You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
If you go out on an Ebike with a load of people on normal bikes and you're not old (<50) or disabled everyone in that group thinks you're a lazy fat ****.
Mathieu van der Poel is cheating somehow
And in extension, pro road cycling sure as hell isn't clean. But, that's OK from a spectators perspective, just enjoy the show.
All common sense suggests that British Cycling (and British Athletics) are due a huge doping scandal, see Richard Freeman for instance. But, it will never come out in it's entirety as there is to much to lose for both sports. A BC scandal involving the track squad and Froome/Thomas/Wiggo would force to many questions of the IOC, of the UCI and of the sport in general. British Athletics are too closely connected to USA Track & Field and Nike for that to be allowed as well.
However, irrelevant of the above, the volume of doping in cycling is nothing compared to football.
And in extension, pro road cycling sure as hell isn’t clean. But, that’s OK from a spectators perspective, just enjoy the show.
What's to enjoy (Amstel Gold and Namur notwithstanding)? Am bored of the standard MvdP solo CX time trial that most races end up as.
I guess this actually makes it *less* likely that he's cheating, as he is hardly being subtle about it, Pantani's undoing was apparently the way he took the piss up a big climb one day after being miles off the back. Not unlike Froome a year or two ago actually...
my pet hate: Surely vs Shirley
No that one is perfectly acceptable as is source and sauce.
Cycling is institutionally racist.
singlespeedstu
Subscriber
Chris Porter is pretty much spot on about bike geo and most bike manufactures know it.
Aha, here's a controversial one. Chris Porter mostly gets things right by having lots of opinions then forgetting about all the ones that turn out to be wrong. 29 inch wheels don't roll over stuff better than 26, 29 inch wheels stop you from braking properly. 29ers have no pump. Oh wait I want to sell a 29er bike, actually 29ers are fine! Now rides a 29er (according to the website anyway, last time i saw him he was on a 29 front/650b rear) In fact he was 26 Til I Die until he wanted to sell 650b bikes then he was 650b Til I Die till then next time he felt like changing wheels. Single crown forks suddenly became a terrible idea the day after he stopped selling them for a living.
(he still always uses Neko Mulally's chainless race run as his evidence that clutch mechs slow you down... Neko himself says, more or less "I thought that was it, run over, so I had nothing to lose")
A good trail centre often provides far better and easily repeatable riding than your ‘must do’ natural trail.
For example I give you Laggan Black (or even red) vs Lairig Ghru in my back yard.
It isn't worth the long drive all the way to Torridon to ride trails in the rain. The rocks are really slippery and the stalkers shoot mountain bikers for shits & giggles.
<Cycling is institutionally racist>
Good one.
It is hella white.
Only mtb-ers of colour round my way are this Malaysian crew. Nice guys. They have sweet bikes and even sweeter cook-outs at Riker's Car park.
PlanetX customer service is exemplary.
Your lawn doesn't need cutting!
I think the big one to remember is that no one gives a shit about your opinion on their riding ability, the trails they ride, or the bike they own.
For example:
1. Think e bikes are for the lazy? Then don't buy one and shut up.
2. Think long travel bikes kill the fun from trails? Then don't ride one and shut up.
3. Think gravel bikes are amazing or a marketing scam? Then buy one/ don't buy one and shut up.
And so on. Offering advice can be helpful, but don't tell people what they should or shouldn't ride/ enjoy. So many threads on here (and the internet in general) seem to descend into people shouting at others to enjoy things the same way that they do.
The tour de france would be WAY better if they were all on fully faired recumbents.
You take your dog for a walk not a ride.
Afan is actually the best Welsh trail centre
Amen to that brother. Bloody brilliant place for sure with the most natural feeling trails out there
If someone on a council estate has a nice bike it's nicked.
Nicked off an IT manager to boot.
The tour de france would be WAY better if they were all on fully faired recumbents.
Nah. They'd move faster but drafting would be less of an issue and that's where all the tactics come in.
You take your dog for a walk not a ride.
Can't believe it took 11 pages for someone to bring up dogs!
I'm not that bothered by people riding with their dogs, but it does irk me to hear people saying they "want to get a trail dog".
Not exactly sure why. Probably that dogs are for life, not just for trails.
Most cycling is purely fashion led - type of clothing, number of gears, width of tyres etc etc
650b does not bring the trails alive.
Most cycling is purely fashion led – type of clothing, number of gears, width of tyres etc etc
Hmm, type of clothes is maybe fashion, number of gears possibly more marketing, width of tyre is just good sense though! If there was one recent innovation I'm really keen on it's wide, light tyres for road bikes and gravel bikes.
People of average proportions do not need large sized bikes.
Droppers will not change your life. (feel free to substitute any other component, standard or geometry specifications as you see fit).
Hmm, type of clothes is maybe fashion, number of gears possibly more marketing
What's the difference between fashion and marketing?
Every single problem with a fork can be traced back to a speck of grease in the transfer port.
Anyone who refers to anything as marketing bullshit understands neither marketing nor bikes.
Putting your name on your frame means you are delusional and very selfish in bed.
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">It’s not that these people are being selfish in bed, it is just that they have very small willies.</span>
This is easily disproved, but perhaps not on this forum 😉
email in profile.
Here I go:
Atherton Bikes is going to fail
An year passed since the big "next big thing" announcement and nothing happened.
Either:
- they announced the bikes way too early into development
- they faced unexpected issues
- the Bikepark thing was much more work than anticipated
- turns out there's not much interest in the product
They keep saying "we are still fine tuning the geometry or kinematics or whatever", but often when you fine tune a product too much you end up tuning it specifically for yourself. It's not rocket science (unless they are into problems).
Maybe Gee's sub standard season (for what he's capable) also didn't help. On WC footage I recal him on a seemingly quite nervous and unstable bike, compared to both the competition and what I remember from his Trek
I've only watched it on YouTube, but 'enduro'seems to exist only in its own bubble...miles from anywhere and few spectators.
If I was in charge, I'd try to incorporate some trails closer to the populated areas and insert untimed, languidly-pedalling-take -a-gander-at-the-local-landmarks ,bits in between the timed parts.
Ps-- happy riding for 2020!
By the end of the next decade you'll have given up riding on the road due to the constant fear of being robustly rammed from behind by a silent electrical vehicle with self-driving functions whose algorithms and systems may or may not recognise you or value your dispensable road meat silhouette over protecting its occupants. So gravel it is then.
If I was in charge, I’d try to incorporate some trails closer to the populated areas and insert untimed, languidly-pedalling-take -a-gander-at-the-local-landmarks ,bits in between the timed parts.
You mean like they do in Dunoon?
And in the true **** you style my life exists in...
People of average proportions do not need large sized bikes.
...it turns out Genesis would disagree with me.
^^^^
Good point, re:Dunoon.
Though I still think that the 'scene' could do with more public participation.
It should be possible to combine e-bike demo days with proper racing.
We've got loads of historic/ cultural capital in the U.K. That deserve more exposure.
So take a town like Whitby, and for one day close the streets to vehicles. The hardcore racers and the rookies on their e-bikes rub shoulders on the un-timed sections before heading into the timed beginner/ intermediate/ expert runs of their choosing.
The best place to shave your legs is in the bath so when the bath drains afterwards you can see the fruits of your labours.
squirrelking
Member
People of average proportions do not need large sized bikes.
I think what you mean is, many "large sized" bikes are really mislabelled mediums.
I think he needs to explain what he means as it's a bit cryptic to me.
I'm referring to the amount of folk on here that seem to think they know better than the manufacturers and buy a large sized bike despite being average height and at the medium point on the recommendation scale.
Of course no sooner did I say that than I started looking at Longitudes which I should supposedly be a large on. Looking at the measurements I can only assume I'm supposed to ride it like a 10 year old on their dads field gate BSO.
I think what you mean is, many “large sized” bikes are really mislabelled mediums.
I wouldn't say so, no. Admittedly I'm comparing to a hybrid but 60mm top tube difference is nuts and that's just the medium, if I went for large that's 90mm extra.
OK gotcha now, you're wrong though - as were the bike designers.
😉
Roadies have the right to block the road & stop people getting where they're going on time. Well , they think they do 🤣.
It is possible to allow for roadies slowing you down by setting off a few minutes early.
OK, some more controversial opinions...
1. There's probably a correlation between spending loads of money on coloured Hope bits and voting for Brexit.
2. People who make a big deal about how they prefer "natural trails" to trail centres are insecure bell ends.
3. Strava has made MTBing better.
People who claim to not include their cycle commutes in their yearly stats are obviously lying.
There’s probably a correlation between spending loads of money on coloured Hope bits and voting for Brexit.
Although coloured bits are often discounted, which adds to the noise in that correlation (from personal experience - voted remain but will always buy coloured components if they're cheaper as function is more important).
I’m referring to the amount of folk on here that seem to think they know better than the manufacturers and buy a large sized bike despite being average height and at the medium point on the recommendation scale.
How times change. I remember when folk bought the size down so the bike was more "chuckable". They were wrong then, too.
Most cycling is purely fashion led – type of clothing...
All clothing is fashion led, while cycling isn't immune from it, it's no more enslaved to it than any other part of the 21st century.
will always buy coloured components if they’re cheaper
If you're getting them cheaper then you don't count in the "spending loads of money" bit.
If you crash road riding without the help of other road users, black ice or pedestrians then maybe it's not the sport for you.
Slow Oldman. It's illegal to block the road. A bunch of mamils that think they're in the tour de France have no right to do it. Imagine if I drove at 15mph in front of you for miles,would that be OK with you?, 🤔🤣
I can't find the relevant law. I'll post a link when I do 😊
I can’t find the relevant law. I’ll post a link when I do
I don't think there is a specific law but it could be covered under.
2. Careless cycling
Careless cycling is an offence committed by anyone cycling on a road without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration of others.
The maximum penalty for careless cycling is £1,000.
Careless cycling is an offence under section 29 of the Road Traffic Act 1988(link is external).
The "reasonable consideration" is what might cause trouble, but in practice I'm sure it would need to be pretty extreme.
People riding bikes are not 'blocking the road'. They might be going a bit slower than you'd like to travel, but that's not the same thing.
As long as they're not riding more than two abreast you'll just have to calm down and accept it, just as you have to when eg a tractor is on the road.
https://www.driving.co.uk/news/watch-cyclists-argue-police-officer-stopped-riding-two-abreast/. 66 & 68.
Easily. Tractors are supposed to get out of the way. I can't be bothered to find a link. But I'm right. The op asked for controversial, it looks like I gave it to them 😊
Am bored of the standard MvdP solo CX time trial that most races end up as.
I hear watching football is popular.
Imagine if I drove at 15mph in front of you for miles,would that be OK with you?
Miles you say? Well I have often driven behind cyclists waiting for a safe place to pass but never "for miles".
Cycling two abreast should be encouraged since it makes overtaking a shorter obstacle much easier.
Cycling two abreast should be outlawed because it obstructs... actually forget that, cycling on roads should be outlawed.
If a cycle path is available, its use should be mandated.
Bicycles should pay road tax and have license plates innit.
Cycling in long chains should be illegal as it does make it very hard to pass. And yes you could be following a group of 10 cyclists riding 2 a breast and not be able to over take them for miles where I live. Doesn't happen often, in fact far less than me getting stuck behind a horse box that is not travelling much faster than the cyclists and I was stuck behind a horse box for 5 miles just yesterday.
[url= https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/year-to-date-2/ ]Other people's riding stats[/url] are one of the least interesting things in the whole world (wide web).
All bikes on public roads to have a 1.5m long overtaking lollipop attached.
I wouldn't mind it as it would give a clear indication for all drivers, but I dont think it would be popular with cyclists that want that room on their right only when it suits them.
The cyclist haters on this forum should **** off and join pistonheads, where they can chat with like-minded morons.
athgray
You're nearly right: All cars should have an overtaking 1.5m lollipop on the left.
Kerley
You're nearly right: Cars should not be allowed to drive in long chains, as it makes it hard for cyclists to get past them when they are inevitably jammed.
You’re nearly right: Cars should not be allowed to drive in long chains, as it makes it hard for cyclists to get past them when they are inevitably jammed.
That's the riders fault for fitting stupid broomstick bars then isn't it?
The cyclist haters on this forum should **** off and join pistonheads, where they can chat with like-minded morons.
Or maybe the cyclists could piss off and join a cycling forum 😉
nofx
stupid ≠ controversial
squirrelking
Member
I’m referring to the amount of folk on here that seem to think they know better than the manufacturers and buy a large sized bike despite being average height and at the medium point on the recommendation scale.
OK so, at which point did the manufacturers get it exactly right? Because today's mediums are often longer and reachier than XLs of just a few years ago, and sizing differs massively even in the same model years across manufacturers. My size large Remedy was almost exactly the same size as my size medium trailfox.
(ChrisL of this parish used to use the length of his XL Mojo as an excuse for not being able to do tight stuff, but it turned out after literal years of this that my medium Hemlock was actually longer. Best day ever)
A medium enduro today is almost exactly 4 inches longer than the medium enduro in 2010. The longest 2010 enduro is shorter than the smallest 2020.
Truth is, anyone who 2-5 years ago thought "I'd better go up a size" has every right to think they knew better than manufacturers- and the manufacturers apparently agree since they've made the same changes. There's never been a time in the last decade where that wasn't true, either (weird attempts to make short 29ers aside, but that was always just marketing)
You’re nearly right: All cars should have an overtaking 1.5m lollipop on the left.
That would put the lollipop on the kerb side of traffic, which is not suitable on narrow roads. Far better to have the lollipop away from the pavement side and pedestrian footpaths. That puts it back on bicycles I am afraid.
OK so, at which point did the manufacturers get it exactly right?
**** knows. Trailstar Mk2?
I'm probably just making my own way round the curve on this one and haven't bought into the emperors new clothes whole long low slack thing. It just seems ****ing insane that a bike designed for all day Bikepacking and shiz is being specced with a 90mm longer top tube than my hybrid which is designed for comfort. I sacked off my oversized road bike over less.
And it's becoming less controversial the more it gets discussed so quit it! 😉
Cycle on the side of the cycle path relative to the side of the road that is driven on. Drive on the left hand side of the road? Ergo, cycle on the left-hand side of the cycle path.
Wearing all black cycling kit does not make it easier to spot a cyclist on the road, in the low sunlight, with no bike lights.
eMtbs are a worthy inclusion for specific areas of training.
Strava is a huge pile of self important, childish toss.
Get your hedge cut.
If you insist on wearing an all black outfit, don't complain when no one can see you.
Factory built wheels are awful.
Suspension is simple.
'Premium' branded bikes are usually ridden by snobs.
Watches are simply male jewellery.
No one who has more than two kids, a dog or runs a wood burner whilst living in a city really gives a shit about the environment.
Traditional leather saddles are an affectation.
Ortleib panniers aren't as good as people make out.
If you don't ride in the winter, or the rain, or the mud, you're a wimp.
If you have a winter road bike, your summer bike costs too much.
Happy new year everyone!
Agree with pretty every one of those apart from the 2 kids. Having any kids means you don't give a shit about the environment as it is not like we need to increase the population or keep a civilisation going
Having any kids means you don’t give a shit about the environment as it is not like we need to increase the population or keep a civilisation going
Yeah plant based diet versus having kids. 0.82 tonnes CO2 saving v 58 tonnes a year.
Vegan parents.
How is the number of children you have in any way a controversial cycling opinion?
130mm of fork travel is the maximum needed for UK riding
How is the number of children you have in any way a controversial cycling opinion?
Because when they are 8 they will want an e-bike. Lazy little bastards.
Get your hedge cut.
No-one cares about your creative hub.
Bicycle component installation diagrams should be ambivalent to help keep bicycle shops in business.
Wearing all black cycling kit does not make it easier to spot a cyclist on the road, in the low sunlight, with no bike lights.
A lot of MAMILs are hoping black is slimming.
Strava is a huge pile of self important, childish toss
I thought these were supposed to be controversial?
Not controversial, but a reply to all of those who don’t understand bike geometry.
Try comparing the stem length and bar width of your new bike to one of 10 years ago.
LLS is shit for anyone who likes riding up, along, down.
LLS is shit for anyone who likes riding up, along, down.
Not trying to be rude, but have you actually ridden one? My FlareMax is faster in all those directions than all of the other bikes I've owned over the years. My first 'proper' HT (2000 era Kona) had some crazy steep head angle and 560mm bars. It was rubbish at all of those things in comparison. The one thing it was good at was launching me over the bars, at which it excelled.
Agree with pretty every one of those apart from the 2 kids. Having any kids means you don’t give a shit about the environment as it is not like we need to increase the population or keep a civilisation going
All those moaning about over-population are deflecting attention away from their consumerist lifestyles.
Strava is a huge pile of self important, childish toss.
Strava is a very useful tool.
However, people are now too stupid to ride without mulitple electronic thingies telling them where they are, where they need to be, how fast they're going to get there and a host of other wildly unimportant* crap. Most people spend longer looking at their various devices than they do actually enjoying the ride.
* I can see how it might be important if you're a World Tour rider and your coach needs some stats but for the average MAMIL going to and from a cafe, it's slight overkill.
Edit: new forum page numbering is superb