Put the final touches to my race bike today.
Tubeless tyres at 50psi rock. Well they don't pinch when they hit rock at full speed, and they track well through loose stuff. Rode the last drop to Rowarth (end of Coombes Tor race) faster than I would on Landcruisers.
Gear - 38:18 if it's wet 38:17 if dry.
What kit will you be wearing Rich? I'll be somewhere at the bottom of the descent into Cold Cotes with a camera..... A pic of those cranks spinning should be a necessity!
Probably getting a bit late for questions like these, but, for an unsupported competitor;What drink & fuel ( gels/bars/etc) would you take? I've got a 1.5L Camelbak I was going to put a sports drink & my survival bag in. I was going to stick 3 or 4 gels in my back pocket.....too much/little?What spares? I was thinking 2 tubes, 2 gas, 2 levers, self-adhesive patches, chain link & breaker, small multi-tool & mini-pump.Is it best to have spares in a saddle bag, or not? I never got chance to test it out, but I'm thinking tools on the bike would be added weight going through my shoulder when carrying it. Is it a better idea to stick them in a bum-bag?There may be more questions coming.......(Dom, I'll be wearing Wrecsam Tri kit - red/black with dragons - & a shell-shocked look.)
This computer I'm on doesn't allow paragraphs or spaces...sorry.
Ian,
I can take stuff to Cold Cotes for you if required, but can't guarantee to be in the right place at the right time after that...
I'll be wearing a Here Come the Belgians top.What kit will you be wearing Rich?
I've never had support before, and have got away with a 750ml bottle, and a few gels/bananas. Just make sure you've had a proper breakfast.What drink & fuel ( gels/bars/etc) would you take?
Yep, 2 tubes, 2 gas, 2 levers, chain link & breaker, small multi-tool.What spares?
I've wrapped a tube round each Co2 cylinder, put the stuff in your pockets, it's to hand there, you don't want the faff of a saddle bag.
I stick everything in my rucksack, which has a bladder. Don't like a saddle bag on the bike, even though I do in training, because I don't always take a rucksack training. Never take drink for anything up to 2 hours... The rucksack forms padding between me and the bike while carrying as well, which is good
Clearly I wish you all the very best of luck and am really impressed that anybody would want to take a serviceable road bike and thrash it cross country BUT, surely this is like rallying your sisters, VW Polo. It might survive but it won't be pretty and there are better tools for the job - please admire the attached picture for how XC cycling should look.
You are all great athletes but I'm not convinced that rainwater hasn't got under your lycra and disolved common sense
How can that possibly be a better choice?? Have you seen the climb up Simons Fell?? What on earth would you want to be carrying that dead weight for??? :w00t:
You'll be slower over the carrying bits, marginally quicker possibly on the downs, and simply wasted on the road sections through crap gearing...
(ps, flat bars are banned this year anyway...)
The very idea of ever describing Emily Batty as 'dead weight' is simply appalling. A Goddess in human form possibly or the epitome of desire almost certainly. However, and I am being entirely tongue in cheek because the wx is rubbish and work is dull, I still can't help but think that CX might be a doomed historical abnormality when we have carbon 29ers that do the XC bit so very well. But I will concede to not knowing my ar*se from my cx elbow. :-)
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