Just a heads up – the box that comes with the fakes now has the “two tone” logo (ie silver and white) on it (and even a little sticker saying “authentic” stuck on it.

The text on the back is still wrong as noted on the video above, and the barcodes are still printed on, not a sticker.

The split link in still in the same packet as the chain (shouldn’t be), there’s no chamfering on the insides of the links and they are f-king awful quality. Ask me how I know 🙁

Coffee from chain coffee shops (Starbuck, Costa etc).

(I’ve excluded independents because they can sometimes be worth it if you get a load of advice and coffee they’ve had a hand in sourcing/roasting/they just know what they’re doing)

A word of warning on this…
You cannot commence or continue legal proceedings against a company in administration without the consent of the administrator or permission of the court (being the court in which the administration proceedings are filed).  There is a statutory moratorium under the Insolvency Act 1986.

Did you buy it before or after Wiggle went into administration (I’d guess before)?  That might affect your position.

Have you tried going direct to the administrator’s contact person and ask them what the position is?

Thank you for the advice – it’s very helpful.

It was purchased from CRC before they went into administration. I’m still building the case as much as possible – and giving them as much chance as possible to sort it, of course, which I’d much prefer and is what they offered (I get the feeling it’s due to lack of staff/everything falling apart there rather than purposeful ineptitude, I just can’t afford to ‘lose’ £2000!)
I’ll contact the administrators before looking at starting any sort of proceedings.

Debit card, sadly – back in the days when I had faith in them!

In case anyone is worrying about returning stuff I returned a cracked Vitus frame in November, CRC confirmed they couldn’t repair it and would refund me on 22nd December and…that’s the last thing that happened.They’re now not responding to emails / queries using the “contact us” form on the site and the person on their live chat couldn’t get any information about it beyond a pdf of a returns form with no financial information attached to it. That live chat person promised to email me with the transaction details (as the bank’s confirmed nothing’s been sent from them)  but so far…nada. 

Looks like a small claims case incoming 🙁 

So maybe be a little wary…

I know on the Bambino you can hold the single/double shot button and it manually overrides the fixed volume so you can choose

Do this! Once you’re ready to go (with everything measured/weighed so you know what you’re dealing with), push and hold the double shot button for  7 – 8 seconds (this keeps the machine pushing through the puck at ~5bar), then release it and should go up to the full 9bar. Press the button again to end the shot once you’re at the required amount, which should be around 25-30seconds for a double.

(This is how I use my Bambino Plus after grinding with a Smart Control Pro grinder and I’m verging on getting a nice espresso out of it now 🙂 )

Going through the warranty returns process currently with a cracked Vitus frame currently. Less than ideal (obviously) but if they’re getting ready to disappear altogether I’m hoping to ‘get in there’ before I’m left completely stranded!

Nothing’s moving ‘fast’ and those few employees left are very much sticking to the policy rather than going the extra mile to help (Can’t say I blame them!). Fingers crossed they a) survive and b) have some sort of stock to replace the damaged frame with!

PS I think it was the charges for using Otterspool that killed it off. Which is a shame I as I vaguely remember racing there all the way back to the early 1990s 😮

@BenjiM Fame at last 🤦
DSC_4800.jpg by Ellen Isherwood[/url], on Flickr

Managed to get a few in so far this year. The coldest 10 ever (didn’t get above freezing during my ride. Horrible!) and a couple of spocos, both of which have been either pouring down rain or headwindy sleety hideousness.
Enjoying the steep learning curve about getting my position sorted on the bike I built up over lockdown – judging by my times I’m not too far off being ‘decently aero’ but my (meager!) power’s still way down compared to the position on my road bike, so lots more fettling and training on the bike required.

Also, what do people use to stop their visor fogging up in the rain? I spend most of my event riding one handed while trying to wipe the steam off 😮

Done.
By which I mean, as an occasional driver, I have honestly and accurately answered the questions as posed – I’ve not purposly “buggered it up”.

“Shocked and devestated” as a possible answer in a multiple choice question about slight alterations to the usage of some public highways? Honestly? Spoilt brats much?!

I just wear a jumper. No chance of me putting on the heating when no-one else is in the house!

Ha ha, I’ve got two jumpers and a fleece jacket on (and even dug out my old fingerless gloves for the full Bob Cratchitt look). The conservatory (“office”) is basially the same temperature as outside. Heating goes on for an hour or so in the morning until I can’t see my breath 🙂

Better than nowt, but not quite matching the extra £20pm my gas and electric bill has gone up!

Will there not be a difference between the readings given by your power meter vs the Wattbike due to drivechain losses etc as well?
What’s the difference when using the crank based power meter indoors?

Lather – Rinse – Repeat

I found GU gels to thick of consistency for my liking.

Try the liquid ones – still as tasty but thinner than SIS: https://guenergy.co.uk/product/liquid-gels/

Veloforte bars and gels are by far the nicest IMO (and have less chemical type stuff in them), but aren’t exactly cheap.

Wiggle’s own brand stuff is very good for the price.

For caffeine gels, try the GU coffee ones – not the biggest ‘hit’ caffeine wise (SIS double espresso for that) but a nice change from the usual gel flavours.

Outdoor Provisions do some interesting flavoured bars – I’m working my way through some of their Kendal Mint Cake flavoured ones ATM and am finding them pretty tasty 🙂

Yes. Rode over there a few weeks back. The steepest section quite early on (that used to be very rocky, so you had to ride on the grass to the side of the main track) is now buttery smooth posh looking gravel. Once you’ve gone past the monument to the pendle witches (at the top of the steeper bit) it’s still the same and you’ve got about half a mile of rubbly/rocky stuff, but it’s all doable on a cx bike.
After the next gate it’s an improving surface until the descent towards Wray, which can be super fast when you get tucked in on the drops 🙂

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBGkMGmFsruloDJ83Yatvft0dsXaT4DWC6nzNA0/

Not crawling through 6 pages, but if no-one’s mentioned Rancid yet, shame on you all (and if theyhave, good call).

😂
I’m on day 14 of the 7 – 10 working day build time. (Ordered on 1st, “sent to wheelbuilders” on 4th)

Did send a (polite!) email on Friday checking everything was OK – I’m in no rush (tub wheels for CX, which is months off at best!) and am happy to wait as long as I know there’s no issues – no reply yet.
Sure he’s just very busy.

Ordered some wheels on 4th – got the “7 – 10 days” email, which included the info about having reduced staff & producing stuff for the NHS.

They’ve not turned up / been posted yet, but I imagine – as others have mentioned above – ‘on the shelf’ parts will probably stil get sent pretty quickly, things that need to be put together/manufactured to order will take longer. I’d rather wait and get something done properly than something rushed to send out quickly 🙂

I’ve got 2 cx bikes with press fit BBs. Bearing life on both are poor (when compared to the “good Old Days” of square taper, anyway), but they’re easy to replace and part of the short lifespan will undoubtedly be due to water ingress into the frame, which can then just sit there, slowly working its’way past any seals.

For me the main problem with press fit is that it creates a new opportunity for something to “be wrong” – ie the tolerances between the frame and BB shell need to be bang on each time or you’ll get the dreaded creak. (Ok I know it’s possible for a threaded BB frame to have issues, but it’s less likely).
My Giant TCX is an absolute pain – the BB shell seems to be slightly oversized, which means that the BBs practically fall out (they always come out when removing the cranks and can be replaced with the pressure from the palm of my hand). A splodge of loctite cures any noise and seems to prevent any movement, but it’s a pretty rubbish work around for a problem that just doesn’t need to exist.

Well, that course was rubbish.
The best riders in the world and it looked like…well, the best riders in the world going round and round at an airfield.
Boo.

On the plus side, the racing on that dull course was pretty good. Strong performances by most of the category winners (and the best finish of the day by the elite women), nothing held back by anyone – except possibly the Belgians watching each other in the elite men’s race, who were then punished for it by a flying Tom Pidcock – and plenty of grit and determination shown by everyone who crossed the line without being pulled from the races.

I didn’t bother with the commentary, from everyone’s comments I didn’t miss anything 🙂

Well, after looking at the course previews ferrals links to up there, I suddenly feel spoilt – all of the National Trophy races we’ve had this year have been head a shoulders above that!

Still, the racing will be good, whatever the course. MVDP will walk it unless he punctures a thousand times (again…). I have hope for Pidcock to podium but I’m not 100% sure about it, as he tends to have starts as bad as mine and I can’t see anyone as far back as he often ends up getting back on terms in this one off race.

It’ll be weird watching WvA as an underdog!

Plenty of Brit podium possibilities all over the place, so it’ll be a full weekend of cheering everyone on 🙂

. Congrats to @twinklydave at the sharp end who looks to have won the V40 series

Cheers!
Been a long ol’ season – the dusty dry Blakemere race seems like a very distant memory noW!

Salford should be good – I think it’ll be a lot wetter than people are imagining (like last year, but without the ice to hold everything together), but if we’re not used to mud by now there’s something very wrong somewhere!

Saturday races For The Win! 🙂

Well, Shrewsbury reminded me just how much the phrase CROSS IS BOSS is accurate 🙂

Mainly due to the community spirit through which the whole thing survives – from friends pitting for each other all weekend to the organising club and all their heroic volunteers who got very little (nothing? certainly not a lot…) for their effort from the governing body. I won’t turn this into a rant/grump about any of that, because it shows just how well people who love the sport can do and it put a smile on my face for the whole weekend 🙂

The racing was ace too. They’ve had practice running big races at that location and it showed – the course design was suitably “tricky even though it didn’t look like it should be” to reward the best riders while still offering plenty of opportunity to race closely.
Very much glad the V40s were on the Saturday when the course was still…well, green in places! The steps on that bridge were hilarious, I don’t know how some of the smaller juniors got up them at all!

I noticed the Belgian champs course went right out to sea along a pontoon…maybe next year the UK could find somewhere coastal and have the race go along a pier or something 🤣

Is the lack of TV coverage due to BC not trying to sort of the broadcast rights or a lack of broadcasters being interested in televising it?
Either way it’s a real shame and a backward step after it being on the BBC (albeit on the red button) in previous years.

On a cheerier note, woo hoo, National Champs this weekend 🙂

Nw Champs. I’ve never run (jogged) so far in a cross race before! Looked across on the start line at the two Robs (Jebb and Hope) and thought “Wonder which one will get it”! No-one else stood a chance in those conditions.
(Jebb got it).

The idea of the course was great (and in super wet conditions last year it was still quite rideable) but today it was just a run. The only rideable bits were the gravel climb through the woods, a couple of sections of the descent (because you were pointing downwards!) and 3/4s of the straight at the bottom of the main field (though speed wise there was little difference to carrying on jogging). And that was with the course being drastically shortened by the (seriously hard working!) organisers.

Everyone that fought on through that deserves some sort of “double hard b*stard” medal 🙂

Really, really hoping York is more rideable next weekend!

well, Ulverston was as ace as ever. In fact that was the best course there yet! I think the weather helped with some lovely slithery mud making even more out of the course features 🙂
Quite a few punctures going on throughout the day, glad I left the tubs pumped up, even it did result on a lot of sideways action!

The Trophy course at Pembrey, if the pictures Matt’s been posting on Facebook are anything to go by, is gong to be brutal!

Am I looking at that right, the pits are on top of one of the hills?

Yep, somewhere up there on the ridgeline I think: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4uFQZLFxSR/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

New Ulverston course looks interesting – at least the long suffering pit crews will get a chance to see the view across the bay this time (I think…)

Ground should be (fairly) dry, but I bet they’ll find some slop for us to play in 🙂

I’ve got a choice of 4 sets of tyres to put on it.

33c Schwalbe Rocket Ron TLE
32c Challenge Griffo
33c Vittoria Terreno Mix TNT
33c Schwalbe X-One all round TLR

I’d go with the Terranos (the Terrano Wets I’m running have been very good so far this season). Failing that, Griffos can cope with more than you’d imagine.

Just caught a fleeting glimpse of twinklydave at B&Q

LOL, shopping for more tools to bodge cx bikes back together 🙂

not sure I GAS about running apex v force v ultegra v whatever in a cyclocross race. Any features of the higher end groupsets worth paying for do you think?

Race what you can afford to replace 🙂

I’m running 105 on both bikes and don’t miss anything from the Dura Ace on my road bike. I’ve got an Ultegra clutch mech on one bike (with no chain retention device by the chainring) and a 105 mech (with the spring tension wound up) on the other bike, with a chainkeeper.
Number of dropped chains this season is equal on both bikes and on all occasions due to mud build up on the chainring. Not sure I’d bother with the clutch mech again TBH.

Lots of good ones already listed, though I have to reiterate

NIN – The Downward Spiral

and throw into the hat

Rancid – …And Out Come The Wolves

Stadt was great! Proper on/off/on/off run/ride/run/ride stuff, tough, but it was still more riding that running even after the deluge the night before.
Yes, anyone with more than one bike was at an advantage, but that’s cyclocross – better that than a race to see who’s best at clearing mud out of a drivechain with a stick at the side of the course! 🙂

Genuinely looking forward to more hard racing in the NW league now. Ulverston should have less running in it, based on ground conditions there before, even if it stays wet. Can’t wait!

Recall chatting with someone at a race saying that the course would be a different part of the Stadt Moers park this year due to some past conflicts with the Scouse dog walkers – don’t know if it was informed or speculation.

Apparently not just speculation!
Sounds exciting and it’s always good to race new venues and courses 🙂

Ahh Stadt Moers. After a great weekend at Irvine, racing a flat out course with beautiful coastal views right across to Arran, we’re back to earth somewhat with a muddy circuit of an ex tip at the side of the M57 😂

Racing is always nice and close there, though. Plus there’s usually that big puddle by the pits, that’s good for cleaning the worst of the dog eggs off your bike post race…

I’ll say the opposite of everyone else and go with pits being a great idea. As a racer the idea of midwinter races being decided by who is the best at using a stick to clear out grass/mud/leaves at the side of the course isn’t very appealing!
I can see why lots of jetwashes aren’t a desireable thing in local races as regards noises and that ever-present pit-area raincloud, but given that most people riding are relying on the goodwill of teammates/long suffering spouses/children I can’t see how making things harder for them will really progress the sport…

(And as noted above, they are part and parcel of National and International level racing, so lets get people used to that standard if they have the kit)

Our last race had £2500 prize pot spread a long way across the categories. Twinkly Dave might even have made a profit!

All profits are ploughed back into the nearest coffee cart and recirculated as Tunnocks products for people who’ve been nice to me in the pits 😉

Why are CX races so expensive to enter?

Are they? Guess it depends what you’re comparing them to…

Anyway, insurance mostly, plus the cost of using the park/private estate – that’s been the death of a few ‘classic’ venues.
Certainly no-one “in the scene” is making a fortune out of it, so I suppose the answer is (without being facetious, I hasten to add) “Because that’s how much it costs to run” 🙂