NotSoBigBen

So cold on the Highveld the politicians are putting their hands in their own pockets today 🥶

Anything from weddings to illicit liaisons happen at this small body of water in our suburb ... Just a short Friday afternoon spin after having grandkids all day .... Love them to bits but they can be hard work. 4 of them here various times of the day ranging from 2 to 15

So if I heard correct .... The Specialized riders riding with gravel tyres and a win 😲

It is oddly disconcerting but I just keep my 'chin up' and avoid looking down .... Besides that half a fork look as well of course!

Chris I'm pretty much in that camp, thankfully, 1 year to 'mid' 60's, 36yrs of riding I simply use the same methods that I was taught by the older riders when I started, there were no bike fitters for many many years. Seat height and seat forward and aft KOPS critical everything else according to comfort/feel. My setup is probably far from optimal for power and stiff I guess but it is comfortable enough for me to do what I do. I have learnt that cycling comes with some pain here and there if you spend any amount of time on a bike irrespective of the bike itself!

Ups and downs, twists and turns ... A bit like the journey of life I suppose 😎

Ja ja Flippie ... But that's not the bike 🤪

I have done a 200 and 400 on a road bike and a 300 on my Monstercross 'gravel' bike Given the choice I'd do it on my Monstercross every time! As @'Kaze Pete says certainly more comfortable care of the fatter rubber as well as less worry about road conditions. I didn't then, still don't, have the luxury of road tubeless so not having to worry about punctures was also a bonus! As mentioned speed is of minor concern, comfort is king when you spend that amount of time on a bike 😎

'eat less, poo more' @Gnarly ca. 2017 Slightly simplified but always works for me 🤪 I'm one of those that the strict 'caveman' approach works for BUT ... When I do longer endurance type rides/events I take energy bars/gel/juice during the event. Short intense stuff I don't bother and just deal with the bonk afterwards Probably not much use to man or beast though ....

♪ 'I see a little silhouetto of a tunnel, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, can you do the Fandango?' ♪ Yes I know, I know 🤪

Mooi man!

I am happy to be corrected but I would imagine these pros have their setups pretty good if not perfect for each course ... My summation would lean towards impatience and perhaps a momentary lapse of concentration rather than a crap bike But hey I'm old and cranky and probably way off the mark?

Thanks to Sean at Tread MTB!

There is a 'plan' .... 😎

Skinny Minnie! I read somewhere that riding as many different types of bikes on different routes as possible reduces one's risk of injury 😎

Flip okes now that's a throwback to the past 🫣 Those ghetto tubeless (slit smaller tubes as rim strips with the built in valve), even wire bead tyres. @dirtrider taught me then almost any combination of rim/tyre can be made tubeless with enough effort, time and sealant! Has stood me well, even now I have some wire bead tyres and even road rims setup tubeless (for off road use, not high pressure road) Then again legend has it he can weld wood 🫣

Rise and ride!

Some thoughts on today's ride... It is not possible to ride uphill both ways, despite what you might have been told by anyone, it is however possible to ride into a headwind both ways Today was fortunately not that day 😎

Don't be a circumlocutor bra ... Why not just get to the point and tell whom it is you want to 'avoid' 🤪

Smooth, weird, nice ... Chris Froome might find that stem strange, if you know you know 😜

I use a Samsung phone, not an iSheep 🤪, as I say in most cases I'm ok with it .... The odd occasion it loses connection I can live with 😎

Nee man .... 😂😂😂😂

Garmin Livetrack ... Yes there are very occasional times it doesn't work but the majority of time, for me, it's good enough

'off-road' royalty and yes it does ride just like a normal bike, no it doesn't feel like there's only 'half a fork' 🤪 The Lefty jokes haven't changed I guess 😎

That's one of the small things to sort out today 😁 Will put the lockout on and bleed it