@spud

Sorry didn’t realise hard evidence was required in the court of STW. I can’t remember the specifics now (was a few years ago), but I’ve been to the factories where they’re produced and seen them.

Take it or leave it, I don’t mind.

@stainypants “I don’t think I’ll buy Huub again when I come to get a new suit.”

Huub are rubbish, they’re products are just rebranded off the shelf stuff with a massive price hike on. Huub basically paid the brownlees loads of money to rep the brand to get exposure, with custom suits for them. Then they made much less quality suits and sold them to the masses. Example, goggles. Exactly the same goggle from exactly the same factory.

Huub, £45 RRP :
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/huub-aphotic-photochromic-goggles-1

dhb, £12 (although i think they used to be £20 :
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-turbo-tinted-lens-goggle

@mogrim “I do get a bit of envy when I see mates with the latest 500GBP wetsuit”
Don’t be too envious, Those suits offer very little real world benefits over mid range suits and they damage far easier, unless you are technically a much better swimmer, due to the reduced buoyancy from the thinner neoprene.

@DezB “Why do you need a cap in the summer? Protecting a nice perm?”

As well as visibility mentioned above, its all about drag my friend, efficient swimming is all about reducing drag. Hair creates lots of drag. (It’s why swimmers shave legs and chests).

@John_l “Anyone tried any of the Alpkit or DHB wetsuits?”

I worked on the original dhb wetsuit which was made by blueseventy, so was top notch quality wise. I’m not to sure about the newer ones they have now though and where they are made, but I expect they are good for the price.

My SwimRun wetsuit is the DHB Aeron 2.0 and its pretty good. Fits well, good features and nice to wear.

If you’re looking for something a bit warmer than just speedos, the typical progression is to add a Rashvest, a nice tight fitting one (see drag above!). You may have heard of them as Swim Skins too.

A Swim Run Wetsuit is also a good option too. I actually like swimming in mine so much that I don’t have a full length suit anymore. I add arm sleeves and Calf sleeves when it gets too cold, and a layer under the suit. They’re way easier to get on and off, dry quicker and have pockets which is excellent for stashing keys etc in mini dry pockets.

@tonyd
That is actually the origin of body glide and similar stuff, overweight people with flabs that rub together. It was adapted for sports use!

The Ocean Lube is great, nice big tub, goes on easy,

Did the last one, 2019 i guess if 2020 was covid’d. Used 650b Maxxis Ikons 2″ which were excellent on the comfort factor and the grip factor.

I ended up missing the 200km cut off by 1/2 hour in the end because of chatting and stopping to enjoy the scenery etc. Turns out I’d totally misinterpreted the ‘vibe’ of the ride when everyone turned up in full in lycra. A fun inclusive crowd mostly it was not, quite a few people didn’t even reply to hello’s or starting a chat on the route or at the food stops etc. That’s on me though really for not checking what sort of event i was entering! The friendliest people i met were the people riding and walking around on their own adventures.

Great area, really lovely, did an OMM there too a few years back. Make sure you take a bit of time before or after the ride to checkout the trails up past the observatory, and enjoy a nice walk around the lake, it really is beautiful. Hadrians wall isn’t far away either, Homesteads is well worth a visit if you get the time.

Bit of a ramble, sorry, but i’m sure you’ll enjoy it, like i said its hard not to in such a cracking area.

If I remember correctly, Frames still go through the ‘bike mechanic’ work flow to be checked over, Not straight out of stock in the warehouse like pedals or something. This takes extra time.

Who’s paying £60 for a Nukeproof BB when you can get a Hope one for a few quid more?

CRC used to do (probably still do) a lot of buying of containers of stock, sight unseen direct from factories, or sometimes it’s just a whopping pile of stuff, and you dig around before ordering all of it or nothing. It’s then transported back to the UK where warehouse staff would sort it and box it etc. It’s why you get loads of random stuff turning up all the time, cost peanuts.

That is what’s happened I expect. Though by no means for definite.

How you getting on? I live right on the border in Rowlands Castle, have plenty of routes i can send you if interested.

I’d prob bring the MTB in summer. Plenty of places close by to go like Llanhydroch etc where there are MTB trails, nice cafes etc.

My folks live in Cornwall and from experience I’d avoid the roads like the plague around there in summer the way tourists drive around.

What bike you taking?

From Devizes, you can follow the canal path West all the way to Bath, then go through the simply epic tunnels and end up in Bristol. This would be perfect for a ‘gravel’ bike due to the canal path. Few cafes enroute etc.

If you’re on a road bike, heading south east towards salisbury is lovely. Really nice quiet roads and pretty pub stops.

If you’re on a MTB, then the ridgeway isn’t far away to the north which would be nice.

Watched all six, thought they were very, very poor. Especially the last two. The format of ‘dramatic twist at the end’ is just getting tired now and very evident over the last few seasons.

I’d like to see a new season of Psychoville.

I spent a few years fitting people into wetsuits, before working on and developing swimming wetsuits.

For your given measurements, you are defiantly a MT or a LT. 40″chest might just push you into the LT depending on your belly.

I’d start with the MT, then if that is too tight, the LT. Remember swimming wetsuits need to be tight. They SHOULD feel slightly uncomfortably tight when on land, as your position change, buoyance and the water loosen them up slightly when swimming.

I would recommend the Orca TRN or Orca Openwater wetsuits for you, probably the latter. They’re cheap, have reasonable quality neoprene in all the right thicknesses and perfect for people new to open water swimming.

Lastly, don’t draw the line at wetsuit. Make sure you get some lube for your neck, or it’ll rub. especially if you’re not used to it. I’d strongly recommend the brand Ocean Lube over stuff like Body Glide, it just works better and lasts longer. Also, if you haven’t already, get some open water goggles. Pool googles dont cut the mustard in open water visbility wise. Zoggs Predators, or Aqua Sphere Vistas are both good starting points.

Oh, and if you’re going on your own, get a tow float. Not only do they hold yoyr car keys etc, but they stop you being run over by jetskis.

Loads of flag poles going up near me, mostly GB flags. Very conservative area, local councilor semi-regularly writes xenophobic articles in the local magazine (latest one was that its foreign drivers who can’t read the English signs and drive dangerously through the village – to which I complained, only she was let off by another crusty old tory and they wouldn’t look into it without me raising a judicial review or something).

I’m in the ‘people who fly flags are dicks’ camp. They’re distracting and don’t really serve any purpose. We all know where we are, and we don’t need to know that the residents of number 34b are patriots. You can be a patriot without waving a flag around.

Then again I don’t really get patriotic people either. As someone else said, its luck where you’re born. Why do I have to love this bit of land more than the bit of equal land over the other side of an imaginary line? I certainly wouldn’t be prepared to kill someone or fight for it.

I for one welcome our new Russian overloads, at least it’ll be a change of scenery on all these flag poles…

Don’t forget if you’re using Amazon, at lease use smile.amazon so some of the money goes to charity.

Christ alive, how do people like that get anywhere in life under the constant threat of adult males being allowed to freely (and aggressively) roam around.

Haven’t watched all of it, but Cllr Stephen a,,,, ‘s wife (i assume) seems to have her head screwed on with some genuinely sensible things to say about providing the facility etc.

working with incomptetant micro managers

This x100. I’ve worked in ‘IT’ for a while in a few different industries and it always, always comes down to this. If you don’t have one yet, you will do soon! It seems as every company grows and its IT team with it, these people get in all the nooks.

My bad, sorry misread it!

I am just about to do that one this week – it’s a 1.4 mile straight road with a big hill in the middle so I was going to spend an hour going back and forth.

It’s a horrible experience, but ultimately good for you…. I tend these days to listen to podcasts when doing stuff like this!

https://www.irunfar.com/ isn’t too bad if you’re into trail running. A bit US-centric, perhaps.

Thanks, will check that out!

Anyone got any ideas on how else I can try to improve?

I think start introducing speed work or hill reps. If you’re running the same route over and over, you’re going to plateau.

Fartlek is good, either on your own just picking a spot to sprint too, or with someone else taking it turns. Alternatively find a good hill and session it.

Anyone got any good links to interesting running sites? Kind of like the STW or the Radavist of running news, reviews, goings on etc.

Subscribe to Like the Wind, but get through it well before the next issue hits.

James May owns half a pub restaurant so possibly another series.

Doesn’t he already do a cooking show? Not watched it, look awful. Although I did quite enjoy his Japan series.

I actually found the farming bit really eye opening, and thoroughly enjoyed the first episode. Even as someone who doesn’t really like JC.

(Although I have read one or two of his books, I think he is actually a reasonably talented writer when he puts his mind to it).

I’d quite like a fancy cycling tabard. New design every year from a famous artist etc.

Is it such a big deal? Why does it matter if AirBnb have a picture of you? It’s not like faces are secret. You have to do it every time you get on a plane. Or every time you went to a nightclub (granted I’ve not been to one for YEARS, but they used to scan your ID as you went in). Every time you go in the co op they’re recording your face and storing it. Even The Eden Project take a picture of you as you go in. Hotels sometimes take a photo to.

Curious to know the genuine concern here? If the russians get hold of your face are you worried about some sort of elaborate Face/Off issue where you get replaced by a sleeper agent?

I went for a Fanatic Fly Air Pure in 10ft 4in

Got exactly the same one after a fair amount of research.

I love it, does everything i need, is incredibly stable and a real joy to potter around on. Had plenty of stuff on it to.

Agree the default paddle isn’t great, it slips down during use which is a bit annoying. tried tightening the clamp thing, but no joy. Time to get out the carbon fibre paste from the bike part box!

I don’t know the specifics of Helvellyn to Loughrigg (down to Grasmere, along loughrigg terrace?), but if you can find a way down to Loughrigg Tarn there is a cracking bridleway along to Ambleside.

What about those ‘beachwalker’ shoes (or similar)? Cheap as chips.

I like a race vest too. Just a really comfortable convenient way to carry stuff running. Especially in the summer when I take a bit of water on all runs. Not really bothered if that makes me look like i’m on the marathon des sables for a 10km.

I also use a spi belt for phone / keys for shorter runs. A lot of running jackets now have ‘stuffable’ pockets with a strap on, which is excellent for UK running! (New Balance if anyones interested).

I’d go with the fix, if nothing else, saves it going in the landfill.

Can you repair it yourself from the diagrams?

How would you like pics of your mug/stuff plastered over social media? Or are requesting private pics (off-forum) for #personalperusal?

Sorry, I meant just of the area to get an idea of where they are, not intimate portrait shots and in depth product shots so I can gauge the quality…

I’ll pop over and offer a drink to the guys and see what’s what. At least I’ll know what’s going on then.

Let us know what happens! Couple of pics etc! #nosey

Could pop down and say hello, offer them a cup of tea, see what the score is? Be a nice person etc.

I’d say wild camping is cool for a week depending on where it is. What sort of land is it? Woods etc? Do they have good kit, or are we talking homelessness here?

As someone who doesn’t really follow professional tennis, do they need the sponsors to get access to compete in the grand slams? Or is it just the money to enter, travel etc.

I find it bizarre that you can be one of the best players in the world, and get removed because you won’t talk to the media. And whoever wins it now will always be shadowed by ‘were they the best at tennis?’ (which I guess should really be the main point anyway….)

Jealous, would love to be riding it tomorrow, but will be spending the day driving from the south coast to near the north coast!

I think adverse weather just makes it more fun, interesting and memorable. Granted the SDW is lovely on a sunny clear day, but it’s also just as good in the wet imo.

Might have to accept a few of the climbs might be pushers, such as out of amberley or that killer just past harting down.

Worst case, just jump on a train with a smile on your face and come back another day.

@STWhannah

That is most excellent to hear!

Hello!

Not really news, but I’d like to see more stuff about the nature surrounding mtb. The changing of the seasons, the stuff that’s beyond the trail.

Might add that to my playing list for something a bit different.

Currently in a bit of a piano to guitar mode, Goodbye Yellow Brick road at the moment, which is sounding surprisingly good.

£50 here. Roll on next month….

I think the lack of availability of new parts probably isn’t helping. I always wondered if people buy them, the fact they’re still for sale makes me doubt they are….

I’d jump at the chance to move to Vancouver in a heartbeat. It’s one of my most favourite places. (Whole area really, even down to the PNW of America).

Sure big cities are expensive, but how’s that different to the UK (pending where you live of course!). I’d rather live in a small house near Vancouver than a mansion in the UK. With the skytrain its still only 20 minutes into centre from as far away as New Westminster, and the upcoming areas which are more affordable.

Can’t believe the 200 and the 130 gone already!

Will they get shirty if i buy a 65 entry and just do the 200? I don’t recall anyone on the route last year checking?