I take that back as it didn’t work for my skinny XC tires when I tried it last night on a 2.1×29 Rocket Ron Evo!

For the majority of riders I think age is less important and fitness is simply a result of time/effort put in. Unless you’re elite type level but guess most riders aren’t.

The fitest I’ve been was when I turned 16, racing track at national level. Then a serious motorbike accident stopped me riding properly for a year and never had the motivation to train that hard again so never been that fit again. My record at 15 was a 23.09 10TT, never been close to that since, not that I’ve tried either TBH.

I’m now 44 and been riding properly again for the last 10 years I’m starting to regain near the sort of form I was nearly 30 years ago! Main difference is that now with a family time on bike is limited and 30 years ago it was all I did, everyday!

Personally I have found the Chris Carmichael Time Crunched Cyclist approah to be very helpful and effective, focussing on power and not heart rate. For training 4 times a week and for at a minimum of 6 hours in total I can complete at a reasonable level. I’ll never win but given the hours input I’m very happy with the placements and results, and just my overall riding fitness having no problem banging out a 5 hours 100km XC race etc.

So simple it’s genius 😆

Action shot 😀

My girl has just turned 4 and she loves her Frog 43 with 14″ wheels; she’s 116cm tall now. She learnt to ride it last year when she was tall enough to touch the floor with the saddle fully down. Was an easier step for her mind as she used her Rothan balance bike a lot before.

She’ll start when she ready, like most ladies 😆

Just remember that those ‘Frozen’ type bikes are often very heavy and have poor controls etc, at this age a lighter specalist type Frog bike will help her enjoy riding.

Just a quick Croix tire update, ended up buying a pair of Schwalbe Land Cruisers are they were super cheap at CRC and seemed the right tread pattern for what I need. Had either the 35c or 40c, went for the 40c to try a bit more volume and they just fit! Tightest place is the fork, there must be ~2mm gap from the top of the tire and the steerer tube. So definately no room for anything larger. Fitted a pair of 42mm SKS Bluemels, well, after a severe chop for the front fitment and making it fit elsewhere!

There’s a very easy passport recal service on their website, says you need to give them 10 days notice, just called mine back and arrived just within the 10 days. Also got a letter saying they don’t need it back so that part of it is done now.

Still waiting for the process Swedish Chef; will be 8 weeks and counting on Wednesday!

I’ve got a few options having been born in New Zealand with an American father, rasied in the UK and moved to Sweden 10 years ago. So I guess I could technically have all the above, British only has been fine until recently so now in the process to obtain the Swedish passport for back up!

Has anyone tried the X’plor USH for mixed riding? Generally I ride my Croix say 60% tarmac, 30% gravel and 10% XC.

Finding my old 28c Contacts too harsh and want to up the volume to >33.
Been offered a new pair of 33c Rocket Rons for £40 but although cheap am worried they are more XC than I want.

Thanks, how do you find the X’plor, which do you have, and what surfaces do you mainly ride on? Was tempted by the USH for mixed riding, say 60% tarmac, 30% gravel and 10% XC.

Been offered a new pair of 33c Rocket Rons for £40 but although cheap am worried they are more XC than I want.

What mudguards are Croix owners using over 33c CX tires? The guards I have over my 28c Continental Cotacts today look too close if I move to say 33c Rocket Rons!

Just been in the same boat and after reading about a million reviews I bought an Epson Expression Premium XP-530. Seemed the lesser evil of all options with most modern features and sub £70, so I can print from my phone and scan in old photos etc. But the ink refils are eye wateringly expensive, but then again aren’t they all!

Had mine nearly a year now and like it, came from an old 705.

Used it mainly to chase Strava segments and navigate long MTB tours following gpx files taken of Strava for areas I know nothing about.

Great battery Life, not much I don’t like about it really so happy with the purchase.

Measure twice, cut once… especially when cutting stearer tubes and forgetting upper headset parts etc!

The BeSafe iZi Plus is the highest rated child seat in Scandinavia, has been for a while, had these for both my kids and cannot recommend them high enough, fantastic quality and safety record.

They have now moved up to the iZi Up X3 Fix.

Personally I got sick of the Nextbase units with scratched DVDs and my kids wanting to watch different things. Bought a supposedly better quality Philips setup, well they were more expensive and after 1 journey I returned them to the shop, as they were worse than the Nextbase.

I then instead bought a 2nd hand iPad 2, we already had 1, and the kids now watch these on long journeys sat in headrest holders. Have them both wifi connected to a hardrive with about 100 films on, added bonus is they can also play their games as well.

If that all fails, they look out the window

£5870 last year on an S-Works Epic WC, was a bargain reduced from £8128 😯

Then fitted ENVE stem & bars; and since bought a 2nd set of Roval SLs for winter/mud..

Work hard play hard 8)

MUST have these 8)

Then she can drive twice as fast as normal before crashing!

Thanks for all the replies, impressed with Bikestacja, DT Swiss 240s ZTR Crest 29″ 1490g for 456€!

He lives in Jönköping, Sweden 😯

That’s a great idea Northwind but we don’t know any wheel builders local enough to do this for us, and I simply don’t have the time to build my own yet alone his!

He sent me this link earlier: Light Bicycle XC light carbon and they seem well priced at $800 but my concern is he won’t be able to take care of them alone.

I’ve told him the first step is to weigh his current wheelset so we knows where he’s coming from but he has no scales at home. He needs to ask about and find some so I agree there.

He’ll also save a load of weight ditching his tubes, but I’m a little worried he won’t be able to set it up and take care of it properly. As he’s not local I can’t teach/help him regularly. His dad is not daft but he isn’t a cyclist either!

I also hope to manage most of the CX Cup; short course XC racing = pain/bleeding lungs/death etc…

Hi Mick,

I know Lonnie and Nellie and even did some guiding for Lonnie a few years back, albeit road stuff with groups of Danes at that time. Lonnie and co will look after you well and show you around Hallandsåsen, he knows the area very well. There isn’t a lot of height there but there’s a lot of up and down with very natural trails.

Southern Sweden is pretty flat but there some wonderful riding to be had. Are you alone or a group, I could also take you out if you had time and even lend you a bike etc.

I was one of the original trail builders at Vallåsen and organised the Swedish cup DH race there, so I have a close bond with that hill.

I’m in the midst of training and my 2017 aim is to race as many of the Mitsubishi MTB Challenge rounds as possible; some rounds are far up north and too far for me to go with a young family at home. This is called the Langloppscupen in Sweden which could be called Marathon MTB racing in English; basically between 80-100km XC racing.

In addition I intend to race the Cykelvasan[/url] which is an MTB race over the Swedish classic XC skiing course.

Aim is to improve on my times and positions from last year.

They are still specced on the 2017 S-Works Epic Di2. I nearly bought them last year, very nearly, in fact I think I would have but for being offered a super deal on a complete that didn’t have them.

They do look nice mind but as others have written above, that’s probably their only strong point when compared to the high end competition.

Shame as it’s a lovely setup 8)

CX1 (175) with the Absolute Black direct mount 32t would be sub 550g in total; pretty good for £182!

XTR M9000 Race 11 is £275 in the sale at CRC and ~563g; then you need to buy and add the chain ring!

CRC have 1 CX1 crankset left in the sale if you’re quick, bargain at £135 and then you can fit a direct mount Absolute Black oval ring 8)
CRC CX1

I’m about the same sizing as you OP, have a size L CdF and it’s spot on.

Thanks for all the replies and ideas; most of them being useful 😆

votchy, you do realise that the ‘bike’ is part of the family 😉

BTW; the pie shop sound very tempting; don’t do proper pies in Sweden 😮

Our hotel is on the South side of Hyde Park, opposite the National History Museum. Will be with my kids mainly but could get a bit of ‘own time’ if there was something worth doing/seeing/riding etc.

Think I’ll go for a run around Hyde Park and that as so close.

😛

No, got off the plane when I realised it was too late.

But I’m in the process to reschedule so I’ll be in touch when it’s fixed as I really want to ride both Swinley and Surrey Hills.

Dear all, I’ve just got off the plane as there was no way I’d make my meeting and probably not even Swinley!

I’ll reschedule and post back up when I’ve got a new date/time.

Cheers,

Jeff

No worries weeksy.

Apparently there’s a little fog around Gatwick at the moment so I’m sat in a plane on the ground in Copenhagen rather than coming in to land at Gatwick!

Not sure if the customer I’m visiting will be able to reschedule so this may just turn into an overnight biking visit 😯 😆