I went out for a gentle ride around the byways of North Wales on Monday. It was a route I’d done a couple of times before, without a great deal of climbing and without any gnar. No need for a helmet or gloves then right? Cue me wiping out at about 15 mph on a gravel strewn bridleway, landing full force on my left shoulder and headbutting Wales. The only time I’ve been sans helmet in the last 9 years or so, and the only crash I’ve ever had where a helmet would have made any difference.

I suppose you could say it’s a lesson learned. Though at least I don’t have to fork out for a new helmet.

I fall off every couple of rides but luckily they are usually slow speed comedy pratfalls. A couple of times I’ve had serious incidents where I could have been badly hurt but lady luck has intervened and I’ve come out okay.

I’ve just been round to my neighbours house to borrow a drill. But he wasn’t in. So I broke in and ate his fish tank… you won’t catch me with me trousers.

L.A. to Leasowe by Jimmy Stevens aka Jimmy Sometime. As it’s about a small council estate on the arse end of the wirral, I’m unlikely to ever find another song that mentions my hometown.

Marin, I’ll be just up the road from you on the Tarran Estate. I’ve got work tomorrow but I’m planning on sloping off to watch the race for a bit. Any idea what time they are due to go past?

Shatners Bassoon?

Nice, I never knew she was a mountain biker. Or is she one of those weird people who commute on a FS trail bike?

I’d cut to the chase and beat him to death with a shovel and bury him under your new rear patio. Only solution.

What if his widow decides to plant the laurel anyway, in memory of her newly departed laurel loving husband? Best be on the safe side and do the two of them.

Eez nor arsed lad

Loved the first 2 so I’ll be all over this. Keanu Reeves irl is actually very proficient with firearms, not so sure how good he is at throwing knives into peoples faces though.

Cut a slot in the head of the bolt and use a screwdriver to turn it out.

Yup, very aware of those works

So you ignored the signs too?

Be aware there are major works underway in Clocaenog forest. I’ve been there twice in the last two weeks, and while the weekend wasn’t too bad I went on a tuesday morning and there were lorries and diggers everywhere. There are keep out signs but I went through anyway and nobody tried to stop me. The grassy bridleways are being turned into 20 foot wide crushed gravel paths. Maybe just for the rally, but there are signs about a wind farm being built as well.

Leasowe lighthouse to where the rally is is about 3.5 to 4 miles, so you could carry on to Seacombe Ferry which is  another 2.5 miles. Giving you an out and back trip of 12 miles or so. The prom is almost totally flat apart from one small gravelly/sandy hill when you get to Leasowe foreshore. It wouldn’t be much fun on a road bike, but it’s still doable.

Or as the previous poster said, if you’re staying in Liverpool come over on the ferry, ride to New Brighton and watch the rally for a bit and carry on to Leasowe or Meols. There’s a pirate ship built from driftwood at Egremont and you can get ice creams and a meal in New Brighton.

I’m planning on tearing up Nidderdale tomorrow. Planning a very early start to miss most of the heat, and taking plenty of water.

Be careful with the main pivot in the chain stay. You really need a packing piece between the jaws.

What do you mean? Is it hard to get the bearings in or out or is it hard to line everything up when you put it all back together? I don’t mean to hijack the thread but i’ve got a 2012 Zesty and ordered a bearing and bushing kit yesterday. I’m hoping to get it done before the weekend.

I had a Subway 2 for many years and loved it. With narrow semi slick tyres it was extremely fast. It was ideal for the 3 mile journey to work. Then some barsteward nicked it and I now use an old GT. I wish I still had the Subway.

I’ve had a couple of close encownters over the years. The worst was a couple of years ago just outside Cilcain in North Wales. I’d just entered the field when the whole herd of about 12 to 15 came barrelling over to me and trapped me against the fence. I’d turn and yell at them and they would back away but soon as I turned to go back towards the exit they came at me again. I proper shit meself and I’ve been very wary of cows ever since.

I went to Holmfirth on Saturday and got halfway across a big field before I noticed there were cows with calves at the far end. One cow and it’s calf were right next to the bridleway and I got to within about 10 feet of them before the calf spotted me and legged it up the hill at a high rate of knots. This spooked it’s mum and for a second I thought it was going to charge me. I ended up saying “good girl, good girl” to it in my calmest voice which did seem to calm it down a bit. I mustn’t have been thinking straight because apparently the best thing to shout is “get awa’ tha’ filthy bugger”. Which I learned from this very forum.

I checked my e-mails one morning and discovered I’d bought a canoe from amazon whilst drunk the night previous. Another time a packet came through my letterbox and when I opened it, it was the Greatest Hits of Slade. Which I have no recollection of ordering.

I went at 5.30am a few days ago and the place was packed. Not with shoppers but with staff re-stocking the shelves.

I’ve just finished fettling my bike and packing my gear away for tomorrows ride. I’m sick of driving so I’ll be doing a fairly local ride [just over 1hr away] around Gradbach.

Whats your route Bobario?

Sorry for the late reply, it was the one from pedalnorth.com.

I’ve got a dawn raid on Walna Scar planned for tomorrow. Never been before and can’t wait.

It’s all perfectly legit. You loan money to people in poor countries, the site adds about 10% to what you loan as a fee and the money goes to people wanting to start up or expand a business.

I was a member for a few years and helped a few people, I always got my money back (minus the fee) but if they go bust etc you may not. I left because I started to get the feeling that I was ignoring the really destitute people in favour of those who already had enough capital to start up a market stall or something.

well thats good news, thanks.

CRCIK1NXXR2

I was part of a team of floorlayers working at Granada TV studios. We were sitting around having a break when someone mentioned Bill Roache. I proceeded to slate him to death, calling him a shit actor and saying corrie was crap. I turned around and he was standing behind me with a face like thunder, and started to give me a good telling off. I was a bit stunned and just took it at first, till I decided I wasn’t going to be intimidated by Ken Barlow and started giving him some back. He shut up.
One of the Manchester lads said to his face that he’d heard he was a rapist. This was about 15 years ago.

I was out on the Long Mynd too. Bloody windy as you say, excitable1. I layed my bike down to admire the view and it started to vibrate, I could actually see it shaking due to the wind. It also made a whistling noise as it blew through my spokes as I was riding. I only saw one other rider all morning, heading down Carding Mill Valley, so I guess that was you.

dont forget t’ ‘at.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4RcqO9Sgdw&feature=related

pivot mach 5.7 carbon. in green.

i use it on fire road climbs only, but i keep forgetting to turn it off. i did about 1/3 of the first loop at penmachno with my suspension locked out and did about two miles of gisburn forest yesterday also with no suspension. i may just leave it off altogether in future.

thanks for the replies, i think i’ll head over there tomorrow. :D

went to penmachno for the first time and did both loops. i was a bit out of my depth to be honest, it was a bit hair raising. managed two minor offs and a couple of near misses. weather was excellent and the trail was more or less bone dry apart from on the lee side of the hill which was waterlogged. brilliant views wish i had taken a camera with me.
met a couple of other riders which is a rarity at penmachno i believe, hello to the bloke on the white pivot who passed me up the fireroad just over halfway round, next time i’ll catch ya.