Sometimes just makes sense to not go out. Turn it into a day of rest, gym turbo and surfing the net 🙂

Zesty 714 and just demo’d a Spicy 916. Great bike but quantum leap over Zesty? Not really. I do couple euro trips each year and the Zesty seems more than capable and I can’t see 160mm being any faster Afan etc. The slacker HA was noticeable on the downs but I felt overal it wasn’t as agile as Zesty. Current thinking is just to upgrade to 2012 Zesty with 67 HA and shorter stays its geometry is effectively the same as pre 2012 Spicy

LUST Ardent 2.25 is faster than HR both excellent tyres. Advantage also. Schwalbe stuff way too thin thanks.

Zesty

Shand nice bike have added web site sort of bike Im looking for

I guess the 160mm props it up a little solving the pedal strike?

still happy with my Zesty 🙂 I like to power over thorough the rough stuff like you. Is the BB that much lower or is it an aspect of VPP design?

Your going to give all your money, savings house deposit to a wealth advisor? Everything you saved for and future house? Have you ever thought its too good to be true? What happens if he loses it all? Your future independence gone. Don’t do it. The risk is to big.

my take on do it all bike:

140 – 160mm travel
HA 66 – 67
carbon
11 – 12kg

Zesty – Spicy, either really light enough for all day

Solo only area at start finish trackside. Toilets + water + enough area to drop kit and quickly pick it up. No trackside solo area? Then I set my own up on the course because its quicker than traveling to transition.

Really should play Skyrim. Try Dragon Age series as well

Severn RC wednesday nights at Aztec West – uses the business park for laps so if you get dropped no issues.

Using HRII 2.4 tubeless. Went up and great, grips well and not draggy at all. Run 2.3 HR Lust on back for winter combo. Ardent 2.25 for everything else.

I have both. Evoc wins by a mile because it holds the bike up right in the bag. Provides best protection, easy, simple quick. You can’t wheel the CR one, wheel base to small and bike is not held upright on bag.. Evoc wheels brilliantly. You have to carry the CR one. Multi trips go Evoc. One off go CR and save the money.

Sensible advice DIS gym is good for developing strength in legs for climbs. I noticed the difference. Ideal for strengthening core, back, arms etc. Being stronger overal seems to reduce fatigue on the longer events and means I can go faster for longer.

If I ride say Afan my ride is almost totally zone 4 & 5. I think I tend towards the short but intense work outs. There’s some good argument both ways but relying totally on zone 2 won’t give you the strength and burst speed you need for those short sharp climbs. My off road rides are far from long and steady like the road.

I would include:

Hill work, low cadence but high resistance
Cadence session to develop high speed

You can shorten sessions but increase intensity on turbo. For MTB I would increase number of interval sessions as this best represents the type of ridding you encounter off road.

I always inflate my LUST tyres to 40psi and leave overnight. You can hear them seat at that pressure. Then deflate, I run 20psi up front Ardents, Crosdmax and HR all stay on fine. I use sealant to.

+1 Ardent

2 weeks annual holiday? Jeepers! I have been a few times I wouldn’t say it’s somewhere I would want to live. It’s like every other big city and it takes forever to get anywhere.

RH lever upside down left side

Sugoi merino is very thin but goes in machine on 30 degree wash. Think most technical thin merino is a mixture of technical material and merino. Used day in day out washed about once every 10 days

Spicy 916? 12.2Kg :-S

Always take my own rather the beast I know than some abused and worn hire bike

Main success factor is turbo entertainment. You need TV/DVD etc or your very unlikely to keep using the turbo. I got mine free from a guy who had it setup in garage. 45 mins staring at the garage door isn’t fun. I have mine sat in front TV, DVD that works 🙂 Have considered the multi player tacx for same reason. Competing online seemed like fun. Anyone have any experience of online competition ?

wear my sugio all year as base layer on and off bike

I had same problem. Moved my cleats. Try that first. I think having them more central to the ball of my foot increased stability and power. They were right forward below. Anyway it’s a no cost change, try it.

Found it easier and cheaper to fly Virgin or BA for bike bag. I always use a Evoc bag. I travel with my bike 2 or 3 times a year. So a proper bike bag makes sense. Easy to move and more importantly protects my bike.

North Vietnam? Hanoi Friday then north and follow the Chiense border west 🙂

Run HRII tubeless up front LUST 2.35 rear. Works great don’t think their draggy at high rollers run on that centre ridge until you lean them.

Same ride same intensity is not training.

Thanks for that and nice trail 🙂

What about this one:

http://www.dogcamsport.co.uk/dogcam-bullet-hd-helmet-cameras.html

I think just vid ofc but i could then just buy a still camera?

Broke mine twice m8 but I cycle and MTB even more now. It will mean you lose a bit of balance but long term I have no pain. Let it heal then get training.

I use the cat eye cadence computer which has a rear sensor mount to provide cadence/speed data. Polar for HRM and that covers it for me.

good to focus on the important things …..

20 psi front 25 psi rear in winter, bit more summer. Ardent or HR front/rear.

I would drop 1 enduro for an interval on turbo and one for strength session on turbo.

You need to include a hard endurance at LT as well every 2 weeks. I would include fast spin 45min on turbo in the rest day before long ride it will pump oxygen in to tired muscles.

Gym seesion on arms, core etc once every week including strength training on legs mix with turbo strength session.

I still use turbo for quality interval training but more road now weather is improving. Your plan included too much of the same ‘steady’ training. Move towards quality.

Just my thoughts.

Butcher – yep off piste you cant rely on the tracks being accurately mapped people and animals take short cuts etc. Junctions often have a myriad of new paths leading off them. You map read by looking at the features on the ground and relating them back to the map. Features that cannot move such as hills, re-entrants, contour lines are your friend! Do not assume tracks on maps or what you can see are the same. Maps have a printed date on them. Better not get in to magnetic variation and compass issues.

The answer to selecting the right path or trail is to orientate your map using the compass. Then relate ground to map. You have a fair chance of taking the right one. Given your skills as well its best not to go alone in the moors. Just good advice not been condescending.

If your getting lost with map and compass then you need to improve your map reading skills. Sorry, that is the cheapest option. Local orienteering clubs often provide classes and instruction – cost about zero and you learn a great life skill. Or find a mate who can teach you then its just practice.

I have garmin Oregon 450 it sill only tells me where I am and where the route I have chosen is. If I stray off the route I have to map read back to the track. My map reading route selection skill is more important. Works well on road like a car GPS showing turns etc.

You will find your smart phone option limited as coverage in most mountainous areas is zero or unreliable.

Mines worked fine from day and had it over a year. One thing is dont over tighten the clamp on the down tube, use non slip pastse othwerwise you crush or restrict the operation.