Recent comments

Hi Carvers, thanks for the message and kind words on the recon DVD's, really happy they helped you. Please pass on my sincere apologies to your fiancee.....I take full responsibility for your multiple winter hours spent in front of the TV! Good luck and ride safe. Mike

It is already the middle of 2013 and I am wondering if this converter will be available any time soon. I can't find anything on the internet, but then "USE" is a generic word.

Until reading about it I favoured the Hope V-Twin converter, but it requires longer cables especially for drop handlebars due to the position of the inlets at the front. TRP's Parabox is slightly better with inlets on the side. USE's solution would require the shortest length of cable and looks very neat indeed.

No, and I'll probably regret it!

Anyone taking a punt on Schleck?

Did you read the article at all before your spectacular leap into that particular assumption???

"after the driver and cyclist had a near miss as the former’s vehicle exited the University of Oxford’s site on Parks Road"

Perfect for the championship:

http://road.cc/content/news/81493-toddlers-train-strider-british-balance...

I'll have two

But what of the Medium Mountains Massive...?

On the billy goats, I'd hitch my wagon to Pinot - Rolland doesn't seem to have the form, and Voeckler will 'animate' a couple a stages (possibly bagging a win) but is less likely to be as consistent a finisher.

Wow - thanks a lot Raleigh... that's a great load of info - although I might be a bit more scared now than I was before!

Practicing cliping in is a great tip, thanks - it's something I'm rubbish at... probably a bit more used to the starting / stoppping / slowing / accelerating as I am commuter cyclist, but use bike without clipless pedals for that, so obviously don't practice clipping in quickly.

Are you racing there tonight? I'm going to ride down on my home from work to watch I think so I can better idea of what goes on before getting involved.

Thanks again to everyone who has replied - really grateful for the advice!

Everyone finds mountain biking eventually

There is probably a lot more to the oxford story than we know, I wonder what the driver was doing before hand, probably tailgating, using his horn etc.

As for a 25 year old man attacking a 51 year old, that's just coward behaviour.

OK.

I race at Hillingdon every week, sometimes twice. Got some seconds and thirds last year, but still chasing that win. I am though, I think, in a position to offer some helpful tips and advice, tailored to the circuit.

I race in the E123 group, which is usually smaller than the 4ths, and also quite a bit quicker, but smoother as well.

Try to get to the startline early so you can be right on the front. What I normally do is to drill it off the line, then if anyone wants to come with you, you may get a nice lead, otherwise at least you can jump into a good position when you get caught.

Make sure that you are good at clipping in quickly, everyone sprints off the line so if you mess that up you can easily fall behind before the race really starts.

Hillingdon is a very fast circuit, which shouldn't worry you; its got no hill. You can pedal through every single corner, trust me. I've done it.

Make sure that you don't hang around the back of the group, you'll be grabbing handfuls of brake the whole time, and the acceleration and deceleration will knock you out fairly quickly. Far better to be in the top 10-15 at all times, then you get nice lines through the corners etc.

If you're nervous in the sprints, either sit up for the first one, or make sure that you go straight down the middle of the course. Either side, and you'll be forced onto the grass, which isn't fun at all.

The best place to move up is on the inside by the clubhouse, ot if there's a tailwind on the final straight itself. The radce is normally won or lost on the last but one corner, so make sure that you've got a wheel to follow, and get a good line. Try to be in the top 5 there.

In terms of eating/drinking, the races on tuesdays are normally about an hour and a quarter for the slower group, so you don't need food. Take a bottle, and get used to drinking at speed, or at least in the natural slow bits.

Proabably go around the sweeping bends on the hoods for the time being, if it makes you feel safer, I normally do if there are laods of people around me.

Don't be spooked by the fourth cats with expensive bikes.

If you're not moving up the pack, you're moving back, even if you're picking someone's wheel to sit on the whole time. Ensure that you're always taking places on corners and slower bits.

Other than that, just go and do it basically, you'll enjoy it.

Ahem, cheers Cat1, there was a missing word there: "after McQuaid had succeeded in *preventing* having its contents discussed the previous day."

Which should make more sense.