Buy the best Mk1 Eunos roadster you can (not an MX5; the imports are like new cars underneath!).

For a £2-3k you’ll have as much fun as £10k blown on anything else. I think in the right colour and spec they have a great image too (i.e. black or green with BBS, avoid faded red with 5 spokes from 1992!).

‘Travellingman’ – Haha good job. Still, sorry about the rant though, I might have been in a bad mood last night…

@Travellingman

Are you being funny? If not, you’re the sort of beardy, Ronhill wearing, tight sphinctered broccoli muncher cycling and its image doesn’t need. You get ****ts on both sides of the argument, there is no moral high ground; we just need to respect each others passions.

If you are being funny, then yes, a Honda is a chavs car 🙂

@TLR

I’d be inclined to agree with the Megane comments above; I really like the mid range grunt of the R26 and its turbo. I drove one back to back with a Clio 200, and although only 30hp separates them, the ‘shove’ of the Megane coming off roundabouts put a much bigger smile on my face and seemed to build pace sooo much quicker.

The LSD in the R26 was awesome though and I bet you’ll love the Mugan for that alone 🙂

cheers for organising pook, was a good day out. I'm feeling it now! Bike is still in the car, must go fish it out…..

See below for a map of the ride. If the click on the 'end point' in the bar on the left of the map, you'll get all sorts of geeky data!

link

Yes! Just seen this after finding out I have a surprise free weekend.
See you there in the morning!

Bugger!! I thought this was tomorrow (sunday) for some reason.

Just checked on here for a time and place and noticed the boat has been missed somewhat!

Jeremy, I've had a read through that thread, cheers for posting. I think there is something in bedding them in properly, i possibly didn't get enough heat into mine. Like i say, i've ridden in the same muck for 3 years on no more than 4 sets of organic pads with no problems.

These are cheap sintered pads, still seem quite dear at £10 a ride though!

I thought i'd ask here for advice first without disclosing who's they are to be fair to the manufacturer. I'll name and shame if they done

They're a Hayes Stroker Trail design.

Cheers

thats proper 100% solid gold bollocks

Haha agreed. What i meant to say is, "not knowing any exceptions, science atempts to explain all known instances". Blame beer.

Agreed, we should have enough material resource to make just about anything we ever need already, assuming the need for more volume of material is proportional to our ability to use material efficiently. Its not though.

We'll always hanker for more than we can have 'cheaply', whether that's affordably or not.

Above I said that we'll not change our ways unless it's an economic decision. I stand by it, I concede that people may suffer (maybe me, who knows) but no real effective change will occur until its a 'no-brainer' choice between fossil fuels or renewable energy financially.

I also maintain that the human race might eliminate itself before that happens because of inherent greed. Not point fighting that though, its just nature.

Amazing how clever we can be

Its really not though is it. We use snake drills and make them work because we understand them 99% of the time. We can characterise the Earth's mechanical properties, and they'll be pretty much the same next week (or year, or millennium) as they are now. Every now and again they'll bugger up, and we'll scratch our heads, make a change and they'll work. We assume because we don't for-see something that it won't happen.

We don't understand the climate, its a tricky bugger. There are millions of input factors, some we can predict, some we can't. It'll always be as fantastical as the meaning of life as far as I'm concerned. Since the climate is affected by an unknown number of factors it'll always be subject to uncertainty, unless you know the position, energy state and velocity of each and every piece of mass in the universe?

Madam; Yes, I and Sir Farnsworth have been boozing. Mmmm, Kelham Island Easy Rider 🙂

The problem being with your peer reviewed papers is that you and I both know we could submit papers monthly, have them reviewed, cited and lauded in due course, the problem being you or I both know they're balls.

The idea of science is that we can prove something with no verifiable exceptions. You or I can do just this in manufacturing if we're clever, providing we concentrate on certain factors. For example, the relationship between MRR of titanium and the weather. If we ignore certain factors such as the coolant we're using, the temperature in the shop etc we could make all kinds of wacky connections between two variables. Of course, ultimately, we can't measure everything and i believe this is the shadow MMGW scientists hide behind.

There are loads of scientists applying to get funding through IPCC projects/ projects of a similar nature; the projects are numerous and well paid. If a scientist wants to show a link between climate change and carbon emissions, they can with ease.

Exacerbating this problem, the media and the government can turn fuzzy inconclusive data into concrete evidence all too easily. For example, Britain has a terrible problem with sex trafficking. Apperently its not all its cracked up to be

As far as pub goes, I'm yet to have tea. If i get fed soon then yeah I'll be up.

Think about it – it's really because you WANT to believe you can do what you like and everythign will be okay.

Nope. Its because I understand I, and every other creature and form of life, are biological freaks and are liable to act irrationally and selfishly. Maybe even to such an extent that i wipe out my own species.

We're not God.
We do not control everything.
We exist on earth, exploit the resources around us to satisfy animal instincts (hunger, sex, comfort)
We're a blip on the time-line of the universe. We will not exist forever.

Personally I expect the orgy of comfort and excess to end sooner rather than later. I doubt it'll be due to changing climate (war over resources would be my prediction), and hopefully not in my life cos it'd be nasty fo' sure, but it will end without doubt.

Fighting it will only make you more miserable. You'll look like that bird on the news shouting "shame on you" as she's dragged out the BBC; no Nostradamus but a wierd lefty carrot munching lesbian.

Do YOU want to be a wierd lefty carrot munching lesbian??!?!

Good god Madam, they've duped you too.

Humans might be responsible for a change in climate, but we just aren't clever enough to know one way or the other, or what lever of action might rectify the situation if it is indeed required. We're too small to see the bigger picture of the universe, to know and account for every factor which influences our environment. Much like ancient cultures who prayed and made sacrifices to their gods thinking it made the blindest bit of difference to their harvests, we do not understand whats going on, or what will happen in the future. Its pretty arrogant to think we know what will happen to such a complex system in a centuries time (not to mention the fact that we can't even predict next weeks weather with any certainty).

We as a species have noticed the rise in fossil fuel exploitation co-incides with a change in the climate and assume they're linked. We also believe we have identified the process which links these two observations (greenhouse effect). As mentioned in a post above, a theory on the mechanism is not proof by any means.

Commercial factors will bring about a far sharper turn in human behaviour with respect to the use of fossil fuels than any appeal to the conscience will. Renewable sources are becoming more affordable, non-renewables fluctuate but will see a steady upward trend in price. There will be a tipping point, and only then will a large scale change in human behaviour be seen. Tax incentives (as seen on hybrid vehicles in the UK) might speed this process up, but by and large the (relativley short) time required for this to happen will be determined by the rate of change of renewable technology and the rate of consumption of fossil fuels.

In short, sit back and let whatever will happen happen. There aint nothing you can do about it. 🙂

T'other half has one. Rear suspension action is smooth and controlled compared to similarly priced stuff (she bought the '09 FX3 for £300). The frame has some nice features such as holes cast into the BB/pivot shell to let water out and hydroformed tubes.

Hers is heavy, but has heavy forks and wheels. I reckon a serious experienced rider would quickly expose its short comings, but for a beginner/ someone who doesn't take things too serious its a decent enough bike.

why is your maxle facing forwards?

Ebay pics. You've got to have some kind of gaffaw to give these forum types something to latch onto so they can assume I'm a thief!

just peel the stickers off and a lick of hammerite

That one! I did it to my pikes, painted them yellow with hammerite and they looked pretty good after some ebay stickers.

Make sure you rub them back with 1200 grit and then rubbing compound after plenty of thin layers of paint, they'll be fine and it'll last long enough considering it cost £5!!

Oh, another tip, buy your wet and dry from screwfix if you have one of the retail stores near (there's one in sheffield), its £3 for 10 sheets as opposed to halfords megabucks stuff

What a pompous prick you are

Haha chill it bro, you can't take the stress at your age, the old ticker will give up!

I'm with you on this one though; I have no doubt that we enjoy some of the greatest wealth and social security living in the UK, but there is simply no 'joy' in living here.

I often wonder what immigrants think of the UK once they've been here a while, i.e. do the financial benefits really outweigh the loss of any community spirit that can be found back at home?

Moment of inertia? I would imagine any weight lost from the perifery of the wheel (i.e. being able to make rims with no lateral strength) would reduce moment of inertia of the wheel a noticable amount since inertia is a function of the mass and its radial position squared.

Although overall weight would be the same or maybe even greater, the advantage in acceleration would be well worth it for sprinters/ climbers i suspect.

They pay me lots of money

Apart from that bit, same here, so I'd better go manufacture something of value 😀

People buying things with a big markup (such as the shades) could be called stupid, but to be honest I buy Oakleys because they work better for me than other shades and I can afford it. How much Mr Oakley makes is nothing to do with me.

So I guess what we're talking about is the percieved value in a product. I don't see any operational value in this product; I don't watch much TDF but on the times I have, I don't remember chain de-railments being an issue. And as i've pointed out, I really can't see the where the value is 'engineered' into the product.

If you think it does have operational/functional/intrinsic/emotional value, fair enough.

YOu appear to have completely forgotten that Wiggle will buy it for £15, then the distributor will buy it from the brand for £7.5. So the part can only cost £1 to make if they want to make it worth their while doing it.

Please see;

Even if they see only 25% of the retail cost at the factory, thats barmy.

Maybe i should have said "the commisioning company" as opposed to "the factory", but i'm making the assumption that the factory and the company are one and the same.

(PS alloy fromas sold for £500 probbably only cost £50 to make, and ive just got some 2010 OEM boxxer races £900 RRP for £190 factory price, does that make them a rip off????)

Probably 😉 But the costs associated to the design, development, marketing are considerably higher when producing a fork or frame. Taking a frame for example, to be competative you'll not only need to define the geometry/ layout and find a factory to pump them out for you, but you'll at least need to show some consideration to strength optimisation, fatigue life, manufacturing process design (there will be as much of this as the actual product design)etc, not to mention the legal implications of producing a product which if faulty/flawed, could in extreme cases cause death.

you idiot

Sir, I believe you to be the idiot here . I didn't think it would be neccesary in the OP to indicate that some products obviously require substantial investment to enable their introduction to the market, and that I cannot see how this component falls into that catagory in any way.

Oh, and I might charge 10p for the electric, I might even add a percentage for the administrative cost of supplying the electric, making it more like 15p. But I would then charge accordingly for the use of hardware if my own (purchase + maintenance), a labour rate, travel expenses and liability insurance (amongst other things) so the bottom line may well look more like £20. But i could demonstrate how I might come up with such a number.

I am more baffled by the fact that BenKitchener seems to be so angry about all this.

Not realy angry Mr A, but i too found this adversited in my inbox this morning and was astounded by the product being offered vs. cost. I only ever drop the chain when the wheels are out and the bikes in the car, maybe its different on a big road ring?

Kitchener

Kitcher 😉

For crying out loud, the retail cost of an item IS NOT BASED ON HOW MUCH IT COST TO MAKE!

Haha, are you really trying to tell me that the amortised cost of marketing and R+D for a component designed to fit a few differnt front mechs and a variety of frames would equate to that much though? Even if they see only 25% of the retail cost at the factory, thats barmy.

I see your point to an extent, a small minority might pay it, but most surely see straight through it and realise they are being taken for mugs.

IF the associated costs of marketing/R+D are so high that the product gets unrealistically expensive, don't make it. Patent it if possible, and sell the rights to sram/shimano/campag for them to encorporate it in to their product. If they don't want it, its a duff idea!

Take Muc-Off as an example. They must manufacturer it in 1000s of litres at a time, probably at a cost of tens of pence per litre. People quite happily buy it for £6 a bottle.

Muc-off initially required formulation and presumebly a factory certified to deal with the chemicals involved (irrespective of whether they're dangerous or not). I would also presume that selling a chemically derived product in the UK requires some degree of accreditation, and that people are willing to pay more to a trusted brand to ensure they don't burn their eyes out/melt the kids/poison the cat.

To me, this product stinks of someone trying to make a fast buck since they know cyclists are weak willed and deep pocketed when it comes to anodised aluminium!!

Now gone to a new home 🙁 (hence rubbish ebay pic)

Where abouts is that? Looks fun

To elaborate on the yeeeeap

Fargo. Yeeeeap.

I use 3, and must be one of the very lucky few who it works 🙂

They’re £600ish correct?

What kind of service do you get for your £380 fox RP23 or £900 fox 36’s for that matter? From what i hear its pretty poor (thinking about warranty returns for stancions etc).

If I was buying a DHX for £350 and then paying £100 or so for custom tuning I’d consider splashing the extra £120 for this level of customer care without a doubt.

Pah I’ll be fine then!

Tomorrow is exploration day!

Cheers for the help fellas! Yeah I’m coming from the AMP. I do like the sound of Matts route, although the reason i was coming through attercliffe was to avoid any run-ins through Manor (mumsie tells me to take the safe way home from school :wink:).

My bright orange Orange might attract a few magpies riding along there?

That helmet cam footage is well good, i especially like the backward facing MotoGP style shot!

Personally i wouldn’t bother. I’ve just picked up my enduro frame from the powdercoaters an hour ago. I decided to get it coated again because I just could not get an acceptable finish by polishing it. I’d done the following;

Strip with nitromors
Wet+Dry with 180, 400, 1200, 2000 grit
Polish with brasso (works really rather well)
Lacquer with halfords stuff (left to go off for at least a week)
Rub back with rubbing compound
Polish

All was going well until I got to the rubbing compound stage; I went straight through the lacquer in places back to the bare metal. You just can’t get a tough, all over nice finish by hand. Taking it to get it coated was a hard descision though because i’d invested so much time into polishing the damn thing (I reckon getting on for 40 hours!!!)

I’ll try and get some pictures up when i can. Express coatings in sheffield have done a top job in 1.5 days and for £30 🙂

too right, they look golden and crispy.

Mmmmmmmmmmm

I believe some people replace the dual mass with a standard unit, but would doubt anyone would go the other way due to the cost.

Dual mass flywheel? Seem to remember these letting go in VAG cars and causing some issues

Creative Labs £6.99

I use these in gym and on the bike. Stay in well, decent sound and 7 quid from amazon. I keep meaning to buy more for the office and spares for the bike.

Kona 😮

A little letter from myself to BT earlier this year. The complaint is currenty with the ombudsman….

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to you to express my utter astonishment and disgust at the lack of competence demonstrated by your organisation in the rectification of an error made by British Telecom.

I have been harassed by British Telecom for the payment of an incorrectly assigned cancellation fee of £62.92, and it would seem that not a single member of staff within the organisation is capable of understanding the error let alone take the steps required to rectify it.

I took out a 12 month telephone and broadband package in January 2007. This package was transferred from 22 A Road to 140 B Street in December 2007. Once transferred, in February 2008 I attempted to cancel my broadband; I was informed at the time I had signed up to a sixteen month contract and as such would incur a penalty fee. This was eventually rectified once a member of customer care staff realised that a 16 month contract does not exist and I had, as mentioned, entered into a 12 month agreement (which was spent).

In June 2008 I moved once again from 140 B Street to my current address. The new address does not have a phone line and since I refuse to pay the £125 fee for BT to reconnect the property the phone line was cancelled. I was later dismayed to find that I had been charged a fee of £62.92 as a consequence. Through consultation with customer services I discovered that the transferral of an account to a new address automatically initiates a new minimum term of 12 months.

At no point during my custom, either at the contract initiation, the account transferral or the account cancellation did a BT employee alert me to this policy, and I certainly did not enter a verbal contract. With further investigation I have discovered this policy was introduced in May 2007, during my contracted term. I was not made aware of the change in terms at the time, nor was I referred to the altered terms and conditions during the transfer of the account to the new address.

I have sent 4 emails to the complaints department whose response has been non-committal and often, unintelligible. However, I do not blame you for refusing to empower these individuals and allow them to make decisions worth £62.92; they do not even possess the intelligence to read or write an email (it is blatant that these emails are formed using a set of standardised sentences designed to discourage the customer from pursuing their complaint). I would happily pay the outstanding amount if British Telecom could provide me with proof that I agreed to these terms of contract, either verbally or in writing. Since I know this proof cannot be provided, I shall not be paying the fee and would like the bill to be rectified accordingly.

The conduct displayed by British Telecom during my contracted time has been appalling and amounts to nothing more than extortion and profiteering. I shall be alerting the telecommunications ombudsman and Trading Standards of the situation.

Sincerely,

Me

See, quality will always sell. It’s the shite that keeps on being pushed at us, that is a waste of money

Exactly. I will buy decent albums, the ones which I’ve downloaded and liked. I will also go to thier gigs.

I got fed up with hearing 1 song on the radio and having to pay 10 quid to realise that the rest of the album is utter dross.

As for films, Lovefilm all the way. Blockbuster have transformed themselves into my Xbox game source since they offer such a good range of secondhand games.