gnarterrorist

Yeah - I got me a 2019 Slash 9.8 but have dropped the front end to 150mm and it's a keeper. The new Fuel Ex is a compelling bike though but I will hang on to my current Slash for a while with the X01 drive train, 150mm fork and 35mm rise 800mm bars. It's just a lovely bike and it's in British Racing Green (would like to paint over the TREK logo on the down tube though).

Mega Avalanche is what it is - a mob race and if a rider goes down, then one has to wait until the field clears before assisting. Not much more one can do without potentially making the situation worse for all involved. As for July, it has been a good month but busy so riding time has suffered. Would also be nice if certain tyre availability was happening but these are the times we live in when lunatics run the asylum. Stay strong within and at peace.

Soft Front / Medium back - tread patterns are important here though. I find my Rock Razor rear with Speedgrip offers better traction than Hans Dampf Soft or Nobby Nic with Speedgrip. I am quite surprised by the traction I get out of that tyre in a variety of conditions. Pair it to a NN Soft up front of which I will flip to the rear and put my MM soft back on for the Winter. Horses for courses and it also helps brands having stock when it comes time for a tyre purchase. I was interested in checking out Vittoria's Mazza but - no availability when I needed to purchase. They still seem hard to get as are Michelin tyres.

Schwalbe has lost my with their new tyre product line. MM and NN was a good option but now - not so great as the options are lacking. Heavy on the Magic Mary's side and the Nobby Nic soft has limited case size options. The New NN is a great tread but most size options are in Speed Grip which is like riding on ice in the wet. I have recently been testing an Vittoria Agarro 29 x 2.6 trail on the back with my Magic Mary 29 x 2.6 Soft front (which still wanders in soft sandy conditions and over roots) and I am blown away by the Vittoria. Great tyre and transforms the bike with decent grip and great rolling / pedal friendly - really friendly. When I chew through the Magic Mary I will be looking at replacing it with a Mazza 29 x 2.6 trail up front - see how that shapes up.

My 2 cents on Schwalbe tyres. Liking my Soft Magic Mary 2.6 up front. It can be a little slippery on wet off camber roots but on the whole, it is a relatively good tyre. I'm running the Super Trail casing. At the back currently I have the Nobby Nic Performance 2.35. before that I had a Hans Dampf 2.35 Soft in Super Trail but I found it quite draggy and not a good gripper in general, not good up front either which I tried with the NN out back. The NN performance is as good if not better and if you want better grip then the NN in Soft would work well. Schwalbe Speed Grip compound is rubbish. Tried a NN 2.6 out back which only is available in Speed Grip and in the wet, you just spin out on everything. Lowering pressure to 18psi I created a nice sidewall slash on the Super Trail casing with contact against fallen tree branches on a level part of a natural trail I was riding. This on a relatively new tyre. Not impressed - also mounting up on the Bontranger Line Comp rims with the rear rim strip can be tricky. Getting the hang of it but can be done with soapy water and a floor pump. Just got to let the tyre settle in on the rim though which they do over the course of 12 hours. Would love Schwalbe to do a Nobby Nic in 2.6 either in Performance compound or Soft with the Super Trail casing., Would be my goto Summer tyres or pair nicely with a MM up front. Winter, MM front and rear. All that being said, I have a Vittoria Agarro 2.6 on order and will try that out back with the MM up front. If it goes well, I might then try a Mazza up front down the track as well in 2.6 Not much elevation where I ride but natural trails that can be rowdy as f. Also have a bit of transit time to some trails so I want reasonable rolling with combo of grip and reasonable wear. Choices, choices.

Not sold on the narrow tyre in the rear. 1. It slackens the bike, good for park rats but not for elsewhere 2. I like a wide tyre in the rear for extra traction especially for wet tech climbs 3. where I live, swamp walks are 2 planks in parallel with a nice gap in the middle, I like the extra footing (only a few mm's) to not have my wheel lodge in the gap. 4. Also, soft ground whereby a narrower tyre will more likely sink into the ground and drag. 2.4 to 2.6 doesn't sound much but it makes a difference.

My bike prefers an after ride session with the Fairy. Works for the motorbike and car too.

Used Shimano SPD's myself. Got a set going on 8 years now with one regrease for the bearings. Bashed the bollocks out of them and they keep going. Did a 2 year stint on Flats to get more in touch with technique but then went back to clipins. They have released at some unwanted moments but they have been flawless this winter when I backed out the tension. Would like a bit more of a platform but riding tech and rowdy trails and also uncut forest trails - they are way better. Problems I had with flats were - chewed shoes, chewed shins and calves, and not getting foot in the right position on the pedal when needed. I dab no issues with clipins and am much more comfortable dealing with chop where I know where my feet are. Would like a plastic cage which is replaceable for a little more support but not wanting to put anchors on my cranks for the riding I do. Lift days - heavy platformed SPD pedals would be no problem.