.....and it's a new sweet roll bag from Eric@revelate with a PD 400 inside it. All up 994g and hopefully it won't hit my front tyre like my old bag used to

images here :http://www.flickr.com/photos/84407126@N ... hotostream
Still haven't figured out how to insert pictures, help anyone ?

How did you do that FFS ??????

Pair of Rock Shox Reba 29 RLT's with maxle lite and handlebar lockout. Sweet. 8-)

if you don't mind me asking Ian how much did they set you back?

my Manitou 'Minute 29er' forks aren't quite cutting the mustard.

Ian wrote:Pair of Rock Shox Reba 29 RLT's with maxle lite and handlebar lockout. Sweet. 8-)

You gone soft Ian?

flatfishy wrote:You gone soft Ian?

I was finding that staying hard for long sessions, 8-9 hours or so, things were really beginning to ache

@ gairy - 400 notes was the best I could find with 30% off. Not bad reduction for a 2012 model I thought.

zigrat wrote:How did you do that FFS ??????

flickrshare by ianbarrington, on Flickr

Merlin is and always has been the place for Rockshox. Click on what you're after as you get an extra 10% off.
Rockshox Reba RLT 29er 2012 - £354.99. Black or white with 15mm axle and poploc.

Cheers for that :evil:

If you do it through Quidco I think there's also a 4% cashback on top .

That's not helping either

Where were you two day before yesterday while I was thinking of buying some forks?

I now have the dilemma of whether to send them back and save some money with the ones from Merlin or just fit them tonight and go for a big ride tomorrow :?

Fit and forget - life's too short 8-)

(hey, it's not my money we#'re talking about )

Nitto, Stronglight and half link chains and a pair of 32kg kettlebells which made the courier ask if I minded getting my parcel off the van :D

Just got my Ortlieb Back Roller Classic panniers and Ultimate 5 handlebar bag for some road touring! Had a pair of the panniers before but shredded one of them in a fall but they were great until then so another set was ordered.

Lots of things today. :D

Lighter pole for the lair curtasey of John at bearpaw wilderness designs, ti pegs from alpkit, Van Nicholes ti seatpost which was ordered as I also got my tiger this week (thanks Beth) and it won't work with my USE sus post :( I have lost a kilo of the bike though by ditching post and rack though!

Bike shop also got my 29" hope hoops in today which I have been to pick up if that counts as well?

Van nic posts are really nice - used to have one and stupidly sold it - almost as comfy as carbon tho probably
longer lasting !! How you getting on with the XTR shifters ?

Hi zigrat, yea a bit warry about carbon on a bikepacking bike ever since I saw someone snap a carbon post. I also tend to think that hanging a seatpack off it is then exposing it to a whole load of forces it wasnt designed for. Tried a mates ti post before I took the plunge and it deffinatly smoothed things out compared to my alloy one, which I found too harsh for long rides.

Not really had chance to use xtr shifters in anger yet. But went on a treat and I am loving the action off them.

I've used a Van Nic Ti seatpost on my audax road bike for about 5 years. It does help smooth out the buzz (mostly used with a Ti-railed Brooks though, so maybe not the whole story).

My only slight niggle is with the clamp design. I've managed to rotate the saddle nose-down a couple of times when caught out by larger bumps/potholes. The design means you can't tighten the bolts enough to stop this. I'd expect it to be more prevalent in offroad use.

Now you tell me

I am not too worried though, mates had his on a Soda for 3 years with no problems at all, and the clamp cant be any worse than the alien one on the USE post it replaces - Although I have probably now jinxed myself!

Nothing special, just some cheap Shimano shoes with soft rubber soles for a forthcoming bike-bivi raid on the continent 'cos I can't be slipperty-sliding & clicketty-clacking around in bleedin' Sidi Dominators everytime I'm off the bike.

£23.99 from the CRC sale

I couldn't resist these two. Montane Fireball @£71.99 from Webtogs, and a Montane Litespeed windproof jacket @ £26! from Field & Trek. I got the Fireball in small for an "athletic fit", and the Litespeed in medium to go over a couple of other layers if necessary. Both fit & feel great. Fireball is 247g, Litespeed is 166g (without stuff sacks).

Gone a little mad over the past few weeks... Fargo forks with matching anything cages, TN Laser Comp, new DMR flats and some new Jones bars.
trying to resist going 29 both ends, but I fear it may be a losing battle!! anyone fancy a singular Hummingbird frame?

Ohhhh I love my Montane Fireball Smock. Kept me cosy on this year's WRT.