Dammit’s adventures in mountain biking

They really aren't bothered about selling MTBs in the UK because they've ridden the SuperSix / CAAD / Synapse gravy train for ten years. These bikes give them zero hassle. Which is what they UK arm want - they are, shall we say, 'relaxed'.

Things might change in the coming years now the road market is softening.

I didn’t get anyone’s names that day

The guy with a bike that had a lefty that wasn't me

They have one large here: https://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b65s154p8761/CANNONDALE-SCALPEL-SE-2-29-2018/RS_GB/35294?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI06iyvdDQ2wIVB0PTCh3rRgaJEAQYASABEgLhPvD_BwE

Big discount and it's a real shop. Shame its in Norfolk, but that would probably only add about 1% to the inconvenience of a warranty claim.

Paul's is basically the emporium of tempting shiz

We bought the Giant Trance from them.

At the risk of channelling Scoble, I'm going to suggest getting the bike that fits you best. It's all good saying "mtb fit doesn't matter like on road bikes" when you're just chucking it about in the woods for a couple of hours, but if you want to ride things like the SDW in a day, then your body will soon disagree.

tldr - have you considered a bikefit?

#mtbfitmatters

Who actually does mtb bike fits? Serious Q, not doubting they exist.

Pauls has some great bargains. I bought this from them.

Then soon realised that I might very easily kill myself on it.

Offhand, I have no idea. There are some guidelines for an XC fit, taken from a road bike fit though.

With that head angle I'm not surprised. LULz.

Saddle position the same as road and go from there I guess

Rad

I wanted one of these way back when

Yeah, and getting the bar reach somewhere in the area between the bar tops & hoods, depending on the width of the bar.

If anything you have less scope to mess about with stem length to correct fit on mtbs, as you can more noticeably screw up the handling.

Oh no, it wasn't scary to ride. It just went so much faster over the rough stuff than i was used to, that the inevitable crash would have been that much more painful.

If i can keep my recent escapade into MTB'ing going I'm pretty sure i will be going from HT to FS when funds allow. Not because riding HT has helped me learned all the basics and now i'm ready to take it to new "extremes" but because i'm shit and the amount i ride will remain that way for a while and all i care about is having fun. That's not easy on a red at BPW when you don't know what you doing and you have no rear suspension.

There's the Shan GT, on a Porsche theme,

That is indeed a big discount, golly.

just buy that

It’s the sort of thing zero interest in purchases credit cards were made for

just buy that

And use the money saved on some carbon wheels, right?

you mean, hotel and uplift at Bike Park Wales

It’s the sort of thing zero interest in purchases credit cards were made for

Got to admit that's a tempting thought.

Ticks every box, even has a dropper. Get it done.

you mean, hotel and uplift at Bike Park Wales Whistler

20% off bar ends from the store when you buy it, too