Thanks everyone. I’ll take a look at ION and see if they’re what I’m after.

Thanks kbomb. I’ve just been having a bit of a read around the google maps API and the coding I could do to get mymaps to do what I want.

Only just signed up for Strava (Garmin connect’s segments not working has finally annoyed me enough) so hadn’t seen that mapper before. Looks like Strava is using the google API as well to create the multiple ride mapper so I’ll have a play and see what I can get to work.

Lol! Paper map with a webcam = online mapping. That is oddly attractive as an idea. All the more so for being totally counter intuitive. I like!

Scotroutes: Thanks.
Yes basecamp is my backup option and also where I currently store my routes and tracks etc. so I already have it installed and to hand.

I was wondering if anyone had seen a simpler little online destination mapping app before I go with basecamp. If no-one has then Basecamp will be what I use.

hmm… how do I get that thing in the fume cupboard to bleed the brakes? 🙂

Another vote for Ergon grips. I tried them years ago for a 24hour solo race and they made an enormous difference to hand and wrist pain over longer rides.

I found that the larger surface area they have spread the weight out and with a set of gloves with good padding either side of the carpal tunnel meant I took all the pressure off the carpal tunnel. Also found I was gripping the bars less hard on the flatter sections and therefore letting the forearm muscles that control the fingers relax a bit – less lactic acid build up and less pump up meant they hurt less and still had plenty of grip left for when I needed it on the technical sections.

Contrary to deadkenny’s experience I find them better grip for DH sections – again a function of greater surface area. Only issue I’ve had is when a set got very old and worn (shiny) in very wet and muddy conditions they became more slippy – but that just meant they’d served their 4 years and it was time for a new pair.

re the rubber hoop question…. I do have a Bontrager XR4 team edition for the front… heard they’re not bad in the dry… need something to pair it with on the back… XR2?

Yeah, it was supposed to be in January but got delayed ’til now. 🙁

January I might of needed those winter spike tyres with the snow they get in Amman.

Camelbak’s “hydrate or die” strapline has never seemed more appropriate.

Northern Jordan has forest etc. to ride so planning on going up there.

Thanks for the replies…

And yes I guess this is the skiing equivalent of what tyres, for which I apologise… but sometimes it’s helpful to ask and get a range of opinions.

B

heard of others on a road ride putting a key in their water bottle in the bottle mount of the frame …. but then I’m not sure that’s going to work if you have a key that has remote buttons to open the doors etc!

I stick mine inside my seat post.

Take out seat post from frame.
Insert key (which admittedly is fairly small) into bottom of seatpost
Insert rolled up bit of old inner tube to plug the end and stop if falling out
Put seat post back in frame.
Go ride.

No way you can loose it that way and no nasty key embedding in flesh issues!

Badger

I have heard an argument that, whilst I don’t personally agree with it is of relevance.

It goes something like this:

We live in a country with lots of people and not as much land as other countries and land that has lots of pressures on it – farming, recreation, wildlife protection etc. We also live in a county with a nasty health and safety culture. If you increasingly promote trail centres, citing convenience, economic benefits, safe environment etc. might this increasingly lead to an argument that those places are where this activity should take part and therefore pressure to reduce the access of cyclists to natural trails citing, erosion, usage pressure, farming needs and worries that natural trails aren’t as safe.

Personally I don’t think it holds water as it assumes the most extreme attitudes of land owners, rights of way officers, government etc. will prevail (which I think if we’re keeping an eye on them won’t be the case) but it is an argument I’ve heard.

2Kg isn’t unhealthily fast….

I lost 8 kg in two weeks last year…… OK I admit this was two weeks treking and climbing in the High Atlas so it’s not exactly a fair comparison!

High Altitude, 7 to 9 hours hard walking and climbing a day and only as much food as can be carried by our mule is, in some ways, cheating as it takes the will power requirement away from you – rather in the same way that an army drill sergeant makes exercise non-negotiable for recruits – once you’re in, you are going to get thinner!

Wish I’d used it to kick start my diet though as I’d be a hell of a lot better off and by now I’d be just getting nicely into shape, but then without my own personal drill sergeant I’m just going to have to drag my own arse out of bed i the mornings to go to the gym! 🙂

My two most recently finished:

1/72 Fokker Triplane:

1/72 Me262A:

And this is the one I’m just finishing:

Oh and the platypus filter is designed to cope with being back washed (revers the flow) if it gets blocked!

You can just use the drops / tablets but you need to double the concentration as the particulates are bits of dirt and inside them might be virus particles protected by the surrounding dirt – so filtering first is a good idea.

Badger

Wife and I went climbing in the High Atlas this year and did a load of research on this…..

There are several levels (and accompanying levels of cost):
1. Basic ones that just filter out particulates
2. Filters that have specified pore sizes down to 0.1micron will also filter out Bacteria, protozoa etc. (BUT not viruses)
3. To kill viruses some filters have an activated ion part to the filter – BUT it’s not 100% and they are very expensive.

We (and everyone else on the trip) went for option 2 and then used either purification tablets or drops – the drops are better as it’s a two part system and the activator only works for a while then breaks down to be almost tasteless. The ones we used were called “Biox Aqua” and you can get them online from several outdoors shops

We have the Platypus inline filter system – comes with two large platypus reservoirs (marked “clean” and “dirty” just to be on the safe side) and it worked great – the reservoirs have press lock tops so you can get them fully open to clean or to scoop up water in a river or stream and you hang the dirty one up and let gravity pull it through the inline filter to the clean reservoir.

The biox drops were good although a bit fiddly – you have to count out a set number of drops from each of the two parts then let them mix for 10min before chucking them in the clean filtered water (I did wonder if a v. small syringe would be a better adaption but didn’t get chance to try it). The purification tablets were faster and easier but tasted much much worse – and over two weeks hard walking and climbing in high temps the chlorine would do your stomach in I think.

We survived two weeks using this system purifying at least 5+ liters a day (its damn hot in Aug/Sept in Morocco) and we were fine.

Badger

dannyh you can probabaly find a vacume formed canopy replacement – try hannants (www.hannants.co.uk)

Vac-form canopies are fiddly but much thinner so the cockpit detail can actually be seen.

Also dip your clear parts in klear/future floor varnish first (lakeland sell the stuff as “Quick Shine Floor Finish”) it’s basically clear acrylic varnish and gives clear parts a nice shine…. also if you get paint etc. on the part you can strip the part back to bare plastic by soaking it in “Fairy Powerspray” kitchen cleaner (this stuff strips paint of any kit without damaging the plastic – an old toothbrush is helpful).

Badger

Can I also suggest Britmodeller.com as it’s great for learning new stuff, tips, ideas or just inspiration.

If you want to see ridiculous dedication to one build look up the Medivac version of the HUEY in the aviation work in progress, he’s been building that thing for years and is on about the 3rd engine scratch build (all previous versions I would have been very very pleased with if it was me building, but he found some fault and did the whole thing again!)

My stuff is run of the mill by comparison.

Badger

I’m in.
Had just started this anyway so helpful to have others to share experience.

have the helmet light on low or low flash and the bar light on bright. Angle the helmet light’s mount more downwards when on the road

seems to ensure I’m seen without blinding.

I didn’t bother with a ring when I asked on the basis that I wanted to make sure she got to choose The Ring that she wanted (in the right size as well)….. that and I proposed after turning up by surprise behind a huge bunch of roses at her place in Australia (flying out was the longest most nervous 36 hours of my life!) so I figured it would be special no matter what.

We didn’t get a ring for a while (mainly until she finished the year out in oz) and then went to the jewellery quarter in Brum and made a special day of it, looking at rings til she found the “perfect” one. That way we could go back for the wedding rings to match later.

Re: one knee…. of course you should be on one knee – you’re trying to convince her that she’s so special you want to spend the rest of your life with her, if you think asking in a traditional way is going to be embarasing then you’re not exactly committed are you?

Embarased? no way; scared witless and a nervous wreck before, certainly…..and then when she said yes (or in my case “of course I will you daft sod”) I wanted to jump up and down and shout and tell the world!

nobeerinthefridge…. Golf was in the 1900 (and 1904) games, along with croquet, ballooning, boule and lifesaving!

Hmm maybe we should have a campaign to get croquet back… would be very amusing in Rio!

Personally I think Kabaddi should be in before golf. 🙂

Spanish basketball team for a certain specified level of mental disability…. which they faked…. and got found out!

Doh! So they were not mentally disabled…. just stupid!

Hoy hit 62kph today for a new World Record – mental speed!

OK who am I kidding – 62kph? more like 32kph for us amateurs…

REally fancy a go at the track… my wife has promised me it as a xmas present and an incentive to loose some weight.

Manchester isn’t far so I’m looking forward to it already!

62kph on a bike, balls to the wind flat out racing without having to worry about needing to stop, traffic lights, dogs running out in front, cars, UPS lorries trying to kill you (like the arse that intentionally tried to force me off the road tonight) or even bother about what gear you are in…. just ride as haard and fast as you can! sounds good.

Just need to gather some more people who are up for it as well and it’ll be great.

cross country skiing and shooting event?
Not sure we have many in that and it’s air-rifle shooting which is easier as you’d be able to train the shooting in the UK (unless it’s a very powerful air rifle?).

Also you could do basic training on a good cross trainer and need to hit the snow less often…. actually thinking about it, unlike downhill, slalom etc. you’d be able to train on snow in cheap – non ski based resorts in the winter as its on the flat (ish)… so no paying through the nose for months in Val d’isere at the height of posh people holiday season!

of course you could chop a leg or arm off and go for one of the paralympic events… although I think the paralympic committee might look badly on self mutilation in order to get to the games…. and you’d still have to find a sport we’re crap at and then dedicate everyday for the next 4 years to training to stand even a snowflake in hells chance of getting selected!

If anything we have even more astoundingly good atheltes in the paralympics!

5’6″ is a problem as it rules out quiet a few sports we’re not that good at (and you’d therefore stand a chance a quickly progressing).

Tall is needed for the rowing and is a hell of a help in the cycling (long legs = long levers etc.)

On the other hand one of the team GB men running the marathon has only ever competed in one elite level marathon – he won Berlin in 2hrs 10min and therefore qualified. He’s had a “gentle” go round the london marathon course (also being used for the games) to learn it but otherwise thats it! (by the way “gentle” in this context means he did a sub 3 hours!)

So some of the running events and the field events might be a possible…. how’s your shot-put?

bigsi exactly what happens here!

I figure there are two things goign on:
either 1. she secretely wants to do soemthing but wishes you to be psychic and suggest it
or 2. she hasn’t a clue but wants to you to make a huge effort to come up with something delightful and entertaining for her.

OR maybe both!

or perhaps I’m way off and totally in the dark here! 😉

Seen a post on facebook of a mate who is on North Sea oil rig, has missed xmas and will miss new year. Started feeling a bit guilty

Not sure about guilty, more jealous! Just think how hard it would be for the local scruffy teenagers to knock on the door and sing 2 1/2 lines of we wish you a merry christmas (out of tune etc.) before demanding money (I tell them to sod off until they can sing in tune and know the words to a proper christmas carol!)

DECISION!!!!

Tonights ride will be from the Shoulder of Mutton Pub at the bottom of baildon (Otley road). Ride starts at 7:30

Map link here

BD17 7QA for those with a satnav

No idea what the route is as Darren (MacAttack) is planning it.

I’ve taken my full suss to canada twice now and both times I’ve dropped a small amount out of the shocks etc so that I can honestly say “yes of course” when they ask me at check in (not that they have yet)

The baggage hold is pressurised so its not a problem – airlines transport pets in the hold so they have to be pressurised (or the pets would go the way of the norwegian blue!)

I always let the air out of the tyres – but thats because they’re maxis high rollers and are huge and won’t fit well if inflated.

As to the discs etc. I use pipe lagging sponge (buy it cheap at screwfix or whickes) wrapped round and then use zip ties to hold it in place as like you my discs are locktighted on and I’d rather leave them on (But then I have a semi-hard bike box thats damn good)

Definately remove your rear mech and bubble wrap it, oh and the pipe lagging stuff is great for protecting the top tube and other parts of the frame – that and it weighs nowt!

Enjoy

Yeap we do sometimes start over that way. North Leeds was the original description from when we started back in 2000/2001 ish and its always been rather a broad definition – we tend to get as far west as bingley and harden and as far East as Roundhay etc.

The thread is normally in the rides section of BM and anyone is welcome. Its a social and friendly pace and we take it in turns to suggest and lead a route.

Rides are on a tuesday with additional rides on a thursday and we usually meet at 7:30 at the chosen pub and are normally done by about 9:30ish.

Basically if they have a justified reason for striking (as opposed to wanting an outdated and unaffordable method of pensions provision for all (even new joiners) members “NO MATTER WHAT”) then the public keep supporting them….

but if not and they won’t compromise in negotiations then they loose all public sympathy and eventually have to cave in to a worse deal than they were offered in the first place.

Unions are great in general but…. the sort of person who wants to be a senior union official are often the problem – raving anti establishment idiots who screw the rest of us moderate members over…. sometimes we want a bit of common sense and reality in the negotiations being done on our behalf by our unions!

On road comuting – yes
Off road – not usually as I like to either take in the environment around me (if on my own) or be chatting to others I’m riding with.

enduro races – yes – helps stay motivated on solo efforts and I have several playlists for different moods to help: (fast pace, chill pace, positive motivation tracks, and tunes to trudge through the mud and rain dragging a 60lb lump of mud caked bike to!)

Amen to that brother!….

Real pro riders are usually very polite and can overtake safetly on the most insane lines…
“No need to move over its not a problem, I can nip off the trail and get round you if I just bunny hop this log and manual through this ditch then rejoin the trail ahead of you by riding down that fallen tree trunk. *hop, Boink, roll* there we go! Have a good ride. see you later!” etc.

All with a cheerful smile and wave.

The lard arse majority arn’t going fast enough to cause a problem…
its the wannabes. They think they are something and desperate for everyone to notice how amazing they are… Nobs!

Yeap we’ve been riding every tuesday night since 2001 (I think it was 2001)

We post the ride details on the BM forum under Rides -> North Leeds

Anyone’s welcome.

Soma_Rich Wrote:
Its pretty hilly if its ridable I would prefer to ride than walk with a SS.

Not really that bad – I’ve riden it solo a few times now and often do a big chunk of the laps on a singlespeed (especially in the night when you’re not going that fast anyway and you can get away with being half asleep if there are no gears to monitor). All the hills are rideable on the SS with a bit of umpf, especially if you’re in a team and can have a rest after each lap.

Having said that, what used to be called the Kenda climb is a bit of a long haul on an SS and I was happier last time after I changed from 32:16 to 32:18 and once it really started to rain heavily then the climb wasn’t do-able on any bike gears or not so at least the SS was lighter to carry up!

Not going this year – might do a fast blast round some local woods in a break in the weather and think of you all.

Badger

soloing and at somewhere around 3am I usually get “When the day is dawning,
On a Texas Sunday Morning….. etc”

What little sanity is left starts to dribble out my ears and no matter how fast I pedal I can’t loose this dman song until the euphoria of cycling the dawn lap dispels it.

I usually give in and just sing it louder so others can share my pain! :o)

…. is this the way to amarillo? Every night ive been hugging my pillow….etc…