I read the Hobbit when I was 11. I started reading the LOTR when I was about 12 and got bored with it. I picked it up as an adult and decided that I really couldn’t be bothered to waste my time reading it.

I’ve seen the LOTR films and found them almost entirely boring too.

Each to their own, though

I chose not to take any part in the mass theft that took place in various places throughout the UK last week.

I would have preferred that other people had not done so either.

I would prefer that such scenes do not happen again.

I am pleased that the courts are giving ‘tough sentences’ to those involved and those who attempted to incite further incidents.

Yes, some of these people are being made an example of and I support the courts in their actions
-I’m not quite sure how some people can be objecting to it.
Somebody who knowingly takes part in and contributes to activities that have such a negative effect on so many people and so many organisations deserves to be punished harshly and publicly.

I agree that some sort of rehabilitation and engagement with criminals and potential criminals is important, but firstly there needs to be some sort of deterrent to mass theft and disorder.

If more people decide not to take part in any mass theft and disorder in future because they are aware of the likely punishments, then I approve.

Alternatively, the courts can let everyone ‘off’ and mass theft could become a regular event in UK city centres. It could be televised and hosted by Dale Winton.

Intent is an important consideration.

Entering a closed shop with the intent to steal things and then taking what you find is a crime. Just because the only things left in the shop happen to be low value does not change the situation.

The water was incidental. Entering the shop with the intent to steal what was there was not.

Had the chap entered the Armani shop and stolen a suit the intent would have been the same.

You should not be able to just go and help yourself to things that you want.

In recent days, 1000s and 1000s of people have gone out and helped themselves to other people’s property (by violent means). This is not a good time for the courts to sit the perpetrators on bean bags and discuss how bad they felt because they couldn’t afford a bigger TV than the one they already had.

Starving people were not stealing food to feed their families. People were stealing items of value/perceived status and then other people came along and stole what was left.

TandemJeremy – Member

I’d like to try a more liberal and sane judicail system. One based evidence of what works. What we have now doesn’t work and every times its made more punative it works less.

I agree to a large extent, but in the face of mass looting, arson and assault, I think that very strong, decisive action should be used to discourage future attempts by making the perpetrators think before they decide to destroy their local area.

After that, by all means, try to help the disaffected and disengaged people of Britain, but you’ll be trying for a long time whilst ambition goes no further than owning a big TV, shiny trainers and bathing in Cristal (or whatever can be found in Bargain Booze) with your ho'(s)

The United States has very tough policies regarding law and order, but crime still exists. It is not a simple problem to resolve.

On the other hand, I would suggest that mass theft and arson needs a strong, decisive response in order to prevent it happening next there is a warm, dry evening in the school holidays.

If a few scumbags get beaten hard with batons, then so be it. If you don’t want such treatment then don’t attend a looting session -It gives rioting a bad name.

Plus, if you get the police or army beating up the local scum, what do you think they’ll think? They’ll just hate authority even more, and end up with even more fire in their belly for next time.

Of course that is true, but they are already “disrespected, nuffin’ to do, I need a bigger tv, man, blud, innit” and other such f*ck*ng mindless, ignorant drivel, so would it make any difference?

Feral teenage boys should not have the confidence to over-run a city centre or high street in order to steal and set fire to it with impunity.

I am not upset by the Police’s behaviour in that video clip.

I want the behaviour of young lads ransacking city centres to be tempered. If that is achieved initially by a fear of some sort of authority then so be it.

I’m not suggesting that we instigate martial law and country-wide curfews.

Rusty Spanner – Member

Wonder how many of last nights’ looters have any comprehension of what happened at Peterloo, how fragile the right to legitimate protest is and how easily that right can be removed again?

How many would even care? All they were thinking about was where they could steal the next pair of trainers or electrical gadget.

There was no protesting.

The word “disrespect” should be allowed some rest, as it has been abused shamefully in recent days.

Mancunians of European descent speaking like some sort of mentally deficient, hybrid Kingston Town Yardie-LA gangsta<sic> should also be banned. Full Stop.

hora – Member

Short sharp shock and tbh I’d rather they shoot the useless bags of skin than innocents suffer.

Sick of them.

For once, I agree with the sentiment of what Hora says. I’m not generally in favour of martial law or death squads, but there are a lot of people in Manchester that the city would be far, far better off without. Who knows what the answer is??

Yes, there are social problems and I believe in trying to help people, but there is no excuse for destroying other people’s property and livelihood because you feel like doing a bit of stealing and anarchy.

Peterloo was different, it wasn’t a group of thieves ransacking the town centre. I’ve never been in favour of the army looking after civil disorder before, but I would have been cheering them on if the Paras had turned up en masse and battered the cr*p out of those scumbags trashing Manchester last night and London the night before. There may have been a few injuries, and possibly worse, but it would certainly have made an impression.

Let’s not distracted, chaps.

We’re building a better society here!

Brycey – Member

What’s your point Aristotle, I’m confused?

cf. the Scotland v. England post above.

It’s not relevant to the current situation, but the last major, non-political, disturbance in Manchester was caused by a group of Rangers fans…..

Glass houses, stones etc.

“TandemJeremy – Member

Aristotle

PS. My generation is scared to intervene to prevent law-breaking for fear of the law. In days gone by, grown men wouldn’t be held to ransom by children.

thing is – this keeps getting repeated in various form and its utter bilge. Its a complete myth creatd by the right wing press. You can use reasonable force to protect yourself, your property and to prevent crimes. “

I agree, and I personally will stand up to people, but a lot won’t.

“Fear” isn’t necessarily based on truth though.

“Things about this, is it’s not really a new thing”

This week has been about mass looting, though.

Gangs of kids have realised that mobs are difficult to stop and they are filling their boots.

PS. My generation is scared to intervene to prevent law-breaking for fear of the law. In days gone by, grown men wouldn’t be held to ransom by children.

I’m no internet warrior, but I will and do stand up to mouthy kids and people who are out of order. On one occasion I was (mildly)assaulted, but multiple witnesses ensured a prosecution.

As a start, make an effort to speak more often to your neighbours and look out for them.

Get involved in the area in which you live.

If crime, littering or general anti-social behaviour is taking place in your area, report it and clean up any mess.

Don’t just ignore problems.

I too am saddened and angered by what has happened.

The children rampaging through Manchester and elsewhere see no reason not to do it.

I now wish that the Police were allowed to use a bit more direct action and suffer less scrutiny. Of course, the Police should operate at high standards, but anarchic mobs of children with time on their hands and sopisticated communications and video recording equipment should not be able to destroy city centres whilst Police stand back and watch. Watching the news last night, I was hoping for a large deployment of Paras to come along and forcibly sweep the looters into Piccadilly Gardens where they would have then given them a good hiding, with the full blessing of the government and the people of Manchester. The message would have been very clear.

On another note, in recent months I have come to the realisation that, unlike my parents and grandparents did, I don’t really do anything at all for my local ‘community’. I’m not alone in this, but young-ish, educated, enthusiastic, ‘respectable'(?) people possibly should be trying to set an example rather than just working to accumulate expensive consumer goods.

Unfortunately, quite a lot of young lads appear to be idolising a seemingly vacuous ‘gangsta’ culture that revolves around posessing shiny things obtained for free and talking in a peculiar Jamaican-Estuary-Manc-Los Angeles patois.

Where’s the caped crusader when we need him?

Maybe a group of respectable 30-something IT bods and engineers should get on their bikes and go and sort these scumbags out.

Joking apart, it is actually very frustrating how quickly things can get out of hand and a lack of ‘community cohesion’ doesn’t help. I don’t know my neighbours very well, do you?

I’ve removed my lefty liberal hair shirt this evening and would request of Mr Cameron that a bunch of angry Paras fresh from serving in Afghanistan be released with full weapons onto the pond-life who are currently trying to destroy Manchester and Salford.

Maybe a group of hardened mountain bikers should form a posse?

Stand in front your bike with your front wheel between your knees, then twist the bars from side to side.

Observe where the flex occurs.

Loose spokes, flexible stems, flexible bars and flexible forks can all contribute.

I noticed a big difference between when I trued the wheel, fitted a stiffer stem and fitted stiffer forks that also had a 20mm bolt-through.

Check caliper alignment
Check disc is central in caliper
Clean pistons
Pump in and out
Clean pads

Thank you TandemJeremy, very helpful.

There are indeed hundreds of posts about the subject, but difficult to extract just the useful facts.

Ideally, I’m looking for a run-time of about 3hrs and enough light for a fast downhill when required. I favour helmet mount with a narrow beam.

you’ll be surprised how many are out at night in Winter.

Yes, many of them are not mountain biking though.

I’m a late-comer to the thread.

I went to Llandegla this afternoon. It was my first time in about 18months so there had been a few changes.

The new “Parallel Universe” bit was quite good fun for trying to clear the jumps and shoot the berms. I’m not sure that it warrants its ‘black’ rating though, as the red trails at Glentress are similar and it would all be roll-able.

We did a couple of loops at the ‘black’ table-tops/doubles section about 3/4 of the way around.

The big berms at the end were good. I was hanging off like a good ‘un. It felt like cranking a motorbike over around a roundabout.

I, personally, like tight twisting trails with some technical challenge as well as fast berms and jumps and most of Llandegla is the latter and quite similar.

-It is a shame that they don’t link the trail back to the original black section for a bit more distance as the red/black is fairly short.

The place is certainly popular though and there is a lot of expensive, quite downhill-orientated hardware on display. I got the impression of “all-the-gear…” from quite a few of the people I saw. In the past I’ve ridden around there on my short travel singlespeed with no issues, but I was on a full-susser (on a shake-down ride) myself so I’m in no position to sneer! 😉

Despite not being either XC or DH gods we weren’t passed by anybody on the ups, the flats or the downs.

It was a fairly fun couple of hours, but in my view it is a bit “mountain-biking-lite”.

On the whole, for man-made trails I think the trails at Penmachno and Gisburn are better as they are more varied and feel more ‘wild’, albeit with no café or shop at either -possibly a good thing.

I got rid of my big ring a few years ago and use a 34t ‘middle’, a 22t granny ring, 11-34 9 speed cassette and a home-made bash ring (which has had some bashing). The granny ring is a steel Blackspire Chuck ring which has lasted for a long time.

Removing the big ring gives a usefully improved ground clearance for rocky trails and logs.

I don’t use the granny ring very often, but I can’t see any reason why I should totally remove it. It hardly adds much weight and does give the option of a couple of lower gears (fitness not great at the moment).

What length fork does a Coiler/Dawg require?

Cheers.

What are the differences between the Kona Coiler and the Dawg?

I’ve got a harley streetbob (queue the ymca jokes, etc)

yes, but snow and black ice are not ideal for bikes.

Indeed….

Oh yes, and that riding it for longer than 45 minutes is painful…. “but it looks good, though!”

But I’m with TJ. Hving a big bike ‘just becasue’ isn’t the way to go IMO.

In most cases, passing DAS and getting a fast sports bike is just for bragging rights not riding enjoyment.

Somebody I know was telling use how he’d been on a Bikesafe course with the Police and told by the copper right behind him on a lardy tourer that he could (physically and legally) go much faster around bends -In the next sentence he was telling us that his sports bike will do 160mph, although he was shaking riding it at 100mph 🙄

If anyone can recommend any tutors / schools in the Stockport / Manchester area that’d be grand. Also any advice on good books etc

I would highly recommend MSM at Belle Vue Stadium[/url]. The instructors are all very experienced and good at what they do. Other people have also had good experiences with them.

I wouldn’t recommend a certain instructor in the Sale area.

Go for it.

Observation and anticipation are the most important things on a motorbike, whatever you are riding.

TandemJeremy

newbs on big sports bikes are horrendously overrepresented in the accident stats. CB 400 / 4 ( the recent one), SV 650, CB500, ER6 older fazer. Thats the sort of bike to go for – fast enough that you wont get bored,slow enough you can learn to ride it properly.

I agree. Power might be good to brag about, but it's not really about the bike -especially in sub-optimal conditions.

It take tens of thousands of miles to even become an adequate rider

I'm not sure that it takes Tens of thousands of miles. It depends on the person, the 'quality' of the riding and how much effort you put into it. Most people don't ride enough after they pass their test after a short course.

I'm not claiming to be a riding god by any means, but I'm certainly competent with only around 15k miles under my wheels. It would have been more, but for being off the road for a few months.

When I passed my DAS a couple of years ago (at age 30) I bought an ER5, rode as often as I could(& commuted in all weathers) before getting a TDM850(not a Top Trumps winner in any category), I practised low-speed manoeuvres a lot, asked others for advice, read many books on riding & I went out for rides -the more twisty the better- with biking friends and relatives.

I did the IAM course as I was interested in learning more and finding out how good my riding was. As I'd already picked-up a lot of info, I didn't have any trouble with it and I didn't learn a huge amount (mostly at the end of the test from the superb examiner), but it did polish my riding a bit and was worth doing.

I'd say that having been a keen/over-confident mtber who's learned through some hard 'experiences' to be smoother and less frantic and improved as a result, moving across to motorbikes at 30 was fine and it is satisfying when you start to feel 'at-one' (cosmic, man) with your motorbike.

The Philippines are definitely worth a look
-ignore the warnings from the FCO, you'll be fine.

I now have a front Weirwolf (folding, DNA rubber). It was noticeably lighter than the huge, non-folding Diesel, but that doesn't really bother me.

The first ride on it, at Gisburn, was good. Lateral grip whilst deliberately riding the high lines on the berms felt better than the Diesel and it caused me no issues.

-The Placebo effect was presumably strong.

Cheers folks.

Make sure you get to the dole office and citizens advice bureau to make sure you are getting all you are entitled to in terms of benefits, tax credits etc. It supporsed me how much I could claim

Of course, if you have actually saved some your money in the time that have worked, you are entitled to 65quid/week, which, to put it into context, is less than the cost of a tank of diesel.

-Presumably, once you have spent your savings, you can then claim the other benefits.

It happened to me a few weeks ago. It was a bit of a shock, but I tried to view it as an opportunity. I took a week before starting the search for employment.

Fortunately for me, I've now a new job lined up so the summer 'off' worked out quite well in the end….

Keep trying to find something, some days will be easier than others.

Samuri Wrote:

I'd just sit there thinking how easy it would be to end it all.

The main reason wasn't that I was unemployed or that I had no money, it was the bastard unemployment office staff.

I never got to that point, but the only times I felt down were after visiting the "Job Centre Plus". It can't be a desirable job to work there, but the people who do so are a very odd bunch more used to dealing with challenging people who can either just about write their name, don't speak English, have never worked in their life, have just been released from Strangeways or a combination of these.

Just sitting waiting to be seen in a line of the great unwashed unemployed is fairly unpleasant too -Take a book to read, it'll make it obvious how different you are to the others too.

Incredibly fast & very smooth. Impressive.

Each to their own, but for me it is a case of not understanding why anybody would want a tattoo.

At different times in your life you can change your clothes, hair, car, wallpaper, house etc., but once you've had ink injected into your skin by a tattooist it stays there -and, as far as I can tell, deteriorates.

When around 1 in 5 of the population has one it is hardly a display of originality either.

Developing a successful tattoo removal technique is bound to be a huge money-spinner in the next 20 years or so.

Keep the suggestions coming. I did have a Weirwolf at one point, but it was fairly worn out when it was given to me. I may look into it.

I'm not particularly large (13 1/2St), but, having tried various sizes, I quite like a large tyre on the front of my chunky hardtail for absorbing big hits on the rocky terrain I generally ride. I appreciate that fat tyres are not ideal for deep mud or snow.

I may unwittingly know it. Where is it?