I have accepted that E-bikes are the future. Maybe not in their current form but i rekon give it another 5 years and you will barely be able to tell them apart from a regular bike which for some, looks and weight may be an issue.

This view was compounded the other day after grinding my way up a 10km climb, sweating like a pig only to be met at the top by a couple of 60 plussers on e-bikes , one of which was wearing sandals.

I truly believe that stretch of trail would be off limits to people like that without the assistance.

More power too them ( no pun intended)

Im using Shimano R785 hydro shifters with Shimano deore post mounts on my diverge. A bit of a DIY faff but works perfectly ok. As already mentioned you can pick up MTB calipers really cheap for what they are, the shifters aren’t especially cheap but the road and MTB combo should still work out cheaper than going for a proper road groupset with the adaptors.

Probably less of a concern for the EU when we’re just one country after we leave and they’ll be 27.

There is a shortage of some drugs in the Slovak Republic too, firmly in the EU. But hey we have to give the remoaners something to remoan about hey!

Do you have any side-by-side comparisons to meat-based processed foods? Which of the ‘chemicals’ did you identify to cause such grave concerns?

Folks there is nothing to see here, move on..

Oh hang on, WTF is Mycoprotien?

Quorn burger pattie
Mycoprotein (37%), Egg White, Wheat Flour, Onion, Palm Oil, Canola Oil, Milk Protein Concentrate. Contains 2% or less of Natural Flavor, Roasted Barley Malt Extract, Salt, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Calcium Chloride, Calcium Acetate, Potassium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sugar, Potato Dextrin, Yeast, Coconut Oil, Black Pepper.

And we have’nt even got to the Vegan ones yet…it gets worse!

+1 for wheels manufacturing BB conversion 2k now on my Diverge, the old PF40 were lasting less than 2-300km before clicking and creaking.

I saw a lady today with a t shirt that said “ **** awesome vegan”.

Probably one of those new Vegans that constantly have to remind the world about their new found lifestyle superiority. I should know as i was one of them around five years ago, and would like to formally apologise for annoying the f£&k out of everybody l met!

On a serious note though, unless you are doing it for ethics and fully understand nutritional requirements dont go full vegan, just decrease the meat and dairy and increase fruit and veg consumption. It really is that simple. The meat based alternative processed foods are too much of a chemical soup for my liking and many as yet unproven for long term health benefits.

Yep, apart from to do that the parties who have been in power for the last 20 years

Very true and thats why 17.4 million voted for Brexit. For most it was about kicking the politicians and Establishment in the teeth. I believe that those who did not vote for Brexit were fairly happy with the status quo which, considering the large liberal majority in the remain camp doesnt make much sense i would have thought they would be itching to get out of EU rule.

Time to ditch brexit, move on & deal with the actual problems the country faces

Ha ha , you really think its going to be that easy don’t you?

What baffles me more than all of the e- cheating was the people spectating. I mean, really! What could a person get out of standing in a room watching a sweaty smelly bloke on a glorified spinning bike?
Please, please tell me they were close family!
Is this really what our sport has come to?

He is right about Brexit too

JOhnsons proposals will not get thru the EU, not a chance.

They will, not in the current form but they will. Boris has the new leader of the EU on his side, Macron. He wants us out of the EU as much as Boris wants us out so he can continue the EU project un-hindered.

but remain heroes like Swinson, Soubry and Grieve have other priorities.

They cant organise themselves, too many ideas to large an ego’s. I feel remain is a dead man walking now.

Boris / May’s deal will pass with maybe another tweak. Then we can all just finally get on with our lives.

Be careful with that stuff, i was addicted to it but developed such bad acid reflux that its painful to drink any fizzy drinks. Im going for a scan to find out what the problem is but i would place money on that drink as my diet was otherwise very good..

They replace all the EU migrants with brown people who they can pay even less.

This.
But l dont blame anybody for voting Brexit, in reality what else could they do?

This is a failing of government

Brexit fixes none of it, in fact makes it worse

Maybe you are right. But its not like those people were not warning the goverment. They had plenty of time to try and fix the problem but chose to ignore it. The people got fustrated and undervalued and thats how we ended up with Brexit.

Could someone explain how the arrival of pre-educated, fit, healthy EU people willing to do jobs British people don’t want to do has been bad for the British economy or indeed bad for Britain.

They are not jobs that British people did not want to do, they were jobs that British people could not afford to do. British people were not prepared to live 4 to a bedroom in order to be able to work for minimum wage, like many economic migrants did and continue to do.
You will always find people to do any job for the right money. But the wages were kept low because there was a constant stream of people coming in willing to work for three to four times plus currency change that their native country.
Im not blaming the migrants, id do the same but the powers that be should have identified this and acted on it before Farage’s momentum became unstoppable

Freedom of movement and the Euro are ace.

Freedom of movement is a good idea in theory, but prior to 2007 nobody from the UK goverment got off their backsides and travelled to Eastern Europe. If they did they would have seen that the natives were earning a less than a third than we were for doing the same job, and they were having English lessons from 6 years of age.
With a bit of foresight many many problems could have been avoided.

Pointy beard ?😁

Its just a vision i had, pointy beard, dark rimmed designer glasses, skinny jeans , goes to bed dreaming of Jo Swinson and Corbyn in a hot tub…

That kind of remainer.

The amount of people still supporting leave and it’s consequences is quite depressing. So they can go to hell. I take great pleasure in winding them up and calling them thick and racist.

A remain poster boy at his absolute pointy beard finest.

And I agree about some of the older generation thinking they are protecting their own interests ahead of their children and, more disgustingly, their grandchildren.

Ok, can somebody explain to me why if the older generation has done so very well under EU membership, enjoying high house prices , good pensions and an altogether higher standard of living, why a majority of them voted to leave the EU?

A generation of selfish and inwards looking people, who benefited from the post-war boom

My Grandfather had an outside toilet until the mid 60’s..so much for the post war boom.

Are you saying those people didnt work for their money, if you are correct on what you are saying the older generation would have no reason to vote leave. Immigration has contributed to the house price they enjoy but is also a factor for their kids still being at home at 36 years of age. And remember we have been and are still in the EU, so by your own rules there shouldnt be a problem, so why did so many vote leave? The feeing was already there, all Farage and the like did was light the spark.

combination of enfranchisement of younger voters and natural wastage of old gammons would deliver a majority for Remain.

What lovely non-divisive language you use!
So you are saying the remain vote has to rely on people dying to win? nice!

The polls show clearly a significant majority for remain

The problem is now they have to find a party to vote for…you would be a very brave man to vote Lib Dem, and Labours policies are all over the shop, as is the party. I guess that leaves the Green party?

andy – so what did you vote for and why?

I voted remain in 2016, was very pro EU for many years and still am, as an economic block it works. What changed my mind is the conduct of many MP’s over the past few years which is nothing short of disgusting. Love him of probably hate him Boris is only trying to honour the referendum result but it up against a wall and trying to fight in any way he can. I truly believe that the leave vote has firmed up and increased so a second referendum would only work if they opened up voting rights to groups that were previously not eligible.

If you want to get mad, get mad with Reese-Mogg and his mates. You won’t of course because it is too easy to believe the BS they feed you.

Ahh here we go , Everybody that voted leave is stupid and didn’t know what they were voting for. And you wonder why there is division..

Jorris Bonson’s government are a disgrace! get these **** out of power now.

Yes its disgraceful wanting to implement the largest democratic vote in history, an utter disgrace!

By the way, in your case, I have no idea if you’re hoping others are idiots, or if you’ve fallen for the line yourself.

Agree, he should have called an election when he became PM, but i think now its the only way to get rid of the moaners and get the job done.
Another referendum is pointless as im sure that Leave would win by an even bigger margin than before.

it was a clear and constant majority, a PM would just get past the logjam in Parliment by holding a referendum …

Or an election.. The opposition would have to grow some first though.

there’s still a significant minority of people shouting “get it done!” that they’re not interested in reporting any actual news about it.

You think its a minority shouting ‘get it done’ ?! Seriously?

cannot simply ignore the Supreme Court or Parliament as he’ll invite a confidence vote that the government will lose.

Which he would be happy with, but nobody will do because they dont want a Corbyn goverment so let them call an election and see what happens. A BORIS LANDSLIDE

Election now. Boris will win by a landslide and the other partys know it

Sorry… @andypaul, do you think the bigger impact is from people struggling to feed their families, and heat their homes? Not those with plenty and regularly flying off for city breaks, skiing and winter sun? I’m not sure I follow your logic.

Ok try convincing a Polish family to convert their coal and wood burning central heating system to solar panels while the household takes in €700 per month.. You could repeat this over much of Eastern Europe and Rural Russia. That is millions of households burning wood from already depleted forests. Its a double hit. Only wealth and general education will change this.

The only way to make people care about the enviroment is to take their worries away from other things like feeding their families.
Its easy to put the world to rights when you are sitting in an office and pulling in 5k per month. Its harder is you are digging holes and struggling to feed your family.
Ill be crucified for this but people like Trump will do more for the enviroment than a bunch of middle class moaners, He actually identified the people that are struggling and is trying to help them.

My eldest is 17, never yet taken a flight, doesn’t want to learn to drive or get a car.

Give it another eighteen months and come back for an update

Spring: Pyrenees (road)
Summer: Alps (road and bit of mtb) followed by northern Italy (lying in the sun, maybe a bit of riding, see how it goes)

Show off

You’ve listed the European destinations that appeal to me least there, Andypaul.

Shame..

Europe, lots of great people and places, same currency

Yes they do indeed share the same currency apart from Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and of course extension pending the United Kingdom.

There is probably another ten countries that wished they didnt have the same currency but that would be getting a bit political…

I would go for the Canyon Al SL 8 ,with the exception of the fuse its much more of an all rounder than the other HT bikes mentioned, slacker geo and a 2 x drivetrain will give more flexibilty and a fantastic fork too. (fox 34)

The Fuse would be my second choice which is along similar lines to the Canyon, more expensive though for a like for like spec.

Going against this forum advice im not going to recommend a bike i own , the Chisel. As this has a judy fork and is a little flexy for all round use. It also has traditional XC geo and is great for going fast but you will find the limits quicker too.

Isn’t that just a bodge to make a press fit frame more like a threaded BB, rather than a fundamental improvement?

If it means i can tackle my local climb without a click, click, creak, creak i would say the bodge is definitely worthwhile

Tubeless tyres
Threaded BB conversion
Quality headset bearings (Hope)
Carbon wheelset ( i didnt believe it either but its true!)