T-Bob

I'm sure he let's his butler take it on the gondola and he just takes the TokaiMTB helicopter to the top.

Don't try deflect here. We all know you and the rest of the TokaiMTB guys are bathing in Perrier, eating foie gras, knocking back chablis and renting private planes for exclusive shuttle days in Finale all off the back of our hard earned club memberships.

Honestly having been involved in some reasonably big themed running events in Cape Town I'm surprised you got away so lightly with that list. You did damn well.

After ripping my side wall, dinging my rim and a long, hot walk out of Tokai this morning (from the bottom of Cobra) I thought I'd get matchy with my rubber.

This was the quote I got from the guys who do the EWS one a while back when I was looking to get a system for a client who does various events in the UK. It's a rough price plus the extras (tax, software subscription, additional extras).

Mike Woods roars into contention with a win at Milano-Torino ahead of Valverde, Yates, Benoot, Gaudu and Bernal.

Cos Maxxis are wh*res, Exo is junk, exo+ lis lipstick on a 2 dollar pig and they need to get rid of them any way they can. Give them to manufacturers, spec 'em on anything they can, bribe reviewer with incriminating photos of them racing in lycra, sell them at suspiciously normal prices, throw them on to mail order bike because you can't see them before you enter your CC details and then trot out the line that they are wildly popular.... that the reason? huh? huh? Disclaimer: Other reasons are available and may be more factual and realistic and not the result of 2 stupidly strong coffees, 2 large bags of haribo cola bottles and 1 6 pack of tunnocks tea cakes eaten in quick succession.

Slaughter up front FTW.

Weirdly I like that colour... would like it more with some additional Kashima gold on the bouncy bits. But then they do have history with the pimp colours. Have a feeling it'll date pretty badly tho.

Not a problem for gods chosen few. Those less fortunate to use their right hand... well this is payback for years of right handed scissors and having your natural writing arm tied behind your back at school. Not that I have unresolved issues!

So, Lombardia on the weekend and Primoz (did you know he used to be a ski jumper?) is hiding his form by winning everything he can in the 10 days before the race. Alaphillipe is out, wound down his season, eating pizza, drinking beer and trying to avoid calls from Tommy Voeckler. Who else is in the frame to take the race fo the falling leaves since Pinot is out with injury? Nibbles is there before he flips the bird and heads to Trek, all 3 grand tour winners are there, Valverde, Fuglslang, Landa one or two of the Yates...

A lot of want with that fork but the price is sitting with the big boys now so much more options. Unless there are some specials over on CRC (Black Friday maybe?) I won't be changing from the Ribbon Coil for a while, sadly. Well not that sadly but you know... Next on the list are We Are One Composite Agent Rims.

How are your matchy matchy red hope panic levers? Getting all colour coordinated? Got the red seat clamp coming? Some red nipples, the odd red spoke in there for the bling?

That's what made me get the DHF then the winds blew and the changed the Tief Leaves

Oh, yeah tyres. Currently: Minion DHF 2.5 WT up front that is a bundle of meh really. E13 TRS race thingo, semi slick that is pretty good but not as good as a Slaughter but I'm boycotting them until they release something wider than a 2.3 for 29'rs... that should teach them! As of tomorrow: Eliminator in Grid for the front 2.6 then I can be a cool kid.

2 rounds... 1 on your own bike and once on your foes but doing it in the newly formed WC slope-duro-cross format.

If we're talking trail bikes then you can't miss out one of the all time classics.

I've ridden the Rallon and that firmly lives in the Enduro version of this thread. Its a great bike but it's solid and burly as a mofo. Would like to see what this new Occam will be like I always thought of them as more light trail or aggressive XC vibe previously. Looks like it's stepped up this time around.

I'd be up for that as well having missed out on this one.

Can't comment any more here. I could up to the start of the event (as I'd entered) but seeing as I DNS the rules show not a word can now be uttered.

Woah, hold on not sure you're allowed to comment on the event (and therefore people in the event) unless you're doing the event or entered the event. Much like you're not allowed to write up about your experience in the event unless you finished the event. Having a 'friends doing the event' doesn't get a pass card!

Nah, sold it on along with my normal MULE once I got the Henty. That thing is a keeper.

Personally I found the trail running hip packs that takez the water bottle more secure, less bounce and they usually wrap around the hips. The couple of MTB ones I've tried have this issue where the more you put in the bigger the pack grows away from you back and that leads to bounce. I've had the Camelbak one (the repack?) and you could only really fill the bladder in that to 50% (750ml) before it started to move too much and bugged the hell out of me. The new Repack is supposed to be better with build in tighteners to make sure you can strap it down more. The Inov8 one I have is not made any more but really works because the equipment pockets taper almost all the way around the waist so you can spread your gear, tightening it makes pulls everything together and you're not trying to stop a big block moving horizontally about on your arse. For me the ones with a bottle is better than say the Evoc or the Camelbak as I use it on shorter rides, can get a bit 750+ bottle in there and don't have another bladder to clean and hack with post ride.