Here’s ‘ours’ (I say ours, but we’re just the current keepers of the ‘dodgy tandem’).  Gets used for local beer festivals, and the club fancy dress rides – as seen here at Christmas.

It’s quite a head turner when we’re dressed as a zombie banana and zombie gorilla for Halloween!

90 degree cable routing through the headset? Hmmmm….

Have you looked at: Feren OS, Zorin, or elementary OS? Personally, really like elementary, but then I’m a Mac fan.

Did you re-lube the pistons with silicon lube? I had an E4 calliper that would lock on after use, and ended up stripping and replacing all the piston seals, and then lubed the pistons with the recommended silicon lube as they were refitted.  Not had a problem since.

And the other bike has recently had the E4 pistons re-lubed as a precaution (didn’t replace any seals, as that’s a messy and fiddly job).  Used a ‘bleed block’ that allows a single piston to be squeezed out at a time. Then attacked the piston with lube and cotton buds.  Force back in, out, more lube, force back in, out, more lube.  Repeat 8 times for both ends…

This is the stuff: https://www.biketart.com/products/hope-silicon-lube?variant=40809527214259

(Other purveyors of said lube also available)

And something like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266238193288?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=7lnhsUW6TXm&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=hEpFFh9CTji&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

to squeeze one piston at a time.

The link on Conti’s website is misleading – redirects you to Cambrian Tyres where… it’s out of stock.

I have one, from a charity shop, as my pub bike. It’s damnned heavy though! Nearly gave myself a hernia lifting into the roof bars!

if the pistons are shot, get some stainless steel ones HBSP432

Do the ‘new’ E4 pistons fits the ‘old’ E4 callipers? If so, might do this to my old E4s before the summer Alps visit. (Same for the pads? Hearing good things about the ‘new’ Hope compounds)

Spending the majority of December on a sail boat has meant I’d actually forgotten all about this, so am still in! Only a few hours to go…

It’s age that kills cars, not mileage. Don’t dismiss higher mileage cars if they are newer with FSH (ex fleet type motors) where the majority of miles would be done churning up and down the motorways.

Definitely go mesh, but spend a bit extra and get a tri-band system with 1 master and 1 or 2 remotes. The tri-band will give you a dedicated, back-end channel for the mesh devices to talk with each other, so there’s no contention between ‘back end’ network traffic and your device to/from internet traffic.

I installed an Orbi system (1 main, 2 remotes) a couple of years ago now and can max out my 200Mbits broadband all over the house and garden.

I bought a pair of Airs, VPD 2.0 and the 2.0 DH long (knee and elbow for all) after a nasty crash (broken arm, knackered shoulder) 6 years ago.

The Airs are my ‘go to’ pad which I wear for 90% of the time: FoD (inc. off piste), Cannock etc. and for the ‘Ard Rock as they are comfy and I can pedal in them all day. They’ve also saved my knees several times, and still come out clean and fresh after a wash – although the anti-smell material doesn’t work as well as it used to…!

Since I got the Airs (a few months after the VPD 2.0) I don’t tend to wear the the VPD 2.0 as they are much heavier and as a result hotter on the knees (!). But have worn them for uplift trips to ‘extreme’ trails, such as BPW and in Molini.

The DH pads are used pretty much exclusively for Alps uplift adventures, and when you crash it’s like your knees sinking into cushion! But they are tricky to pedal in.

Perfectly happy with the Airs, and I hope I can get the same again when these finally get too stinky or wear out.

@submarined – I said decent, not Shimano. They used to be good, but I have also had to replace callipers on the ‘new’ XTs (8000 series on the SO’s trail bike).

Have never come across decent SRAM brakes (but bizarrely my SO’s Avid XO Trail on her enduro bike are great).

I run Hopes – not the most powerful, but reliable and very easy to live with. And not that I’ve had to, but can get complete service kits for every part.

It’s probably a master cylinder piston sticking (in the lever end). Had this on some Guide RS and googled it – it’s a thing…!
Replaced the pistons with new units, which were 0.15mm less in diameter. No more sticking brakes in hot weather. Then I sold the bike.

Best option – junk the SRAM brakes and get something decent!

Went with the Orbi mesh system (3 node, tri-band system) and it’s bonkers fast! I can max-out our 200Mbit broadband via wifi all over the house, and can also get 500Mbits+ to my home server (plugged into one of the nodes via Gbit ethernet) from the wifi clients.

If you go mesh, get one with tri-band capability, so the backhaul is on its own frequency.

Tried power-line before I got the mesh, but the results were variable, and never more than 150Mbit even though the Tenda devices are supposed to be Gbit power-line. Mind you, it’s a 1930s house and I have no idea when the wiring was last refreshed.

I’d suggest spending the cash, getting a small Fortigate firewall (even off eBay) and some Fortitokens for 2FA. The Fortigate allows for full featured VPN with a client, or client-less SSL based access to file shares/web servers via a web browser. Also, has an HTML5 RDP client if you have a terminal server on the inside (or maybe build a terminal server from one of your extra Hyper-V Server licenses and use the 120 day trial RDS license as a ‘bait and switch’ tactic for those that make use of it ;-) ).

Either way, I’d strongly suggest a dedicated piece of hardware built for the task. Someone suggested a Raspberry Pi with OpenVPN – these work well, just make sure you use a decent SD card! (many corrupt ‘cheapie’ cards with Pi’s. Or, build a virtual Linux box and install OpenVPN on that.)

(more years than I care to remember working in IT – 32 at last count!)

+1 for both the POC VPD Air and VPD 2.0 – the 2.0 are quite a bit larger and thicker than the Air’s. Saying that, the Air’s are my ‘go to’ knee pad of choice – have had them for about 4 years, and every few rides just chuck them the wash with the rest of my kit and they come out looking like new. They’re also light and once warmed up you don’t notice them. Tend to use these for trail riding.

The VPD 2.0 are heavier, thicker and more substantial, so tend to wear these where I’m uplifting with some pedalling involved in warmer climates. These are warmer, but provide better knee coverage. Again, just stick them in the washing machine every few rides.

Both have kept my knees working after a crash!

Just make sure you get the right size.

Have a 1997 VFR750 (FV) which I bought a couple of years ago. Have always wanted a VFR ever since they were released in ’85 (or was it ’86) and I read the Performance Bikes week-long test of it. Now I have one, I love it! Also like the 55mpg and the 21l tank – 200+ miles before my nerve gives out… (needle in the red, but no fuel warning light on yet) only to find I still have a gallon left in the tank. :-)
Think some earlier models had a smaller tank, so be ware.

Just passed its MOT again, but it’s getting a bit noisy due to blowing exhaust around the collector box area. This weekend’s job is to try and take it off (have sprayed pleny of releasing fluid onto the front exhaust nuts/studs as I don;t fancy having to drill them out). Hoping I can repir, as a new s/steel jobbie is £260! Has a 3rd party high-level exhaust fitted as well, which is a little too ‘fruity’ for me, so have just purchased a mint original end-can from a breakers on eBay.

Engine is now at 57k miles, and still goes as it should – and way faster than I can manage nowadays. New tyres fitted last year – Avon, as they still have fitment and were reasonably priced.

If you fancy one, go for it!

If it’s a pro, you should be able to upgrade the RAM to at least 8GB (possibly 16GB), and a hard disk upgrade to an SSD (240gb and 500gb now reasonably priced) should also be possible.

If it’s an Air, upgrades are harder, but not impossible, I believe.

Passed test 30-odd years ago on a Vespa PX125, but it was relatively unreliable.  Had a Lambo GP200, then moved to ‘proper’ motorbikes.  30-odd years later, now have a VFR750 and a Vespa GTS300 – absolutely love the Vespa – so quick, so comfortable, economical, reliable (waaay more reliable than my old PX): get a top box as that can store helmets, clothes, laptops etc.  Get a decent lock (keep it under the seat) as I have a feeling Vespa are scooter of choice for moped gangs. :-(

I’d suggest getting twist and go 4-stroke auto – quick off the lights, easy to control, no wrist/hand ache from the clutch/gears when you do have to filter slowly.  The PX is a 2 stroke – a classic engine but can be smokey (hence getting killed off).

G/F has a Vespa ET4 auto, which she loves.  Smaller bodied than a GTS, but lighter with it.

The Royal Alloys look sweet – similar to Scomadi, and the 125 is very competitive on price.

<span style=”display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: ‘Open Sans’; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.4px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;”>Oh the delicious irony of JRM forcing a second referendum through his wrecking tactics</span>

But there’s no guarantee that ‘remain as we are in the EU’ will be on the ballot.  It’ll be a choice between a s**t deal, or no deal.  And the Brexiteers seem to want ‘no deal’.

Found this on Interwebs a while ago – works a treat on my stealth reverb:

try this home tip first.

1. Fully extend the post and turn the bike upside down – try to keep the post as vertical as you can.

2. Protect the Reverb button with your hand and push it simultaneously while pushing down the seat (note – do not push out the post when the bike is upside down, it will get worse!).

3. Turn the bike back on it´s wheels (with the saddle in the bottom) and let the post fully back.

4. Hopefully this will stiffen the post

Nokian Weatherproof – excellent tyres

Thanks for sharing your experience and stories. I’m 49, have been wearing glasses since I was 13, but nowadays find I’m having to peer over the top of them to work the phone, read magazines etc. I daresay I’ll need reading glasses soon.

I know varifocals are an option, and I believe I could look into varifocal contacts.

Seems I can get free consultations with various companies, so I’ll try that first. Well, after getting my eyes tested again by my optician. Prescription hasn’t changed for about 10 years now though.

Thanks everyone.

When I last visited a resturant the bill showed a breakdown of evwerything I owed, they didn’t just request a number and I suggested a lower one.

It’s a divorce, it’s not clear-cut as everything is intertwined with everything else – we’re arguing over who gets the fine bone china…

<sigh> It’s all a shambles and not in the UKs best interests at all.

Hit refresh now!!

Don’t tickets get allocated for 20 mins? Then re-released if not completed in time? (sure that’s happened previous years??)

3 for the sport – and we’re in! Now to get another 30 mins kip…

@Simon – fantastic, much appreciated. Thank you.

Thanks :-)

Simon/Kamakazie, if you wouldn’t mind, how long are yours?? (oooerr!)

I mean for your Ascend XL – max insertion length (bottom (inc. cable widgetry) to collar) and overall length to saddle rails, please. Trying to work out if I can get one fitted in my Giant Reign, with ridiculous short seat post. Using the 125mm version, but way too much post showing and as a result, not enough drop.

TIA

“He knew what he signed up for”, jeezo

Perhaps, next time, when Poor little Donnie is whining about how tough it is being president of the US, someone could repeat these sentiments to him. [/quote]

The thing is, I’m not sure he really knew and understood what he was signing up for when he became POTUS – and still doesn’t really know and understand now. I imagine he thought he could be like a dictator and just say ‘I want this to happen’ and people would get it done, no questions. How many EOs can a president write? As that seems to be the only way he’s getting his agenda done.

Agree on pettiness of undoing (or trying to undo) Obama, but he’s damaging America and also the world through his actions and tweets (and his family aren’t helping… Honestly, if I’d have made that many ‘mistakes’ on my security forms, I wouldn’t be allowed to do my job! And there’s also the ‘But their emails….’, which seems to have died down – MSM keeping it in reserve??)

My club has purchased one for full members to borrow. It’s a smidgen faffy, but has helped me tune my forks to a tune I think is perfect for me, that particular bike and the terrain. It suggested 5% here, 2 clicks there and a token or 2, and the fork, from feeling ‘ok’ now feels bl00dy fantastic!

Now need more setup sessions for the shock.

So it’s worked for me, but don’t expect a quick tune up – and don’t use it when riding with your mates, as they’ll get fed up of waiting while you calibrate, adjust etc. and just bugger off and leave you!! Best to set a couple of hours aside and either ride solo, or have someone along that’s very patient.

Take the train to Monaco for the day – take afternoon tea in the Hotel de Paris, wander the streets and get a feel for how close those F1 drivers actually have to get to the walls.

This is a sad story where no one wins, and we have to remember that a family no longer has a mum, but is there a danger it could set a precedent for future accidents with cyclists whose bikes are not 100% legal, including, for example, no pedal reflectors, front/rear reflectors etc., perhaps even a bell? (I have a feeling it’s not a legal requirement to have a bell fitted, but I’m not sure about reflectors)

Quote the new directive and get them to swap all the brakes on all bikes: Moto-Style Brakes[/url]

(In all seriousness, and as a motorcyclist myself I can’t understand why there is a difference with the rest of the world having bike front brake different to motorbike front brake?)

Recipe for disaster! You’ll be telling yourself – Right=rear, left=front for ages, but then something will happen which requires tactical braking and muscle memory will kick in. As happened to me on a hire bike in NYC when I suddenly had to grab a handful of rear brake and went massively OTB…

Get them swapped. Or take an 6mm (7,8??) spanner with you and swap when out of sight on the trail… If you’re careful, they won’t need a bleed.

If budget is not an issue, how about a ’36er’[/url]? Saw one on the 5 Boro ride – flippin’ huuuge!!

Edit: it seems your friend at 6’9″ would need a small or a medium 8O

Yes, well organised – apart from…. Bike hire. Picked up bikes a couple of miles away from start (right at bottom of Manhattan), with no instruction on how to get to start! So lots of people trying to figure out how to get to the start. And the queue for hire bikes was loooong – so make sure you get there early! (we organised hire bikes when we entered, with the ‘pick up at start and drop off at end’ package)

We entered with the VIP tickets, which is expensive, but means you get a goody bag (varies each year, but we had mugs, frame bag, official ride top), and also get to leave on the first wave of riders out, which is beneficial as we found out later that there are so many riders, you actually end up walking along the ‘hills’. And by ‘hills’, I mean the on ramps for the bridges… It attracts lots of riders that don’t really know how to ride!

However, the fact that you’re riding up Manhattan, though Central Park, round the boros, on closed roads, with well organised food stops, makes for a great ride. Speed isn’t quick – just take it as a pootle. Live bands are playing at the side of the road along the way, and the sponsoring bank all have people outside cheering you on – all makes for a great atmosphere.

It’s a great event – we’ll do it again, but prob not for a few years as it does get to be quite pricey when you factor in VIP entry, bike hire, and the hotel and flight costs.

Oh, and don’t do what I did and forget that the murkans run their brakes the opposite way – had an OTB incident when racing for the start line – oooopsie! :-D

Yup – did it this year, on the 40th anniversary, on the day of my g/f 40th birthday! (she got a shout out in front of 32000 cyclists!) Loved it – but it could have been a smidgen warmer!!

What do you need to know?

When I acquired a 2t expander from a mate, I emailed OneUp and they sent me a couple in the post FOC – try that?