Oh great…. I thought my mind was made up on the XLS but those Canyons look very well spec’d for the money. Hmmmm….

Have you considered the Planet X XLS. I’m also in the market for a CX bike and after riding someone else’s XLS any doubt about getting one had gone. Bargain price too.

They don’t get wrong every winter. The winter of 2009/10 was the coldest in decades.

Well I guess if you march out the same headline every year you’re going to get it right once.

Yeah, as already said, the Express do the same thing every winter and every winter they get it wrong. There was an article (possibly BBC website- I’ll try and find) about the Express using some spurious weather ‘experts’ for all of their long term forecasting.

Ps4 when my ps3 finally gives up the ghost…. Won’t be long now I’m sure.

MS were reactive and it struck me that they couldn’t see the very obvious flaws in the xb1 from the start.

Nice that. Not a big fan of kona’s but I really like that, especially that really low TT, would suit a lanky sod like me. What shock?

Blimey, I remember watching that exact broadcast on Eurosport in 96. Completely bonkers and commentary is perfect for it. Completely deadpan.

Good day out in the hills if possible, with some techy stuff to challenge.

That brew kit is brilliant. On my list of things to buy.

I admired it but I didn’t enjoy it. It’s not meant to be an enjoyable film though I don’t think. Challenging certainly and McAvoy was amazing, especially considering he was on screen almost 100% of the time.

So are most of the runs downhill bike orientated or all fine on a trail bike?

I’ve also go a thing where if i’m about to mention something to do with mrs P, I ask myself “would I be happier with her reading this”, on the basis she probably does/might.

You might have failed that test

Very possibly.

My biggest disappointment is that I, admittedly very naively, expect better from mountain bikers. I guess I always just assume that those who ride tend to have an environmental sympathy and generally don’t think that it’s cool to throw their unwanted junk into trees.

I buy from whoever is offering the best price, whether it be online or LBS. Sadly my local bike shop has yet to have received much of my custom.

Made you smile? I opted for the jaw dropped, in awe look.

Well, quick update. Wife and I went to take a peek at the meeting at Milton Keynes Bowl on Saturday. I was expecting to be not all that enthralled but obviously am keen for my wife to get into it. Anyway, turns out we both really enjoyed it and now both want to give it a shot.

So, in terms of bike choice would you generally go for a bike that is a little on the smaller size in relation to typical road bike size choice. Being 6’3 I generally go for big and indeed my road bike is a 59 I think. But even though it’s great for me getting the power down on road I can’t help but think I’d feel a bit ‘perched’ and find it a bit cumbersome if I took a frame that size off road.

“I am sorry would you mind repeating all that I am rather deaf”

Yes, I have to admit to doing this to a guy who was raging at me for seemingly just being a cyclist, but very shamefully I employed a type of voice that often accompanies someone who has always been deaf (not remotely proud of this incidentally but it was an instinctive reaction to make the aggressive scumbag who was shouting at me feel absolutely awful as opposed to a calculated insult to the deaf). I just smiled and said “sorry I’m deaf”.

His face immediately dropped as he had spent at least 2 minutes shouting at me, his face turned red and he walked away looking like his world had just ended.

I particularly enjoyed his nostalgic “preference” for the IRA over al qaeda.

Yeah, absolutely brilliant bit of writing I thought.

He creates an incredible divide with audiences. It’s interesting to see how some people take his comments on face value and laugh where as most people, correctly, understand the irony and also laugh but for entirely different reasons.

Its basically a case of some people going ‘oh good, he’s having a pop at Muslims again Hahaha!’ and others, at the same time going ‘Oh good, he’s mocking the BNP again hahaha!’. I enjoy the unease he creates.

I saw him in Northampton last week. Personally I thought he was brilliant but then I am a bit of a fan.
Did you not like his show ‘Carpet Remnant World’?

The faster it is the happier I am.

you tend to find women are in with the vets and Juniors.

I don’t think she will mind that. The more in the field the more to mix in with. I’m starting to like the sound of this CX lark myself.

Incidentally looking at the new boardman CX bikes. They look pretty good, coming from a standpoint of no knowledge on the subject at all.

How does that team model for 899 quid stack up?

Thanks all. Great info. I think her main reason for picking CX is her over bearing lack of confidence so I think she likes the idea that she can hide in the pack unlike DH for example whereby all eyes are on you for your run. But she also wants to build her self confidence so improving her results each time she competes can only be a good thing.

Frankly I’d be more inclined to opt for the getting a CX bike from the start. Nothing lost if she doesn’t like it. It will be a good tool for our local bridleways.

Is the women’s class generally well supported? We’d be midlands/East Midlands although more than happy to travel far and wide to do some more exciting courses and soak in some countryside elsewhere. From what I have seen so far it seems a very accessible sport, welcoming of everyone which is nice and quite easy to get into. I assume that as you improve and get into it you can start entering bigger national CX events?

Might drive to the meeting in Milton Keynes tomorrow and see what it’s all about.

I’ll see what I can find when I get home tonight. I don’t tend to GPS mtb rides but some of my mates do

Brilliant, much appreciated.

Have some routes somewhere I may be able to dig out.

Well, if you could that would be brilliant.

Planning an all day ride up in the Chilterns

Oooh where abouts in the Chilterns? It’s not somewhere I’ve explored yet but might give it a go on Sunday. Any suggestions?

Not till mid November, as has been the case for the past few years. Grey dull skies but still just breaking the 20 degree barrier.

Thanks fervourdimage – far be it from me to cast an aspertian on anyone else’s view-point, but I’m pleased you had time to take 4 twenty niners on a three hour plus full on MTB ride at the bike show to get a good feel for them in real world conditions.

-sigh-

Or maybe you thought the magic fairies fund bikes.

10 teeth, 10 pounds. Not even enough for grips.

Stealthy……

Seriously, it looks great. Love a bike that shouts.

I’m not complaining about my bike

No, I know you weren’t. I was referring to my original post coming across as a bit whiny…. Which it was.

Well, I had a go on 4 different 29ers at the Bike show on Sunday and they were all shit so that’s the end of that.

… and yet many of us are more than happy with our £400 builds, with carefully hand picked components from the classifieds….

Admittedly it does sound a bit like a whiny spoilt child, but in my defence my motivation for the change is to reduce the number of bikes I’ve got and have a bike that, no matter where I go or what riding I want to do, I’ll have a bike that will tackle it all. The DH bike is too much for the racing I do (UK based). The camber, whilst a very good trail centre bike, is so light it almost feels fragile so I never really push it too much so never take it anywhere there might be some more extreme descents. I’ve built up the bikes I have now over a long period of time so if I’m going to replace them I want to replace them with something that, for me, is just about perfect.

In essence I’m just ranting about mountain bikings idea of ‘standard fit’ really.

Meh !

I am in the final stages of finishing my Enigma Excel. The spread sheet is currently telling me I’ve spent over 5K.

No, not meh. When you consider the Downhill Bike I am stripping to build my new bike has cost me just over £6000, the Specialised I am selling cost me just over £2000. When you throw it altogether it’s going to be a very expensive bike.

I don’t really want to go cheap on the build as I am essentially building my ‘ultimate’ bike. The frustration is that initially I thought that Around £1600 combined with the kit from my DH bike would give me the bike I wanted but then realising that everything bar the Brakes, bars, shifter, chainguide and saddle would also need to be replaced.

He’s just…. The thing with him is…… He’s got….. The problem……. He really just……

It’s hard to explain.

Sweet Protection Knee Pads (Bearsuit Series) – First Look

For anyone who has not yet jumped on this type of mountain biking you are missing out!

Yeah, I jumped on this mountain biking type of mountain biking ages ago. I’ve just been using a mountain biking mountain bike with mountain bike wheels and a mountain biking helmet.

It’s quite funny but mainly because of his kids nonplussed reactions.

I’ve seen this episode of Grange Hill before.