fourbanger – Member
I recommend developing your defensive riding skills, maybe buy the police drivers handbook, but I’m sure there are more relevant publications.

I use a Muvi for ‘evidence reasons’ also, cheap but quality and weatherproofing are limited.

I had an older version of this until the ex Mrs smashed it bits levering huge rocks in the garden !!!!!!!!

Cheers monty, just goes to show ice axes are the new bombers 🙂

Looks good monty, something with a bit more weight behind it might be better tho? Still possible to get something with a wooden shaft at all??

Either?

I thought the review [link above] very appropriate

The Lord of the Swings – choosing one axe to rule them all – everything you need to know about choosing a general-purpose ice axe this winter by Winter Mountain Leader, Paul Lewis.

Adore Your Tool

I love my ice axe. I know its weird and I should just say that I don’t mean love in the cuddle up on the sofa with it and watch a good DVD with a bottle of chilled Chardonnay kind of way.

But I do love it in a faithful companion who’s shared some great adventures and is always there for me kind of way – and yes, I know that’s still weird. But hey, if you’re feeling a bit jealous about my metal and I, don’t despair – just read these top tips and you’ll find your perfect match too!

Interesting debate 🙂

matthewlhome – Member
if i remember correctly geraints crash as per that photo was more to do with that wet / oily patch on the road and his wheel locking up than not being able to stop.

On the descent preceding the Tourmalet, for a few minutes, Thomas had done a passable impression of someone who had already sipped a few too many pints. Two crashes within the space of a few hundred meters threatened to derail his breakaway bid before the Olympic team pursuit champion finally regained his composure and descended safely to the foot of the Tourmalet.

“On the first one, there was something on the road and I ended up crashing. The second one was just stupid. I think I had a bit of mud on my tyres and couldn’t slow down quickly enough. It looked a bit of a drop so I thought I’d better crash now before going off down there. I lost my head a bit after that. I was a bit frustrated. I got back on, they didn’t really want to wait for me and it was all right in the end.[/quote]

I’d love to own a set of carbon wheels but don’t so I can’t speak from experience. A few club members / mates do though and opinion amongst them is still mixed (on braking performance). Some rims / pads work better than others.

rims can be lighter

Lighter = better?

glenh – Member
Why would anyone want disc brakes on a road bike?
I certainly wouldn’t on any big alpine descent.

Remember all the Pyrenean descent crashes this year.. Tommo, Frank, Voeckler’s..

Carbon rim braking performance has been improving but is still not a patch on aluminium (allegedly) (they still lose power in the wet and ‘grab’ or ‘fade’ when they get too hot).

It would be interesting to do some analysis. Not just weight but other implications – stress on fork blades, spokes etc.

If it could be shown that discs = less weight or marginally more weight at the centre of the wheel but less rolling resistance overall and consistent braking performance (incl. ‘feel’ and ‘power’ in all conditions) then I can see roadies buying it.

‘Wot tyres; threads, gotta love ’em. 🙂

FWIW my commute includes sections of glass strewn shared use path (local yoofs take great delight in smashing their bottles in the underpass especially).

..so puncture resistance became a priority for me.

Even new the Gatorskins still puncture but noticeably less than GP4s which also fractionally less than the ‘race’ tyres (I’ve tried most of them – I’m on Force / Attack, GP4000s and Schwalbe Ultremo R1s currently).

Lets see how many are still there come the cold weather, the mud and the non stop cleaning of bikes.

I’m looking forward to the ‘proper’ CX weather 🙂

Western League ‘regular’ here (I do the one’s I can ride to). We have a good time fighting it out for the vets, always get lapped but like you say you can still have a good race even if it’s ‘only’ for 30th place.

We’re missing you Chas this year tho 🙁

Was it a campervan?

http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/Stuck-campervan-rescued-Somerset-beach/story-13580418-detail/story.html

killerisation – Member
Neither of those links work (now) andy

Bikely one still working for me?

http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/by/analgueandy

Facebook – can’t access from work but will sort later in the week.

Glaring omission from this thread of course is the University CC if you happen to be a student there:

http://www.bathunimtb.com/

Not to say students are not allowed out to play with the rest of us 😀

TuckerUK – Member
Damn, I still had a whole load of funny (debatable I know) answers to suggest!

Same here. An OWL FFS!

Shall we just keep going anyway?

Was it a man surfing on a shark?

We’ve done this one to death before IIRC (‘scuse the pun :lol:) (when the ‘Opt Out’ proposal was on the cards again).

I’m on and they can use whatever might still be useful.

One of the guys who rides with us has someone else’s heart inside him.

Why would anyone [with any sense] not want to give up their organs?

Vistalite total Eclipse

Great light. Had four of them, the best in class when they were released but all now sadly dead – was a pain undoing the screws to change batts tho

Yep, as per CGs above there is no web page but a regular Newsletter which goes to lots of organisations many of whom stick it up on line:

Here’s a few more:

http://www.imberchurch.org.uk/
http://www.collingbourne-ducis.com

Re Maps, you’re right there are a lot more roads than shown on the OS – you need a copy of the ‘special’ OS – also shows MoD designations etc. Lots of them about – you just need to know who to ask – I bet TooTall has got one 🙂

It’s that time of year again already 🙂 or should that be 🙁

Facing a similar dilema, last year I ran a Cateye HHG and a Smart Lunar on the bike (Ribble Winter with full length ‘guards) and on very rare occasion I found one or other had failed.

(Also run one of the multi led Electron’s on the helmet).

Just don’t want to risk light failure so was thinking of going for an Exposure Red Eye.

Be interesting to see someone test all those on your list on the same bike through the same conditions all winter.

More googling reveals the ranges are open but only until Friday 2nd Jan this (i.e. ‘next’ year).

Anyone know the reason why it’s before Chrimbo this year and not just after New Year?

[EDIT: Doh, web site says: as we are unable to get access to the MOD land, on which the event is held, over the Christmas period.]

I wonder why the MOD are not opening the ranges over the New Year then like what they normally do?

Re police driving standards. Some interesting comments and I’m inclined to agree with some of what Edukator says. Collision stats in many forces are unacceptably high. A reflection in less time and effort spent training standard response drivers mostly. Comes back to attitude again mostly, whatever the shout it’s always better to arrive a few seconds later than not at all.

The liver run is in many ways a classic example. Can’t remember which section it is but front seat passenger loses it at one point (on the M25?) and waves his fist out of the window at a lorry driver who held them up. Unprofessional and unacceptable.

You should never overestimate how good your car control is

Too true. I remember one of our instructors used to say the first skill you need is to be able to recognise your faults.

I’ve said it before here lots of times, seems especially relevant for the OP: being a good driver starts with having the right attitude. No amount of ‘skill’ will save you if you have the wrong attitude.

When you’ve passed the test, come and have a go at the advanced one 🙂

http://www.iam.org.uk

Done mine as well (no op or pins) – all already said above really, depends on the nature of the fracture.

Only thing I’d stress at this stage is to get referred for physio and stick with it. Thankfully my local HNS service was fantastic (RUH Bath) they take in loads of physio students (from UWE) so I used to get loads of (mostly fit young ladies) practising on me twice a week 🙂 Also did a lot of work in the pool and with the stretchy rubber bands.

As already said above you may never get the full range of movement and strength back, mine aches like buggery after hard ‘bumpy’ rides. I can’t reach for stuff out of my jersey pocket or side of the rucksack very well (I’m told ladies with the same injury find they can’t do their bras up!).

Far worse than collar bone fractures (done them both twice as well!)

Good luck

llama – Member
Twerton is mostly fine. That’s where Nicholas Cage lived. I think.

Nah, it was Whiteway llama. After he was hit with his tax bill he sold Midford Castle and his place in The Circus and moved to a nice ex Council semi in Rosewarn Close. A couple of doors down from Johnny Depp apparently. 😆

Notice too how a thread asking ‘what’s Bath like’ turns into a thread about ‘why Bristol is better’ 😉

Klunk – Member
if you like being gawped at and your phototaken by japanese tourists maybe this might interest sir (very deep pockets required)

Little known fact: I used to live in the Royal Crescent (tiny top floor flat!)

I think the thread has moved on a bit tho Klunk 😉

ir_bandito – Member
I’m just saying, they either need a (single) zebra crossing, or nothing at all other than dropped kerbs.

Have a look at those links above on woonerfs (shared space) the idea is exactly that there are no crossings or dropped kerbs. Pedestrians have priority over the traffic. It can be done.

AlexSimon – Member
We’ve seen the tour won like he could many times before.
i.e. follow in the mountains and then beat the pure climbers in the time trial.

The way Wiggins beat Cadel in the Dauphine lends me to believe that he would have been there-or-thereabouts at the tour too.

That first week is always a crash-lottery though

Wot he said. Tour and Gold medal not as far fetched as it sounds.

Hi abhi. Which street? Some specific streets in Twerton are more of a problem than others and as llama said above the general area is nowhere near as many other comparable ‘estates’ in other cities. Redland Park for example, Roundhill Park further up the hill – Somer (the social housing landlord) has made a conscious decision to put all the ‘problem’ tennants on top of eachother.

Also the High Street does tend to attract groups of youths at night.

Thanks for the update, it’ll be interesting to hear where this goes.

Dutchynetherlandyhollandish?

Sounds like it might be another p!ss poor UK Council attempt at woonerfing?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woonerf

You want to suggest the Council get Ben in

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hamilton-Baillie

Not being daft but before you get to ‘what kit’ could I ask what you need it for?

We fitted a camera years ago it was poor quality and recorded to tape, plus it wasn’t obvious and proved not much of a deterrent. Someone attempted a break-in, we got pictures of them and we could recognised them (as could the local Beat Officer) but the CPS said the images were not good enough for evidential use (ie. they’d claim ‘not me gov’ and the court would let them off).

So we fitted some great big dummy cameras. Worked a treat. They targetted a neighbour instead. In fact the police came around and asked us if we kept any recordings as they thought they might have caught them walking past – they thought the cameras were the real thing too 😉

Remember if you are trying to catch someone at it the camera needs to be low enough and pointing so as to catch their faces and as already said it needs to work just as well at night.

BTW before they found out they were dummies the police told us they shouldn’t be pointing at the road / public places – complete tosh, so long as you are using them to protect a domestic home you don’t need to comply with the Data Protection Act (assuming you are not using them to harass or cause distress (i.e. they are not pointing in your neighbours windows!).

http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_the_public/topic_specific_guides/cctv.aspx

Yes they do CycleScheme:

The Boardman (like many others) is spec’d and priced to come in just under the £1000 limit:

http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/hr/reward/mybenefits/payplus/bikes

Had exactly the same issue as you with a similar crossing where I live (Bath, Brougham Hayes for anyone who knows it). Worse though because not only long delays (which leads to peds crossing on red), the lights and route were confusing and there was physically not enough room on the ‘island’ between the crossings.

The Highways Team basically said the same as in this case until..

We did a Press Release and organised a photo op with local school kids (speak to the Head and Chair of Governors). We arranged for the junction to be looked at by an on-side traffic engineer who suggested how the phasing could be changed with minimal impact upon flows.

I got a call from the Head of the Highways asking for a site meeting and hey presto we eventually got changes made and the phasing changed.

Ask for the accident stats (Stats 19 forms) to see what that throws up too.

Might be worth getting in contact with Sustrans also – esp if it’s an important route to school

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/what-we-do/safe-routes-to-schools

thisisnotaspoon – Member
Spare spokes, I keep mine in the handlebars of each bike, held in by a lump of blutak, couple of each size needed on that bike, then no need to wory about carying the right ones.

In my all day bag I’ve got……..

1st aid kit (not 100% comprihensive, but enough to hopefully get me/someone else off the hill or at least stop the bleeding.

Assorted food, although I rarely eat it since discovering energy drinks, 2/3 scoop of maltodextrin, 1/3 scoop of fructose per litre is more than enough to keep me from bonking on anything under an actual all day ride.

Spare tubes, multi tool, chain links, mech hanger, gear cable, zip ties, brake pads, tyre boot/toothpaste tube, pump, patches, tyre levers.

Waterproof

Survival sack and foil blanket.

Did my Trail Leader training at the weekend and that pretty much covers it.

It depends upon the remoteness, terrain and weather forecast of course but wot he said (and the above mentioned map and compass).

Plus if you’re riding solo don’t forget to let someone know your planned route / eta just in case you brain yourself half way round 🙂

One tip from the weekend, I plan to swap the foil blanket and plastic survival sack for one of the Adventure Medical Heatsheet Emergency Bivvy. Weight nothing, tough and apparently extremely effective:

http://www.skimania.co.uk/images/Products/Small/3166-product1531.jpg

Hi Dan,

Dependant upon how your general fitness is at the mo you might find 12 miles a struggle at the start, 5 days a week. (There was a thread on here last week about “how far is too far”).

12 miles hilly could take you about an hour each way, plus you’ll need to shower / change.

Have you heard about Cycle Scheme? You might be able to get a bike through that..

Anyhow, welcome and good luck 🙂

Too late now I guess (I’ve been away playing on Dartmoor all weekend :-)) but in case anyone picks this up there are several of our routes on bikely.com

http://www.bikely.com/listpaths/by/analgueandy

Or give us a shout if you need a guide

Same here! 6’6, 38 inch arms, 44 inch chest

Before they went bust I got Freestyle to make me a bespoke Goretex.

I wonder if Endura might be prepared to do something?

Good luck everyone doing it this year 🙂

Laughing at those who reckon anything over 6 miles is too much 😆

As is always the case “it depends” – fitness level, roads, route, profile, bike, time available etc etc

Many years ago I used to do 5 days a week (Frome to Corsham via Bradford on Avon) 22 miles each way. Great route, no wife or kids. Easily doable on road or on. Used to love it. Would often extend it or do off-road sections if on knobblies. Was dodgy in the dark until Vista Lites came along (anyone remember them).

These days I do 17 miles each way (Bath to North Bristol) about an hour each way. Occasionally 5 days a week but more often 3 or 4 due to family / work and other riding commitments.

Sometimes I’ll ride it hard (over 20mph) sometimes ‘easy’ (15mph). Sometimes extend it (longest ever commute was 200Km!! finished at midday headed over the bridge into Wales, rode up through the Forest of Dean, across the Severn at Gloucester and then back to Bath via Stroud etc). Most often on the Ribble Audax bike but occasionally on the racer (Colnago) or the MTB or CX..

It depends what you’re used to and how you build up to it. I often do 2+hrs hard on a Saturday (chain gang or hills), 4hrs ride on a Sunday (either 70-ish miles on the road or 4 hr mtb), 4 days commute and do a medium 3hr ride on the MTB on Weds nights.

You could try the police. A couple of years ago I was passed by a wagon with dangling / flailing about ratchet strap complete with hook on the end of it.

The hook hit a parked car and missed me by inches, it could have easily killed someone.

Reported to police with time, date, vehicle details. They took it seriously, came and took a statement etc but driver claimed it wasn’t him (even though the taco and his route could have placed him there). Without any direct CCTV or other corroborating evidence it went nowhere.

Not a Ryobi 🙁 Cost about £150 but last about 18 months and a nightmare getting parts.

Another option might be to hire one – my local place has the Stihl for just over £30 for the weekend

wilts rover – Member
This lady (Kim) was a friend of a female friend of mine. She was an experienced rider both on road and off road. I understand that she was wearing a helemt.

The road conditions were atrocious at the time, but nothing that she would not have been used to. There is an indication that her brakes may have failed – but I cannot verify that.

Whatever the result the quote from her parents ‘she died in a beautiful area doing something she loved’ – is a fitting epitath

Sorry to hear that WR, as you said an fitting epitath which some commenting above could to do well to remember. RIP Kim.

Time to call this thread a day perhaps?

Time for a new Forum rule?

“Only one ‘Helmet’ thread per week / month ….year” ?