Edge 800 and did the 200 miles wales c2c, the mount seems fine :)

By the way, I do nearly everything on the cheapo 50mm 1.8 prime, crazy good lens for the money!

This was self-shot on a 550d, there’s definitely a different way of filming; and waving it about, zooming and relying on auto-focus is not the way.

I’d disagree with molgrips, in that there’s not a single camcorder in existence that will deliver anything like the nice visuals and have the lens flexibility of a DSLR for the money, but, you have to work within its limitations… I tend to stick to more static or at least slowly panned shots and let the rider ride into the focal point for best effect.

WC2C promo shoot with Seb Rogers

Still from a night riding video.

On my way to 10th in the solo cat at Oktoberfest

TransWales 2011, excuse the mudguards, but you know, it’s TransWales :P

TransWales again

Torq Pink Grapefruit

The Whyte is more comparable to a Trance than an Anthem, so depends on how much burl you want…

If I had to pick one, oh it would be Osbourne on so many levels.

If I can make top 25% I’d be over joyed, but I’m being realistic.

You’ll do top 25% simply by the virture of keeping going. IME anyone outside the top 15, perhaps 20 depending on the size of the field will be people that stopped for breaks and/or sleep, or a big mechanical/off.

I came 14th at 24/12 in 2010 but it did feel a bit like I was also almost last place of all the guys that rode the whole thing. There were guys much further down the field doing much quicker laps than me but then stopping to sleep.

On the WC2C the triple was a life saver on a 29er. Would have spun it out and struggled with the smallest gear in equal measure.

Quite happy on 2×10 for shorter distance, racing, or blatting local trails though. Although whenever I am on triple, I just stay in 32 nearly all the time anyway, so I think I’d always opt for 1×10 or 3×10, and personally see 2×10 as a bit compromised.

More common than you’d think… typically if it’s sold as tubeless with UST, it will be ready to ride. If it’s ‘tubeless ready’ 9/10 there’ll be some form of aftermarket something needed, normally an actual tyre or a rimstrip kit.

Also a motorbike doesn’t weight around a sixth of its rider.

Been there, done that. Don’t sell the MTBs, you’ll need them again eventually.

Blimey.. a thread about greenwash even including Priuses , and it ends in cordial thanks and apologies fir any offence. What is STW coming to?

Oh **** off you… :wink:

Cheers Molgrips, good break down!

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/orange-140mm-29er

Better?

I still don’t think you’re getting this. It’s a bit like buying something from Tesco and then Sainburys replacing it under warranty. Fisher should have told you to bugger off (I’m guessing they didn’t realise it was German bought).

At the very least, your thread title should have read ‘Fisher are so awesome’ or something…

What about me then on the speed limit getting 63mpg yesterday going to my folks and back?

Not a pop at you but is that considered good for a Prius then, I’d have hoped for more if I was going to make that kind of outlay? From a 55 plate 2.0TDCI C-Max I’ll get 60mpg on a pure motorway trip (low 60s even if the weather is really fine). Low 50s isn’t hard day to day (although my wife only seems to get high 30s from it in town even though I get close to 50 in town)

Bontrager 29-1 2.2 Team Issues. Not really a mud tyre but soft conditions means all sorts and you can’t have fast rolling and genuinely good in mud :)

Yup, you need to shred the gnar a bit more to be a real mountain biker. Mountains have got nothing to do with it ;)

Especially as they’ve just given you a free reverb which you didn’t even buy from their supply chain in the first place…

My beef with these Eco variants is that they still essentially rely on driving efficiently, and the majority I see are being razzed around delivering equally shite mpg. Nearly all the benefits are aero so ranting them round town does nothing to help. I’m sure their owners think something magic is happening under the bonnet.

I saw some fellow up at Cwmcarn on one last week, not sure whether it was a prototype or if it was the Gyro, it was bright green and he was going very fast with a big sh*teating grin on his face – looked pretty sweet.

Sunday? That would have actually been me :oops:

’twas a Gyro

nice coup for Rapha imo

I suspect they’ve paid quite handsomely for this coup.

Sorry I keep remembering little nuggets.

Pack Surgical tape, plasters and vaseline. If something is rubbing (I had big toes and thumbs), a Plaster won’t stay on long alone, but wrap it in surgical tape than dab some vaseline on top, this is great for shoe and glove sores.

Whether you’re using hydration packs or bottles, make sure you alternate the hand you drink with. I always drank using my right hand and held myself up with the left. My left hand was numb and the whole arm and shoulder that side was in agony.

It’s ok to push.

That’s a good point, at 24/12 I was almost 40th going into the night, the sun came up and I was 14th… keep moving, the only slower thing that going slow is stopping, and people will stop a lot.

Don’t use anything you haven’t tested before kitwise for a decent period of time

Oh, read this: http://www.cyclistno1.co.uk/blog/amateur-mtb-marathon-gary-rode-24.htm
(My 24 solo debut in 2010)

And this: http://www.garyrides.co.uk/2012/08/gary-rode-wc2c/
(My non stop wales coast to coast I did a few weeks back)

I reckon I trained less than you did so you’ll do alright :)

Sounds like you’ll be fine. Go out slow. Eat and drink plenty. Go slow. If you can ride for 6 hours, you can do 24.

I’d personally focus doing some kit testing/prep. I’d be looking to do do at least a 6 hour MTB ride kitted up and practicing your start pace.

If anything niggles and aches after 6 hours, it’s a potential race ender. I promise you your fitness won’t be a problem, your legs will the be the least of your worries. It’ll be some bike fit related niggle, back ache or blisters/chaffing that’ll do you in first.

Enjoy, it’s proper ace!

Have you roped anyone in to support you?

To be fair, when someone suggests you might be shit on a bike, there’s not a lot else you dredge up to defend yourself :cry:

PayPal gift ok? :wink:

I’ll leave you to peacefully fudge your strava times

:P

agree to disagree on this one?

It all sounds a bit too amicable to me for STW, but you’re on!

but what about in 5 years time?

For me personally, the big advances in the last five years that have made a difference to my riding have been tyres, brakes and forks/shocks. Suspension platforms always feel different but I’ve never been able to hand on heart say ‘better’. The next big thing is 650b right? So I think suspension platform advances are getting to the point where they’re about to run their course; and single pivots are still in there, so no reason why they won’t be in five years time. 650b Fives and Hecklers right? :lol:

I’ve got a Superfly and I think ABP is fantastic. But then so was my Five, and so is my Gyro. I thought the VPP Tallboy was pretty special too. I’ve never been 100% on Specialized bikes but the new Whyte 29ers are true 4-bars and I really liked those.

The Gyro is technically an ST4 replacement and this new one will be a 29er Five I guess. However, I’m quite happy with the Gyro as a 29er Five and I think this new one will feel bonkers big, especially if they stick 34s on it! Whether this new one ends up being the ‘Five’ or the ‘Alpine’ will probably come down more to tyre and wheel choice than travel as the limiting factor.

Whenever people say a 29er hardtail feels like a short travel rear suss 26er, I think they’re talking crap. But I do think a 29er FS is worth about 20mm of travel over the equivalent 26er FS. All IMO :)

Gotama, one of those riders was Dave who used to work at Orange and did a lot of the proto testing. The video in question is hardly conclusive unless you were able to film every rival’s bike in the same way from the same position really. Otherwise it’s just speculation on what you can see in an isolated incident. I don’t know what you ride but just because you can’t feel it flex, it doesn’t mean you wouldn’t see it do the same thing in that situation if we filmed it?

Anyway, I’m as keen as you to not get into a riding capability willy-waving fight :) Let’s just say I’m as far away from being a dire rider as I am from being world cup rider :P I’ve got a few trail centre descent top 10s on Strava (*spit*) but that probably says as much about the popularity of the given trail centre in question as it does about my ability :oops:

The point about the 3 years is that I don’t think they’re claiming they actually spent three years working around the clock designing. I suspect it’s more a case of watching what the market is doing, trying variations, looking at volumes and what kit is available for the builds. Most Orange’s have been 2–3 years in the making and it’s never a question of efficiency I don’t believe.

it’s just not very interesting

The thing is, whenever they try to do something different, or interesting, it doesn’t last long and they come full circle to what everyone actually wants them to do. The Blood and ST4 have gone, despite both being brilliant and well received, and yet the Patriot is back and the 29ers have been born in the familiar mould.

When Dave Flynn first said they were playing with 29ers, I assumed they’d use the ST4 layout myself.

an industry driven by consumers lusting after what is sexy, new and interesting

Again, perhaps Orange are proof that perhaps that’s not entirely the case. Quite a few on here that have been happy to buy new Cotic Souls and BFes too despite owning an original.

110mm rear, 120mm front, rated for up to 140mm front though.

The Gyro is much closer to say a Trek Rumblefish than a Superfly for example.

Gotama, I’ve just got a Gyro and I’m very impressed so far. I’ve gone rubber queens and quite hardcore on mine and it totally works.

I mean you either like the Orange SP ride or you don’t really so it’s each to their own in that respect. I can’t say I have any probs with flex in the swingarm on the Gyro but then my Five had 9mm dropouts.

Poor troll, how about three years of trying prototypes and keeping an eye on the market to make sure it’s the right bike and right time to release it?

Mr Bonney is a shrewd and clever business man and it makes perfect sense to me to take your time, especially given they still sell Fives as fast as they can make them and the 29ers would arguably take weld and paintshop time away from what’s a proven success.

Edited for :roll:

Spoon

Yup, thought my Gyro was very quiet compared to my Five until I descended with the ‘clutch’ turned off

I think this is the point at which most people turn to road cycling in the dry only and get fat.