Last year I did it on a Cotic X with 35mm cyclocross tyres. Two pals who I rode with were on XC hardtails. The cyclocross bike was definitely the one to be one for 90% of the ride. It was a bit sketchy on the grassy descents but that added to the fun. I must admit that I’m slightly nervous about it this year given the rain that we have had…but I cant help but think that it would be dull and draggy on a MTB. I’ll probably be the one face down in a bog with a green Cotic X somewhere near!

Server room (unless its air conditioned). Just don’t get caught by I.T.!

I did Wales in a Day in 2015. Same organisers, just a bit longer (195 miles). Great day out. The food stations are a vast improvement on the usual sportif style food stops. Highly recommended.

We have a Blacks of Greenock Solace 1 with the canopy. Bought at Easter this year and used first time for May Bank Holiday. Lovely quality finish and it has the advantage over some designs that the door triangle is higher so you don’t have to stoop to enter.

http://www.blacksofgreenock.co.uk/16-bell-tents

I was cheeky and sent an email asking if they could do a deal on the tent and canopy. I got a very nice email back from a lady called Anne offering the canopy FOC. Winner!

Mobike!

I took a road bike on a family holiday there a few years ago. The old coastal road east towards Almunecar is fantastic. If you head inland those mountains are big! Take lots of water. Link to a couple of strava routes I used below:

https://www.strava.com/routes/382708

There was a ‘Biggun’ which headed north for a loop into the mountains from between Nerja and Almunecar but I appear to have deleted it.

Enjoy!

We had a great family hol in Puerto Mogan, Gran Canaria last summer. Smallish resort with no booming bars/clubs. Lots of Spanish and Italians and in general the Brits were the type you would have a drink with. Many good restaurants and bars along the beach and in the small town.

We stayed here in a self catering apartment. It’s fairly cheap and cheerful but clean and tidy. There were 3 or 4 pools and a kids club and our little fella had a great time. There’s also a quiet pool so mum can disappear for a couple of hours peace. The only negative about the hotel was no air con which resulted in me sleeping on the balcony a couple of nights but we did acclimatise.

https://www.cordialresortholidays.com/gran_canaria/cordial_mogan_valle_apartments/special_offers?gclid=CKbx2eLkyNECFaYy0wodUbAMUw

Next door is a more upmarket hotel also operated by Cordial.

Mine’s been great since having it serviced last year with the same signs of wear. Try these chaps:

Welcome

Speak to Steve or Josh and tell them Aaron sent ya!

Also used these chaps in the past:

http://www.reboundsuspension.co.uk/

I have a Dolan L’tape (see review above). Been using it for two years for commuting and big road rides including the 295km Wales in a day. Great bike and great service from Dolan.

Before buying it I spent a Saturday visiting Dolan, Ribble and Merlin. Dolan were by far the most helpful.

Thanks all. The Tiagra hydro is 10speed but is flat mount only so no good for the vast majority of older bikes running 10 speed.

The wheel are hand built and very nice so I won’t be ditching them for an 11 speed hub.

Looks like Hope V-twin is the way to go.

There’s a small group of us heading over from Saddleworth. We know the trails as far as Marsden but has anyone got any suggestions for trails linking Marsden and Huddersfield (other than the canal)? Thanks.

Initially i thought you were joking about phoning the police. Then Matt B showed me the photo of the occifer’s feet.

Only happened on one occasion. I’ll just suck it up.

A pal and I both had this issue at the same time after riding in really claggy mud. We had to clean the chains with water to continue. I was riding full M8000, he was riding 1×10 middleburn/shimano combo. Worked fine in the snow yesterday!

I’m about to put a nice little two bed house on the market that’s in Buckshaw Village. Drop me an email if anyone is looking in that area at the moment.

I might be wrong but can this issue not be solved by a service? Each time there has been a problem with mine either a pressure top up, a bleed or an internals service has got it working like new. Mines over three years old and counting and has an annual service at the same time as my shock and forks.

I was cycling home from work earlier in the week with a guy on the Merlin Cyclocross bike and it looked great.

The guys at Merlin also seem like a good bunch. I’ve always had good service whether online or in their shop.

Removing the pivot bearings from my Orange Alpine. Spent hours trying to bash them out with a hammer until the bearings disintegrated in the frame. Thank god they don’t need replacing very often.

Both of my mountain bikes are 26″. I have no intention of ‘upgrading’ but if I did change either I would look for a 26″ as I have wheels and tyres a plenty and there is good value 26″ kit available all over the place.

Mrs Aazlad and I have a very nice BTL property for sale at the moment and are willing to let it go for significantly less than the market value.

We were forced to relocate 4 years ago and couldn’t sell in the timescale that we had so we put it up for rent. Our landlord wants to sell our current home and we want to buy it so it’s time to sell our old place.

It has not been vacant in the 4 years and the 3 times that it was for rent it got snapped up within days. Yield of approx 7%.

Email address in profile if you want to discuss it.

Shhhhh! There’s absolutely no good riding at all in Saddleworth.

I tend to carry sandwiches in my back pocket and do a quick shop every couple of weeks for crisps and cereal bars.

I try and take cloths in when I get the train but this has been very useful:

http://www.ghyllside.co.uk/shop-by-brand/ortlieb/ortlieb-bike/ortlieb-saddlebags/ortlieb-saddlebag-large.html#.VcIN0_lVhBc

It’s just big enough for clothes if tightly rolled or a shirt and sandwiches if trousers are already in the office. Having a pair of shoes you can leave in the office is useful (office slippers).

I cancelled our Sky subscription this morning. Half price deal ended and it’s not worth full price. We’re going back to Freesat (no terrestrial tv signal at our house) with this set up to cover the Sky boxsets feature:

http://matricom.net/g-box-midnight-mx2/

Loaded with this:

http://kodi.tv/

With the genesis add on:

http://addons.tvaddons.ag/show/plugin.video.genesis/

I tested Kodi with Genesis on the laptop last night and I couldn’t think of a movie or box set that we would want to watch that isn’t available. The quality seemed pretty good.

Farewell Sky+.

Have you checked the air pressure? It needs lots of psi’s in the valve at the base. If that’s not the problem give it a bleed. If neither of those sort the problem its time for a service. Mine had a full service including new collar and bushes etc for £80 parts and labour.

The Aldi shorts are really good. Not just good for £12. Good compared to £40+ shorts I own. I have a 36″ waist and the large fit well. There were still some in the Aldi I was in at the weekend.

I have a Dolan Letape which has exactly the same geometry. I’m 5’11” and wasn’t sure whether to get a M or L. Had a bike fit with Dolan and was clearly better fitted to a L. Its fitted with a100mm stem.

I can recommend a Dolan L’etape very highly. I have the Campag Veloce with wheels upgraded to Mavic which can be had for less than £930.

Saddleworth’hin probably the closest area. Choice of several including Isle of Skye, Nant Sarah’s Marsden Cutting and Holme Moss can be added to a loop including those.

Does anyone know the difference between the Pave and Elite? Is it just the rim width?They both have Icon Ultra hubs. Does anyone have real world experience of these wheels?

I thoroughly recommend these at £55. Very comfortable. Just size up a bit as you would for Shimano shoes.

http://www.dolan-bikes.com/deals/shoes-helmets/mavic-peloton-shoes-2014-black-white.html

Dolan Dual. Full carbon winter frame with their standard geometry.

Thanks for your views. I’m limited to those wheels by the spec options that the shop has (Dolan) and I know I could just sell them on and buy whatever I want but TBH I can’t be bothered with the hassle of advertising, packaging, posting etc.

The only thing putting me off the Ksyriums is the reports of the rims cracking at the spoke holes. Anyone experienced this?

Thanks guys. Drover – I live up north but the inlaws live in Herefordshire and I often find myself out Hay way on a Gospel Pass loop. I’ll make sure I pop in next time I’m over there.

Try nipping up the tiny little bolt (1mm or 1.5mm) on the lever itself. This sorted the floppy lever for me. Be careful, those bolts are easy to round out.

16 Miles each way three to four times a week. Either 100% road, 50:50 road:old railway/canal or 100% railway/canal depending on my mood, weather and time pressures.

Cotic X with carbon forks and a Carradice Pendle.

I love it and actually look forward to the commute on a Sunday evening, it even outweighs the dread of ‘work tomorrow’.

My colleagues think I’m nuts!

The decline of Britsh Sea Power +1. 12th anniversary gigs in London and Manchester this summer!

Stick with 9 speed! It’s cheap as chips brand new and does the job very well. 9 speed parts will be available for ages. You can still buy 8 speed.

Ewan the Dream Sheep. Light and sound to mimic being in the womb. We’ve been relying on him to send mini Aazlad to dreamworld for the past 15 months. Great bit of kit!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sweet-Dreamers-Ltd-EWAN01-Dream/dp/B0040JSN7Y

It should be fine. May just take a bit longer than usual.