metalheart – Member

Don’t know if it’s (mostly) the 3″ tyres but I definitely ride more ‘aggressively’ on the B+ Sherpa than the 29er Solaris. Can’t see 0.5 deg making that much of a difference?

Lower BB from the plus tyres probably a factor

Lost two stone and have ridden an additional thousand miles over last years total (so far). Amazing the difference being just that bit fitter can do for your riding.

XT 1×11 groupset.

Shifts really well and having that bail-out 42T for the end of long days and those annoying short, sharp hills means I walk less and pedal more 😀

Four new bikes this year.
Biggest disappointment was Ultegra Di2 on my synapse.
Biggest surprise was XTR Di2 on my Habit.

An 11spd XT rear mech to work with my 10spd sunrace 11-42 cassette. Much better shifting.

Umm, just actually starting riding was enough for me – this time last year I was sat on the couch, depressed.

Since then I’ve lost a stone, done lots of trips to places like Gisburn & Llandegla, finished both the Peak District Pioneer & Lakeland Monster Miles adventurecross rides and put myself in hospital when an OTB resulted in a tree puncturing my calf. So lots of new experiences then … 😆

Built a steel hardtail.

Upgraded from a basic grinder (still a burr though) to this

Having rejected the idea for years, I bought a road bike. And then used it to improve basic fitness. My mates have noticed the change in confidence this has brought off road. Being less tired at the top of a climb means a better attitude downhill.

I’m the opposite of jwt ^^^^

Put 2 stone back on and ridden less than last year due to work and operation on elbow. That extra bit of weight makes things much worse. That 2 stone, plus some more is going.

A wool jersey for the first time. Much nicer than a standard polyester one. Perfect autumn wear.

And reducing caffeine to 1 cup of espresso a day. Had far too much before and now feel better for the reduction.

Carbon Cranks and lighter wheelset. Its transformed my bike…Brand new Five frame is sat at home in the box mind awaiting my boost conversion kit! Should be built by the end of the year and im hoping this will be the best upgrade.

Built a steel hardtail.

This ^^ ^^

Built my first bike. Chubby Solaris experiment. It certainly upgraded my knowledge and patience…being useless with a spanner.

Masks my deficiencies in singletrack too!

Changed from being a roadie for the last 2 years back to a mountain biker!

Changing our annual big riding holiday from MTB to road for the first time ever.

Changing the 28T rear on my road bike to a 30T for those 750 miles of Dolomites/Alps riding.

Having Munqe Chick, a dyed-in-the-wool mountain biker, say last week “so, we going back to the Dolomites with the road bikes next year, and maybe doing Switzerland too?” 😉

According to Strava I last rode my MTB in May 😯

I’m the opposite of jwt ^^^^

Put 2 stone back on and ridden less than last year due to work and operation on elbow. That extra bit of weight makes things much worse. That 2 stone, plus some more is going.
Good luck with that mcnultycop, I found MyFitnessPal really helpful with my weight-loss after that it’s ‘just’ will power. ie easier said than done………………

For me it’s two bike I bought this year. First was Datum, so versatile and helped get out more often on the road and it’s just a great little bike. Would like it to be lighter but I’m seeing it as a long term project to tart it up. Second bike was my T130C RS, replacing the 18 month old Foxy Carbon I wanted to love but never really bonded with. After a test ride on the Whyte I was sold and not since I first bought my old Mojo HD have I loved a bike so much. I can genuinely see me keeping the Whyte for a long, long time. It’s a bit porky but again it’ll shed some excess fat over the next few months and after that I can’t think of how I could make it better.

Has anyone said Brexit yet?

😈

Forgot about the X01 Eagle on the whyte! Came as stock on the bike but is a massive, game changing upgrade on anything I’ve had before and I’m ususally a SRAM hater but despite my preconceptions Eagle really is that good. Ludicrously expensive at the minute yes, but game changing? absolutely!

float X2 shock on my nomad. leaps and bounds better than the stock rp23 it replaced and pretty much makes it feel like a different bike. although the recall thing has been an inconvenience

Airshot, Jedi school.

Ditched the camelback, stopped putting tools and tubes in back pocket, and put them in a Piggy.
What’s a Piggy? All will be revealed next month

Set of carbon rims laced to Tune hubs for the fatbike followed by tubeless minion FBF and FBR…
Quite a difference.. Just need snow now…

Ebike…

Though I’m joining a gym tomorrow so might be a late entry….

Fitting ProCore/Deaneasy/Ghetto Procore to every pair of DH/Enduro race bike wheels I have.

Not a single puncture running 17.5 Fr, 19 Rr and phenomenal grip in all terrains 😀

Plus putting a shark ring on my XT M8000 + 36T oval front ring.

posting on here asking about merino jerseys, and, i’m amazed i did not know this, being told about windproof jerseys specifically Castelli Gabba.

seriously, if someone had said i could ride in well sub 10deg temps in just a thin short sleeve jersey with arm warmers and one base layer i’d have laughed before i bought one.

Coil conversion for my Pike, followed closely by the FAST HSC/LSC modification for the charger damper – its transformed the bike, made it more reliable and the front wheel is glued to the floor better than any 180mm air fork that ive ridden.

material side, proper riding shoes, mk4 bfe and pretty much every part i have bought to improve my riding.

maybe the biggest upgrade is in my own mind. Just try to put all your money and time for riding. Overshoot stuff, dont care, be nice. Really try to push your own limits.

also some titanium and glass paste upgrades to my ankle, instep and elbow. They are nice too

Bought a Dune fat bike – the bike’s not bad & as much as I’ve laughed at others who’ve rode fat bikes, I actually rather enjoy riding it…. But the real upgrade is when I get back on a “proper MTB”, they just feel so light & quick……..but with less grip 😳