So how does a Solaris feel in comparison to a Soul? As a dedicated bike for bad weather/mud is there any advantage as a completely untechnical bridle way basher/XC trainer?

As a 6’er on a large can you get a good aggressive XC position with the high front?

Our lanes are shocking – gravel and potholes galore. I use 25c durano plus but recently took the mtb instead. Only about 5-10m slower over 20miles and a lot more secure.

I did my first in May last year. Went too fast and only did 3 laps of a 7 lapper. Took in a lot of info, trained quite hard and completed some 6hr events about 2/3rds down, did 4 or 5 short course events (real pain) then tbe brass monkeys and came 15th by virtue of sticking with it in bad conditions.

Every one was very friendly. It’s a very welcoming scene. I’d reccomend the Banjo events in South Oxfordshire if you like hour long events.

Might see you there. I’ll be on a raw flux and late because I forgot my shorts :(

30t wolftooth works fine on the m985 but a 28t would be better.

Shagged tyres you no longer use for proper off road. Currently on near bald racing ralph rear and less bald nobby nic front. Bit loud but OK

Ummm what would it be like in the pissing rain and high winds tomorrow? I’ve been trying to get to Wales for a sodding year (don’t get much time except winter) and everytime I have a day available the weather is sodding awful.

I don’t particularly mind discomfort but if there’s acres of wet rock I’ll pass.

Wonder if the 27.5 is as good as the 26 or if the extra travel and slacker angles make it too much of a trail bike?

Looks like Aston for my training session then.

Anyone know what the XC loop at Aston is like?

Set your mirrors up correctly and there’s no such thing as a blind spot. You shouldn’t be able to see any of your own car in the side mirrors to give proper, three lane coverage. Stops you having to look backwards whilst travelling forwards.

Unless things have changed, both the police and the institute of advanced drivers trained people to look over their shoulder having checked mirrors. The issue shouldn’t avoiding be looking backwards (and it’s only a glance to check a potential blind spot) but ensuring you’re not so close or fast that you can’t.

^ Absolutely though the finish is the laser removal 20 years on.

My Soul gets ridden more than my Ti best hard tail. It just plain works so well. Do the new 456Tis have better mud clearance than the Lynskey ones?

I used to do 26miles both ways with no shower at work up to twice a week. Full mudguards!!!

I had a bag under my desk with small towel, tupperware bowl, flannel, soap and deoderant and work shoes. I would get in get that, go to the disabled loos, give myself a flannel wash (for the older amongst us that used to be in the place of a bath 2-3x a week!) and use a pair of suit trousers, shirt, pants and socks from a small backpack.

Then I would eat the value of 52miles worth of diesel in decent food :D

Yup it’s a granny ring mudfest of the highest order. It’s a great bike handling skills opportunity though (keeping positive). My mud bike out of action till this pm though :(

I had thought of Aston instead

Best for mud performance – panaracer trail rakers – rugby boots on a bike. 2.1 front 1.9 rear. Sod comfort the grip is incredible – on mud – roots best avoided?

Very good and tubeless but not quite as single minded – bontrager mud x. Very good mud grip and not bad on roots either.

For racing in the mud – maxxis beaver. Bit less tread, very grippy rubber.

All come in 2.1 max with the exception of the beaver which is newly 2.25. If you want a wider mud tyre that’s the only one but it is not as high performing as the other 2 in actual mud.

Bucks off road sportive has it about right on the organisation.

No timing, good admin, good parking, great route, ok signs, good food, did I say great route, nice gift, great pint.

It’s £20 this year which seems good value for the above and a long course to mark.

They vary probably dependent on how much and how thick the grease is as well as where in the hub it is.

If one of the seals isn’t put back properly they drag like hell.

How about DW? I’ve been impressed at the grip, lack of bob and lack of fiddling. Leave shock fully open end of unless you particularly want to stomp on the pedals on a tarmac hill.

Takes about 3 months to completely forget about drinking. That will probably take a further 2-3lbs off without trying. If you’re lucky it will reset your metabolism to the extent you have to eat more not to appear too thin.

To uncover a 6 pack there has to be one!

Would love to but that’s a bit far on that day

How muddy would FOD be?

I prefer longer routes hence Skyline…

I’ll be haring down the M4 from thames valley way.

I am lethal, I’ve nearly had Gee off a number of times.

Just built some AM Classic hubs onto Light Bicycle hookless rims with Revolution spokes. 1370g on my scales, not used them yet, but tyres went up nicely and they’re bloody stiff – just trying to stress them when building there’s noticeably less ‘give’ than a lightweight alu rim.

What spoke count for that weight? I have some AM classics I want to do the same with but they’re 32s which might be overkill? – I’m 75kg.

I’m slightly dissapointed after my first session on Blender.

1. I don’t find watching people cycle motivational
2. The music isn’t really very motivational either

Plus it’s all very complicated and I wonder if it’s any better than 2,4 or 6min intervals…….

If I can hijack this. I move to grand veteran this year courtesy of being 50 later on. Doesn’t look like it’s any less competitive than vets and the one lap less doesn’t help my preferance for steady starts and building up. There’s nothing stopping me going to supervets is there?

1. You need to get fitted – google Adrian Timmis http://www.cadencesport.co.uk/bike-fitting/ no-one has a bad word to say about him. I did it and it was money very well spent.

2. Stretch, then stretch some more

3. Ride shorter distances more often and build up. Takes a year or so for tendons and ligaments to catch up with muscle development.

4. When riding change to a gear spinnier than you can actualy push.

BTW the swampy mess of the ridgeway was actualy a lot of fun with narrow tyres. Not much standing water just non sticking mud. Slow but fun.

Do some intervals and concentrate on a team sky like steady effort on race day. Every lung screaming anaerobic effort digs into the bank for limited gains that can be undone when the overdraft facility is exceeded.

You could also pinch the route from the woodcote cx sportive just held which should still be on the website?

A lot is pretty awful at the moment but you could try wallingford from mongewell to goring to whitchurch along the thames then down the hill and immediately left towards mapledurham then by road and track to woodcote and back via the myriad little lanes.

Parts of the ridgeway by chinnor are almost unrideable.

There is a lot more gravelly tracks to west of Didcot.

Hmmm, we didn’t have a lot of time to move, the 2 boys were more intent on bickering, the beagle was still on about 6′ of lead and the lab though very obedient was very close. Hard to put a speed on it but fast enough they couldn’t have any way near stopped had anything gone wrong.

The negative chamber is so small it’s a complete lottery how much air ends up in it as you can lose anything from 20-60psi (non repeatable) every time you disconnect the shock pump. I generally run the same or a little less. 12stone, 80-100psi depending on where the forks are in their service regime (more earlier on, less as they start to become sticky.

USE sumo ti for me in 27.2. Add a Fizik Gobi Kium fitted at the limit of the front of it’s rails, a ti frame and 2.25s and it’s supremely comfy. Which contributes most/at all I don’t know.

I’ve got a Salsa a la carte Ti and a Soul both set up for XC. The a la carte is about 4lb lighter, flies up stuff and is very comfortable. The soul is very good just a bit slower cos of the weight and a little less comfortable. I use the Soul a lot in the winter when it’s really claggy.

Every time I use the Salsa I smile.

Shit I thought I was as low as I needed to be at 184cm and 76.5kg. My wife and family complain already that I look far too skinny!

Get a child trailor instead of panniers or a back pack.

Maybe add a blonde pony tail.