And today I did......

[kaiser]

I agree on the looks department, not pretty but they do offer so much. They've been on the go a while and I haven't heard of a single failure. Much trawling through forums finding out the gen on them. The undecal'd ones are £299 at the mo and don't look as bad as the decal'd ones, still no pretty mind! I reckon I could build a as new sub 25lb do it all bike for under a grand. Or go for the Bfe which is heavier but better residuals and kudos. Or just be happy with what I've got

 

[Rumble]

I'm realising i'm a fickle kind of bike snob: i'd have a planet x road bike no problem but I can't bring myself to consider owning an on-one mtb. I don't think i'm a brand snob but for no good reason I just don't like them. Doesn't make any sense but there you go.

Not having a go by the way, I don't think they're crap or anything, just being illogical.

 

[The Ken]

Thanks for the comments, much appreciated.

miniKen has improved further overnight and is off oxygen - if he gets through the day and night without O2 he can come home tomorrow he will still be off school next week though so I am still only a maybe for next sunday.

Only just seen all this TK, hope he is doing well, did he get home ok today then ?

We didn't get out, hopeful for tomorrow though.

 

[big.eck]

hope all is well tk poor wee guy

 

[big.eck]

another new dh frame > http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... highlight=

why me :facepalm:

 

[RobMac]

Don't you ever preach at me pal

 

[big.eck]

Don't you ever preach at me pal

but it's my right to preach to you dad

 

[Dr S]

I don't think I'd ever own a carbon mountain bike to be honest. It's the suddent failure thing that frightens me. We've all seen Formula one cars explode in an impact. The weight gain over steel just isn't worth the worry for me (and is negated by the time a bike is covered in ten pounds of yarkshire mud anyway).
Saw a pic last night of a Cotic Soul that hit a tree at high speed. The front wheel was touching the bottom bracket and the top and down tubes were S shaped, yet there were no cracks or failures and the bike could still be ridden (although handling would be bad).

Talking of Souls- false alarm on the cracks around the head tube. Stripped the paint off and found nothing. Did a dye test to be sure, but all clear. It did have a thick powder coat on it and for sure there is some flexing going on in that area, so no surprise there were paint cracks. It's good R&D- I'm going to put really big fillets on my own frames from now on to spread the stresses across a larger area.

So the Soul has gone for fresh powder and today I'm bending up some externally butted T45 tubing to make a new fork. 450mm A to C, fillet brazed with some campag dropouts I've had kicking around. It won't be super light but should ride nice enough but be super strong for a good few years of Cotic fun.

Btw Kaiser, Cotic are selling Bfe's cheap at the moment- £300 including postage. Fantastic frames. Gil is still raving about his almost a year after buying.

 

[jimihendrix]

Good news on the Cotic Si , also have the same view on carbon although i've found myself drooling over carbon Alan frames, would'nt trust one though, same with Klein, lovely things but some must be like a time bomb under that thick shiny paint.

I managed to get the Bravado together thismorning , yet to see how it rides though due to the shitty weather and i'm working tomorrow :roll:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... 02#1384502

 

[velomaniac]

I would never buy a used carbon mtb, I do have a Giant Cadex frame that needs repaired and frankly complete tube replacement is the only way I'd ride it as repairs worry me. Also I would worry about buying a no name chinese carbon frame but the On-one is proper over done and consequently if I had spare cash I'd go for it. Great though the Cotic is why buy another niche steel frame, why not try a new material. F1 that Si mentions is about new tech, it'd be ruddy boring if we were still watching steel built F1 cars.

Anyway, today I visited Big Eck in glorious Broxburn and nearly died as a dozy bar steward did a slow but completely oblivious U turn right in front of my scoot. Arse puckering moment as I locked up my brakes and did a fish tail slide to standstill with my horn blazing :evil: Anyhoo I have now seen Big Ecks MacKlunker bike, Jeezus H Christ its fecking enormous. The Chopper bike is easily as big as a Harley 1200 Sportster minus the engine and its got only one coaster brake :shock:

I left him my bridgestone so he could get the seriously stuck seatpost out plus I took away yet another bike, an old Dawes racer to use as a 'beater' for taking into the Easter Rd area of Edinburgh to visit my girlfriend. Hopefully thieves wont be interested. Had a look at his racer, its seriously light and could be a rival to ZZ's Captain America.

Now home in the warm, thank god almighty, its baltic oot there !!!!!