DirtyFrank

My wife also reckons I have fast typing speed

I dont think this could damage a frame no matter how fragile. Lets say on average racers weigh approx 8,5kg. If your bike frame is so weak that it cannot take a minor point load like that you should not be riding it..... I would`nt.!

+/- 93kg, 1.79cm. Road - 56 MTB - 18/M

Probably, Load limit is 60kg. Have used it like this or a combo of bike and luggage often.

Hey, they said it had to have a number plate !

Not a Thule rep but mine has paid for itself over the years. Best rack IMO.

Fantastic tyre. You can run them at really high pressures on road and they roll way better than Crossmarks. Grip very well on tar and also surprisingly well on dry hardpack. They tend to wear quickly on tar but this is to be expected given the tiny tread pattern. My wife is a very nervous mountainbiker and prefers to ride on tar so I converted to these for a road races. After one ride she refused to let me put the knoblies back, even for off road races. They are pretty tired now after about 6 x 100km + road races and lots of off road but still grip well.I will buy another set soon. Go for it

+1 , Also someone mentioned Bepanphen nappy rash cream which is great if you have to treat chafe marks. There is a cheaper milking cream which is called MADAJI ( Yellow container) but Bayer Milko balm is `richer` as it contains lanolin. Both contain Chlorohexedine which is an antibacterial agent. No need to add any Bactroban. Obviously Assos is lovely but it` very expensive. PS : I wish they would redesign the Milko balm container as it is a bitch to get your hand in when the contents are almost depleted.

I ride with headphones on with my cellphone FM radio in the background , usually with only one earphone inserted. I personaly don`t like the in-ear type headphones as these cut out too much of the external sound. No problem with anyone using headphones but it depends on the circumstances. Don`t like using them in all races or tough singletrack etc. Use common sense.

The pump is not necessary but it is convenient to slighly pre-inflate the tube. The chainbreaker is a must. Chains don`t often break but when they do (and even a new chain can break!) it is game over unless someone helps you out. I have already `donated` 2 chain breakers and many multilinks. One of them in the DC where not one of the his 11 team mates had a link or a chainbreaker. That was just pathetic. It is all good and well to rely on `good maintenance` but punctures and broken chains can happen anytime. Besides, I`d rather fix my bike and be on my way in 5 minutes than sit in the hot sun waiting for the sweep or a kind Samaritan, especially if I have spent a lot of time training for a race, paying the fee, transport etc. A major time commitment even for a local race only to pack it in after 10km because I was`nt prepared enough ?. Maybe it`s because I am a Mountainbiker and have learnt that pushing a bicycle through the veld in 30deg heat is k*k. I also don`t mind the extra 500g of weight as its but a blip on my 95kg frame. Aside from that I can almost guarantee that 99% of the blokes who ride on weight are not contenders for position. The real contenders have backup.

Tyre levers x 2 2 lightweight tubes 2 CO2 Bombs + inflator Chain quicklink Small multitool with chainbreaker Micropump I hate pushing/carrying my bike Nowadays I seldom stop to help what I perceive to be experienced riders when they are simply trying to be weight weenies and don`t carry spares, often not even the basics. F*ck you, I am not your mobile spares shop. If I can carry some(minimal)extra weight, so can you. Be prepared. I will always stop to help women and newbies as they struggle with technical stuff and can at least claim ignorance.

Those last three days can also hurt like hell if you are injured or have tendon problems as many experienced. You need to be able to string together a couple of looooong days in the saddle, 5hours +, back to back. If you are not used to this the repetitive strain injuries may get to you.( Apart from the saddle sores ). I personaly found day 5 to be the worst day I have ever spent on a bicycle even though it was probably one of the easiest days. You will also have one of those days. If you can do 12hours per week you should be fine but remember that long rides are the key. Another tip. You don`t need to schlep too many energy bars and snacks with you as the water stations have plenty of real food on offer. By day 4 your tolerance for the processed stuff is finished anyway and those potatoes and eggs and oranges and cake, etc are hellova appetising, even served out of a dirty used cardboard box. Dangle is right, the food is mostly excellent. You won`t loose any weight. Also remember, unless you are a contender, it`s the ride that matters not the race.

Sounds like your steering head bearings. Either loose or worn.

Thomas Hancock invented elastic

agreed. 12 would be light 13 to 13.5 is probably spot on.

+1 .....I also love the squashy plastic water baggies which you can grab as you ride and crush into your helmet vents and back.....lovely!

check your chain, even a new chain can have a stiff link. I had a similar problem and eventually found out it was a stiff link.....Almost bought a Rohloff as a result......in fact I am still considering this.

Unless its a Brookes or similar real leather saddle you simply fit and go.

That would require some planning, technical ability and constant monitoring. All of which are sadly absent in the SAP welfare employer.

Gorgeous, lovely frame geometry. Must ride very nicely.!

I don`t think that there is enough volume to a road tyre and the running pressures are too high for tubeless to work effectively. Most punctures in tubeless(even with sealant) result in some pressure loss which can easily be absorbed by the volume of a mountainbike tyre which is not as dependant on any specific pressure. On a road tyre the higher pressure will result in a greater initial loss of pressure which may cause other problems such as tyres rolling off the rim etc. I also doubt whether the current sealants can take the pressures required for road tyres.You will still have to stop and plug that tyre pretty quickly and pump to continue racing i.m.o.

True, humans are a sensitive bunch and (some)will detect even minor changes in the same bike i.t.o. setup so that 11% weight/wheel diameter will make a huge difference. ITO Performance this is hugely debateable and as many have said the riders at the front of the field could probably win on a Makro special providing this is reliable enough. Sometimes progress goes sideways purely because developers/designers are bored or at the end of a particular creative cycle( pun intended) This does not spell the end of the current model but at least it encourages a different approach to the problem/challenge which can only enrich the sport.

4757km total distance covered. 85% mtb 15% road 358 hours - Total activity including spinning 141bpm average HR.

I think this topic should read ` To all those Carbon doubters and Raleigh slaggers ` I`d love to know what tyres he`s using , the grip down that slate drop seems incredible. Seriously though, it proves that in the hands of the skilled any machinery will do. It`s not about the bike.

I fully agree, there should be some incentive for developing alternative (better ?) bicycle drivetrain design as this is the weakest link in the advancement of the bicycle . The peak of sport is TDF so it stands to reason that some rules should be introduced to accelerate progress as in F1/MotoGP etc.