £1375!! I got the bike a few days ago and its pretty cool although its not really the bike for me. Its XC based with 4" front and rear and pretty light. I would quite like a more DH style bike but not a full blown racing machine as I would like to do some uphills. I have seen this Marin Quake 7.3 on ebay. I emailed the seller and he said he used it for a month then broke his back on his hardtail. He doesnt think he'll be up for riding downhill again so is selling the bike. It looks is great condition and has been upgraded with a ti spring, hope motos etc, so it cost around £3500 in total. if I sold my kona for £1000 that means its only going to cost me £500. Should I do it? Marins get great reviews and the bearings are garenteed for life. The only thing thats putting me off is that maybe its a little toooo DH specific? Although I would love to enter a couple of local dh races and maybe some trips to the alps. Its either that Marin or a Giant Reign x o brand new for £1400 (last years model, in a sale) Tough choice!

I enjoyed my head doctor when I had fattys, never came loose.

bit'o snow here, only on the hills though. took me an hour to get warm in bed last night, thats with two blankets too

wont come close to fitting

I can gap my inspired just as far as my 26", the inspired is actually pretty good for trialsy stuff, I can tap, sidehop and gap just fine and thats with a more bmxy setup too.

looked like an awesome ride! wish I could have gone Mint photos too and Dan is my hero

Try doing them in vids instead of the rocking ones in the vid, much nicer to look at

worst frame I have ridden!

ok, nice to see new riders. Wasn't that great a video to be honest, but I'll try and be helpful rather than nasty. The eiditing didnt quite go with the music, shorter clips and more of them would have suited that tune, also different camera angles always help (rather than just a static cam) and I am never a fan of night riding vids as you cant see much. I am not a great editor, but its like riding, the more you practise the better you get, I look forward to seeing your others. as for the riding....to be honest, I dont think that frame is doing you any favours. As you have just started, you will still be developing your balance, with a frame with such a high bb your center of balance is a lot higher than normal which makes balance sketchy unless you have it dialled....your trackstands look like they need a bit of work yet, a lower bb frame would help with that (I think EVERY rider should start on a old mtb or low bb frame, it helps with overall riding no end!!) Also with the high bb, the bike is doing a lot of work for you while back hopping, if you ride that bike, you will be slowing your overall bike handling learning. from the very first shot your body (well arms to be exact) didnt look quite right, your elbows looked too far out as if your bars are tilted forward too much, maybe experiment with some bar positions.....I always reccomend the bar to be tilted thurther back for a beginner as it gives a more natural mtb position which is easier to learn with. I will say that after 8 months I wasnt as good as you, but I was on an 18" xc bike! I like to think that bike taught me more in 18 months than 2 years riding a high bb bike would.

nope, not one bit. BUT! if the weather is BAD then I'll either go on my bmx at the indoor skatepark or stay at hope and do some weights (plan is to do weights after riding anyway)

here's my topic I made (a very long read!) my topic To sum up, there's a proposal to turn a few quarrys in lancashire into a mtb mecca (like theres places built in scotland and wales) the project is called the adrenalin gateway. I was asked to help with the trials side of things, my goal is to turn lee mill quarry into the best mad made trials park in Europe, theres already tons of natural there, but I am going to get all the rocks moved around and import different rocks (limestone, granit, millstone grit) as well as man made stuff (concrete stuff like pipes and blocks, rails etc). Hopfully it will be finnished at the ned of march. I live 15 mins away, I would always be up for a ride there!

yeah, dave cleaver told me not to use a brace as his ankles a bit f**ked too. Two more days and I can take my cast off:D

lee mill quarry up near Rochdale/Burnley (when its finnished) hopfully the biggest trials park in Europe! (and the world?)

power wise rim brakes are fine on the front, its just that I hate how they feel, a disk has much more modulation and makes you ride smooth. A rim rear brake (be it vee or maggie) is pretty much what all stock riders run (bar Tarty!) as they are more direct feeling than a disk (in my opinion, spoke flex makes a rear disk feel a bit naff) and people can hit and bend disks.

the first spec I did was the lightest I could think of (without going for a front rim brake because they are just....crap) An eno frewheel isn't "as good" as a king, but for trials its maybe better, its a lot cheaper too and easier to repair/replace parts. I dont rate front king hubs at all, not as light as the viz hub and I have seen axles and flanges snap (nice bearings though!) I do think the hope sl brake is possibly one of the best disks out though, but like adam said, a 160 isn't really powerful enough for the rear.

I am bored....so... ...if your after light, this would be my choice: fork: atomz H/set: Hope internal Stem: TMS welded 130x30 Bar: Viz Flat F Hub: Viz disk F rim: Try-all R Hub: Viz Fixed R Rim: Try-all Cranks: Try-all BB: Echo alloy Pedals: echo magnezium Chain: KMC Kool k810 Bash: Atomz F Cog: Eno freewheel R Cog: BT Threaded F Brake: Hope Tarty SL R Brake: Magura 20th anniversery F Tyre: Try-all R Tyre: Maxxis High roller 2.5 Tubes: Welter weight Grips: Rockman fats Tensioner: 74 kingz Then I would get Ti bolts for the stem and hubs, alloy bolts on the brake clamps and crank bolts, get some rock pad blues and enjoy a light bike. If I wanted a more practial weight bike then I would have the following: fork: atomz H/set: Hope internal Stem: Symtra Resystem Bar: Monty riser F Hub: Viz disk F rim: Atomz R Hub: Hope Pro 2 R Rim: Echo Cranks: Middleburn pro BB: Echo alloy Pedals: Echo magnezium Chain: KMC Kool k710 Bash: Middleburn F Cog: Middleburn R Cog: surly F Brake: Hope Tarty SL R Brake: avid Vee F Tyre: Maxxis sligle ply R Tyre: Maxxis High roller 2.5 Tubes: Welter weight Grips: Rockman fats Tensioner: rohloff all personal preference though

miiiiiiight go

more foot fetish Torn ligament cast was bmx rather than trials that inflicted this mortal wound though