Matt Burrows

Big thanks to all those who made it happen! I know a lot of time, hard work and money was put in from lots of people, so thanks to anyone who was involved. I was a bit gutted I couldn't come up til late on Saturday. By the time I got there most people were too tired to ride, and I only managed about 3 hrs on the course. I think the best riding was on Friday and Saturday from what I heard and a lot of riders had gone home by Sunday. That said the water gap comp was great fun and very funny! And I got to catch up with old friends and make some new ones which is always good. BTW I managed to leave my coat behind in the undercover bit where the BBQ was. Is there anyone I can contact to try and recover it? I've tried contacting Barlow, will try him again later. The jacket was an Endura Event jacket which is worth a lot to me, if anyone saw it or picked it up i would be very gratefull for its safe return.

Also I think everyone should wear real name/forum name badges. Don't know if this is just me but I always have trouble linking real names to internet names

If you're serious then I'd recommend getting a decent tensiometer. When you're trying to get the spoke tension close to its maximum safe limit then they become very usefull. Also they allow you to tension equally which again helps to raise the overall tension. In terms of how well the wheel will last the second and equally important point is stressing the wheel. Its hard to overstress most wheels. I stand on mine, working all the way around the rim and on both sides. If its a rear trials wheel it barely flexes at all when its tensioned, and I'm 85kg! I'll usually stress it 2 or 3 times in the final stanges of tensioning and truing, if you do this right the wheel will be much more durable.

Very excited about this! I've got stuff to do tomorrow though so can't come up until about 6pm . So nobody is allowed to have too much fun tonight or do any amazing riding until Sunday

The standard TT drilled is bloomin strong, easily the strongest rim I've ever used. I'm sure the undrilled and Echo rims are stronger but you'd have to be a pretty harsh rider before they become necessary. This is of course assuming the wheel is professionally built and is as strong as it could be...

That's hardly getting shirty? Merely questioning peoples response with some pretty genuine questions? to be honest dude it does sound like in this case your friend had a dodgy set of pads. If you have described what happened correctly then in my eyes there is no way they should melt like that from some gentle dragging. On the other hand, it is very easy to disintegrate pads but it usually takes a very steep descent and some hard braking!

Aspect ratio is fine? I think we are probably all a bit too used to shit fisheye filmed vids

I may be up for this

Truth... I replace my chain every 2-3 months before it shows any real wear, sprockets can last for years then

Could be a snapped axle, probably best to just send the wheel off to Hope and get them to have a look.

Yeah sounds like sprocket wear to me. The main downside to the small cogs we use now is that they wear out a lot quicker.

Yeah front tyres aren't as crucial, aslong as you run more than 15psi its quite hard to pinch one.

A lot of people get on with it fine, it depends on your style. Its less forgiving if you make a mistake, or you are a heavy/harsh rider. Other options worth considering are the new Michelin tyre (slightly heavier than RQ,possibly better puncture protection) or the Schwalbe Big Betty. Compared to a Queen its about the same weight with excellent bounce, grip isn't quite as good, but the sidewalls are a decent thickness and they are quite hard to puncture considering the weight.

The RQ gives such a good bounce because it is paper thin and has a very pliable sidewall (the carcass has a high TPI count made with fine threads and not a lot of rubber.) The downside is that it pinches easier than the heavier rear tyres available, and is less stable. Stability and grip are just as important to me on street as on natural. It really helps with rail lines, drop gaps, bollards and anything involving a sharp or thin edge. It basically makes the bike a lot more stable and confidence inspiring when doing knarly lines. Just depends whether you want to improve your jump or your technical skills.

You bought a lightweight frame and it broke, what did you expect? You = fail

If I had £40 to spend on a headset I'd look at one of these two. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25157 http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=2217 Both really good headsets, infact I think I'll be buying a Syncros for my XC bike. It's a steal for £25

Just registered now, looking forward to it

Carbon steerer? Bonded in place? No thanks!

I should be able to make it, coming down on my own so might have space for somebody as well

Agreed I do think this is a long overdue product for stocks. If you wanted a properly grippy tyre, the lightest option has always been a maxxis 42a and they have been around for 6 or more years! I think anything less grippy than a 42a is a serious disadvantage, way more so than the penalty of a few hundred grams. Even for street riding, the extra grip on rails and benches makes me a much more confident and capable rider. I've switched to using a big betty on the rear after years of using a maxxis hansventure, losing nearly 400 grams in the process. I've been riding for over 13 years, mainly concentrating on power moves, although these haven't improved much over the last 4-5 years. If anything is going to improve the bike I should notice, so has a lighter tyre made me a better rider? Well it certainly makes the bike feel easier to ride, the wheel definitely accelerates quicker and you get a faster response to your pedal kicks. The tyre is also much more springy, although this hasn't improved my sidehops one bit. My gaps do feel a little better, but i'm talking about adding an inch or so to 8 foot gaps so hardly anything dramatic. I think the only real advantage would be at the end of a long competition when you are really tired. But in terms of how far I can hop when fresh the difference is negligible. Just look at Damon Watson, the worlds biggest power moves on a fairly heavy bike by most riders standards. Especially his rear wheel and tyre, but it doesn't stop him. Practice, technique, and power win over bike set-up any day! Basically I think £59 is a rediculous amount of money for one tyre, when the benefits will be negligible for 95% of the forum

Slight contradictions there! Like everyone has already said numerous times, if it was bled perfectly then the slaves would move. For them to not move at all water would literally squirt out at a very rapid rate. It would be very easy to see and hear, and there would be no guess work needed! My advice would be to make sure that you understand how a part works and how to diagnose mechanical issues properly before you slate it on a public forum, otherwise people will not believe a word you say. The only thing that this proves is that bath bleeds are unreliable. Just because you can get it to work with maggies doesn't mean it is a good method!

A couple of videos on the future of cars. First one is about GMs work on hydrogen fuel cells. The second is about a new electric car concept which sounds like a simple solution to many issues http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/reinventing_the_car.html http://www.ted.com/talks/shai_agassi_on_electric_cars.html

You seem to be confused. Both pistons move on all Hope brakes, they are called mono because the caliper is made from one piece of aluminium, rather than 2 pieces bolted together.

About 50-80g in my experience

It could be a number of things: -Sticky piston due to dirt in the caliper/around the piston -Unevenly worn piston seals causing one piston to move freer then the other -Siezed piston due to wear/corrosion -Air behind the piston (the brake can still feel solid when this is the case so its hard to diagnose) It's probably worth taking the pads out and giving the caliper a good clean with a toothbrush and some gt85. Push the pistons back and see if you can get them both moving equally. If not it might be worth getting somebody else to look at it. Basically, if you don't have any experience with disc brakes its quite hard to diagnose the exact cause. It's also easy to get something wrong and do more harm than good. I'd advise sending it back to Hope, they will give it full service and replace all the seals for around £40. This is rediculously cheap for the amount of work involved and will basically return the brake to as new condition.