Schwalbe Racing Ralphs

It’s draining and drying out well at the moment, you should be fine. Wind direction might be your biggest enemy :?

I’ve just ordered a Satmap, will let you know my initial thoughts when it arraives :-)

Bowglie

I demo’ed the Orange 5 and Pace 405 last year back to back and found them both excellent. TBH i’d have happily bought either, but went for the Pace in the end as I got a better deal on an ex-demo frame.

The 405 definately has a more compact geometry, and was definately the better climber with the full-floater shock set-up, and accelerates really well as you’ll know. The Five was an absolute blast going downhill, but less sprightly and more of a cruiser then the 405, but a great all-rounder. It’ll probably give you the stability you’re after.

Both great bikes, i’d have really liked to have taken both home! :D

Fox Talas, then you have best of both worlds, the new ones are 110mm-130mm-150mm.

I’m pretty old on one too. Just want to make sure I can us it to monitor current and average speed, and trip distance covered, whilst out on a ride?

Nuun or Zyme for me to keep hydrated, get my energy from food. Had no problems post ride.

2.25 Schwalbe Racing Ralphs??

Schwalbe tyres come up to size unlike Conti Speedkings where the 2.3 is more like a 2.1.

Pace RC405

Deffo worth a look around that price level.

That’d be great thanks ssben.

Let me know if you’re gonna sell, I might be interested.

Do they steam up or are they well-ventilated?

I’m 5’10” and ride a medium RC405 with a 90mm Hope Stem – climbs like a mountain goat.

Get a demo rider if you can? I think you’ll find the 405 a very different ride from the 303.

Cheers guys.

Anyone know where you can get XTR outers by the metre?

Lay them level on their sides after sloshing around, 1 hour each side, that’ll seal the sidewalls – important with Schwalbe none-tubeless tyres. I had to do this with my Racing Ralph Evo’s, run with Stans. 8)

My Dirtworker blew a couple of those Maplins convertors after 2-3 uses.

In my experience, finer material in wet puddle mud soaks through neoprene guards like these, and when dry leaves abrasive material trapped underneath. Bad idea IMO.

I’ve had my RC405 for a year now, used right through the winter, full off-road Coast to Coast in awful conditions, and for many a weekend away in Wales. The shock bushings have been completely trouble free so far – no alignment issues or creaking etc. It’s a 2008 frame with the DT Swiss shock.

I have ’08 and ’09 front Crudcatchers. The ’08 always fit fine, and the ’09 also does after making new holes in it!

This ride:

http://www.trailbreak.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=274

Stans.

If I were a bike manufacturer I would very closely check and double check any bike, frame, or component I was sending in for a major magazine test. Things like missing washers, wrong bolts, and poorly set up brakes and suspension should just not be an issue if this was done. Surely this makes sense?? A review like this, easily found via a search online, could have a massive impact for a smaller manufacturer like Cotic. If I were them I would be beating down the door at MBUK/BikeRadar to perform some sort of retest.

There’s one for sale in the classifieds forum – £135 I think.

Been using Epic Clean Ride dry chain lube for the last couple of years on both my bikes with absolutely no problems. SRAM chains on XT drivetrains. Slightly noisier than wet lube, but so much cleaner and easier to maintain.

Toons,
let us know what they’re like to wear compared with the standard Evo’s, cheers. :D

The Evo ‘Lite’ pads look ideal. Are they stocked anywhere in the UK?

Easy spinning rides like your commute this morning, stretching after warm-up, refuel your body and give it time to rest etc. Protein recovery drinks etc might help if used in the first 20-30mins after a big ride like the one you did at the weekend. Your body will also begin to adapt to recovering from events like this as you go through the season. Plenty of sleep also helps!

Cheers Mingsta… good advice.

I’ve been approaching this in terms of hours in the saddle rather than distance at the moment. I’m now up to a 5-6 hr ride on a sunday, with some longer ones coming up over the next month or so. I’m doing approx 150 miles per week riding. The training seems to be going well. I’m riding the Trailbreak 100km from Duncton to Eastbourne in a couple of weeks which will give me a fair idea of where I’m at I think, especially as this includes all the worst climbs on the SDW :-(

Anyone else riding this?

Demo them back-to-back? One of the bigger bike chains might have all three or at least two.

Back wheel spin-out and front wheel lift are largely caused by poor weight distribution or the wrong bike set-up (i.e. stem length, bar rise etc).

I’ve not ridden a new Stumpy but my 2007 one did bob on climbs with the shock fully open, but was much better with propedal switched on.

3 Weetabix and a glass of fruit juice.

Large coffee when I get to work an hour later. :D

If it’s IT Band Syndrome then massaging WILL help, not on the pain area on the knee though, but massgaing your quad and outer quad/IT Band. Sports massage and/or foam roller will be best for this.

Pace RC405 would be worth a demo with the others.

How often should Stan’s milk be topped up?

Fox Talas R set at 120mm most of the time, but up to 140mm for bigger downs :D

I put two in a full camelbak bladder, works for me.

It’s only 2.5 miles due to your choice of route, make it a 30mins + ride by choosing a different route and it’ll have a bigger impact on fitness.

The white finish is fine, it just shows up dirt more like white cars do!

Shimano replacement ones…

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=15564&src=froogle

Not cheap though at 99p per bolt.