I think Cwm Carn attracts this type of thread as it is a real XC loop that is a really tough climb but even the descents need a good mix of fitness AND skills to be quick.

The fact that an hour is a good benchmark time for beginners to aim for also helps. Remember it being one of my first targets as I started to progress

All that said I know many of my mates in Scotland do time comapres on the Glentress red route

Love people like Loddrik who have such a big chip on their shoulder about this stuff yet cannot help but contribute 😀

Find this really interesting as it give sme little goals to aim for

Done ~ 48 mins 3 times in near perfect conditions. Really struggle with how I am going to better that

Wet & windy – anything in the low 50’s is good for me

Think England vs Scotland could be pretty close but, for the neutrals, may just about be the dullest game of the whole RWC. At least Scotland can blame lack of numbers for their backline ineptitude

Very realistic chance that either of them may go out in the group stages (though don’t think that will happen)

Really do not know what to make of the game yesterday other than it was poor, very poor

Would say England will be happy. Whether that is justified or not is another story. Winning in Dublin is never easy but Irealnd certainly tried to make it easier than normal

At this moment Wales look the most likely ‘home’ side and they are likley to be a very distant 2nd best to the SH.

Think I am a bit depressed 🙁

Cheers Ant. I did not have that link 🙂

Walked around Leigh Woods on Sunday. Trails looking pretty good 🙂

Strugling to find any updates on opening dates. Anyone (Ant?) happen to know

Reading a book at the moment called racing weight

One of the chapters talks about how people who start exercise regimes simply to lose weight and never move beyond that reason for exercising are doomed to fail.

Basically weight loss through exercise is only really sustainable if it is a side effect. Eg I like cycling and as a result (along with other things) my weight is well under control.

Seems to me helping kids (& adults) enjoy exercise / sport, rather than them seeing it purely as calorie burning, is a key factor.

That said he also points out that the ‘food in’ part of the equation is the most critical. So easy to over do it unless you are putting in 20+ exercise hours a week

Wire beads are typically tighter to fit which is a minor pain for tubed setup but can be an advantage for tubeless onced fitted.

The issue is that wire is typically used on the cheaper tyres so in all likelihood you will have heavier lower quality tyre (not just because of the bead!).

Will you notice the differnce.

IME – Yes. Partly the weight partly less grip.

Is the diifernce big – so many factors from ride to ride it is hard to say really! Depends how big you make the placebo effect for you 🙂

TJ – Looks about right though agree the back row could easily be changed with no real gain / loss.

I would personally have Cross at tight head and Murray on the bench. Again a close call after the w/e.

Think Parks ahead of Jackson. Frankly neither gets the juices flowing though 🙁

PP – top man. Thanks

Reckon Cross will be first choice at tight head for Scotland

Murray was an awesome prop but I think he has lost it a bit recently. That said he made a huge difference when he came on on Saturday. With potentially a number of key games on Sunday I think he cannot be first choice prop.

Martin Williams not going??? I guess he is getting on but he was best open side from the UK in the last decade (at least).

Always wondered why the Welsh stuck with Phillips. A couple of years back they has a mouth watering back line supplied by possibly the slowest service in world rugby. Sure he offers other options but as a scrum half he does the basics pretty poorly.

On recent form even the other options are not that great.

Agree with TJ – Blair, Cusiter, Lawson & Laidlaw would all get the nod before him

Thought Wales did pretty well yesterday. Argentina are no mugs and are superb at bringing opponents down to their style of play. Wales managed to rise above that and that is a pretty good result. Pretty sure England and Scotland would take that result in a few weeks time 🙂

Saw only a small part of Ireland vs France and the 2nd half of Scotland vs Italy.

Still do not undertand how Scotland can get so many line breaks that they do not ultimately put away. It must frustrate the heck of Robinson.

Was probably an All Blacks ‘C’ team in SA. Not sure I would read much into that result TBH.

Know what you mean Njee. Always wonder how much is real vs placebo.

That said I often have a long delay from finishing to being able to eat properly and when I take the recovery drink I feel stronger the next day. Maybe just placebo but even so a worthwhile effect .

z1ppy – I am not sure I can expand on my comment. I simply could not see much, if any differnce, in the two forks performance

My point is that your average trail rider would not notice a difference on their local rides (Beyond placebo) with new forks vs some a few years old (assuming they were in good working order)

I think what you are saying is that at the top of the range things continue to evolve and as that trickles down we may see the differnce.

I didn’t particularly

My point (question) is – have any of the top brands improved markedly in the last few years

The marketing BS would have you believe they have transformed. I reckon most of us would be hard pressed to tell any difference?

Very helpful

will stick to the star nut then

Idle Jon its not a bookies bias. It is risk management

They know they will get more money on England therefore the odds are reduced accordingly.

The fact Paddy Power is Irish is irrelevant. Odds for an English team in England is the risk they have to manage and balance between attracting punters vs the risk of actually having to pay out

Pretty sure Scotland beat SA this year & OZ last year. Just gutted that AA has managed to change the rules so that only tries count towards winning

Agree Scotland’s try record is not great, but 3 tries in Paris this year (for example) shows they can get over the line.

Issue for me is Scotland do seem capable of line breaks but then somehow contrive to not convert that to tries

Think those odds for England are English bookies odds

Sure you would get a better deal in most other countries. Agree that they are more likely than the other home nations, just through sheer depth of numbers.

Really cannot see Scotland, Wales or Ireland beating all the big teams but no doubt capable of at least one big ‘upset’

Lol at A-A

England are of course favourites to beat Scotland. However to say it is very unlikely to go Scotland’s way is utter tosh.

England needed a forward pass to beat Scotland at Twickenham in the 6N. They were the better team but a full strength Scotland side playing in front of a massive support in NZ will be troubling MJ.

I absolutley would not bet against England but but would not put a big amount on them to win either

TJ – Unfortunately think you are wrong . Think the last 3 encounters have 2 England wins and one draw.

In many ways this debate is a mute point. NZ vs Oz on Sat morning showed the SH to be leagues ahead of the NH :-(. I hope these warm up games sharpen the NH teams up considerably.

Good stuff. Will stop for a quick chat next time 🙂

Aiming to be there Weds & Friday mornings

Was a great morning. The rain made the track super grippy. Set’s you up nicely for the day

I was there. Did Leigh Woods first then AC I guess 7.15 – 8ish

Saw 2 guys a couple of times (top of gravel track & by the gates)

If that was you then yes that was me 🙂

Thanks Santacoops.

Don’t see that many folks in the morning but certainly hear people

Hoping my riding buddies can be persuaded to keep the early excursions going through the winter. Think it will be great ‘night riding’ track

My new bike next year was a definite for a CCDB. You’ve just cast some doubt on that now 🙂

Need to hear some real world opinions once released though

I keep saying ‘Still Woods’ but sounds like that is not the correct name.

Whatever the woods near Failand are called?

I am early morning lurker also. You will recognise me as over dressed & over biked (Nicolai & ‘soft’ body armour) 🙂

In my defense I usually do AC with my mate from 6 ish to 7 ish then I head either to Leigh Woods for the steep stuff or Still for the jumps for the 2nd hour, before heading off to work

Trying to get the HT back up and running as I reckon the AC stuff will be great on a HT

Ride today took in 1.5 laps of new AC trails, 50 Acre woods and some of the Gorge side, Leigh Woods stuff (Knicker Trail, Picnic Table, Rocky Horror).

That is some fast smooth bermy, pumpy stuff. Some rocky, rooty singletrack and some steep tight technical riding. In future I will add in a trip to Still Woods for the bigger jumps to get a complate set. 🙂

Reckon no other UK city can boast of such a variety of riding within such easy reach of the city centre. 🙂

Rode the full thing this morning for the first time. Lots of new signs have appearred. Like all of it and loved some bits

What a great resource to have on our doorstep. Coupled with 50 Acre, New Leigh Woods & Off piste Leigh Woods we are very, very lucky.

I personally preferred the old AC when dry but I reckon the new trail is great and very happy to have a weather proof trail.

Also can take the kids there at the w/e’s. Time with kids, time on bike, brownie points at home = happy Taz

Got to say when you combine this new (completed) all weather stuff with the remaining natural trails we are going to be very spoilt in Bristol.

Rolled through the Barn Wood section a couple of days ago just to have a look. It will be a nice challenge at full tilt 🙂

Top effort by all involved

Go through top cash back & there is (was?) a £12.50 cash back for joining BC. Won’t get it back for several weeks but it will come. Think it applied to any membership but not 100%

Provisional race license worked for me 2 years ago no problems at all

Enjoy. Will be back next year 🙂

Interesting.

I will be building up a new bike next year. I was certain that I would be using Fox Vans but the tart in me fancies the BOS. May need to try them out

Anyone know how the BOS devilles comapare to Fox Vans.

Moving from Air to Coil was a revelation (Wotans to TALAS (Wotans were better but miserable quality) to Vans) 2 years ago.

Would need a fair bit of convincing to go back to AIR. Happy to trade off weight & adjust for the coil performance

As was rightly pointed out on another thread I never responded to this. Sorry 😳

The question was school specific (again :oops:) The letters were the school house names and their associated colour (eg Urquhart & Yellow)

After one week the final letter was given out with no explanantion (no one in the school got it). That was the following weeks question ie do you know it now? I went off on a business trip. Wife phoned me the answer and I forgot I needed to let you guys know.

Thanks for the help and sorry for posting a question you guys would not have been able to get an answer to. Should have know if STW can’t get it it must have been very ‘local’

Yep you are right I do 😳

It was school specific house names and house colours (UY – Urquhart & Yellow (only one I know). No one even in the school got it. They even extended the time by a week.

Will post a reply to original thread

Apparently the answer is G but helpfully my daughter forgot to ask why :oops:.

Told her to find out today

Sorry guys been out all day

Given it has stumped STW I am now thinking it is either school specific or one or more of the letters are wrong

It is teh weekly scholl parent & child newsletter question. Other athn what I ahve todl you I have no other info. Sorry

I will try and get the answer tomorrow as it is doing my nut in

I really do not think it will be anything other than English.

Really did not expect it to stump the STW collective 😕

It was the weekly question posed by my girls school letter.

It is a next letter in sequence question.

Struggling to see any pattern though

Thanks Stoner – I think 😀

Looking for the next letter. Need to re-read the question as to get exact wording