whats even better is to teach people how to feel what the brakes are doing.

Reminds me of the first time I hired a mountain bike in the Alps, went over the bars 3 times before working out what was going on :-)

my lbs is Bad Ass Bikes :-)

had my road bike worked on and Box the owner wouldn’t let me have it back with out doing a test ride in addition to the one the mechanic had already done. he leapt on the bike weaved through the shop and off up the combe before i could blink. never seen my bike move so fast! when he came back a few more little tweaks and off he went again, weaving between the displays in the shop like there was no tomorrow. when I did get to ride it myself the bike was like new, setup perfectly.

* thick, clay based Chiltern mud btw

one mans mud is not the same as anothers, so I suspect soil differences around the UK can explain many of the differences of opinion on tyres. YMMV as they say.

I have just put smorgs (2.25″) on my anthem 29er and am very happy with them so far. No problems with fit, plenty of room on my 2012 anthem 29er.

I like them, in the greasy wet rocky, rooty trails of FOD, Ashton Court and Haldon they are much more confidence inspiring than the ralphs they replace. certainly sticking with them until it starts to look a bit more like california again in the summer.

not tried them in super gloopy mud but cant see they would be any worse than the ralphs.

for winter riding either on my road bike or MTB I wear some Endura unpadded bib longs with coolmax liners underneath. This means I can use the same bib longs on multiple rides just swapping the liners each time. They really are very comfy, very warm and you dont look as bad as you think you do. They are not wafer thin lycra but have a fleecy inner. Absolutely no point wearing baggy shorts over the top, they just get in the way.

something like these

Unpadded bib longs

although mine must be at least 10 years old.

Brant hasn’t got a clue what makes a decent mtb tyre tread

I dont think he claims to, Brant designs bikes doesnt he?

Yeah, I know! he gets Shiggy to

I dont think Brant got Shiggy to do anything, On One employed Shiggy to design tyres from what I understand. On One also employed Brant to design bikes/frames.

but as is evident in the tread patterns he comes up with doesn’t really fully understand how to design a tyre tread himself

Care to enlighten us further?

Cwmcarn Twrch trail in August, on the climb just before the picnic site, pinch puncture on the rear Racing Ralph, first ever puncture on the Anthem and its nearly 12 months old so cant complain. Couple of riders who passed me asked if I needed any help, I didnt but nice of them to ask.

Twrch is a proper mountain bike trail.

I rode the Twrch back in August for the first time in a while and loved it and always have done. Cant say I have noticed any huge changes over the years. Plenty of rocks and particulary roots to test you on the climb.

Its too short for a full day out but the toughness of the climb puts you off doing a second lap, so for me it makes a perfect half days outing on a Sunday morning living in Bristol.

its not always busy, last time I went up on foot (mid week, winter, iffy forecast) we had the summit to ourselves, didnt see a soul at all all day. Superb day out

with my Android, to put it in and out of flight mode is just a case of pressing and holding the power button. or have a power control widget on you home screen so you can quickly tap flight mode and tap GPS back on if you need to. no need to go through all the menus

something along the lines of this

Power Control Plusothers are available, just look for one with flight mode and GPS

then at the start of a ride tap the flight mode button to turn all the radios off then tap the gps button if you need to have gps on

try putting it into flight safe mode and seeing if you can just turn the GPS back on. My Android phones let me do this and it gives me more than enough battery for a days riding/hiking.

But I am now using a Garmin Oregon 600 with OS maps and bike/kayak mount. this works really well as the screen is extremely readable in bright sunlight with the backlight off meaning I can leave the screen on permanently with it mounted on the stem and still easily get a days use out of it, not cheap though

I only have to look at my bike and I start sweating :?

seriously there is no way I could commute on my bike without there being a shower available when I get there.

Fortunately my commute involves walking across the landing in the morning, downside is 12+ hour days are the norm :(

tennis elbow has been going on for 3 years now and is becoming a pain in the … well arm to be honest

Lost count of GP visits
Over 30 physio sessions
3 osteopath visits
5 acupunture sessions
forearm braces
2 lots of x rays
worked hard on posture inc new desk, chair mouse ,keyboard
pressure point therapy
ultrsound treatment
emptied the pot on my company health insurance two years in a row
2 steroid injections (works for a couple of months)
3 Elbow consultant visits
countless stretching and strengthening exercises
buckets of ibuporofen
ice packs
heat packs
some nitroglcerine patches, doc said it was a long shot!

surgery next option but physio is getting my nerves in my arm (EMG) and spine/neck (MRI) checked out before she lets me go under the knife just in case for the last two years everybody has got the diagnosis wrong.

Doesnt bother me at all when riding MTB but hurts like hell on the road bike (less arm movementso it seizes up) or walking (gravity trying to straighten arm that doesnt appreciate being straightend. impossible to pick my nose even if I wanted to at times as my arm just wont bend.

I test rode a Anthem 29er, it didnt feel wrong, it felt very sort of “planted”. Bought it, no regrets. But that does not mean I wouldnt of been just as happy on a 26 or 650B.

Buy the bike that feels best to ride.

I enjoyed it, my dad lives in Bodmin so took the bikes down when I went to see him last. Again needed two laps to make it worth my while but you drop into the and climb out of the valley a lot. Strava shows 475 meters of climbing over 2 laps.

Merino wool base laser is only 30% merino…… Doesn’t feel great in the hand but not worn it yet…

I picked a base layer up and it says 100% merino wool on the label, not as nice as an icebreaker which in turn isnt as nice as smartwool but still not bad for the money.

maybe the 30% merino ones are these

I bought a road bike recently and have no issues with the drops but dont be afraid to adjust them to get them comfy and have the brake levers comftably in reach.

I also spend 90% of my time on the hoods only going on to the drops for better braking control on steep descents

I’m off to see a consultant tomorrow, 20 years of neck pain, 3 years of forearm pain, a couple of years of unexplained chest pains. GP and physio been trying to get me an MRI for suapected C6/C7 nerve compression.

well that didnt go well. was told its just minor arthritus due to my age (46) despite sitting here in front of PC with excrutiating pains shooting up my neck and down my shoulder and walking around like an 80 year old :-(

I’m off to see a consultant tomorrow, 20 years of neck pain, 3 years of forearm pain, a couple of years of unexplained chest pains. GP and physio been trying to get me an MRI for suapected C6/C7 nerve compression.

Actually, i’m currently using an old Lowe Alpine

yup, thats what was in the back of my cupboard, used extensively for skiing in the past as well.

also have an old karrimor pack with two mesh water bottle pockets but its too uncomftable/heavy when used for water bottles so a windproof or compact camera tends to get stuffed in instead.

who cares which is faster? whats more important is which is more fun. oh unless beating your mates on strava is important to you.

I am currently riding a 29er, yes it feels faster, yes my mates say I am faster on it but at the end of the day I think I would have just as much fun on a 26 or 650b.

I went for a 29 cos middle age is taking its toll on my body and I aint the rider I used to be 20 years ago and the bigger wheels might make for a more forgiving ride without resorting to handfuls of suspension travel.

at the end of the day wheel size is probablly largely irrelvant over the course of a days riding, just ride what you have and have fun and you will no matter what size wheel you have, who cares what others are riding.

back in the day before hydration bladders came along I used to use waist packs a lot.

More comftable when you have a sweaty back but less comftable when you have a lot of gear and the belt digs into your waist/belly.

plenty of choice out there but try looking for running or fell running belt packs.

I might just go and dig mine out again :-)

For all the ‘oh there’s a hole in the top of course they let water in’ comments; do you not think it’s a little poor on the behalf of the manufacturer to market a sock as waterproof, and then it not be in use?

A little naive maybe…

the material will be waterproof, just like a waterproof jacket is, just like waterproof boots are. Perhaps you should look at wearing a kayaking drysuit and they are not immune to leaks through the bits your body has to go through!

the water is running down your legs, wear over trousers and you wont have a problem (not so much anyway). Nothing wrong with the product or the manufacturers description just the application.

Quick video from yesterday on the blue trail testing for the 4 wheel bikes from project enduro that we’re involved in.

I did see the previous blue video and thought that looks wide, was it built specifically with the 4 wheelers in mid? Well done BPW if it was. Looks pretty hairy though!

Reckon it’s fs or ht territory? I have an uplift booked next month and wondering which bike to take. Cant wait to ride it, looks so fun!

why not go the first time with the HT then go again with the FS and see how your times compare on Strava :-)

anybody know what the climb is like, the trail map suggests it folows the route of the up lift some of the way but maybe not actually on the uplift road?

I am one of those crazy people who doesnt want to sit in a van when I go cycling :-)

Bike Park Wales might boost the local economy in more ways than one…

Fun on my 26er

was fun on the Anthem 29, just took me a lap to adjust my technique, suggesting nothing wrong with the bike the problem was the rider :wink:

I enjoyed Cardinham, did the loop twice stopping at the cafe inbetween. Some of the switch backs are a little on the tight side. I got round them much better second time round on my Anthem 29er, was cursing them first time round. Fair amount of climbing for such a short loop. Lots of dog walkers in the car park but only came across them on the fire road linking sections (few and far between) when out on the trail.

judging by the irrational fear and panic in some replies it must be a 29er…

I am using Fenwicks Stealth lube on my MTB and have been impressed. Currently using White Lighning Clean on my road bike and will most likely swap to Fenwicks for that as well when it runs out.

Dont forget the trick of letting the Stealth Lube bottle sit in hot water for a few minutes before application. In the winter its almost impossbile to apply without doing this first if its stored in cold shed/garage rather than indoors.

I think mine is great but have not ridden any of its peers so cant really comment much on how it compares.

It does feel fast, compared to my 26″ hard tail
It climbs superbly, espcially on the loose
It goes where I point it without too much fuss
I dont feel any need for more travel for where I ride SW England and South Wales mostly
It feels long and does take some practice to get it round tight switchbacks
It does feel a bit cumbersome on slow tight fiddly techy stuff (maybe I should just go faster!)
I am not having much luck getting the front wheel to leave the ground voluntarily

Most importantly my cycling mates find it difficult to keep up :-) but then I generally choose where we ride and probally am playing to its strengths

very happy owner

It’s not about the bike.

cant disagree with that, although I always ride better and faster on a new bike :-)

Maybe Giant are doing this not just to extract more money from the punters I doubt many large corps are that competent.

I can see Giant as having convinced themselves about 29 but then came across some issues that they were not happy with but were already commited to production. Then when they were able to they addressed them.

I work for a large electronic company in product development, product decisons are not always made on whats best but rather on deadlines, ticking boxes and development/production resources.

besides, will 29er owners now feel the need to go out and buy a 650b, of course not unless they are so insecure about not having the latest thing.

Lets say 650b really takes of and 26/29 wheels disapear completely, well by the time they do its most likely going to be about time for a new bike anyway. Based on me having 5 mountain bikes over a period of 25 years.

Its not about the wheel size, its about some people being upset that they dont have the latest thing anymore. Most people dont care and just go and ride what they have in the shed.

Odd, I have an Anthem 29 and after mountain biking for 20 years and god knows how many bikes (39 at last count) over the years, It’s the best bike I have ever ridden, so I’m not quite sure who thinks the design doesn’t work.

best bike for what conditions and terrain though? It’s a relative. Any bike is going to be a compromise, no suspension, wheel size, tyre etc is going to be the best all of the time, in all conditions for every rider.

So Giant must think that a 650b bike is the best compromise for average riders on average terrain…

BTW, I have a Anthem 29 and with out doubt its the best bike I have owned to date.

My Anthem is a rocket ship and on loose moderately technical and moderately steep climbs its much much better than any of my previous bikes but on the other hand its feels unwieldy on tight switchbacks such as those at Cardinham near Bodmin.

On any trail there will be sections were a 26 is best, another section might work better on a 29 maybe a 650b will sit somewhere in the middle. Not to mention difefrences in riding styles and preffed terrain

At the end of the day, all things considered I really dont think it matters what wheel size you have for most people.

Yeah until you fall off, breaking your ankle and ripping your leotard…a long and awkward walk home with your testicles hanging loose

25+ years of mountain biking and its not happened yet despite having going ass over tit a fair number of times, though to be honest the first few years would have been strapped into my pedals.

come to think of it I still have my original MT500 lycra shorts which must be 10+ years old and done countless miles in the saddle and the spills that went with them, the only thing stopping me wearing them now is my wasitline.

SPD shoes, like lycra bib shorts, not fashionable with the “youfs” but pretty damn effective for what they are designed for…

check this out for some marketing / science / spiel, there is also the 27.5 giant range shown too

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/showcase/anthem-27-5/#customtechpage

It’s all relative though, looking at that webpage all of the 3 wheel sizes have advantages and all have disadvantages. 27.5 claims to be better at climbing but if that climb is loose and rocky then 29 gains an advantage due to better traction and rollover.

So I dont see how you can say one is better than the others as during an one ride there are going to be sections that at some point favour any of the sizes. so that means at the end of the day over the course of a ride it makes sod all difference what size wheel you are riding.

so just ride what you have and enjoy it!

what puts me off prescription sunglasses is what to do when the lenses mist up when working hard or how they will work when going into a dark forest unless they are photochromatic which adds expense. Oh and the possiblity of me sitting on the most expensive glasses I am likely to buy!

concrete is hard, cars and trucks are hard, lamposts are hard, heads are soft and squishy. The speed at which your head might hit these hard objects is just as fast as hitting that rock when you come off your MTB. its a no brainer…

Bit like going skiing for a week and riding blues and reds – If Skiing was just doing blacks far less people would do it. This will make biking far more accessible.

Come to think of it I am quite fond of skiing uphill as well, maybe its just me then :-)