OP, did you feel successful in your last job? And how did that sense of success (or not) play out in the overall balance of general life satisfaction?

+1 for a wide clearance pompetamine and XS 456 for the wee’uns at £400 each ;-P

Bloody love my 456 and Dirty Disco.

Lots of talk of gravel/CX bikes not being much quicker – surely it’s about funner? Horses and courses innit. There are enough of us who cackle with glee at how sketchy red trails and bridleways can get with 37cc nearly-knobblies on a bike that’s light and efficient enough to accelerate rapidly from that techy section you had to slow down for, or delight in how quickly that steep climb was despatched.

I love all my bikes, but I love how much fun stuff is on something a little less capable – probably because it matches me better :-D

I couldn’t ride Jacob’s Ladder on the CX, but it’s great on the majority of bridleways and well fast enough on the roads.

As above, get a dirty drop bar badboy and see if you can’t justify both when you know how much you enjoy the gravel (apparently some here don’t)

Deffo need a budget ;-P Cosmic do great pairs for up to £600 :-D

I did the wise monkey thing, got myself another job in a different field and left a job like you describe. Involved a paycut of about £6k – which was a significant chunk of my income – but found myself a nicer person, a better dad, a more enjoyable partner…

Best thing I ever did.

Good luck in your new endeavours!

Good luck. Anxiety is rotten.

You should consider SSRIs, though as is clear from the above, there are a lot of courses for all us horses! I tried Citalopram once, lasted three days as I felt like I was holding onto an overhead mains cable the whole time. Most awful physical experience of my life, though I do wonder how I would have responded if I hadn’t had too many bad pill experiences in me yoot :-D I shouldn’t have been prescribed them anyway as there’s a family history of bipolar which leads to a risk of serotonin syndrome (scary).

CBT is really valuable, should be taught in schools, just for a basic understanding of causal loops.

I found meditation helped me separate the physical sensations of anxiety and the mental stories that I used to construct to explain what I must be anxious about. I still experience the physical side most days to a greater or lesser extent, but it doesn’t escalate because I don’t try to think of reasons I might be worried (there’s always something you can worry about, but that’s not necessarily why you’re anxious).

Try going to your local Buddhist centre for a meditation session. Don’t expect a clear and silent mind, that’s not what happens, but it’s nice and calming nevertheless. You’ll probably come away thinking you’re not as mental as you’d thought! There are a load of really good authors out there, ranging from fully Buddhist (Vessantara) to secular (Stephen Bathelor and Daniel Goleman) to entirely non-religious (Eckart Tolley), try reading some. I reckon it was the act of commiting myself to healthier thinking processes that was the crux of my improvements.

Huge amounts of physical exertion basically drain me of the potential energy for it though. A really big ride or a kickboxing/similar class can keep it at bay for a few days. I’m sure you already know this though. It’s hard making an hour a day for yourself.

Oh yeah, yoga. I hate getting out of bed but I manage it most days to get a little yoga to loosen the body, focus the breath and calm the mind.

#grammarpedant

#spellingpedant

;-P

slight deflection of topic:

I’ve been running my rear Hans Dampf (and the Fat Albert on the HT) a little harder than anticipated (around 30psi, according to my imprecise and inaccurate trackpump) as it just feels really squirmy when at the pressures you read about. I find the tyre fine really, nice predictable grip, never had a puncture, but is it a sidewall support issue and would I be dumbstruck at the improvement were I to change over to a better supported rubber run at lower pressures?

n.b. pretty sure the FA would be better on much wider rims – it’s a while since 19mm was wide for MTB :-D

Quite possibly the worst thing I have ever experienced. So much Valium and still bailed before they got around the second bend. Consultant not at all happy. Still not as unhappy as I was! Barium enema followed. P***ing radioactive milk for untold hours after that.

@Joebristol Cy Cotic said there’s less flex in the seat tube with the steel than with alloy, but there’s definitely a wee bit long the length through the top/down tubes – this does seem the help with the tracking on the Rocket a little, the back wheel gets pinged about slightly less as a result (says smarter people than me, like Guy K).

Unlike the BB/whole frame torsional flex on the Croix de Fer, which just makes it pointless stomping on the pedals because the rotors rub on the pads so much :-/

You can see it already can’t you… “Well he wasn’t wearing his full body armour!!!”

Jesus, I’m blinder and stoopider than I realized… -1.75/-2.5 and see better without them when it’s raining on the trails, which is most of the time (great living in the North); no one would accuse me if being especially fast mind!

Always assumed getting muck in yer eyes while wearing contacts would be a Very Bad Thing, surprised to see such a strong advocacy for them…

Roger Musson mate, explains how fancy lacing is just for show and reassures you it’s not that hard to do it yourself. My missus is yet to damage the pair I made her.

Else he’s going to sell his trousers at affordable prices?

Love my 456, bloody great bike and caused me no bother in five years of regular use and sporadic care. My Dirty Disco is a dream too, don’t like the lack of lawyer lugs on the fork and limited clamp area for the rear wheel but otherwise faultless and has helped me down ludicrous trails and up spirit breaking road climbs alike.

Having worked in R&D depts I’ve seen how design teams don’t necessarily have much input to the QC side of things. If I understand correctly it was his lack of satisfaction on that front that led to at least one of the previous separations, I guess he’s confident he can effect a positive change on that front this time? Else he’s short of cash coz not many folk buy trousers at £100 a pop and doesn’t care.

Reduce the range, stop with the stupid names (Space Chicken!?!), Improve QC, and build that wide clearance Kaff I asked for 7 years ago please

Like the Solaris but want FS – get calling Sam the DemoMan and try out a FlareMAX!

forks or shock. CCDB is a thing of wonder and not really that hard to dial in to a good degree. Plus both could be transferred to a new steed when you really want to :)

CF makes a good point. But it would be more on point (common parlance with the youth) to have a gravel bike that could take 650b with chunkier tread. But then you have curly bars on two others already…

The something you have an excess of is kids mate! :-D

Surely with 8 kids you don’t have time to ride anywhere, so why not get rid of the MTB. Seems pretty reasonable, especially if you get an even nicer CX out of insurance for stolen bike+cash for sold MTB.

29er gold and then treat yourself to a love mud rumpus wheelset for Xmas!

What bike have you got? My old Hard Rock and Croix de Fer have always been impossible to get there, the Trailstar, 456, Rocket and even the Dirty Disco (to a point) are much easier. Borrow a BMX??

“Fear is the mind killer.” Use flats on a grassy, slight downhill, go past the tipping point so you become comfortable with the fact you can hop off the back if it goes too far, fall on yer erse so you learn it doesn’t really hurt that much!

(he says, like he’s actually any good :-D )

Lots of types of yoga, some will be more appropriate to your specific needs. I find the more intense stuff is great, or just combine some form of stretching and conditioning (gentle stretch before conditioning – too much or too little risks damaging muscles – big stretch after or at a seperate time). Problems often manifest in a different place to the actual cause – lower back pain can be caused by glutes and hamstrings or shoulders being too tight/weak. The good thing about yoga or pilates is the routine should cover most areas.

Also bike position stuff as above, but if that hasn’t changed then it’s probably muscular.

Mrs DD has a remarkable aptitude for puncturing all manner of tyres and I’m bored of buying new ones to try out for her so squirted a load into the inner tubes – seems to be a reliable solution so far, none of the suppler tyre/etc benefits but definitely winning on the roadside repairs front and no concerns over exploding sealant episodes!

I know it’s not what your asking, but isn’t that the point of forums? ;-P

@metalheart for suspension settings i found an article that explained it well and it boiled down to:

High speed compression – all the way off, add enough to not blow through the travel if you find it does (nothing on my Vengeance)

Low speed compression – enough to stop wallowing in the travel/reduce brake dive (I think I’m about a third on)

Rebound damping – as little as you can get away with… less damping means the tyre can track the rough surfaces better, too little will pogo you off quite forcefully but I don’t have much of this dialled in either.

n.b. I need to change to a softer spring in mine so that might affect how I set up the dampers when it’s done

Happy gut flora seems to be pretty hugely important for all manner of things – and flora like fibre so the healthiest diet is a high fibre one among whatever other variables/focus there is!

If anyone’s looking the BW from the Shoulder of Mutton going west is fairly flat and nothing very lairy – perfect for CX or kids/noobs! And the Shoulder do bloody brilliant food – will be heading back there soon :)

tried some 7idp (covert i think) didn’t like them at all, sent back and replaced with Fox launch which were instantly better and forgot about them entirely once pedalling for five minutes… But that’s just my knees innit ;) buy a load, send most back

Thanks @monkeysfeet for your persistent efforts on our behalf – I’m very happy you are representing us.

@chevychase you make excellent dispassionate arguments – your lack of desultory tone is a strong tool and many others would be wise to emulate it!

Confirmation bias is a powerful thing – I’m generally well-disposed to other people no matter what mode of movement they’re presently employing and it’s no coincidence I find them amenable to my presence whether I’m walking, running or riding. If you accept that a small faction of any subgroup of mountain-user will be unwilling to share nicely and are nice to them anyway you’ll notice more of the other members’ friendliness. Simple really.

As for the specifics of the voluntary ban, it’s really not much of an inconvenience, is it? If it were a slippery slope other routes would have been closed to bikes in peak season, which hasn’t happened. OTH this is a sensitive period of negotiation – showing respect to walkers at this time bolsters the general perception of bikes on trails as being harmonious with other users. Calling for walkers to be banned when bikes are allowed might be tempting but that’s rather missing the point in favour of a titfertat payback – it is penalising walkers rather than rewarding cyclists especially and as such presents as childish – and isn’t really necessary as the trails are quieter so there’s more time to adjust one’s riding, just as it’s easier for walkers to step out of the way of people on bikes.

At the end of the day though it just makes sense to avoid busy pedestrian routes at peak times – Jacobs Ladder the other Saturday had literally hundreds of walker on it, making any kind of flow impossible. Still very fun top section working on trials skills waiting for a line to open up between walkers, going up high on a fallen wall section to get past a score or so, etc. Calling from behind while approaching at a safe speed I found everyone to be very obliging/encouraging/bewildered-but-friendly. It was fun but wouldn’t have been if I’d been keen to beat my PB on Strava or less happy to prioritise the safety and enjoyment of people walking. Went back Monday evening and didn’t see a soul, making it easier to get on with the bike flow.

The comment about incompetent users is nothing but churlish. Are my children not allowed climb Snowdon because they haven’t passed a competency test? That argument opens up invitation for MTB users to have to undergo a competency test, which is clearly a nonsense and unenforceable idea which I doubt anyone here wants.

Dutch traffic law works thus: everyone is responsible for ensuring the safety of anyone more vunerable than themselves. So lorries have most culpability, pedestrians the least. Or put even more simply: #ruleno1 and be nice!

Great stuff all round, I look forward to reading all the recommendations.

Beer is pretty much the only thing that I’ve managed to put a significant amount of weight on by consuming. High protein diets and tonnes of working out didn’t manage it, but five pints a night sure did!!

I’m a healthy weight so I’m not after shedding pounds as much as just trying to get my head around the basis of a healthy diet – outside of generally accepted advice as above, which we do. I was surprised that training for the Dirty Reiver and carbing up had me generally fitter and stronger but didn’t alter the manhandles, not that I mind, but interested that tripling my activity didn’t reduce fat. Then had lots of people espousing HFLC diets for reducing body fat…

And yes to “dieting” being unsustainable and causing famish stockpiling. Find a heap of healthy food you like to eat!! (But which pile ;) )

thanks everyone. Acquired a wee 20ml syringe which works fine in the valve, added 60ml of Stans and spent a while jiggling and spinning and it’s fine now! could probably do with retaping the rim but fingers crossed it’ll hold – and I carry a tube or two anyway :)

Been running Kinesis CX disc for three years with being little love, only now need new bearings and a thorough truing. Freehub came away last week but actually just needed the end cap tightening.

I’d deffo take a punt on Hunt were I buying now, lots of them under smiling faces at dirty Reiver this year

130 in 8hrs10, enjoyed every moment which was my biggest hope :)

Think I stopped too long at the 2nd station (so lush to lounge in the sun tho) and the last 30km was tough, felt much rougher and steeper than I’m sure it was, happy I cleaned that savage steep section, never stood up so far back on the bike. Every climb after that felt ten times as steep as it really was tho.

Great course, not as steep or rough as I’d expected, next year’s training will be mostly massive road epics and fewer stupid rides like Mary Towneley Loop and moortop BWs as dark falls!

Rambler rear and Riddler front, about 50psi, comfy enough and had no fears on the descents B-)

A lot of variations possible it seems :) I’d be tempted to throw in BWC – Sale waterpark/Ivy Green then pop through Chorlton to drop onto the Fallowfield Loop (loooong stretch of uninterrupted path to up your avg speed), jib off through Highfield Park, a mile or so of estate to fall into the Reddish Vale and follow the River Tame – though I don’t know if that would force you through Stocky town before you hit the Mersey. Save it for the way home and enjoy an overpriced craft ale in Chorlton, darling.

Do the feed stations have a good stock of water to stock up on? Only done one event before and assumed that was a given 0.0

@speedstar, you are my new hero. I expect you to have my pint ready when I (hopefully) collapse over the finish line (next two rounds on me, if you go to the bar for them)

It’s worth mentioning that it’s a gorgeous part of the world tho and is highly recommended for more surface-smoothing wheels than 35mm CX, but make sure it’s a sunny day!

@grannyjone  my take on it is that a rigid plus or xc short travel 29er would be ideal. Almost all of the 30miles was ridable on CX, but almost all of that was at the limits of comfort – packhorse slabs are intense, cobbles were brutal, natural rocky bits sketchy, zero-traction slop mildly perilous… The only extended section of fun riding surface for CX was in rossendale and a gate every 100feet is rage inducing!

Ibailed when turning a corner to find yet another field with no discernible path and hit the roads at Holme Chapel, missing out what is probably the best bit, but preserving a level of sanity :-D

If the Dirty Reiver is as rough as that then I just don’t care if I finish it or not – it’s clearly for mental people

@chipps thanks for the waymarkers – do you think next time you could put up a few directing to pubs too?

Recently shod with Rambler on back and Riddler up front – frankly astonished at how well they grip a variety of surfaces (though it goes without saying they’ll not be fabulous in true Northern Slop) and they roll really nicely on tarmac.

The Riddler isn’t very tall, at least not compared to the Knard it replaced, though my forks wouldn’t have space for the 45. Pressure went down to about 30PSI (first ride on ghetto tubeless) and didn’t feel any rim strikes on a pretty lairy (for CX bike) bridleway descent

@andybrad – my training is focused entirely on the celebratory end-of-ride pints. I’m up to 7 now and aiming for 10 by the end or DR

@whitestone – I’m doing the full loop as you say, it’s just my lazy/sensible friend who’s going to bail out part-way through ;)