Mark W

It will fit, it's the same as BMX chains. There's the "thick" Kool and the "thin"; the latter being for geared bikes, the former for singlespeed (e.g. BMX/trials/mtbs with spaced cassettes/mechs, etc.).

But what does the last bit prove? It's not just the hitting still objects that's the problem? When someone lands a drop flat, for example, the force goes into pushing the fork leg upwards, twisting it from the pivot point which would be the bottom of the steerer. This means the force is going to be effectively tearing the steerer away from the legs from the back to the front. Your plane of movement won't cover this. If you're doing a 360 spin off something, you're going to land and you'll have the force of the landing pushing the forks up as before, but with the shitload of additional forces putting a torsional strain on the steerer, too. Either way, how strong the forks are won't just be about the steerer, will it?

But the steerer is going to be moved by more than one plane of force?

Was just checking this thread out again, hence weird bump... Anyway, I've got some Rob Warners in my toolbox you can have if you cover the cost of postage? I f**king hate them, they're only good for throwing at people... but yeah, if you want 'em, let me know. ... and does anyone know what Atomlab Trailpimp pedals are like? They're on sale for £50 at CRC, and I've gotta say I'm tempted...

Yes, but how can you work out what the force is anyway? Even for something as simple as a nosehop, you've got the fork legs being splayed outwards by the brake mount if a rim brake is used, the fork legs being bent by the force of the weight on them, if a disc is being used there'll be additional force there - there's just too much going on for them to be calculated even half-way accurately, or at least accurately enough to test them. However, a rider can test them perfectly well. Plus you can just get so many random forces being applied unexpected ways and so on. Edit: Not to mention there'll be different forces on the legs if the brake isn't set up correctly (or perfectly symmetrically), the wheel build isn't right, etc.

That's what I was trying to point out; the fact that there needs to be a long period of testing, as opposed to just a few months.

Or ride the YMSA ones and just pay the entry fee and ride, without having to get other licenses, etc. For YMSA trials info, go to Chit-Chat and check out the thread there, and www.ymsa-biketrials.co.uk or www.ymsa-biketrial.co.uk...

...for at least 6 months?

Probably 'cos too many people only ride street out of necessity? If people can't drive/whatever or don't have natural near them, they're rail-roaded into doing street, basically. I love doing natural, but there's nothing *that* good within a 45mile-ish radius, so I'm stuck riding street most nights of the week.

I'm guessing wall -> arm, judging from body position? Or a chuffing big sidehop :) Good shit, really nice. Kinda prefered the old site layout, but each to their own (Y) Get Phil to properly open SelectBikes.com, dammit, the world deserves a Tunni/CLS/Phil video :P

I bet Benito Ros would be well pissed at being called an "upstart" :P I'd probably say any of the Koxx world team, basically. We haven't seen enough of the other riders to know though, really. I mean there was that mod vid of that unknown Spanish guy just pedalling to backwheel up a 6ft wall like it was nothing. What was the last Kenny Belaey/Marc Caisso, etc. vid you saw? It's just too hard to say. Hermance and CLS generally inspire me, and Tim Pratt certainly did after TM1.

Only downloads 8Mb, and plays until 0:52 for me too...

You still coming down and gonna let me make you wet this Saturday then? Bleedy bleedy :D Plus, with trials, it seems like a really cool community atmosphere. I know not everyone gets along, but you can roll up to group rides and everyone's the same, if you get me. Everyone's there to have fun, but in their own sorta way.

And the other people, to be fair. In football, etc., you've immediately got a sort of divide of "Who do you support?" but with trials we're all just ridin', really...

Same here. When I faceplanted and removed my nose from my face, at the hospital, all the nurses were going "Tut tut, should've worn a helmet." At the time, I was well doped up on pethodone so I couldn't give a shit, but now I look back... *grumble grumble*

'cos other people are unreliable, but I know where I'm at and what I'm doing. I can go "Hey Mark, let's go ride", whereas if I was a footballer I'd have to round up other people and so on. I guess you could play on your own, but...well...it's not really football, is it? It's all about what I'm doing, and it's about me progressing in a way I'm happy with, hence the title that BMX, skating, trials, etc. all fall under these days - NCPO (Non-Competitive Progression Orientated) sports. Obviously there are comps in each of them, but when you're out riding street/natural and just playing about it's not going up in a league table... It's just a challenge, and it just fit me. Wasn't there a topic called "Why Trials?" ages ago on here that got huge? Not having a go or anything, the topic name just rang a bell. Mark.

I know Onza do test forks 'cos I used to test the mod forks (snapped a set of SmartGuys which is why they now do the weird top bolt biz), and I'm pretty sure some companies do do it.

Nah, I didn't think you meant that (Y)

Are those some bitchin' stress marks around the spoke holes in the 2nd pic down, or just well shiny rims? I'm digging the colour scheme either way (Y)

Supercycles own the trading rights to sell R.B. Designs Products, which is why there was the ruck before. It's the Ergo F1 lever or something like that; it's on their web-page. www.heatsinkpads.com sell 10-packs of upgrade seals to put in your R.B. when your standard ones die.

Mark Westlake, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, Wales.

Cool :D It's a tough call with the Xen 'cos my Bell helmet (yeah, ha ha funny (Y)) is in the size range which covers the "big" end of the Giro M and the "small" end of the Giro L sized lid. Bugger! Mark.

Loosey goosey (Y) It's fair enough though I guess, it IS some damn fine riding...

http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk have Xens for £70 and the 2004 Giro Semi-MX in gloss black. Tempted to get a Semi/Xen, but don't have anywhere to try them on. Does anyone know if you can mail order helmets and send them back if they don't fit, without having to pay a %age of the cost? Mark. EDIT: Link actually works now (Y)

It's from the awesome "Little Book Of Bunny Suicides." Really, really funny book :D Our Philosophy teacher cracked out his copy of it that he'd be given and we wasted the whole lesson reading it...