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The award-winning Rock and Ride blog page. Years of older posts available at; http://rockandrideoutdoors.blogspot.co.uk/
Aug 13
0

Megavalanche 2024 – A Pike Amongst Zebs

By | Biking

One minute to go. A glance to the surrounding peaks. Jagged, majestic, irrelevant. All that matters is right here in front of me, the jumble of expensive metal and carbon, full-face helmets and body armour. Deep, smooth breaths, trying to calm a heartbeat so powerful that it’s audible. Surfing between laser focus and hyperventilation, adrenaline and cortisol flooding, haven’t felt this psyched in years and it’s tough not to crumble, to curl up and shrivel, to want to be anywhere but here… The thirty-second board goes up and the cheesy techno beat kicks in, fake bugles signalling the hunt about…

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Sep 19
0

Existential Crises – ‘Biking’ the Alta Via 2

By | Biking, Mental Health

Wooden poles protrude the scree at crazy angles like shattered bones, the crumbling remnants of a former path. Sweat trickles down my nose as I edge gradually upwards, the unfamiliar bulk of heavy bag and awkward bike nestled on tender shoulders. The col creeps into view, a crack of brilliant blue between imposing cliffs. Nervous anticipation long since dissipated, replaced by the trudge of unsteady progress. Average people doing extraordinary things. A true sense of adventure. Almost certainly a world’s first. The ground levels and I gratefully ditch the heavy load, glimpsing into the abyss on the far side, hoping…

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Mar 15
0

Stanton Switch 9er FS Ti – A Mixed Material Machine Pt2

By | Biking

I read the Pinkbike review of this bike with great interest, after all I’ve been on Stanton for a number of years and my Switch 9er Ti has performed impeccably through the most diverse and testing set of conditions imaginable. I’ve long been an advocate of the hardcore hardtail, with tangible results demonstrating that the lack of rear squish is far from the crushing ability-crippler that many consider it to be. However, a couple of occurrences last Summer prompted a rethink as I realised it may be time to re-embrace the spring. The primary factor was my mate Tony getting…

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Dec 02
0

The Last Stanton?

By | Biking

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and as a constant thinker I guess the news that administrators had been called into Stanton Bikes a couple of weeks ago wasn’t as big a shock as it could’ve been. After all, we’ve had Brexit, Covid, war in Ukraine and the gross mismanagement of our economic affairs by an inept and corrupt Tory government for over a decade, formerly led by a halfwit who openly stated ‘fuck business’! What chance does a small-scale UK-based company really have in that environment? Unfortunately, beyond that, to me as a close follower of the Stanton story there…

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Jun 17
0

You Are What You Eat

By | Biking, Running

My interest in sports nutrition has been a twenty-five year slow-burner, from the genuinely perplexed student wondering why my legs felt flat the morning after eight pints of John Smiths, to the puritanical obsessive and self-confessed ‘diet nazi’ of a few years back. These days I’d like to think I’ve got it dialled, having learned through a painful process of trial and error what my body responds well to, and what ‘recommended’ approaches are actually detrimental to personal performance. My approach to ultra-race nutrition involves zero carb-loading, minimal mid-race food and fluid intake, and precisely pre-planned fuelling to the extent…

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Apr 23
0

How Much?!! Cane Creek EE Wings Review

By | Biking

Who the hell spends a grand on a set of cranks? Well, fortunately not me. But I have retrospectively pondered whether I’d have eventually succumbed even without getting preferential rates through the good people at Stanton Bikes? Certainly the Cane Creek EE Wings were a slow burner; initially introduced by my mate Tony, who sent a link in a (semi) tongue-in-cheek way, pointing out what a great match they’d make for my Switch9er Ti. The idea was discounted instantly, the in-situ XTR’s were doing a great job, I didn’t want to have to buy a new bottom-bracket and chainring, the…

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Apr 12
0

What If Money Was No Object?

By | Biking

Apologies if it seems a little crass talking about unjustifiably expensive bike builds at a time when so many are discovering the horrors of Universal Credit, and many more are fretting over when they’ll ever be employed again. Rest assured I’ve been hit as hard as most, with all biking work disappearing, taking a huge chunk of my income with it. But maybe it’s the right moment for a bit of escapism. Dreamy School Days School days for me were long and often tedious, I’d usually have the compulsory work banged out in minutes, leaving much opportunity for the favourite…

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Sep 19
0

Taking Back Control

By | Biking

Fear not, this isn’t a Brexit article! Although later on it will explore how the initial effects of Brexit Britain became the catalyst for a bold, and potentially very positive move for one UK frame manufacturer.  Keeping politics aside though, this is actually a piece about what it really means to take back control of a company, moving all aspects of production back to our shores based on a utopian vision of flexibility and employee well-being. Back To Slack Stanton Bikes have long been pioneers in the development of the modern ‘hardcore hardtail’, generating an enviable reputation for both design…

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Aug 12
0

Return of the ‘Real Boys’

By | Biking, Uncategorized

Breaking the Law… The heavy metallic door clanged slowly open, in stark contrast to the frantic barking from within.  Tony froze, already committed to the far side of rusted razor wire that littered the floor, whilst the rest of us quickly weighed up options and decided to talk our way out of this trouble.  A tubby soldier in sweaty fatigues exited the building, already waving a single hand in the classic dismissive Italian gesture.  Playing dumb is an art and fortunately few play dumber than our crew; spluttered words of broken Italian, vacant expressions and a rapid exit past several…

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