A pleasure to watch.

Armstrong will win, he uses risers.

Well, I was once challenged to a draglights race nr Peterborough circa '86 by a Lambo Countach. I was riding my Suzuki RG500, silly fool, all over in a heartbeat.

Well I use Goosync and mm, mental eh!

I use it, it's very useful for making sure all my data is available anywhere even on my iphone. Handy backing up new contacts from phone to everything else as is synching calendars. All n all I don't miss £60 p/a.

I betcha that in a few years time they'll have itsy-bitsy lovely wee disc brakes. It will happen.

Jonnyvegas, thank you very much, I'll store that in my "special" pictures file. Dobo, predictable ending then, I left it at the lesbian set up bit.

I haven't had any IT probs, but my hamstrings, OUCH. I've been slowly building up the weekly mileage for 3 months now and I can generally run along quite nicely, but when I pick up the pace I can really feel the lower hamstrings start to tighten up. Lots of stretching and stopping when I feel it coming on bad seem to work, but it's still a niggle. However, it does stop me overdoing it! I think it comes from so many years of riding bikes.

Skiing, running (40 mpw – good going surfer!), hillwalking, swimming. And not current, due to lack of time, freefall parachuting and climbing – although going to have to rekindle these ones to hopefully one day teach my boys.

Ah, all good replies to my ears. I have two young 'uns – nearly 4 and 1.5 and my cycling life has changed dramatically from being a pretty reasonable racer, both road and mtb, road trips all over the place, and regular long w/e runs. To echo all the above; now mainly a solitary rider, squeeze rides in whenever – and always be ready – no faffing! I was quite wound up, immature, selfish about "my" lack of cycling, regardless of how my missus felt.
Now I just go with the flow, enjoy the fact that the older boy rides his wee Islabike really well and they're great wee people to bring up and later enjoy outdoor activities together.
Oh, and to get rid of my lack of competition angst, I am now training for my local half marathon, which only takes 5 hrs a week as opposed to 12ish for bke racing.
MTFU, kids are for life not just for Christmas!

Congrats, monkeychild. miketually, aye mines got the climbing bug as well, rope swinging out the back age 3.

It just gives you more excuses to have fun!

These are superbly well made tents, but are you carrying it, or vehicle camping and do you want outer or inner up first. If the cars taking the strain, go bigger than you think, being able to sit comfortably at a table out of the weather / midgies is a boon. If it's on your back, it's much trickier to choose- weight, weatherproofness, cost, size, etc, etc. There is no "do it all" tent, that's why we've got 4!

Tried posting this earlier,

in the meantime – whilst saving up! I just use a plastic (unbreakable) one cup cafetiere.

£185!

For the xc bike, hmmmmmmmmm.

Pah, Weetabix in summer, porridge in winter (Oct'- May!)

Sorrythis

Macbeef, ya lucky sod, mind you keep a nice clean visor now and watch out for dithering tourists!
I wouldn't pillion on any big jap bike.

I asked the same a few weeks ago, lots of replies, do a search. I went for a plastic cafetierre. Whilst saving for one of these!

Try here our bairn seems happy – can't talk yet, but sleeps with a smile!

Kind of related, but I was wonderng how Mark Beaumont (cyclist riding length of Americas) charges all his gadgets?

Another vote for Big Sands near Gairloch, top site, not all crammed together like some others. Clean facilities and a wee shop.

Well, all I know is that due to family pressures, lack o training and massive intake of sugar, cakes and biscuits I was 13 stone, always had been 11 @ 5'10". So, took up running – quicker to do than long slow cycling miles (I'm an old roadie at heart) cut out all sugar (that's been hard) and upped my intake of good stuff – fish, fruit, wholemeal carbs, etc, etc. Now 6 months on, running 40 miles a week and back down to 11 stone again. It's easy – eat less work out more. Makes a hell of a difference climbing on the bike. It's not dieting, just a better way of living.

Mature cheddar and caramelised onion crisps tesco's cheapo French biere, Goldie on the box.

I worked there, oh, about 15 years ago, for 6 months, quite liked it, for 6 months. Now cosily snuggled into the bosom of the Cairngorms, mmmmmmm luvly.

Well, I'm still plugging along with my D200, thank you very much – I take bad shots – it doesn't! I am saving for a 70-200 f2.8VR and after that probably some radio triggers, then after that a non-pirated Photoshop(!) then and only then will I think about getting a newer body.
18-200 is great………… sort of, I leave it on virtually all the time when out n about with the kids, but, if I really want a nice shot I put on my lovely Nikkor 17-55 2.8 instead.

Ok, now you've got all that off your collective chests, answer me this. I have an 24" IMac 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo – 4Gb thank you very much and want to change my out n'about, meeting clients, HP lappie for a Macbook Pro 17", but windows 17" laptop, £450ish, Apple Macbook Pro 17" £1800ish!!!!

Speedhub, aesthetics – same sentence, hmmmmmmm. Troll? Nevertheless I stick tube/CO2/wee pump and tools in my jersey pockets.

Jings, you lot drink a lot! I just had 2 x bottles one on the bike and one in the back pocket! Refilled one and binned the empty (near a marshall I know).

I've got a Logitech all in one thing that sounds pretty good.

Wow, theres hope for this forum yet – a thread on climbing!

Hmmmm, was looking at this too, but heard the AF performance was slow. I agree with above, lots coming soon beforeend of year. In the meantime Panasonic Lumix LMX 3 can't be faulted.

Last – Easton EC 70 wiiiiide (685) risers for the 29er. Next a new full-suss for the missus!

Yes Wiggo does it!

Aaagh Wiggo dropped!

My heart rate is well up!

Kids are what makes a family; just back from camping up in NW Scotland with the missus and our two young uns, have stored away some good memories for both me n them. Didn't bike – didn't miss it – just played in the surf.
And this from someone who used to put in 10hr training on the bike a week.

ICATQ……

NZCol, my missus did several seasons down your way, in fact I think she was one of the original tele girls (this is 15+ years ago!) she certainly talks fondly of off piste at Wanaka, Craigieburn, etc, etc. We were part of the Scottish instructor mob that appeared every winter. Happy days, still got the muffin making habit!
Oh aye, a winter tele-ing surely sets you up for a summer mtbing!

Nice discs…nice discs…. eh?! You all need to ride more; a discs a disc, so long as it works, isn't worn and doesn't squeal.

Ahhhh, Inners xc racing, takes me back. I remember during an xc race there being gridded alongside an ol'boy who had a Michelin dh tye (comp 14/24?) on the front, this is when a 1.95 was seen as hardcore for racing! "Wasthat for" I said – "oh you'll see" he replied. Oh boy he was right, as within 20ish yards they sent the whole mentally competitive masters pack straight off the fireroad and down onto a section of dh track – crash-tastic, no quarter given, elbows out, the works!
He, was Tom that used to run the Inners bikeshop (Bikeworks/ cannae mind) and yes he knew how to ride!
Crivens, and I've just remembered that this was before risers and most guys had silly wee flatbars n barends – me included.
Funny thing is I'm sure I was faster then than I am now on a 5" full-susser or is that just my rose-tinted memory…..