La Flamme Rouge off topic discussion

cunavalos · 14-02-2026 11:11AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124234072#Comment_124234072

'Interesting' as in your trip to the Netherlands many years ago. If memory serves me right that audax turned into a bit of an epic😄

i have actually signed up for a Belgian 1000km equivalent in August for which I am currently in no way prepared.

https://www.audaxbelgium.com/borders-of-belgium

Mefistofelino · 14-02-2026 03:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124234663#Comment_124234663

Same here.

There are a few threads on previous versions of BoB on yacf.co.uk

CramCycle · 14-02-2026 04:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124234663#Comment_124234663

Jesus, there is an 11 euro brevet card only option . Talk about value for money.

Large bottle small glass · 14-02-2026 05:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124234063#Comment_124234063

"Every single one of them will involve the best road you've never encountered for most or all of the journey irrespective of start point"

I was with you on the above until I spotted New Inn Co Tipperary on the map. Nobody posting here knows the lovely lanes around New Inn better than me, but this is just off the old Cork Dublin road!

Some areas are

Glencar and the Land League monument near Tramore looked more promising though.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124235485#Comment_124235485

Well same in that you are entered but not the same with preparation😁

Mefistofelino · 14-02-2026 05:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124235796#Comment_124235796

And, in accordance with Audax Belgium rules, you can enter on the day as long as there are places available.

CramCycle · 14-02-2026 09:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124236070#Comment_124236070

I am very tempted

devonp · 15-02-2026 11:12AM

Winter Olympics 2026…

last summer I stayed in Bormio for a cycling trip. There was plenty of advertising about Milano Cortina , we stayed in the Funivia Hotel and the end of the ski run for Ydays Giant slalom was literally at the back door of our hotel . Funivia is a great hotel btw dedicated bike room locked and monitored, with multiple stands , tools , spares and gels bars etc . The pic linked was from our balcony , the bike climb , road,

up is Bormio 2000

magicbastarder · 17-02-2026 01:23PM

does anyone know if the specialized showroom out in brown's barn have any old specializeds on display?

i've mentioned before on the forum that i've a 23 year old hardtail stumpy in criminally good condition, that i never use, which if i sold would probably get a couple of hundred quid for, and it'd end up as a beater bike probably.

i was musing that the specialized shop might be interested in buying it if it's the sort of thing they'd display.

Seth Brundle · 17-02-2026 01:36PM

They had a couple when I was last there about six months ago

magicbastarder · 17-02-2026 02:09PM

cheers, i've popped them a mail - the lad in sales i was on the phone to seemed uncertain if they'd be able to pay me anything, that what they have on display are mainly donations.

i'm not going to be donating it to them, that's for certain. they're not a charity.

Large bottle small glass · 17-02-2026 03:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124242885#Comment_124242885

They certainly are not.

It's over a decade later but...

https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/specializeds-disastrous-trademark-case-is-unnecessary-to-defend-the-brand/

Seth Brundle · 25-02-2026 11:58PM

Amsterdam in 1986 vs today...

https://bsky.app/profile/brenttoderian.bsky.social/post/3mfggqy37vs2v

Tell me how · 28-02-2026 04:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124016834#Comment_124016834

I went ahead and registered for an event like the above. Not the Paris Roubaix one, but Liege - Bastogne - Liege. Unfortunately, attending this event is beyond me this year and the other person is doing a sportive in the UK the same weekend (25th April)

I did register for 2 people and have missed the date by which we can cancel and get a refund.

I understand names can be changed on the registration if anyone wants to avail of this. I'm not going to ask for payment. If someone is interested and wants to pay all/some then great but it already feels like money lost so I'm not going to demand anything. I'd be happy to see a donation go to Irish Cycling or a similar organisation in lieu of anything to me.

This is the page to the event and details about changing are on the info page. I understand I would send the email to the organisers with the details of the person taking the spot and then they would get the relevant email from the event organisers.

https://lblchallenge.be/en/practical-info/

If you or anyone in your club/circle might be interested, give me a DM.

cunavalos · 28-02-2026 04:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124272476#Comment_124272476

PM Sent

magicbastarder · 03-03-2026 11:40PM

i never really paid much attention to 'Athlete Intelligence' in strava; like a cheapo underpowered AI; but lately it's been getting things just plain wrong.

i'd have hoped it'd have been able to tell me things like 'looks like you went out too fast in the first half and bled off a load of speed in the second half; trying going easier straight out of the bat' - that sort of thing. instead i get 'well done! you were faster than last time'.

JMcL · 04-03-2026 11:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124283029#Comment_124283029

Especially pointless is when it regurgitates any comments you've made in the description. I've just said that, so I realise it - why are you telling me?

magicbastarder · 04-03-2026 12:29PM

yeah, and yesterday it told me that my cycle was the fastest i've done recently; it wasn't - the one i did on friday was.

but on friday it told me i'd gone more slowly than my recent average…

smacl · 05-03-2026 03:05PM

After the rear tyre blowout last weekend, I decided to document the results and send them on to Schwalbe as they indicate a potentially dangerous manufacturing flaw. Not interested in refund or replacement, just thought they should know one of their products could be putting their customers in danger. Response back from Schwalbe was that that it was an issue for the people that sold me the tyre, which to my mind was disappointing to the extent I reviewed it over on Trustpilot here https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.schwalbe.de Looking at other reviews, it seems to be a common theme, so for the hell of it, I tried out other tyre manufacturers and they all seem to be predominantly 1 star reviews. Is this just an industry thing, looking at the company I buy laptops from for example it is mostly 4 or 5 star reviews (including mine).

FWIW, tear was about 40mm and a lot of the rest of the tyre seemed badly compromised. I checked the rims carefully but couldn't find anything there and also looked at the tyre on the wheel in-situ to see if there was anything that could have been rubbing off it, but again no. On the outside, the tear was where the rubber that hooks into the rim meets the fibre enforced sidewall. I'm a little bit perplexed if I'm honest as I'm struggling to see what could have been the cause other than inherent weakness.

magicbastarder · 05-03-2026 03:37PM

in a strict legal sense, they're correct in that your relationship is with the shop where you bought it; but i'd have expected better from them.

Seth Brundle · 05-03-2026 03:41PM

I understand that most people won't post reviews unless they are negative but…

Comparing Schwalbe's 1.6 out of 5 to some other brands…

etc.

smacl · 05-03-2026 04:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124287812#Comment_124287812

Yep, I'll forward the correspondence on to bike-discount and see what they come back with. It's more the attitude that irked me if I'm honest. Having taken time to carefully document a safety concern with one of their products, I'd expect a minimum response of the type 'thanks for taking time to let us know, we take the safety of our customers who use our tyres very seriously, we'll look into this, yada, yada, yada' as opposed to 'not our problem, talk to the retailer'. Appalling customer relations management.

I seriously suspect I'm turning into a grumpy old fella ;)

CramCycle · 05-03-2026 11:00PM

Started a new job last month. Every year they have a company wide meeting in person and apparently 3 of the offices organise a cycle to the meeting. This year (new to me), they sent out an email that you no longer had to take leave for the cycle, it would be counted as a work day. Now I am at the office they are all coming too. so no luck for me, but I chanced my arm, asked if I went out to meet one of the offices at my own cost, could I cycle in with them. Turn out 3 others in my office are cycling out to intercept them.

I am going to get paid to cycle for the day, heading out to the Waterford greenway to intercept the Cork office (looks like only one of them is coming).

100% best job ever so far, have to raise money for a charity but I'll just donate my wages for the day, this is great.

magicbastarder · 08-03-2026 11:40PM

i have a couple of cyclon products - a general lube and a wax based lube, possibly more; but it struck me the other day that the name of the company is unfortunately slightly similar to another product which you wouldn't want to sound like in any context.

CramCycle · 08-03-2026 11:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124297122#Comment_124297122

All I can hear is Cylon, and you know what, IMHO, I don't blame them. Baltar is still a f***h**e though

magicbastarder · 08-03-2026 11:52PM

i was thinking of zyklon b.

loyatemu · 09-03-2026 10:15AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124297166#Comment_124297166

I was thinking of these lads

smacl · 09-03-2026 10:26AM

Anyone know if Cruagh road is still closed off or passable? Thinking of heading up that way at lunch but can make alternative plans if it is not a runner.