Talbot Cyclocross bike

I am currently 81.5kg, fresh out of the shower, so we'll see what those T45 stays can put up with.

very few production cross bikes will clear a 40mm tyre at all.

The small surface area of the seat stays will collect less mud too. I'd bet the fork crown and/or bottom bracket junction would clog before the seat stays.

Yeah - the seat stays tend to clog/attract much less mud than the bottom bracket junction in my experience, especially if there is no brake attached there for it to cling to.

Also seat stays are one of the least stressed parts of a bike frame - hence why you can get away with pencil stays. When was the last time you saw a snapped seat stay?

Beaut. Putting aside the discussion on if the wishbone will clog or not, the rear end looks awesome. I'm on the fence about the Talbot pencil stays on road bikes, but there's something brilliant about the combo of tiny tubing at the back amidst big ol' CX wheels and tyres.

New page pic

Thin wishbone is fine, even on a touring bike.

I witnessed Matt's equally skinny seatstays portaging child + dog across New Forest this summer, which suggests they're pretty strong .
(even if Affy's one leg lighter than the average dog).

Well done indeed.

Very nice bike.

How are those 105 hydraulic shifters?

Neil's hands usually blister if he touches anything below Ultegra so they must be pretty good.

Wow...very nice

How are those 105 hydraulic shifters?

Large! I wanted to see what they were like, this seemed an ideal bike to test them on - especially given the "don't race what you can't replace" adage, in combination with my huge experience of cyclocross/affinity with the scenery.

Great looking bike.

How much was f&f only? Love the stays and composite ST

Yeah how much? Also how much with decent wheels and finishing kit?

/sneakymemeface.jpg

Dammit is the Victor Kiam of the bike world

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf22bddvLnc

How much was f&f only? Love the stays and composite ST

Frame plus paint is £2,000, so add whatever your choice of fork is and that's the price.

We've used the new TRP bolt-thru fork for mine, you might want to use ENVE etc.

Looks delish but I'll realign my desires with my wallet and keep looking at Rychtarski...

105 shifters - work perfectly, very comfortable, sensible choice for a scenery bothering bike I think.

Clearance with proper CX tyres:

Also - 105 shifters, WTF does the gear cable go in? I gave up trying to find it in the end.

Hmmm that tyre looks like it's on the wrong way round...or is it the old run it reverse for more grip trick?

Correct, this is Challenge approved- DanB tried to troll me with this but I had looked it up before putting the tyre on.

Couple of lessons today:

• Coming to the corner of Stradella road I turn in, front wheel slips sideways, regains grip, I stick to my line, front slips again, I slacken the line through the corner and no more slipping.
  
  

= It's not on road tyres, stop cornering like it is.

• On the way home, heading through Dulwich Park on the horse-trotting track part, go to hop off the sand and onto the road, catch the rear wheel and hit the deck on hip and shoulder.
  
  

= When you think you should jump "properly" instead of hopping one wheel then the other do so.

Face plate need to come off.

hit the deck

All set for tomorrow at Herne Hill then.