First round of the winter N-Duro MTB series last week. Having been on the road on a sales trip for the week prior I had two bikes in the car to choose from. Potentially both equally inappropriate for a fast XC event. In the end i chose the one with no suspension, drop bars, and 38mm deep carbon wheelset....

Did I mention non-tubeless is one retro set-up i could do without? Two tube changes in the first 4km saw me dead last by a long way. However a rocket ship of a bike up hill (and maybe 36/25 as granny forced that) had me back to 10th by the end (although I only made it to 2nd in the womens race - sonia smashed me).

 riding a glorified road bike in singletrack was a pretty interesting experience. If I'd become lazy with riding habits this is certainly a way to get you thinking about what you are doing! moving time on the GPS showed I could have been pretty close to the front so plenty of positives. And a week later my arms and shoulders have finally stopped aching.

 Will I use it again? Maybe. Although the thought of using 3 different styles of bike bike in each of the 3 races is kind of appealing too. Got a few weeks to decide

<img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vA-P994I2ZQ/UeJwA72OX7I/AAAAAAAABU8/_P6FTqWgxrs/s400/n-duro+cx+(small).jpg" width="263" />

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Original Published: 9:48pm Sunday, 14th July 2013 - NZST

Riding my cyclocross bike in the Rotorua forest was an eye opener - it was so fast, but the brakes were terrible! I had a rethink of how I can make it better, and the shopping list is growing

disk brakes is the answer my friend

Yep, I really want a On One Dirty Disco frame, then transfer everything on the Avanti Circa to it

I was thinking you were one of those weird guys riding a recumbant, the sort of guy who wears a bowtie.

If you want I still have the article from the mid 80's on how to convert your 10 speed to a MTB.
Explict content - not suitable for those who shave their legs-
An old Raleigh of mine died a horrible death, it wasn't pretty, as it consisted of an oxy torch and a block of wood to widen the chainstays. Then a paper cut out showing where to weld the canterlever brakes.

foremannz wrote:Riding my cyclocross bike in the Rotorua forest was an eye opener - it was so fast, but the brakes were terrible! I had a rethink of how I can make it better, and the shopping list is growing

True dat, I have just bought some TRP CX8.4 mini-Vs for that same very reason. See ya later Cantis.

Seeing Fraser's post.....yesterday I watched a (edited just for Philstar) tar baby MAMIL get smoked by a recumbant, from a standing start.

Cabin wrote:disk brakes is the answer my friend

Hope v-twins on my cx bike. Yay for disc ready frames.

Orphan wrote:Seeing Fraser's post.....yesterday I watched a tab baby MAMIL get smoked by a recumbant, from a standing start.

Hah, good job.

Those guys are everything that is wrong with road cycling.

Why didnt you use your main account?

What do you mean? This is my account.

OH YUP

Wobbler wrote:OH YUP

^Rustled jimmies.

Jimmy_Rustles wrote:

Orphan wrote:Seeing Fraser's post.....yesterday I watched a tab baby MAMIL get smoked by a recumbant, from a standing start.

Hah, good job.

Those guys are everything that is wrong with road cycling.

I know what a MAMIL is but what is a tab baby MAMIL

Never made a typo?

Blimey.

:-)