Dammit’s adventures in mountain biking

I will of course now drop the chain on the next ride on the 295. Going down a kerb.

More likely going down a kerb

Nice photos. Still finding it difficult to see past those awful great loops of brake hose.

Hoses are your aerials. They pick up signals from the cosmos, and transmit them directly into the bike.

They both look great. Hose obvs needs a snip and maybe routing on the inside of the fork leg?

I will attend to the hoses, I will admit that I threw the brakes on late at night so I could ride the next day, and I've not touched them since.

I like that the hardtail has rack mounts

I know - only mentioned it because having the line on the outside of the leg can turn a snag from foliage into a repair job or an unexpected interface with the ground.

The gap between tyre and seat tube - or lack of it - is particularly pleasing on the hardtail.

a child might trip over those and die!!!

Whilst walking along my handlebars?

I'd be more concerned about them trying to climb those valve towers

Moving the 295 around for the photographs reminded me of how annoying the grips are (the ends just squirm, rather than grip).

I've not yet got round to trying to find out why they're so annoying, does anyone know whether Death Grips have a poor rep when used on a carbon bar?

I bought some Burgtec grips- if they don’t work on Burgtec bars then something is wrong.

Both extremely nice bikes. That hardtail has got me dreaming of my own build someday.

Tomorrow: testing my new Muc-Off pressure washer.

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I remember that you realise you need to wack the end with a mallet into the bar to secure it.

It’s a very stupid question but is it definitely 100% wacked in? Also do you think the hydraulic fluid from the shop mishandling (to put it mildly) may have degraded the rubber grip on the end?

On the Renthal alloy bars no whacking required, you just screw the grips onto the bars. I do suspect that contamination may be playing a part, unsure how to clean out the inside end of a grip however

On the Renthal alloy bars no whacking required, you just screw the grips onto the bars.

As in the grip went all the way into the bar without needing to wack it?

If you undo the bolt on the grip on the carbon bar, how easy is it to turn the grip? (Ideally noticeable resistance).

unsure how to clean out the inside end of a grip however

with lots and lots of isopropyl alcohol, then use carbon assembly paste on them. that solved my issue with odi grips and nukeproof carbon bars.

I buy this explanantion. Both look superbe. I obviously favor the steel one but... Damn

Showed them both the hose today, in a brief sunny interlude - both looked great with the mud gone.

Very happy with the pair of them, but of course I'm going to keep on fiddling with stuff, at the moment I'm having the carbon rims/DT Swiss 240 hubs that were on the Scalpel rebuilt (can't recall if I've mentioned this) with a boost rear hub, Rimpact, Minion SS and Magura centre-locks.

They can move back and forth with the SC Reserve/Minion DHR II's between bikes, is the idea anyway.

Is the Scalpel gone?

Richie is picking it up tomorrow to ride around his new country estate.