Strengths: very stiff rim without being over heavy easy to build up into wheels nice colour schemes
Weaknesses: carry tyre levers out in the field cause tyres can be a pain in the arse to squeeze on and off if you end up with a puncture
Overall: if you are building these rims in yourself, do not overtighten the spokes. i have mine so the spokes are more flexy than any other wheelset i've used but it gives great side-to-side strength for big, heavy, sloppy landers!!
since i trash d521 silver and the nipple loosening problems with the halo combats were bugging me, this seemed the next step up for my hardtail. i think they will take all the punishment i'm capable of giving them and using discs the life of the rims should be vastly increased :)
'ODDS ON FAVOURITE FOR "BEST HARDTAIL IN THE WORLD"'
Strengths: Easton RAD tubing phenominal steering ability brilliant acceleration due to rider position 2 year unlimited warranty fits a front mech good cable guides excllent standover height comparitive lightness Really, really thick headtube ends amazing tyre clearance, just slightly larger than a marzocchi M arch
Weaknesses: the cost, from a beginners point of view
Overall: my build can be seen t http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/yorkthrash it was hard to re-learn how to do wheelie hops after coming off a 14.5" frame, my compo is a 20" version that for me at 6'3.5" has enugh danglies clearance for dirt jumping. the steep seattube and short top tube mean this bike fits my strange bodily sizes, but allows me to drop off the back of the saddle quite easily for dangerous descents and stair runs! i am going to be ptting 24" rims on this frame with 3.0" tyres as soon as i can afford it. i have donea lot of sloppy riding on this frame and it is so stif that wheni do something really badly i have actually felt the wheels flexing violently, whereas my last 'spit' saracen x-ess frame has actually twisted before!!
being a huge rider, this frame makes sense and if it wasn't for the 3pce cranks i run now, would be a fairly lightweight trails bike to be proud of, with the 3pce cranks it makes it strong as a tank and ultra-reliable.
Strengths: it's lasted years, the black paint on mine is half wornoff it's been used that much convenient size, can carry it round everywhere
Weaknesses: head falls off a lot whe focusing can't put my rechargeables in it (they're too fat???) the bulbs don't last long
Overall: i've not actually found a decent use for this torch apart from keeping it at the front of a drawer full of my crap and using it to search the back of the drawer where the light doesn't reach!!!
Strengths: look good on the rack in the shop if you scrape your nuckles regularly on the floor the protection is good
Weaknesses: the thumbs and palm of the glove dissolved very fast the fingers shortly afterwards. the colour washes out of the gloves in the washing machine after a couple of washes making them look several years old the palm padding is non-existent so i really didn't like the "feel" on my grips.
Strengths: cheap, fits strange size heads(mine!), i've got the S/M size one good visor comes in a mute silver colour with no bad stickers and the shape is fairly acceptable (your head doesn't look like a mushroom)
Weaknesses: my head is always sweaty, even after a two mile commute! the catches on the straps don't work properly and therefore the straps are constantly coming loose in a strike with the back of a white van the helmet didn't break, and i got a sore ring round my head where the helmet fitted. dropped it three foot to concrete the other day and the outer shattered at one point (the sme point that hit the white van!)
Overall: i got this from index when i was desperate for a helmet (after a car door opening incident!), but Index/Littlewoods have withdrawn the helmet this catalogue. it's done it's job but the slipping catches on the straps have been a pan in the backside so i will be hoping my next purchse, a Met Crackerjack won't suffer the same problems although the clips at the rear of the head band should get round it.
Overall: all right, so i had the fifteen speed version, but it's virtually the same and i've had a close look at the 24spd version and the "improvements" suck.
there are so many "real" alternatives out there and definitely not a full suss URT at this price, LOL
my fifteen speed "commuter" bike came with mangled (not buckled) wheels, the front chilliworks shocks were extremely effected by the clmateand rusted badly within three months, i have a drawer with three shock units for this bike, all with varyig problems, the rims ould not stay straight, the seatpost tried siezing in the frame, the frame rusted without the paint being chipped off(!!!), the gears were never working properly due to the slack rear mech, the front mech is probably the wrong one because it rubbed top and bottom at the same time, the chainrings bent first ride to work (2 miles) the frame shape is an absolute joke, there was no way to upgrade the rear spring for different rider weights as i couldn't source one anywhere for that non-rebound adjustable ejector-seat strength pogo machine. the hubs turned to crap in the first rainfall and the bearings turned to dried peas,the pedals welded themselves into the cranks, the bottom bracket kept working it's way out both sides and was rusting to death (don't forget - it only lasted three months!), the cranks actually twisted when standing up and pedalling and didn't return to shape, the pedals cracked open and the bearings were never tightproperly from day one, the steerer tube threads started "falling off", i threw the bike on the floor (in temper) and broke a gripshift, the grips were dire, the brake lvers rattled when you were riding, the rear axle snapped running up and down kerbs, the rear rim tore four tyres up in three months (big slashes in sidewalls) not that the steel was straight in the tyres (i have one on my wall of shame!)
basically, STAY AWAY FROM THIS BIKE, it probably breaks the law under product description!!
and he values below aren't adequate to describe this bike as there were no zeros to choose from.
Strengths: two different types of velcro fastenings to ensure they stay on. black (fairly mute) lightweight for the size and protection only cost £35 at CRC now! full axo/661 armour catalogue scanned in at my yahoo club yorkthrash!
Weaknesses: get quite hot even on a two mile commute in the middle of winter! in sliding crashes the tops of your feet get hurt corduroy outer not as tough as roach pads so they will start to fray/rip in time
Overall: i had to make an extension velcro elastic strap to make mine fit correctly across the knee, as one of the kneestraps dug into the back of my knee so i made this attatch slacker and put more stress on the other, better routed one. the large size is suitable for someone with a 34" inside leg traouser measurement. these pads are very long. if you have a large knee you do worry you could scrape the kneecap on crashes but due to the pads being so long, if the pads attempt to slide down your leg, they can't. they strike the top of your foot and stop there! which does cause some pain there, but obviously no breaks and your skin stays on (and you don't do modern art stuff with your blood.
Strengths: strong allen keys, handy tyre levers, very compact size for space saving
Weaknesses: i got mine second hand and the chain tool pin was bent! the allen keys aren't quite long enough for easy use the screwdriver (posi) doesn't fit mech screws properly the saw is bloody dangerous!
Overall: a very expensive tool, but is a lot better than the halfords multitool i use to have. if you have a lot of money to buy flash toys then this is a great, convenient spacesaver that gets you out of most jams.
Strengths: if built really, rally tight the rims are strong providing you don't run your tyres low pressure
Weaknesses: rims soft as cheese, rear diateh freehb most likely won't last the warranty. my freehub lasted four months then failed.
Overall: the rear freehub lets this wheelset down, by tightening the spokes really well you think you've got an alright wheelset, eliminating the problems with the soft rims moving on hard hits allowing the ipples to undo. but then the freehub goes and leaves you screaming abuse!
