Looks like I’ve found a plan, thanks to sanername, the weekend I’m there there’s a big event on called The Big Dirty! So it would be perfect if they could host me and I could participate in the event. Dropped them a line so fingers crossed. https://www.wildhomestay.com/big_dirty/

Thanks sanername, that’s actually a really good suggestion.

Great day suggestion from garlando, but done this already a few times myself.

Lol at stevedoc suggestion, could also include a scenic day trip to North Korea also to add spice to that!

Ok ok, should have expected the usual ‘coke’n’hookers’ suggestions, in fact I think I’d have been disappointed without them lol. But that sh1ts for the youngsters and I ain’t got the risk assessment for it nowadays.

Been and done all the normal tourist Shanghai things over the years, now run out of things in the city and find it for the main just concrete and people, but in general like RustyNissanPrairie said!

So needs to be out the city really, or a sub 2 hour flight away, like Tokyo for less than £300 return!

I need mountains and escape from the masses, either biking or trail running etc

Something’s not right there…..

Exactly! :scratch:

Just done it myself over the last few weeks to a Specialized Levo SL 2 Carbon.

Originally wanted an S-Works but the eye watering price (13k!) and lack of availability put me off, so ended up buying a ridden 5 times Carbon model for 4.5k and buying new/almost new upgrade parts from the classified:

Öhlins RXF36 M.2 Air 29 fork & Öhlins TTX2 air rear shock

SRAM AXS Eagle X01 gears & SRAM Reverb AXS dropper post

Traverse SL Carbon mullet wheelset fitted with Continentals tires: Argotal rear, Kryptotal front, tubeless

Traverse SL Carbon 800mm bars; Tune GT35 stem

Spot on reply, nothing to add there.

But, I’ve just had the same type of self conversation and went the light direction, purely because of trying to keep as close as possible to the natural MTB feel going down but having the help up to get more altitude per hour than I’d get without a motor.

Ain’t just YT!

Signed up to Disney + last week to pay/watch the latest Star Wars spin off series. Was rather depressed to them have to watch a nappy company advert before I could even watch the 1st episode!

So they’re all at it, testing our patience to the limits!

18 months into EV ownership and it’s a dream 😀

Nice. How hot was it?

25c, mainly sunny but a little cloud cover at times and the gentle breeze was lovely.

Well, just to report back that I spent a day at Hatta and really enjoyed the landscape and warm weather. One full loop on a FS XC bike and then full loop on the eMTB, can say the 2nd lap was way easier lol:

It snowed heavily around Morzine yesterday I’m told. Family there now.

I was happy to see that also, heading to Avoriaz on the 18th Feb so was hoping for some good dumpage before.

I see also there’s a trail system at Wadi Showka, not so far away from Hatta, has anyone ridden there?

Thanks molgrips, interesting about the road bike tour, did you upload it on Strava or similar, would be interested to see the route?

Thanks Jimmy, did you pre book with Hubbers, or how did you communicate with them before to book?

Did you rent a car and drive over from Dubai; if so was it easy to get about and on the roads?

I was planning to do similar to what you rode, is one loop better than the other, or any recommendations? I have the whole day free, possible to do both loops in a day or is the heat a big factor? I saw you had 25degree which doesn’t sound too bad, but quite a bit of climbing.

8000 is a bit silly!

I can confirm, it’s definitely silly 😀

Yep, agree to the above, just bought a brand new pair, ordered 46 & 46 2/3rd after reading the reviews and normally a 46. Kept the larger pair and sent the 46s back. The same as Sidi’s, if that helps, but probs not 😀

My Paul Smith inspired F8:

I’ve just ordered a Taycan GTS, was told Q1 2023 but reading the above makes me more concerned. I considered 9 months to be a reasonable leadtime, but if Porsche are telling porkies to others then I’m worried.

Early summer 1987, a 14 years old me 2nd from left on my Raleigh with my Derby Mercury friends. We’d just finished a local charity ride/race event and were back at Elvaston Castle.

Also don’t forget to check the hire car desk opening hours, when I did this a couple months back it was only a Swiss side company that had a desk open at 23:00!

I had this experience a couple of months back. I’d advise to book the Passat now after checking the cancellation policy, normally it’s free until a set time. Then relax and check about.

As someone said above, huge difference if on the French or Swiss side, plus also double check your pick up and drop off times. I booked one cheap car only to realise later they close pickup 20:00 and I was landing at 22:30!

Different idea maybe, but have you considered a Garmin 245 music watch, or a 945 like I have. Makes the perfect training partner, full on trainer device, GPS, maps etc etc and syncs with Spotify. I run with mine connected to Bluetooth inears.

Portofino Bike

Closure… thank you Simone @ Portofino Bikes for an amazing experience. Pure natural enduro trails in such a beautiful part of the world. If you’re in this part of the world and want to ride, Simone is your guy.

Thanks alpin, I’m currently booked to fly into Genoa but flights are limited so timing is more tricky. Need to ride the same day I arrive as it’ll be full on work after that. But more early flight options into Milan, and I don’t mind the drive down as it’s quite fun coming in over the hills. Also some nice options near Portofino.

Thank you for the replies, made we rethink plans, will see if I can change flights so I have a hire car from Milan instead as Finale looks too good to miss!

3rd for Newmen, very impressed with my Evolution SL 318.2. Never thought I’d admit it but def no need for carbon when you have ally this well placed.

It’s factory paint on the S-Works frameset so can’t take credit for the design. But the build I can and yes those wheels are a little different but having raced them hard this year I can say they are very impressive & light.

I’m completely obsessed with my latest, fantastic quality:

100% AXS, gradually moving my whole fleet over, road, mtb & gravel…

I have a 945 and I loved it so much I bought the wife a 245 music for her birthday, and she now loves hers. The DCRainmaker review is accurate and it’s a great watch, wouldn’t hesitate to recommend and buy again.

Some good replies already.

Personally I hung up my leathers nearly 20 year ago when I lived in the UK, I just couldn’t trust myself or other road users any longer and it got to the point where just about every ride out included a near miss of some type, and some near death misses! And yes, it hurts when you fall off, even with the right gear, broken bones take time to heal, especially when you have pins in etc. I’d say every biker has fallen off, some lucky and some not, even lost 2 friends to early in life.

I got my full bike license when I was 18, before a car license, then went on to Proddy race on the track for a couple of successful year, flippin loved bikes but I know myself and the roads are no place for me.

Have been more tempted in the last couple of years with a 20s flat tank BSA, AJS etc, and now living in Southern Sweden the roads are light with traffic and drivers look out well for bikes. Plus maybe I’m now older and wiser? Then again!!!!!!

Once won, well, kind of cheated but technically it wasn’t cheating, more figuring out their online game and because it was very difficult I was able to repeat the application and with the result adjust my next try until I got every answer correct! I reckon I was the only one who did this and therefore won!

This was a national newspaper competition online back in late 2002, with Skoda being the sponsor!

I won and got a VIP Skoda trip all paid for to the Swedish Rally, even better was I got to sit besides Toni Gardemeister on a shake down stage prior to the start! Proper ice stage on full spikes, unbelievable experience, and that comes from someone who raced cars and has driven many Koenigseggs. Toni was on form that race and even finished 8th.

Guess online comps are more clever nowadays as I’ve not won since lol.

The challenges of modern technology: not once, but now twice, driving out for a mega ride out, unload bike, ready to ride, jump on bike, click up the gears, nothing…. AXS battery in the charger at home!!!! bugger!

Those flooding charts look about right to me, in my lifetime I can remember the A6 being under water just as you enter Duffield coming from Derby, and before the left turn off to Wirksworth!

Personally I wouldn’t buy a house on Ford Lane because of what marcus said above, rather than the risk of flood.

Ford Lane in Allestree? not really Duffield if so but maybe it sound better to the estate agent lol.

If so Ford Lane is on a hill so depends where on the hill, at the bottom you have the river so the risk is high, at the top the risk is pretty much zero.

Good luck and be patient Willard, it took 24 months to get my Swedish citizenship a couple years back even after living here for more than 10 years! I got the feeling my application was very low priority, even if super simply to process, so the harder to process applicants took priority given some of them might be coming from war torn lands etc.

So since a couple of years I’m now Swedish and British, however if I wanted I could also be American given my father is and NZlander given my mother is. But apart from Jason Bourne who actually needs that many lol.

The main benefit is multiple driving licenses 😉