The Coolhunter has endless fatastic buildings, a lot of them concrete.

Can’t speak for carbon, but there need not be anything stiff and harsh about a decent alu frame. We have a load of Genesis Cores, and they are seriously nice bikes – neutral handling, reasonable weight… plus a good degree of shock absorbtion.

Etherley Farm at Leith Hill is just about the only one – if I’m not wrong. Basic but in just the right place. You can have a fire too. But no dogs.

As to who yields, I think that is up to both of you to decide as you go – cars on both sides etc. If it isn’t wide enough to start with I’d be using all the road so as to avoid the parked car door openings, but also to be assertive and visible. Some car drivers just don’t think and want to come straight past without hesitation.

I think I would have moved even further out, rather than invite him to keep on coming at me with so little space to spare. In fact I def would not ride so close to the parked cars in the first place.

BKB is just suffering from over use, it’s getting very eroded, particularly where they’ve cleared the trees. The bottom bit’s fine, but the top’s a bit of a mess, not remotely sustainable IMO.

Of course this is partly because th eend bit is new and the old bit is, er, old. But also the new bit was all built to a standard, with smooth sloping water run-offs where it could be managed, and swoopy profiling to minimise braking and all that stuff.

Not sure what is happening with the trail volunteer work, but I would guess they will be keen to do some remedial work on the top bit of BKB soon.

At least the logging on BKB has mostly restored the trail to one line, instead of all the straight-lining that had sprung up.

I’s a bit random and ad-hoc – but if you’re near Regurgitator why not spend a few minutes doing a bit of tidying up – or are the logs too big?

Quite an interesting story, and an interesting list. Probably of limited value to Joe Public because we don’t know exactly what the criteria are – I guess performance consistency, but what else? Is Millar not a zero only because he once transgressed, years ago?

Cancellara is both a hero and a zero.

Most of it here, happily, is more an annoyance than a danger. But some of the stick putters seem to have realised that branches on a diagonal are more irritating than perpendicular ones. Even so, if they’re a few inches or less thick you can still just ride over them, r deal with in whatever way you fancy.

Ironically, my main objection is for walking – it just makes the paths much more annoying to walk on, screws up the aesthetic of a meandering woodland track and – most importantly are a bloody hazard when you walk in the dark. I realise that I’m probably the only one that actually walks through the woods in the pitch, but boy does it screw things up when you trip over something that isn’t supposed to be there.

So naturally, I wonder what all the fuss and HYPE is about with all this ‘you need Spd’s or you’re nothing’ lark.

That’s funny. Where does anyone say that?

I know the dog collar lights you mean, I even have some similar things, but ultimately, they need daft wee batteries. I already have big batteries for the main lights so why not use them.

It’s daft wee batteries vs daft extra wiring, holes in handlebars, splicing power wires onto your batteries…

You can get tiny led lights to put on your dog’s collar. They just have a little watch/calculator battery in them and are about the size of a schraeder valve cap. Just use those – self contained, no wires?

Oh – one last thing (!). It is pretty irrelevant if Brian Lopes is a dick – without doubt he can ride, and knows the reasons.

Using clipless for extra power is just cheating in my book! Reckon the boys in the Giro would’ve descended much quicker on the gravel today if they had flats and fatter tyres on!

Possibly. But they would have been way slower over the whole stage! Same with mountain biking – the majority of the time you’re just pedalling along. Even if the downs are compromised (even that can be debated) the ride over-all can be faster with clips.

It certainly is curious, the way some people seem to get a bit emotional about other people’s pedals. I’m not sure why some flat pedal riders are so defensive. Or some clip riders come to that.

Clearly the pedalling bit is more efficient – I think that is evident from seeing what racers use. As to the degree of difference – well that harldy matters, since most people are riding for fun. One small factor is just plain efficiency over a long period – if I can do something to make me a fraction fresher after four or five hours, then that’s pretty appealing to me.

From my experience there is a bit of a distraction factor when learning mtb-ing with clips. But (important this) there is also just as bad a distraction if there is an increased temptation to put your foot down. These two at least cancel each other out.

So it comes down to what you prefer – either is fun – neither is a disadvantage over-all.

Bear in mind though that it is only the flat face of a rock hitting across your front wheel that can deflect it appreciably. Everything else, the speed of your bike gives so much gyroscopic effect that the front wheel need not be wrestled with. In other words, it is likely that you can still afford to relax more!

I don’t think it is likely that you will have brought your levers too far up – dropped wrist and soft hands is correct.

(Having said all of that, I like Rogues.)

You can still practice – in fact it is better to practice where it doesn’t matter so much. So – ride really really loose handed (or even no handed, standing up) on very slightly bumpy downhill offroad tracks – then it will feel more natural when you go to something bumpier.

Don’t hold on so tight – not nearly so tight. Let the ‘bars waggle and jiggle in your hands and ride the bike on your feet.

Not so much for holding on hard, or protection from the ‘bars, because a looser grip is much better anyway.

But, if you’re riding for an extended time and it gets to be a sweaty business then gloves are definitely a good idea to avoid the ‘bars slipping out of your hands.

Plus of course they might repay you one day if you have a spill – I’ve done enough picking bits of gravel out of my hands when I was a kid.

If you want to ride one hill – then sure, give it hell. If you want to ride ten hills your best tactic is rather boring but very effective – be patient.

Best quality jpg is so good you don’t really need to bother with tiffs.

Spin easier gears – 90rpm is good for me, faster sometimes. Take every opportunity to rest or half-rest. Grab a wheel, hide in the lee of a hedge against the wind etc. Eat plenty and keep up the energy and fluid intake. Don’t be in a hurry to give it max. Know your reliable pace and stick to it.

For anyone’s reference that might be interested I thought this was a good event. 100 miles of very gently rolling back lanes (flat isn’t really accurate, because you get these long multi-mile sections of very faintly up (or down) hill). Good atmosphere, nice scenery, weather worked out ok (slogging into a headwind for 20 miles on the way back aside) – and pretty easy to get to, for a lot of people.

Edit – second thought. Whatever.

not surprised at your response at all, you come across as very narrowminded in your approach to riding/skills for a mtb skills coach.

Why are you so rude?

What’s so controversial about keeping it simple? I was only sharing my viewpoint – just because it is different to yours, so what?

Can’t see the point in complicating it by trying to hop across if it is wide enough the pump down into. Counter-intuitively it is better to engage the bike more firmly (push down) than to try and get up and away from it. Obviously you are just trying to avoid smacking into the upslope on the far side. The way I like to describe it is to imagine that you are making the curvature more exaggerated – ie. try and make the dips deeper and the crests higher.

Edit – that means the compressing before the ditch is wrong – high on the crest, dive down low in the compression, and high on the second crest.

It’s a bit of red herring focussing on making the cleats easier to get out of, unless there is something actually wrong with them. The problem in “learning” spds is (1.) forgetting to unclip, which only really happens when you’re flustered (as I said before, being unflustered is an essential mtb skill) and also (2.) a little anxiety that can build up when you’re stressed (again, being able to control your stress is an essential mtb skill).

Yes. Being committed in a section is good, not bad. If the section is too tough for you, trying to get off whilst still moving in the middle of the section is definitely not a good thing!

Surely any 160 rotor will get you going?

SPDs are more efficient, for sure. As for the nervousness – if you can sort that out (by being methodical and calm in your head) you’ll be faster through the rough stuff too.

When you think about it, the only big deal is wanting to put your foot down – which you really should not do randomly. If you want to stop, then plan to stop and go ahead and stop – ie deliberately and with control. What I mean by that is having the option of dabbing your foot down all the time is not really to do with flat or clip pedals, and it’s more about keeping control of your mind. What we’ve found over the years is that one of the biggest things with improving a rider is getting them to stay in a controlled state of mind and never getting into panic mode, in which case flats vs spds is neither here nor there.

If I knew the answer I wouldn’t ask. Doh!

What? You mean you seriously were in some doubt about the relative importance of protected wildlife and scraping out push bike tracks in the woods?

My favourite. Brilliant brilliant trail. It’s even worth the mother of all slogs to get back out of the valley.

Pretty obviously (I hope) you already know the answer to that one!

Are you moving close then Heihei? Hoe Lane?

Still hopeful that things will turn out well, although the pub appeared to shut at ten last night?

I don’t know about that at all. It might be Italian, but it has more in common in ethos terms with modern steel frames from the US than old fashioned Italian engineering. As such, I don’t think it cries out for Campag in the same way as an old school frame.

And I think it is very much about performance.

I don’t think DA is wrong. Esp in metal, although that’s just me – I think for that kind of frame polished or brushed metal is cool. Go the whole hog – nice handbuilts on DA hubs?

I haven’t got one, but I wish.

So – what’s the build gonna be?

That’s a very interesting analysis. I have been puzzling why looked further ahead makes such a difference. That explanation makes sense to me.

It makes a positive difference in other surprising ways too.

njee20 – Very likely I am forming my opinion base on not enough experience with different wheels. Recently I got rid of my factory Ultegra wheels and am now on handbuilts, and I much prefer the handbuilts. But, as I said, not enough different wheels to compare, so I defer to your greater experince

OK, so what I just put is a pretty fair summary, I think – flash wheels tend (not always, but often) to be stiffer, with fewer spokes and a stiffer rim. So they are faster by being more aero and lighter.