Are you planning a ride for later this week?

I've repaired Goretex with Tenacious Tape, It's still holding fine after two years of climbing.

We've been looking at maps and are looking at doing the route coming south, so we can get to Fort Bill and get some rest and then maybe finish with the WHW, looks suitably stupid. Planning on carrying our mountain marathon / adventure racing gear and camping on the way with the target being 9 days max.

One of the Economic trends being forecast for the coming years is "Not Made In China" following the current economic crisis.

I live in Abbots, there are some good trails if you head out towards Latimer then onto Chesham, you can come back towards Flaunden. Then there are some nice trails that lead back to Belsize. Back up though Chipperfield common, and then the bridleway through valley and back onto the road into Hunton Bridge. Easiest way to get out that way is from Sarrat find the church, and their is a 'footpath' across the fields that drops down to the river Chess.

Brooks B17, I found it took minimal break in, and the give is better than 'gel'/padded saddle I've ever used.

Large gas tank, "Best for when you need lots of volume and don’t mind leg rub when peddling out of the saddle.", ok, looks like the medium maybe a better choice 😕
The Mountain Standard comes in at 13 litres which should easily take, tent, and sleep gear. I'll carry the other stuff in an OMM pack and front pouch.

I like the lack of maintenance, lube the chain, occasionally check bolts, and change the disk pads.

Dallas News ran a decent piece on single speeds, Gary Fisher actually said something I agreed with 😯

As for the car reference, I have a 71 VW Beetle with 160bhp, it's not as nice as my BMW for daily use, it's actual very primal, but smiles per miles are way, way higher when I open the 48s 😆

Looks like I'll be going with Epic as I can't find many other options, Can't decide though now will the Super Twinkie Seat pack and a large gas tank be enough. I'm pretty sure I can get a Laser Comp tent, Sleeping Bag and stove in that thing! Plus I can swap them between bikes. Decisions 🙄

Yeah, Epic looks pretty good gear, and I can't find many other options. Although I have found some great looking 'Adventuure' bike manufacturers, out there.

Thanks, was leaning on the just get them fence, so I'll click buy now!

Yeah I'm not a bar end fan, but sometimes having the option of another hand position can be useful, I'm building the bike for adventure racing and distance riding. 🙂

OMM Jirishanca pack w/ Duo Mat for sleeping on
OMM Chest Pouch if some extra space needed
Terra Nova Laser Comp, much comfier than a bivvy bag, and two can sleep in it ~ if you are friends!
Mont Bell Down Sleeping Bag
MSR Ti Kettle, Optimus Crux stove, folding spork, Ti Mug
Expedition Food (- freeze dried, in orange bag)
Ipod Shuffle for the long nights!

No hydration pack, bottles on bike, easier to fill on hill from streams.

Use a similar setup all year round, substituting the pack and sleeping bag based on conditions, MacPac Amp Race 45 is a great pack I can still cycle with, basically look for Adventure Race, Mountain Marathon gear.

The midweek sessions are the killer, I normally have a sports drink a couple of hours before I get home from the office then go out immediately. Have dinner when I get home, or a recovery drink and then a home made smoothie. Never feel like eating after training.

If you sit down and turn the tv on, game over 😕

Assorted training plans, running and cycling, I collect the numbers, so Garmin 405 with HRM and cadence sensors on the bikes.
I like the advice in the Lance Armstrong book, want to train for hills spend a four week block on hill work not doing the regular one session a week in a mix package of ride types. When you go for a sunday morning 'ride' you'll soon find motivation for sticking with training as you will ride faster without feeling so rough.

32×16 & trailraker tyres.

It's pretty simple, pedal bike, if you lack the lungs and legs to enjoy it and aren't bothered about getting them, put the gears back on?

Nicest routes are Crib Goch or via the Watkins Path in my opinion, the Pyg Track is a nice walk, if pushed for time

Anton Krupicka's thoughts shoes, with two Leadville wins and running a few hundred miles most weeks, he may know a thing about footwear.

I agree the minimalist footwear being so expensive is ironic, but on the flip I wear VFF's most days, for just wandering around, etc. Only negative is the strange looks and questions about what have I got on my feet. My running shoes are specific much like my bike shoes. The sole is also showing zero signs of wear.

A dwarf with a lisp goes into a stud farm.
"I'd like to buy a horth" he says to the owner of the farm. "What sort of horse?" said the owner. "A female horth" the dwarf replies.

So the owner shows him a mare. "Nithe horth." says the dwarf, "Can I thee her eyeth?"
So the owner picks up the dwarf to show him the horses eyes. "Nithe eyeth.", says the dwarf,
"Can I thee her teeth?" Again the owner picks up the dwarf to show him the horses teeth. "Nithe teeth…. can I see her eerth?" the dwarf says.
By now the owner is getting a little fed up but again, picks up the dwarf to show him the horses ears. "Nithe eerth". he says, Now…can I see her twot?"
With this the owner picks the dwarf up by the scruff of his neck and shoves his head deep in just under the horses tail. He holds him there for a couple of seconds before pulling him out and putting him down.

The dwarf shakes his head and says: "Perhaps I should weefwaze that…
Can I see her wun awound?"

I've been up loads of Munros in winter, including some in pretty bad conditions. A couple that were so bad that we took the sensible option and backed off, I'm not going to push on in a really dangerous situation. Mostly I've walked up paths, but also up gullies and things too. Oh and walked and biked in high mountains in New Zealand in winter too.

I've also ridden up Snowdon in October and got very cold weather, snow a foot deep in parts, snowline well below the tunnel under the railway. That seemed fine. Oh and ridden & walked up a bunch of times in good weather tooI've been up loads of Munros in winter, including some in pretty bad conditions. A couple that were so bad that we took the sensible option and backed off, I'm not going to push on in a really dangerous situation. Mostly I've walked up paths, but also up gullies and things too. Oh and walked and biked in high mountains in New Zealand in winter too.

I've also ridden up Snowdon in October and got very cold weather, snow a foot deep in parts, snowline well below the tunnel under the railway. That seemed fine. Oh and ridden & walked up a bunch of times in good weather too

With all that experience why ask then? Still like to see how crampons and ice axe are going to useful on a bike though.

I think part of the problem with all outdoor sports, etc. is the industry people trying to make money off something, the latest shoe, the latest bike, latest GoreTex. Everything is better this year than last year, REALLY? Runners World, Singletrack are all supporting the industry, everyone trying to make a buck!

I am not disputing your own experience. Are you saying you run regularly barefoot?
Over what terrain/distance/terrain?

Yeah I run in Five Fingers, pretty much exclusively now on a mix of road and trail (both single track and bridalways) so mud, hardpack, leaves.

Runs are 5 to 10 miles a session, and doing this most days.

I run in shoes when terrain demands it, normally in the mountains, where I use Salomon, Millet and La Sportiva. My running style in shoes is no longer a regular shoe style, shorter step with higher cadence.

I'll be going to VFF KSO's, this winter, and will be probably completely shoeless within the coming year.

It may not be for everyone! I know! But, too many people dismiss it and say "get your gait analysed and buy expensive shoes", I'm positive this is not the answer.

I went from legs that hurt like hell running in Saucony Triumphs, recommended for their great padding because I needed it being 6'4" to ditching the shoes, my running style adapting and suffer no pain! In addition my back ache that I have suffered for years from injuries has diminished since I started barefooting. All the time being lectured that it was madness, books like 'Born To Run' and plenty of great websites are all saying the same thing, unfortunately the barefooters don't have the marketing budget of Nike.

Anton Krupicka in his film Indulgence talks about running barefoot, and is shown trimming his new La Sportiva's saying the wedge of rubber under the heel prevents a natural running style. But no manufacturer is going to say, we got it wrong! Personal Trainers are the worst, had far too many lectures on how stupid barefooting is, never had an answer to the retort "show me evidence", again all part of the industry 😕

just a reminder that "as we evolved" does not automatically equal "can't be bettered".

1/2" of padding under our heels, large numbers of runners suffering injuries that have only really existed for 40 years, a multi billion pound industry selling shoes, orthotics, etc. etc.

Does this equal 'being bettered'??

Versus letting our legs and feet become stronger and work in a natural method, fewer injuries due to careful and unconcious foot placement, and no multi billion pound industry??

Is this years full suspension bike really better than last years?? Why does one guy ride 27 gears and FS, whilst the other guy powers up the same trail on a single speed rigid bike. It's product and industry. Runners World and Singletrack have no business if we run barefoot and keep riding the same old bike.

In which case you're either 1) fortunate, or 2) carrying an injury or steadily going about contributing to one that you're perhaps not yet aware of.

Present me with evidence that padded shoes will prevent injury?

The running shoe industry has been made in the last 40 years, before that man ran without support shoes, for millions of years. Our bodies are built for running

-Running on two legs is slower in a sprint, but more efficient over long distances
-Humans have toes that are far shorter than all other primates. This has been shown to be a big advantage – but only when running over distance
-Hairless bodies and our all over sweating allows running in the heat. Antelope aren’t nearly as efficient at getting rid of heat – they must stop to pant

From birth our feet are bound in shoes, they suffer muscle atrophy, break your leg and wear a cast for a few months and you will suffer muscle atrophy.

By running without support your feet and legs work in the way nature intended, several million years of evolution versus about 40 years of "product" development.

Thing is barefoot running won't make Nike, etc. millions of pounds of profit, and a pair of Vibram Five Fingers will last for years. I mean what are all those children going to make, if we don't buy a new pair of runners every 500 miles?

Video showing the difference between barefoot and shoe running

The moment you take your shoes off and run, the body instantly corrects, heel striking whilst barefoot you won't do! it is too painful.

MRT will love you!!

Ever been on a mountain in full winter conditions? I guess not otherwise you'd realise the stupidity of this.

Sorry, if that sounds blunt.

6'4" around 16 stone, I run in shoes with no support, effectively barefoot. You need to establish your running on your own.

The manufacturers will state some truly scary numbers regarding forces slammed through the foot and knee joints when running, yet seem to think 10-20mm of EVA foam will protect you, wrap a egg in a towel now smack it with a hammer, still breaks! This is the problem with running shoes. The foot needs to feel the terrain it is landing on so it can correct itself and hence the body will run correctly. I run in the mountains and pull on running shoes, for tough terrain, but for trail running 'barefooting' is the best method for technique development and strength in the foot and legs. If you start heel striking when barefoot you'll not walk home never mind run

Before you buy running shoes read this

Painful Truth

Barefoot Running

I run in Vibram Five Fingers, no problems, and never heel strike.

As for non manufacturer sponsored research that demonstrates motion control/stability shoes reduce runner injury?

Not likely too imo, industry is worth billions, and they are selling a product, much like the industry/magazines tell us we all 5" travel on our bikes front and rear, do we?? The running shoe evolved from a theory that if you put wedge of foam under the heel, the stride could be lengthened so we would run faster. Let's just forget the evolution of man, and the fact that no animal runs on their heel.

“The human foot is a work of art and a masterpiece of engineering.”
—Leonardo Da Vinci

Human Foot & VFFs[/url]

Lousy shop, I'm originally from Oakham and pop in there when visiting my parents, they talk to you as if you have zero knowledge, and try and sell you stuff you don't want, I've experienced this only last month, needed some liner shorts and was told repeatedly they didn't do them only lycra shorts, then my GF held up a pair. When I asked them about getting in a singlespeed TriCross last year, they told me I didn't want that bike, single speed bikes weren't for riding, my SS mountain bike was outside, having been ridden around the reservoir. I wouldn't touch their mail order in a world of Chain Reaction and Wiggle.

That was it Allsop Softride, I always wanted one of them, but then again I always wanted a Alpinestars Al Mega with elevated chain stays!

Kettlebell routines, blasts your cardio at the same time. Big difference to riding and running

Anyone remember the name of the bike that came out late 80's that had a sprung bar that attached just behind the headset with the saddle on the other end? That predated most of the bikes with shocks.

must be a great feeling though £4k+ on the most exotic carbon/ti, suspended, XTR equipped dream bike, and then you get dropped by the guy on a rigid single speed 🙂

So the more bling the bike, the less it looks ridden? 😆

No it's not natural, evidence shows we evolved as a running race that practiced Persistence Hunting[/url] The problem is the crap diets many people eat nowadays, so vege becomes a viable alternative, beyond some peoples values & beliefs.

No, he's had the title for years

The new 405 (the blue one) they claim has a 'better' calorie calclation based on your heart rate, and who knows what. So last years 405, the black one can be had for around £200, but loads of places are still selling them at RRP so be aware. I had mine from Amazon in a bundle with bike mount and cadence sensor.