In Jota’s link:

Got a stock AX29er #1 and it weighed in at 27.1 lbs

So about the same as a Superfly as I said…

I say this because a size medium Superfly 100 AL pro is almost identically specced to that Anthem and weighs 27lb 4oz without pedals. Are you telling me an Anthem frame is 2lb 4oz lighter than a Superfly?

Edit: meant without pedals not with

Anthem x 29er 1 2011 are a smidgen over 25lbs stock

Quoted or weighed? Because if it’s quoted it’ll be no pedals and silly light innertubes that pinch on the first ride, size small too. Most manufacturers are a pound over weight by the time you get a medium or large on the scales. Add 10oz-1lb for pedals and suddenly you’re well past the claimed weight

Sorry but the XR3 and XR4 look totally different, visibly much bigger nobbles on the XR4.

And there is a massive difference between XR1s and XR4s, with intermediate steps between them in the form of the XR2 and XR3.

He did say he’d weight a known quantity such as a 10kg weight though, so give him a chance.

I’m highly dubious myself as well, aluminium frame, not a small size, even if that weight was without pedals I’d be surprised. Like njee, we’re just saying, we’ve all seen better specced carbon framed 26ers weigh more than that.

Someone on here was talking about practicing cornering on a slightly sloping grassy field and riding figure of 8’s working out how far you could lean the bike, sharply you could turn, etc with minimal risk of hurting yourself.

I had Clive Forth doing this but setting up a cone slalom course. We spent about an hour just increasing the speed and sharpness and working on technique. Very helpful.

Are you getting anywhere near full travel on a ride? There’s a lot of factors here but if your o-ring is no way near the end of the stroke and you’ve definitely had some pretty solid hits/landings, might be worth looking into.

Seems to work really well, I was amazed at how quiet my Gyro was compared to my Five. And then I forgot to put the clutch on and did a descent – yep, just as noisy afterall, so it works!

I always find good breathability is less about not sweating up in the first place, IMO it’s inevitable with all jackets, it’s very much how quickly they dry out afterwards. The Gore activ-shells steam up with the rest of them but if you get a decent descent or a flat section where you can ease off they dry right out, not so on cheaper jackets which stay sweaty for the whole ride.

Also, check your other layers, general rule is that you’re only as breathable as your least breathable layer. So an expensive, breathable jacket with a crap sweaty base layer will only breathe as well as the base layer.

With a bit of clever shopping and classifieds could you not scrape together a Cotic >X< for that money?

Did 3,500km on an XT 10-speed chain in all weather/conditions over 8 months and no complaints here. Changed the chain and cassette as a precaution for my WC2C but was life still in them. Honestly not found the wear to be bad at all, as good as 9 speed for sure.

Bearded Man is the guy you need to speak to: http://www.beardedman.co.uk/hire-distribution/

I guess purely on fit the Five could do you well as either the 16″ or 17″ is bound to fit you.

Again purely on fit, as it’s really a marmite bike, but the Whyte 146 is generally long for a given standover height so could be a good bet.

mjsmke: relative BB heights are usually lower on 29ers so no change in standover. I ride a 17″–18″ in both wheels sizes.

Modified Audi RS5 with splitter/diffusor, is it plausible that those things could generate a decent bit of downforce?

‘Modified’ could also suggest it’s had the suspension lowered excessively by it’s dickhead owner, only causing an issue at 180mph?

Earl, have you tried a G2 Trek 29er?

Personally I would love a hard tail XC 29er but then would I be better off with a Cross bike?

No because a 29er XC hardtail is very much still a mountain bike, and a cross bike is very much still a cross bike.

I think we’ll always have all 3 still. I believe Cotic still sell 3 souls to every Solaris or something like that I think Cy said. And the Solaris is all new sales, Soul sales haven’t dropped off.

The big boys can keep dropping 26ers from the range in order to force the issue, but I think they’ll just play into the hands of smaller brands. I think the 26er will become a bit more niche/enthusiast only on the shorter travel end purely because recreational riders will just end up buying Carves instead of Rockhoppers without realising. I’ll be amazed if 650b or 29er completely takes over on the longer travel end.

I like 29ers and I’m short btw.

So you’ve swapped from a high end 26″ bike to a mid-range (at best) 29er, and are disappointed they don’t feel the same…?

Well likewise, would you expect a mid-range alu 26er to feel as good as your high end carbon one?

Ingenie have withdrawn the campaign with no comment as of yet 🙂

Good effort mate! Did WC2C non-stop a few weeks back and couldn’t believe it was actually possible to fall asleep on the bike, but it is!

I said never again but WHW appeals 🙂

I suppose you have to say Fairplay to BikeRadar: http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/sharetheroaduk-bikeradars-response-35028/

Maybe read what you’re signing up for properly next time.

Brooess, we’re contesting the call for compulsory cycle training and testing for all cyclists – a bicycle licence. Which is totally unnecessary given the nature and realtive lack of danger caused by using one.

Ingenie is now backpedalling with its testing-lite. Which is obviously still ill-thoughout rubbish. What about preschool children and people who don’t go to school anymore? And if it’s training and a test, but not a licence, then what is it they’re calling for? They obviously don’t know anymore.

The point on “Compulsory training and testing for cyclists before they take to the road” is not intended as a cycle licence. We have included it to highlight the benefit that education can have for new cyclists, especially young people. We think that this training and testing could work as part of the national curriculum.

Operation backpedal on #sharetheroaduk begins… http://www.ingenie.com/blog/2012/08/sharetheroaduk

Twitter filters out replies by default, you need this link: https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/with_replies

He only responds to the particularly angry or shouty ones. Throw a logical counter argument and he ignores you.

Fair doos!

Mike_D: strange because I went looking for BR’s article this morning and there wasn’t one, only saw it go up this afternoon. Could have been a pre-published date, i.e. it was drafted last night?

Bike Radar has only just posted its own announcement of this, has pulled the article 10 minutes later.

Very steady long distance plodder (will get through pretty much any ride with a smile and a grimace, I’ve gone 12, 24 and 36 hours even, suspect I could go to 48!). Have placed top 10 at an endurance race, usually more top likely to be a comfortable top 20, poss top 15 finisher though.

But also seem to be a pretty competent descender and singletrack rider when there’s still a degree of pedalling still involved. Have a few trail centre descent and local top 10s on *cough* Strava. Not quite so good when it gets a bit looser and more balls out.

Bit average and somewhat timid on steeper, tech. Fine if it’s dry but as soon as you throw mud and roots into the equation I start to bottle. Northern steps riding scares the bejesus out of me but probably more from a lack of doing it.

Seem to have fairly good power on the flat and lesser climbs, quite a weak climber as it ramps up. Quite competent on technical climbs though.

Fitness on the day seems to be really inconsistent too which is frustrating.

It’s not just records attempts that should adhere to the rules, regardless of skills and fitness people like to challenege themselves on these routes and if you want to actually post a time to see how it compares, a fair rule-set works.

Better start refunding those donations I guess 😐

It’s all part of the service! 😀

If your bike or body packed in on the linking section between Mach and Nant Yr Arian, for example, you could have a couple of hours of pushing (or crawling) before you got anywhere near a road.

Especially if you’re taking too long and you realise the sun is setting and you haven’t got any lights on you, that was tense for a moment. 😳

My WC2C a few weeks back was supported with vehicles but I was never a record contendor (as my time of 36hr time showed) and I was doing it for charity, and getting it filmed 🙂

Still collecting mind 😛 http://www.justgiving.com/garyrideswc2c

Quick initial write-up: http://www.garyrides.co.uk/2012/08/gary-rode-wc2c/

The little rubber ones that sit between the BB face and the crank face are prone to perishing too, sorry but very bad system. If mine were anything to go by, the wobble is the beginning of the end too as the splines are probably already a bit chewed up.

It’s part of the picture, it’s about as useful as judging a bike by it’s head angle alone, i.e it’s not very.

Burly Bee on an Orange Five (9mm dropouts). Pretty sure the trailer gently tugging on it is no worse than some of the awful, awkward sideways landings I sometimes subject it to 😳

Standard Trek Superfly Large. Guess at 27ish lbs

Not if it’s an AL one and you haven’t changed a lot of the spec.

Superfly 100 AL Pro w/XT pedals, 28lb 4 oz (medium)
Orange Gyro Pro, w/XT pedals, tyres switched to Bonty 29-1 2.2s, 29lb 15oz* (medium)

It’s only an ounce but it’s bloody well under!

Another vote for a Five with 36s on here. A Five with 36s comes up slacker than an Alpine anyway and you’ve always got the option to plug some 32s in for XC/Trail usage if you so please.

not having sticky gel wrappers to dispose of

Up the leg of your bibs works well and less likely to be dropped than a back pocket attempt.

As wrong as they first seem, Dr Oetker, can’t put my finger on it but seriously tasty for a frozen jobbie. Yes it’s the one with the slightly biscuity base but it totally works…

For WC2C I used half strength torq drink, gels and bars. 9Bars are flipping ace too btw if you want to get your protein intake up. And then I just ate normal food when I met the crew, more for comfort and to battle actual hunger. Beans and sausages, noodles, sandwiches, nuts grapes, sweets. Whatever I fancied. I didn’t bonk in 36 hours and only problem with stomach was near the end when I stupidly downed a chocolate milkshake because I really fancied it. Took hours to get over the heartburn!

I’m still fundraising btw guys 😉

http://justgiving.com/garyrideswc2c