n_maher

6AS7s are identical to 6080s with the exception of the envelope shape.

Woo comes closest with the WA2 but it's not really the same thing. If someone came up with a concept and then was able to bring it to market in time to catch the HD800 fire it might be profitable. But I'd expect it to cost ~$2500 to do it right and there's a lot of up front to swallow and as Justin has said recently, the real $$ to be made is still in portables.

Jacob, If you decide to dabble into buying a few more tubes my recommnedation would be to track down a pair of 5998s. They used to sell in the $100-$150 range on Ebay, but looking now I don't see any good options. I'd be on the lookout for them anyway. They were far and away my favorite in the Menace, which is essentially an Extreme taken to the Extreme. 7236s would be a solid second option but as you're finding, even cheap-as-chips 6AS7s sound really fracken good.

I'm left pretty nonplussed in the end. I thought the repeated and blatant cheating by SKY with little to no real penalty was seriously disappointing. Maybe that stuff happens all the time but I don't remember the same team doing it so much in the last few years when I've been watching. Would it have made the difference? I can't say for sure but Froome could have lost significant time to Quintana on that climb based on what I was seeing and the last few stages would have been pretty epic if there had only been a minute or two separating them. But I'm also with Chris on not really understanding why I don't like Froome, but I don't. Maybe it's that I assume that he's cheating at this point given what others have said about the level he was at pre-SKY compared to now. I know that there are freak athletes out there that are legit and would really like it if the sport wasn't as dirty as it has been. Le sigh.

Steve, sweet ride just wear a helmet.

Nice Brent! Me - got up at 5:30 to hit the road a little before 6 for a 50 mile tour of the seacoast. I gamed the system this time and checked the forecast last night to make sure that I wouldn't be headed dead into the wind along the coast. I'm happy to report that the weatherperson had it right so I got a nice ~5mph push on that section of the ride. I rode the whole loop without stopping so no pics for me.

Yeah, there were nasty storms predicted this afternoon (that still may arrive shortly) so it just wasn't worth risking getting hailed on. It's supposed to get down into the 60s tonight so I'm thinking about trying to get out for 50 tomorrow morning.

Fudge, started to get ready for a short ride in the heat this afternoon and didn't even get shorts on before the thunder and lightning hit. At least this front is supposed to signal the end of the heat/humidity for a few days.

Go Dan, GO!

Once we got a little over a mile from the beach the temp hit the mid 90s and when we got 5 miles from home it hit 99. Fuuuuuuuu.

And thus makes for a confusing read, eh? What I'd say is that given Tyll's recent thoughts (i.e. liking the 800s lots driven by something without near-0 output impedance) that the Rudi amp likely fits at least part of that profile and might actually be better suited to driving the 800s compared to the beta22.

It makes me like the race a whole lot less.

Yikes, Chris. I'm going to get a ride in tomorrow but between 2 hrs of sleep last night and the heat I'm not sure that's such a good idea.

I don't understand why SKY is being allowed to cheat so obviously? This is the second or third time they've illegally given riders food and drink late in a race and Froome was clearly crashing before the bottle and snack.

Gorgeous watch, Jacob.

Frick, Marshall, that sucks. Glad to hear that it's only scrapes to you and your gear but I'm sure it still doesn't feel good.

Gene, yes we did most of that exactly or closely similar.

This puts a huge smile on my face.

Gene, we're at pine point, which is the northern end of Saco Bay. The weather has been pretty epic.

Thanks Dan! I caved and ordered 2lbs.

Nice Chris! No riding for me this week but I should be able to make a good showing next week.

Damnit, I just ordered two pounds last week. Still probably going to order some...

Steve, You need to learn that when your lawyer gives you advice, you shut up and listen. As usual, Al, your generosity is astounding.

There's only so much you can stage and the stuff they were driving by had a pretty authentic, unmaintained but vacant quality about it. It is a feeling that I very much remember from working on abandoned military facilities back in the late 90s. It's all there, just waiting to be turned on. It can be freaky in real life.

I was wondering that too, Ed. Those empty apartment/condo/house areas were like post-apocalypse crazy.