Sponge

Zhi bikes is not another one of Deng's little companies, it's Yao Zhi's one and only company seeing as he broke away from Zoo!. Also he has borrowed a lot from the YZ Python for his Zhi ZM1 mod frame, seeing as his promodel was the 05 Python short, I don't see any wrong in taking one's own frame and tweaking it a little to suit his exact demands... Could even call the ZM1 frame a 2006 short Python maybe, it looks nice, and copying is a part of trials now, everyone does it, especially Onza in the past what with their T-Pro, T-Rex, T-Mag, T-Lite, Hog rims... all borrowed or copied designs. One thing I do hate is when loads of companies like Onza, Viz, and Zhi off the top of my head, put KMC Kool chains on their sites as if they were theirs. Such as Supercycle's 'Onza Kool Chain'...... Not having a dig at Onza or anything, but its a bit odd. Plus, deanie-b, Yao Zhi left Zoo! because Deng probably wasn't the nicest boss? Just look at the way Deng lays out his Echo/Zoo/GU/Czar/Adamant sites, a lot of the descriptions are bit arrogant and kinda super biased to make his products look good, he's probably as manipulative in real life so Yao Zhi probably couldn't stand being around an arsehole? Not having a go at you deanie, but you've got a lot of facts wrong, Deng and Yao Zhi are not Japanese, they are from China.

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To be honest, helmet wearing, doesn't give such a cold head really.. Not for me at least, I'm using a Giro Semi MX, which has reasonable ventilation, it keeps my head at a happy temperature during cold rides I think, and gives me brain overheating during sunny days

Surely, there must be some headset press that can deal with internal headsets? It's worth asking Onza themselves via Supercycles I guess...

I have used a lot of different helmets, I gotta say that pisspots seem to be the strongest, seeing as they cover more of your head than most XC style helmets, they have a hard plastic outer, unlike the thin shopping-bag outer of most helmets. So pisspots are probably the cheapest and strongest and most protective helmet out there. Things like the Giro E2 and Havoc are sorta light weight XC specific stuff that isn't gonna protect you as well as stuff like pisspots, Semi MXs and Xens. Pisspots have poor ventilation and can weigh a bit, I got a Semi MX recently, and I am very satisfied with it, seems to be a cheaper version of a Xen, similar looks, and offers reasonable ventilation. If you can afford it, get a Xen, if not seriously try for a Semi MX while they last! Otherwise, if you don't mind poor ventilation and are a bit vicious when riding, then get a potty like TSG... all the 24" riders use potties, so they can't be too bad for what, £30 or less :P

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I love my Python, but thats 'cos I'm used to it I guess... Probably Ian/Oggy's Vinco is the nicest bike I've ridden minus my own bike.. Oh and this new toy of mine is pretty nice, even though its not quite a bike :) http://img209.imageshack.us/my.php?image=unicycle11kh.jpg http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=unicycle28mg.jpg http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=unicycle32ds.jpg Ah, my first day on it and rides like a dream already. :S

Will be coming with my unicyclist friend. Weather's set to be pretty decent after the morning.

I still wonder, because when a friend came over to my house to smash in a starnut into my get-around BMX's forks, the tool he used screwed the starnut onto it, and would smack it with a mallet into the steerer tube, however, he did it so the flat bottom part just above the starnut screwed on, would sit and be stopped by the flat head of the steerer tube, making a perfect starnut fit. Maybe I'm getting confused with other ways of getting starnuts in or something... How would you get a perfect starnut fit with a sloping steerer tube? Thanks for the help to all who've replied so far, bit gay that I can't get a 21 tooth :P, well, I'll have to make do with 1.57 gearing :P

Well, it does come with a sloping steerer tube. I think perhaps cutting it down might do. Now all I need is a 21 tooth chainring :turned: If one exists....

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I suspect that some parts of the bike will be very vulnerable to corrosion, seeing as BMXs are like 90% steel components. I really don't see whats the point, aren't BMXs for strength? I see people on the streets pulling off countless 360 bunnyhops to nosepick etc. etc. and people on the dirt and vert doing pretty impressive stuff.... The drilled BB shell is just taking it a bit far, I bet there'll be some serious corrosion issues there in the BB system, if this frame is used for dirt riding especially. Looks gash and probably will break sooner than an Onza T-Comp frame when used for BMXing. <_<

I can't say to be fair, as I haven't really ridden the Zip enough to appreciate it. If you're the kind of unsmooth average rider closing in on bar-height hops, then I think a Zip is far wiser, I'm already way too careful on my Python, the bashplate is so much more forgiving and better for riders who are learning and improving. I'd probably have mashed the shit out of my BB shell and lower end of downtube of my Python if I weren't trying to be smoother than average riders my level, so I sort of regret not having a bashplate. :) ........ Still perfectly happy with my bike though <_<

Now I'm not sure where I want to go, Woking or London :S . Seeing everyone's going to Woking, but London is better, I think I may got to Woking arghh.. Better not be caught by security again in Woking though :blink:

blah blah blah blah, I'm coming. (Y) Now that I have a decent front brake (Y) Hope to see you all there, and don't laugh at how rusty I've gotten (Y)

Get Spec 1 T-Rex, much stronger frame, only one I personally know to have cracked which is the ferret's. The parts on Spec 1 arent too bad, just upgrade rear hub/wheel to a Hope build at least, apart from that it's a pretty solid bike that'll need very *slow* upgrading, seeing as the cranks are pretty good, forks are decently strong, bar and stem good... Yeah its the rear hub and brake pads you'll want to change.

Well, seeing how cheap 05 Pythons are on Selectbikes, then take Zip out of the equation, real Pythons are U6, have a more dent resistant downtube 'cos the Zips appear to have a downtube identical to the T-Mag 05's, 1600g and 1800g approx for YZ and CLS, whilst Zona Zips are around 2100g but then again they have bashplate mounts... Also the CNC'd Zoo headtube is probably more flare resistant and there's less chance you need to face and ream that headtube, unlike the Zip headtube which looks like a normal piece of tubing bit like a BB shell perhaps. Anyway, with Selectbike's prices, Python is an obvious winner, but personally, I think the Yao Zhi Python is great for doing stuff like backwheel ups and rockwalks, stuff like that. It's also supposed to be better for bunnyhopping, but that's arguable. CLS Python is definitely better for static gaps, and feel better for riding natty on, from my experiences. Backwheel balance, in terms of backhopping on the spot, feels nicer to keep control on the CLS 'cos of longer stays. Yao Zhi is pretty nice for control still anyway, but I find stuff like long Echo Teams, to be stupidly twitchy with a long front and short back end... feels like a pogo stick ;) Depends what you like doing, I suppose, if you're a pure trials rider, then go for a CLS, but if you want to do different stuff like spins or manuals, then probs a Yao Zhi, there's not much in it between them, it's all personal preference. Rumour has it that Selectbikes have only one more Yao Zhi in stock, so if you're thinking of one, then hurry up with the typing out of credit card details to Selectbikes (Y) . :shifty:

Awesome vid, even though I saw most of it on your phone Steve, whilst filming in Kingston.. Still an awesome vid, dunno why, but it's just great to see more of Kingston being ridden. I think next time, we will have to get some other people to try the phone boxes (Y) Dammit, 24 hours till I get to go home for 6 hours (Y). Love boarding school, (Y) . Can't wait for the next winter vid to come out. Cheers for the ride in Kingston, Steve and Tim.

If you're fairly inexperienced, bit like me maybe, I'd go for the bashplate Team option, its just better for practice, and plus bashring on a mod means you gotta be careful if you don't want a mangled BB shell and downtube. I'm already a bit extra careful, which isn't too good. If you're the average sorta rider I hear about, twatting bashguards and chainstays loads and not too caring an owner, then a Python is near suicide option, because if I were less caring about my frame, my BB shell would be totally destroyed. Bashplate will save your frame from alot of crap. It's your choice, either one's great.

If this is all the truth then, I think this is making sense. If it is 'eastcoast customs' on this forum, then it's right I think, as he is quite dodgy, you can tell by the way he keeps bumping up For Sale topics every 30 seconds and making a lot of stupid trade deals.

I agree with JT, your dad was stupid to steal the bike off that kid, if you're really fussed, before couldn't you have gone with your parents and had a *serious* chat with that kid's parents? Or were they the chavvy cockney type that earn £10 grand a year who let their kids steal things? Anyway, you are actually in the wrong for having this kid's Pitbull, if you bring in the police now, you're going to be f**ked too. Let's see how you dig your way out of this giant of a hole

Oh yeah, I used to have a problem with chain tugs, the rear wheel always moved to one side after a bit of riding. Was royally gay. Then I got a Python, snail cams, and I never had to suffer from this anymore. Is this an 04 Python with chain tugs you're using? If so, get Viz snail cams or any smooth snail cams similar, not toothed snail cams. Otherwise it may be worth re-perfecting the rear wheel. (Y)

My rear brake is hardly ever adjusted on my Python, I guess its really your wheelbuild that's bad, Python's have tons of CNC'ing everywhere, so I highly doubt a chainstay or seatstay would bend like that. And, by centering the rear wheel on the frame, you aim for the *perfect* fit between the seatstays, so jam your fingers in and try to get the rear wheel perfectly straight with the frame, NOT a booster for example. If that's not gonna work, then I'd consider a re-build, get new spokes, get it built very well, totally true and all, then it should work. It's more a case of your rear wheel being the problem than the Python frame.

As you have a CNC'd plate as an inbuilt booster for your T-Mag, like my Python and Teams do, it should be ok without a booster, but personally I think the stiffer the better, you aren't going to need that stiff a booster as if you using a frame like a T-Bird for example. I'd say Onza Carbon booster, RB booster, or a normal 4 bolt Echo booster (original Adamant booster). The Control booster apparantly rubs against enormously large rear mod tyres if there's a tight spacing due to chainstay lengths and chain lengths etc... So any booster really, Heatsink look great too. Just don't buy Try-All boosters as they're pretty damn pricey for what they are, cheese boosters that can't adjust its spacing.

From my personal experience of riding other people's stock bikes, I almost always dislike Michelin 2.35 tyres on the rear, I've always loved Maxxis Minion and Swampthings on the rear as 26x2.5 sizing in Super tacky, Slow reezaay is possibly too soft and'll wear down too fast, so if you're into purist trials, none of that 24" and BMX type stuff, then a fat Maxxis super tacky tyre is probably best (and they are supposed to offer great anti-snakebite properties due to their dual ply casing).