CindiK

Incidentally, we got the Scott SL. Got a really good price. Loving my bike and still very happy with the choice!

Thanks a lot, that confirms what we've been hearing about using an electrolyte. We use Rehydrate a lot and I used it on Epic 2010 and I've often thought that I have better response to it than an energy drink! :-) Thanks for the encouragement. All meals are provided, so I am a bit afraid of what that might be out in the bush, but will take my coconut oil - and I am sure I can get some eggs for a BPC! And a tin of coconut cream will go down well out there too. I dont have a power metre on my bike (yet) LOL, but being a woman I have a quite a good sense of it! There are some advantages, despite the hormones!!! Glad to hear that others have struggled with power and HR. I think mine was even less than yours, proportionally. Very chuffed to have pushed through and to see the numbers looking better. Ive only lost 2.5kg, but thats a fair amount to drag up hills. I do hear that this ride is fairly flat (will find out!) and sandy which suits me, its just the company that frightens! Thanks for your reply!

Thanks for the info Dave. I have been banting for 8 weeks. REALLY struggled for a period, (at Cadence) with v high HR and very low Power. And couldnt find help anywhere. But I just continued and just recently, the power is back to where it was and the HR is back to where it was. Was really discouraging. So, when i ride, I dont know how I am going to handle, so on a 3h30 I take water and then some salami sticks in my pocket and a couple of strawberries or cherries. I am not sure if I need them. So I am experimenting. I am trying to keep my HR a bit lower and not race everyone up hills. Finding it really difficult not to have a coach or someone experienced to help me through this, as every cyclist I know is anti banting, esp the Cadence coach who just keeps telling me my power is down. LOL!! (Im old, nearly 50, so I ride for fun and love to race) Im very IR. I have to really have low (25g) carbs to be in ketosis and lose weight. Have eventually cut out cream and dairy most of the time (the last week) and this has helped to loose a 100g every few days. I have 2.5kg to lose. But now I have Tour de Tuli coming up in 2 weeks. Its 4 days of 65km/day. By that stage I will be about 11 weeks into Banting. Its not a race, so I have some grace, but we (my husband who is also on the diet and has got to his goal weight) in a group with Andrew McLean, so Im a bit worried. Any advice on what to do during the ride? I would like to try on water, but afraid of suffering on day 2. My long term goal is to lose the weight, but I certainly will do everything in my power not to keep the group waiting, so I might need to drink and eat the carbs to survive. Obviously avoiding all grains and sugar. Might eat more fruit if I have to. Do you have advice?

Marge, I cut cream and milk for a week - because I also stopped losing. I have 3 kg to lose (1.675m tall). I lost 800g this last week. Going to play around with it, but in the RMR book, Tim does say that we should watch dairy. I think its also a female thing. Men dont seem to struggle like we do!!

Will definitely check that out. Thanks a million for commenting.

Thanks for commenting. We will obviously check out the rear triangle issue which we were not aware of.

Yeah thanks, aware of the bottle issues, and agree its a big consideration. Wish we could test the bikes side by side.

Great idea re the spaces. Thanks - did the Epic on Spark 20 in 2010 with a Camelbak and so Im not as phazed about the bottles, but my husband is and we are getting the same bikes, in different sizes, so thanks for the comment

Thanks will check it out.

Worth looking into thankyou!

We are looking at new bikes. Fortunately been able to test ride the 2014 Specialized Expert 29er with carbon wheels, as well as the single chain ring on one of them. Absolutely awesome fun fast easy ride! Loved it. Specialized are great regarding offering test bikes. But the new Scott SL is at least 1.5 kg lighter (under 10kg), and its strong. (We've been riding 26" Scott Sparks. Did Epic on them 2010. Love them.) Anyone riding the 2014 Scott Spark 900 SL, that can give us some info on the ride? Anyone ridden both these mentioned Specialized and Scott 29ers who can give some advice on the differences or similarities? Real pain that Scott dont offer test bikes. Specialized say its not 'just' the brain that offers the great ride, its also their geometry. Any comments please? Thanks!