Matthew62

There's been a lot of delays as planes haven't been leaving that were going via East Midlands airport due to a plane loosing a wheel, that caused a setback as does about 10,000 orders a day. I've found with Parcel Force (as they're shit) that no sort of priority means anything and often a tracking number may well say a parcel has been advised when in actuality the goods are well on their way.

Well yeah there'll will be some movement. I'd have to be pretty skilled to swipe my bottle out at that moment

Nah, Bonaly, reet up't top. There's some good lines cut in but it's real slippery with loads of wet roots and it's quite steep. Worth a visit though. Doesn't interfere all at. I only quickly threw that nasty cage on to go up the hill, and i'll replace it with a plastic one which'll be easier to use. Landing a drop would only compress the shock, it wouldn't give me any more room.

Couple of pictures from last night on a little local loop after work.

Sorta 90's-dick-ska-punk

Really can't complain at that. All this Tele chat makes me want to get mine out but ever since getting my resonator guitar it's become the go-to. I've always been intrigued by maple neck Tele's…I've never thought of getting one even though my maple necked Strat is the nicest playing guitar I've got. You'll love the tweed case - I got an original one with my Duo-Sonic and they look great. Quite tempted by one of the tweed blues amps to match - got a great sound over the silver face's as well.

I don't think it will. I think it will all be a bit "yeah bro" at worst but if you look at Semenuk's Life Behind Bars series they're not poncey with loads of slow-mo's. It's the opposite end of the scale..sometimes I can't really relate to it as it's all a bit macho and 'rad', but I think that'll make for a better video than the Roam/Where The Trail Ends approach. Yeah that was nuts. I wasn't sure if it was intentional as it looked like he needed to pull up at the last moment (then hung up his rear wheel)..but if that's his save……jesus! The manual around the berm was sweet as well. Anyway you look at it those boys are absolutely flying.

WTB Vigilante tyres are brilliant. Come in TCS and Team Editions so they're tubeless as standard and the Team Issue is a bit beefier with a softer compound. If it's mostly DH then go for the Team Issues - available in all wheel sizes.

I bought the frame and had to get some forks to fit the bigger wheels in (sold my old Pikes for a new set) and then just put some 27.5" rims on so it's pretty much a frame swap. I had barely any interest in my bike as a complete but have managed to sell the frame and forks, so just need to shift the Spank rims now. Yeah that was one of the reason I wanted to change….it's genuinely one of their considerations when designing a bike. From the fully internal capable routing to lines of the frame shape they seem to care….granted how a bike performs is the most important thing, but it's nice to have a good looking bike also. I'm still not 100% sold on the frame colours/graphics but this is the only frame you can buy. I think as the rest of my build is black only it doesn't look too garish. I think that is the general consensus for bikes and wheel size now however I think DH will slowly shift. I can't see any benefits to a 650b trials bike.

Nah, the Mega was 26" and it's in the post today and on its way to a new owner. I'm not overly inclined to investigate the whole 29er thing. I've ridden a few and I get what they're for, but for me, up here it's not what I'm after. They feel quite serious and efficient, but not overly fun. There is a few long travel 29ers cropping up which are meant to be amazing but they still don't appeal to me. If you lived down south then a 29er probably does make most sense for XC type riding (i know you don't). The whole thing with 650b is that it's not even a case of it being a slight advantage and what not….it's just here. If you're buying a new trail/enduro bike then anything made in the last year is 650b. I felt at first like it was being forced up riders for the sake of stimulating the bike market and whilst a portion of that might be true it genuinely is better (however incrementally). There isn't a mammoth difference moving to 650 over 26" but it is noticeably quicker, once you're up to speed you feel like you're flying more and whilst it doesn't smooth the trail in the sense that previous braking bumps etc become unnoticeable, it just rolls better so on that horrible light, stony stuff it doesn't feel as jarring allowing you to hold a quicker line. I don't think manoeuvrability is compromised at all and there is a level of grip especially in corners that is really confidence inspiring. I hear lots of chat about it taking the fun out of riding….simply, that's bollocks. The chainstays are shorter on my Lapierre than my Nukeproof so it feels so much more flicky and nimble. In really tight, steep stuff it's really easy to pick the back wheel up and place it on the line you need. Also some steeper stuff is a touch easier as the slightly bigger wheel allows you to roll over more. The one drawback I've found so far is misjudging corners due to riding in to them at a faster pace than previously but I've only had 2 rides so imagine you need time to adjust. I'm sure there are huge variables in 650b bikes (as there are 26") so a shit bike will still be exactly that, but for me the change of bike has been an improvement in every way (however it is a fairly different bike anyway). I'm not suggesting 650b is less manoeuvrable than 26", but I've not heard many people saying it's more…how do you find that?

How's that then? Least I dunnae change me bikes every three months eh pal. Ain't nothing to suck wee 27.5" pal - it's the future.

Yeah, it's 27.5". The Spicy and Zesty AM are 27.5" and then there's a 29" version of the Zesty.

Good choice. I've got an American 3-tone sunburst one and it's a beauty. I've got to say I do prefer my strats but the Teles are lovely, no nonsense guitars. I really want one with a bigsby one day (sort of like Jack White is playing now).

Just back from my second ride on it at Innerleithen today on some of the DH runs and it's feeling much better today. The shocks feel like they've bedded in and I've made a few setup changes which have made it feel much better (changing sag, tyres pressures, seat height etc). It's an amazing bike, climbs so well, is nice and light but an absolute rocket on the way down. Much more of a bike then I do justice to. Spent the latter part of the afternoon taking her over some jumps, drops and north shore stuff and by the end of the day I was really feeling at home on the bike. I really like the bigger wheels, can't feel any drawbacks but they pick up pace noticeably quicker and I'm liking the slightly longer fork which makes it feel more confidence inspiring on the steep stuff. I definitely made the right move and after a bank holiday of continuous sunshine I'm loving it!

Freshly built as of yesterday.

I assume you're 13?

NO!

You said this: Turns out it was an old picture he had been sent when he was first "seeing" his current, now X girl friend Sounded like you were talking about the girl who dumped him this morning (i.e. was current, now recently ex) so I thought she'd found a pic of her own "insert name of choice" which would make it funny.

I would usually be inclined to agree, however one who's snap happy digits deep I'm assuming would have a slight inkling as to it's visual appearance

It was her own vagina? And she didn't recognise it?

They must think you're being nice then…come September pal, people won't be making this audacious mistake anymore!!! Viva la independence.

I never watched it when it was originally on but have seen clips in recent years (as my girlfriend used to like it when she was young) but as a form of entertainment I think it's a-ok. Macho Man was an artist in his delivery and had his character down. The Ultimate Warrior seemed crazy and I like that - most people on TV these days seem either excruciatingly common or very sane. I don't have any nostalgia for it, and to be fair it's the interviews I like (the Slickster being a personal favourite) and I guess in the 80's that was about as much fun as you could have watching TV. Bit of fun ent it. Like a real-life superhero. Imagine if Batman died….

What ball is that?

No, only the 4 or 5 downhill stages. There is an overall traveling time which includes the climbs and I think there is a certain overall time limit but in reality even the unfits should meet it if they don't have an extended lunch on the way round. A few of my friends rode the Scottish Round 2 last weekend and none of them can walk now so it might be equally taxing on the old body. Less impacts then trials though so at least it's a different sort of pain….

You're not timed on the way up so you could always accept the offer…..as long as you give it the beans on the way down.