T-Bob

Was that proved or just pitch fork speculation? As far as I can remember there has been no charge laid by WADA or the UCI in this respect but don't let that spoil a good myth.

And in news to make your skin crawl... Looks like Bjarne Riis and his Virtu group (the irony in that name isn't lost) is buying into NTT Pro Cycling. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bjarne-riis-set-to-take-co-ownership-of-ntt-pro-cycling-team/ Well, one way or another it looks like they might start posting some wins this year.

My new approach!! Brilliant.

Not exactly on the wrist but will be landing with my brother later this week. Got myself a Tag Monza to go with the Monaco that is actually on my wrist. Fitness watches can't even complete.

My old Craft one of 5+year finally died and love the roubaix theme (pretty cool story behind the name of this theme of kit as well - One more lap). Now when I ride there I'm sporting the ultimate one day roadie race under my clown moto MTB kit.

I do try to make sure I reply to all people (low ballers or not) with a reasonably courteous reply. It takes noting to write a quick. "Thanks but no thanks, it's already a pretty decent price. Good luck with the hunt." rather writing some *** U response. Why does it really matter that some one lowballed you? Really, does it really cause such long lasting offence to so many? Just seems weird. An add to that is I've actually had quite a few sale when I have replied with a decent reply and then the guy pony's up the asking price and turns out to be a decent guy (shock horror) and was just looking to get some coin off. Like we've all never asked for a discount...

Thanks, I just wanted to see what the motivation was between the two different approaches were as at the end of the day it's the same offer we're theoretically talking about but it's more in the approach to you as a seller that would make all the difference.

Just a Q, so if the guy comes over, looks at it or asks about the condition online / message then does that make the same lowball offer okay?

Steve Spent.

Maybe I've had bad multitools in the past but I've not had a chain breaker on a multi tool that has worked well. I carry a seperate Mini Chainbreaker from KMC and it's great. 25g and has one purpose. Any chain tool has to have a replaceable pin.

I've got one on my 'want' list after seeing them at Stoke in CT and damn that are well made. At first I was very much in the 'R900 for a multi tool camp??' but look at the attention to detail, the size and the fact you can build it any way you want and it's going to be a keeper. I've got an annoying park tools one that I hate and struggle to use without the red mist coming down and that cost me nearly R500 so this seems pretty good for a crafted bit of kit. Also I think there will be extra bits for it coming online along the way so it'll keep evolving.

It's going to be a hell of an interesting sub story running through the 2020 season. Ellingworth is a world class program director and manager. Just listening to him talk about his time at GB cycling and his strategies at Sky are very eye opening and informative. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ellingworth-the-easy-option-would-be-not-signing-mark-cavendish/

Well the team has been picked by a computer to be a great combination, the riders schedules are being generated by software, race riders are being selected per race in the same way so may be it was the human issues from the last few years.

The is an awesome looking ride. Where did you get the Dissector? Been keen on one of those for ages but was told nothing until after xmas.

Can't wait to see what happens this year for Cav. Hopefully he's free of the effects of EB and he can get a clear run at some results. He has been written off so many times and so far has been able bounce back and prove people wrong but time is ticking (hey Greipel?) and he's had 2 shocking seasons in a team that seemed to be over everything even before he signed for last year. His close knit lead out guys of Bernie H and Renshaw are gone so it's going to be a new set up which by his now admission needs nearly a season to get drilled and be competitive against existing trains. He has a solid track season which has been a potent combination from way back when Cav was a teen on the GB program. For me it spoke volumes that the day in the 2018 TdF when Cav' rode to finsh the stage despite knowing he was getting DQ'd on the time cut that Rod (on Team Sky at the time) stayed around and went down slightly from the finish line to let Cav' know he was there for him and see him in. It was Ellingworth that used to drill into all the young GB squad that you honour the race. He is giving himself the best chance to make this season count. If the lead out isn't working we've seen a winter on the track sharpens his freelancer skills and negates that. Ellingworth and Bahrain will follow the Sky principle of giving the athlete what ever they need to solve the problems in front of them and take responsibility for the performance they deliver. The bike though? He's made no bones about the fact that not being on a Spez has put him on the back foot in previous seasons... and just ask Rohan Dennis for this thoughts on the competitiveness of the Merida range. The Tour isn't looking ideal for any sprinter as ASO follows the trend of trying to make each day one that could destroy a GC contenders hopes and negate the sprint stages so Eddys record may well be safe. What ever happens this year it's going to be fascinating and I hope that one of the sports greatest sprinters can add to his loaded CV.

If you bought it like (and not just bring it back from a trip) then you'd have to drop the 20% VAT UK side and you can bet CRC will have it on a sale soon enough. Seems a coast effective brand like Dartmoor that would be picked up and brought in by a local distributor.

Pricing just in on the Octane OMG. 1899 Euros which makes it about £1600 and a shade under R30K. The Calibre Sentry (which is more 'enduro') is £1999 and Bossnut, the bench mark of affordable ripping bikes, is £1100 and it's big brother the Triple B is £1499.

Seems the Octane One OMG has been released. Not much in the way of reviews or prices yet but it's on CRC with a 'coming soon' page and on the O1 site as well. 140 up front, 130 rear with a 65 head angle, 75 set angle, 438 chain stays and 29r wheels. Comes with 1x11 ad squishy bits from Manitou. Will be interesting to see what the price is like as their other offerings are very competitive and could be a great option at the lower end of the market. Looked pretty darn good in the pre-production shots. Looked a lot more 'meh' in the 1st guise of black with some so, so graphics and frankly disturbing cable management that makes all kinds of OCD alarm bells go off. It does come with the required loam slashing, jeans n flannel sporting, Dirt-jumping-a-9'r video though...

Jeez, now you're getting picky for where the TDD wins might come from this year! I think the points bird flew about 1/3 into the season.

It's nice kit, I had one of the original Merino jerseys which was awesome and for what it was it was worth the price I paid. Not just another climacool jersey with a random print. Shame you can't get locally. I'd happy replace most of my jerseys down to 2 really good tops.

Had the double Spez Eliminator loaded on my hoops last Friday and gave them a spin in Tokai later that day. 2.6 Grid front / 2.6 Black D on the back on a 29r. Initial feelings are: - A fast rolling combo. - Very uniform profile and no a hint of a death gap. - The 2.6 is quite wide, didn't measure for actual size though. - Actually look less burly than the DHF and at first I was a bit apprehensive at first about the grip on offer up front. - Didn't need to worry, there is plenty of grip around. - Black D casing out back does (or seems to be) heavier than my previous E13 but haven't checked the numbers. - Black D is stiff... as a casing. That's it for now, will go test them again tomorrow and see if I can get a better feel.

https://lifeinthepeloton.com/category/podcast/ Interesting chat with Nathan Haas which covers some of his time at TDD and having Cav' in the team.

Nice to see Maincheese just outside a top 10 at Gran Piemonte with an 11th place. TDD rider, Gebregzabhier, came in 17th. The race was taken out by Bernal and Sosa going 1 / 2 for for Ineos. Good work going into the Lombardia weekend. Hope he's riding on Saturday and takes some confidence into the race from his recent rides.

Another day, another contender hits out to stake a claim as a fav' for the top step come Saturday. Egan Bernal takes Gran Piemonte ahead of teammate Sosa and Nans Peters of Ag2R with Dan Martin in fifth. The Maincheese for TDD just outside a top 10 finish at 11th place. Another TDD rider, Gebregzabhier, came in 17th. Nice work. Hugh Carthy pulled a 14th after crashing out of the Vuelta with a broken collarbone.