latest Beach Road Bull says that some carbon frames (i think the Team Alex ones) are available
for $1800

**********

Yeah, I saw some guy on one of those. You could see it flex when we were doing 40kph on Beach Rd. On the flats.

The reality is is that there is no good or bad materials, just good and bad applications. Anyone can make something - you just follow the rules of mechanics and physics and *shazam*, you've made something. Making it good takes an organised systematic approach. Making it truely good requires good design, application, and plain old imagination.

I just hate companies that design everything to a 'price-point'. Advancing the art of 'profit' holds no interest to me whatsoever. The reality is is that tomorrow I could send some drawings to XACD and make some sh¡thouse generic Ti frame with 73/73 degree angles, design some 'go-fast' decals for them and flog 'em off for 700 bucks, but what I have I achieved?

Fark all, that's what.

I'll leave that crap up to the American 'entrepeneurs', like that wonderful couple that was on 'The Amazing Race'.

Hey! Lori and Bolo were cool!

How much would you lose selling them at $700?

No, not Lori and Bolo, they were the meatheads. You know, the guy that should be put up for spousal abuse.....the arsehole guy......anyhoo.....

frame flex while on THE FLAT???? at only 40kph? shjit! hell I've been in a 66kph paceline before - that would break that poor frame!

Hey muncher, you thought my MS cowhorns were weird http://home.nycap.rr.com/richboat/conchdone.jpg

Brakes 1/2 metre from the shifters...

1 1/2 meters!

Hell yeah. Although the weight regain was breakfast1 + breakfast2 + pasta brunch + loads of water. My problem was that I didn't water-load before the event and didn't reload after the event. I made lots of misteaks that day. One of them was starting in the race.

172cm (5'8" and a bit). race weight is 67-70kg

If you ever post anything like that on here again you'll be banned for life. The only thing that looked normal in that pic WERE THE COWHORNS!!! :o

Ahem! Generally speaking, don't the bulls usually have the horns. Yes, Americans know their bull.

I gotta say....I'm not much of a Gatorade kinda guy, but on Tuesday I did 115km, Thursday 95km, and it just so happened that on both days, the milk bars I went to on the way home had nothing I fancied, so I bought some Gatorade. I was pretty thirsty, so I drank 'em right down, and I can't believe how much better my legs felt after the ride!! I'm hooked.

I use staminade powder and mix it to taste (about half what they say on the pack) to aid hydration. But I can't stand the pre-mixed bottles of powerade coz it's too sweet and sickly, and it tastes like cr@p when you try to dilute it.

But you're right: the little bit of carbs in sport drinks like Gatorade will aid hydration and might leave you feeling better than if you'd used water alone. It's also good practise to eat a high carb meal (yeah, go the vanilla slice or caramel tart!) within 30 mins of finishing a hard ride to kick start muscle glycogen replenishment.

Saturday night race report. Still no better than a 4th place finish. I crashed hard in my 2nd race, and am quite thankful for Kevlar panels and hip padding on my race pants. Instead of the pedal spikes turning my leg into mince, it's swollen up a bit so that I have an ugly swollen lump on my shin. And an ugly red patch on my knee. Apparently, my crashing technique is really good. Anyone else do anything fun today?

I rode my first track meet at Dunc Gray. Fantastic!!!

So how did you do?

I think I went bloody well. Scared $#!+less to begin with but it was all good really.

Did four races in C grade, ITT, 2000 pursuit, Scratch race, and Keirin. Actually got a third in the SR and fifth in the Keirin. I'm totally wasted and I have to do a crit tomorrow morning :(

I pretty much crapped myself on the BMX track the first time I took the big jumps at speed. I'm not at all concerned about winning right now, just finishing all 5 races. Now that I'm a bit more confident, I'm faster, which translates into more air time. This is something I don't find too fun. My bike handles better when both wheels are on the ground. I could finish dead last in every race, and it would still be fun. I hope you do ok tomorrow.

Tanx, now I gotta get some sleep!

Rest old man, rest.

Finished 3rd in the crit this morning :) :) :) :)
Must have had sufficient rest. Legs are almost useless now, for walking anyway. I dare not crouch :(
Raced Lansdown, a hilly, winding little 2k crit track. Average speed a tad over 31k,

for E grade!!!!!!

Have a beer, it's full of esential vitamins. Congrats too! :beer:

Yeah right! It is nice and cold though. I needed something to ease the pain in my quads ;)

Well done Berny!! :beer:

Killing yourself the day before a race isn't so bad after all, eh? To alleviate the quad pain try stretching, a decent warmup/warmdown (up to an hour of flat for crits), and plenty of fluids.

And you need to adjust your bedtime: 10pm is waaaaaaaaay to late for a young kipper like you to be going to bed before a race. Try 8:30 or 9:00.

And an encouragement award to Expat. :beer: Glad to hear that your BMX chums think your OTB style is world class :D