Video: Matt Hunter's Afghanistan Bike Check

 Oh I don't know. Once I recovered from my epileptic seizure, I almost liked it.

 Haha thats a disaster!!

 Needed to stop the video half way because it was giving me a headache. WTF

 Sorry about that chaps, hadn't realised everyone is so sensitive. No, in seriousness I'll bear that in mind on my next edit, thanks for the feedback (the effect is actually called "projector" as its meant to give the feel of an old projector show). I thought it gave it a different feel, and added seperation from the actual bike-kit footage. Again apologies.

 I thought the edit was pretty good to be honest, reminded me of old army videos. I don't think you need to apologies dude! nice to see something different for a change

 wayyyy to many additive dissolve's

 The effect is okay for a shorter clip. It does come across as an old time projector like watching some historic sepia pre sound movie. But, I think the video is much more enjoyable to use less effects once you get to the meat of the content...

 You forgot Fox, silly you. Well apart from the fact that many geeks out there actually like to see this kind of stuff, to see what the pro guys are really riding on trips like this, their help does help make such trips happen for both the rider and all us hangers on that try to make a living shooting pics and making films of such out there expeditions. Without his sponsors Matt wouldn't be there, and then we'd not be there to shoot him and, you'd not get to read the story in Bikemag or see Anthill's incredible Forgotten Dirt episode from the trip and, well the western world would just simply fall apart.... Wouldn't it?

 Id be thanking them too if they gave me awesome free shit like that. Id be phoning them mid ride just to let them know how grateful I was (on the hands free of course so I didnt have to stop), then again when I finished and again when I got home and maybe just before bed. Best looking bike on the market no sweat.

 @DanMilner, well said, I personally found this super usefull specially since about to go on a trip in a month on my Enduro and I always wondered if he was on SX casing or Control casing for his rubber.

@ Zer0c00I44, Ya bet!

 It's not just free, he gets paid to ride the parts.

 Whens the next episode of the trail ninja Dan?

 Nice to be hassled for one! Am in warm southern Spain right now filming it and picking up scrapes, so look out for the next episode end of next week, :-)

 As much as we hate to interrupt the rioja Trail Ninja and United Kingdom of Dirt are very much looked forward to, sorry, please return to the rioja

 @DanMilner. Dude, your right. Bike geeks (which i guess is the majority of us here. lol) do like this stuff but putting a vid out there that is SO biased toward sponsors components and not an impartial 'Bike Check' on the best kit for the job is pure spesh, fox, shimano, cromag sales/marketing/propaganda and peeps don't like it.

 Well the guy cant very well criticize the stuff on his bike though can he. "And heres the shock I got on my bike from my sponsor fox but a Cane Creek double barrel would be better". Hed soon lose his sponsors wouldnt he. I can understand where every one is coming from but as hes sponsored by those brands he has to be an ambassador for them and big them up.

 Leecozens, this this video is not meant to be a "best kit for the job" vid, but merely a simple look at the rig that Matt Hunter chose to take from his large stable of bike options. Nothing more, nothing less. I will be putting out my own little take on our Afghan trip soon, complete with some pointers and recommendations towards kit that works on this kind of expedition. Watch this space :-)

 Don't get me wrong I love the vids from the World Cup/ enduro pits, all the cool little tips/tricks the mechanics get up to. Great to hear about guys riding in freezing temps using cork on the brake levers and cable discs so they don't freeze etc etc..... BUT that was literally "here's my Enduro it has Fox, Cromag and shimano bits, oh and an mrp chain device".
In all honesty I'd prefer to hear from the other non sponsored riders on the trip who had to actually choose what kit they rode and then gave a non-biased opinion on the results.

 Shakeyakey, you'll get it. Watch this space...

 Dan have you ridden much in Finale? fancy some tips on secret gems or bits not to miss.

 Yep I ride in Finale a lot. Was there this week (Mon-Wed) actually, but some extra pointers are never gonna be turned down!

 Yeah, funny.. out of the 6 riders on this trip, there was only one bike NOT a 26-er. And the 26-ers did just fine alongside the 29er. Just sayin'.

 Darn. With all the hype over larger diameter wheels, I was going to trade my 26er this year... guess I'd better just keep it.

 Gotta love clips, takes a while to get used to but once you do theyre awesome.

 im more of xc guy. started with flats but got into clipless pedals asap. and then when i got in DH, my riding buddies were all on flats. so i tried going for flats. i could never go over it. i was nervous on the techy sections and always shuffled my foot on the pedals. crazy. so i went for clipless and boy i felt at home. whew!

 Bro, I just bought my clipless pedals this last wednesday and i went thursday to practice in the city and i just went down one time and in the weekend i did not have any problems with it man i totally liked them, people told me that it takes a long time to get used to them and i was going to go down a lot of times and guess what it just took me one day to get used to it and one time i went down and in the mountain i never went down even once
The clips give you control and I do not have to worry about where my feet are. I was scared when i got them but i dont regret anything. clips all the way. Hope this helps

 Yeah it was just a jokey comment the flats v clipless thing, Jeez you guys really don't get irony do you?

 I had clipless all my time, but for more oriented Enduro riding in the gnarly place where I ride I prefer flats, I used to ride my DH bike with flats and felt more comfortable and secure with them, when I ride my bike in more trail or xc oriented places I switch to clipless, I love both but a specific use for each, cheers dude.

 Just the eager generosity of the biking community willing to share advice @gandalfsdad. GodBlessBikes&Bikers : D

 Yeah s'pose you're right.

 Or the fact that typing doesn't relay tone like talking does.

 Also true.

 You can see it direct on Epictv.com too...

 Cheers! Excellent service Mr Milner!

 Love my Enduro comp...after swapping the Fox junk for a Lyrik and CCDBA

 Lyric dh is an awesome fork but I am liking my pike

 everyone is on the rock shox hype at the moment love it!!

 Can't fault my 34's now I've got the pressures sorted

 I've heard the 34 can be a bit flexy on the longer travels though? What do you run?

 160mm 34's mate. I run them with 95psi

 www.youtube.com/watch?v=F79zHMOIbSw

 Where have you been?? This story was out months ago and a featured article in bike

 What you want to do is a save up a couple of grand and go on a trip with the company that took him there. Secret Compass is the name of the company, and they do some totally freaking awesome expeditions. They have a pretty cool MTB expedition through Ethiopia in October this year. My goal is to be working for them in 5 years.

secretcompass.com/expeditions/mtb-ethiopia-simien-mountains

 Seems you've missed out. The epic and beautifully shot Sony/Anthill film from the same trip came out at start of August online. You can watch it here:
www.pinkbike.com/news/Video-Matt-Hunter-in-Afghanistan-2013.html
If you wanted to read the print story then you needed to catch it in Bikemag in November or Bike magazin Germany or MBUK in December.You can get back issues from any of them. It should be running in SoloBici Spain and Terringsykkel Scandindavia (translated) about next month. If you want to see a massive 50 page gallery of shots from the trip, then check here:
www.bikemag.com/news/exclusive-world-first-expedition-captured-in-bikes-first-ever-web-mag
God, do we have to do everything for you? LOL.

 I will check it out. Thanks for all the info people.

 lol yup

 Interestingly we didnt have any mechanicals apart from a few punctures between the 6 of us. And yes, 12 days of mostly 12-hour days on the trail in some of the most grueling conditions any of us have endured. A testament to todays kit indeed.

 It's a 26. The enduro 29ers look like they have a little nipple pointing down on the rear suspension pivot.

 And a cock on the saddle.....

 Totally agree Dobbs59, the 29er's do not have c*cks on the saddle.

 Suggest you re-read mate. E29ers have a nipple on the rear and a dick on the top.