I use to commute 12miles each way Monday to Friday, go out with the mrs or on mountain bike for a good 30 or 40 miles Saturday, then a club run on Sunday, which was 60ish fast road miles. Monday's ride was always hard and slow...
I'm working up to getting fit again, but don't think I'll do that much ever again. 3 months of it (running up to an event in Scotland) put me off cycling for the last 3 years.
Anyway, on the frame, I just put loads of Corrosion Block grease in the bottom bracket. The rest can fend for its self. Plus I didn't want to wait a few days for the ACF to dry up before building it.
Steve, how do you find Hope hubs? I'm finding my new carbon Kona seems slow compared to my old Specialized which cost a damn sight less!! I've got Kenda El Moco 2.1 tyres on them - not sure whether it's wheels, tyres or the frame isn't as good as I thought it would be
'15 R1200GS TE
'06 R1200S
'04 BCR
Yam SR 500 long term restoration
wanna win the lottery and ride my bike
Hope hubs are very cool! I really like them. They last forever, are light, strong, look good and are re-buildable. cant ask for much more.
My old xc bike was a super light alu/carbon mix. it was smooth but took some getting going over rough stuff, but then it held speed very well compared to a heavier mtb. you needed the right legs to get the most of it, much like a road bike.
I'm a very slow/unaggressive rider on rough stuff and technical trails, so I've always gone for faster tyres. Fire XCs where my fave on 26" wheels, for my 29" I e gone for conti race kings. they look like they'd be shite in mud, but they're fast on and off road.
Cheers Steve. I've built plenty of Hopes but never had them myself but built them for the reasons you stated - all parts are available oh and they're British. Gonna play with the tyres and swap from my Spesh to see if there's any difference. Back knackered at the mo so banned from the bike - back to physio on Tuesday - going to try and convince her to get the stilettos on and walk up and down me back
'15 R1200GS TE
'06 R1200S
'04 BCR
Yam SR 500 long term restoration
wanna win the lottery and ride my bike