I am lucky to have a rural commute these days so I rarely have to ride on busy roads to get to work (only if I’m running late!) As a result I tend to really enjoy it and I’ve been treated to some spectacular sunrises and sunsets over the past year or so. There have been some brutal, cold, wet rides in the pitch black but it still beats my old commute across London.

Sunrise last week!

It seems odd having the pinnacle of motorsport being about tyre management and fuel efficiency. Plus artificial over taking aids, I really hate DRS, think it takes something away from the racing. I am quite worried that it’ll be even duller than this year.

I’ll probably still watch it. Partly out of a sense of duty and partly because you just never know, it might just be a corker…

Another Terrafly recommendation here. I run predominately on trails with short road linkage sections and they perform brilliantly. Only just starting to run out of grip now the trails are getting filthy.

The red one. That’s science FACT.

Scottish living in Scotland and will vote yes. Wife says she will be voting yes too.

20 odd yrs ago when us country boys were riding Raleigh Mustangs and the like it was a serious contender for a visit to A&E!

Still blooming well feels like it on the ar$e-up-head-doon XC race bike, especially in the wet!

I think Mabie has some cracking off piste sections, but they can be very hard to find and even follow at times.

Some of the off piste in Dalbeattie has been tagged with white tape, which is helpful BUT the trouble will be finding your way after you come out of the trail. It’s a proper rabbit warren of fire road in there! The widowmaker is worth a look. Can be found a couple of ways but one of the easiest is to head right up the hill on the fire road after you’ve done the drop on Moyles Descent. Trail is on the left shortly after you’ve crested the hill.

I have Thule bars and a Thule and an Atera bike rack. I think the Atera kit is better made and wouldn’t hesitate to buy more of it. Hope that helps.

My rural commute varies from 10ish fast, furious miles along an A-road to however-many-I-feel-like miles along back roads. I usually do a 14 mile back road route which at this time of year starts and ends in darkness. Can be tough, cold and miserable at times but it’s also amazing watching the sun come up over the hills.

Never raced an xc race in me life, never will,

Think we can tell from your acute observations above…. 😉 Most of the guys I race are so bloody fast on the technical sections it’s beyond belief.

He’s only in it for the cookies…

How long before he’s paid off and the taxpayer foots the bill? Several million cookies I bet!

Have you checked their outlet store? All the stuff on there is reduced and in stock.

Canyon Outlet

I bought an Ultimate CF SLX frame off there a couple of years ago for a very good price. Awesome bike, very happy with it.

I wonder if we might get a few more interesting stories from a certain disgraced American cyclist now McQuaid is out.

I’m gonna try riding like that on my commute home tonight. Though there aren’t any red lights to jump. Or crowds of pedestrians to weave through. Maybe I can time it so that they’re bringing the cows in for milking and I can weave through the dairy herd.

It will depend on what you want the architect to do as to how much they’ll charge. Best thing to do is approach a small local firm and ask them for some advice, they’ll be happy to talk to through the services they can offer. All this talk about technicians being cheaper is not necessarily true.

You could look for something around Dalry or New Galloway. There’s a couple of B&B’s and the Kenbridge hotel is alright – food is pretty good. If you travel further south along Loch Ken you’ll end up in Castle Douglas (eventually) so easy to find something there.

Lots of nice wee roads to explore round that way, PM if you want some route inspiration!

How far do you want to ride?

You need a set of Chums!

Takes me back to the early 90’s…

I was doing a sh*t

You mean that?

It was a presentation to Schumacher before the Brazilian GP if I recall correctly.

What I want to know is what will Rob Smedley do all afternoon if he doesn’t have to talk Massa round the circuit?

The ITV dubbed version without the naughty words has entered into folklore.

“Ladies, leave”

“once I even called him airhead”

Remaking it is senseless, haven’t they got any new ideas? Plus as someone said above, they’ll just miss the point. Lucky you can buy the original on DVD for roughly a dollar…

He needs to find the Spirit of Jazz, surely?

There’s a hotel in Vegas with the same problem

Wouldn’t it be hilarious if it was designed by the same architect as the ‘walkie talkie’… 😉

Believe me, Rafael didn’t want it called the ‘walkie talkie’!

I used to work for the architect who designed that and helped make some of the early concept models. Bearing in mind the lack of anonymity on a public forum I best keep my trap shut… 😉

Sections off to the right as you reach the top of the descender bender climb. The bit that heads down to the fire road/elevator is particularly bad.

It’s the stuff right at the very top of the hill that’s been hit by wind blow. Lots of hanging trees. I’d avoid it. Rest should be ok.

I was there at the weekend and it’s all fine. Some of the off piste has been hit by wind blow, I’d avoid it it’s not safe.

Excellent, I’ll buy the better ones then – and get the mallet out! 😀

Orange Clockwork reissue from a few years back. It looked brilliant but was stupidly heavy, unwieldy and was only a joy to ride once. Could probably have set it up better but couldn’t get past the weight issue so sold it on.

I crashed my bike at the weekend, front wheel wash out at the bottom of a drop off, left hand side of my body is bruised all over, left hand swollen and painful. But the worst thing is the mossie bite on my right hand. It ITCHES, it just won’t stop… Evil **** things.

Wipe them out, all of them.

Used to get that on my old Cervelo Soloist when descending past 40mph. No idea why, maybe the nasty Wolf forks it came with or something. Was properly terrifying!

Alban Lakata was riding some new prototype at Leadville:

EDIT: It’s the 2014 Lux CF apparently. Looks rather nice…

Gallery Link

He’s obviously never seen Bad Santa

Always check before you go in…

Kim Deal has left, it’s just not the same.

Turner. End of thread.

😀

Planet-X usually have some good deals, tried there?

We used to ride bits of Mabie the other way round before the 7 stanes came into being. Still find it odd occasionally.

I lived in London for 10 years and rode Epping a lot. It took me a very long time to link trails together to make a decent ride and I was still finding new bits right up to when I left!

Can’t say I miss the winter mud much.

Hope that works!

EDIT: Dame, not it doesn’t…

CLICKY FOR VIDEO

I’m guessing it’s too late, but sounds like you need to rent Robocop.

But only if it’s a dollar!