Most of the advice above is useful. About the only thing I can add is basically don’t worry. I had the same stresses when I first did one – it worked out ok.

They are ‘nicer’ to do outside though :)

Sudety is a cheap stage race…easy to get to Poland too and cheap when you’re there…

http://www.mtbchallenge.com/en

Good race too…

Always worth checking https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk to see, well, how many are left! :)

I had some. Truly awful. Seams split really quickly. Get these. https://www.prendas.co.uk/collections/gloves/products/prendas-ciclismo-super-roubaix-spring-autumn-gloves

Mine have lasted years, even with racing cx in them…

Arnold is scruffy, Keyworth small and remote. I’d keep looking :)

Had a ’03 Peugeot Partner a while back. Awesome. Mine was ex council too. Bright orange mind you :)

Get some Goo Gone

In fact, Part 4 looks right up your street :)

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2010/11/base-1-training-part-4.html

Totally agree re Friel stuff, but rather than the whole book – try his blog:

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2010/10/base-1-training-part-1.html

There’s a few parts to his base training discussion there – might help you out.

If it’s the weekend after next, you could come and race CX at Holme Pierrepont. Awesome course, even fun on a MTB. Vets race is 1.00pm, but you’d need to pre enter online.

Then go and get smashed?

Waterproof seat covers. <£20 off ebay and worth it to protect seats over winter…

My van’s also got a 115dB PA/siren system off ebay….that’s fun :)

One of the simplest non-destructive type tests is a tap test. Get a coin and lightly tap the edge on and around the area. If the sound is relatively consistent it might just be a layup / curing issue when the forks were built. If the sound gets a bit ‘dull’ in the affected area it might indicate delamination internally after a knock.

Fingers crossed :)

Some worthwhile riding between Nottingham and Sherwood Pines too. Sansom Wood, Blidworth etc.

If you head south from Notts, there’s elevation around Loughborough, and some good stuff round there and Whitwick/Coalville.

A few hills around West Leake.

West Bridgford is quite nice. Bit pricey to live….

Best of luck for your move…

Because he was so incredibly aggressive and rude to me when he worked at Planet X that I’d never touch anything with his name on it with a barge pole out of principle.

…and yes, probably be something wrong with it as per above comment

Aren’t they all designed by Brant though? That would put me off.

Is the simple answer to the OP’s last question:

“Because it’s mainly choppers that ride sportives”?

How have you calculated your zone boundaries? You should be able to sit and winch your way up most things in Z2….

Fast after 50? ;)

If you’re working to Friel, I’d suggest it’s unlikely that you’re trying to work two different things at the same time really anyway? If you’re talking about short, high intensity intervals you’re working anaerobic endurance. If you’re doing longer, lower intensity intervals you could be working muscular endurance. I reckon a session trying to deal with both at the same time would just be a bit awkward if nothing else…?

Regarding the descending practice. You could easily put that into a Z2 endurance ride surely (it counts as ‘speed skills’ in Friel’s world?) Just ride up some hills in Z2, and descend to practice skills. Your ‘bursty power’ as you put it is better developed in a power-specific training session anyway? Practice flow/tech riding as part of speed skills in a Z2 ride is my suggestion.

Rich

As a kid I learnt to play bass by playing along to records. Find something he likes that’s relatively easy, grab the tab online if required and off you go. I learnt to the Ramones initially :)

Planet X XLS. Throw the wheels away and replace with Chinese tub wheelsets.

You could do two bikes and a couple of set of wheels for your price. Two average bikes better than one awesome bike in terms of racing.

Every CX race I’ve ever done. Or Ironbike

Long time since you could call 65 a post-rock band really… :)

Swap their keyboard letters around. Step 1 is just swap N and M keys around. Later on, just make rude words

I’m a huge 65 fan, since Fall of Math. Seen them live loads of times etc. Have to say on first listen to this earlier it sounded like they’ve finally invented a machine that generates 65 songs for them while they’re down the pub.

I’m sure it’ll grow on me.

Those Merlin tub wheelsets are amazing for the money. Glued a couple of pairs up for a mate last season, and they survived well

On one / px warranty stuff has been on eBay previously over the years. I had an early Whippet for £100 with the mech hanger fault. Bought the metal reinforcement bit off px and it worked great. Sold on without a loss too.

preens ones are amazing value for money…

Prendas Meraklon Armwarmers – Original Edition

I really like Emma Pooley as a rider and ambassador for cycling, but she looked really out of her depth on the Women’s Tour. I’d have expected a rider to have a bit more form at this point if they’re going to the Olympics…I know TT and Road are different disciplines, but still….

Nikki Harris on the other hand looked amazing on the Women’s Tour. Proper hardcore domestique. Interesting to see what sort of CX season she’l have after a full road calendar and the Olympics…

Nice to see some Type 25 / T3 drivers on here.

what’s your van? VW T3
how old? 1982
how many miles? About 5k since a rebuild
what mpg do you get (state petrol/diesel/lpg)? Prob 20 to the bloody gallon
how much maintenance needed per year (£) Erm, £300?
what do you reckon it’s worth? erm 3k?

BC Level 2 ‘General’ lets you coach up to a certain level across the disciplines, then you need to get a Level 2 discipline specific, then Level 3. Only with Level 3 are you really covered to coach an individual rider from a ‘performance’ standpoint. So, you’d have a fair amount of work to do just to get to Level 3 (I think the Level 3 itself is a year)

Even then, I’m not sure the Level 3 is enough to be offering pro-level / paid coaching. I’d want to see either a sport science degree or some very good real world experience of working with riders or riding themselves (or both) to be paying a coach

If you want to help younger / intermediate riders on a volunteer basis (with your club?) the BC courses are superb though. I’ve done L2 and just done Level 2 Cyclocross. You don’t need to be an awesome athlete to coach, you just need to be a good coach (if that makes sense)

Happy to help further if I can….

Rich

rtedgeAThotmail.com

Chinese carbon off ebay.

Not much ride-able stuff from the City. You can ride out to Sherwood Pines if you like a longer rider…

Not sure re parking.

I’d look south of the river for accommodation. Much nicer areas :)

Best way is to make tea out of them, and hold your nose as your drink…

Oh wait. Not those mushrooms.

Does Katie actually use them?

Been Vegan for 3 years now. Probably best to try and ease your way into it. You’ll learn a lot as you go on….

I always manage to eat something in most places, even if I go out.

Don’t let anyone convince you that you can’t be fit and healthy as a vegan. I’ve raced a number of full CX seasons as a vegan, and I’m faster than I used to be

Good luck!

esher shore – think you’re missing my point. I totally agree that there is a wide variation in quality in terms of carbon components. My point was that no-one on this forum is able to categorically determine exactly where anything is made, or what the level of quality is. Just because you’re paying more / less for something doesn’t equate to high/low standards. Using ‘my forks did this’ or ‘I bought cheap forks and they were great’ is nothing more than anecdotal evidence.

For the record I’ve worked with carbon fibre and associated materials in the aerospace and automotive industries for about the last 15 years, and currently look after quality on a global basis for one of the world’s largest pre-preg carbon manufacturers ;)

Yeah. Don’t trust this far east carbon. All the real bike manufacturers have their stuff made in…..oh wait.

I reckon I can guarantee that not one person on this forum has any real clue of the structural differences between carbon made in one factory and another, nor a single idea of the quality control regimes in place at any of these places (no, marketing info doesn’t count!)Based on that, no one is able to actually tell you…

The start bit up the tarmac will be OK on Sammie Slicks. Actually probably not :)

http://marathonmtb.com/marathonmtb-calendar/

Failing that, look on XC Racer…