I’ve just started using strava – it is fun having the segments as it adds another element to end of ride banter. It’s not desperately accurate but strangely addictive!

The gprs quote from MBUK is completely rubbish though (who’d have thought!). I use strava with the phone set to flight mode (everything but gps off) and it works just fine. You only need phone reception to upload routes and compare times etc.

To be fair, the crc one on the link does look a lot better than their standard one. Even so, the design features of the evoc are well worth the money – simple to pack and it just works. Padding in the right places, block to support the frame/chainset, etc etc. I’d never use anything else now for long journeys

So long as you stick with kit for the same number of gears (9 speed I’m guessing), you’ll be fine. I agree that SLX is probably the best compromise though.

Oh, and I’d say stick with SRAM for the chain but others will differ.

Ho Ho Ho. Fail on so many levels 🙄

I used to recommend 661 knee pads but my latest ones don’t seem as comfy – definite chafing behind the knees after long rides. I’m hearing good things about POC and Oneal ones…

DB – if I remember rightly, the camera alone is £160 down from 260, with “Packs” including various mounts for just over £200 instead of £360. The spares are about 40% off.

wrecker – to be fair, I made it clear on my post that the url was to my referall link. You can just go via the main Sportpursuit.com front page if you’d rather.

And I don’t get nuffink unless folk order, pay and keep an item so I’m not going to give up my job just yet 😉

A bit of marketing crap maybe but they do seem to have some good deals. Mainly general outdoors stuff but occasionally more specific kit is on offer.

They opened this week. Details Here

The Zesty’s got a tapered headtube so a 1.5″ stem won’t fit – you need a standard 1 1/8.

Time to take the car up some big climbs with my phone then – I rock 🙂

I’ve uploaded a few rides from my garmin and it seems to create stages itself – every climb, be it road, off road, or walking up to section a trail has been given a segment and time. Unsurprisingly, I’ve got KOM in quite a few 🙂

Size wise I’d recommend a test ride. I’m 6ft and supposed to fit a large but I prefer a compact frame – the medium suits me just fine.

I’ve got a 714 and, to be honest, climbing over rough techy stuff feels like I’m cheating

Just be realistic about the sort of riding you’re likely to be doing with it. The more travel, the harder the climbs but the better it’ll cope with serious downhilling. Personally I wouldn’t get a Spicy unless you do a lot of Alpine rides or uplifts. I’ve got a Zesty and it copes with most things I throw at it without a problem. The new X-flows are suppose to be great if you mainly ride XC stuff.

Just spent a month in NZ (Wellington) – fantastic place with some truly amazing riding/scenery. The riding options within 30mins of the capital city are astounding and the lifestyle etc does make me seriously consider moving out there for longer (a viable option in my line of work).

Having said that, I got home last weekend, got on my bike and rode the new XC loop at Hopton with a few “natural” bits thrown in – new trails and great weather made it almost comparable & it was quite nice to be back, plus I got to ride with my dog too 🙂 .

I guess there’s always a “greener grass” syndrome wherever you are?

No one? Really?

Have to agree – very annoying. And I think rear ones should be banned – if only people understood the fact that you really don’t need to use them after a light shower, in a queue of traffic grrr!!!

Top thread in soo many ways 🙂

Clarkes ones from CRC – cheap as chips & seem to work well.

Doesn’t the Spicy come in carbon now?

Weight, selective rigidity/suppleness (TM), no corrosion – all if the frame is designed well anyway.

FWIW, I’ve got a 2011 Zesty 714 and it’s the nicest thing I’ve ever ridden. Come from a carbon Whyte which kept snapping so fingers crossed with this one 🙂

Hmm, how bizarre!

Does not compute. What is love? ➡

Thank god – this post has settled into the usual nonsense and actually made me smile again 🙂

Please tell me you’re doing this for some sort of sport Solo – I don’t really want to think people are so narrow minded and blinkered they would actually believe the stuff you’re spewing out.

Your selective quoting of posts and ignoring the factual arguments suggests maybe you do actual believe your own hysteria though so I’ll leave you to it.

IanMunro – I like the sound of that research. I’m going to quote it lots if that’s ok?

I’m actually smiling and feeling sick at the same time. It’s not a pleasant feeling!

Don’t mean to piss on your fire or anything Solo but I reckon I do know quite a lot about milk production.

It’s a bit of a pet hate of mine that people with very little, highly opinionated and in some cases, completely wrong, opinions feel the need to spout off on stages like this. If you feel the world is out to get you then fine, that’s your opinion. Just don’t think that more level minded folk have to agree with you.

edit – sorry if that comes across as aggressive but it winds me up and it’s been a long morning. I’m not going to placate it with a “smiley” though coz that would just be patronising 😆

Blimey – the level of tin hat wearers round here never ceases to amaze me!

Apparently some grocers sell vegetables with dirt on – now that can’t be healthy can it?

Don’t see why you couldn’t wear lycra cycling shorts really? I don’t ride much any more but I used to wear them and didn’t suffer any long term injury 🙂

Big fan of milk but comparing the calcium content with that of a banana seemed a little odd and did rather set the scene for the rest of the debates!

Lawmanmx – Oh dear!

Hey Mr Plow – you off to Les Arc? Very jealous – you’ll love the place. Drop me an email if you want some ideas of routes etc.

You doing any Gravity Enduros this year?

I always figured that as the packets were sold in 16s you could easily take that amount in one go and not kill yourself

That is quite possibly some of the scariest “logic” I’ve ever heard 😯

and paracetomol is pretty horrible stuff when taken in excess so Never take more than prescribed/told to on the box! Ibuprofen/Codiene certainly help along side it though.

Alfabus – the plan at the mo is to help Jason directly. I think the hope is to get him sorted with a wheelchair that will give him as much autonomy as possible.

ibnchris – thanks a lot for the email. I’ll pass it on to the guys who are organising this if that’s ok?

I agree with a lot of the comments on here – Dirt has the potential to be a great mag. I actually quite like the variety these days and I love the racer’s perspective given to a lot of the pieces. The reviews are very hit and miss though and my biggest problem has always been with the editorial “style”. I’m no English language expert but the typo’s and grammatical errors do make it hard to read. I think Steve Jones (amongst others) has some good stuff to say..he just doesn’t make it easy on the reader.

And as for the fonts/colour schemes….. I’ve got a head ache just thinking about them!

Shame really as it could be great.

Don’t quite get the point of your comment xiphon?

As for price, it’s normally a charity donation to the Racersguild. The majority of fund raising will most likely be via the raffle, especially given what’s on offer.

Flange – nice one, see you there.

The Cannock day is one of the Racers Guild’s regular meets – very chilled, fun day of turning up, pushing up to the top of the DH tracks and riding down again with folk timing you.
The riding itself may get a bit busy as we’re expecting quite a few but things kick off around 9:30-10.
The raffle will be open to anyone and, if you’ve read the link, you’ll have seen there are some pretty amazing prizes up for grabs (including a £1000 LeisureLakes bike voucher) – worth turning up just to buy a ticket and show support I reckon 🙂 . Pop up to the Raveracing Easy-up on the day and someone should be able to sort you out

I use Vegas and love it – amazingly cheap too these days (on Amazon anyway)

Best thing to do is visit the websites of the big players and download a free demo (most = time limited) and have a play yourself. That’s what I did.

Yeah – that’s what I thought. Wish I’d brought my ski gear now!

Nice one – I’ll drop sideways a line. I think TFT sold off all their spare parts when they stopped servicing them.