Matthew62

I take it you've never ridden brakeless then? Boring is certainly not a word I'd use to describe it, in fact quite the opposite. It can turn a typical mundane spot in to something all together very different.

Put a pic up of the Fourplay that's in Scotland so we can determine which model it is.

I've insisted. I might mention it again to them but 24" really is dead in the MTB world. It seems all street riders and DJers are on 26" and most of the MTB world is moving away from 26". It's a real shame as I couldn't go back to a 26" trials bike but there is so little interest in 24 I wonder if it'll soon exist outside of street trials? I can't ever give in to holey rims.

Apparently there is really, really limited old stock left of 24" stiffys. From what I gather Daves rims were gained by contacting spank directly where someone then had to search the warehouse for an old set and happened upon some. Also Adam when sourcing the rims happened to come across one of the very helpful guys. As soon as I heard there was stiffys still available I was surprise and tried to get a set myself....need to chase that up.

Bloody beautiful. Some brilliant lines in that made even better by the sunny clips. I'm not quite sure how you manage some of the stuff you do but your video did highlight the fundamental differences between trials riders and BMXers. A BMXer does a great line everyone looses their shit, goes mad, pulls rider of bike and proceeds to hug rider in to submission. A trials rider does an awesome line.....trials riders in background barely muster a raised eyebrow.

Cummon, that's a bit of the ol' bullshit. I had my 36 Talas serviced a few months ago after having had them for 2 or 3 years. There were no marks or issues, I just got some new seals fitted as it felt about time but there was nothing wrong with the forks. Having Fox forks over a year old isn't a guarantee they're in trouble. However having said that I don't see them as the out and out amazing forks they're always considered to be in terms of performance. I've recently tried a lot of Rockshox forks and really like the way they perform, hence why I've currently got a set of Pike's on order. Can't help with the forks as I've always relied on people who know what they're doing to take my forks apart and service them. Talas forks can be a bit tricky due to the Talas assembly which is quite intricate and can be a bit prone to issues. I'm not sure how this affects the removing and refitting of seals but it's just something to be aware of, apparently the internals are quite fragile.

Whoever recorded the guitar and bass backing track should be shot - just awful.

I just couldn't not give a shit. I guess it goes with what I do, I wouldn't be very good at my job if the ways things look and interact with one another was unimportant to me. I sort of appreciate your sentiment whilst at the same time thinking it's just a lazy excuse. If you can get some good 2nd hand furniture then you should snap it up - that shit's costly. Also the bulding things..... it really depends. If you're thinking breeze block shelves then go ahead, but if you want something good it's not exactly childs play. Saying that I've wanted to build a specific coffee table with an idea that I ripped off for a while that I might try over the summer. Also I don't spend much time in my flat at all (sort of depressing considering the cost of it) but for the few hours a week I'm there I want it to feel good at like a 'home' as opposed to halls. I don't think it's intrinsically linked to being a grown up. I've owned a couch since I was 17 but I don't feel like an adult, I've just needed a van on the odd occasion. My hobbies definitely take priority which is why I don't own half the furniture I'd love to. One day when my body breaks i'll probably spend silly amounts on chairs but for now I've just had to be careful with choices and getting things at good prices. I've also been lucky in that my girlfriend used to have to source furniture for art/design/window installations in a previous job so she'd often acquire parts to them give them a home once the job was over so whilst we've got a flat full of awesome furniture that does match (in a style sense as opposed to a specific set) we've not paid for much of it. I just think it's wise to acquire good stuff as when the opportunity arises. It's more of a necessity with not being able to justify 8K on the sort of arm chair I'd want just now.

I couldn't live like that. I could never just move in somewhere and make do with whatever furniture was there. Also rented flats always seem to have the shitest, mismatched nasty furniture ever so it always looks like student accommodation. Also style is so subjective so I don't get how you could just go "that's a couch, that'll do". You've got to live in the place at least make it look and feel how you want. My girlfriend and I have always had to rent unfurnished properties for those reasons. We've acquired a load of furniture over the years, some really good designer stuff, other stuff not so good but it's good to build a collection of your own stuff. It means whenever you move the place will always feel like home. However when it is time to move..... I wish I could go along with your stance of things but it's just too compromised. In terms of buying furniture it certainly is difficult. You seem to have to pick between either cheap or something of good style. Ikea is okay for certain bits if you choose wisely and don't rely on it for your one stop shop. It's always a bit depressing going in to someones house and it's entirely kitted out with Ikea furniture so much that it looks like one of those little show rooms. Look at independent 'designer furniture' type places as often at the end of a year/season they'll take big discounts off furniture as it's about to be replaced with next years style and you can on occasion get some bargains. Have a look and see if there are any furniture markets in your area as well - get along early and swoop some steals. (if you're in to that sort of thing). If you don't care how it looks then you've got tonnes of options....

Haven't watched the whole thing yet (so will comment when I have) but I instantly saw the Death Spray Custom forks..... I saw that bike when MR. DSC himself finished the forks. I love his work. If you haven't already checked it out.....do! http://www.deathspraycustom.com

I had an old set of Drop Off 4's years ago that suffered from really bad top out. They are basically an SR Suntour fork, and they're terrible in all honestly but the issue will probably be to do with a to-fast rebound. As these are budget forks they are only internally adjustable. You need to slow the (or add) rebound by turning an 8mm screw in the bottom of one of the fork legs (can't remember which). If you happen to have a massive 8mm allen key go ahead, but the tool is ideally what you need. Specs: http://www.marzocchi.com/template/detailProdotti.asp?idC=1689&IdFolder=113&idMY=28182&IdOggetto=28049# Bit more info: http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-301659.html It's called the Marzocchi Tee-Key. Might be tricky to find one now.

Well that doesn't add up too well. The little synopsis at the end that says what sort of person you are was completely off and didn't describe me at all. I tried something out and put in all my details the same but just earning a little more each between me and my girlfriend and amazingly for just a small pay rise each our class group shot up. So here's hoping this time next year I might be a higher class! Fantastic test.

How on earth do you rest your case by quoting my statement?

Haha. Goggles.... you know they're to keep mud out of their eyes so they can actually see. You know because they're going fast and mud gets in your eye so you can't really stop all the time. If trials riders moved more than 1mph i'm sure they'd use goggles or glasses. I'd say it's par for the course wearing a full face helmet when racing DH and armour if you want it. It's a good idea, but at the same time they're not the ones complaining about getting hurt on the tracks, it's the trials riders who are. If they weren't so bizarrely obsessed with weight then i'm sure a trials rider could wear a full facer or protection if they so wished. I mean if they're worried about courses and their safety, why aren't they taking the necessary precautions? I mean these guys actively choose to use no visors and wear skin tight lycra so I guess I know the answer to my own question. Maybe that is the core issue..... you say you can't see a DHers skin? Why do you want to? Personally I wish those trials boys would atleast throw on a bloody pair of shorts, who wants to look at someone crouched over all day in skin tight-leave-nothing-to-the-imagination-lycra slip around in a muddy field all day? Watching a trials round is like stumbling in to a weird fetish club.

You misunderstand.... i'm not saying all trials riders are wimps. I was just trying to outline my dismay that a rider would back-out due to not-that-bad conditions because they might slip. In the professional cycling world I can't think of a single other discipline that might do such a thing. Hell TDF riders get worse injuries than trials riders. I used DH to illustrate it at it's most ridiculous extreme point (and because someone posted that video). Also it was a reaction to the slightly prissy way in which Gilles objected, again something I can't really imagine riders of other disciplines doing (but that could be wrong). I hope that was clear, I don't have anything against trials as such I just think at the very top level there is going to be (and should be) a decent level of risk and danger just like all the other cycling based disciplines.

I love David's riding. The riding in that video is even better than his previous stuff, it goes without saying the front hops across the rails we're mad, as was the initial drop. The manual line to bench hop was lovely and he seems to just be having a really good time when out riding. At 1min in I thought he'd got a new dog. Bar spins are dialled as well. Would love to see a slightly better production with his riding.

*coughs* Looking for ways around what? I'm not defending my opinion, I trust that. I'm arguing with you and the nonsense you've written. I'm not looking ways around it, i'm tackling you directly. Who says you were talking to me about Downhill? I do. That's not self-obsessed but I mentioned DH at length and said comparatively Gilles was acting like a pussy, so who else we're you talking to? Look at the quote at the top, who are you calling an idiot if not me? Again to correct you, i'm not being awkward, nor is it much effort so don't fret that i'm going out of my way. When I said dislike him....from the media he's put out he seems relatively unlikeable (in both a character and rider sense) in a way that many riders do. If it was someone I liked who'd done it then maybe i'd be more understanding but the sort of riders I like probably wouldn't write a self-obsessed letter stating just how good they were to defend their slightly timid attempt at making a point. I know you said he should of acted differently, i'm not arguing that with you, only the way in which you've replied. It's actually a case with you, not Gilles. I mentioned DH as it got brought up relatively early on with the Danny Hart vid which the poster put up to try and make a pretty clear comparison as to what other riders have to contend with, without complaint. (albeit in a different discipline). Now it's fairly clear we're both talking about elite levels when we've discussed trials and DH in this thread and you're right some of those obstacles in the trial are serious and you have to commit, there's no chicken run. Now which DHers bobble down world cup courses with their feet on the ground? You say it's as extreme as you want it to be.... when do you see them walk a course. How do you put your feet down on a rolling 12ft drop, or a 40ft double? What I tend to see time and time again is riders absolutely pinning it and launching themselves off crazy shit and some serious speeds through narrow trees and down steep tracks. Do you not think they are risking some fairly serious injury there? How many trials riders end up with broken collar bones, ribs, smash in to trees at 35mph and on occasion loose the use of their limbs and so on? I really don't want this to be a DHers dick is bigger than a trials riders but I don't like being accused of being narrow minded for you then to spout rubbish about another sport at it's elite level. Cuummmmooonn, CUMMMOOOOOONNNNN...Far more physical....... rite. I think they both are physical in very different ways and I would argue that injury is injury is injury. Don't believe the hype, you need to be fit to ride Dh at a competitive level and any sort of injury is going to f**k you up as much as a sore shoulder will prevent you from hopping around.

I'm not one to avoid the chance at pointing out a bit of irony, but you accessed me of being narrow minded, which caused you actual stupid pain. You've then gone on to accuse me of following BMX as opposed to trials, then followed up your statement with talking about comparing Downhill and Trials...... you know that's quite narrow minded don't you? Also, just so we're clear, you do realise DH and BMX are two different things? What gave you the impression I 'follow' BMX as opposed to trials (whatever that means)? If by following you mean 'watch videos and look at public forums' then I actually do follow trials, I actually said I know nothing (probably a little too strong) of comp trials, by which I meant the scene, what compression pants are currently in fashion and so on. What I did see though was lots of riders giving a tough round a go, and one rider who I already held a low impression of having a bit of a moan because he couldn't win on it. Whether or not he is correct to whinge/moan/complain is actually the least important element, what I did object to was the way in which he did it. If it was a protest and he had a genuine moral objection to the potential risk of him getting hurt by falling off a log then why not doing it in the correct manner? Make an official complaint, do not ride the section/trial and back up your feelings with some genuine intent. But it seemed a lot more like 'f**k I can't win this, i'm off home boys, this is stupid'. I do find that a bit meek and think there was a much better approach available to him. You accuse me of being narrow minded so by all means educate me rather than making assumptions on what I follow. It seems simple...trial was shit and too difficult because of the mud. No warm up and early start made for riders not at their best with risk of being hurt. Everyone feels UCI let them down and haven't managed it properly. Everyone got on and rode and made the most of it. Gilles tried, failed and went home. What did I miss? I think your last sentence is unfair. I genuinely believe that DHers are infinitely braver riders and in a comparative sense do make comp trials riders looks like pussies, I really do. I know they do some incredible stuff and balance on some precarious old stuff but even if you are 3 meters up on a bike that's easy to bail off, moving a 1mph, I just don't find that nearly as treacherous as what your average DHer will be doing, and yet they don't complain if a track is slippery or dangerous.....that's the whole point. (P.S. as it's something that's probably important to you...I don't 'follow' DH). Look at that Danny Hart video, did you see those conditions? Can you see just how ridiculously fast he was going off those massive jumps? You've got to be pretty skilled and brave to attack that full tilt. I just don't see how a sidehop up a slippery rock compares and I'm sorry that causes you confusion. I don't care that there is a difference, but I will think that if you opt out through fear of injury on such stuff and that there has to be a huge emphasis on rider safety then it's a bit contradictory to then try and portray it as an extreme sport. I think it's debatable it can be described as that anyway, but with talk of crash mats and specially coated surfaces then it's already making a fairly comical sport even more ridiculous. What other 'extreme sport' has crash mats and wants to remove all risk of potential hurt to the athlete? I don't think that view makes me an idiot, it is just my opinion.

Oh you're one of those, I should have guessed.

You're absent mindedness to avoid painful spelling mistakes is.....nah too easy.

But they still rode didn't they? Maybe it was a shit round...so what? There's bad rounds in every season of every discipline. If No.1 Winner Gilles was so, so unhappy with the course why didn't he just flat our refuse as has been suggested. Protest properly, as opposed to a slightly embarrassing gesture of whinging. Orrrrrrr, as a crazy alternative - just maybe get on with it. Not every round is going to be the same in lovely sunny dry conditions where his monumental levels of training and talent guarantee his win? Also you conveniently skipped past your butcher-brain surgeon comparison.

Gilles sounds like a cock. The response from him is pathetic. It stinks of "I can't win, and I should because I'm the best, therefore I won't even try'. Surely the conditions would effect everyone equally so everyone would be at the same disadvantage.... rain happens, you should really be able to deal with it. Not all riders shared his opinion clearly and had a go, so what makes him an exception? I know nothing of comp trials but from the drearily shite videos (sorry, still animations) he puts out with his grunting and awful looking style and monumental levels of ego I find it very difficult to have any sympathy for him. Also..... cummon you've got to know what you've written there is a load of shit? How does a downhiller put their foot down over a 40ft double going down a ridiculously steep descent? Trials is infinitely safer in every aspect than DH so they've really got nothing to complain about. DH races take place on some of the most shit-scary tracks I've ever seen, in every condition imaginable with people ripping at mental speeds so I think the lycra boys hopping at 1mph from log to log should really get some perspective.

ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhh, close but no cigar. Also you hate Stu if I remember rightly?

Not Ashton's, not Duncan's. It is the nicest Skye (for now) that's for sure. Must of taken them a while to get the Orange off.

Seems he was busy keeping Hannah Barnes up last night so I guess your stickers might have slipped back a bit.