Why did they change the geo? The previous model’s geo was spot on.

Over the counter painkillers and try to breath normally is what I tell my patients. The days of strapping them up are long gone. You’ve most likely bruised them although the treatment is the same. Rest and pain relief.
The au difference being that no one gives you sympathy if they’re bruised even though they hurt just as much.

Good luck. I wouldn’t bother getting them checked out by hospital or GP going by what you’ve described.

Tom KP

I have an Orange Alpine. And some times I am over biked when I take it to a trail centre, but the majority of the time I’m on the right bike for the riding I do. I used to have 2 bikes, an old DH bike and an old XC bike. But due to circumstances I can now only have 1 so I’ve picked one that can do pretty much everything. And as I mainly ride for fun it’s the bike that suits the most common riding I do (DH and similar) rather than an XC bike that sucks on the downhill sections and uplift days. It’s taken me a long time to save for and was a reward to myself for some of the things i’d achieved over he last few years (where I’ve had to make do with cobbled together old bikes).

And personally I don’t give a monkey’s what other people think. I worked hard to afford what I want and a happy with it.
I’m sure when I was younger I was also guilty of being jealous of people with better kit but now I don’t care

Tom KP

NukeProof Rook? Designed with your kind of riding in mind. Jumps, drops, etc. even gyro compatible if you’re than way inclined. Should be perfect for Herts Shore. Even got the low stand over you were looking for when by satin Alice’s Covert when we last came up.

Tom KP

I’ve been very disappointed with my Renthal Kevlar Lock on grips. Not particularly comfortable anddon’t seem t last any longer than my previous ODI Ruffians.

They’re not just a good bike for the money, they’re good bikes full stop. I’ve had the opportunity to test them back to back with a few others (Madone, AlleZ, Nirone, roubaix) and they held their own with them all.

Just had my RP23 fitted with the PUSH internals and then a few other little mods by TF Tuned (Mr Flooks himself was suggested a few things while he worked on it) and I’m happy to say it works great. A service be custom tune worked out a lot less than getting a new shock

“The fact that he is actually astride a two wheeled thing puts him one step ahead of some STWers”
Quote of the day

We run them here. Never had any problems with Elixer cR or 9s and 5s. I have heard from some people that you either get a good set or a bad set but 3 for 3 we’ve had solid reliable brakes.
Although I do like SLX as well.

The new ones all look like “special” shoes. Even compared to the originals. And this is coming
from a long time 5:1 fan.

Looks really cheap in real life

Absolutely love my merino one. It’s so long I reckon I could make 2 decent length ones out of it though

It took me ages to teach it to poop in your garden, you’ll be undoing all my hard work.

I remember an interview with Lopes last year or the year before where he said he ran SLX shifters with XTR mech as he didn’t like the Multi release action of the XTRs when using them in anger/racing.

The mrs and a few friends have Coverts and they seem to be a good all round bike. Climb well and descend well. It certainly wasn’t holding her back in the Alps this year as she blasted past all the French Big boys hogging Les Gets Red run :wink: (there’s nothing quite like being harassed/overtaken by an English girl on an AM bike to upset our macho French neighbours on DH bikes).
I would say that the Alpine is a better descender (probably the best in its class when pointed downhill) but the Covert certainly climbs better and is no slouch DH or in the air.

Tom kP.

They’re called Bum bags, no amount of name changes will make them cool. To be honest for a lot of riding (DH days, short journeys, nice weather days they’re actuall really practical as small and keep the weight/COG low. Quite popular with the French and Germans out in the Alps where you’re never far from somewhere you can be a drink and you can easily stow a pump, tube and tool in them. Not really seen them catch on with the British who’d rather push their bike down the mountain for 30 minutes than carry a spare tube.

Pretty sure CamelBack do a few

Jerome Clementz is winning on 26, Graves is winning on 26, Minnaar won on 26. I’m in no hurry to switch to bigger wheels for AM/Enduro/DH.

Ring TFTuned and ask them what they can do. They’re very helpful and know what they’re doing.
They’ve just sorted out my standard RP23 a treat.
Tom Kp

If you can track down an elusive Prophet MX with they bolt through rear end they’re awesome to ride in the slacker setting. Check the Cannondale archives for the geometry and make sure they sizing is similar to what you want as I seem to remember the smalls were tiny.

And don’t put a Lefty on it as they look lame (although I will admit some models performed very well).

Oakley Factory Pilot, but get a nice tight pair and they slightly stretch to perfection.

Cheap, thin palms, no bunching. Thor gloves are good to if you want a bit more padding

Pro Atherton DH saddle. I’ve found it comfortable for long hours in the saddle. Much prefer it to my old trusty Bel-Air that ‘ve been using for years

You have to have a bad allergic reaction or be a rather ‘delicate’ person to actually be in any danger from an Adder bite. We used to go out catching them when I was a kid (mini Steve Irwin style) and I can’t count the amount of times my brothers and I have been bitten over the years.
Thinking about it now I think it was probably a bit mean to the snakes so its not a skill I’ll be passing on to my kids.

Tom KP

Just to add, I bought my Singletracks in 07 and have used them for work, swimming, surfing (in warmer seas), general living and lots of riding and they still look fresh and new sothough they have stopped being waterproof now.
I even think they come with a proper waist button now rather than a stupid popper. And the rear pockets are massive

Tom Kp

Again Shingles episodes commonly happen when you’re run down and immune system is low.

As above, most likely a virus or something that’s flaring up as your body is getting run down, so you immune system drops. If it continues see GP but I’d suggest rest and healthy diet for a bit but I assume you’re going to keep training until after your event.
Energy els and strong stuff like that can cause blisters in your mouth sometimes as they’re very concentrated but not on the rest of your body.
Beetroot juice and similar fad wonder foods tend to not have any real evidence to back up their claims, but making sure your diet is good, contains lots of fruit, etc should help your immune system, but most likely rest is what you need.

Good luck on the Great North Run

Tom Kp

Push is a brand of internals that TF use whereas Mojo use their own/Fox stuff. I expect that either will probably give the same performance. I’ve gone with TF Tuned and a push tune as they’re local to me and easier to get it to/from them.

Tom kp

He talked about setting up a Spanish team a few years ago as he’s good friends with Contador and an avid cyclist(as is Mark Webber). I assume something like Sky. I guess he’s finally got around to it and buying an existing team is probably much easier than starting from scratch.
It’s not like he’s short of money and I guess there’s only so many cars, yachts and women to spend it on.

I reckon any funding for cycling is a good thing. Although I wish more people funded Women’s cycling teams and events. They may be slower, but their races are equally exciting to watch if not more so.

It’s not like watching women’s football.

Tom KP

Orange Alpine 160. Just felt stable in the air or at speed. Capable of going up as well.
Before that Transition TR450, GT Moto, Specialized Langster, GT Ruckus iDrive and Mongoose Black Diamond Triple. All felt right from the start, but over years my riding style and needs have changed. Only one I wish I still had was the Moto as miss hardtails.

Tom KP

Someone bought it for me at Xmas. But I managed to download an eBook version from IsoHunt.
Not that I condone illegal downloads in any way.

I had a lever on my KS post and to be honest it was pretty much a waste of time, you can’t adjust it on the fly over rough ground or in the air (well I couldn’t) effectively. In the end I got a remote for it and it’s so much better, I use it all the time now (although the cable needs re-tensioning quite regularly)throughout my rides.

I’m sure it will be fine if you do it carefully. Don’t cover it in anything like nail varnish as it could react to the helmet.

Forget cruisers and 24 inch MTBs, look in classifieds and sales for XL BMX frames. Most BMX companies offer their frames in an XL option nowadays. My cousin is 6’2 and rides a Redline XL (not sure which model) as he always found standard frames a bit dinky for him.

Train harder and better, lose excess body fat.

29er. It’ll be more fun and useful more of the time. And then pick up a CX bike on eBay next year when they stop being the cool niche thing (I am aware that there is a thriving CX scene, but all the ‘cool kids’ have traded their fixes in round here).

I don’t have a problem with people in armour and on big bikes riding the easier trails. It’s more about the ones that are blasting down overtaking less experienced/confident people without any common decency. And don’t get me started on the people who seem to wait around for ages at the start of a section and then decide to go just after the slower group starts so they can overtake them and feel all manly.
If I’m out with a less experienced group I’ll often ride at the back as I’m not as easy to pass (due to size, elbows and sheer commitment to line, etc) just so they get to ride a trail in peace and progress without interference.

I’ve know of at least one person who gave up mountain biking and her main reason was it ‘was full of macho bullshit boys acting like t##ts’.

It does piss me off why some people rag down Blue and Greens without any regard for small children, less experienced/confident yet when I potter down a Red/black they’re pretty empty. Suits me but the wife gets pissed off so much that she tends to chase them down and undertake them on corners if they’ve been rude.
Nothing as satisfying as watching a small woman on a AM bike showing up the ‘big boys’.

Decathlon XC 7 shorts, light, not very baggy, comfy and long enough to not look like a German tourist. £36
Chapeau! Also do a pair as well

Keep the 5 and road bike

Maybe he’s just a dick? Or wants you all to look cool and TDF.

Just wanted to see if they made the massive difference that all the magazine and companies are claiming without having to fork out for a new bike. But if I have to go to all that faff then I’ll prob not bother