That’s pretty much the setup I’d have, but with 120 SIDs (I also have an Anthem funnily enough). What wheels are on yours? That’s a pretty hefty weight gain to take for me unfortunately, current setup is around 23 lbs, with a dropper! I know it’s how it rides etc and doubtless it’ll be fun to ride, but for racing duties, may not be an option.

Which company in their right mind would “warranty” that for it to be an uncollected warranty frame? It’s obviously self-inflicted for one reason or the other. Angle grinder would be my guess.

Way too many beards in that video. “And for that reason, I’m out.”

It wouldn’t be the ‘Puffer if it was anything other than that.

I’ve just gone from a Cyclops Mag to a Cyclops Fluid II and the difference in noise levels is massive. Like’s been said “noisy” is relative, but the Fluid is a LOT quieter. Closer to £200 though.

I’m only 5′ 8″ on a good day and I rode a medium Jet 9 RDO. It’ll be way too small for you at 6′!

You’ll be hard pushed to get a better machine than the Gaggia Classic, but you’ll need a separate grinder or get your beans ground. Very reliable and every single part is replaceable.

However, despite what a lot of people probably think, just having a coffee machine doesn’t make you a seasoned barista, and better than your average Nescafe drinker 😉 You have to learn how to use it and a lot depends on what coffee you use. You can still make sh!t coffee with a coffee machine.

Schwalbe Durano are great IMO. Available in 23, 25, and now 28mm I think. I use 23mm and they seem to last ages.

It’s what you do with it that matters.

Don’t listen or believe any of the marketing BS and bollox that seems to be getting more and more evident in the media.

It’s a shame to see bike shops, or any other shop for that matter, having to close down, but….

Yes CRC,Wiggle and the Germans are cheap but they’re killing your local bike shop.

What if someone, me included, doesn’t have a LBS that we can justify the expense of travelling to? The online stores are the obvious viable and cost effective option. The closest decent shop to me is around 60 miles round trip. I certainly can’t justify the travel costs to go there for a pot of lube or a chain or whatever over buying online.

At the end of the day, sprocket or cog, who gives a f£$*, just ride your bike.

Pretty sure a lot of it gets cleaned up in the Pro races.

It’s the wannabe road racers doing Sportives and other non-races like that that make the real mess. I once picked up a bag full of gel wrappers from ONE climb from the 2012 Wiggle Dragon Ride after the event. Utter disgrace.

And it’s not just the roadies. MTBers are just as bad, whether during a race or at trail centres etc. I’m always picking up litter from both :/

Schwalbe Nobby Nics, and Racing Ralphs, Snakeskin walls. Used them for years on Stans rims, tubeless. Not had a problem, and used them everywhere. Wales, England, Scotland, Alps, Canada. Never felt the need to change or try anything else.

At last year’s 24hrs of Exposure I got a lovely cheery “Get out of the way, you d–k” from someone who I can only presume to have been one of the leaders

He didn’t win, if that helps!
I don’t know who it was, but it wasn’t me and I can pretty much guarantee that Huw wouldn’t have said anything like that…so whoever it was didn’t profit from being a dick

Cheers Dave, and yes, certainly wasn’t me, and having been racing at these events long enough to know most of the top contenders I very much doubt any would say anything like that either. The top guys usually go by with a quick “on your left/right” and they’re away.

Why would you pay for them? They’re available free with a bit of searching! Unless you mean the actual 1:50k or 25k Ordnance Survey maps?

Penmachno

http://www.penmachnobiketrails.org.uk/Penmachnotrailsmap.pdf

Marin Trail

http://mbwales.com/en/content/cms/Bases/Betws_y_Coed/Marin_Trail/Marin_Trail.aspx

Coed y Brenin, all the trails, available here

http://mbwales.com/en/content/cms/Centres/Coed_y_Brenin/Coed_y_Brenin.aspx

Exposure here. Always have, hopefully always will. MaxxDs on the bars, Joystick or Diablo on my head. I wouldn’t use anything else. They’re quality lights but the fact that the battery is contained in the same unit as the light is a huge bonus. No annoying cables and separate battery packs and they can be swapped on and off the bike/helmet in seconds.

On a sidenote, I have sewn up the thumb on both my pairs of Xens several times. The thin, airy material isn’t the most durable.

Yeah same here, forgot about that! Still comfy though and they get a lot of use.

I use the Xens and they’re great gloves. I’ve got them in large and they fit fine. Also got Endura gloves (forget which ones) which are large but same as you, a bit short. Large Xens should be fine.

does any one know what BB tool i need??

Depends what bottom bracket you have. If it’s a Hollowtech/HT 2 then something like this:

no worries, sorry bout that, I’m a spelling pedant.

Not a very good one.

As for tools, a good set of allen keys, BB removal tool, cassette removal tool and chainwhip, adjustable spanner and a bike stand will be a good starter kit. Probably missed a few things.

my friend who appears to be an experct (he has 5 bikes!)

Heh heh, troll or not, despite what a lot of people may think, the amount of expertise does not increase proportionally with the number of bikes owned and/or own 😉

Take it back, ask for a refund or replacement.

And why shouldn’t they? The bike industry isn’t some kind of not-for-profit charity for our benefit.

you work in the industry then?

Nope. I just ride bikes.

I don’t know what it is with the biking “community” and the way they seem to be entitled to be involved in the “bike industry”. I doubt you’d buy a TV and be as involved in the TV industry in the same manner?!

The bike industry is there to make money. The reason why things don’t fit together as one “standard” is to make money.

The reason why so many new things come out so quickly, such as 9 speed to 10 speed and now 11 speed, is, yes, to make money!

And why shouldn’t they? The bike industry isn’t some kind of not-for-profit charity for our benefit.

Same could be said for Nantyarian a lot of harvesting but in this case minimal disruption and no damaged/closed trails.

Nant yr Arian has mainly only been subject to “routine” harvesting though, for timber, so much smaller blocks of forest being felled at any one time. Unlike Afan which has been subject to very large areas of forest being cleared in order to help control/slow down the spread of the phyophthora disease which has got into the larch (which Afan has a large proportion of). It’s an incredibly serious situation, as it’s already crossed from one species to the next and not enough is known about it yet to know whether it’ll cross over to other species, so the immediate solution is to clearfell the larch.

It does seem that there is little interest in managing these trails in any meaningful way.

I really disagree with statements like this. What about the newly opened green and blue trails at Afan? This opens it up to newcomers to the sport and children, a much needed feature there in my opinion, as there was nothing available to progress people to the harder trails. Large sections of existing trails are being maintained.

Have you read or seen the major developments that are happening in Coed y Brenin for example?

Also, planning permission has just been granted for a big development at Gethin Woods near Merthyr on the A470 (visitor centre, a new trail network) etc etc.

That doesn’t sound like “little interest” to me.

Here’s this month’s trail update

http://www.afanforestpark.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=6486

Never understood the forest being “destroyed” opinion when areas get felled. It’s meant to be a working, money-making forest grown for timber after all. Those trees didn’t appear naturally.

A few of us rode down the Ranger’s Path on Saturday. Great laugh and we were really lucky with the weather and conditions. Shame there was cloud at the summit but the views were incredible just a short way down. Bit busy with walkers and other riders right on top but once we were on the Ranger’s Path it was pretty quiet. Had loads of funny and friendly comments off the walkers, and they all pulled to the side to let us pass and watch, no negatives which was great.

Short video here for those interested to see what it’s like.

Snowdon Ranger’s Path

Location!

I live in the Midlands and it’s 418 miles!!

But people living in Scotland can say the exact same thing for Twentyfour12 for example. So location has nothing to do with it really, it’s just that some events are going to be further to travel than others for everybody.

Entries for races have been falling in recent years – money being the main issue I believe we discovered, and lack of interest in riding the same courses….

I wouldn’t say they’re falling, or lack of interest just that there are more events to choose from and increasingly more clashes with dates.

Both the Dyfi and Coed y Brenin marathons sold out this year with over 600 entries per event I believe. The Dyfi sells out in minutes. All the CRC Marathons are well attended, Mayhem mostly full despite the appalling conditions, as was 24/12. Then you’ve got the events in the East and South East (Brighton Big Dog, Torq12, Dusk til Dawn etc), all seem popular?

As for Relentless it’s a great course, one of the best 24 hour courses out there and Frazer and his team put on a great event. Unfortunately can’t make it this year, so good luck to everyone who’s up there

I’ll be there again this year. Looking forward to it. Great event and brilliant course.

Fastest time for the full course last year was 2 hours 46 minutes.

What’s the point of having a nice bike if you don’t ride it and ride some other bike that’s not as nice? Seems pointless to me. Bikes are meant to be ridden, not put in the shed to collect dust 😉

SITS 2008

The Rules

🙂

2nd in the 12 hour solo and 22 laps for me, which I was pleased about.

Didn’t really get a chance to take in much of what was going on on site as I was riding all day but the atmosphere in the arena was great when I passed. Loads of heckling and encouragement. The jump was a great addition to the lap :-p

As for prizes, don’t really mind what people are given, some events are better than others. It’s always nice to have a medal to keep as a reminder though.

Amazed that it stayed dry throughout the day and the organisers did a great job as usual.

For anyone thinking about leaving soon, news from the site:

“Anyone attending Bristol Bike Fest, the campsite will be closed until at least 4pm as they’re getting tracking delivered to make the currently inaccessible swampy campsite a bit less so.”

“Shame that people don’t enter” really. Not sure whether races need more categories as each category would become more diluted. My opinion of course – which comes from a thirty-something rider, riding with gears and suspension, so definitely not “niche” 😉

Whether doing it for fun or to be competitive, that’s not what my point was. Point was to say that it was a shame certain categories don’t get filled for it to be a good race against people on the same kind of bike and/or ages, male/female etc.