gogo@

I didn’t want to say anything earlier but maybe now is OK. I do want to share this. My friend Nox died a couple of weeks back. Cois your strength gave me the courage to see her and talk about what she was going through. Honour and thanks to you for that. Rather than what It would otherwise have been, my last memory of her is of a very long, long hug.

Same from me, Cois.

Been hearing talk that things don’t look good for the future but hoped it was just chatter ????

Possible to do this with a 165 or 170 crankset?? Plus medium travel rear derailleur not short. And without the brakes?? Am also looking for TRP Spyres (1x flatmount, 1x postmount) to run with the groupset instead. https://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/shimano-105-7000-11spd-groupset

Brilliant ????????????????????????????

This popped into view again today for me. Every time I read it I think, yeah, and then, there’s even less candy. It’s for all of us. MY SOUL HAS A HAT -- Mario de Andrade -- I counted my years and realized that I have less time to live by, than I have lived so far. I feel like a child who won a pack of candies: at first he ate them with pleasure but when he realized that there was little left, he began to taste them intensely. I have no time for endless meetings where the statutes, rules, procedures and internal regulations are discussed, knowing that nothing will be done. I no longer have the patience to stand absurd people who, despite their chronological age, have not grown up. My time is too short: I want the essence, my spirit is in a hurry. I do not have much candy in the package anymore. I want to live next to humans, very realistic people who know how to laugh at their mistakes and who are not inflated by their own triumphs and who take responsibility for their actions. In this way, human dignity is defended and we live in truth and honesty. It is the essentials that make life useful. I want to surround myself with people who know how to touch the hearts of those whom hard strokes of life have learned to grow with sweet touches of the soul. Yes, I'm in a hurry. I'm in a hurry to live with the intensity that only maturity can give. I do not intend to waste any of the remaining desserts. I am sure they will be exquisite, much more than those eaten so far. My goal is to reach the end satisfied and at peace with my loved ones and my conscience. We have two lives and the second begins when you realize you only have one.

Brilliant! Cycling and... dark chocolate FTW. This post has made me sooo happy ????????????

If I can hijack this discussion... I’m in a similar position looking to upgrade from a hard tail. I’m looking at a second hand Trek Top Fuel 8 v the new redesigned model which sounds like it’s addressed some of the old model’s shortcomings (but at a bit more than twice the price for my choice). Worth it??

Rehidrat is great, but has a surprising amount of sugar in it which creates its own problems for me unfortunately!

100%Exercise induced migraines hit me out of nowhere a while back. Complete with holes in my vision. Which is why I sat up when this thread popped up. I worked out the triggers were poor nutrition leading up to exercise (too much sugar, caffeine, the day or so before so probable dehydration) then specific triggers on the ride, includinglow electrolyte levels, bright white light reflected off the road, plus heat plus exertion. It wasn’t one specific thing really but the starting point that set it up was stuff that led to a severe imbalance. Hope that makes sense?!?

Wait til the tannie’s battery falls out 15 kays into the ‘race’... ???? (true story)

Keep me in the loop on that one please, I may need to go that route too... also trying to balance the budget here with work-arounds and available parts ????????

Can say that. It's been a long time for me and now I have a little cash we can all see where it's going If the work keeps coming it's possible I could single-handedly rescue the industry as all my stuff is now considered vintage....

Thanks, super-chuffed as it's a while since my bike got a present Have just opened the box... so here goes

Shnap ????Arrived today. Been watching it travel around the country on the courier’s tracking system????

I’m good at asking dumb questions and know nada nothing nix about disc brakes really (except try get it right from the start) so here goes... is it not possible to swop out the flat mount caliper for a post mount one on the front?? You get single post mount TRP hydros so maybe something like that??

Or you could use the Ultegra until the GRX 812 rear derailleur is available? If you can’t source one now?https://www.bike24.com/p2322800.html Looks like we’re having similar dilemmas. The new Shimano gravel/road groupset bits looked like a win for me until I realized (it seems) it’s either 1x11 with a wide range 11-42 cassette or 2x11 with medium range 11-32. And availability is not good at this point since the launch hasn’t seen stock becoming available yet. Online options are also blocked for us. I think the older 10 speed Shimano MTB and road bits are compatible but finding those and making sure they work is also a problem. Unless you want to wait, it looks like SRAM is pretty much the only way to go at the moment. Pity.

WOW!!! Just catching up now with what you’ve been up to Sir David, you legend!! Am amazed and inspired and yet somehow not surprised!?! Well done already!

Cois, thanks for the update. Really appreciate it. No cannabis oil? On doctor’s instructions? There was a lab raided a week or so ago that was clearly producing for medical purposes. I just don’t get it!! Hope that this week leaves you stronger even if you are feeling tired. Take care - you are a total inspiration!

How you doing Cois?

This. And for my own reasons I truly cannot stand HR people. They seem to have lost all the H and maybe the R too. Generalization I know but...Blooming fascist bureaucrats is all they are. Sorry Cois!!

Then there’s also this https://road.cc/content/feature/246424-how-get-ultra-low-gearing-gravel-bike-adventures Using a 105 R7000 GS rear derailleur with an 11-40 (possibly 42) cassette... but I wonder about wear and tear? It’s being done though!!

What have you got to work with? 11 speed 105 shifters? Hydros?Shimano has the new GRX system that should be becoming available... rear derailleur with long cage that handles wide range cassette on 1x11 (But not 2x11 it seems) that might interest you. RX812 or something like that I think. Will run with existing 11 speed road shifters so negates the need to switch to SRAM. Other options too but the GRX800 series seems to be what you need to get out of the 11-32 range.

Thanks, was getting conflicting info on this... Interesting to see how the different builds are done and options becoming available. I understand the advantages of flat mount on the frame but not sure why there isn't an adaptor for the fork? Must be plenty folks running this combo. I see it on a lot on touring bikes and CX bikes adapted for touring. Oh well. Carbon shmarbon