The MTB thread

Originally Posted by northwind

Dunno mate, never used Saint. XTR's stiff and light and seems strong enough, folk use it for DH racing after all. The fitting's a total faff though, you need special tools and a massive allen key, not ideal. You'd have to be mad or minted to buy one new but you can get the arms for around £75 used and then fire on cheaper rings.

same as the saint then, you need that bloody external BB tool and then a massive star key for the left hand crank

to be honest i doubt there's much difference apart from style and branding

[northwind]

New Saint looks like it's a 2-bolt same as XT, SLX etc? This is different, it's a sort of self-extracting bolt but you have to screw an outer thingmy in then back off the main crank bolt with a long-ended 10mm allen key. Pain in the nuts.

Difference is in weight and purpose really, XTR is a lightweight XC crank that just happens to be strong and stiff as hell, but still way lighter than Saint. But then Saint is supposed to be stronger and stiffer still. Never heard of anyone breaking an XTR M970 though so still strong enough.

Picking up my new xc/trail bike tomorrow! Can't wait to get back into the none motorised variety of biking again. Can anybody recommend some good rides in the westmids? I hear cannock is supposed to be pretty decent.

[northwind]

There's a place down near you that's got some good riding in, can't remember the name... Ah yeah, that's it- Wales!

Aye Wales is brill, infact it was a recent trip to Coed y Brenin that has inspired me to start again, despite an epic over the bars moment. But looking for somewhere closer to home for a quick punt this weekend.

Originally Posted by northwind

New Saint looks like it's a 2-bolt same as XT, SLX etc? This is different, it's a sort of self-extracting bolt but you have to screw an outer thingmy in then back off the main crank bolt with a long-ended 10mm allen key. Pain in the nuts.

Difference is in weight and purpose really, XTR is a lightweight XC crank that just happens to be strong and stiff as hell, but still way lighter than Saint. But then Saint is supposed to be stronger and stiffer still. Never heard of anyone breaking an XTR M970 though so still strong enough.

the saint i have has solid axle attached to one side then the other slides over the splines on the end of the axle, then you screw on and do up the big star thing that screws in to the end of the axle then you do up two pinch bolts that clamp round the axle like yoke bolts round the fork legs

the xtr system sounds strange, and yeh even with my fat arce on the saints they dont flex at all

That vid of endurance is mad. Dunno how they can go for that long tbh!

My Stuff is all SRAM, so Truvative Ruktion 1.0 crank, Truvative HowitzerXR 73mm BB, X7 rear mech as said, X4 shifter, E.thirteen LS-1 chain guide.

Truvative stuff seems to be very good, SRAM seems to do a good job it seems!

[Drew Carey]

Originally Posted by christian1000

Picking up my new xc/trail bike tomorrow! Can't wait to get back into the none motorised variety of biking again. Can anybody recommend some good rides in the westmids? I hear cannock is supposed to be pretty decent.

Hi Christian, as well as Cannock which I've not done yet you also have Llandegla near Wrexham. But other than that, there isn't much round our nexk of the woods.

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Drew Carey

But other than that, there isn't much round our nexk of the woods.

Buy an OS map and start looking for bridleways / BOATs / UCRs / RUPPs etc? Some of the best rides are away from man made trails.

Originally Posted by christian1000

Picking up my new xc/trail bike tomorrow! Can't wait to get back into the none motorised variety of biking again. Can anybody recommend some good rides in the westmids? I hear cannock is supposed to be pretty decent.

Not ridden them so you'll have to ask around to get some real views on them, but I can give you some names in my list of the area and you can research them.

Cannock is the one that springs to mind. Try asking about Wyre Forest in Worcestershire. Clent Hills is nearby, have no idea how good or bad that place is either. lol