I’ve had Rapha’s tear in a crash as well. For the Alps I either use TLD Raid or some Akta Trail – they have the same pad insert as the TLD Stage but with extra padding around the insert.

I’ve also got some Fasthouse Hooper pads which are good as well. Used them in Madeira last year without any issues.

I think Enduro was best a few (maybe more) years ago, the you had Ric chasing someone (can’t remember who – turns out it was Chris Ball…) down the stages with a Gopro on, giving a commentary the day before the race (edit – found a link to the one from La Thuile – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAurcWQntzo&t=404s ). He’d do a 30 minute or so follow up program building the hype with what headed last time and who was predicted to do well at this course etc. Through the race weekend there’d be a quick end of day one recap with who did what and who needs to do what etc. Then after the event he did a full run down on what happened.

I remember really looking forward to those programs. Yes the logistics of filming the stages is hard, but you can still tell really good engaging story without covering every corner of every stage.

@oikeith – Yep. Missing here as well. Only page 1.

Was at Glenfinnan this morning seeing the Train, the guy in the shop there said he hasn’t seen any midges yet this year so could be ok.

Looking at the schedule tomorrow, is there a list of who is in Group A vs Group B?

I’m coincidentally in the area on Friday as part of a trip with the wife and father-in-law. Can’t do Saturday or Sunday, will there be much to see on Friday? I asked about gondola passes but apparently they’re only available on Saturday and Sunday..?

I’ve got one Fizik TerraClima’s which are fine for what we get around here. 👍🏻

I’ve had some for a few months. Yep they are great. Not sure about being roomier in the toe, they feel flatter but not as narrow?

Other than that I have absolutely zero complaints – grippy for hiking, stiff for riding, comfortable with good but not over the top arch support.

Wearing summer socks its only today when its 2 degrees outside that my feet went numb, but I was doing a lot of standing around helping some friends to master a drop..

@milko9000 – Madeira – Freeride Madeira – defintely. Went there alst year with them, took my own bike, but they had Canondale Jekyl hire bikes which were well like by the gorup I rode with a couple of days. Amazing riding and I really want to get out there agin this year.. If funds allow. FreeRide are the only ones who actually invest in the maintenance of trails out there – they employ 2 guys full time to do the maintenance. Apparently most of the other companies don’t even turn up to organised dig days…

Re Les Arcs – the Funi was fully operational last summer, but apparently the Trasnarc is out this summer as its being replaced now – year before last (22) it was the Vallandry lift. They’re slowly upgrading all of the lifts apparently.

Both, bar for flood and helmet for spot – you need both. I used to always use Exposure but Ive been using Outbound lights for the last 2 winter and I’m very happy with them.

I use Briskers in the winter without any problems – in fact I’ve converted most of my riding friends to them. But we don’t get too cold here.

Biggest struggle I have is finding some trousers that are fitted and have a waterproof a*se panel. I’ve got trousers for when its raining, but if I use them when its not raining but everywhere is soaked I overheat big time, tried MT500 Sprays (from around 6 years ago so design may have changed since then?) but too hot and the Madison Zenith’s but they don’t fit too well and are still hot. Ideally something like a Fox Flexor with just a waterproof a*se panel – any recommendations?

Tip I discovered the other week is to really slowly let the air out – if the forks suck down more than 10-15% you’ve gone too fast. Apparently doing it slowly allows both positive and negative chambers to equalize when depressuring, preventing the suck down problem. 

I had the exact same problem. The only way to get any air out initially was to unscrew the valve. Then I made a hole in the insert where the valve sits. Not problem after that.

I’ve got a set of the Sendhit guards. Yes they look a bit questionable and if you’re on bike parks useless, but here we have a lot of gorse bushes that grow over trails. When you’re pulling out your sixth 4mm gorse thorn from your knuckle in a week, you quickly see the appeal. And we’re not allowed to do trail maintenance where I live.

Niche yes – but definitely not useless.

Trusty – just the trails on the other side of the water pipes as far as I’m aware.

Just back from a week in Les Arcs.

Was running Cura 2 with 220 Magura rotors and Trickstuff pads. No problems at all. Loads of power and they definitely got really hot – my rear rotor has some interesting darker colours and the calliper was still warm 10 minutes after getting back to the chalet.

I think the main takeaway is big rotors and good pads. You can’t go too big on the rotors I would say.

Heads up for anyone wanting to go under the pipes off White8.. 1. Loads of forestry work being done so the trails are getting destroyed with tracked forestry vehicles, 2. It’s actually off limits this year – was chatting to the owner of Gravity Lab and he said the police are actively finding anyone they catch using them.

Also, Gravity Lab are encouraging people to complain about the conditions of the official trails – they want as many complaints the tourist office as possible to help force more maintenance.

Tracey – is that dove grey? Looks more white in the photo…

I was out in Madeira earlier this year with FreeRide Madeira, and all of their bikes are Cannondales. One of the guys we tagged along with was out on an Orange and snapped his brake so had to use one of their Cannondales – he didn’t seem to mind it at all. Pretty sure they were all on Jekyll’s, even the guides. Didnt hold them back and in a week of riding don’t recall any mechanicals. From what I heard I don’t think they were particularly light or pedal efficient uphill..

Cool – would you have any gpx or strava routes for them?

Isn’t that where White 8 is? Off out to Les Arcs a week on Friday, done it once before but that was 6-7 years ago..

Yep, cannibal was designed as a racer’s replacement. If I was doing park laps then I’d go Cannibal F+R, but as we’ll be more off-piste I’m running my Hillbilly front. Just not sure which would be the better braking tyre. I’m thinking its going to be the Butcher, but was curious to hear any Cannibal reports.

Thanks everyone!

Any morning crowd input? 👍🏻

Also, when you come to a stop don’t sit with your fingers on the brakes – sure fire way to warp them especially Ice tech rotors.

TTX coil or air? I’ve got a TTX2Air and it’s hands down the best air shock I’ve ever used. I’ve put over 2,000 miles on mine and never had any real issues, apparently the air shaft was slightly scored when it went in for a service which was replaced under warranty, but I didn’t notice any performance loss.

Yep – had a big argument with them. Official response was along the lines of we do deduct VAT, but the price you pay doesn’t change to take into consideration the cost of doing buisness with Jersey… not used them since.

found the official response I had:

“take into account the costs of doing business across all of the markets we operate in, and price our products based on a variety of commercial factors.”…

Chainsaws – that was specific for Lenzerheide – it was something to do with using petrol – its in a protected area and no petrol was allowed in – apparently even farmers etc have to take their machinery out of the area to fill up.

Found it: https://www.ride.ch/de/news/kein-scherz-weltcup-lenzerheide-verbannt-kettensaegen-vom-streckenrand

Translated below (not by me)

What sounds like a belated April Fool’s joke is actually meant seriously: The chainsaws, which are extremely popular fan utensils in downhill, remain silent at the World Cup in Lenzerheide. The reason is that the race tracks are located in a spring protection zone. After eight years of the World Cup, this decision by the municipality and the canton comes a little late.

The organisers in Lenzerheide announce with regret that no chainsaws are allowed on the entire World Cup site this year. And this despite the fact that such a ban has never been an issue since the first event in 2015. But now there is a new water protection map, according to which parts of the bike park and thus also parts of the race tracks are located in a spring protection zone. Therefore, it is no longer allowed to bring petrol-powered machines onto the site. Trail builders must even refuel construction machines outside the zone. The directive comes from the municipality of Vaz/Obervaz via the canton.

Now the organisers are calling on the fans to get creative in order to cheer on the athletes technically. For example, play the chainsaw sound on a boom box via mobile phone? In any case, taking chainsaws with you is not a good idea, as they will be confiscated at the entrance. At least you get them back when you return.

Has anyone reviewed the USE carbon bars – they seem to be light but how strong are they?

Specialized Soil searching Butcher or Eliminator – I’ve destroyed an EXO in one run through a local rock garden. 12 months on the Specialized and I’ve had no such issue with the GridTrail casing. To me it feels just as robust ask an EXO+ Dissector.

And they’re cheap.

Thanks, that’s really helpful – whats the terrain like for tyre slashes?

friends have the MTR shell jacket, really small and packable,

I wish the MTR was still available. Mine crapped itself on the zip – used a little too much force not realising it was jammed and ripped the material :(

Otherwise it was perfect.

Thanks for the tips all.

a11y – hadn’t realised they’d pushed the Transarc back to 24, but to be honest the Funi being out is a massive PITA. We usually stay over Villandry side so having to wait for the buses limits the amount of runs we can do down black 8, GG and Dre etc.. Suffered the buses the last 2 years, fancy something different..

Thanks sharkattack – that’s useful info 👍🏻

Here is the part of the email they sent me:

“We used to use a fulfillment warehouse but have since moved all international orders to shipping out of our headquarters in British Columbia. ”

I’m in Channel Islands, used to order through international shop which was fulfilled from the UK, they’ve closed their UK warehouse now and so everything comes from the US, and billed in $ (was £) – don’t shop direct anymore, especially now that Merlin sell OneUp.

I’ve had Lyriks, Zebs, 36 Grip2s and Ohlins (RXF36) and the Ohlins are by far my favourite, with one caveat. Setup/tune. There is a bank of tunes available, and if it isn’t tuned for your weight by the supplier then it may feel harsh – as mentioned it is a race fork out of the box. It is absolutely worth spending the money on a tune to get it right, as even taking into the cost of the tune for any forks, it outshines the others IMO.

Fixed it for you..

Nope, looks like the websites broken.. Again.

Linky

Sixth Element carbons on hubs of your choice.. I’ve got 2 sets on my bikes and my better half has as well, along with 3 of my friends. They are really really strong. A serial wheel destroyer in the alps hasn’t managed to break on yet. (Last time he broke a wheel he bought a DT Swiss wheel at way too much and destroyed it on the next run..)

IF you do break one, which I did on at 40mph on a firetrack liaison in Les Arcs this year, no questions asked replacement. (for reference, I hit a huge rock in the middle of the track, wheel cracked but didn’t kill me. Universal opinion of the group was I’d have needed heli lift if it had been alloy.)

I spend a week a year in the alps, used to get really bad arm pump. One of things that changed it were revgrips. Not sure if they are the single solution or not, but I won’t not use them just in case.

Having found this through FGF, we need an update!

My wife had the raphas as well and they tore on a small crash leaving a huge hole in her knee. I wouldn’t trust them in a crash.