I’ve more or less given up regular road riding. Overtaken and crushed against a wall by a lorry, hit by wing mirror by texting driver – I feel I’ve used my lives.

I’ve got a pair of Giros that I really like.

I have to go a size up on Shimanos to get the width. The Giros are more normal and are very high quality in their construction.

[/quote]adsh, as a Peaks regular, I agree with you about the honeypot spots, however as with all mtbers, there are their secret local trails and bits which don’t get ridden much.
All riding is good no matter where, it’s all about getting out and about and having fun with mates.

Agreed – at 9pm at Hollins I was thinking how much better it was than being in a hotel with all the other business loners

Probably not the best worded original post on my behalf. I was trying to ask if it was representative or if there was better. I was pretty up front about not being some hardcore hero but that didn’t seem to stop a few wading in.

It seems there is better but for whatever reason (access/pressure issues?) it’s not advertised.

OW – I’m tempted to say that for someone who spends about 3 weeks whinging on about how.draggy rear HDs, RQs etc are on the road you a) may not be as tough as you think and b) by this admission it seems the good bits need connecting.

I never said it was boring and you’ll note I did enjoy it in the end. Hollins was stunning at 9pm.

Ti post on my a la carte ti (still 26″)

Great – thanks. Any Peaks reccomendations?

You absolutely have to have Ispec mounts :(

FWIW it’s not Hope’s finest – the shifters and the cylinders must be bulkier because the angle differential between the brakes and the shifters is quite marked. Lever comfy shifters too angled upwards. After a while you get used to it and it is neater but unless you’re pushed for space I’d consider passing.

When they come back they’ll have a different name

There is (bad) racing every day. Full team kit, £6k bikes, fire road drafting etc etc

Y’all seem to have less prominent elbows is all I can say.

i’m off there friday morning for the first time in a year, want to get there realy early… anyone know what time the car park opens?

Sign says 7am at this time of year.

Dig lots of holes, carry lots of weight, work out aerobicaly for hours on end for weeks on end while people try to kill you for not much pay but are generally so satisfied that when you get bits traumaticaly removed from your body all you want to do is to stay on.

If you’re a leader of the above you get to do all the physical and then the ‘office’ bit as well.

Infantry – be the best most knackered.

Gee passed me (and a lot of others I suspect) at Erlestoke.

He caught me on the downhill after the sharp hill in the woods with the right turn at the top as I’d slowed on the downhill grass curve before the hill from cowardice and lack of skill. This meant I was a bit slower off the mark on the downhill and probably looked even slower than I actualy was. He said something about passing but I had gained speed pretty fast, wasn’t willing to go off line at that point nor slow. He realised it said something along the lines of don’t worry waited 5 seconds till the exit onto the grass and then passed.

The bloke on the singular rigid single speed caught me on some singletrack. I was aware of it and said I’ll go left in a mo at which point he breezed past up a steep hill that I had just slowed him before.

The 2 winners had the most manners and relaxed attitude.

I wasn’t willing to go off line or slow

My Flux is rated for 100-120.

I am running 120s but found it a bit waggy on climbs. I’ve gradualy increased my weight over the front by lowering the stem, increasing the stem length and finally flipping it. It climbs well now but the fork is about to be serviced by TF at which point I’ll have it spaced to 110mm and unflip the stem for the sake of my hands.

Go 120 and space if it doesn’t work out would be my advice.

Biggest problem in the short term will be warranty replacements of 26″ frames bought as frame only with decent forks and wheels in the build.

I would have thought twice had I known 717s were 2.1 only according to the manafacturer. Currently running 2.2 MK protections which are a slim 2.2/chunky 2.1.

Fine at 32psi, at 29 it feels like the bike has a hinge in the middle. Then again more or less the same with Crests and 2.2 Schwalbes.

Any wider rims use the same spoke lengths as 717s?

Thanks – I will be off to it next week.

Really? If you do for example, the bleep test, you are pushing yourself to the point of feinting and your heart will pound like its going to pop out. It’s not a heart condition surely?

Pounding heart is very different to chest pain. Your heart shouldn’t hurt at all nor should you have any chest pain.

Swayndo – Member
48 in a few weeks and I regularly push as hard as i can when riding … lot’s of steep ups on my local rides. I do suffer some mild chest pain when pushing real hard and in extreme cases can get dizzy, but have never owned or used a heart rate monitor. Should I?

I’d better go touch wood, yeah?

Ummm I don’t want to worry you but actualy you should make an urgent (today) appointment to see your GP explaining your symptoms. You are likely to find they reccomend calling 999.

Chest pain/exercise = heart issues unless proven otherwise.

That’s helpfull. I’ve improved the fuelling and that has helped but it’s still something I feel.

I think at 49 I’m after pacing not flat out so the threshold training sounds usefull. My turbo sessions are genaerally 4 mins flat out with 2 mins recovery x5.

I am noticing the benefits of more intense training though injury is always waiting.

Pretty much – work, 3 kids etc. Could cut the long ride a bit for more interval sessions.

Well after a wet half term I can tell you that yesterday some parts of the red and the connecting fireroad were very muddy and soft.

Some of the red has been made with sand/mud without the pebbles and some of the fire road has been patched with sand/mud after forestry. It wasn’t wearing well.

In fact I wonder how long those bits will hold out…….

Mental note note not too ride in those conditions – about half a set of brand new sintered rear pads and 30% of an SLX chain :(

Flux

A question – there was a left turn off a gravel road down a bank onto a grass descent into the woods with an immediate sharp rise. As you headed into the woods there was a slightly off camber left curve . Could that be taken flat out. I had this feeling I could have had a big one there.

What was the deal with the chips? It was a great event but it’s a bit of a pisser to have laps docked and places all wrong.

George passed me looking pretty collected. It was a great day.

They’ve missed a lap from me my first 4 are combined and given as 3 :( I hope that’s sorted.

Anyways 7 laps 5.45 not bad for my 2nd ever event.

What Olympic quality frame did you buy that is terrible value in 29″?

Merida 96 Carbon Team frameset with shock, remote, headset, topcap, bottom bracket and seatpost collar. Something I always wanted and could never afford. A new 29er frame of the same quality would be well north of £2k?

Maybe olympic is pushing it a bit but very light and fast – much faster than me!

Need straight 1 and 1/8″ steerer, want remote (not RCT3 it would appear).

Why is rockshox range so sodding confusing with crap weight comparison ability?

^ This

Draggy on road = extra fitness

Slippery off road = ouch

I got very tied up in all round tyre performance. Try as I might I kept on coming back to MK protections with BC. Really like them!

They’re great but not magic unless my 2 aren’t set up properly.

Slap against chainstay is eliminated, slap against the front mech cage is still there on rough stuff. Don’t see how tensioning the bottom run of the chain can stop the top run of the chain moving from side to side.

As a result bumpy descents still generate clattering :(

Amazing discounts on 26er means I can buy an olympic class xc fs frameset. Same money buys not much in29er. I will fall faster and harder on my 21lb 26er.

Did the blue three times and the red twice. For a coward with no sense of direction like me the place is great. Icould not believe the bike bling. Counted 2 sets of enve wheels one on a santa cruz tallboy ltc with xxi……. Nice bloke on it.

The place was getting very busy by 6pm

Compact 25 is not low for the terrain. I used all of my triple 30 and 29! Hard tail MTB probably most versatile.

I’ve spent 3 or 4 long weekends there.

The issue is the minor roads are covered in shit with a strip of grass down the middle. The A roads are terrifying and there are few types in between. The hills are steep, really steep and there are many of them.

First time I took my FS – OK but few local trails and none circular I could find. Second time I took my winter bike but found it scary on the cow shit. I now take my hard tail with ralphs but CX would be perfect I imagine – if the gearing is low enough!

Very nice loop to be had around Minions etc around Bodmin Moor. I’ll see if I can dig out my Garmin traces.

Coming from Bristol this time but normaly Oxford

.

He was on all fours, then sat down, and moving about perfectly well (Expect for the arm). If he had damaged is back/neck then there is no way he would have been moving the way he was.

I wasn’t there but I am first aid trained and attended something not dissimilar a while back.

It is possible for a person with spinal injuries to mobilise. It is possible for them to have more serious injuries hidden by shock and adrenaline.

The incident I was at had a shocked spine. The person fell hurt themselves, insisted on getting up and then got gradually worse until it became apparent we never should have allowed him to move. In his case it was just a shocked spinal cord with no fracture but it was very scary the way he got worse.

How busy will it be midweek mid afternoon?

I’ve done exactly the same as mbnut. Flux with 120s now with -5degrees and easton monkey lite sls. Needed to get down and straights feel wrong though I’ve tried them twice.

-5 is still rising slightly so doesn’t really count.