I’m on a 29er HT (carbon Flash) and I really like it. I don’t think I particularly like it more because of the bigger wheels though. I think it’s a combo of low weight, frame stiffness / compliance, geometry, handling and a lot of other factors. I’m not convinced the 26″ version of the same bike wouldn’t be just as good.

You don’t, by any chance, write those restaurant reviews in local free newspapers do you? It reads just like one of those.

http://www.framleyexaminer.com/pages/fron011.php

BadlywiredDog

Doesn’t it just mean that some people – like me – ride in areas full of abrasive rocks and are clumsy, talentless oafs so tend to kill thin-sidewalled tyres in a way that someone who rode mostly on, oh, I dunno, the South Downs probably wouldn’t?

I’m not so sure it’s rocks you have to worry about per se but sharp rocks specifically….The south downs is littered with flints sharp enough that people made cutting tools from them for thousands of years.

I’ve been riding Rons for the last year with no problems but I think I ride quite light. Would probably go for Snakeskin Ralphs next time for peace of mind. Really like the Rons though, wish Schwalbe would make an SS version.

I have ESI’s on one of my bikes. They’re light, sticky and comfy (more comfortable than lock-on’s because the silicone goes right through to the bar since they don’t need an inner hard plastic sleeve). I found they were pretty easy to fit and havn’t slipped since I put them on, even in the wet.

Having said all that, I have Ergon GS1’s on my other bike and I much prefer those.

The Lezyne pumps are great and I find there’s less air leakage with a screw-on hose style attachment, so it’s easier to get the tyres back up to pressure.

Down side: Many tubes have removable valve cores now. These are prone to unscrew as you remove the pump hose after inflation – bloody annoying.

I’m relatively new to Leftys but that doesn’t sound like a reset to me. AFAIK reset is just to correct bearing migration and the usual symptom of needing a reset is reduced travel. Worth trying that first, though.

Also are you telling me you’ve never reset it?!? Mine needs a reset about every 20 hours of riding. Very easy to do, as described above (though I always pull / extend the fork rather than compressing it) If it’s a few years old it’s probably worth sending it to TF tuned or Thumbprint (presuming you are in the UK) for a service anyway – Lefty’s last a long time if you look after them regularly.

I would look here for the best info:

http://forums.mtbr.com/cannondale/

As Drofluf said, post your issues in a thread there and Mendon will usually give you some helpful advice.

Yes, his backup team looked incredibly well organised. Reckon they did a superb job.

Fantastic!

Rode with him yesterday morning from Chanctonbury to Amberly. Glad to see he’s still hammering along nicely! He’s got the wind behind him now too.

This sums up HB’s gastro-science approach quite nicely I think.

That must be near 300 gates! (unless he’s lucky with cooperative ramblers)

Muggomagic: Yes, he’s already done a double and the double record is very fast…on another double he’d be competing with the likes of Ian Leitch and Josh Ibbett to set a new record. No one’s done the triple yet, though and the record is there for the taking and I guess it’s a bit more noteworthy than another “slower” double.

Good luck to him anyway. I’m out on the downs myself today and tomorrow and will keep an eye out for him.

I felt a pretty positive, immediate, pick-up from it, certainly a good boost for the next 45min. I was impressed.

If you need an even quicker energy hit, swill the gel around your mouth a few times before swallowing. Lab coat types have done tests to prove this will give you an almost immediate boost, though I think they still don’t know whether it’s because of absorbtion through the mouth lining or the sweet taste signaling the brain that it’s ok to release emergency glycogen stores because more food is on the way.

Actually you did see another lefty at Erlstoke…it was mine and it came past you in the singletrack after I said hello (you did good there btw, nice going!). Sadly, you did not subsequently see that particular lefty (or its rider) on the podium afterwards.

My LBS contacted me about a Specialized / Cannondale demo day and asked if I would be interested in trying anything. When I said the only bike I really wanted to try was a carbon 29er scalpel, they reckoned they wouldn’t have one of those available until Oct 2013!

Brilliant weekend! Managed to give myself heatstroke / nausea and drop out after 3 hours but still had an absolutely top time. Fantastic course with oodles of singletrack – almost too much! Everyone very friendly on the course too. Thanks to the organisers for putting on such a great event. Will be back for revenge next year!

Camping / Racing at Erlstoke on my bicycle.

Good luck Colin!

Dr. Cannondale have been fairly prompt with me. Can’t complain at all.

Just in case you don’t know about them though, Qwerty cycles (http://qwertycycles.co.uk/) do all the Cannondale parts from the UK, probably a bit cheaper than Dr. C…. I’ve had excellent service from them and Lloyd there has got CDale stuff in for me that wasn’t on their website when I asked. Very helpful.

I have tubeless on one bike and tyre liners on the other…Tubeless was a right bloody faff to get dialled but now I’ve got the setup sorted it’s dead easy to remount tyres and it does ride nicer. I really like it actually, though I live in fear of the old sidewall slice as I’m on Rons…they’re great but I will probably go to Snakeskin Ralphs for peace of mind at some point. (when it’s too late, probably!)

The tyre liners are good if you want a no fuss basic solution. I have the Panaracer flataways which stick to the inside of the tyre so you can’t swap them over (not an issue for me). Adds about 30g per wheel. I reckon good for a 2nd bike / winter bike where you don’t want any hassle.

For XC and especially for racing or riding fast, I think you’re missing out a bit if you’re on tubes. It’s just not *quite* as nice.

I quite like it sometimes. You’ve got to be in the right mood for it though or it just tastes like lemon washing up liquid.

My first Erlstoke too. Really looking forward to it. I’m in the 6-12 shift (though not in the listings as I swapped times) I’ll be jealous of you mid day 6ers finishing and enjoying an ice cold beer while the rest of us start work in your dust!

redders: Don’t worry fella, as said above, most other riders are usually pretty considerate about overtaking and will let you know “on your left!” etc. when they want to pass on that side of you. You will need to do this too, as you WILL be overtaking people! – Just be polite and clear and it will go fine. Generally people are surprisingly nice at races. You do get the odd nobber but they are very rarely the fast guys.

My Sub 5 is still going strong after 10 years of hard riding. Orange have always been very helpful when I’ve contacted them with questions etc…wouldn’t hesitate to buy another Orange!

Lower Back Pain:
– Check bike fit, saddle height, bar height etc.
– Stretch regularly, particularly hamstrings: tight hamstrings will pull your pelvis back, making you curve your back further.
– Pedal easier gears: When pushing hard gears your back is the resistance so will get very tired after a while.
– Stretch whilst on the bike so you don’t sit in one position for hours on end: stand up and forward regularly whilst coasting.
– Build up your core strength (planks etc.)
– Reduce weight of any backpack.
– Try to keep a straight back, tilt your pelvis forward for this.
– Ibuprofen is an effective treatment but it’s not really a solution and not good for your kidneys if taken whilst dehydrated.

Neck Pain:
– Don’t tilt your head up! Keep your head / neck in line with your body, not bent up. Look forward / up with your eyes, not your head.
– If you can’t see up the road without lifting your head, tilt your lid back or remove the peak.
– Stretch your neck regularly and shrug your shoulders around whilst riding.
– A lighter helmet might help too.

Probably not the sort of bike you’re looking for, but CDale were always superb with their warranty claims

NJee:

I’ve heard the opposite, they were awful, and were very well known for saying “the lifetime of the frame has ended, therefore your lifetime warranty is over”.

That’s not correct. Cannondale’s guarantee specifically states “lifetime of the original owner“. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean it would be easy to get a new frame out of them! On the whole they seem pretty good though (maybe a bit slow!)
http://forums.mtbr.com/cannondale/cannondale-lifetime-warranty-experiences-facts-680245.html

Warranty is P82: http://cdn.cannondale.com/Manuals/2010_Cannondale_Bicycle_Owners_Manual_124451.pdf

Sad news for the OP though. I have read this same issue several times with Litespeed on the US forums. Not good enough for a ti frame of that price. Didn’t somebody buy LS a few years ago? Suspect their standards have dropped. At any rate they are losing their reputation over these issues. Not good. It takes an awful lot of work to build up a good name.

Electrolyte tablets are good if you’re sweating a lot but I don’t bother with them if I’m eating normal food. Also I’m not sure about having them before…I’d have thought use them during or after.

Gels are brilliant in a race or on a fast paced effort but I’d try to stick to normal food for day rides at a lower intensity. Gels are pretty much just sugar, so you’re not getting any nutrients from them (and you’ll be needing more nutrients than normal because you’re riding all day!). I like Sandwiches, maltloaf, teacakes, bagels, that sort of thing. I would definitely carry a gel or two in case, though – they really get you out of trouble fast if you run out of energy.

If you are concerned about running out of energy due to succesive days riding, I’d recommend a carb drink in your Camelbak to supplement “proper” food, that will keep a trickle of calories flowing in if maybe you have a long haul between food stops.

Also refuelling after the ride is really important for multiple days on the trot (you want to make sure your glycogen stores are topped up for the next day’s riding). You might finish a ride and then go out to eat with your buddies 2 hours later and miss your refuelling window. Rego is great for this as it’s easy to get down at the end of the ride and you don’t need to worry so much about preparing something to eat in a hurry.

Have a great trip! Colorado is an absolutely fantastic place to ride.

Ming: no worries, It happens to all of us. 😀 I had an OTB at Big Dog last year after a tree came out of nowhere and grabbed my bars!

VH: Agree on the straightliners – one of the many reasons it wouldn’t work as a “trail centre” IMO.

I think the main advantage is for the frame: Frame width, especially around the BB / chainstay is limited by Q factor. BB30 allows the BB shell to take up the full width of the bearings, giving a wider platform to attach the seattube, downtube and chainstays. Should make for a frame that’s stiffer side to side.

Offhand, the bearings are pretty similar size to HT2, maybe slightly bigger.

esselgruntfuttock: Always! – I host regular wrestling matches between me, Stans and Schwalbe. I still rate the Crests though – very strong for the weight.

Holy crap! I can’t believe we’re criticising the trails some nice people built as best they could with limited means and in their own time…Personally, I reckon I owe those Stanmer trail pixies a pretty massive beer!

Crests, you say?

/Makes that sucking in sound that a mechanic at a car garage makes right after lifting up the bonnet…

GregMay: Shame you didn’t make it as far as the 3rd sentence. 😛

Binners: Nice!

Completely biased as I’m a local but I find it a really hard course – just no rest at all…Perhaps for that reason I think it’s one of the best courses I’ve ridden.

I have a suspicion about horses and bikes: On the bike I see horses behind fences barely notice a bike passing a few feet from them. This is often the case when riding through a field containing a horse, too. However, stick a rider on them and they can get nervous. It seems to me like they are picking up that nervousness from the rider…I think bikers should certainly be courteous to horses but since they are an everyday part of riding on roads and bridleways then it would make sense for horseriders to train themselves and their animals with some exposure to bikes and cars.

Every week I pass a big troupe of what must be professional jockeys on horses along a busy road. The riders are totally confident and it looks to me like the horses pick up on that too.

Incidentally, I slow right down and give notice when passing walking horses but had a horserider yell at me to slow down on Saturday. She was at full gallop towards me on a very wide bridleway, which seemed a bit rich really…

Re: the maltloaf: Nothing wrong with Soreen. I quite often have maltloaf on long rides. However not at high intensity and not 1/2 at a time washed down with SIS (350 cals for a half, isn’t it?!)

Sorry to hear this. I’ve been in this same situation many times and it’s horrible. I’m not a big 24hr soloist or anything but I do quite a lot of long, fast rides (6-9 hours ish) and struggled for ages with nausea from fueling.

It’s surprising how differently everyone’s digestion responds to excercise…as suggested, the best thing is to do a bunch of test rides and try out different fuels yourself. The common factor for everyone is usually the higher intensity you’re working at, the less your stomach will tolerate solids.

For what it’s worth, SIS drink gives me nausea, pretty sure it’s the aspartime too. In fact, if you look at most energy drinks, there’s usually a whole bunch of chemicals that probably shouldn’t be there. I mix my own now and that seems to work much better for me. I usually take 200 cals / hour from drink and 100 from a gel (1 gel per hour – strangely I find the SIS gels fine)

One other thing is to have a really good base of fitness. I have no evidence for this but it really feels like to me that when I have a good base, my body is much better at burning fat for fuel and is much less reliant on the carbs coming in from the stomach, so the stomach gives less gyp.

Even with the full video, there’s clearly some story missing: the old guy is trying to stop them getting past. That’s either because he’s trying to stop them as hunt monitors or because they provoked him and we’ve not seen that bit…

In that situation I reckon any car would roll down the windows and ask to pass and / or give a beep. Where is that in the video?! The fact that that section is missing leads me to think it did happen but the car occupants were a bit heavy handed with it and riled the guy.

Good programme. Crazy to see how dangerous it was back then. Couldn’t believe those jumps on the Nurgburgring!

I would think rowing done properly would be a great back strengthener and complimentary to cycling.

As above: Collective intelligence of any group diminishes with the number of people contained within it (cf: football). Coming up behind a large group of ramblers (even cooperative ones…”Cyclists.!!?!“) is like herding sheep…

I find you get the odd grumpy one (why are you doing it if you don’t enjoy it?) but mostly they’re a very nice bunch, usually helpful with the gates if you can time it right too.