I’m in already and this will be my last ride before I leave for Oz! So I’ll be riding with the for sale sign on my bike! Are mud x good for the track? looks like it’ll cut up badly after a few hundred riders. (I want some new tires anyway) Also what sort of distance is a lap?

A point regarding the video, when you’re running up the steps I almost barfed up my breakfast!

Ps the world will never be ready for tall screen.

Keep the video’s coming!

2hottie.

I used to work at Halford’s and iirc, they were only £550 new so something around £150-160 mark could be fair.

A cement mixer one drunken night at the pub,

consists of one measure of Baileys and one measure of Cointreau in same glass.

Had to drink it but keep the horrid solution in my mouth and swill it for a minute! it turns in to a lovely past hence cement mixer.

Never again.

Bampot,

I’ll be sure to give you a shout when we arrive in April! unsure if I’m bringing my bike as we are travelling light and I believe it can be a nightmare to bring in items such as this.

Also I doubt I’ll have the time for the first few weeks of being in Aus to go riding as I’ll be out exploring the area and hopefully working!

Shorts in winter, I read about Eagle Creek looks like fun, I’m looking forward to riding in the sunshine for a change.

I’m off to Adelaide in April next year so all this makes interesting reading.
I’m sure there are times when isolation sets in but I’m happy to find my own adventures. I for one love the UK’s countryside but in all honesty I could leave the cities well behind and there associated “problems”

Culture? going down the pub every week to catch up with friends is all foreign to me so I doubt that would be an issue. As for history I’m again not fussed, take it or leave it in my opinion.

Family is the only real concern but bar my older brother I’m not that close to any of them.

Yeah I’ll miss my friends and they’ll always be friends but I’m not going to miss an opportunity like this for that reason.

Also the job market seems much better for my career and current situation and the GF is certainly stuck in her current role as there is a glut of people going for zero job promotion!

I’m wondering what tires for the MT Lofty Ranges Adelaide? I think my X-Kings should be spot on!

I knew I could count on someone off singletrack taking Brian him off my hands. I’ve got three people already lined up but I really don’t want to leave him. Yet we are both certain that we want to leave the country. I could save up in Australia but would require someone in the UK to have him for around 6 months. I’m sure it can be possible and I’ve certainly not given up hope yet! I can justify £2349 to take him but I would think buying a bike at that price is reasonable, value is clearly subjective.

Bad times in the 2Hottie household,

Thought I could take Brian to Australia with me but I can’t really afford the £2349 price to do so! He may have to be re-homed with the GF’s parents (they love him) for while or permanently as the GF can’t fully justify the cost to take him!

Gutted isn’t the word.

Tesco’s and the like use section 106 agreements to get their way. In terms of sustainable development we do need to move away from the traditional brick and block house’s we Brit’s appear to love.

Building new housing in the National Parks is pointless with out generating employment so “local” people can actually buy them. Also once the house is sold in the future what stops none locals buying these homes?

I think it should be mandatory that new developments have some form of micro generation units associated with them such as PV tiles and wind turbines as well as rain water collection for the use of toilet flushing etc. A lot can be done but without stricter legislative requirements then no house builder is going to do this.

M61 meeting the M60, I was in the outside lane just going past a car in the middle lane, ass hat in an old Micra bombed up behind me so I backed off and made a start to go into the middle lane, (he was that close I couldn’t see any of his lights in the rear view mirror) he then under took me going mental whilst pulling in to the 3 car length gap between me and the car in the middle lane whilst turning his entire body round to give me a mouthful, he got it all wrong and spun in front of me and hit the celica in the slower lane pushing it under the armco and then in to a lamp post, amazingly they both walked away from it but it’s safe to say the guy in the micra will certainly not have his licence for much longer. Driving through the shower of debris was an eye opener!!!!

Brian.

Pup in this photo.

Say no more.

Yeah I’ve got the quote from the main dealer and it just seems over the top especially as ours has no damage and appears fine underneath. Agreed with what can’t be seen and that but it comes back to the point that we maybe at more risk by admitting liability instead of just going via the insurance. Our premium will likely go up but as I moving to Australia next April I’d rather not have anything creeping up on us at a later date.

Can I use the insurance even tho our excess is around £550!!! and the quote is £380. I think I’d rather be safe than sorry.

Yeah we considered that, my true issue is that if we sort the matter out in private how do I stop them taking the piss and saying they had whiplash and further car issues?

Some nice pics on here,

A few from the lakes last year,

Some with a keen eye will spot the DH for Garburn.

Unlucky. We did Pen Y Gent round out of Horton, not a long route but fun all the same. Didn’t have to wait at all, only thing that slowed us down was the constant banter and the falling off of our groups relative nooob. Trail centres have there place but nothing beats getting out in the hills proper.

My BC, X-Kings didn’t help on the wet greasy/moss covered rocks of the lakes district a few weeks back, had a nice little finger – bolder interface. The bolder won and broke my finger. However I still swear by the Black Chilli compound as it’s the best compromise between grip/wear and rolling resistance.

They are know as the cheating tyres in my riding group.

For the day time lot.. ideals welcome.

Trout great lights they are! Brave doing it down the canal with the dog in tow.

Also love the way he (Paddy) takes great pleasure in rubbing his face in what can only be fox turds at around 3 minutes into the vid!

Keep up the good work. I’ll one day have some money to buy a nice light set!

Conti X-king in 2.4 Protection black chilli. love them.

What a tool. Appeared drunk to me, waster. Much like the asshat who swerved at me this weekend whilst enjoying a lovely ride in the dales. Nobbers everywhere.

You did the right thing, no point getting in a fight with a tit like that, let him get it off his chest, he thinks he is the big man but a tosser all the same.

Report to the Police, never know he may try it again a few days later. Build a case against him.

currently got x-king 2.4 bc/protections on my HT and love them. They have been referred too as the cheating tyres due to being fast rolling and grip really well. A little loose at high speed corners but don’t drag on long climbs. I may get a rubber queen for the front to run in October to allow better mud cornering.

Bagstard +1. Belt up or get out is the policy when i’m driving. It isn’t just the “yoof” of today loads of people appear to drive without seatbelts on. It must be something to do with it being compulsory/law that makes them rebel. asswipes. The problem I have with it is the unnecessary costs and burdens that are placed on the emergency services when they have a crash. It really doesn’t have to be high speed either for those in the back to cause injury to those in the front. Friend was “kneed” in the back (he was in the front passenger seat)and now has chronic and debilitating back pain to the point he had to leave his job! (he went to Uni and got himself a Quantity Surveying degree instead)

No issues for me,

Did a smoke test which passed and installed the stove and had no issues what so ever. Get a liner (if you have too) as the concrete option will me messy and if not done correctly can more problematic in the long run. Also consider the different cowls on the roof (chimney) which can aid with better airflow.

Chimney fires are normally caused due to burning wet/poor quality items which leave a residue inside the chimney. Have it swept once twice a year and use decent wood (hardwood with coal) and you’ll have a lovely warm room. Our 5kw Morso Squirrel (1412)IIRC, heats the house no problem and we have 3m ceilings through out the property.

We also use a Carbon Monoxide meter just for back up.

Good luck and enjoy.

PS consider if you’re in a smoke control zone on the planning/building control section of your local council.

As mentioned previously by others, I try and help a bit, basic and simple stuff really, things on high shelves, people with prams going up/down stairs, heavy stuff for folk who look like they’re struggling etc. Just the other day I helped an old lady who had dropped her keys in a car park, she couldn’t bend over so I picked them up for her. Takes just a few seconds to makes somebodies day. Not hard really. It comes back to the karma idea to me.

Brian, as a pup




and the most famous of them all

That banking behind your shed could do with a bit of support! The weight of that collapsing could wipe out your lovely shed.

Toilet Paper.

Snapped my left radius playing footie (overhead kick on a 5 a side pitch) had it re-aligned in hospital, then 6 weeks in a pot and was told to not ride again for another 6 weeks! I thought the Doc was being overly cautious so went out after three weeks. A combination of showing off and a weak wrist sent me clean over the bars and in to a ditch, I knew in mid air that I was going to snap my wrist again. You know what I did better than that, I managed to squish all the new “softer” bone in the break together (it phecking hurt). Took 2hrs to get to my local A+E who were not at all pleased to see me with the same injury! (it was the same nurse who was a family friend)
My wrist has NEVER been the same since. It aches on cold days and clicks and grinds more often than I would like it too. Gentle exercise and get a power ball they do help!

my wrist the first time..

Just start jacking off in bed and the shower (when she is around), like Kevin Spacey in American Beauty. She’ll get the message soon.

180/160 for me, works fine.

I do it with the GF, she owns the house and I pay rent.

Seems fair to be honest. The mortgage company insisted that she get a rental contract for us.

I’m happy with it as it provides us both with a bit of security. I have pre existing debts and I certainly don’t want them to effect the house in anyway at all. (I doubt they ever would but better safe than sorry)

Your GF should be happy to contribute but don’t expect half the mortgage and having two people live in a house doesn’t cost twice as much as one. Best talk to her about it.

Morso Squirrel 5Kw clean burn here. a joy to use, appears to be efficient and looks the part. Pretty much what crankboy said too

You called IDave?

I’m on my way…

Going to look for the breeder details

I’ll do some more digging

The internet is full of info..

As I’m a Border I’ve completely forgotten what you asked for in the first place…

The guy on the trike in your first picture is based in Preston, he had some form of accident or illness that buggered his legs up so he can only walk with crutches.

He is a friend of the ex’s Dad an is a nice chap who loved motorbikes and saved up for this trike for years so he could be out on his own once more.

Good on him I say..

Yes I wanted to punch him, what an ass he was.. self obsessed yank. He was boring too. I thought the guy talking about the grand national was going to stab him at one point especially when he kept interrupting.

I bet the staff on the show were happy to see the back of him.

He would go even higher without the kick stand but good on him. Used to play bunny hop the box when I was younger, (using a cardboard box first to practice with then build up the heights) good on him for giving it a go..

I used to work at Halfords in the bike shop when I was 16.

The bikes come with the forks the wrong way round, out of the box, (it makes the boxes slightly shorter) and any idiot could see they needed changing around.

The branch I worked in all the bike staff actually rode and enjoyed working with bikes so took some pride in their individual work. No bike would leave the shop without a completed check list attached to it.

I guess if you have someone off sick then another member of staff (the car stereo salesman) would have to build the bikes that were due to be collected and therefore increasing the potential for mistakes.

The Apollo’s generally had faults with them out of the box and replacing parts on a new bike was common place.

I’ve seen some sights with small bike shops too but I guess due to the size of Halfords it happens more often.

I think Halfords are in the main ok and are very useful when your short of spares such as tubes, brake pads etc at the last minute.

I’m certain there are horrors stories from small bike shops too including the big names you see in the magazines.

Halfords aren’t that bad and will generally sort a problem out without too much fuss unlike some independent stores.

You did the right thing pointing it out to the parents mind.

Yep, top day for me, out on the bike at 9am, 30mile route done, the puncture didn’t make me angry nor the broken bridge, (I had to get wet feet in the river instead) Got home watched the F1 on time slip on sky (play it at x2 condenses the whole race perfectly) Just got back from walking the pooch, now lets start another assignment for Uni..

Border Terriers fly too