I find that rides with lots of seated riding are more liable to set it off on the occasions that I get it; good stretching helps a lot, as does rest. Always try to stretch a bit when we stop for a breather and snack and chat too.

Also, make sure I stay hydrated and fed; more susceptible to pain if the muscles are working and have no fuel to burn – lactic etc I guess; we've all felt it in the legs etc, no reason for it to not affect other muscles groups if you are using them a lot too.

Better having gone to the full sus too; takes some of the jarring out of the ride for sure.

All of these things really just point to not making the back muscles work excessively compared to what they are capable of; sus to take some jarring bumps, getting out of saddle to let arms and legs do more compressive work, keeping them all fuelled to work as well as they can…

Obviously this is relevant only if your bike fit is right for you to start with

and in shorts… proper 'ard!! :mrgreen:

Jedi – loving the cliff dive…did the pooch follow?

…probably trying to hold my tongue cos at least one of the outlaws will say or do something to get my back up.

still next year will be with our own little one. maybe it'll be more exciting then.

@epicyclo – nah, thats the Alice Springs Enduro[/url] – know a few who did that and is by all accts awesome

desert challenge[/url] is a whole different world of hurt…

eat more before you go out so you have some fuel to burn to keep warm as well as do the exercise.

Core as warm as you can; otherwise body keeps your major organs warm at the expense of the extremities

24 hour and perhaps a stage race. Baby coming though, so not sure if that will be realistic…

Paul78 – Simpson Desert challenge is rough! But must admit to wanting to do it too… If you come in via Adelaide and want a local ride to stretch the legs out, let me know etc.

Actually, after reading those stats, shedfull is right…

10x Brit champ – road
junior world, road, TT and XC champ in same year!
brit CX champ
current olympic champ – road
multiple world cup champ – road
First ever Brit to win a grand tour event (wmns Giro)
youngest winner of in most all cases

and still only 26…

I don't drink at them anymore; that way I remember everything…

Ours are pretty tame though where I work now, although the stories of strippers (male as predominantly female/gay male workforce) and such from years gone past are pretty funny.

However, at previous place, a group ended up back at the bosses place to carry on drinking. Husband of couple who owned the business, stumbles up stairs, doesn't return; someone checks, he's passed out upstairs but otherwise ok. drinking continues. people leave, just my mate and wife boss. They end up in a big pash just as husband boss wanders back downstairs… oops… job hunting start to the New Year after that one.

they may be knee warmers, but the top half of it should be right up around the thigh – almost into the crotch – so that the stretch has effect and holds them in place as it try to compress again and grips the leg.

when in lycra, lycra goes over top; when in baggies, warmer goes over the inner short.

But really, I reckon you need to get them up higher; also wash them reasonably often as I find they revert to original shape (not slightly stretched) when you do this which helps too.

A lot of the best storms of winter come in the last few weeks of winter lifts and the first few weeks after they close. Better yet, most of the punters have gone… 8)

Done a bunch of seasons, happens almost every year. The weather gets into the patterns that just make it work that way. Warm and windy to create moisture laden clouds, hits the mtns and gets stuck so dumps as snow. Not always the best pow day of the season, but always a welcome last gasp of the winter season. However, means more there to melt off and keeps temps down for a while longer too as well as cloud blocking out the direct sun that makes for speedy snow melt.

Also at 2000m+ it may be spring, but it's not yet warm, so it does take longer for the melt to take hold.

But so what? The snow adds to the adventure, right? :twisted:

yes – went to full sus, did a two week 900+ km ride, ride to work everyday more or less, could get 3 MTB rides a week in when desired, ridden with friends I would be hard pressed to spend time with otherwise, made some new ones, rideen cool new trails, got fitter, skills improved, did a few dig days, lobbied for some new trails which have now been given the green light.

But 2010 (hopefully) sees; more riding, more digging, more trails to lobbied for and hopefully made accessible, a 160km road ride to start the year off, Nationals to be in Adelaide to watch, World 24hrs in Canberra to hopefully go and watch, getting even fitter, skills improving more again, more new trails to be ridden…

But most importantly, our first child – a daughter – is due end of March. And that trumps any and all riding.

^^haha! I did the same thing the first time I went to drive a friends Auto Cherokee home alone. I

sat there for a good 10mins until I clicked. I totally thought it was the alarm system or something I'd messed up with…

I have them and they have been great.

take the time to re-centre the calipers etc when replacing pads as they can creep a little, but so do all others.

Bought 1 complete… so restrained! :lol:

Hopefully a roadie next year at some point to replace the "heavy & clunky" thing I commute on now – I'm on it close to 2 hours a day, 4-5 days a week, might as well be something nice to spend that time on.

Maybe a BMX/DJ/faff about in the gutter/play bike too so I can muck around with the nephews and learn to manual, wheelie, bunny-hop, etc properly. Double up as an errands bike too (I don't go to the pub, the local ones are crap! :( )

you're just lucky I live overseas…. :roll:

I'm going Gee Atherton at this moment in time…

50-50.

On my own I can session something that otherwise I would bumble thru and then not want to hold others up so wouldn't necessarily get any better at; if I feel like a death march of uphill, no-one is getting pissed off or holding me back; etc

Riding with others means seeing different ways of riding the same thing; a laugh and a joke; someone to have a beer/coffee/tea and cake with at the end; motivation to keep going; etc

Both have their place; but I'd rather ride alone than not ride cos someone else isn't around…

I'm overseas so the PDF s far better than waiting…

Even with paper, I tend to read the articles and then go back and look at the pics or vice versa; as such being zoomed in or out doesn't bother me really.

However, the call for landscape is a good one.

so, how comes I can only own one type of bike?

Friday on MTB.

about 3 hours since I got to work on the commuter.

I bought a race horse today. I called it My Face. I don’t care how much it costs me or whether or not it wins, I just wanna hear thousands of the posh tarts at Ascot shout “Come on My Face!”

The LBS stickers cos they are small oval ones – like a squished/stretched out two pence piece – so fairly discreet; one on fork lower and rear of seat tube for one bike, rear of seat tube for other, rear of helmet.

They look after me well, so a little advertising for them if someone looks at the bike. Although, the windvest or jersey probably do a better job for them in that sense!!!

Everything else goes on laptop/thermal mug/tool box etc

Ibis Mojo?

SRAM; whilst it may not matter which you use, one brand throught still seems to work an awful lot better. You won't be fussed about the money when the shifting is perfectly effortless

:lol: @ Edukator

Nice… Ahh, Beckenham… used to play rugby for them growing up.

Cool to see as I used to live in the vicinity and my Old's still do though didn't really ride much when I was in London.

looks alright – what was the route if you don't mind me asking?

http://champ-sys.com.au/cs-one

pricelist:
http://champ-sys.com.au/media/file/CS1%20Prices.pdf

still expensive, but maybe a bit better due to exchange rate? dunno but maybe a look…

Do you even have to go abroad?

Do Lands End to John O'Groats, your own Trans-Wales, tour of the Highlands riding the bits that you like over and over…

If you get over that or want something 'foreign', then down to Dover or wherever and jump a ferry and the Euro thing.

Doesn't really take anything more than the courage to take the first step.

However, don't dismiss all the Sth America, Asia, Oz/NZ stuff; in it's own right, it can be very good, if not the most original idea.

Nice – hoping to head over for the world 24s next year.

looks like that Ralph is starting to lose some of its bite there…

their problem, not yours!

Indeed; but that doesn't mean I have to continually remind them of it.

but you clearly DO care – you care what other people think, because you dress the way you do for others' benefit.

I have the option of being able to choose – whether to make certain people I work with uncomfortable or not. It is a far easier world when not. That doesn't however change MY opinion on whether or not I find Lycra comfortable to ride in or if I prefer to ride in baggies over lycra.

In all seriousness, I have no actual problem with that, if you're more comfortable that way, fine – I just don't see the point, personally.

That is the point – you don't see a problem, fair enough, and I don't care if you are in lycra, baggies, tracksuit bottoms or a tailored suit but that doesn't mean everyone else has 'no problem' with it – especially in a non-cycling scenario such as some peoples (and my) work place – regardless of it that is 'right' or 'wrong'.

I even said in my post that I wear lycra – I did to work this morning under my waterproof shorts – it's just that I only 'fully lycra up' in general when going cycling. When I am going to end up in a different social situation once I get off the bike, I don't think that it is so bad to maybe have a little respect or thought or whatever you want to call it, for others who may not be so comfortable if I were to be in full lycra get-up.

nephews have one and it is great fun.

rather get out and ride a bike though.

Langy, you need to get out more. Seriously! Are people supposed to take your comments seriously with an attitude like that?

I'd suggest that most of your problems are about your own self image rather than what anyone else thinks of you. They probably don't even notice you so get over yourself.

Driller – That is not "attitude" or being full of myself; I work for a fashion label – what you look like and 'image' are looked upon where I work quite intently. I already don't fit in in that regard and get judged because I wear beat up old shit to work rather than the latest Armani this or Ralph Lauren that; as such I can assure you that I have no problems with my self image. Thanks for the concern though :P

However, on several ocassions at work talk has sidetracked into cyclists "silly outfits with tappy shoes and bulges in skin tight clothing" often accompanied by lots of giggling and cat calls etc; I am not trying to make out I have a big dick to be waving around (my wife will confirm that! :cry: :wink: ), it is simply a case that some people do get flustered by cyclists in lycra and don't know how to handle it; a number of the women that I work with don't. For others it's no big deal. My point was, that to say that no-one cares is a bit much; maybe you don't, I know I don't, but not everyone is of that same opinion.

baum…[/url]

LBS owner has one… absolutely gorgeous. The paint on this one is a bit …meh… IMHO, but one of the steel ones on there has a luscious Racing Green paintjob which looks amazing to me.

Meta4
Larsen TT eXCeptions front and back

It is early summer in Australia; roll well, light, good if a little slidey although at least predictably so. Should get some mew ones really, getting rounded off and losing some of their bite.

Back on topic; yes, some have gone soft and look for any excuse – bike too heavy, saddle to high etc.

The only other reason not to wear proper cycling gear is vanity – the 'I don't look good in lycra' syndrome, but if that's your attitude then you might as well just wear a sign saying 'i'm not happy with my shape'. Why not? Nobody else is offended.

Unfortunately, some others are a little off put by it; I work with mostly women (and 2 of the 4 other blokes are gay, so who knows what to think!! 8O :lol: ) and some of the girls do get a bit embarrased, so I tend to wear baggies when I commute.

Baggies are a bit more 'practical' if the ride ends at the pub, cafe, pizza place afterwards as we don't have trail centres near us with 'on-site' facilities, so you're mixing with the 'general public'. Again, I don't care, but others do; besides I don't mind baggies or lycra so no problem for me.

The chamois in most baggies are pretty good these days too, where as previously you had to get roadie stuff to get a decent pad.

TBH as long as you are comfy, go for it.

wouldn't worry too much – doesn't sound like someone you'd want to have anything to do with anyway, him being a tosser and all.

no doubting they have done good things individually, but not really feeling this group. Maybe it will grow on me, but I don't think so.

but often, you have been dogging; just not intentionally!

this list is making me smile – and get a little excited about tomorrow nights ride, even though I haven't done this afternoons yet!