Thom uses these Stan – http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NC-17-Sudpin-Zero-Pro-Flat-Pedal-Black-/161802842504

Seems to think they’re ok and just wears normal trainers with them.

Ubyk is probably the best, but not really vintage or anything – more high end than the others. Bike zone is a bog standard bike shop, however the cafe above it serves the best espresso in Oxford and awesome toasted banana bread. It’s also more central for ‘normal’ shops etc.

I had exactly the same the Stan, tried lots of different ways of gripping and hitting with hammers, but it was only when I did the tool in vice thing that it shifted. Sorry, not very helpful 😕

Whatever is available in the hospital vending machine 😳

I used a 30t on my 10yr old’s Cube build (Thorn cranks also), with an 11-36 cassette and hope 40t expander. He’s not great up hills so that gives him a pretty decent gear to use. No chain-dropping today (first real test), using a zee clutch mech.

Another Spearfish – 100/80mm
untitled shoot-028.jpg

Matte UD here too – very pleased with the finish.

I’m in at 1:02, and riding rather than crashing. Which is nice.

When did you test-ride it?

I”d put my hand up if it didn’t hurt so much

Have a look at http://www.ubyk.co.uk

Direct here too.

Yes, that was me – nice to meet you phil40. After riding the course myself I can see how he could have got confused, so despite the Micky-taking I’ve let him off, and he is allowed to eat tonight 😉

I’m happy with a C-, cheers. As you know, I’m not one of life’s over-ambitious types 😉

Jesus, just looked at my heart rate analysis on Strava – 97% in the red. No wonder I felt like throwing up most of the way round 😯

Managed 18th out of 24 in the male vets, which I’m really pleased with. My son had a great time, despite getting lost in his race and finishing last!

Patio needs sweeping.

My son had Islabikes up until he was 8, we bought him a Frog at Christmas and it’s great. Not much difference between them tbh, except the price.

With a grey VW Camper ? Who was at BigDog and 12:12?

Nope, but say hello anyway 🙂

Great ride. Not too far from me so it’s now on my to-do list for next year 🙂

Well, we’re both signed up. I’ll be the wheezing tall bloke on the green spearfish.

How old is he?

He’s 9. He’s pretty keen on coming and we’ve discussed the whole safety thing. He assures me he’ll be fine….

It’s a Gorrick. The only thing likely to get damaged is your pride!

Believe me, I can damage myself pretty much anywhere. I’ve only just had 10 staples removed from my head from an injury sustained walking through the garden 😳

Just thinking worst case scenario – what if you injure yourself and don’t get back to the arena

I didn’t realise we’d ridden together 😉

give the boy instructions that if he doesn’t see you back in the arena by a certain time, then make himself known to the marshalls and ask them to help

I’ll go with this, maybe leave him with an old phone as well. If the worst happens the wife can be there within an hour anyway – she’ll be on the emergency contact details and will be able to tell them he’s there when they ring her to pick up her husbands broken remains (something she’s quite used to doing by now 😳 )

Right, decision made, I’m going to bring the lad down to race and do the vets myself. He’ll have to amuse himself while I’m racing but maybe that’ll speed me up a bit!

Hmmm… might be doable if I tether the boy to a tree…

How very dare you 😉

Am I right in thinking the races will be around the 2 hour mark? Might be a bit of a hard sell to the wife then, she’s not known for her love of the outdoors.

If it’s raining at 4am it’s going to be very hard to leave home tbh. Feel free to post any motivational tips…

Well, just think of it this way Stan, I’m stuck at home unable to ride, and you have the opportunity to ride in the country’s biggest cycling event, that just happens to be a bit wet. If you don’t end up riding it through a bout of apathy, I will hunt you down and slap you with my 1 remaining functional hand.

idea’s for a lightweight fast tight short travel fs 29r please.
something to ride offroad long distance in comfort.

Exactly what I got this built up for. Unfortunately I was having so much fun with it on it’s maiden ride that I didn’t notice the wet tree root jump out at me and I haven’t been able to ride it since 🙁 Can’t vouch for it’s long distance prowess yet as a result, but it does pedal remarkably efficiently (also blood wipes off it easily without leaving a stain).

Oh yeah, that reminds me, the m109 had pretty poor mud clearance at the back which was something else that put me off. It got clogged up at the first sign of Chilterns mud with an Ikon 2.2 on.

The m109 is ‘endurance’ race, not head down race so is slacker than a pure racer. I was having a lot of fun on the Spearfish before the wet root jumped out and laid itself in my path, and again, that’s more modern endurance geo. You’ve just got to test them, and ideally in the locations you want to ride them. I’m going to give the Spearfish a go at Afan once I’m healed to see how it rides there before selling the Yeti, otherwise I won’t be able to tell if it can cover the ‘funness’ at rockier/steeper locations.
BTW, the most fun I’ve had on a bike recently was when we rode Surrey, and I had to use my old rapidly rebuilt Soda with forks I hated and tyres with bugger-all grip. Really wasn’t looking forward to riding it but had an absolute blast. Just shows that fun isn’t always dependent on the bike.

As you know, I test rode one for a weekend. It was a very capable bike – really ate up the ground and still had a fun feel on the twisties. However, for me there was something not quite right – maybe due to the sizing or the angles but I never felt completely comfortable on it. It was a xl but I would still have needed to put a setback post and longer stem on if I was to buy it. Probably just my own dimension issues and you may find it perfect WHEN YOU TEST RIDE IT. In contrast I felt at home straight away on the Spearfish I demoed even though it was a size too small. You’re not going to buy a Spearfish though, are you.

Asr-5?

If you can pick it up you’re welcome to borrow, put it back together it and experiment Stan, I’m certainly not going to be able to ride it for a while 🙁

Whatever you do, just don’t buy a Spearfish. Thanks.

Carry on.

Great event as usual. I took my kids for the first time and they loved it – especially my 5 year old daughter who was counting the amount of smiles she could get with her cowbell just after the road crossing. So thanks to everyone who gave her a smile/wave/stuck their tongues out! I did promise her £10 if she could get any of the Torq riders to smile but knew my money was safe 😉

Can’t help with the distance ordering side but I have bought a few bits and pieces from the shop, including more recently a salsa spearfish, and they have been excellent throughout. The guys there are very knowledgable, very helpful and really focused on getting the bike exactly as I wanted. Highly recommended.

xcwanabe – Member

Yak, dead right. You can trnafer names at registration, but I’d prefer it if you came along Friday evening or VERY early Saturday, as we’ll be trying to deal with lots of swaps, giving out first 500 gifts, encouraging people to by cake for the charity.

See you either Friday or Sat.

Rob
the ugly one of the registration tag team.

Thanks Rob. I’ve not managed to sell my entry yet, but I’m coming down to support and my son’s in the kids race so I’ll come and have a chat and see if anyone’s been after an entry on Friday.

Anyone know how to transfer an entry? I have a 24 solo vets entry that I’m not going to use due to a fractured wrist on my last training ride (yes, I’m a little bit disappointed). Was going to put it up for sale on here and xcracer but am not sure of the process of transferring?

Just acquired a suspected broken scaphoid while testing my new bike ready for the 24/12. Now the 24/12 is gone, no cycling for the whole summer, 3 sportives to be cancelled, no driving etc. PITA.

Teasel – I’ll give you a shout once I know the prognosis. Failing that, I’ll just turn up for cheesecake 🙂