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Bicycle age

J

jakonovski

Member
Psychotext said:
CX races are the last thing I'd define as "fun". As fit as I am, I genuinely don't think I could handle that (especially as I train for endurance rather than speed).
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I'm unfit and trained for nothing and I like CX races, at least the local casual ones. Basically you go as fast as you can for an hour, trying to be faster than last time. Then have a beer and chat with the other participants, usually about how your tyre choice was wrong and oh wow what are those and where can I buy them.
 
T

Teggy

Member
Psychotext said:
CX races are the last thing I'd define as "fun". As fit as I am, I genuinely don't think I could handle that (especially as I train for endurance rather than speed).
Click to expand...

CX people would have no problem riding those trails you posted with a few branches lying across ;)
 
M

Mascot

Member
Just back from a chilly 25-miler around Slade, feet up in front of the fire munching toasted crumpets with a bucket of tea.

Winter is coming.
 
P

Psychotext

Member
Teggy said:
CX people would have no problem riding those trails you posted with a few branches lying across ;)
Click to expand...

Sure, if you count jumping off your bike and throwing it on your shoulder "riding". :p

I've seen the sort of obstacles CXers "bunny hop" and they don't go quite as big as the biggest logs there.
 
M

Mascot

Member
Wasn't CX invented for Jimmies who are secretly jealous of mountain bikers but still want the world to see the outline of their sweaty cocks and ball sacks?
 
A

ACE 1991

Member
TarpitCarnivore said:
Gotta love marketing hype. People are lusting over the Sequoia from Specialized, which is a nice look bike through and through, but the price is kind of insane when you consider the parts. There's so many steel frames out there that can offer the same thing, but people are just riding that hyper train
Click to expand...

I really want to build up a Surly steel road frame one day.
 
M

Mascot

Member
Fucking weather.

It's been pissing down all morning and I've got a dawn ride at Cwm Carn tomorrow, with overnight frost forecast.

ICY!

The rocky climb of 2000 feet in five miles will be treacherous.
 
M

Mascot

Member
Psychotext said:
I think I'd take the fireroad that runs next to it. ;)
Click to expand...

We'll have to see how we get on. The plan is to do the Twrch trail and for the most part it should be OK, it's just peppered with slick rock steps that can be a fucker in the wet, never mind in the ice.

It can't be as bad as a dawn ride on New Years Eve at the FoD a couple of years ago when it was minus 8°C. How we lived through that I'll never know. I wore shorts, too.
 
K

kottila

Member
Mascot said:
Wasn't CX invented for Jimmies who are secretly jealous of mountain bikers but still want the world to see the outline of their sweaty cocks and ball sacks?
Click to expand...

Lol no. MTB was invented by Americans with body image problems and a lack of technical ability to ride a CX bike
 
M

Mascot

Member
Fucking disaster at Cwm Carn this morning.
Got there for 7am in icy and windy dawn conditions.
Blasted up and down the Twrch trail.

aaaaaaaaaand:
Forgot to activate Strava.
 
M

Mascot

Member
Psychotext said:
7am?!? I was actually thinking of showing up (couldn't anyway, rib is fucked again)... but yeah, bollocks to 7am. :D
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It was great - we had the mountain to ourselves. The car park was filling up when we got back down again.

I did realise that I much prefer Cafall to Twrch. Four miles longer, better climb, better descent, more varied terrain and nicer views.

Doing both would be ideal but we were against the clock. One is nowhere near enough for me.
 
T

trebbble

Member
Hoping for day two tomorrow...

CwhkIVHVEAE2u5_.jpg
 
P

Psychotext

Member
Good ride today, though was massively difficult getting my muscles and lungs working properly... and that's only at 5c. Has the potential to get a lot colder than that. lol

Edit - Also noticed the ride being far firmer than normal. I guess because the tyres work better when they're warmer / thinner oil in the fork.
 
J

jakonovski

Member
Welp, lots of snow and cold (-5C) for the rest of the month. Extra glad I have my fatbike. Gonna take some pics tomorrow if I remember.
 
T

thomaser

Member
wos699WluamnHmP5jTnLmotpOa7SNusMJOYKUoKB9uhzJNxt-ow8aBB8Axavf75lf37SQCfVcA=w1048-h974-no
Click to expand...
ZkUlr28tgpILicQkKmOTk85pzgDeq_lXwB5BSxRKUPraEXdAHSFp7zsE8MECP7lZPa1T1R5vIA=w1299-h974-no
Click to expand...

Went for a ride up in the mountains today, didn't think about the fact that it's been snowing up there the last week. But the snow was hard and dry, and the fast gravel tyres coped admirably. Will put on spiky tyres next time, though. Riding on snow like this is great fun, even more than the usual gravel. It changes the whole experience - some usually easy parts are suddenly tricky, while other places I cannot do under normal circumstances become easy. And the sound of crunching through the snow is amazing!

Met three other cyclists up there, and not a single skier.
 
C

Christoff Yurievich

Member
Mascot said:
Fucking disaster at Cwm Carn this morning.
Got there for 7am in icy and windy dawn conditions.
Blasted up and down the Twrch trail.

aaaaaaaaaand:
Forgot to activate Strava.
Click to expand...
Times like that I'm glad I have a Garmin that reports to Strava instead of having to remember to start the app every time.
 
P

Psychotext

Member
Garmins have their own problems. For some reason the newest ones don't automatically track you, you specifically have to start the session. Seems ridiculous that they couldn't just be working in the background whilst you have them on (like the old Etrex etc did).
 
R

RaySpencer

Member
The temperature around here has been insane lately. Its going to be 19C tomorrow, which is nuts, because its usually like -5C around this time of year. I didnt expect to be able to enjoy my bike in November.
 
M

Mascot

Member
RaySpencer said:
The temperature around here has been insane lately. Its going to be 19C tomorrow, which is nuts, because its usually like -5C around this time of year. I didnt expect to be able to enjoy my bike in November.
Click to expand...

That's amazing for where you are!

Where are you?
 
R

Rei_Toei

Fclvat sbe Pnanqn, ru?
Longtime lurker of this thread! Enjoy reading about some of the trips you guys make. I don't do much recreational cycling, but I do ride my bicycle for aprox. 150 km a week commuting. Save holidays, I guess I'm travelling over 6k kms a year now. Currently with this model, which I really grown to love over the last year:

Giant-Aero-RS2-2015-H-zwart.jpg
Click to expand...

Coming from a heavy rust bucket with three gears, this thing (13,6 kg, 27 gears) is a difference going from night to day. Recently rode a two-day, 280 km trip on it with my better half (who owns a very similar bicycle) and it was a blast. Got close to 45 km/h on it on a long flat stretch with the winds in our back :).

I'm still looking for a solid bag to attach to the carrier for my bag/groceries. Currently borrowing a very old one from my gf that's rather bulky and unpractical but if we're gonna do more longer trips/have to bring more stuff, we need some more space. No idea if this is the right place to ask, but are there specific brands you guys would recommend or advice against?
 
M

Mascot

Member
Holy isolated muscle groups, Batman!

I'm as bike fit as a bastard at the moment, probably the fittest I've ever been in my life to be honest. Six months of 100+ muddy miles a week can do that to a chap. I hit the cross trainer for an hour the other day (admittedly, after an eight-mile hike) because I didn't have time for a ride and Christ Almighty, I ache from head to toe today. Like, not-exercised-in-several-months-old-skool ache.

Bah!
 
P

Psychotext

Member
I have a bit of a problem in the weights department at the mo. I can't do squats at all because it keeps affecting my rib. Should have healed by now, but I guess I'm old as fuck and nothing works properly these days. :(

Teggy said:
Pence and his wife rode their mountain bikes to the polls this morning. I couldn't tell what brands.
Click to expand...

My first thought was Trek... mostly because of ol GW.
 
T

trebbble

Member
Looks awesome! I love the colour cutaways and the frame design.

I'm considering picking up a fat bike next winter, so I'm very interested in your experiences riding it through the colder months.

How are you liking it so far?
 
J

jakonovski

Member
trebbble said:
Looks awesome! I love the colour cutaways and the frame design.

I'm considering picking up a fat bike next winter, so I'm very interested in your experiences riding it through the colder months.

How are you liking it so far?
Click to expand...

Overall it's been pretty great, but definitely has its quirks. The main thing I'm noticing right now is that the whole thing lives and dies on the tyres. A fatbike is really pressure sensitive in relation to the conditions, and it's something you have to work out as you go. Today I literally let out 8 seconds worth of air because it had snowed a lot, and the whole thing started rolling way easier.
 
S

-SG

Member
Mascot said:
Still can't get away from work for some bike therapy. Weather is perfect today, too.

Getting fucked off with this shit.
Click to expand...

I've been working from home for the past year but I just took a new job that will put me back in an office. I'm definitely going to miss being able to go out and ride whenever I feel like it.
 
T

TarpitCarnivore

Member
I also realized the block I have for my front tire is just too high. It's causing me to be rocked backwards and sit awkward on the bike. I have to order another one with a lower drop. I have CyclOps one that I think starts at 2-2.5", so I'm looking at ones with 0.5-1" base.
 
M

Mascot

Member
Just bought a bargaintastic waterproof jacket for biking. £23. Arrived yesterday and it's superb. These are £100 on Amazon.

qn182_1_cloudzoom_zpsnxu2uaeh.jpg
TU%20eteZw9Ed2PkeL82I_1_LRG_zps0eykcjux.jpg
Click to expand...

Great fit, great quality, nice and light, breathable, vent zips, media pocket, removable hood, waterproof zips, longer at the back... Chuffed to bits! They are in red as well, but cost another tenner or so. I prefer the lime zest, to be honest - it looks great as a bike jacket. I bought Large and it fits perfectly. PT, they have Mediums in limited stock.

http://www.mandmdirect.com/01/details/QN182/Dare2b-Mens-Occlude-Tech-Shell-Jacket-Lime-Zest-Key-Lime

If anyone's thinking of ordering one, then fill your basket up to £75 worth and you get free delivery, and buy a £1.99 returns label to return anything you don't want.
 
P

Psychotext

Member
Thankfully I'm OK on the jacket front. Splashed out on a rather spiffing Endura MT500 II jacket a month or so back. Is a great bit of kit... though sadly somewhat more expensive than that one.

Just bought a replacement packable job too as mine had been shredded by brambles. :(
 
T

TarpitCarnivore

Member
Jackets are a fickle area for me, but I'm finding a straight up wind jacket or soft shell like the one you got work best. Last time I was out I did a double layer of Wool + Rain and I was toasty
 
J

jakonovski

Member
I have some Lidl sports jackets that I like, the only thing is that their pocket zippers are beyond useless and often break if you try to use them.
 
P

Psychotext

Member
Ugh, man I am not good at explosive output. Did my event but I started getting severe back spasms about a third of the way in which massively messed up my output. Had to notch back my power output a fairly significant amount and spent a good amount of the ride standing (which was a bad idea because it was seriously windy).

Still, I hit my target speed, but I was really hoping for a top 10 finish (probably got top 50).

(Oh, and the weather was fucking horrific. Spent more than an hour just spraying the mud / grit off all my clothes / bag.)
 
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