'A BEAUTIFUL, RELAXING LOCATION WITH GREAT NATURAL TERRAIN'
Strengths: Loads of uncrowded and varied "natural" trails and a little manmade DH stuff too. Loads of lift access/road shuttle options. Beautiful chalet in a great location. Guides who really know the area and can take you to the best riding. Great food, great bar down the road.
Weaknesses: Not ideal if you just want pure Portes-du-soleil DH-racecourse style stuff (though there is one race-style run from the lifts and will presumably be more next season).
Overall: The is was the first guided bike holiday I've been on so I'm comparing these guys to previous DIY trips to Luchon (French Pyrenees), Morzine/Les Gets/Chatel etc. and the riding around Vancouver and Vancouver Island... which is where I now live. To me the TrailAddiction riding has the best combination of the Luchon-style (natural singletrack) and Morzine-style (DH) trails and made for a great all-round trip. I took my DH bike which was a blast, but I could imagine having a great time there on my hardtail or any other bike too. It's a great location and a real alternative to Morzine etc. if you want something more relaxed and uncrowded with a huge variety of riding.
Weaknesses: Poor battery life as standard Poor beam pattern from 5W lamp
Overall: The 20W MR-11 bulb gives marvellous amounts of light, in a nice clean spot... just right for fastish singletrack. The 5W is also plenty bright enough for road or low speed stuff and is useful if pointed at the ground. The lamp cases switches, leads etc. are all neat, pretty waterproof and fit well.
I have modified my lights by fitting a 5Ah Cyclon SLA battery which makes 3+ hour rides using the 20W sparingly or 1+ rides with full burn possible. The stock battery is only 3Ah... which isn't great (but useful as a spare!. I've also modified the reflector on the 5W (using tinfoil...) to give an even flood beam pattern to light the patch in front of the front wheel, useful for low speed techy stuff, climbs and road.
This setup isn't going to compete with Lumicycles or the like... but it provides plent of light for off-road night rides and costs 120 quid less than Lumi's, which is nice.
Overall: Used the same pair of these for 4 years, on 3 bikes. I've had to get various stems to compensate for my changing ideas on handlebar height, but the bars soldier on through crashes, long rides and bad landings. If the shape suits you and you have the dollar to spend, go get 'em.
Strengths: Suits my ass... firm padding supports my posterior nicely Quite light (titanium rail version) Seems quite springy due to high rails Looks wierd with the embossed floral business
Weaknesses: Looks wierd with the embossed floral business Expensive at full price (60 quid)
Overall: Bought this jobbie in a sale... and am pretty chuffed with it. Comfy (for me), light and suits my warped sense of taste. Just think "1970's 3 piece suite". Super.
Overall: I've had this rear hub over a year now and am pretty dissapointed. I had to send it back to Wheelpro to have a shattered bearing collar replaced (thankfully, free of charge - cheers!). Since then I have had problems with the bearings siezing and the freehub has developed a massive amount of play. I have looked after this hub far better than my previous Shimano efforts and it has rewarded me by being a pain in the arse. Oh well.
Strengths: Reduced pinch flats. Can run safely at low(ish) pressures. Reasonable grip for a harder compound that wears slowly.
Weaknesses: Not as grippy as conti's etc. Fairly heavy. Pricey.
Overall: Light enough to use as a hard-XC (freeride?) tyre if you need the level of strength and pinch-flat protection this offers. It's 2.35 and 2.65 big brothers may be a better choice for all out DH.
Overall: Ok, so I've only had this a week. However I have been on 5, 2 hour+ rides in the Peaks in that time including technical climbs, steep rocky descents, fast loose descents, quarry chutes and drops, woody singletrack, rocky singletrack and the BMX track. I am riding faster and more smoothly and smiling more. Surely that says something? This things basically makes (nearly) all the (numerous) other bikes I've owned and borrowed seem like a bunch of arse. It's that simple.
At some stage my beastie will appear on Planet X's "Reader's Rides" section on their site. Probably best to look there for more info.
My "reliability" score doesn't meat much. Not had it long enough.
