Let's offroad / mountain bike / mtb / ride dirt

Swinley on Sunday.

^^Hope it's nothing too bad.

Off to peaslake today for some rainy fun. Might go to Leith Hill to see how the extended summer lightning is.

Anyone up for Peaslake tomorrow?

I'm heading down for about 12.30 1 ish. Not sure which hill to ride, will have to see how the legs feel!

So I'm new to this, hence my 'nursery' edition to a variety of cycling I don't really know. In an attempt to be honest, I'm writing this thread, as I'm looking to clear out a few bikes that have been sitting in my bike dungeon for some time. I'm from the MTB ilk, hence why I am in this post and not another. So, before I ran out of money time and space I used to spend a lot of time buying, riding and building PACE RC-200s:

http://s820.photobucket.com/user/imgbnk/media/Pace%20RC200%20f8%20-%202013/DSC_9108_zps79af4c91.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

This is the one I ride regularly in Dorking and have been building tweaking for about 8 years. It's now quivering on the 9kg mark and is approaching its 17th birthday. It is the stiffest most uncomfortable MTB I have ever ridden, but is also the most fun. A whippet up the hills, but a man-trap down them.

Be interested to know what you guys think.

Nice!

You could save another 30 grams by shortening your brake hoses!

Good spot...

I fitted them the day before the ride as I previously had the superlight pro versions which weren't giving me enough power...

Swinley based Bird Cycleworks have launched, set up and owned by some all round good eggs.

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/article/new-uk-mountain-bike-company-bird-cycleworks-takes-flight-41130/

Also would anyone be interested in a large 29er rolling frameset? Frame is cracked but i've been riding it for a while without problems, Wouldn't be after a huge amount for it. Frame, headset, forks, seatclamp, wheels, tubes and tyres.

Swinkey based Bird Cycleworks have launched, set up and owned by some all round good eggs.

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/article/new-uk-mountain-bike-company-bird-cycleworks-takes-flight-41130/

I'm 0.001pc owner of Bird, so everyone please get out and buy whichever one has the highest profit margin. Thanks.

650b specific, direct sales (hence good value), option to change spec at no cost.

Yeah, they're like Canyon/On One but for 650b mountain bikes.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/sarah-kaufmanns-trans-sylvania-epic-blog/what-fuels-you

Reported for upsetting Greenhell.

anyone that refers to food as 'fuel'.

most likely to be people on bicycles.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/sarah-kaufmanns-trans-sylvania-epic-blog/a-day-in-the-life-at-singletrack-summer-camp

Anyone fancy a quick blast around Epping or Swinley Sunday Morning? Will need to be back in town for LMNH & Giro, so thinking real early.

I see this has already been posted in the electro-wizardry thread, but

XTR Di2 shifting

Nope. I know nothing about Canyon or On One!

How much cheaper are they compared to going to Evans and buying a Specialized (or similar) 650b hardtail with similar specs and similar frame material?

Pass. I guess Specialized have enormous economies of scale behind them. But that's also the reason that it'd never feel special - to me - to own one.

On another note, does anyone want a Thomson carbon bar for the price of an alloy one? My new bike came with one and I feel uneasy about it. It's had maybe 100 miles of use and is in good condition. If anyone's interested they can come and look at it, check it out, then we can swap if it passes muster.

If not then I'll probably suck it up and live with it. It is very, very light after all.

Pass. I guess Specialized have enormous economies of scale behind them. But that's also the reason that it'd never feel special - to me - to own one.

Doesn't matter -'the bird has their own trail geo which I doubt any of the big brands match in an alu hardtail.

I'm thinking about pushing the button on this in a L or XL. Any thoughts?

Cannondale F29 Carbon 2 Mountain Bike 2013

Why is it cheaper than this?
Cannondale F29 Carbon 3 Mountain Bike 2013

All of my bikes together probably cost this much so I'm understandably apprehensive about dropping 2 grand on a push bike, plus i've never bought a brand new bike before. Plus the paint job is a bit shit.

Hey Cam, did you buy it?

I'm looking to get something, was intending on spending less, but that does look sexy!

(Any other recomendations greatly received)

I see this has already been posted in the electro-wizardry thread, but

XTR Di2 shifting

Are the same protocols used for Di2 on XTR and DA?

CX bike with DA brifters and XTR drivetrain would be nice. MAMiL-hybrid with XTR flatbar pods and DA drivetrain would be silly.

Are Alfine Di2 components compatible with either of them?

I have no idea why Shimano treats Alfine as the problem child; there is so much potential!

Can anyone point me in the direction of some reasonable off-road in the London area? It's a long time since I MTB'd, and I pretty much just rode around Epping Forest back in the day.

I want to do a decent shakedown of my cross-country bike, which is a hub-geared hard tail. Preferably something with a few reasonable climbs, so I can at least see if I've got a reasonable gearing setup.