really bigrich? I ride with the IMBA Australia Honchos down here and ride some pretty ballsy (often ‘shared’ ;) ) trails. They love to build that stuff too. But often can’t.

It’s not that IMBA look to sanitise everything; it’s that to get most land owners to agree to trails they want stuff that ticks the ‘sustainable’, ‘insurable’ and ‘ridable by as many as possible’ boxes.

Outside of the ski areas, most of the other land managers don’t have the resources to offer much more than the ‘trail centre style three rises before a hairpin on a metre wide bench’ type trail. So that tends to be what you get by default…

Depends what you are coming off of etc, but I found the ‘bullet-proof’ construction meant bloody tiring to ride uphill or for long distances. I’m riding a Commencal Meta, so not exactly a race whippet, yet I still noticed it.

riding with gravity? barrel of laughs, it was so much fun, etc

Bertie – if the team is right. Sky has more strength in depth I feel (see how it goes in a few weeks down here at TDU as to if that is right or not) and could make it hard for him. Likewise, I think RSNT or whatever they are this year, could make it hard due to a team effort.

Schleck and Froome to complete podium.

Cadel and Wiggo, alas, I don’t think can get there; too many out and out climbs this tour. top 10 or 20 for those two. Be interesting if they go to Giro or Vuelta though…

our TVs been broken for ages now, so kids don’t watch ‘whatever’s on’.

kids do watch stuff online or on DVD though. This probably makes it easier to have ‘control’ of what they watch and when and how much etc.

Lots of radio on in our house/car too though.

Wife found it hard, but even she just streams or downloads now.

might change soon; just ‘inherited’ a big plasma thingy from a (all but blind due to MS) friend who is getting a bigger TV…

Been 2×9 since ’09.

Have 38/28 up front. Lose a little on the road sections if I try to race the roadies, but really, not a big deal.

Although there is road sections to link stuff up locally, most of it is uphill, so lower gearing is not a huge drama.

Will be staying 2x in all likely hood as I upgrade to a new bike. Though also pondering 1x…

thanks all! some other things to considr now…

Spanners – Mr Moore? That’s the folks that own BMCR.

Yes, I’m on Billsville; I too haven’t ridden there in ages.

email in profile – interested to come for a ride up there. See what a blow-vac can do! ;D

Spanners – who are you? I’m in Adelaide, know Pete Lia and Andrew well – and ride with Zokes a bit; who has a Soul with 130 Revs!

Kalamunda is a good ride.

The guide book is a good call actually as Travis does ride – so not just re-published press releases.

Down south is where a fair bit is going off at mo – margaret river, peel, etc – though obv bit of a drive!

I do some work for IMBA Aus; and WA has the most progressive landmangers in the country, so trails are starting to pop up all over.

yep, just working out a new GPS to use it more fully – my phone gps is crappy and getting worse…

what GPS are folks using? anyone with a edge 200 yet?

bump – any other time you all have nothing better to do than rant on, what happened? :roll:

having ridden, thrashed and sold all of the above – burtons, drakes, flows (eww!), ride, switch (back in the day!) at independent shops and the big 2 in the UK – Custom or Cartel and be done.

if they do break, easy to find bits.

if you can’t find exact bit, usually the bit for the one up or down the range will fit instead.

at least one store in every resort wherever you go to ride will have burton stock, so you won’t be stuck, unlike some other stuff.

FunkyDunc – Feel for you there! When our eldest had her first Toddler puke… *shudder* it’s another level, you are correct!

Our 11 day old lad woke us up at about 4:30 this morning – with the loudest farting ever!! Still, on the boob and then we could all snooze until his sister was up at 6:30…

I’ve been pondering one too… the conclusions I’ve come to are;

Certainly doesn’t replace the map – as you say, so small a screen that it makes that hard.

But work out an intended route beforehand and load in, then just use the unit to make sure you stay on course – excellent.

Being able to download someone elses route and follow it – excellent.

taking down as much data as you want to (cad, hrm, etc) if you are interested – excellent.

as a ride log (which you may/may not find motivating/useful) – excellent.

Having said that, 500 is cheaper and you can do these same things, bar an actual map. Bryton units are cheaper again. Really depends on how much you think you’d be using it as a map. personally, I’d not; just take a paper one (and compass!) in the bag with you if somewhere you don’t know etc

For 2012 – about 22Km… 15 miles ish?

For 2011? not a clue…

Read most of Rushdie’s stuff – the new(er) Enchantress of Florence is good too.

Anything by Haruki Murakami – 1Q84 is really good so far; though I’ve only got through book 1 and most of 2 (of 3); Xmas and my son’s arrival stalled that a bit lately.

Every other person drives a “Ute” down here in Aus – 2/3 if you’re a tradie. They are both low down the list of most popular – looked at a Toyota? Or Mitsubishi? Both sturdier options. Toyota should be comparable on the parts/service stuff too.

Bear in mind the double cab means only half a tray – you may end up towing a trailer still if you need a full size load on – though if you’re using an Estate, then it’ll seem like heaven regardless.

Corroded – where you set to be based in Oz?

Add Adelaide and I’ll show you around. We iz teh Undergroundz… But seriously, lots of good riding, easily accessible from the centre of town.

Well, he was the first babe born in the State (we’re in South Aus) so we ended up with the local media in carrying on; They did ask about the name – Mrs Langy and I had been joking about Jesus for the last few weeks – but Mrs Langy carefully steered around it to not upset any of the Churchy Mob. Very Tactful is Mrs Langy when needs be.

Mrs Langy’s birthday in late March may have had something to do with the timing. *ahem*

Nah, I call Trumps; Alfie, 9lbs 4oz, happy little boy.

oops, too quick!

But for real market stuff – UK = Ed O, Jedi, etc; their equivs in territories you sell to. In a mag almost every month, but are ‘real’ people.

Steve Peat, Rowan Sorrell, Akrigg, Danny Mac, Manon Carpenter

Mark Weir, Fab Barel, Nico Vouilloz, Anne Caro Chausson, Brain Lopes

But to narrow again – Sorrell, Weir, Carpenter, ACC. They fit markets that are less saturated than the others – WMNS and AM; AM is something more folks can feel they could do (albeit much, much slower) and Wmn? well you really see a full page spread of a female rider, so being consistent with it would be a winner straight off the bat.

Having said that… as pointed out, kit has to work. public are far more knowledgable these days about marketing/branding etc

spread the love; helping 20-30 with enough to get them out of debt/into a house/whatever it is they need in the immediate to lift the stress from their current situatio; beyond that, they need to help themselves!

Why the question? Got a million? I could do with a few quid…

firefox, chrome… IGMC

When we worked in a ski resort in Colorado, our name tags had our hometown and either state or country as appropriate.

Customer to my wife; So where in Australia is Adelaide?
Wife; South Australia
Customer; Yeah but where? Australia is a big country, right? (looking smug)
Wife; South Australia is the state. You know, like you guys have North Dakota…
Customer: right… but where is it?
Wife; …near the beach.
Customer; oh, nice…

Loading the chairlift with a Kiwi lass,
Customer; You’re from New Zealand?
Kiwi; Yep.
Customer; Cool. I’ve always wanted to go to Europe…

half three in the afternoon – warm, but random showeres this afternoon. Walk on the beach with my Toddle a few hours ago.

Summers coming…

Adelaide, Australia.

Leafs? Bruins? Back in my day it was all about the Avalanche. Guess living in CO whilst they were winning makes you biased though…

One finger braking is all you need, so short levers are appropriate.

what about those of us that middle finger brake though? too short, surely?

lot of road in those 30 miles, JohnClimber! :wink:

Again..?

Personally – baggies over, lycra under; length of lycra appropriate to weather.

I find kneewarmers work for 90% of rides though, rather than going full tights and still the ‘advantage’ of stripping them away to be ‘clean’ for the car. Longish socks too – job done.

Those talking about the washing of waterproof shorts etc – why? I just hose the worst off, only wash in machine every so often. I don’t machine wash my jkt every ride – waterpoof shorts/trousers are the same…

I’m tempted to go to trousers next winter though – like the Endura singletrack ones i.e. not explosion-in-a-paint-shop DH ones, but just a bit longer and warmer version of shorts. Probably do look a bit less unique than the tights under baggies, if that bothers you.

Given that my Uncle’s son is “one of them” and is a complete tit (imho, obviously ;) ), who tells us about the Xbox league some of them have when down in Westminster – as in, in chambers, when they should be working – though will spruik on and on about how he was so right to keep calling for the investigation into the NoTW debacle and how right he was about it all, yes, I reckon it is far more about the easy ride than much else, for far too large a percentage of them.

MiniLangyOne is pretty unimpressed by TV in general. Which is good in my mind.

Just the characters names give me the shits, so I’m glad I don’t have to watch it with her.

However, no telling yet if soon to arrive MiniLangyTwo will want to watch it or not. I hope not. But not out of the woods just yet

Subaru – always liked the look etc since McCrae, our one now is rock solid, would get another without a doubt.

Arcteryx – Just works, well. And I’ve worked for several of their immediate rivals inc North Face

Shimano – just know it’ll work

John Deere – I wear the trucker cap to prove it too!

Volkl Skis – lots of ‘Euro’ graphics, but you know they will be bomber and work well.

Carhartt – love the work/urban styling, actually fits me, lasts

Commencal – look the goods imo, handle amazing, had no dramas with mine (though others have). I’d have no worries getting another.

Orange – The Vit T was superb. The 5, irrespective of it’s weight/looks/noise works bloody well. Peaty winning on them in the day certainly helps.

Hmmm… Think looking at it, their is a lot to do with brand that evolve from solid backgrounds and work, rather than trying to revolutionise their fields constantly…

Alright he hasn’t raced it like Fignon, but go look back over this tour; Cadel got in all the pointy end stuff from day one – won a ‘flat’ stage; the big effort to get back to the group after bike trouble, then put in as much of a burst as he can given he’s not a ‘punchy’ rider to get a few more seconds at the top of the climb leaving the Schlecks behind; then put it all out there in the time trial… he hasn’t sat on someone elses wheel all tour like LeMond used to.

His win isn’t spectacular, true, he’s just been real smart and raced his rivals rather than every single rider in the peleton. But he has raced.

I’m no Cadel fan, but he does deserve this – it is the crowning achievement on what has been an amazing career so far…

From the tour website, in black and white;

http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/2010/vainqueurs.html

he had a few 2nds and other top 10 finishes though.

Contador didn’t win a stage last year, Cadel has this year, as above

new world? been agood few years now…

don’t miss high on trail, just occasionally on road as mentioned.

don’t miss low unless steep pinches at end of long ride; but i’d probably hurt or walk if I had a lower gear too, so no drama.

Overall, the only issue I have is when i spend a prolonged period off the bike, then it can be hard work up the climbs for a ride or two.

28,38×11-34, 9spd fwiw

I reckon a slice of old inner tube and a couple of zip ties,attache at about lower shock mount and linkage/”seat stay” pivot point = job done; similar idea to what I do on my forks, between the crown and the brace…

(not my image – courtesy of Abductee in this thread)

LMAO @ Kevevs…

search for octopus and octopi in the forums… it should lead you there. I can’t remember the whole thing, but it was whilst certain people at SSC were… “manipulating” the feedback found on here IIRC.

prob dot on 60… only 5’6″ ish though.

added camelback etc, more like 63… bikes only 13ish I guess, so about right for me…

I’m not sure I see the relevance though; the earth doesn’t crumble beneath me or anyone else I know as I/we roll along; has more to do with if you use good technique (amount of braking etc) – walking or biking – surely than the physical weight?

I’m sure at the extreme end of things it comes into it a little, (130kg of bike&rider under locked brake on a gradient >15% perhaps – but if done scientifically that would be excluded unless the actual focus of the study) but if we are comparing averages, then it needs to be on a trail with particular construction standard rather than user weight? Maybe if also inc horses and the enormous variance there, then fair enough, but not biker vs walker, surely?