LBS is where you go to get your bike serviced if you are too lazy/time poor/inept to do it yourself.

Or where you go if you just broke your last tyre lever and need a new one right now. Or if you are a beginner and into being sold whatever new bike the salesman has to hand for you to sit on.

If you actually want a specific bike/tyre/wheel/shorts in a specific size then you’ve no chance. Just google it, get it 30% cheaper and save yourself the wasted trip.

Yep, in my experience as a lightweight……(at 67kg).

Sorry, at 67kg, admission to the lightweight club is denied – you’re far too heavy to properly appreciate the suffering the big lads dish out on the flat 😀

We could also consider the possibility that whilst rather extravagant, they may just actually be that good.
I never really had a problem with £40 shorts until I tried a £60 pair. And thought £60 shorts were awesome until I tried £100 pair. Can’t see me ever spending £200 on shorts, but just maybe if I did i’d never look back.

Think it very much depends on the bike and the riding you do.
On my fs trail bike i’d happily go 1x, don’t think i’ve ever needed the top gear so would just choose ratios to match my smallest gear.

29er hardtail is a completely different story though. It sees lots of road miles, 24hr races and the odd bit of bikepacking. I run a 22/36 and 11-36 and use all of them all the time, i’d even like a bit more range, so i’d never sacrifice range for 1x

The castelli ones are very very good.
If you wanted a cheaper alternative you could treat your current endura pair with a wash in DWR

That maxxis is a 60tpi casing and weighs almoat as much as an enduro tyre (granted it looks cool though if that counts for anything), i bet the ikon rolls faster.
For doing road events i really doubt you’ll find anything better than the g-one speed tubeless

The big apple replacement is the g-one speed

Ah, bit harder work to get some shelter then.
I look out for blokes like you cos if i get the wheel its freewheeling time 😀

😯
How do you get popped off the back putting out a 295w average? Are you leaving too big a gap to rider(s) in front to get a proper tow?

Edit: Wrong time of year for it, but race pace group rides (apr’s are good) get you used to riding close to others whilst going hard.

Decent ride today, actually even more unfit and slow than i thought – can only go up from here 😆

Also needed the alternate link, downloaded to pdf for consumption tomorrow

All mountain bikers love bouncy puppies.

We do?

If the car is as dominant as it was this year they can pick whoever they like and the constructors title is in the bag.

This weekend will mark the start of season 2017 for me.
Probably 2-2.5hrs super slow and cursing my lack of fitness.

Reverse periodised the last two seasons, which has actually worked quite well, but planning to go oldschool this season and embrace some steady base building out in the cold.

Unless of course it was the beer tent that was making all the profits 😆

Until telecommuting becomes both viable and practical for most people we will still subject ourselves to the ridiculous rush twice a day to get to a desk we typically never leave and then do a job that could be equally as well performed from our own homes.

Works in theory, not so much in practice.
I could do a large proportion of my job from home, but being lazy and unmotivated i’d end up spending my whole day putting off work and end up doing nothing. I suspect this applies to quite a large % of the population

And does anyone have any info on the 2017 dates for Muckmedden events?
If i’m going to have a go then Comrie seems like the logical choice

Total left field thought:

Susie Wolff to come out of retirement 💡

There seems to be a lot of people on here underestimating Rosberg. I think to win a championship against Hamilton is a massive achievement, I was thinking of the last time someone did something similar:

Winning a two horse race when your opponents horse broke down repeatedly. massive achievement.

Maxxis claim the new Crossmark II is faster, gripper, and it comes in an EXO version

Don’t see any reason not to use an 11-40 Steve, even taking Hardknott out of the equation it’ll allow you to save your legs by sitting and spinning up more of the steeper stuff.

Better still, an 11-40 and a compact

Nah, you aren’t missing anything. I have to use one at work too and want to beat it with a hammer daily.

@legend, look at the tread depth and the gaps between the blocks, its almost like a full on mud spike, it’ll most likely clear extremely well.

Probably best not to think about the rolling resistance either!

@nobeer, i would say hater is a bit harsh. I do actually follow enduro and watch the SES and EWS videos as they come up.

I’d love a go, but as posted on another thread, any events that would be easy enough technically for me (i’ve never claimed not to be ****) also seem to be so short i’d be done in under 2hrs.
Couple that with the fact most enduroists seem to see crashing as all part of the fun, and pedally stages despised (pretty much the polar opposite of my thoughts) then maybe they are just not for me.

But regardless of all that, i find it hard to criticise a series thats clearly trying hard to make itself the premier UK series for focussing on the racing aspect rather than the social side. Serious racing events are needed for people to progress now that being an EWS rider could actually be a valid career choice for the very best.

I totally appreciate that part of what makes enduro so popular is the social side, which is why i said that how things are evolving may not actually be for the best for many riders.

Those knobs look like they could dig to the centre of the earth.

Ouch!

Or, maybe just you having another #enjoorojibe

Yes and no.
For sure it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

But in all seriousness, its pretty clear that Enduro is still evolving (for better or worse), and from the top down taking itself rather more seriously and professionally.
BES is obviously taking itself quite seriously and actually prioritising the racing rather than providing a glorified lads day out.

Aye, Imagine wanting to have a ride and some craic wi yer mates, whatever next, eh?.

Maybe do that on the weekends you didn’t choose to enter a race?

£837 for a trainer which you can replicate the effect of with your gear lever 😉

Don’t get me wrong, I can see the attraction, but its still a lot of money for an indoor trainer. Could buy left side PM for 2 bikes with change left over for that much.

Basically it removed the “riding with your mates” bit unless you and your mates were all of a similar speed/ time.

Tragedy.
However will they manage a ride without holding hands?

Seems lack of interest in xc is a very UK thing?

I kinda thought everyone knew that already……
It would be interesting to have details on exactly why that is.

On the protein/recovery shakes – tried them and got home quicker – cos I was propelled by farts. Gave me atrocious wind.

Usually worth trying another brand when that happens.
Most of PowerBars products do that for me, but other brands are fine.

(ps. bare in mind there are some awesome machines on here who do 50 miles a day, everyday, mtb ride Saturday and 100mile sportive Sunday. So prepare to feel inadequate )

And that’s taking it easy on a rest week 😛

For those out solo or in small groups (ie where you’re not being outgunned in the lighting stakes), do you ride with them at a big output?

I find I rarely go above low/medium on my 3 setting nitefighter bar light. I reckon that’s barely 1000 lumens. Again my Diablo is often on the 6 or 10 hour setting on my lid

Part of the fun for me is feeling like I’m riding in the dark

Kinda depends on the riding – fire roads and taking it slowly down single track then 600 on the bars and 100 on the helmet is fine, and you are right, it does give a nice feel of you being in a small bubble of light and the night all around you.
However if I want to go harder/faster or ride more technical or unfamiliar trails, then yes I turn the lights up to full.

I don’t really hang about either

That there is almost certainly part of the problem.

Out of your 10 commutes a week, that statement should only apply to around 3 of them – just take it easy the rest of the time.

Good point in the post above. The key feature of the six pack isnt the monster output, its the monster battery allowing a good output for a really long time.
On the Evans BF deal the six pack was a no brainer, paying closer to full price a maxxd makes more sense unless doing 24hr races.

I agree that gore is overpriced – you’d be mad to pay full price for one when there is so much competition in the market now.

The £45+5p&p for the jacket you linked is about what i’d expect to pay for most softshells as they are so popular now that 50% off is almost the norm.

Add 1 more to the working only until hometime club.
I’d not be doing daily overtime even if i was getting paid for it.