dastardly00 wrote: » Like other posters, I preferred it when it was Dan, Matt & Simon. I still watch some of the new content occasionally, mostly Conor Dunne's videos. I just googled Simon Richardson there now and he won the Ras in 2009. I didn't know that
redlead wrote: » Did you watch the introducing the presenters video for James/Hank? The actual house he grew up in is the Downton Abbey House.
swarlb wrote: » To be honest I didn't really check the dates of the videos, and hadn't realised how old some of them were. Like most replies on here I found them interesting but repetitive. Having been away from the sport I'm amazed at how much as changed...... Gravel Bikes !!! I'm afraid I just don't get them, sounds like 'corporate speak' for getting more sales...
cletus wrote: » To be honest, the last couple of posts I've read of yours seem to be mostly concerned with telling us all how you "don't get the new fangled stuff" In the above post you "don't get" gravel bikes. What is it you don't get? The concept of not cycling on roads? Or is it the "I was doing gravel cycling when it was just dirt rides on 19mm tyres" sentiment I've seen on various forums? I doubt that it's the hipster gravel element, as that seems to be mostly American, and hasn't really taken off here that I've seen I understand that many in the industry or involved in the sport see gravel bikes as a further bifurcation of an already overly divided market, and there's definitely a heavy dose of marketing gone into the "gravel scene", but that's to be expected from any private company looking to make a profit. The initial impetus behind gravel riding, however, seems to have been a conscious move away from the more traditional aspects of sport cycling.
swarlb wrote: » What I 'don't get' is the need to label everything. I apologise for not coming from an era where tubulars were wider than 19mm (apart from cyclocross, which were). There was one GCN clip, where (I think it was Ollie) took a spin on a 'steel bicycle with downtube gearlevers, and toeclips'. He confessed that he'd never ridden one before, and expressed concern that he'd be able to ride the thing at all. In the end, he seemed happy enough, having discovered that all it was, after all, just a bicycle... albeit a different one to the one he was used to' It's nothing to do with not being used to 'new fangled stuff', more the need for the bicycle industry to change in order to sell more 'stuff'. There is very little 'new' in cycling, just 'change'. I wouldn't be surprised at all if in ten years time someone rediscovers rim brakes, or indeed skinny tyres. If you'd prefer me not to post on here, just because I 'don't get' modern cycling, then that's not a problem. I thought cycling was inclusive, not exclusive.... maybe I was wrong.
Macy0161 wrote: » Why would someone as young as Ollie have ridden with down tube shifters? Probably as alien to him as Gravel bikes are to you...
swarlb wrote: » What was 'alien' was the fact that he actually said.... 'I wonder will I be able to ride this'.... I realise he said it for the humour aspect, but still....
bingobars wrote: » Conor Dunne’s appreciation of his own county is mesmerising to me considering I live in a better neighbouring county. I can’t help but feel he is misleading what I would guess is a mainly British audience.
bingobars wrote: » I don’t want to derail the thread but yeah Waterford isn’t all that on a bike IMO
redlead wrote: » The copper Coast is an amazing cycle. I've done it many times and it never gets old. The scenery is beautiful the whole route and its full of testing little ramps. The loop he did along the copper Coast and up Mahon Falls is a great cycle.
cletus wrote: » I think that cycling should be absolutely inclusive. To the point where all and any type of cycling is acceptable to everyone. That's why I happily proclaim that I don't shave my legs, haven't joined a cycling club, and I've never stopped while out for a spin at the weekend for coffee. I don't know an awful lot about bike eras, as I only started cycling regularly (not for commuting) about 2 years ago. At 40 years old, though, I realise that there's always change I'm not looking for an apology, just curious about the "back in my day" elements of your posts. When you unlock your car with the central locking button on your keys, do you look at it and marvel that back in the day you had to put the key in the door? When you're shopping and it's time to pay, do you "not get" the card tapping capabilities, on the basis that you used to use cash? Everything in every aspect of life moves on. You could absolutely cycle through the woods on a road bike with 19mm tubulars, but it's more comfortable on a gravel bike with wider tyres, and perhaps a tubeless setup. As regards you posting here, it's a public discussion site, and I figure anyone who puts up an opinion does so with the understanding that it is open to being challenged or questioned by anyone who cares to. That's not to suggest you shouldn't post here at all. In fact, the very opposite. If we all didn't post with our varied ideas, opinions and life skills, it would be a rather dull place. I mean, it's not like my wife is going to talk to me about bikes
swarlb wrote: » OK, I'll give you a bit of insight... the last time I rode my bike (or any bike for that matter) was sometime in early 90's, the last time I raced it was in the late 80's. As with many people during these Covid times, and during the initial lockdown, I dusted one of them off, pumped up the tyres, oiled the chain and went for a spin. On the road near my house (I live in the country) I spotted another cyclist, and we stopped, at a distance to have a natter. He had a (to me, modern looking bike), carbon frame, minimal flat spoke wheels, deep flanged rims, and the most striking bit to me, a huge looking tooted set of rear sprockets. We spoke about mostly the differences between the bikes, the more we looked, the more we saw. he had fatter tyres, mine were thinner, he had a small inner chainring, mine was larger, he had a greater spread of gears, 11 rear sprockets, mine was a 12/18, with a 53/42 up front, and I was thinking to myself that my 'mountain' set up of 13/21 would be totally over geared by todays standards. So, when I got home I googled a few things to see how things have changed, and among other things discovered GCN, hence my original post. And no, I don't marvel at using a central locking button to open the doors on my car, I actually marvel at the cleverness of Peugeot to leave the facility in being able to insert the key in the door to open the damn thing. As much as I can I use cash... amazingly enough so do lots of other people, including my bank, who have yet to refuse my deposits. And no, I don't 'get' gravel bikes.... and probably never will. I attach a photo of my car key.... for your perusal.
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://w2.vanillicon.com/v2/284f2526e18ff7e4c08066f9ed850ed0.svg)
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://w8.vanillicon.com/v2/892f365931e5cb4ba5c9d4ce2c7da299.svg)