A few “Oh my Go………” moments there. Some people genuinely are bonkers.

I can see that this thread is going to cost me lots of cash! Just bought and watched Inside Out and had a flick through Art of Flight which looks absolutely amazing – I’m not a boarder but my jaw was on the floor…amazing.

Auchentoshan 12 year old. A birthday present from my sister. It’s ace!

A while ago, I woke up to hear my sister going “Beep, beep, beep…” The following morning she claimed to have had a weird dream about being a lorry driver.

Congratulations, I’ve just found and read your other thread, literally all 45 pages of it: with the exception of awe inspiring, words fail me.

Without wishing to hijack a thread, how is “boutique” defined? I’ve been riding for 17 years and have seen more Santa Cruz than Yeti. Ergo they are rarer. Ergo more boutique? Either way, they’re both great bike brands.

I agree with one of the poster above, the top tube seems a little on the short side so I had to go a size up in for my Heckler. Stand over height’s good though so it’s not a drama. And when I say it bobs, it does but only the smallest amount and is only really noticeable when stomping on the pedals.

EDIT: Just checked out that CRC offer…wow!

I just text “Nice Vespa” to that number. Still waiting for a reply…

Heckler! Heckler! Heckler!

Damn autocorrect, te lo “juro” not “jury”.

Joder! Acabo de ver en Channel 4 Penelope Cruz y Scarlett Johanssen haciendo el amor. Te lo jury, fue algo increible!

Santa Cruz is less of a “boutique” brand than Yeti and you’ll see a lot more of them around if that sort of thing bothers you. I’ve never ridden Yeti so can’t really comment on their performance but I’ve got a Heckler and it’s great fun. By that it means it rides well, is simple to maintain and looks cool imho. It does bob a bit but nothing too distracting. I live around Cwmcarn and Afan so that’s the sort of terrain I ride, and it’ll take everything I can dish out and more.

Do NOT listen to this song if you’re feeling down, it WILL make you cry, it is that beautiful.

An Olive Grove Facing the Sea by Snow Patrol.

54mph downhill on a road bike. And then it started wobbling…I have never been so scared for my life before.

You want to try reading them when your parents are in the room and come over to see what you’re reading without you realising…

Absolutely no.

And both me and my girlfriend are in the public sector.

I had golfer’s elbow (essentially the same symptoms but on the inside of the elbow) from curling too heavy weights. Went to a very well recommended physio and spent a few hundred pounds on treatment but nothing worked. Then I bought one of those power ball things from Chain Reaction and it sorted my elbows in about 2 weeks. Damn site cheaper than unsuccessful physio too!

31lbs of Heklery goodness. Great fun.

I got mine in the summer – all black except for white Fox forks. First ride was Mountain Mayhem where it felt like noone could catch me on the downs! Awesome bike. Cant wait to take it to the Alps this summer if I can.

@Houns: the football part of your vid actually made me cry with laughter. The rugby part made me think of this:

@lipseal: I really hope that photo is not how you earned your name?!

Seriously though: what the hell???

@cynic-al: no objection to eating and sleeping…I’m quite good at that!

@Elaine Anne: I’d love to see someone teach with a goldfish bowl on their head in an effort to stay healthy (as if wearing a goldfish bowl in the first place wasn’t indication enough that your efforts are somewhat too late!)

Both much of a muchness. Though leathermans seem to have a better build quality I think. Not a huge difference though. I’ve got a gerber and it does the job just fine.

@ernie_lynch: thanks, simple but very fair bit of advice.

tankslapper – Member
MTFU!

I tried that but got sent home from work with a “if you give me that bug then stand by young man” sort of look. It was quite withering I can tell you.

It had never occurred to me that Singletrack subscription withdrawal syndrome was the cause. Quite easily remedied though. I might even precede it by a unhealthy dose of MBUK to emphasise ST’s goodness – thanks for the tip.

I got up to 41 on my digital thermormeter for a couple of hours. I wasn’t overly happy at that point

Ha! I bet. Like I said, the temperature’s gone and I’m on the mend but just wondering if anyone had a magic formula for recovery to get back on my bike sooner rather than later!

Yeah, already been to a doctor: got given some paracetemol to get my temperature back down and got told to rest. I’m definitely on the mend but was just wondering if anyone had anything they have found effective for getting back up to speed?

A bit early in the day to have started drinking isn’t it?

He sings it in beige.

Ha, well put.

“Is it possible to plumb any depths of shallowness?” Ha! I missed that.
Anyway, I’m none too bothered about it all to be honest as I’m off to see Biffy and the FooFighters in the summer – whoop whoop!!

No! The cover just sounds massively sanitised. This Matt guy has taken a wonderful song and stripped away the feeling of the original. I still love the original, I just think the cover is a shame.

Well said Zulu-Eleven.

Since when did a degree become vocational training?

My point was in reply to someone who claimed that without a degree there would be no teachers, lawyers, doctor etc where apparently having a degree is a prerequisite for that profession so in a sense, certain degrees have become vocational.

My view is that you go to university to learn how to learn. The educated mind, like an exercised muscle, is a more capable and healthy mind.

Exactly! But to really benefit society and make us all better off, this should be done at school which would effect far more people.

Ha ha, and no, that spelling mistake was not meant to be ironic – I’m typing on an iPhone whilst in a truck with what seems like no suspension, damn predictive text!

[/quote]I was only being mischievous about cannon fodder

Ha! I thought I was going to attract no end of abuse! I’m not sure of the precise percentage of grads at sandhurst but my point is that, because I arrived naive and arrogant to think my degree made me more capable, for a year I stood in awe of what some of the 19 year old nongrads could do and it made me realise that having a degree is not the be all and end all.

As for it being the only example, like I said, I’m an ex consultant and banker and the same applies re grads v non grads. But maybe they were exceptions rather than the rule…I don’t know.

As for jobs where a degree IS essential, then go to university and get that degree. I just think that there are too many students (and this applies to many many friends of mine) who do a degree without asking themselves why they’re doing it. Maybe this will get rid of the students who do degrees because they are putting off getting a job or who are just there for the nightlife, whilst enabling those who are determined to get a degree to do just that.

At the end of the day, the govts making cuts because it has to, not because it wants to screw over a load of students. Every single sector is taking a hit at the moment…why should students be ring fenced? (Ooooh, contentious!) To those who say it enriches society, I’m pretty sure investing the money in increasing the level of state education wood benefit the majority a whole lot more…

Actually, I’m an ex consultant at one of the biggest professional services firm in the world; an ex banker for one of the world’s biggest banks and yes, currently “cannon fodder” as you put it, but that’s irrelevant. The point I’m making is that having a degree does not suddenly make you so much better than a non grad, which seems to be the opinion of many.

Anyway, I’m braced and ready for the inevitable abuse for being Forces…

And another thing: my profession accepts both grads and non grads into training and I can hold my hand on my heart and say that the non grads can match the grads blow for blow throughout one of the hardest leadership and man management courses in the country. A degree is not the be all and end all of the making of an individual.

Deadlydarcy, what I say is not utter bollocks. You say “University is not a boiler house to produce people “better prepared” for employers” yet claim that without university people are unable to be employed!! If someone aspires to a profession where a degree is required (teachers, lawyers etc) then go to university and get a relevant degree. But to imply that society would fall apart if not everyone had a degree is, whether you intended it or not, massively patronising.

[/quote]Have any of us any idea what it will be like without an educated population?

My word! Can you actually be any more patronising to people without degrees?! The population should be provided with sufficient education via the state school system and not necessarily have to go to university to compensate.

Maybe the students should be less self serving and if they’re so concerned about the level of free education for the masses then they should take up the mantle of improving state school education which truly would benefit the masses.

SC HECKLER!!!!!!!!!!

I’ve lusted after one since I was 12 and finally got one this year. I’m 27 and so, so happy with it!

scraprider – Member

can the damage done be charged to the student unions, why should the tax payer have to pay for the damage that students have caused,

Damn right!

kimbers – Member: if you ask me the police have come away today looking much worse what idiot drove them into a few hundred portestors!

Actually, I was cheering the TV when I saw footage of the police charging to drive back violent protesters. What do you expect the police to do when students are willing to occupy buildings illegally, cause vandalism and attack the police? Push them back with a playful nudge to the ribs? Ask them nicely? Not that realistic when snooker balls are being launched at your head now is it? But what happens when you charge? They move back. Job well done.