Had the same trouble with brand new Dirty Dans.

Best way is to use the technique recommended by Stans. Ensure the tyre sits in the middle of the rim channel, start opposite the valve and work your way around using leavers. Never had to use soapy water but still not easy!

There is talk on some forums of 2012 Schwalbe tyres being not suitable for ZTR rims.

Another fan of merino in winter here. BaBa long sleeves worn on every ride since November.

A mate of mine swears by his Rapha short sleeve jersey but I wear a Skins C400 compression layer or just a short sleeve synthetic jersey in warmer weather.

The C400 is incredibly cool and must have powerful wicking properties.

I run a 2.25 Rocket Rons (front) and Racing Ralphs (rear) combo in summer.

Fantastically light, low rolling resistance tyres for dry conditions however they really struggle in the wet. Pretty useless in mud and scary over wet roots and rocks.

Never used Nobbly Nics; in winter I change over to Dirty Dans. Again very light with relatively low rolling resistance (as a mud tyre) but good bite in the soft stuff.

I use Sports Tracker Pro – Sportstracklive.com[/url]

There is a free version but mine cost around £3. Brilliant app. Maps, distance, speed, heart rate (if you have a monitor), altitude (usual inaccuracies!)…

I’ve dropped 10kgs in the last couple of years. Did it slowly.

Much better to train your body to burn carbs than cut them out.

Avoid processed starchy foods and go for whole grains, fresh vegetables, fruit etc. Cut out as much fat as possible and have cold pressed oils such as olive oil instead. Boost up low fat proteins.

Untoasted oats are a really good fuel and when combined with nuts, seeds, dried fruit etc make a pretty tasty soaked muesli.

Current set up:

[/url] 246_4629_1[/url] by jwmlee[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Really like these: http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k441/a11845/comp-be-carbon-bar-ends.html

SLX are probably the best value for money. Having said that, I have just upgraded to XT shifters and crankset. It’s personal choice but I find the best option is to go for what you really want to save upgrading at a later date.

Never tried the Superstar wheels but really like my Hope Pro 3 / ZTR wheels reliability issues aside.

Very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff. Excellent range of stock.

Attempted many times to negotiate prices of larger items. Seem to have a policy of standing firm with the in-store prices which are pretty steep compared with other bike stores.

Sorry – rubbish at posting pics on this forum. My pride and joy:

[/url] 246_4635_1[/url] by jwmlee[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Cube Elite HPT – love this bike.

A little off topic but I can recommend the Icebreaker Chase Beanie. Superb.

Keeps you head warm but not too hot and doesn’t itch. Comfortable under a helmet too.

Keeping extremities warm is key – head, hands and feet.

Thanks for all the feedback.

What about Windstopper Active Shell? Does this need reproofing?

I was referring to Gore Tex Paclite and Windstopper. Not sure about the shop tags – certainly the washing instruction taps sewn into the garments don’t mention it.

dan1980 have some Nikwax stuff (£££!) but thanks for the tip re Dri Pak.

Interestingly their website says they don’t recommend wash-in products.

Will try the Grangers Proofer Combo.

Cynically, I suspect the whole thing is a bit of a cross-sell opportunity for retailers 🙂

IMO merino is not for summer high aerobic activity, particularly if you have backpack/hydration pack. Merino is great in the cold winter or year round for lower activity but I switch back to synthetic when things start to warm up a little and I persire more so need moisture transfer to occur quicker. Odourwise I can wear one merino top all week for a 5 day week at work and then get a few days out of it on the bike at the weekend.

I don’t think he’s referring to Summer.

By the way, merino can also be used in summer. A mate of mine swears by his Rapha short sleeve jersey. A number of other companies (On One, Icebreaker etc) have also made light weight summer jerseys.

I use a Skins C400 base layer when it warms up. More about compression than keeping you warm and dry. Strangely, it actually feels cold when you put it on in a warm room.

Merino tends to hold the moisture a little more than high quality synthetic base layers. However it also tends to be warmer when wet (I can vouch for this having ended up in a canal once!). Some riders swear by merino.

As indicated above, the issue maybe what’s over the base layer – most day packs don’t breath particularly well. Soft and hard shell jackets can also prevent moisture escaping. My soft shell jacket has a breathable section in the back for precisely this reason.

Jackets with pit vents can be very good. Zip off arms are even better allowing you to keep your core warm while allowing your arms to regulate your temperature. A gilet (soft or hard shell) is also excellent for this.

I tend to run pretty cool but would never jog with a merino base layer and polar fleece.

Layering allows you to adjust your clothing according to conditions and intensity of exercise. You could also try investing in day pack with better ventilation.

Thanks LabMonkey.

Agree stevewhyte!

Had a look on You Tube last night and there was an interesting video by a kiwi guy Dr Tony Page: Over training and good training

If anyone has some good links please post.

Cheers

@kiwijohn – that frame looks identical to my Cube.

Think mine was one of the last to be made by Lynsky before Cube went to the far east. Sadly, they no longer make a Ti.

@kiwijohn – that frame looks identical to my Cube.

Think mine was one of the last to be made by Lynsky before Cube went to the far east. Sadly, they no longer make a Ti.

Thanks for all the comments.

I would like to train every day. Is there benefit is cross-training – running or swimming on my days off cycling? Or would I be better off doing a gentle ride every other day?

If you’re serious about getting fit – RESEARCH IT PROPERLY, not on here..

There’s a lot of folk who dont know what they are talking about it when it comes to getting fit.

I used to just thrash myself as often as I could but I never really became that fit.

I then started training properly with a Coach..& wow..what a difference..in every aspect..

The intensity was different, the volume, the frequency everything

Sounds sensible. I don’t race, get restless legs, have trouble sleeping and am serious about getting fit 😀

Can you recommend any good online resources / advice?

Interesting discussion followed by the funniest post ever

Kryton57 – Member
Bruce – Member
My partner weighs about 8st and she had one crack

This is a bike forum, not a biology lesson.

Gore Oxygen when pouring down. Light drizzle & cold – Phantom II. Just bought an Alp X Zip off for summer.

I’ve bought some very competitively priced stuff in their sales.

Service has been a little variable – one shirt arrived dirty and was replaced by another shop soiled item. They refunded me in full and allowed me to keep both shirts.

Customer service and product knowledge is pretty patchy across the industry – especially the large online retailers who are pushing down costs.

Evans price match and you can return stuff to their shops if it doesn’t fit.

Always pays to shop around because prices vary massively.

Shop around. Google shopping is a good start.

Thanks very much.

Love how this thread has just deteriorated into a slinging match 😆

I just use half a tab with around 250mls of water before heading out and sip water (500 mls) from my hydration during my 2 hour ride.

Generally hydrate with weak juice concentrate when I get in. Can tell how hydrated you are by the colour of your pee.

Brown rice. Short grain can be quite pleasant. Like most things, you get used to eating healthy food.

I was getting a lot of cramping usually during my rides.

Stretching after each ride is very important. Also helps to build muscle.

Eat bananas – rich in potassium. Also hydrate with sugar free hydration tablets which include salt and magnesium.

Never get cramp now.

Really helpful. Thank you.

Forgot to add – this is for a XC hardtail…

+1 Superstar kevlars. Holding up well. Very good price.

I tried an XTR cable set on the recommendation of a friend. Chain Reaction were selling them for around £30. Expensive but very smooth shifts.

Nothing like scientific but have found eating bananas with a couple of squares of chocolate works well.

For really sustained rides I carbo-load the night before.

Keeping well hydrated also keeps my energy levels up.

BBBs fitted. Much appreciated!

That Castelli jacket looks great. All depends on the climate (obvious!), the terrain and speed at which you travel and how hot or cold you tend to run.

Last summer was pretty cool and I don’t overheat too badly – the result of losing around 10kgs over the past couple of years.

When the arms are off, you can generate a lot of cool air by taking the front zip down a few inches.

I will post comments on the Alp X when I get a chance to test it in a range of conditions.

Active Shell is a completely different fabric from Soft Shell. Think of it more like a more breathable, slightly less waterproof PacLite…

Phantom II is an excellent jacket. Worn it in all four seasons. Last summer I wore it next to my skin without the arms. This winter I have been in -5C with a merino base layer underneath. Superb.

She currently rides size small Giants.

Hi I am a 168cm female and I have a 15″ hardrock
Not what I originally read!

Too much 😆

I gave up over ten years ago. One of the best things I ever did. Not easy. Mood swings and like any addiction, all sorts of ‘you can just have one’ thoughts. Suggest keeping off the pop for a few weeks as it is very hard to resist when drinking. I used the patches which minimised some of the negative effects.

Also wrote down all the things I thought were good about smoking, and had a good look at these to see if they were true. Then wrote down all the reasons for stopping.

Would never go back. Hate the stuff. It smells bad and does NOTHING for you.

Best of luck!

Ah screw it, I’ll get a new one. Trip to Leisure Lakes tomorrow…

Ok, now you can shop guilt free! 😀