First couple of years I did the Alps on my Zaskar with 70mm up front and 1.9 tyres.
I’d be quite happy to do the Passportes on that setup but with bigger rubber. On a nice day you could do the Passportes on a CX. None of the big runs feature in the course.

I shall be doing this year’s on a 100mm travel XC FS, as I have done the last 5 times, and I’ve never felt under-biked.

Sadly a few just won’t have anything to do with MTBs

IIRC you just need to call it ‘Roughstuff’. Roadies don’t mind that.

ust wait til the snow on the ground freezes, that’ll take the smile off their faces.

When the snow freezes is when it’s best IMO ! MK redways loads of fun at the moment.

put some longer forks, short stem and a platform shock on that Quake and it would be absolutely fine.

My permit arrived yesterday, staring at me all today making me feel guilty. Unfortunately too much else to do 🙁

still running my ’99 FRS. Took all the stickers off it, now has big forks and discs. It’s done 10 Alp trips and loads more in UK. Without the stickers folk ask me if it is some early Santa Cruz…

I’m hoping for a Samson smash – bring the effing lot down and start again…

I think the premise of the OP is bang on.

We didn’t win the war with this twaddle, but have destroyed industry with it.

Women’s racing delivered the best road race of 2012 (Olympics). I really wish Rabobank had had the balls to quit the men’s pelaton but continue with the women.

I was told I look exactly like that poor organist murdered in Sheffield. He was 68. I’m 52…

hey, I read them all. Was fascinated by how few ‘big brands’ there were.

1995 Zaskar in Frost Red
1998 Pace evo fork
Ceramic rims
Arch Rivals
The original Hard hardtail.

1999 Marin Mount Vision Pro (the last in captivity ?) in stealth grey
2007 130 Revs (gives head of 66 degrees – oh yes! bu99ers the seat angle though)
203mm BB7 discs
721 rims with 42a High Rollers.
Veteran of 5 Passportes. I don’t think Mr Marin had this in mind for his cross country baby…

the older I get, the faster I was…

segment the whole thing. then you have a time trial. Nooooooooooooo…

your choice. go somewhere else if you don’t like it.

hint: everywhere else is like this now. bean counters never waste a good crisis.

A Sunday in Hell

PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I must say I hate all the slo-mo films. Especially those that slo-mo half way through a trick.

Tall Southerner. So, no.

that drivers find it harder to assess position and movement of a flashing light than a solid light.

I believe this absolutely.

I’m of the opinion that all the training stuff has been ‘proved’ on doped riders and has little cross-over to us non-doped. Good example – Conconi test.

Panasonic here, 15 years old, still churns them out…

fatgroup – yep, that too…I’d be in the top band

You can make training as complex as you like, for me it takes too much fun out of riding, and I don’t think it matters until you are at a high level.

This ^^

Rider numbers are massivly up. 8 years ago I would go and the car park would be empty. Now its always busy.

Yes, but folk will get bored and it’ll return to normal. Can’t wait.

Chamonix ? Doesn’t get any higher…

Not sure if rider numbers are up or if it’s just the extremely wet winter but most trails seem to be widening from what looks like overuse or mud avoidance

Possibly availability of better mud tyres ? Looks the worst I’ve seen in places. The small section in Stocky park is holding up well though.

I saw one guy out in (white framed) sunglasses today. And dressed in his Sky black kit. Bet he though he looked like Froome. FFS.

OP + 1.

Testers with bright lights (and usually black kit) – 1.

ooh, the element is the one I really wanted. presume the arms are long enough because of the thumbholes ? I can put up with that…

Feared that would be the case. Many thanks. Only merino that seems to fit me is Embers, may be worth a look.

well, I had a great time catching up with friends and riding when possible. no presents, no monster bills but really chilled.

hope everyone else had a great break too. no opt-in or out, just enjoyed yule and the festival of the rebirth of the sun.

Rolland. The French need to win the 100th tour. And if he does, the party in Paris will be awesome.

even have to be total benders

I thought I was the last person left still saying ‘benders’. 😀

What I find odd about this is why do folk get worried about not drinking milk ?

It doesn’t form part of a natural diet and you get your calcium from meat, fish (with bones) and leafy green veg. Once weaned from human milk stay away from it.

Osteoporosis is a disease of milk drinking cultures. All the evidence I need to keep off it.

hmm, we managed a whole 3.3 miles in 1 1/2 hours in Woburn on friday. We could have ground out 10 times that chain ganging, but heaps more fun off raod than griding out road miles I reckon.

check the tension of the rest…

Saxon clinic indeed. First time I’d used it and the whole organisation seemed shambolic – incorrect details of problem on my referral, running very late (I noted the time was caught up on my appointment) and completely unlike other clinics I’ve been to (bit of an injury prone year).

Really not sure whether to go back for the follow-up or get a fresh start elsewhere – if that’s an option…

but why get gluten free bread and all the other substitutes ? They’re processed to hell.
Eat real food, but beware, e.g. many meats are fattened on grains so the fat profile is awful so get grass-fed beef /lamb.

So tonight is grass-fed turkey leftovers with 3 veg. No substitutes there. Breakfast is fruit followed by eggs, lunch is salad and fish. Nothing there either. Green tea needs no milk, neither does espresso. Simples – and the best of luck, nothing beats having good guts.

Did he misdiagnose you? Or is your complaint due to his whingeing

Lack of assessment due to time spent whinging.

Perhaps you might have had better service from the NHS

Probably would have got the same bloke, but in May. Then I would be complaining against the NHS, which I would find much more morally troublesome. And I and may have prevented someone less fortunate than myself from getting that slot in May.

Nope, can’t get any Carhartts on. Legs generally stick a couple of inches below being fully up. Shame because I like the styles.