Everything we’ve got is covered in smartwater, couple of bikes are data tagged from before we got the smartwater. Like it because it’s not invasive to the bike, can paint all components and get plenty of stickers and garage warning signs. Also can paint any other valuables.

I get flagged every so often, njee is right once Strava involved it can’t be flagged again. A local round here sets quite a few segments up and if he loses them has been known to change the segment so he gets it back… Strava is great fun for those that can see the funny side 🙂

45 6’2″ 81kg been that around that weight for years. Ideal weight for me for normal life but prob a few kg over for racing xc, but power to weight works out ok and I like to sprint.

Evo magazine have some decent vids

Going to demo one soon but having a few ‘normal’ wheelsets it is doubtful I will be getting one, which is a pity as would be a good complement to the superfly FS I currently race on.

6 yrs ago, wife and I at just short of 40 with no kids with a small house and mortgage, went 3 days a week. I went from a lot better paid job as well so had a huge drop in income, however this was something we had wanted to do for a long time so made sure normal expenditure was low ie mortgage and bills. We had been used to buying whatever we wanted however so this was the main learning curve.
Best thing we ever did, lot better quality of life. Got a small converted van that we go off in midweek, we both enjoy racing and riding bikes but don’t live in each other’s pockets. Got the time to spend together but also time to do our own things.
We may run out of money and have to go back full time but happy to work more when older and enjoying our time now. One friend has dropped a day and one has taken a year out, and will go back three days, due to being annoyed at how much we enjoy what we do..
We still get the occasional snide remark from colleagues saying it’s alright for you your part time, can’t really get that they might be able to as well if didn’t have the big flash house, car etc

Wife and I have had stages now for over a year, I know that because mine decided to not calibrate properly after 13 months. No hesitation or issues from stages new crank in lbs within a couple of weeks. Had the reported battery issues with both arms but new doors and being sensible about not spraying the power meter with hose when washing, not had any issues within the last 6 months. Both used nearly daily.

Had a sl superfly for over a year now. Very capable bike, race it xc and been known to hammer it round trail centres, no issues with Scotland blacks.Can bob a bit more than like and not sure re the Fox ctd front and rear. It is long, not the most agile bike and the rear tracking can be a bit soft. Sounds like I’m not that bothered for it but it’s very fast for me and just works. However the new top fuel looks interesting but with the new wheel standards not ideal if have a few spare wheels. Great bike for what it’s meant for.

Cheers bitasuite, I was just coming on to say that it’s now showing them. I had authorised but don’t think the 1000 had downloaded properly before, because when I switched it on again later to check it the icon changed as you said.
Looks like will be a great little tool, like the fact that can choose either PR or KOM.

Thanks, thought would be in the segments folder on main page but they aren’t. I’ll see if they show tomorrow on the commute.
Dont think released yet for 510, wife’s not happy..

Might be me being dumb, but just linked strava and Garmin, starred a couple of segments. Showing on garmin but do they show anywhere on the garmin 1000 itself as a list ?

Cheers

Thats not just pro cycling that’s a guy at the very top of his sport. However it is humbling..

Maxxis ardent race working well for me as a fairly quick trail tyre, inflates well on both stans and American Classic. Had to get a conti mountain king when away in Scotland recently as badly cut an ikon and that worked well and inflated easily, rolls ok considering the tread. I do use a bonty tubeless pump when away though that helps and a compressor at home.

Used that one a few times but not that recently, nice site good facilities but he can talk 😉

Used to be able to ride straight up to the trail from the site past the pub and the saw mill, not been for a couple of years though.

We are all different, I’m fairly sensitive to set up. Been racing mtb on an off for 20 yrs, ride motorbikes and generally like to experiment. Done plenty of blind tests over the years with adj head angles, tyre pressures etc and understand that one change affects the whole. All I was suggesting that adj dropouts could be an option as there may be no right answer. As I say it may be all in my head 😉

Got a sliding dropout 29er and can certainly tell differences in the chain stay length, for me it affects the way the bike handles a far bit as well as how it climbs. I set it up short for tight stuff and long for longer days out, it’s a ti frame and I swear I can tell comfort wise when the chain stay is longer. However if may all be in my mind, but good enough for me. Any chance can get built with sliders ? Love mine, no issues and can SS easy.

Had a chunk of time off a few years with a head injury, best way I regained a decent level of fitness initially was short efforts. Don’t try and stress the system too much initially as will be frustrating… Ride to enjoy riding, it will come back.

Good luck.

That first DB6 is the spitting image of the car I grew up with, however ours was a non vantage, brother and I inherited it but sold it 25 years ago. Should have kept it garaged away somewhere, but as a 20yr old is was just an old car…

I race xc on a Trek superfly sl full sus, very happy with it. However if wasn’t racing and wanted a fast cross country bike, and had the money, I would get a ibis ripley frame and pimp it. Took one for a test ride and loved it.

Soreen, can squash flat so takes less room. Only use gels etc if used before, can cause interesting side effects..

Ive found the best approach is to ride behind and be a buffer so if anyone comes behind it will be you first, stopping any issues with your son having to deal with someone on a ‘mission’.
We all started somewhere and I think some forget that, good luck and hope he carries on enjoying it.

82kg and run 29er wheels in Hope with crests, Hope with archs and American classic race. The crests were my xc race wheels that got used for fast trail centre work as well, replaced this year by the American classics. Seen a big improvement in cornering, acceleration and climbing, 1450g for a set stiffer and lighter than the crests. My only concern is the rim sidewalls are thin and can be prone to denting.
Have a look at the American Classic wide lighting as well.

Looking good, it’s satisfying getting it right but don’t sweat it when it’s not perfect. I spent ages when I first carpeted my roof lining, got it perfect but like a fool didn’t use heat proof glue then first hot spell down it came.. Using proper glue next time, bashed it in with a couple of annoying wrinkles but never notice them (well hardly ever).
Finally got round to a proper heating and cooking solution after 6 yrs of using our van all year round, a wallas xc duo is on the way. It’s a combined diesel heater and stove, can’t wait to fit it. It’s pricey but will make a huge difference to both day rides, overnights and holidays as my wife suffers from reynauds that is getting gradually worse and the ability to sort out a hot drink and heat the van at the touch of a button, or even leaving it on just ticking away, is going to transform cold days out.

Incidents such as these put racing around in circles into perspective. All credit to everyone involved and hope for a full and lasting recovery for the rider. Good to know at times like these can rely on both the professionals and volunteers.

I think you know the answer, build it and they will come 🙂 Unfortunately if you do, I lost a moto gp related bet a couple of years ago meaning that in the next HTN I would have to do it in a Wonder Woman outfit..

Just got back from sherwood, wife won open female, not bad for a near 46yr old, and I got 5th open. Great little course plenty of nice roots woodsy singletrack and good overtaking opportunities which was a good job as entering on the day meant gridded 65..
The carnage reference was not overally linked to numbers at Whinlatter it was more the crashes 😉
Hope the rain stays off for everyone tomorrow.

No reason at all, as long as same sealant..

Sorry wouldn’t know re trails, would suggest giving the shop a ring in the morning and they would tell you what’s open. If anyone fancies saying hello we are in a black vivaro ‘camper’ and I’ll be racing in a bright orange big bear shirt.

I hope that they give a good space before its gets tight then ! Last weekend in Whinlatter there was 67 of us vets setting off together, carnage..

Good luck to you and your mate, all the shouting and cheering is always for me in my little brain 🙂

Edit. What tyres for sherwood !

For me owning a well sorted fast car or bike means that you can actually enjoy driving rather than mindlessly drifting to a destination. Had to drive some fairly boring company cars for a while and unfortunately they became an office, which was not good.

Thanks for that dirtyrider. I don’t take any notice of the Strava power figures as they are miles out for me on the road so can only imagine how bad they are on mtb, At the mo I just have to look at HR.
I do Dalby a fair bit as get a bit of support from a local bike shop, sherwood occasionally so they are perfect patterns for me to look at power as a comparison.
Thanks again.

I was at a Nutcracker in Whinlatter 2300 ft of climbing in 13 miles. Not ideal for a chunky like me 🙂

Really want a power meter for mtb.. Mine from yesterday’s race. Shows huge variations in HR for me, far more than I would see doing a TT so for me the mtb plan is quite specific to the demand of xc racing. Some of the lower HR is being behind back markers on singletrack, then having to nail it past when able.

My sustainable power increased with the mtb plan, ability to hold a set high hr on a draggy long climb racing at the weekend was a bonus that I wasn’t expecting. When not caring where hr was and just pushing on I have definatley improved in repeatability of high efforts and recovery.
Just need to avoid other peoples crashes now..

First xc race of the season tomorrow and just off out to the garage to do Osceola, as a finish of the taper week of mtb mid volume plan, be interesting to see if an actual training structure over winter helps. Certainly seen an improvement of ftp and ability to hold power but seem to have lost a bit off top end sprinting.
My idea is very similar for the next few months re a couple of sessions of over and unders throughout the week on top of general riding

mid 40’s and race vet class, it’s great to see a good showing in the grand vets 50 + but what makes me hopeful for the future is the super vets 60+ That’s another 20 plus years of racing then, hopefully 🙂
Seriously at 45 I know I don’t bounce as well and consider risks more now than when I did at 20 and I am sure that this will continue, however I am willing to put more work in now to maintain and improve than I did then.

Not had an issue with maxxis tubeless in either tr format or not, however the non tr do start to show threads in the sidewall after a while. A slightly slower rolling combo but with more front grip is an ardent race on the front paired to the ikon. Did use bonty xr1 teams for a while in 2.0 format and they were quick but I prefer a wider tyre, however probably doing a longer moors and shores event and they may well get out back on. Couldn’t get on with the big ikons, they are massive..

My go to tyres for xc racing are ikon front and rear, no issues. Fast rolling with plenty of volume, nice profile and within reason plenty of grip. Done plenty of fast trail centre laps with that combo as well and surprising good in the slop.
However you do have to remain awake. Was tempted by thunder burts this year but keeping with what I know for now.

I ride and race mtb, same as you started road riding (other than commute) a few years ago to improve fitness for mtb. Got a bit of a hankering to have a go at crits and bit of road racing but managed to stop myself up til as wouldn’t want to impact on mtb as that is what I enjoy.
Not going for a ride that you would enjoy as don’t feel would get fitness benefit is the start of a slippy slope… We are all just doing it for a laugh, it doesn’t pay a wage.

Been together 18yrs, I’ve always mtb’d she used to walk then saw mtb as faster walking in countryside. Then she got bored watching or marshalling when I was racing, she now gets more podiums than me ! We ride together a lot but train separately and we both have others to ride with. No reason to hide any costs or purchases and 10yr wedding anniversary is biking in Europe, couldn’t get any better.