Strengths: Gareth and the guides know the area really well and are very friendly. The chalets are run perfectly with 5* food and unlimited wine!
Morzine is an area for everyone, you can spend all day downhilling or all day doing all grades of XC.
Weaknesses: I haven't found any
Overall: I've been to Morzine 3 years in a row now with Endlessride. It's a great holiday for all people no matter what grade of rider you are. Yes you can get cheaper holidays in the area but they won't be as good.
Strengths: The adjustable travel does make a difference, in the 4.5 setting you have a bike that will handle the rough trails with ease, in the 3.5 setting you have a nice tight race full suss.
Excellent mud clearance and high BB height.
Just a great bike
Weaknesses: The high BB can make you feel perched above the trail more than some bikes do. Small offset for the clearance.
Overall: Will eat up trails and keep going all day. I love this bike.
I bought the frame and had it built up with mostly XT grade components and put a Fox Forx Vanilla 125 on the front. Cost £2600 not £3600 as is listed here.
Strengths: They come with a lace and velcro closure that gives you some flexibility to use the laces or not. The velco flap and straps also cover the laces so they wont get caught on anything while riding. I find them really comfortable and are the first pair of cycling shoes that are actually the same size of non-cycling shoe that I normally take. I didn't have to go up a size to get a comfortable width in the shoe. They even do womens sizes.
They supply toe spikes with the shoe though they are only plastic ones with a metal tip, but you can easily upgrade at a later time if needed from any sports store that sells football shoes.
They have a good hard rubber sole with plenty of room around the cleat area so they don't impede clipping in but the tread is also high enough that you aren't waking around on the cleats either. Saves wear on my floor and cleats.
The sole has good smooth surface grip, good dirt traction, and good open tread for mud expulsion. There is even a rubber coating over the toe area so they'll stay dry when you step into puddles.
Weaknesses: The biggest draw back for them IMHO is that they are a vinyl upper not leather which I think should be used on shoes costing £65. The toe studs supplied supplied were only plastic with metal tips.
Overall: I do really like these shoes and recommend them, they could only improve by being leather. You can get them cheaper than £65.
Strengths: Good text and clear diagrams. Price was about right for it though I probably could have got it cheaper if I shopped around.
Gave me the confidence that I could take gear cables off without it stuffing up the indexing etc. It has an excellent coverage of basic bicycle maintenance.
It started me on the road to self maintenance which is where I wanted to go.
Weaknesses: Suspension and disk brakes aren't covered as well as the rest because these things are changing quickly and there are so many different brands.
Overall: A good book for a sound grounding in general maintenance. Will enable you to move beyond what it can offer you and you have to start somewhere.
Strengths: Hard wearing body that can take knocks, easy enough to unmount from the handle bars, good clear readout. Covers the general functions wanted on computer. Solid buttons to swap between functions that are easily used even with thick gloves on.
Weaknesses: Wire is starting to look a little fragile around the hadle bar mount but is still working.
Overall: A solid reasonably priced computer that does exactly what it says on the tin.
Strengths: Light and responsive. 1st bike (after Halfords ton of steel) so I am pretty impressed with it. I also think it looks good (but yellow isn't every ones bag). No problems with gears or brakes. Lasted really well so far. Similar components to other bikes at same price but with a better (IMO) quality frame. Leaves alot of good room to upgrade the bike when you need to.
Weaknesses: Yellow paint does show up the chips as do the black handle bars. I changed the stem (shorter) and the seat (body geometry ladies saddle) immediately. I have also recently gone for a higher and wider handle bar and some time atac alium pedals. But these are much more a personal fitting preference than a weakness in the bike. Had a small amount of chain suck and bent a front ring in the first week. Seat post slips a little.
Overall: I like it. It feels like a light responsive ride and goes whereever I point it.
Good value for money with components that won't wear out too quick.
Strengths: Flexible tube stops excess strain on the valve when pumping and is much less fiddly. Fold down foot pad really allows you to get the air in there fast.
Weaknesses: A little bigger than mini pumps.
Overall: Really inflates your tyres fast and easy. The added size means it's stronger and has a better air capacity IMHO far outweighing the size and weight gains. Fits easily in my HAWG.
