We heard that one member of the team that beat us had been to Mayhem 18 or so years ago in a crib.

What an amazing weekend at the last Mountain Mayhem 24hr race at Gatcombe Park. My first Mayhem was back in 2001 at Sandwell Park Farm and I’ve done 17 since. I’ve been doing this race for nearly half my life. It took 14 years to finally get a win, which we finally did in 2015 and 2016. 3rd Solo in 2006 was a really highlight. So much has happened both in terms of cycling and the rest of my life since those early days back in 2001 – and without Mayhem, maybe the last 16 years would never have happened.

Everyone at Mayhem has so much to thank Pat and co for; it’s been amazing.

This year we’ve come second to a very youthful team – they rode a great race. The course was amazing – the lap has developed really well over the years. The new singletrack sections this year were brilliant. My final lap was a touch emotional; it’s been a hell of a time, so many memories… cadets setting fire to the course, dead fish blocking dirtworkers, London philharmonic playing as I pushed a 50lb bike buried under Easnor clay up to the momunment, losing by 90 seconds in 2014… so many memories.

Thanks Pat (and Ag and Vin!)

Great trails around Igualada to the north which are used for a 3 day UCI stage race – gps files on Volcat website.

GB

*that* section climbing alongside the river up to the welcome to Scotland sign almost made me want to throw Paul in said river.

Is it an 11 speed road cassette? If so you don’t need a spacer. Spacers are for 10 speed road or 10/11 speed MTB.

Sounds like something is not seated properly. Can happen if the freehub gets a little bit chewed up and then the cassette doesn’t go on evenly when you refit it.

Burts are one of my favourite tyres for particular courses, Wasing being one. They don’t like braking on loose surfaces, they don’t like rocks/flints and they don’t really like cornering hard, so Wasing is about perfect for them as it’s all either hardback dirt or loam. Just don’t touch the front brake and you’ll be fine. They have good cornering knobbles but you have to lean it over a bit. They are much faster than a Ralph, and lighter too, but they are also smaller volume and thinner – it’s the same size carcass as the old Furious Fred. They are considerably less scary than a Furious Fred, which was the old semi slick and was totally bald. Go for a 2.25 as it’s about the same size as a 2.1 Ralph.

Make sure you buy the Snakeskin ones. The normal ones (Racelight) are like ribbed condoms they are so thin.

I used them in the Alps for MB Race once, not knowing what to expect. They weren’t entirely suitable…

I run this setup with the left hand buttons for downshifts and the right hand buttons for upshifts. The Di2 shift buttons are tiny so this actually works better than the original setup, where it was very hard to hit the correct button. The new shifters are meant to be better.

I run R785 shifters and XTR Di2 mech. Went with XTR as it has the clutch, couldn’t face bangbangbangbang down every trail. 40t Rotor ring with 11-32 cassette. Never had the chain come off (and that’s with some fairly adventurous off-reading) and the gearing is fine round the Surrey Hills. Did Dirty Reiver on it last year too, no problems. It’s a brilliant setup.

One snag is that with a smaller cassette I needed to file down the mech mount bracket a bit as otherwise the B tension was too strong and the top jockey wheel sat too far from the cassette. It would be fine with an MTB cassette though.

You can’t mix road front mechs and mtb rear mechs though, so if you decide you want a front mech you’ll have to change the rear mech too.

I run the drop bar R785 shifters with Di2 XTR mech on my cross bike as I wanted the clutch function for off road. Other than the mounting bracket needing a bit of a file down to make it work properly with a teeny 11-32 cassette it is perfect (otherwise the B tension was always too strong).

Quality quality control.

I had that on a Universal shopping bike years ago – the crank bolt had the Allen key end but the shaft of the bolt was just a rod. No threads on it. Someone had just pushed it into the hole in the factory and put the crank cap on.

So, Sram and Universal clearly employ the same QC team.

Last year I did it on 32c cross tyres. If I was doing it again I’d use the fattest ones that would fit in my frame as my arms and shoulders were ruined by the end. No need for super grippy tyres. Doing it on a mountain bike is cheating!!

As for training, get used to descending at 45mph on a cross bike on fire roads with rocks on. That, and go for some really long training rides. You need to know how it feels to be riding for 8hrs straight. Do lots of core stability work as it will help with back pain etc over that sort of distance.

We stayed in a hotel right next to Kielder Dam last year – it was brilliant and very cheap between the 3 of us.

GB

If this was in my school, I would expect that you need to see evidence that the school is taking steps to deal robustly with these concerns – have they been investigated? What was the outcome (they aren’t always 100% true…)? Are steps being taken to support the teacher? Write down a log of concerns with dates so it isn’t hearsay. Evidence is very helpful for both sides.

In the first instance, write to the HoD and then go up from there. Don’t write directly to the Head as you will be batted back (rightly) to the HoD so it can be escalated later if needed.

I know a few people with one.

Front wheel removal and fitting is a pain as the legs rotate independently and the leg with the damper in ends up extended a different amount to the leg with the spring in. Plus you need a special hub which is crap by all accounts (bearings).

The do seem to last a bit longer between services.

Just get a SID.

My wife has a ’13 (single turbo version) M135i. It’s utterly ballistic – I would save the ££ and go for one of those over the M140i which is brand new. The engine noise is remarkable and the performance in sport is mental. That said, as it’s an auto you can happily bimble around too. Averaging 32mpg 50/50 motorway and back roads. Starting it on a cold morning is always special. Just shop around and get one with a decent spec (Pro nav, heated seats etc.).

I have an ’07 335d which is also mental but for a different reason. Put your foot to the floor, let the auto box kick down and it’s like the car has been hit with a wrecking ball. And it does 34mpg. And it’s blue. And it’s quiet. And it’s comfortable on rough roads. And it doesn’t drink oil et etc… the way it goes from 50 to any other higher speed is bonkers. I considered changing it for a newer one but it’s pretty pointless as it only does about another 10 mpg and the interior, whilst it is nicer on the newer ones, isn’t that much better. Plus they are still using an identical engine, just tuned for 313 bhp rather than 286. Although, the new ones are 4WD. Wet road plus 335d = traction control light flickering!!! If 600 torques isn’t enough, you can tune them to 350bhp and 700 torques and apparently maintain the reliability as long as you don’t pootle around town and clog the DPF.

I did consider a 335i but the twin turbo petrol engines are nowhere near as reliable as the diesels.

Some of the TV is excellent – GT, Man in the High Castle, Lucifer…

Amazon music is excellent too – you can download playlists etc so as not to cane your data when out and about.

Next day delivery is superb. In Surrey and most of London they do same day delivery on loads of things which saves lots of annoying trips into town for some silly little thing.

I sincerely hope that the offending grassy clump now has a large warning sign.

Currently deputy head in a private school. Have done private for 11 years after 2 in state. I don’t think I’d ever go back.

It’s horses for courses. Whilst I know many teachers who love teaching kids to read and/or speak english, I’ve always preferred teaching a classful of higher ability students. I like the intellectual challenge and debate. You can get that in the state sector, of course, but I prefer the private “ethos”. Just a personal thing really. As above, all schools have students with horrid personal lives who need care and support. That part is no different. Not everyone is super-rich; about 1/3 of students at HMC schools get fee assistance.

ISI are more reasonable than ofsted. Although the amount of documentation they require is vast and the head of ISI just resigned, so who knows now…?

You are free to teach whichever qualifications the school deems best suit its students. You can also do what you want in KS3 as there is no national curriculum to follow.

Classes are smaller, so reports etc can be more detailed and you can spend longer with each student helping them. There is an excpectation of extra curricular activities and giving of your time to help students who find things harder (which, depending on the school, can be very much a relative term).

Pay can be better, it depends on the school.

Selling the school is a big part of the job – marketing is a key department.

The training is excellent – particularly HMC – and there is often a good budget for it.

Read the last few yeara’ worth of school reports and accounts on the charity commission website to get an idea of financial security. Ask about annual pay increases, investment in IT, recent redundancies etc. Some schools are on the edge and so you don’t want to be going to places like that.

I also like not having to buy my own glue sticks and scissors any more.

OP – happy to chat it through if you want; my email is in my profile.

You could use the A24 around Dorking and do loops round the roundabouts?

Otherwise I’m struggling.

Roc Ardennes is a great race and the Ardennes is beautiful.

Sounds like the B tension might be a bit out of adjustment.

I had this on my cross bike with XTR Di2 and ended up filing the mech mount (the flappy bit on the top of the mech you remove when running it direct mount) down a bit to allow the mech to sit nearer to the cassette. Even with the b tension screw all the way out it wasn’t close enough to shift and kept stalling.

GB

Very nice. Yes the brakes need a bit of bedding in.

PS take the green sticker off the rear mech

I mean carbon paste between the cups and frame. Grease in the bearings.

I’ve used carbon paste in mine.

Which cranks are you fitting?

Nothing a good flush with GT85, blowdry with a compressor gun and regrease (with the right grease – or it will keep slipping) won’t sort. Very, very easy.

Undo tiny clamp screw on axle bearing tension adjuster
Loosen bearing tension adjuster (much easier to do in the bike – remember there is a “helper hole” in it as well as the adjuster bolt to put an Allen key in and use it for leverage.
Remove wheel from bike
Remove cassette
Remove disc rotor
Remove bearing tension adjuster (unscrew it off the axle)
Remove axle (pull it out from freehub side)
Grab freehub in your hand, yank outwards whilst turning slightly counter-clockwise (you won’t break it, don’t worry, just give it a good yank)
Using the little red straw on the end of the can, squirt GT85 liberally inside freehub body and wipe a rag through centre where the axle was (check the bearings are all ok)
Put freehub to one side to dry
Look inside the hub shell. If you put your fingers in you can see/move the drive rings apart by hand – they will spring back again. They are relatively delicate so don’t wrench them around. Squirt GT85 liberally down between the two drive rings all the way round the hub to flush out crap.
Either leave to dry or “encourage” with a compressor air gun if you have one.
Wipe inside everything with a dry, clean rag.
Check the hubshell bearings are smooth. If not, remove outer metal shield with a Stanley blade (there is a slit in it) and then carefully remove inner rubber seal (note if you are not careful it is possible to slice this whilst removing the outer shield. So be careful). Flush out bearings with GT85, regrease with good quality waterproof grease, then put the shields back on in the right order. The outer metal sheild can be a bit of a faff but it will snap back in eventually. Make sure it’s seated totally flat. It often takes a few goes.
Now to rebuild the hub – apply Chris King grease in between the drive rings inside the hubshell, to the bearings inside the freehub and to the freehub drive splines.
Shove the freehub back into the hub (a little clockwise rotation helps). It sort of clicks back in when it’s in far enough. It’s easy not to shove it in hard enough so check it’s all the way in. Make sure it drives the hub forwards and turns backwards ok.
Put the axle back in having greased the bearing conact surfaces and adjuster ring threads.
Screw adjuster ring back on
Put disc and cassette back on
Put wheel in bike
Adjust axle bearing adjuster until there is no play in bearings
Tighten axle bearing collar bolt (be very gentle – easy to strip).

Unless it’s really mullered you can do a lot of it yourself with two Allen keys, the right oil and some gt85.

It’s a 19″ so probably a bit large

Hmm… You might be. What size bike have you got now?

Well worth it for that. Think I sold it for £400.

27.2 seatpost, 1 1/8 headset, don’t remember the BB size but that frame had perfect allignment and threads. Needs a 100mm ish stem as top tube is short by modern standards; don’t go sticking a 60mm on there! I have a 33″ inside let and am 6’2″ and I was towards the top of the fit range.

If you do buy it, I get first refusal when you sell it again!!!

How much are you paying?

GB

If you’re looking at buying one right now, it’s probably my old one. I sold it a couple of years ago on here and I know he’s selling it now.

They are great frames, not complicated – straight gauge 3/2.5 ti, but great geometry and well built. No Lynskey-type issues!!

GB

That was an amazing course – it linked up all the best bits whilst giving space to overtake. The descents were brilliant and worth the climbs. I got 3rd in solo (again!) but it was really close this year – 4th was only 1.5mins behind me for about 5 laps. Every lap I’d inch out about 5-10secs. Happy to have got over some nasty cramp on lap 4 on the bit over the A27 – not raced that hard for a while which is probably what did it, coupled with dehydration from 4hrs riding in the sunshine the day before!!

GB

I wasn’t joking about the obstacles being placed on the trail.

We have had big logs and rocks placed on the exits to blind corners mid-race.

And don’t leave your bike unattended.

I ran them tubeless for a year or so.

You need to inflate with tube/remove one bead/remove tube/put bead back on/lay wheel with loose bead down/compressor.

It’s very hilly; 1000ft per 6 mile lap.

The descents are very narrow in places and make passing quite hard – try to time it when it widens out or you’ll end up stuck behind someone for 2-3 minutes and lose lots of time.

Take water with you (no taps).

Remember it’s a short 6hr race – your lap needs to finish within the 6hrs to count.

Take care and look for walkers/obstacles placed on the trail/arrows turned round. There is a shithole estate just over the road.

You could include Evian/whatever the one to the right of it after that steep climb is called/switchbacks/secret Santa as a good loop on Winterfold.

Also, at the end of Yog Pots do a right and then go down Crackpipe, then climb back up for secret squirrel, then climb back up again for Telegraph.

Look me up on Strava for a good few loops (George Budd).

Depends on the mood and the weather…

Sunny afternoon – Einstock white or Inedit Damm
One or two of an evening – La Chouffe
Something heavier with a good meaty dinner – St Bernadus 12

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Got to be the players rather than the manager, surely…?

Too true – although I didn’t see that many wrappers.

Chum3 – yes we had a snapped chain on lap 2. What happened to your guy? Saw you had a long lap 1? It was a good race.

Jeeble – was that you on the Santa Cruz on the last lap? Did you make it back? Yes I’d sort of switched off by that point as I just needed to get round and we would win, so no risks were taken!

Pete68 – yes, you just don’t get that sort of encouragement if you buy a Specialized! #pivot #yournextbike

Break the seal the whole way round and make sure the bead is in the centre of the rim.

The rim is a few mm larger at the edges by the bead hook so you need to push the heads off the hook into the centre channel.

Chum – I think there are limitations to where we can send riders across fields – existing tracks/sheep tracks etc. Don’t think they wanted a new brown stripe right across the middle of that field. Anyway the zigzag is nice for seeing all the people behind you!