Ali C

Rowan Johns: Smooth as silk riding, can ride brakeless better than anyone I have seen and is the king of lines.

I couldn't even tell it had a tensioner until Drew mentioned it Amazing bike, I do like the premiers!

a bike with a seat! Looking good! Nice riding, nice locations and nice music,no complaints from me (apart from the peakless helmet;) )

also from Hebden Bridge, the street is OK, but its the local natural that really makes this area good!

I went to singapore in 2006

I don't drink, smoke or do drugs but I don't see that as being straight edge, in fact I had never heard of being straight edge until a couple of years ago, seems a bit strange to make it into a big thing when its really nothing special at all.

I don't know for 100% (never tried it) but the XS26 isn't lacking in tyre clearance so I think it will be fine.

I liked my XS26, it was the cannibal I didn't like

invited to comps?? Anyway. The french are pretty dedicated, but you have to remember that the top guys don't have full time jobs like most people in the UK, its FACT that the more time you spend riding the bike the better you will get. The top guys ride and train EVERYDAY for hours with personal trainers and coaches so they are bound to get good. The overflow of that is that the younger people who ride with them or attend the same comps learn off the best and pick up techniques faster. The UK scene is very much street riding and people can't be bothered to attend comps, I bet the guys in France have no problem of traveling 100s of miles to comps (I drove for six hours to get to Fort William and other people did twice that!). On the flip side the UK scene is pretty mellow and fun rather than the seriousness of other countries.

I was going to recommend the XT ones anyway, I prefer them to Avid as they are thinner which means its easier to set the brakes up.

not worth it, the main advantage of ceramic bearings is low rolling resistance (really helps in road/xc racing), you would never notice the difference on a trials bike.

People seriously think that's bad? I would go on about how well its made, but you do really need to see one in the flesh

best things ever tied to my feet for cycling in!

Wish I got a van when I was on the team They do look pimp though!

Slingers made a few vids

the test was a sloping scaffold block with a plastic board. the bikes brakes both were locked, just the one with keda tyres couldn't get grip and maxxis could. I had a kenda on when riding some rocks in blackburn, on one slope it slipped and put me on my ass ....not a fan

nice one jack! I hope you get one great with the bike and the team! BUT, I have to disagree about the Kenda out gripping a Maxxis! I saw a great test with two bikes and two riders hopping up a slope. the bike with keda tyres couldn't grip with either riders and neither of them made it to the top however both riders managed it first time on the bike with Maxxis tyres on! PLUS I have a deformed thumb because of a slipping kenda tyre!

paypal problems, should be sorted soon hopefully, I hope the bike is still all good and fun for you?

no pics, but it was a 96 GT Avalanche xc bike, 18" frame, rigid forks (as standard), cantilever brakes,1.9" tyres, 22" bars and 130mm stem. I did a years worth of comps on that bike and came 3rd overall, thats with no modifications (EG, still had triple chainrings and a seat)

I did a fair bit of weights over the winter and for the 6 weeks I was in a cast because of my ankle. since then I have also done a lot of XC (which when riding up steep hills, works the upper body loads!). My goal when I started was to be able to do one armed pull-ups (not the cheating holding the other arm method either!). I am now happy to say that I can do one arm pull-ups with each arm , Next goal is to do multiple pull-ups

we got in some 2.1 high rollers at tartybikes the other day. they are super tacky compound and weigh roughly 650g. Maxxis don't normally make these in the ST compound, so they are quite rare...I don't think they are up on the site yet, but they will be soon

booking my ticket soon!

yeah, thanks to everyone involved in the running of the event and putting up with my late entry. The sections were on the easy side which meant any mistakes were punished. That proved true with my first section where I got a five! Although in my defence I have got man flue and wanted to just go to bed the whole day (sorry if I wasn't very sociable). Well done to Joe Oakley for the Elite 26" win. now off to bed again (had to get up to watch top gear)

I recognize that bike

there are travel programs for travel related things though? Kidding, I get what you mean.