Ive just bought a Ritchey Swiss x disc frame for £750 from Germany.
Bit over your budget but such a thing of beauty!

^^ what that njee20 said.

And go for the narrower 1.5″ as this cuts right down into the gloop. Always a danger that wider tyres will “float” on top of mud IMHO

Turner Czar. Mine is 23lbs.
Amazing bike that leads me to believe the hype about DW suspension could well be true.
Very quick and the grip in technical uphill riding is still shocking me.

Not a fan of the Tripster either, the Head Angle is too steep.

Whaaat! Nonsense. How slack do you want a CX head tube angle?

If height gain is a measurement you’re interested in the 200 isn’t very accurate and can be 15-20% out from my experience. The 200 uses gps data where as the more expensive models use barometric.

This is very much my experience as well. In fact, enough to make me look elsewhere now for something else (more expensive :-()

A picture of a road bike as that seems to be the most popular forum threads?

One of my favourite routes locally which I’m just to set out on:

Start Porlock and climb and climb up Hawkecombe head to road.Turn left and make your way via Aldermans Barrow to long climb on west side of Dunkery. Down Dunkery to Brockwell and turn left again to climb back up to Webbers post. Descend from Webbers into Horner valley and climb back up to find the Doverhays downhill back to Porlock.

Brief description but I think its obvious on map.

Just waiting for sun to come out!

I’m tempted to go for Geraint being given the nod to go clear in the break away…

I’d love to see that, I think most of british cycling would like to see that, but I don’t think Contador/Valverde teams will allow it and have them moved down on GC.

We have often seen these looming big stages turn out to be a GC stalemate. Everyone marking each other out. Perhaps today will be the same.

Personally, I think Friday is the big day. That last climb has the potential for some big shakeups.

Did Oakley find some old Jawbones? Is that what G wears?

I was at Eastway when Grayson Perry had made some pottery figures as trophies. I remember at the time that people looked a bit knocked back at getting such a strange trophy. Wonder what they are worth now!
( and I missed a trophy by one place. Double damn!!)

I once had a horse rider tell me I looked like an alien with a crash helmet on and I scared horses. Fair enough. I do everything I can not to spook them (in the car as well)they do have bloody big feet.
Happily, most horse riders I meet are absolutely positive and polite about our efforts not to scare their horses.

Ah the joys of Yeti ownership.
At least your swingarm hasn’t cracked yet!
I had both within 4 months.

A High 5 tab in a pint of water is the best hangover cure in the world

Anything that will force water into the brain works – Lucozade, maltodextrin etc

Its called forced diuresis

Oh… and what mrblobby just said!

I think aero bikes can be heavier than normal road bikes so perhaps not so good for a mountain stage.They can be stiffer and a bit more uncomfortable than a normal road bike so perhaps not so good for the mad distances in typical stage races.
I’m sure marketing will have some bearing on what a pro rides although I would have thought they would have chosen anything that makes the job easier/faster/more competitive from a manufacturers range.
Maybe that’s naive?

Its bizarre given the amount of research that goes into sport science, that we actually are still unsure what causes cramping.Theory used to be dehydration and/or loss of Na/Ca/K but recent evidence would suggest these are not involved.Cynic-al is right in suggesting that basic lack of fitness or significantly increased training load is the main cause of cramping according to the most recent research.
Personally, I use zero tabs as a way of replacing electrolytes and the associated physiological effects. And because they taste better than plain water! They were never meant to replace energy sources, in fact the idea behind them was to increase fat utilization in long training sessions rather than the body using the sugars in sports drinks.
I’m a clinical biochemist by trade, so have always had an interest in this.

Mt Zoom flats on all my 29ers. Great bars in a “never given them a seconds thought” kind of a way.

No surf in Bideford anyway. Its all on the other side of the estuary. Which is much nicer btw

Lots and lots of big hill riding all around Bideford. Check out Taw Velo and North Devon Wheelers as clubs. Not much off road nearby really, apart from a downhill centre (if its still open)
Exmoor, Dartmoor and Quantocks less than an hour away.

My preferred descent is Somerton Combe, Slaughterhouse Combe is also worth a visit and very little used, probably due to it being a bit harder to find than some of the others.

Wheres the entry into Slaughterhouse Dibbs? I’m sure Knottie has taken me down it but I don’t remember it. Somerton is great. I always think its like riding out of control on marbles!

Would have agreed on peak wearing on road not being an issue until I started riding more road miles in training (oh the shame)
With my Spesh S3 I find the peak obscures the more distant part of the road and I took it off half way through the ride as I thought it was positively dangerous. But then I get pretty scared riding on North Devon roads at the best of times to be honest.
For what its worth none of my friends who are “proper” XC racers ever wear peaks on their helmets. Ever.

Specialized S3 here. Used for MTB by me, but pop the peak off and roadies can use it too! A “crossover” lid.

+1 from me.Prefer white!

I’ve never rated smiths.

I always thought that was considered blasphemy jambo, but I must agree. (Frog combe for me)

Thanks jobro, others have been recommending the Cow Bells

Bar choice will depend on the ratio of offroad/road riding you do I would suggest. Cowbell would be for more road riding less off roading IMHO

For me its 75% off road and the woodchipper fits that bill.

Didn’t feel beaten up although the bars need to go

Could I humbly recommend the Salsa Woodchipper CG

Since ’95 eh, I wish I’d known earlier. I wonder what other surprises there are.

I think you’ll have to give up spuds as well. These are often killed off with weedkiller to develop firmer skins!

As someone who worked as a chemical pathologist for nearly 40 years I would thoroughly endorse CG’s comments above.
The thyroiduk website is particularly good (much more so than American counterparts).

Best of luck with it.Absolutely no reason why you wont feel better after treatment and a settled period of medication.

I’ve got a Czar built up super light as a race bike. While I’m constantly amazed at what it can do (technical climbing is amazing)I would have to say if your focus is down orientated I would go for a Burner. Even more so when Turner bring out a carbon Burner. They must,surely!

Enjoy the day Paul. Wish I could have made it with you.

I’m riding the Olympic track in Hadleigh tomorrow but my thoughts will be with you and Mikey.

I’ve had a pair for about a year. On the basis that I never give them a seconds thought, I think they are OK.

+3 Imgur

everyone – Member
Now that’s exciting. Just need to save for a SRAM shifter and mech for a relatively cheap 11 speed setup!

SRAM shifter/mech with Shimano cassette? Isn’t that worst of both worlds?

My thinking too.

Will Cranked be available in usual outlets – WH Smiths etc?

(I hope I’m not being sacrilegious here)

Is the UD weave on LB rims the best bet for XC use?

It was a bit mad in Exeter Aldi. I think I’ve stumbled onto their busiest shopping day. Took 25 mins just to get out of the car park!
But I got myself a Garmin 200 and have already used it today and downloaded to Strava. Works fine and provides all the information I need at the moment.

^^

Another shout here for tomato ketchup. Ours was a Springer bitch so I hope it works for dogs too.

And of course the dogs love tommy sauce on their food!

Is it any coincidence that Paris-Roubaix is abbreviated to PR, which in medical parlance is a Per Rectum examination for prostate enlargement?

Sorry to be anal about this but PR means pertaining to the rectum in general and not only to do with prostate exam.

I get your point though!

Thats a freaky video with the static helmet and all the activity below it!

Is your girlfriend the camera person or the one being followed?

Most mountain bikers are lucky to have a girlfriend at all so to have one who rides a bike with you is extra lucky!

Took me a little while to get on but I did in the end.

Patience Padawan!

tonyd – Member
I want a tripster
Me too.

Me too. And when the complete bikes come in I’m getting one despite selling 3 older bikes to get one.

Erm I’ve never owned the Ali one but I have ridden one. I own an Air 9C and have done for 2 years. My rigid A9c weighs a long 16lbs and I always say it rides like a road bike but with extended capability. It rides beautifully sat down or out of the saddle. I ride Exmoor, the Q’s and Dartmoor, so a variety of terrains some of which are quite rocky. The rigid fork can be a handful! But I wouldn’t change it as its primary function is XC race(off road triathlons mainly)

In my ,biased, view its one of the best racing mtb’s you can buy. This is my 30th year of racing off road so I have tried a few out.

In the broadest terms the carbon one feels “sharper”, but the number of compounding factors are huge. There is not a huge difference in weight.

Probably not worth the considerable extra dosh. But I would always go for the carbon for the slight benefit.