Love the idea of bars worth more than a frame.

A good seatpost makes a huge difference. A syntace p6 hiflex carbon is sesigbed to flex and really works well. Also very good is the USE Sumo titanium. The Syntace is very good and has a bombproof clamp.

6th entry. Anyone had their GPS? Due on wednesday but I’ve not had it yet.

Just about to sell my 2013 Flux – 44mm HT – the pinnacle of that model.

It makes me smile every time I look at it, riding is fun but it’s not the long distance tool I need.

I’m tempted to store the frame, HS, forks and seatpost but all that will happen is it will gather dust.

Outside intervals tonight – hugely over to the extent I feel as if I’m about to throw up 2hrs after. Suspect that’s the end of this block.

At this point I have to own up to not actually using TR so can’t help on that bit. The targets for my own intervals are based on a loose triangulation of how I feel, what I’ve done and how much pain I feel I can cope with. I’m not willing to hand that over to an algarythm. I do try and stick to a principle of never give up which means if I overdo it I will do the last intervals at reduced power rather than give up. From a training point of view giving up might be better but for me it’s a mental mindset I don’t want to start.

Should I dial down the whole workout a few % rdo the intervals i can then drop it right down to complete the third interval? or just do the best i can for all three?

Dropping it right down may mean not being ‘in zone’ which negates the benefit.

Generally better to do the first intervals at the power you can hold for the last. If this takes you below the desired zone drop the number of intervals or reduce the non interval section.

Readings will be as inconsistant as your left/right leg balance.

If you’re even it’s fine, if you’re not or change depending on how tired etc you are then it may be an issue.

I’m not balanced, do change and so for me Stages is fine for training on the turbo, pacing intervals and pacing long distance rides. I can’t use it to compare against any Friel tables etc (I appear to have an Elite left leg and a Cat 4 right leg) and I’ve found pacing races is better done by perceived effort.

Next SL here I come!

which just happens to weigh less

weightweenie innit. Performance doesn’t come into it.

I distinctly heard the click the time I got it right – I’m interested in what my expression is like -abject terror I think!

Anyone know which photographer was at the ‘gap’ jump?

Torq orange Whyte 29C. Blue Rides on Air kit. Luckily I’m colour blind.

Was hoping to concentrate on some long distance riding for the next 6 weeks but also to do Beastway to remain race sharp. Given the state of my legs yesterday through not resting from the Gorrick 100 I’m going to have to modify this as I had to watch the pack disappear into the sunset. If I’m not careful I will do less long distance and bimble around an XC course so slowly as not to get much benefit.

I heard how many collar bones the big A line has bust over the years and avoided!

Log jump A line at Wasing closed – think after a crash. Mini log jump A line (first after the start) had a couple of crashes. Watching people being tended too a bit sobering.

Riding As while fresh is a lot easier than when breathing out of every available orifice!

This thread just went from theory to wtf. Guess it’s the c line on the log drop for me on Sunday!

too late but in a serious incident like this it’s best not to get up quick. Quite apart from adrenalin masking potentialy serious injury there is also the fact that an injury accident => police attendance, people hanging around, statements etc.

I have those hubs on a set of Stans factory built Crests. Not done many miles on them but they are light and seem to work fine.
One thing to note – replacement freehubs to change to XD etc are very expensive compared to DT/AC etc
I’ve seen a couple of people race on the Valors at the Gorricks.
You could probably build a nicer wheelset with DT240/AC hubs, LB rims and DT revs for less?

putting out near constant FTP average for each of the 11 laps rather than the preferable negative split

Do you have any evidence you put out more total power if you do negative splits?

^ Any mud? Suddenly wondering if I might take a day off next week and ride it!

Really Like mine for solo riding but on group rides or for racing it’s lacking in the lumen wars.

I don’t have this any more but it was very nice!

I do have it and it’s for sale!

A 2.2 MK is narrow enough I treat it as a dedicated mud tyre. I’ve not measured it but it looks to be like a 2.1 on a Crest. A 2.4 MK is more like a 2.25 but again I’ve not measured it. I have measured a 2.4 X king and it’s 2.25 on a Crest (and looks similar to the 2.4 MK)

A 2.2 Trailking looks like a 2.2

Conti make great tyres – I just wish they’d not lie about the sizing!

The fatigue or TP TSB isn’t so bad but I find the fitness/CTL too easy to get into a panic at dropping ‘fitness’ and stick in a ho hum ride when actually Id be better off going into a very hard interval session the next day more rested.

FWIW I find the fitness or TP CTL a misleading. They make no referance to quality and the algorythm counts long gash miles count more than high quality shorter sessions.

8 laps and 15th – woohoo! Arms and body feeling it a bit now.

Had a lot of fun riding following and leapfrogging friendly groups and riders. A bit ragged at times as racecraft was rusty but I’ll take results over style!

NJee – your massive sponsorship list means your results stick out rather!

Looks like one or all of my m9000 mech, XT shifter or XT chain don’t like the XX1 cassette. Replaced with an XTR 11-40 and shifting is instantly faultless.

Just mived from XTR 1×10 to mixed XT, XTR and XX1 1×11. I am dissapointed – XT shifter feels horrible notchey and shifting is both sensitive to set up and crap at the same time.

I’ve not used mine with Zwift but when mine has not paired with stuff it’s because I’ve got the wrong bike profile selected on the Garmin (ignoring the time I tried to get a non Stages crank to pair :oops:)

Call me a luddite but I really liked the hydroformed alloy Flux and this leaves me cold.

Carbon around the seatpost/toptube junction isn’t completely smooth.

don’t replace perfectly good hex with annoying torx

As someone who frequently undoes and retightens these bolts on my Stages, I can tell you that the inboard one is in quite a fiddly position and that this with the particular combination of shallowness and cheese consistancy has led to me have to reach for the drill.

The reccomended torque is 12-14. I for one would prefer torx.

Gorrick Kawasaki 100 on Sunday. First race of the season (illness,family, cancelled events etc), lots of training but no race head and feeling rather mojoless. MTFU required etc.

Seems a weekend of TTing.

TT on the A420 yesterday pm and I saw NJee20s Strava just now.

If my arthritic wrists continue like this I may be joining you!

Is this a good plan, what else am I missing?

Probably pretty good but:-

I don’t think it’s tax efficient (Capitol Gains Tax vs pension relief).

You may expire prior to reaching 60 – do you have life insurance that would allow your wife to pay off your part of the mortgage

Buy to let is getting a lot of attention ATM – as in a target for additional taxation.

An unholy alliance of interest rate rises, redundancy and downturn could lose your current house.

Very good finale. Hank’s staking out Salamanca and couldn’t risk blowing it by taking on Mike without backup (rather unlike him I know).

Love the scene where he makes the Merc fit his travel mug.

Raceface spindle 30mm

Shimano spindle 24mm

Adaptor(s) required I think

I find my wife reacts badly to frank discussion of issues. She would say there’s no point I’m never going to change etc. I might disagree but she’s not going to budge. I’d consider a different and less direct approach.

Consider acts of kindness/things you know she would like without labelling. I’d not consider a romantic dinner for 2 as that in this situation. More like bringing her a cup of coffee and a muffin while she’s doing something or organising something nice for the whole family to do.

I’ve also found it a help to look at the log in my own eye before the speck of dust in hers. For all you know there may be a post on Mumsnet along the lines of ‘my husband got made redundant and has changed. He’s really needy and now I’m starting to do the things he’s always done he constantly asks me what the matter is blah blah’

When I have extended periods of time off I find that I don’t enjoy life so much.
Do you need a chunky pension then ?

Work/life balance innit. All play and no work make Jack do sodding heaps of pointless DIY and start to think along the lines of ‘I won’t ride this morning it’s only 15C and there is a faint chance of clouds’.

The Ridgeway is pleasant if very untechnical. It can get very windy (note Ridgeway) and bare chalk on a couple of hills is lethal when wet/damp. Farm traffic and horses can make the Southern part of it very muddy. The Ridgeway double route is great – takes in the Icknield way which is a bit more interesting.

Sunny summers day – great.

November – I’m local – I don’t ride the bit South/West of Goring.

Another long distance track is Swan’s way great apart from the Milton Keynes bit.

Someone ought to make up a Chilterns Loop.

Probably very lucky compared to most. 52years old and have 21 years of final salary NHS pension with an additional £60k purchased (half of my redundancy).

Swings and roundabouts I suppose. Job is boring and I took a conscious decision 15years ago to stick with safe and dull for the pension/benefits. I don’t ever want to retire just do less of something different. My father’s 88, still works a bit and would be gutted if his contract wasn’t renewed.

When I have extended periods of time off I find that I don’t enjoy life so much. I need structure and to be busy to enjoy my hobbies etc more.

I’ve just commuted in on it from Wallingford to Wendover (part of which is the Icknield Way) so the Northern end.

Completely different to above

The Ridgeway is nearly bone dry. The Icknield Way is mostly bone dry with some areas of pretty harmless mud and a couple of avoidable pits of doom.

Very nice ATM. Bike and self have barely a speck of mud on them.