Hi Kryton,

Did you have an increase in Sertraline around that time? It is quite a sedating SSRI so could be playing a role. Might also interfere with sleep. It’s a drug that interferes with clotting occasionally so can do weird and wonderful things but rarely.

I’ve been using it for a couple of years but I had the same experience of there being too many high intensity days and no accounting for outside rides. It would lead to you having to miss lots of sessions to avoid overtraining. The new AI process seems to be pretty sensitive to load. I did a fairly big MTB ride today and it’s said to go easy until Wednesday which is so different from the previous Tuesday prescription of vo2 or high threshold every week. I’ve actually started following the red light green light process. Only thing it’s not great for is increasing workload for a short period as it will probably stick me straight into the red and keep me there. You still need to know your own body and schedule.

Also if you’re heading through Innerleithen then Findra is now an awesome place for coffee and cake as well as a first class clothes shop

I can really recommend the new Whyte e-lytes. As long as you have plentiful coins. Think the sx motor is likely to outshine the fazua in terms of reliability. The new Cannondale looks very light for its battery capacity. Problem is the world of ebikes is changing so rapidly I’m tempted to wait for the next improvement before I upgrade as range is a problem across all ebikes for me although I’m 96kg. My ideal is a 20kg bike with a full fat range battery. Might be coming sooner than I expected. Hopefully

Properly knowing what you’re doing is the answer. That involves coaching or otherwise having the balls to screw it up several times with potential injury. I’ve always preferred the former which is the longer route but more satisfying as it’s a solid base to go to the next level. It’s very hard going back to basics for a lot of us who’ve been riding for years but it’s a step back for five forward in my experience.

Munich hands down. So much accessible to the south.

I think until information is released publicly there’s a risk of someone seeing things on here first. I agree stw has been a great place for support previously.

Guys can we close this thread. It wasn’t a good outcome.

Binman it rode really well. Tbh I preferred the Whyte but that’s because of the interface which is really important on an ebike IMO. But riding-wise really neutral and capable. One day I might be able to afford either!

I have demoed one and was very impressed. I’ve also demoed the heckler sl and the Bosch is definitely the better motor and interface. It rode all the DH tracks at Inners with ease. I personally have a kenevo sl which is also brilliant. It definitely doesn’t have the oomph of the Whyte or heckler though so not as good for power hour rides. All great bikes that ride like normal trail bikes. All very expensive

Finland wasn’t clever or a ruse, it was invaded precisely because the Soviets thought it would be over in a couple of days. The Nazis almost walked all the way to Moscow and sheer luck and immense bravery stopped them before the winter and over-extended supply lines ended their ability to fight. Stalin was entirely fooled and was surprised in the days following the invasion he wasn’t taken and hung by the people. Clever and Soviet did not go together and likely still don’t if you see those in charge as a hangover from those days. It makes them very dangerous though as rational thought only plays a part.

Why has no-one shouted Judas yet? The beautiful thing about those protesting ebikes are a sign of weakness is your signal is getting weaker, weaker, oh dear I can’t hear you moaning as I’m already at the top of the hill. What a pity.

For what it’s worth I’ve moved to a half fat ebike as it rides so much better downwards. I get overtaken easily by full fat ebikes but I somehow manage to understand that doesn’t affect me in the slightest and I can be happy others are out having a good time. I could call them cheats but then my brain engages and woop instead I think happier balanced thoughts.

I have a power meter on my kenevo sl. I can go as hard or easy as I want and I can directly achieve any type of power output I want. Ups are usually 200 watt zone 2 affairs which are perfect for winter build of aerobic fitness. If you see them as tools instead of labelling what you may not have actually experienced there might be some enlightenment. For someone with young kids and who is time crunched like myself they’re a godsend and yes they get me very fit. It just alters the time ratios of ups and downs favourably in my opinion. I am not buying one for xc riding tbh where I’m all about the manual climbing. But for enduro type riding it’s phenomenal.

Further positive review of the stage. Surprisingly airey and comfortable

It was a completely different and much crapper experience last year to any of my previous versions. Usually you get big views for miles and fresh but sunny woodland riding. Last year almost killed me. So grim in the rain, so good in the sun. Fingers crossed for 2024!

Last year was so grim but I have been really lucky with the other 4 so statistically I’m still positive :D It’s a journey every year finding out where my fitness is at in April!

I’m in again. Praying for a better winter this year and better weather for the event!

No Tweed Valley EWS…

Not sure you’re ever going to fully get rid of achy hands when riding ruff stuff on a “non-suspended” byicycle but I have installed a redstop stem to good effect. Still get sore wrists on the Southern Upland Way for example. I always ride in the drops downhill and have installed a Shimano dropper which really helps me move around effectively and stay low to make things less “exciting”

Yeah my GRX would do this. It requires far more cable tension than previous front mechs and ay reduction in tension means it just refuses to shift. I have found I need to redo the whole process with the cable, grub screw etc every so often to keep it working. Did the second half of last years dirty reiver 200 in the small ring although on reflection this may have been providential :)

I’ve always found the sandy chute bit after the bombhole much more treacherous as I’m inclined to hit it much faster. A couple of times I’ve almost washed the front wheel as it gets pretty loose.

Hi all
Just wanted to say I have an XL G1 frameset with EXT storia for sale on Pinkbike if anyone is interested. Price £2000. PM me if interested.
Thanks

Vittoria Terrano drys are what I’ve moved to after nanos. Have got me through quite a few scrapes and run relatively quickly. Nothing wrong with nanos either.

LD Stages here too. Put it back on for the first time in a year at the weekend and remembered how much I hate full facers but at the same time I never oversweat in it, just a bit hotter than an open helmet. Would fully recommend the Stages due to its relatively excellent air movement.

I’ve been running one since last year and I wouldn’t be without it. Only really noticeable on bigger hits but it’s very welcome when it works. The rest of the time it’s just subtly doing it’s job. Really reliable so far. Definitely recommend it.

There is no existential threat to Russia. There is a definite threat to Putin’s regime and popularity at home. He knows if public discourse turns against him enough someone might pop him off. His popularity has naturally increased due to this war. It seems one of the most naturally catastrophic aspects of human nature that when the big chief decides war, everyone gets behind him regardless. We are merely looking at domestic politics being played out in geopolitical processes. I think Putin has actually hastened his end as the west will not stop now in marginalising both Putin and Russia until he goes. It probably won’t be next week or month but Russians, particularly richer ones really love their new found lifestyles and will likely work to get them back.

At the same time, if Russian military resources are much more scarce than initially thought, the question is whether they can actually sustain a war of months or years. I think the intensity of armour loss and turnover of military equipment of all types is entirely different to anything Russia has fought in the last 30 years and I don’t think they were prepared for that.

Gaidar being the now pilloried figure in Russia for introducing the share scheme that eventually led to the oligarchs consolidating control of utilities. There’s something about the last 30 years for Russia that was damned whichever way things went. You can’t just lose a geopolitical game of almost 100 years and not expect some fairly intense aftershocks. Let’s hope we’re watching the actual final end of that drama playing out

I’m not so sure about that. It’s getting a lot of airtime rightly because it’s horrendous and unthinkable but the Russians are getting a fight that they hadn’t considered in their wildest dreams. The tide of conflict can turn suddenly and without much warning. The resolve of the Russian armed forces to stay in the fight in the west is being tested to it’s maximum now and if some proper retaking of territory and defeat of a large section of ground forces may come a very rapid recalibration of what’s possible and sustainable. If the Ukrainians clober them back towards the Belorussian border in a significant way it both prevents the cutting off of Western supply lines but scores a very severe blow to morale of an army that’s clearly already struggling to motivate towards any sort of initiative. It’s ugly but it’s by no means certain cities would fall one by one. My other suspicion is the Western front is a feignt to keep a large portion of armed forces engaged away from the eastern half which is what Putin eyes as the prize. What happens months from now when the Ukrainians decide they want parts of their country back is also unclear.

That will be why Mariupol is fighting to the last man then? There are undeniably ethnic Russians living in Ukraine and some of them definitely lean towards Russia. But there was a democratically elected government in place that is not what the wee monkey Putin wants as a risk to his hegemony so close to his borders so he’s trying to stamp it out. Therefore you choose democracy or autocracy. Also to state that Russians are universally content living under Putin’s rule belies any insight into either the public Vs private process in an autocracy nor the humanity to understand they would vote him out if they were able to. You have swallowed propoganda to the maximum possible extent and it is not insightful.

We can’t send nukes as he’ll send them back but we’re glad you’re finally seeing the error of your ways.

Those who are unable to see a difference are intentionally blinding themselves. I marched against the war in Iraq because it was based on nonsense principles and was really a follow-up to the emotional reaction to 9/11. I called it out then and the horrors that occurred in Iraq are unspeakable. The current situation is fundamentally different in scope however. We have a tyrant in charge of several thousand nukes gradually extending his reach geographically with the aim to resurrect some form of hallucinatory motherland. Europe’s future is at stake as is the future of democracy. Democracy is flawed but I’m going to pick it every single time over a Europe under the thumb of a Putin.

6/6 on wordle today. Pretty sneaky having so many potential variations. Not sure what the challenge is tbh!

Have both sixsixone compression and EVOC ones and both have been great. As said above, compression pad is fine for MTB.

Wordle 255 2/6

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Slightly lucky today but able to narrow down fairly easily

Anyone else feel like this is heating up a bit with the statements made at the NATO press conference

I think they’re making strong statements but like Ben Wallace this morning it’s very clear there will be no armed force use unless the Russians do something stupid. What’s notable is how Poland, Estonia etc aren’t being mentioned while Finland, not in NATO is subject to Russian threats if they contemplate joining. Turns out being in the bloc is quite a good deterrent.

Welcome to the pleasuredome Paino! Are you camping? We’re in the teepees this year which should be more comfortable than wigging it down at 4am!

jimmy748, the same thing happened to me. Now i’m in and wondering if I have bitten off more than I can chew! It will be good to have the fam about at the end.

Yeah loving my G1! Hard to fault it apart from maybe the twistiest stuff. Everywhere else it just feels so composed. Definitely the bike I’ve been looking for, for some time.

As far as I’m aware they are the only ones formally open. You can risk others if you wish but I was up the golfie this morning and a huge tree had come down across the land rover track. There are a lot of trees that are precariously weakened in the whole valley and the forestry commission are clearing trails one by one to be certain they’re properly safe to ride. Again, if you know better fire away.