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The award-winning Rock and Ride blog page. Years of older posts available at; http://rockandrideoutdoors.blogspot.co.uk/
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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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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Nov 06
0

The Hunger Games – A Solo, Unsupported, Non-Stop Tour of Mont Blanc

By | Uncategorized

Blacking Out A momentary loss of consciousness.  Like a micro-sleep but without possible resistance.  One minute hugging the right side of the twisting Alpine road and a split second later traversing the centre line; long-honed instincts righting the listing bike before smashing into the asphalt.  Pull to a stop, head sagging, vision desperately seeking focus.  Endgame.  Make or break time.  The devastating realisation that failure could be grabbed from a success so tangible at this final juncture. Caffeine.  The drug of choice; a substance so potent it’d certainly be banned if not so prevalent.  The only possible salvation, and yet…

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Sep 24
0

The Longest Day

By | Uncategorized

Impending Gloom Thank Christ my legs felt good, spinning a steady tempo as the sweat wept from my brow, gradually forming blobs that dripped down the inside of sunglass lenses.  This climb over half an hour old by now, definitely getting older by the minute.  Redundant phone, no GPS signal and a trail ‘map’ that was an abstract masterpiece lacking essential detail.  This ascent should apparently top out at Champoussin at 1580m but the Garmin altimeter had clicked way beyond that, the relief of reaching the peak tempered by the uneasy impression that dropping down the far side would guarantee…

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Aug 20
0

Pain in the Arse? Stanton Rigel Saddle Review

By | Uncategorized

Bunch of Arse Arses, everybody’s got one, fat, thin, wide, narrow, round, square, well… maybe not square, but we do all have one and they’re all different.  And because of that, talking about comfort in a saddle review is basically wasted wordage so I’ll barely bother, one person’s fluffy bunny is another person’s barbed wire coated lump of granite. So, quick answer to the title, it’s a no for me, the Stanton Rigel saddle is not a pain in the arse at all.  Even on saggy shorted epics, six hours of sitting on a sopping chamois chafing away at wrinkled…

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Aug 20
0

Chasing Armadillos – The Conversion of a Bike Park Non-Believer

By | Uncategorized

Dropping In I waited patiently on the far side of the dusty track whilst the huddled armadillos shuffled to the edge of the wooden drop and peered into the abyss.  Adrenaline just bubbling under a solid ceiling of focus, full commitment guaranteed.  Machine-gun Spanish conversation incomprehensible, but the tone was clearly recognisable and matched the furrowed brows just visible below full-face lids.  They backed away sheepishly, awkwardly manoeuvreing DH superbikes, opening a gap just wide enough to squeeze through.  Half a pedal rev, small bunny hop to clear the gap and ‘whoosh, whump’ into the steep downhill landing fifteen feet…

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Feb 21
1

Functional Art – Stanton Switch9er Ti Long Term Review

By | Uncategorized

But Why?…. Why the hell do I ride a hardtail? It’s not like it’s a puritantical stance against technological advance.  If that were the case then I’d also still be on a 150mm stem, 540mm bars, 26″ wheels and those god awful tan wall tyres.  Oh, wait, those have made a comeback?!  Maybe the Flexstem and that batshit Slingshot bike with the wire for a down tube will be next, after all, fashion is cyclical. But bikes aren’t fashion (not for most of us anyway), they’re engineering, and sometime in the last three decades full-suspension frames have honed to an…

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