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I think mtb chainset is the key to a bike like this. q-factor thing is overblown. Seen many petite women riding bikes with such wide cranks on tours that they are knock kneed, but they manage. When riding an mtb do you really think to yourself, fuck I wish my feet were closer together.. would be so much more efficient?

It keeps the price down, the standard ring sizes that come on a mtb chainset are also perfect for this sort of bike.

Totally agree. Narrow q-factor is massively over-hyped. I've had way more hip/kne problems with narrow q-factor bikes (bb30 cannondale) than anything else, although I am tall and fat/broad. It's about pelvis breadth, which is generally related to height.

Even road triples don't go low enough - I've bodged a 26t TA ring onto my road bike because I want to maintain 90rpm up 15% hills at the end of 3 hour rides. I use 22t on my practical bike for the same reason, given that it has to carry luggage.

Compacts aren't functional on any bike unless you never ride on the flat because they always result in crossed chain and/or slack/tight rear mech when you're cruising. Stupid design for traditionalists/aesthetes.

Triples 4lyf.

I like a bit of clever hooking before a shot or whatever, I could live without the hitting of mallets if they're being used to tripod.

Me too, but it's really rare, whereas horrendous hacking or just ugly 'mallet tapping' is commonplace and gets worse as tournaments progress. So there would be a net benefit to banning it all - the tough thing (I guess) is differentiating between incidental/accidental contact and intentional contact... But to ignore the issue because of that seems like a cop out.

It really does suck that some of the 'best' (IE most victorious) players play some of the ugliest polo, but it is inevitable now that the turtle/hack/block styles have consistently proven themselves at the highest level whereas the open/passy/flowing style only seems to get you so far...

We've needed a crease and to ban hacking for years, but it never happens. Objections seem to be 1) we don't want more rules, 2) we can't paint creases on every court, 3) refs can't keep track of who is in/out of the crease or for how long, 4) hacking is already banned, and probably loads more.

1) is ridiculous - there are loads of rules now, and some of them are almost universally acknowledged as stupid (high sticking!?!), 2) is fair, but it's only really tournament courts that need spraying; people can learn roughly how big they are and just fucking stop turtling in throw ins[I][/I] 3) is kind of fair, but there's now a precedent with the timed BJ. Make it the goal ref's job? 4) is silly - there's too much of a grey area between a hook and a hack, so just ban all mallet-on-mallet.

I really hope there is enough of a groundswell of opinion to sway it this time. I really enjoyed the latter games of the UK Champs - seemed pretty open if I remember correctly, but when the stakes are higher (big international tournaments) it all goes to shit.

I'm after a black 27.2 seatpost, but nothing fancy. Anyone else got something they want to get rid of for cheapz

Wednesday 2nd July 6:30pm, 'the heroes return' polo

1. Malletesta
   2.** danwentskiing**
   
2. neil - after 8, might just come for some beers.
   
3. kat
   
4. HA
   
5. alice
   
6. chrisswann
   
7. viki
   
8. Joe
   
9. LJ
   
   

Woo - can we have some team games please?

Also, if anyone's at a loose end in town pre-polo, let me know. I'm just going to wait around after work.

I've drifted off a bit, but would be up for playing every now and then. The problem is that the courts are all too busy on weeknights and nobody else wants to play super-early mornings on the weekend.

If you sort something, let me know and I'll try and come along. Moonlit Park around 5pm looks promising - usually a few people playing basketball and relatively few children or lazy footballers who can't be bothered to run after their own misplaced passes on a grass pitch.

Why were goals disallowed?

Wednesday 2nd July 6:30pm, 'the heroes return' polo

1. Malletesta
   
2. danwentskiing
   3.
   4.
   5.
   6.
   

5-4 victory to Edisons in first final! CMD's first defeat of the weekend.

Awesome, thanks. Yes I do.

Are they proper, full-length ones?

I know it's neither a trade nor a sale, but...

does anyone have some road bike mudguards (for 700x25c tyres) I could borrow for a week or two in August? I'm doing a mini-tour, but don't really want to buy a pair just for that...

Wednesday 25th Highgate 6:30pm

1. Malletesta
   
2. Kat
   
3. FS +1 or 2
   
4. danwentskiing (working, so might be closer to 7pm - drink sounds good).
   5.
   6.
   

It's definitely more like 11 by the time someone shows up with a ball. Sometimes 11.30 before we have six players. It's like speed limits though; if we ever list it as such, people won't rock up until lunchtime.

Can't make tonight, or Sunday, or next Sunday. Fin I have your gloves at mine - will be home around 5.30-6.30 if you want to pick them up.

Sunday 15th Highgate 10:30 BBQ!

1. HA
   
2. chrisswann
   
3. kat
   
4. neil (very provisionally)
   
5. mya
   6.FS
   
6. EMM
   
7. monti
   
8. danwentskiing
   

Thanks for the advice Ed.

I generally avoid using rural a-roads as much as possible, but I usually ride within 30 miles of Birmingham, so maybe I'll dally with some oop north. I've read elsewhere that routes across the Peak District are pretty congested and grim during the week (which is when I'd be doing it) so I'm a bit worried about that. Might skirt the issue and go eastwards, but tuck back in to (something like) Ed's suggested route.

Anyone been east coast between Newcastle and Edinburgh?

I'm leaving early on a Saturday morning, so happy to ride straight through Brum and out through Sutton Coldfield towards Nottingham.

Can't do Wednesday, 50/50 for Sunday.

unday 8th Highgate 10:30

1. HA
   
2. Neil
   
3. FS
   
4. kat
   
5. monti
   
6. viki
   
7. danwentskiing
   

I have a week off in August, and plan to ride from Birmingham to Edinburgh. Travelling light (staying with friends/family/hostels) but I'm not mega-fit so not really looking to smash the speed or do more than 70 miles in any one day. I can take either my aluminium road bike, or steel hybrid. I think I'd prefer the former, but obviously that limits me to proper roads.

Does anyone have any route suggestions? Areas/places that make good riding or are good to stay at or see? I've not really been anywhere north except Manchester and the Lake District.

I have family/friends in Nottingham and Sheffield, so they would ideally form the first two nights, but going via Sheffield seems to plunge me into miles and miles of urban sprawl, so I was also looking at going more eastward...

Not a fan of A-roads, so I'd like to avoid them wherever possible.

Any advice gratefully received.

Sunday?

Wednesday Polo - 6:30pm Highgate
(Weather forecast currently says it's going to stop raining at 6/7pm so fingers crossed!)

1. kat
   
2. danwentskiing (from 7.30, if there are 6 and it's not raining).
   

I think it must be external factors (euros, hard to get to by train for non-London teams). Price was fine IMO.

Personally, I am working/busy every other weekend in June so could have done with that one off to do boring chores.

I also reckon there might have been a drop-off in 'tournament-focussed' players over the last year or so. Brum has as many players as ever, but a much smaller proportion of competitive ones. Feels like it might be a similar situation in other cities. Experienced players have had kids/moved away/got a bit bored and newbies don't want to go to a tournament to lose five games 5-0 anymore.

Sunday 1st June Highgate 10:30am

1. HA
   
2. Neil
   
3. kat
   
4. Malletesta
   
5. mya
   
6. Chrisswann
   
7. danwentskiing
   

Some colleagues and I are going out to see the Pearl Izumi Criterium in Redditch, Tuesday 3rd June

We're going to ride from town, leaving around 5pm, but could meet people en route if they want to join. My colleagues are all fit/racer types though, so the pace will probably be 17-20mph.

I'm working that weekend I'm afraid