tomd +1

There are some idiot comments coming out on here now, how difficult it is will always be subjective. Its meant to be difficult and has never been a technical riding based even, its an ENDURANCE event.

Its also about the experiance with your team, how you can support each other, encourage each other to get the best that you can archieve, now that might be a 50 minute lap like one of the guys on my team or a 1hr 20 minute lap for the girl but as long as they enjoy it I couldn’t of cared a less! We all came away this year tired, but never the less we did the best we could and next year we’ll try and do better :)

sorry to be lazy but have you got any picks of 2091? ;)

Well I did it this year again (this was my 5th) and I think a lot of the comments are are well wide of the mark. Its not meant to be a technical course and test your skills lap after lap, the whole idea is that its a TEAM ENDURANCE event. It’s what you and your team make it. Unless your solo but thats just mad and I have no idea what they do it for ;)

This year I managed to get the dawn and dusk lap. I’m sorry but there’s nothing like cycling and watching the sun come up/go down no matter what your state you always feel better :)

The course this year did seem to have more climbing, but that didn’t make it a bad course. We were blessed weather wise this year too! Looking at forecasts it was set for ‘somme like’ weather. Took far too much kit in the end.

I will be back next year, hopefully with two teams or a team of ten.

Sunday has picked up though :)

And the forcast for Saturday has also inproved throughout this week. Might have had too much coffee this morning though and might also be hopelessly optimistic 8)

M&S finest something or other, we’re lucky enough to have a really good coffee maching at work, makes the mornings all the more bareable ;)

In a sick sort of way i’m enjoying this thread ha ha sort of group therepy :lol:

Going through (and coming out of) the same thing. There’s no easy answer but spending time with mates who don’t mind listening is a good way of dealing with it. There will be shit lonely times but as long as you can keep these too a minimum then its not so bad. This ties in with spending time with friends.

I avoided getting pissed for the first couple of months, just my way of not getting any worse. Out quite a bit now and to be honest its fantastic, when you’re in a relaionship (well when i’m in a relationship) you become incredibly blinkered, when you’re ready splitting up is like having the blinkers taken off!

If they’ve broke up they’ve done it for a reason, harsh but its time to move on deal with how they’re feeling.

I had a carbon one for 2 1/2 years, fantastic bike IMO. I did everything from XC races, enduros and two holidays in the Alps, never really put a foot wrong. Considering how much it got used (2-3 times a week) the bearings lasted well, around 1 set every 12-18 months. Only had one shock issue and the scott service centre (evans cycles in Kendal), sent out a new shock straight away.

I think the alloy ones had some issues, but then again not every one of them did. There’s a lot of cack on the internet about someones broke this and someones broke that but to be honest for every one that failed they’ll be dozens that didn’t. For that sort of money its worth a punt.

yeah they come with a kit for the back end if IIRC. Quite an easy change.

just check the warranty, merlin were quick to drop them when things were going wrong. All they did was hand out a phone no

I’ll hand your hand when it get too much for you neil

What the hell does this mean? ha ha

checked the weather channel and the bbc and they both say rain from friday night through to sunday :(

One last thing… don’t bother packing any hope, you abandon it anyway after a lap or two! ;o)

Brilliant :lol:

I think we’re going to be pretty well prepared. We have a few dirt workers and as some have said I think having ALL your clothes there will be key.

I think the attitude comment is going to be the most important, we need to recognise thats its bad and just accept it. Hmmm now how do I do that? :roll:

Thats the key character trait, wide (6ft plus) smooth baring breaking bumps but at a consistantly higher speed.

There is some off piste stuff which is almost identicle to any british singletrack, it just goes on much longer!

Mate this is an awesome post, pictures are fantastic. Thank you for making my morning a little better! :lol:

gash site +1

well I have now recovered from said hangover. Its easy to wallow in self pitty the day after but in all seriousness when in my early 20’s I could manage muliple nights, even with work.

The thing is its was a good night (in the ‘roper’ dave if you know it?) and to be honest, I would do it all again :wink:

Always best to drink on a school night, why waste your leisure time with a hangover?

Like your thinking, not always the best formula for the best quality work though 8)

I’m only 31, can’t be downhill from here ha ha

always love a smart arse :roll:

oh and i’ve ran tyres up to 2.4 with no problems tubeless

Can’t comment on the Flow’s but what I can vouch for is the strength of the 819’s, had them for 4 years now (inc two trips to the alps) and they are still straight and true, very impressed

yeah those wheels are much lighter than my proII’s, I also have Saint 4-pots on mine, so If I changed them to R1’s that would save almost a pound.

Don’t get me wrong I love my bike, but to get it to the weight you quote would require too much of a compromise in strength/longevity/cost. Would you like to replace a Haven carbon rim???????

Very difficult to get a bike to the weight you ask for and have all the features. My Blur LTc has all the things you ask for but is 28lbs inc pedals (and Adj seatpost). And thats full XTR and Revelation WC XX’s.

Forgetting trousers is worse. I had to walk into M&S (nearest place) at 0930 one day as I had a meeting and couldn’t do it in my endura tights 8O

I’ve had some for 6 months or so, seem fine with my 15st bulk :oops:

linked in is a waste of time :roll:

Green is the way forward 8)

But these aren’t going to get mashed up, they’re going to be used for 12-18 months till he looses weight and is able to (at least try) purchase some SPD’s. There has to be one eye on weight as the bike its going is full XTR and 21bs in weight.

In a word, yes. May be a bit of an effort inflating them with a standard pump and you may need/want a compressor but yes its more than possible.

From, I’ve tried all the main brands and it works just as well on my 25 mile daily commute

Maybe interested in two…..

I’ve had nothing but AMAZING service from 2pure, I too have a sh*t Joplin and when it goes wrong they always sort it. Must be an tech issue as I’m certain they wouldn’t just ignore you. Lets not forget they’ll be busy looking after poor crank bros products :roll:

I had the same choice as you and i went for LUST Ardent 2.25 on the back and a Advantage 2.4 EXO on the front (or another Ardent if its rock hard). I’m a big (ish) lad at around 15st on a Blur LTc and I run them at around 30psi with zero issues.

If you’re a lighter guy/rider then i’m sure they RR/NN’s are great, in fact a few of my mates use them here in the NW but for me i’d rather pay a little weight penalty and have true reliability.

also not a golf fan but you can;t ignore his archievements. Sad to say the least.

i’ve also stayed at Cae Gwyn, friendly, good value for money and we chose to not have breakfast there but have it at the visitors centre instead (which as improved massively by the way in quality of service).

61cm. Hopefully its stopped growing……

I reckon they should, I like the MET but unfortunatelt they don’t make them big enough for my head :oops: