It's percieved wisdom.

Last week I and a pal went to Cannock Chase.
A 26er HT would be the weapon of choice IMHO, although I was on a 4in FS. He was on a 4 or 5 inch Scott FS.

Now said frined has it in his head that more suspension is everything. His skills are ok, his fitness is poor, he wear all his clothes every ride & wonders why he's overheating, his ride- knowledge is poor.
His comment: "I would like to do that again with a 6 inch travel bike"

Now STW is missing the icon: "head. bang. wall"
But that's what I have been trying to ride out of him, that a HT is the best choice for most trails unless you are injured or are taking on black grade trails.
But he doesn't get it at all. It'd be lighter and therefore easier to ride too, but no, a 5-6 inch FS is everything he really, really needs.

This then travells downwards, so his 9yr old son has a 32+lb FS kid's bike. Lunacy.

Head. Bang. Wall.

And then driving home in an open top BL parts-bin sourced MG! (never knowing what's going to pack up next)
That won't rev beyond 2500.

Who says Sotherners are soft!

OK, I will admit he's a hottie but there's something missing …

I understand he has a mountain bike too, so all is not lost!

My wallet thanks me once again for giving MustBeAfork my ride! 😉

That Tim Fisher – what a guy! 😉
Ying & yang.
Free ride (ying) but the payment in bike bits and wet car (yang).
I on the other hand, watched MotoGp from my sofa.

It's normal to be a clown.
Isn't it?
Clipped-in with these large red shoes is a trick to be savoured.
My comedy red button nose keeps me warm in the winter months too!
Chorus:
"Oh to live in Bushey,
Oh to live in Bushey,

Oh to live in Bushey
with the nor_mal clowns"

Was it just brakes?
I carry many spare brake pads in my car's ride box, surely the professionals do too.
There must be more to it than that?
Was it a dangerous ride?
Some of these professional guys are next up at the UK 24hr Solo Championships, so assume that's in their sights, plus other summer events that their sponsors need them to be winning.

Wow!
Rob Lee, Ian Leith, Steve Webb, Gerald Tudor, Matthew Melville & Anthony White & Ian Longville; they + others all pulled out at the end of their 2nd of 7 scheduled laps.

Can anyone explain please?

I've just been looking at the results, then came here to look at the wash-up / write up.
Those results – hilarious as a stand alone pdf!
The number of people doing quick laps, doing maybe 2 or 3 laps then …. nothing.

Sounds like I was a wise old owl after all! 😉

What bike are you riding?

I stayed at home because it looked like rain & I am soluble.

How was the racing?

HERE. Cycle path marked with dashed line.
Munque.
I live in Bushey, Herts.
We have normal people 'round these parts.
Why would you even consider my post a troll?
People are agreeing with me – normal people who live in normal places perhaps?
Perhaps you should move out & experience normal life amongst normal people? Just a thought.

What's happened to CG?
Do you thnk she's gone off with "our" male model?

It's done nothing but hammer it down all night and all day here in N London.
High winds too.
Miserable weekend as I'm in doors with a stinking cold.
Woe is me!

It does beg the question: what are you doing to provoke a dog to the point that it feel the need to defend itself?

Would you really spend 5+hrs in a car to ride for 90 minutes? If so, why?

Go and try the new trails open now at Cannock Chase.
Aston Hill just north of the M25, the North Downs, the Chilterns (Bucksoffroadsportive for a map), not trail centres but a better day out I'd wager you.

What sort of blue bells are they 'round your way that requires you to wear body armour?

Bridle in the left, saddle in the right. Stirrup out of focus nearest to camera. Ready toi ride!

Over to you C.G. 😉

No dog has ever shown me its teeth on a ride.
They run along side.
They bark.

YOu need to be a bit quicker pehaps?
Lashing out at a dog with intent seems extreme.

I have 2x dogs and walk them every day, twice a day, always crossing a cycle path plus I ride 2-4x a week so it's not as though I haven't seen both sides of the "fence".

Confused: As Sofatester said, I thought C.G was looking for a man.

This is as close as I could get to a "riding" shot. Hope it will do C.G. 😉

The Brits are a cautious lot, plus the evolution started in the US.
But the change is well underway, so the sooner all you 26HT riders evolve…. !

(The pick of the bunch? Actually an / my M6 Non-TTL as the speed dial works the "right way"!)

Just for fun (since you're the singleton's cupid 'round these parts (so to speak)!

The walkers I've ridden passed both up and down have been quite excellent. Most commenting on my rougé face, rasping breath and tenatious attenpts to get as far up the trail as I physically can – then dismount!

If in doubt, walk it, as that would potentially spoil it for the rest of us.

My loo / bath room is crammed full of magazines.
I have subscriptions to, amongst others, Evo & the BJP.
Plenty to get through each day!

bike based

We ride out every Thursday 'round from there. Or to there, depending on where the guys meet up.

Go to the Coy Carp, head inland on the Shires Way, taking it out towards Cheines & into Sarrat Bootom etc, Loop back via the canal path and Whippy Woods out the back of Watford.

I have a spare Tag-a-long.
Attaches to my Turner Flux's Thompson seat post a treat.

I put my Montane in the wash after every ride.
2 yrs on, it's still in one piece!

HERE[/url]
The one I have is quite excellent.
Montane make a fair few, so take your pick .
Paks up to the size of an orange.

I'm melting……

We're timing things from the main car park by the train station aren't we?
A sub 90 minute effort to the top is going some!

All 3 (Pen's 2x loops & the Marin) is a tiring day for any mortal, as I suspect most will break it into 2x days and enjoy the scenery a little but more.

Old.
I'm in two minds.
Having paid my £, I would like to ride, but wonder if, feeling like I right now, I'll do myself more harm than good.

I can just pass it up & continue to ride from say Tuesday onwards and crack on with my own preparations and ignore Sunday's event.

I'm easy either way – I just want to be back to some fitness and ready for the 24hr event in 22 days HERE, which means I'll need to rest from about the 17/18th.

Friday's child is full of cold.

Am I the only one to enjoy the ride up?

I managed most of the Up, and relished it the steeper it go, to see just how far I was able to ride before dismounting.

There are places you simply can't ride and it gets very steep just before and not long after the underpass. There are some large stone steps part way up.

IIRC, apart from these, it's 95% rideable if you have maybe a sub 28lb bike and reasonable fitness levels.

Once clear of Snowdon via the Rangers path, are we sure the ban still not in force along that moorland / telegraph bridleway?

& a full face helmet.
I was thinking of an orange boiler suit too. 😉

I noticed on at least one club rides page they ask you to do just that as it makes life for those behind you a lttle less filthy!

C.G. Are you racing?

Do we need to swap out the the summer tyres (RRalfs) for the winter tyres or will they be fine as they are?
Not at all familiar with Swinley.

Plus the Crud catchers.

I've got my first coming up in 22 days-ish.
Down for a week so far these last 7 days with a stinking cold.
That's 6+ weeks off the bike in 2010.
Poor preparation, and I'm annoyed TBH.
Had hoped to really "screw the nut" and make a good attempt at 17hrs in the saddle.
Now?
Bed by 11pm!

Rooty?
Is that Double talk to disguise what really goes on in Swinley 💡 on one of your Singles Only STW ride?

Darn you C.G. you never said.
And there was li'lle o'le me thinking it was a bike ride.

brooss has it about right I'd guess.
I've been clocking up the road miles on the mtn bike.