Thanks for your input… still no idea, I think I need to do more research. I’m not sure if a van would be great for 20% of the time and less than ideal for 80% of the time and a good estate car would be the opposite.

That’s just come out of a bike box. Stolen by the courier? Well dodgy.

@timc Any particular reason to avoid X drive?

Garmin Instinct 1 user here. Had the watch 3 years or so and it’s been brilliant. I wouldn’t hesitate to get another.

I had my Qashqai serviced last month at my local indy and was about £180 all in. That was oil and filters so £160 sounds about right?

I like replacing bar tape. Youtube tutorial on the phone and a cup of tea makes it much easier. I’m just not brilliant at it….

Sad to see Fat Albert taken out of service. My first experience of the Hercules was an air experience flight with the ATC. I watched a night parachute jump from the back ramp as two sticks of Paras jumped out of the side doors. I was also stationed at Lyneham once I joined the RAF. Goodbye Albert, you’ve done well.

Thread of the week!

Whatever you do to sort it please make sure you film it for our amusement.

I received my sleeping bag today… it’s not bad. It’s well made from what I can tell. It has a full length YKK zip with baffle, small internal and external zip pockets, internal draw cord and it’s just about long enough for me at 181cm. Not sure I’d want to be too much taller.
I can’t help but feel it’s a little thin for a three season bag, obviously the proof is actually sleeping in it. For £20 if it’s not warm enough for sticking in a bivvy bag it’ll do for the kids going to a sleep over.

I’ve just ordered a Dawnflare 300 for £19.99. It’ll be used for the odd spring/summer/autumn in a bivvy bag under a basha (I’m an instructor with the Army Cadets). For £20 quid it’s worth a punt. I’ll let you know my thoughts.

Skynet has been a thing since the late sixties… granted it hadn’t started a nuclear exchange yet.

I have also received my tyre! Happy with the price but three weeks from order to delivery is a little disappointing, especially when it was initially meant to be delivered just over a week later. Luck of the draw I guess.

There is a large exercise on at the moment. I think on the perimeter path you’re ok, it’s when you start to stray off route you may find tings a little more exciting.

I echo @13floormonk with BikeInn. Tyre ordered on the 21st of April and promised 10 days later. Was happy to wait. As of yesterday they were in the Netherlands about to be exported. I’m not in a rush but I’ll certainly think twice about ordering from them again.

Close! I had ordered a 29 x 2.6 Barzo. I feel better knowing it’s not just me waiting for Bikeinn.

I had a moan at BikeInn last night using the customer service chat about my lack of tyre. By this morning I had an apology and an offer of a refund, or I could wait a little longer.
This afternoon I’ve just had a dispatch email with tracking information so I may have my tyre in a few days or so. Not sure I’ll use them again unless I’m desperate or can wait for whatever I’ve ordered.

I ordered a tyre on the 21st of last month, estimated delivery was supposed to be yesterday. As of this morning estimated delivery is now the 7th. I’m ok to wait out for a bit longer but I can’t see me using them again.

DPD turn up to collect the item before the courier with the money. You’ll be encouraged to hand it over and told the money is on the way, which of course, it isn’t.

Anyone got a Road CC login? Might be worth posting this over there?

Done. That wasn’t at all biased. I liked the open comments section on one of the questions inviting me to let rip.

I went a couple of years ago, said I wouldn’t go again. There were some lovely bikes to see but that was about it. Even if the tickets are free paying nearly £20 to park for the day is still a bit steep…

I think the only way is to push yourself. I’m in my mid forties and the highest heart rate I’ve got to in the last year is 190 BPM. I overdid it on that ride, felt really dodgy after hitting 190 and had to back off, didn’t feel at all right after. I’ve set my Garmin to alarm when I hit 185 BPM, don’t want to go through that again….

Thanks for your replies, anyone else got any experience? I’ll probably accept the role going on the above info.

You have to lose the ex military mentality as well, you’re out now, they don’t own you 24 hours a day. I’m ex RAF and my current job is mostly ex mil types, including the management. They’re still in the mob mentality wise, expecting more with less but as a civvies we don’t play that game any more. I had a senior colleague say to me once “This department cannot fail” which is all well and good but it’s not him running around making sure that it doesn’t.

Wrap Tiddles in a towel with the paw to be clipped out. Once clipped rewrap with the next leg poking out.

Very happy with my Enigma Etape, 11 years old this year and still excellent.

Edit, link not working… ignore my last.

BMW Q6.S, Whyte PRST and anything by Karpiel. Nothing wrong with the Mantra or the Raven up there! (Yes, I’m still stuck in the nineties!)

Quick update to this…. I’m rather embarrassed to admit that I had the hub adaptors the wrong way around on the hub. Big thank you to the patient chaps at Superstar who diagnosed the issue.

I have been a massive biff, once again, thanks to Superstar for the help!

Thanks @pimpinggimp that’s really helpful of you. I’ll see what they say.

Some excellent advice from you all. I have emailed Superstar for their take on it and will have a look at the wheel as well. I just want to ride my bike!

Nope, boost hub in a boost frame….

Both Beaker Jr’s bikes have been Giants, and I’ve owned a couple. I’m pretty sure I won’t be buying a Giant in the future after reading this. Suspect that this will become more common with all manufacturers with rising costs etc.

If you find Swindon isn’t to your liking come an hour down the road to Warminster. We have Windhill Bike Park and some good riding in the woods over the road from the park.

If you’re in Colorado Springs you need to visit the Garden of the Gods. The WW2 aviation museum at the airport is good as well. There was a great bike shop (can’t recall the name) but they stocked Yeti and Moots and had loads of high end stuff on display.

I was on a layover at RAF Akrotiri, out on the roof terrace in the departure lounge. Found myself sat next to an SF bloke with his dog and it was a Malinois. I asked if I could stroke the dog who was soft as you like, I then asked the handler if he was a sniffer dog? He replied, he’s a biter. Couldn’t believe it, this dog was like a pet! Incidentally the dog that went on the Osama Bin Laden raid was a Malinois.

The Bends by Radiohead or Dummy by Portishead.

Have a look here https://dr-zocchi.projectweb.de/produkt-kategorie/bomber/canti-sockets-bomber/ they might be able to help….

Sigma Sports have some Black Friday sale stuff… they are fast becoming my go to over CRC and Merlin.