Know the feeling – similar here but luckily no holiday. I’m trying to be positive and target late season events.

My first Z4 session after a month off showed I’ve not lost much if any power but need to build some more aerobic fitness. As for skill…

One thing I’ll say – going into events with no expectations and a gameplan just to utterly beast yourself or conversely enjoy yourself can give surprising results.

If bears hear you coming they generally leg it. Because humans equal danger

Mostly the case but it’s also now well documented that Grizzlies in Alaska are seeking out the source of gunshots in deer/elk season to eat the resulting gut pile.

The weather’s been crap and I’m living in a mobile home.

On the bright side I and 19,999 others have not been killed this morning.

I think I may have to take over your mantle as this shows a disturbing level of satisfaction and confidence.

Whilst I’m very glad it all worked out well for you I would have preferred a tail of woe that we could all have contributed to. Can I suggest you re-examine your performance last night and come up with some issues we can feel superior about?

Did a 50mile round trip commute in an office without showers. Old enough to remember how to give myself a flannel bath with a tupperware of water, a bar of soap, a flannel and a towel. Disabled loo has space for this.

Very nice – looks like you need flat bars or stem slammage.

Ill is ill regardless of new bike………

Well, the new plastic bike has arrived, and Lemsip Cold & Flu max is in full effect.

So for the sake of a) my new shiny bike and b) me do I race/pootle my first ride on it in wet muddy conditions?

*drums fingers*

Unless it’s going to lose you a series podium the honest answer is don’t bother. You’ll get wet, cold and make yourself ill.

I’m not going – torrential rain, mudbath 130mile round trip blah blah

My Epic remains unridden………..

“inspect and dispatch”

ie order from maker, readdress and send?

Didn’t work for me

Depends on your wrists.

If you are of an age it might cause you some problems. I enjoyed mine when it was muddy for a short blast but long rides on dry rutted mud caused my wrists real problems.

I of course meant the eastern 30 miles!

So did I! 12,400 feet and 11hrs. Not sure I could have done 183 road miles in the same time.

I plan on redoing it now I’ve forgotten the pain (and the route)

The western most 30 miles of the SDW is definitely tougher than any 30 miles in the Surrey hills.

Amberly to Eastbourne and return will confirm this – very hard – I cried.

At that price would a brick building be more economical, considering I need to get a base built anyway.

Permanent isn’t infallible either. Unless you spec decent size blocks a sledgehammer can gain entry and there is always the issue of how to roof it.

Yes adsh,that was me…..we spoke on grid too.Glad you enjoyed,next week too?

‘Enjoyed’ 😕

Planning on next week – might even break out the race bike! #noexcuses. Also may have to start harder and manage my slide down the field as passing is hard!

Although I will be in the middle of a training block…. #excuses

Rough arithmatic suggests you were in the saddle for at least 30hrs?

I would say that would give a pretty enormous ‘trough of fatigue’!

Recovery spinning should help reactivate those legs.

I have a similar pair. I’m racing my 23.5lb steel HT tonight

I might have done better on the FS – surprisingly hard to pedal at times on the dried ruts of Beastway

technicolour IIRC

You did remember correctly though technicolour is being kind – it didn’t use to look so bad until my LBS sponsored* me.

*As in gave me a free jersey.

Kryton – nice to meet you. Sorry if I was not exactly gushing – eyes burning from sweat and plain knackered.

Was a good get back into it for me – was a bit crap, lacked fitness and hugely unskilled. Rolled my rear off the rim on lap 2 and got a bit wild thereafter but last lap was good and I survived a crazy off the line manoeuvre by a rider that could have been nasty.

Bianchiboy – rigid specialized?

I have a similar pair. I’m racing my 23.5lb steel HT tonight.

So you can have more damped banging around Afan 🙂

FWIW I’ve experimented with both methods on my Flux (105mm DW rear suspension latterly supplied with 120mm forks from the factory)

120mm forks – felt very sit up and beg – hated it and shortened my forks.

Offset suspension bushing to get slacker HA – does this by making the bike feel taller at the front – hated it and removed it immediately

I’d think long and hard about increasing your forks – sure others have done it here but who’s to say you want your bike to feel like theirs do.

Kryton,

What are you wanting to achieve with a move from Fox to RS leaving aside the length?

I love my plain Reba – plush and the third click acts as a platform similar to my more expensive SID RCT3 – I can’t tell the damping difference.

I had thought to swap my Fox Factory 100mm out to a SID RCT3 on my Spearfish as although very plush there is no platform on it regardless of any trailadjust and it seems completely linear. Any standing pedalling is very bobby. Now I no longer race it I’ve decided to stick with it though I am hoping a TF tuned service might improve it a bit.

Ferrals – having screwed up my recovery and not done anything meaningful for weeks I can tell you anything other than a short period of z1 or z2 is very unwise. Sack it if you feel sh1t.

I think I kept 10 ctl points but lost an extra week.

The autist in me cannot be stopped from asking about your AC races which I thought were 1459g and would therefore save 341g?

Anyhoo enjoy your new HT! Looks a great spec for the money.

I’d consider a Whyte 29C and not go too ott on budget for a first HT. You may decide on something different after a few miles under your wheels.

Pressing the inner is definitely wrong.

I know this because I watched someone inadvertantly press my CK ceramic with a top hat in. That race has been notchy ever since.

I have the KOM around my field. Just to be safe from any cheeky attempts I had it ploughed shortly after.

Off the antibiotics, back at work, managed a couple of hour long Z2 sessions on the turbo.

Now starting to regress – feel really crap with no energy.

People still thinking air forks can’t cope for the distance?

The sound your Garmin makes when you switch it off at the end of a race.

Ummm

Race HT
Training HT
Turbo HT
Race FS
Long distance HT
Cant be arsed to sell for peanuts 26erFS

I ride them all – lots

Ternrat – sounds great. May have to emulate next year. Did you lock your bike when watching?

And as for MD – nuts. So close to 134.

Agree Hutchy seemed a bit full of excuses but fair play he must have been gutted to be passed and nothing takes away from his achievements.

Thanks for the pointer. Fits in well with my rejigged season.

How am I going to wait until 10.15pm to watch the Senior without spoilers? Last night I watched the supersport on ITV hub which helpfully f*@+&%g told me who had won it when I clicked on it to load.

Used to run 660s, changed to 710s which I found more confidence inspiring. Got tired and hit a tree. The mark on the grip is about 2mm outboard of where 660 would be.

WC XC probably have more need of wider bars than I do at Gorricks!

The TT is on my bucket list and I would certainly want to take the MTB

Just love this shot – says it all for me really – insane power, incredible control inches from kerb, iron fence and trees but it’s all OK because one of the trees has a foam pad on it.

Lezayre-Isle-of-Man-TT-2014-Richard-Mushet-01 by [/url], on Flickr

Anyone else joining me in the doldrums?

Me

Crap long ride on the 22nd May – no energy. Proper ill 3 days later, no throat etc migrated to sinuses, now on major antibiotics, not allowed out in the sun and still feel crap. I’ll be lucky if I get away with a 3 week layoff.

Trying to remain positive, I’ve had one brilliant result and common sense just says I need to sack racing on the 19th, do some long distance training and extend my season till October.

At least I got time to build this

Epic by [/url], on Flickr

Now on Doxycyclin and starting to feel better but still not great. By Sunday I won’t have trained for 3 weeks.

Summer Monkey on the 19th was due to be an A event for me. Last year it was my hardest race. This year I don’t think I can go into 6hrs at 85% MHR having just recovered from 3 weeks off with some viral bug.

Used Niner MCR
Used Reba
Gradually go WW and hey presto your fun racer with mud clearance.

My favourite bike of all.