Looks like the 3T fork .. if so it is a little pricey

I was 10th last time … thanks Rorschach :)

I bet there will be hundreds of ‘Elite’ riders and a few more honest souls :)

Alot of opposing opinions on deep rims for cross but they seem to track better through deep mud and they don’t collect alot of mud while racing.

http://www.rocklobstercycles.com/

I am sure if Alpkit just sold down jackets then they would have plenty of stock all of the time .. but they don’t …

They pride themselves on developing new and affordable outdoor equipment that is genuinely fit for purpose … this development costs time and money so I guess as a small company regardless of how many jackets they think they could sell the pot to buy in stock is not infinite..

.. increase prices ??? pretty sure if they did that they would get shot down by the ST massive :)

Can’t have everything in all the time…. if you want a small friendly super profeesional progressive company like Alpkit then you will have to give them allowance that they cannot hold millions of pound worth of stock…

Their kit is very good quality and usually at half the cost of the competitors … no wonder it sells out :)

I heard the new 2012 WTF will be a different colour but all else will stay the same …. although you never know with Van Dessel they love to surprise :)

http://www.transallgarve.com/

Sign up for updates but will be 6th May to 10th May … 495 euros inc accommodation and food

I really don’t want to see anyone fail and I direct my negativity towards the bike and not the athlete … I just hope she ditches the bike and achieves what she sets out to achieve.

This does however leave the South Pole undridden by bike … ITT anyone along the American ice road ??? No entry fee but cost of logistics is high :)… although an out and back would save you best part of £100,000 in flights

This in my opinion is the man they should have spoke to …

http://iditarodtrailinvitational.blogspot.com/2011/01/mike-curiaks-self-supported-journey-to.html

Surely cross winds acting on the bike are neglible when looking at cross winds acting upon the body …

..the ability to ‘aero tuck’ out of the wind surely goes out the window when winds are approaching 100mph :)

Would have prefered the lightest bike possible… if this bike holds the key to getting to the pole Doug Stoup surely would have got it there.

Not quite sure what speeds she is hoping to reach on it but good to read on BBC website it has been designed to be aerodynamic :)

Someone at BBC googled cycling to the South Pole .. Doug Stoup came up .. they called his company … he charged them alot of money consultancy no doubt and he told them the Hanebrink was up to the job .. No one asked why he ditched it in his attempt.

Should they have googled ‘Snow Bike’ I think they would have ended up with a far better machine born and bred on snow as far as i’m aware and I stand to be corrected Los Angeles home of the bike designers doesn’t have a great deal.

Welsh ride thing was great last year …

also consider this …

http://blackmountains3day.co.uk/

Just seen this at XXC mag blog ..

http://xxcmag.com/archives/4387

… looks like a contender for best value for money stage race out there … TransPortugal is now alot more money than when I did it a few years back and weather in Portugal not to mention people and riding are top notch :)

Just feel like its maybe a great opportunity to accomplish something that hasn’t been done before that looks like it may go to waste…

No one has ridden to the south pole.. EVER !! thats not marketing bullshit… there definately has been longer rides on snow .. every year :)

It just feels a little half arsed … it costs so much money to go there why not give it all … the marketing machine could have had a field day doing alot of build up pieces testing the bike etc but instead they throw out some half arsed facts and a pretty crappy intro video to the challenge.

Either way you cut it its going to be a very hard time in the Antarctic but she will possibly come away with no credible achievement as the challenge is diluted bu skis and kites etc coupled to outlandish marketing claims…

Probably missing the whole point as its just to raise money and not for personal achievement and yes I am jealous as have considered this challenge in the past as a pipedream but costs are insane.

Oldgit, I think for racing you are really limited by budget to alu … Crux is a great bike but for half the cost what about a Forme Hiver ?? can be had for £260 and build up to a decent weight.

I really don’t think you need discs in cross, raced them last year and would say they were never the difference between placing well or not … back to canti’s this year and have more than enough braking .. if I had a spare bike to change out mid race I would consider TRP mini v’s but they collect too much mud.

Bars are Midge bars .. I would try and try some different styles first but my first choice would be Ragley Luxy bars .. rode some on a Singular Gryphon and they were alot ‘deeper’ on the drops .. and you should set up to be on the drops 90% of the time.

The Swedish Chef , yeah was a short lived build … did a quick 3 day bike pack trip on it and a few evening rides but then was offered a deal on a frameset I never could justify buying at full price so had to have a massive cull of bikes to raise money.

merlinshearer, I would definately build one up if you have the parts kicking about .. alot of fun.

Sold on now but was good fun…

sold frame and wheels but still have parts should you need them :)

One leg drill, pedal for a minute with one leg, both legs for a minute then the opposing leg for a minute …repeat 5 times … the aim is to work out any imbalance you may have between legs.

Spin ups, as fast as you can spin on a light resistance without bouncing in the saddle, aim is to smooth your pedalling stroke.

Both aim to increase your pedalling efficiency .. in mud its best to be smooth.

I have to disagree with the ‘too late to train’ theory .. if you have a solid base to work from then some good interval work mid week focussing on the short and sharp efforts of cross you should be able to move up through the finishing field before the season is over.

After a race on a sunday I will do a light road ride monday, tuesday I will be doing 1 leg drills and spin ups to improve my pedalling efficiency especially important in mud when being smooth counts, wednesday is a 2 hour ride on the cross bike… its important you spend time working on cornering etc as this can buy you valuable time, thursday more turbo intervals, friday in the pool for 45 minutes, saturday a steady 3-4 hours road.. sunday back to race and repeat.

I have missed alot of training before the cross season due to injury but have managed to start to creep my way back to solid top 10 finishes.

In my opinion deciphering the guide book is a bigger challenge than the ride itself :)

Google for a gpx file if you have a gps :)

I hope so ..

.. I was there in merely a marshalling capacity this year but really enjoyed it … hoping to ride it next year :)

I’m in if you find a financial backer :)

Doug Stoup on the Hanebrink never made it past testing on the ice..

Pretty sure both poles are still up for grabs although the South would be my choice as going is marginally easier .. you could even truck it along the ice ‘road’ the americans have created to the pole.. about 900km’s ish…

From a financial point of view budget about £200,000 a piece for anyone wanting to do this … flights alone in/out have to be bought from one of only 2 companies that fly there .. Its an expensive holiday :)

thepoles.com is a good source of real info

I thought Ay Up lights had a UK distribution point ???

I don’t find any negatives using carbon coming out of slow corners etc and getting back up to speed..

… where I do like them is in deep mud/snow/sand as the seem to run alot more stable through the deep stuff.

Other than that I can’t shed any light on the deep rim for cross reason … most of the pro’s don’t seem to use them.

Fuji Cross 2.0 … a little carbon added

I don’t believe Ash rides anything without an insane technical level of difficulty.. so somewhere on that trail will be the stuff my nightmares are made of :)

I live in the north east and aside from racing I use cross bike for alot of the wagonway trails we have here … derwnet valley walk/waskerley way … alot of local trails..

Depends where you live…. I am using my cross bike as opposed to a winter road bike to make training rides more interesting mixing roads and trails

My biggest moan about spinning is its as hard as YOU make it .. so you are killing yourself and the fatty next to you isn’t breaking a sweat…

… would be much happier if all bike resistance was controlled by instructor :)

Other than that it hurts alot.. you’ll sweat alot … and there is Ladies in lycra :)

All down to who has the most to gain/lose …

Team GB had to initially bring the break away back .. then keep the pace high enough to not allow any riders to get away in the final km’s ..

Other countries could then sit back and let Team GB do the work … I guess GB knew if they brought it back together and it went to a sprint then Cav had the best chance of winning

Heading to Whitehaven tonight .. riding the offroad sea to sea route .. will be bivvi’ing a few times from Thursday night to Sunday :)

More riding than pushing .. I love this guys blog ..

http://yetirides.blogspot.com/2011/08/poyrisjarvi-trip-started-with-very-good.html

Also shows that you don’t need to go to Alaska to find some back country epic :)

I’m not part of the organisation but I think the accepted method is just drop Peter Harrison an email and let him know you are turning up .. otherwise I see no harm in you just turning up on a saturday morning and riding .. its not that formal and group changes week on week…

Will be organising an alternative saturday ride when winter hits using cross bikes if you have a cross bike and wanna tag along … gets riders off roads and onto network of good offroad trails we have in North east

Lardlover, riding in a group is common sense .. be mindful of the person in front of you.. let people behind you know of any obstructions/pot holes etc :)

Gosforth would be a good intro to club riding.

jonba, I know of at least one decent sized Gosforth crash that left bikes in pieces last year… I ride right off the back or on the front when riding with the group ..

Gosforth are your best bet for a mixed ability group … always get 20 plus riders whatever the weather and the group splits mid ride to shorter longer (read normal pace and race for the cafe)…

… they do however have their fair share of crashes due to a very ‘mixed’ ability group but if you know how to ride in a group you will be fine

Don’t think anybody ever doubted their ability as a tool for Alaskan back country riding .. more as everyday replacements for ‘skinny’ tyres :)

thanks fella :)

Pro’s and Con’s of living in such a good spot I guess :)

Never actually broke I bike I owned .. only other peoples :(