Another vote for Malaga. Easy train takes you to quite a few locations including the Benalmadena cable car. Pretty hot for the next few months though, better as a winter destination.

So Croydon Central is less marginal now. Labour have taken it from the Tories by over 6000 votes. Turnout of over 70% is impressive I think.

Earthquake Engineering may restrict your options a bit. What about a Geotechnical Engineering Masters?

I did a Structural Engineering Masters after my Physics degree. Not the classic route but I have never struggled for work in London, everyone is crying out for Engineers here.

EDIT: Neilforrow +1

I’ve got a 27.5 pair with Schwalble 2.35 Hans Dampf (which are pretty big for their size, come out as 2.6″ on these rims). Clattered through Malaga rocks tubeless at sub 20 psi for 4 days on my short travel Transition and while they show many scrapes from touching rocks, there is no actual damage.

It’s per wheel.

From the link you sent, 9.1-7.7 = 1.4w per wheel. so 2.8/pair.

2.8W per pair at 120psi according to the tests.

And I don’t disagree with the logic on a flat TT but like I said most riding or even racing isn’t a flat solo TT. There’s a reason why Team Sky riders have superlight tubular climbing wheels for the key mountain stages yet Tony Martin and a few others have used Turbo Cotton clinchers with latex tubes on their flat TT wheels.

The maths tells you that the extra weight will only cost you that much for a tiny, tiny fraction of your ride even if you have a very high power output.

But not in a crit where you are accelerating or braking the whole time or when riding up a hill. Like you say, the numbers are the way to see.

I think my issue (sorry if I came across blunt, actually genuinely interested in this stuff) is that rolling resistance is key on mega flat TTs/velodromes with only one acceleration off the start but most riding isn’t like that. It feels like I’d rather gain (haven’t done the maths either) <3W rolling resistance but be able to accelerate or climb more easily. 2.8W is nothing, 200g rotating weight feels like a lot.

Whereas the force required to accelerate weight at the rim isn’t so you can’t compare linearly.

So that’s about 0.25% increase in weight – on all those occasions where you’re putting out less than 1000W the tubular ones are unequivocally slower.

You’re assuming it’s a linear comparison when it’s not.

But 10 watts faster free speed as a minimum

2.8W saving over a pair of their tubular versions but the rims will likely weigh 100g more each.

I race tubs most of the time on the road and have also been using Pro One tubeless for some crits which really are lovely but noticeably heavier.

Crazy to use tubs just for riding though IMO

As Jameso says, you’re unlikely to go wrong with anyone these days as the level is so high. I chose Richard Hallett to build my 953 track bike for a variety of reasons, one being that it’s a machine to be raced hard against carbon super bikes so I wanted to really talk through the engineering of every tube dimension; it was worth it! The brazing is also superb and on display.

much less likely to die with slightly narrower tyres

Croydon Central here, Tory by 165 votes over Labour last time and there was also a very popular green party canidate. Greens are apparently pulling out this time which I am pleased about, more chance of getting rid of Barwell.

My Hope 30mm BB came with the spanner included. Again no markings etc but is definitely a Hope product (looks v similar to their bottle opener). As said above, use a rag round the handle if you have sensitive hands.

Hope? 30mm axle to fit your BB, reasonably light and strong enough for a serial rock basher like me.

80rpm is also nowhere near spinning out at the top end. 110 should be easily sustainable on smoothish ground and 150+ possible for a short burst.

How much of it is a distrust of second hand carbon with no warranty?

That is a common distrust I think which could be seen as odd given carbon fibre frames can generally be repaired quite easily whereas aluminium ones can’t.

Thanks all. Plenty to consider

I’m spending a few days with the out-laws from the 25th, they’re both great and I hope to be taking him to Llandegla on the 27th.

32:16 and tease your friends about their wimp-sprockets

I was in ‘t Kuipke velodrome watching the 6-day yesterday afternoon and the noise the crowd made when the announcer said who had won at Koksijde was huge. Can’t wait to watch the full replay this evening!

Rugby studs for a few pence from a local sports shop for a quick fix.

Stybar has said he will if the contracts are right.

Bit of an article here:

http://www.sport.be/cycling/nl/nieuws/article.html?Article_ID=746347

Funny that when Sven has been on a roll, I like it when others beat him. Now I really want him to win a race!

It will be interesting to see what Lars Boom and Zdenek Stybar can do.

@Tang: Jealous! I think Kevin is great

I couldn’t speculate on whether he is clean or not but he certainly isn’t invincible, Pauwels just rode away from him twice last week. It’s a shame that Mathieu VdP is broken as I’m sure he would have been taking some of Wout’s wins.

As is the location was an excellent choice

I have to disagree. Organising a race in mid-November on a surface that is lethal when wet is more than a bit silly really. Fair play for trying something different but don’t call it cyclocross if it has to be cancelled because of rain.

On a different note, the East Kent CX on Sunday was fantastic!

I really didn’t enjoy Ardingly yesterday, it felt as if there were no recovery sections just constant effort for an hour. Probably more to do with me than the course though, I spent the whole race wanting to pull out.

Are you sure it’s not a failed/poorly performing soakaway?

Corsa SCs for me. Veloflex are nice in the dry but as Bob says, not worth the extra. Also the Veloflex are no where near as grippy in the wet.

I’ve only ridden the tub versions but the clinchers have the same tread.

Surfing. Some of the best surf in the world and lovely warm water.

What a great bike! I built up a similar lightweight parts bin Myka for my 5’1″ girlfriend which she loved before it got nicked.

May I politely suggest SB8s might not be the confidence inspiring tyres for a nervous rider off- road unless it is bone dry?

Anyone interested in coming to one of these avalanche talks? I’m thinking of going to the one in London on 2nd NOvember

http://www.henrysavalanchetalk.com/UK%20Autumn%20Tour

1cm shorter top tube or stem as your road bike works well, especially for racing

Downhills? You could virtually spin that out on the flat. A 46t front for road riding would be too low for me, especially on a lightweight bike ridden in a bunch.

Rubbish I’m afraid. 46×11 gives 112 GI whereas elite team pursuiters use a lower gear than that to average over 60kph.
I’ve used my cross bike on slicks with a 46×11 in flat E12 crits occasionally and have always managed to figure in the sprints.

OP, I think you’ll find it will be OK as it is an even tooth jump which is what both rings will have been designed for.

EDIT: cross post with Rusty

Squoglybob, are you on crack? The riders in question bought sustenance, same as filling up at a petrol station on a motorway…

They then asked for water for which they are legally entitled to do.

I wish some one would ask me to fill their bottle, please lord why do I never get to meet these folk

The fact you you don’t come across as very approachable probably has something to do with it

A serious question to the Roadies: Why won’t you use a Camelbak? Eh?

Keep up Grandad, all the cool kids have bottles on their Enduro bikes nowadays. An MTBer with a Camelbak? More likely to see one with bar ends..

CFH, seeing your posts on here over the years is one of the reasons I was drawn to Serre Che. The tourist board should put you on their payroll!

I Just booked onto a half-time off-piste week with the UCPA in Serre Che, can’t believe how excited I am!

I’m going with my girlfriend and another couple so I’ll spend half the time snowboarding with guides off piste and the other half cruising the pistes with the girls. I’m going to be glued to the snow forecasts from now on…