Newly-discovered kit you'd recommend to anybody.

You’re wrong, most people just think they’re hideously ugly

Really?[/quote]
Yes.

Huma gels. Found them a few weeks ago and they are fantastic for racing. All natural ingredients and Paleo too.

z1ppy – Member
It always been possible to fit a SKS shockboard to a Lefty EddieB & is a much better mudguard.. those SP fenders look daft (main reason why hard-as-nail mtb won’t fit any mudguard) and are easily equalled by a Mucky Nutz Bender fender on normal forks & surpassed by adding a Crud Catcher front mudguard to your downtube.

Given in and bought a Shockboard. Thanks for the tip. Looks easy to fit on my bike with a very cluttered bar.

The Steve Peat/ Spy vs spy fenders are pretty ridiculous tbh- it’s like Crud realised downtube fenders are close to useless but didn’t want to stop selling them so they made a new product that does half the job it’s supposed to.

Shockboard isnt pretty but it’s one of the best looking proper mudguards, and the main thing is, they’re absolutely brilliant at stopping mud. And imo no worse looking than a downtube guard.

After years of riding and guiding in all sorts of things I finally bought some of these (and the vest/arms suit thing) – Amazeballs.

No worries EddieB 😀

As for pads, for the Gnarr-core-lite user, I’d happily recommend these G-forms

Won’t give you the protection of the TLD or POC type pads but their for everyday riding, not for when you ‘need’ pads. They seem to work well, as there not too hot and you forget your wearing them, especially once you get to the I’m “40+ and brittle” stage of life 😯

This

Top tool

Are the g-forms actually less hot than a normal pad? The sock’s more enclosing and bigger than my 661 Rages, they feel warm just trying them on- kind of like leg warmers.

It always been possible to fit a SKS shockboard to a Lefty EddieB & is a much better mudguard.. those SP fenders look daft (main reason why hard-as-nail mtb won’t fit any mudguard) and are easily equalled by a Mucky Nutz Bender fender on normal forks & surpassed by adding a Crud Catcher front mudguard to your downtube.

Sorry I don’t normally pick people up on things but that’s complete b0llocks about the SP fender, I’ve used mucky nutz and neo-thingys and the SP FF is far superior to both of them, use it with a down tube mounted crud catcher and you come off pretty much every ride with not a spot on your front.

But I do agree they look daft, like you’re a wanna-be motor-cross’er

Well you welcome to say it’s bollox but I disagree and am happy to say so. I really rate the Mucky nutz, as you don’t get any spray from the front due to it, so how can the FF be superior? By all means it’ll be as just as effective, but in no way can it be superior, IMO of course.

NW, dunno I’ve only worn proper pads in the alps, so it was just **** hot. The G-forms do work well as an extra layer in winter (old knee’s need all the help they can get), and yes in really hot weather they are noticeable, but for 99% of the rest of the time I really forget they’re there (do you forget your wear those ‘proper’ pads when just riding along? [not DH/AM]).

After Salomon for many a year:

my Salsa spearfish. My first ever 29er and its almost an unfair advantage its so good!

z1ppy – Member

(do you forget your wear those ‘proper’ pads when just riding along?)

Normally I’d say yes. But I seem to have chafed all the skin off one of my kneecaps today at Ae, so ow. But yeah, generally happy to wear them for full days pedals etc- I’ve got osteoperosis so I tend to pad up even if you might not normally bother, wore my kyle straits for 50 offroad miles at the glentress seven frinstance.

I think it’s basically radiators- your knees don’t put out an awful lot of heat, same reason you can wear shorts or a kilt when it’s cold and not freeze as much as you do in a t-shirt.

You’ve switched to Women’s footwear ? 😆

Call me jane 😉

And tbf, the men’s is not that different…

One of these

http://www.topeak.com/products/Homeshop-Tools/combotorq_bit_set

Matt,
Is the fit on them the same as Salomon? I have stuck with Salomon for years as they fit me so well.

RAD Cage

works superbly…

in response to all the mudguard chat above – I like the mucky nutz fender bender. Its so discrete you barely notice it, but it does an admirable job of saving your face from getting caked

I have a few things to add:
MTB flat pedal shoes. Just that. So much more grip. Mine are Teva Links but the specific shoe isn’t necessarily relevant
Lights for night riding. Again, the make and model is irrelevant (SSX2 here, plus torch for my helmet), just something bright, but the concept of extending your ride, or going out in the winter, is excellent

@timid – almost the same, narrow and a touch small. Slightly more arch, and a tad stiffer that Salomons uber lightweight boots.

They sound perfect.
Cheers Matt.

A2Z cable / hose guides. Brilliant way of keeping brake hoses off your fork and paint.

Light weight, low cost brake rotors like Alligator, KCNC. Work well enough for me, cheap, light.

Roval wheels – DT quality, decent price, lots of options.

Willworx / superstand bike stands. Available from Amazon but cheaper from a few places in Germany. Light, strong, easy to use from tiny kids bikes to grown up bikes. Makes it easy to stack bikes in an overlapping line down a garage wall, or hold a single bike for a quick tweak. My new favourite bit of bike kit.

Rapha bid shorts. Brilliant.

Loco tuning – great customer service, great results on my Pike forks.

Risse racing (in the USA) – looks like they can make a new shock for a Scott Spark 20 Junior….after hours of trawling the ‘net, they might be my next recommendation.

Shimano XC-90 shoes. Leagues ahead of the previous top end Shimanos. Massive difference.

Agreed on the Rogues – as someone with giganto-hands I really appreciate them.

GB