Weeride.

Seat takes 10 seconds to remove/fit (leave the support frame on). Assuming it’s not a drop bar roadie. Wouldn’t leave it in the rain though without some sort of home made cover.

F250 Velociraptor

Sorry, wrong link.

Try this one instead

You’d be better doing the Lonesome Pine/Cross border/Newcastleton route to start with then if you’ve got any extra energy left do the Deadwater and the Osprey. Or the other way around. Add on the Lakeside Way at the end to completely knacker yourself. Don’t discount the blue Osprey route – the singletrack is fantastically flowing, grin inducing fun.

Cross border route

If you can ride everything at Cannock you’ll be fine at Kielder.

You’ll have to learn to pace yourself though as Kielder is either up or down, there are no flat bits. Head to the Peaks to get some hilly rides in and get yourself a heart rate monitor (and learn your zones) with audible warning to tell you when you’re going too hard.

Hill repeats!

Don’t feel you have to follow the full route. There are various option and the end into Tynemouth is a bit rubbish. I’d recommend picking up the Waskerley way at the parkead cafe then following that in the Derwent Walk down to the Tyne. Follow that in to the Baltic, cross north get a coffee at the hub then ride the path to Tynemouth.

Yep, that’s the route I’ll be taking. I live near the airport so will be taking the reavers route back home.

Marathons it is then.

Windermere?

Currently eyeing up one of these for our anniversary this year. Plus it’s the Lakes so take your bike… :D

http://www.thecranleigh.com/index.html
http://www.windermereboutiquehotel.co.uk/home

Home

Tennant will (should, might not) pay all the bills.

Anything they leave in the property they are responsible to keep it in good working order – that’s why we rent our other house out unfurnished (the Mrs and I both had houses when we met, moved into hers).

First tennant seemed okay but knew how to play the system with rent arrears, small claims court was needed to get what he owed us. Second tennants have been a dream couple.

http://www.landlords.org.uk/

Homepage Style 2

You can manipulate your data before uploading it to strava.

http://www.digitalepo.com/

Soundmagic E10s

http://www.whathifi.com/soundmagic/e10s/review

Sound bases are the future…
http://www.richersounds.com/product/soundbars-sound-base/cambridge-audio/minx-tv/camb-minx-tv-blk

they do offer additional bike cover too but only covers up to 2.5k max

The max is more than 2.5k. Just insured my buildings, contents and SC Blur TR for more than that with MoreThan including cover away from home for £220. Spoke to them on the phone though to get it sorted.

monkeyfudger – Member

warton – Member
they need to open it up to CX bikes, surely?

This and I don’t even own one! [/quote]

Given the choice I’d choose a 29er HT / short travel FS like an Epic.

^ hilly, sandy, rocky, fireroads, some cracking singletrack, some less so, some natural off piste, great views. Midges.

If it’s wet say goodbye to the brake pads and drivetrain.

Not open to register just yet.

Why did I see this? I have unfinished business with the 100: first time was ‘the wet one’ – with the mud and the mechanicals I missed the first cut-off by about 30 seconds. The next year I lost a water bottle somewhere along Hidden Valley in Newcastleton so gave up making the last check point and pulled out (didn’t fancy doing 20 miles with only 750ml of drink).

When you’re packing make sure you have an easily accessible bag(s)/ pushchair that have all your swimming stuff/towels/things for the nipper in so you can go to the pool. You have to leave your car in the car park until 3pm (or is it 3.30?) so unless you get there late you’ll need something to do. Don’t go down to get your car bang on 3pm – they’ll be a massive queue. Same on your last day. Pack your car and leave it in the car park but go swimming/whatever for the day as you can stay there until 10pm I think.

Hire a trailer, or depending on your length of stay, it may be cheaper to buy a second hand one and take it with you (that’s what I did). They use Burley Cubs which are really good but I’ve got 2 sons so need something a bit bigger.

There’s a soft play in the sports complex, some great outdoor play areas, lots of widlife to spot (red squirrels at your back door – kept the oldest entertained for hours), nature trails, off piste mtb, etc, etc. Big bike locks.

Don’t get any of the ‘welcome packs’ – logs, food, etc. They don’t save you any money. The supermarket is quite expensive so take your basics (bread, cereals, milk, etc) with you if you can.

GT85

First house I moved in to the previous occupants had boarded the attic out and put down a manky rug. Under the rug was a collection of ‘specialist’ european adult magazines… 8O

Your other half will still be accruing holiday even on maternity leave. With our first born she had 11 months off, went back for one day then had all the holiday she was entitled to and gave me the month of additional paternity leave (this is in addition to the 2 weeks paternity leave I had when he was born) so we were both off for those 4 weeks or so.

Hopefully going to be doing the same this September.

TF Tuned £495 but they strip them down, lube/grease everything and set them up for you.

5 of these at varying heights for all our bikes. Fit everything from roadie to 29er with big 2.35″ tyres on.

Just bookmarking for future reference. Ta. :-)

I have contemplated another bike (Canyon, YT, Rose, Stumpy Evo, etc) but I don’t want to get another bike where I’m not happy with a shifter/brakes/fork/whatever and want to change it. Everything I’ve got on current bike works how I want it (except the frame/shock – hence wanting to change, the forks I’ll stick on the Mrs’ HT).

Stay in the Lakes. Hidden Valley in Newcastleton is great and Skydive in Kielder is fun but the rest of it is just fire road / really not that interesting singletrack / more fire road. Having said that I do try and do it at least once a year in good weather for the views, the isolation and to do a nigh on 60km route 99% of which is offroad.

Strava link to my version

Write up with pics I did on another forum

Oh yeah: if anyone asks you if you’d like some help in those first few weeks – ask them to cook/make some food for you. You’ll be to bloody knackered to do anything other than toast.

Ram the freezer full of ready made (by yourself, naturally) food now so you can just bung it in the microwave when you’re dead on your feet.

Paternity leave / additional paternity leave – discussed that with the Mrs yet? You can spilt it 6 months each. She had 11, I had 1 in my case (on top of the standard 2 weeks at the start). Was great fun.

Sleep, patience & the ability to still function whilst covered in wee/poo/vomit.

Lots of free stuff available from numerous parenting clubs – have a look on mumsnet. Don’t buy tons of small (newborn/0-3 months) clothes / size 1 nappies. They won’t be in them for very long.

If you want to buy a changing bag other than the free one get this Bababing one. It’s actually sensibly designed and way better than all the pretty ones your Mrs’ll be convinced she needs.

Muslin cloths / sheets – you can never have too many. Baby wipes – ditto.

See those shoulder slits at the top of their baby grows? They’re so you can slide their clothes DOWN in the event of fecal explosive decompression from the nappy. Only learnt that one on baby number 2.

Babies are way tougher than you think.

Most of all: enjoy it. The first few weeks/months can be very tough but it does get better. My 2 are now the best things ever!

Calpol.
Infacol.
Sudocrem.

Used to work for a complete git who was the most racist, sexist, homophobic ****t you’ve ever met. He was a director, my line manager and also a proper bully. Used to use my mobile in my pocket to record 1 to 1 meetings with him (press record BEFORE you enter the room) which came handy no end.

Life’s too short to work with idiots. Felt good quitting.

Good luck.

Wow it comes in the biggest box ever

I’m hoping so for my 3.5 year old sons sake. Hours of fun to be had playing in a massive box…. 8O

Had the first one in my 18 year career last year. Praying for another one this year to replenish the new FS fund after depleting it getting a fatty.

Only other thing I’ve ever had was a bottle of Stolichnaya vodka.

Anyone else just had ‘the call’ from OO?

“Oops, sorry, we thought we had more wheels than we actually have. Next lot arriving next week.” FFS… :evil:

Anyone got any tips/link to a guide for drilling the rims?

I ride with midaircrisis… …Gosforth Road club. Very welcoming to newcomers on the cafe runs. I tend not to ride on these much as there are a smaller group of us racing who go out on harder rides. Meet at the regent centre.

Been meaning to ride with both of these for a few years now but never managed it.

How far are we pushing local to Newcastle?

OP – if you want a ride out somewhere give me a shout (just getting fitness back though after a long layoff ).

Being as we’re going out as far as Cramlington, also try Bicycle Repair Man, er… Giant Newcastle out in Prudhoe. When did they change their name?

Never had a problem with Edinburgh or Steels. But then I do most of my own maintenance. Used to use the Bike Place up at Cowgate for stuff I couldn’t do/didn’t have time for before they moved to Bellingham. Anyone know where the mechanic went as he was great (he was telling me he was considering a job from Aldi a few weeks before the shop moved).

Im in the Kingston park area

Me too!

There’s M Steels in Gosforth (near to South Gosforth metro)
http://www.msteelcycles.co.uk/

Edinburgh Bikes in Byker
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com

KB Cycles down in Newburn (the one that got flooded when ‘that’ culvert broke a few years ago)
http://www.kbcycles.com/

Start Cyles in town (top of Grainger Street)
http://startcycles.co.uk/

Evans down at the Metrocentre (it’s actually over near Ikea)

^ what warpcow said.

Fitted mine at the weekend. Had them on for the past few winters and they’re great on packed snow and ice (use mine at about 30psi when it’s bad) but pump them up to about 60 odd when it’s not. Just be careful on the corners as I’ve found the studs do reduce grip in normal conditions but are a complete godsend at other times.

The look on car drivers faces as you overtake them uphill when they’re revving the cr@p out of their engine and going nowhere is priceless.

I work in the countryside though and have to go down roads that never get gritted and always have standing water which turns them into a skating rink in the winter.

I use Real Time GPS Tracker on my android phone when I’m out on the bike on my own so the Mrs know where I am in case the worst happens. Needs a phone signal to send your position out though (like all of them).

Seems pretty good so far.

My dad (a carpenter for almost 40 years) only uses evo stick wood glue (green bottle for indoors) or fastgrab.

Gone for the black. Quite like the contrast.

^^rocketdog, are they 29er mudhuggers?

Damn,

Just had an email they’re out of the white carbon forks until January. Do I go for the black? Internet poll!

It’ll look like this only with black tyres. I’m swaying yes…

Curse this thread! Just gone and bought one with carbon forks and a reverb… :D

I’ve eaten in Danny’s (the geordie) restaurant. He should be good as his boss is Kenny Atkinson.

Flavour bombs springs to mind. Sure I was giving Gregg a run for craziest facial expressions that night.