This may help with some options hora, looks like there is a bikepark near Dortmund but not been there myself so don't know for sure:

German riding places map

Hubba hubba ski 😈

Thanks to Wiki: The photograph was taken by Martin Elliott in September 1976 and features then-18-year-old Fiona Butler, his art student girlfriend at the time.[2] The photo was taken at Birmingham University, Edgbaston, Birmingham, using a borrowed dress, racquet and balls.

Thanks Hora, I'll tell the wife to get off her arse for once 😉 😆

This has happened to me before, FS carbon frame snapped below the seat post and linkage. Not very nice as it resulted in an over the bars type crash, luckily nothing on me was broken, but could have easily.

Dealer was fantastic, becasue the couldn't replace the frame, I guess they were reworking the model as a result of the frame being weak there, so they provide a full refund.

Very happy with the outcome since I'd been riding the frame for nearly a year, replaced it with something better/stronger, still in carbon mind 😉

BTW, is yours or german/far east origin?

Photo evidence 😉

I was in proper love back in 1985 😆

Can't take the credit for that, my .xls skills are not that good 😆

BTW, of course being NOT SEEN is a given for all activities 😉

YHM 😆

Should keep you interested for a couple of hours lol 8)

Some of the examples I have used over the years:

1)Get a copy Dragon Age: Origins or any other decent PC game;
2)Bring in films/TV shows etc on a USB and watch them at work;
3)Bring your bike into work for a service;
4)Make parts for your bike;
5)Read a book.

All worked for me 😆

Great 😯 look forward to that then 😥

Out of interest, why did the rails bend? (so I can try and avoid said situation)

Still, looks nice 😆

Just bought one for my DH build this year, it's quite small but perfectly formed, guess because it's more aimed at the BMX crew than MTB. Really happy with it so far, looks quite tricked out, but I think you really don't want to be sitting on it for long periods of time.

Perfect for DH & BMX, not really for anything else.

I run the carbons on my DH bike with 203 rotors, I'm happy with them, the only gripe I have is that when the bike is left for a week or 2 they become spongy but this soon goes away with a few lever flicks before the first decent.

Any opportunity to show the old bird 😆

What aP said, best to reset via i-tunes, a new owner could view and keep your files otherwise 😉

Gone to Rob.

Use to be the COO making these:

Was the dream job but like a lot of dreams when they actually come real they can turn into a nightmare, sometimes dreams are best kept just that 😉

And this is what is known as a bad day in the office 😥

But this was always my favourite day in the office, ripping up the test track and even crusing the local roads, all on full slicks lol 8)

^^^ 😆

I will raise you a 1970s ladies city bike with only a coaster brake, rust coloured as the paint has long gone, single speed due to no cable to the old 3 speed rear hub. Only just capable of transporting me the 5mins from the train station to work 🙄

Welcome to Landskrona, won't go into detail but lets just say that they have a small problem with persons from Eastern Europe integrating with Swedish civilisation 😡

Was locked up as well!

Taking rice ball lunch whilst on the Mitsumine XC tour with the guys from MTBJapan 8)

I wonder the same, as they ok or junk?

Swarkestone Bridge just south of Derby has always impressed me.

Cut/paste from wiki:

Swarkestone Causeway The mediaeval Swarkestone Causeway was built in the late 13th/ early 14th century to cross the floodplain of the Trent. It has been reinforced and rebuilt in 18th and 19th centuries and still carries the busy A514 Derby to Melbourne road.

Look Keo for me, great pedal, was tempted by a pair of speedplays, can't go wrong with either I'd say.

The Di2 is nice kit but a tad pricey, and it's already been fitted to MTB HERE so no need to wait for the XTR 😉

Thanks for the offer 18bikes, will try the Swedish dealer route first but may be in touch if it doesn't work out.

It is just a 5.1 but in white, just want to keep the wheelset the same as what I bought in the first place with minimal hassle.

Seeing as I am based in Sweden and there is postage involved I will try through the dealer over here. Just that most of the time is is easier to sort stuff from the UK and normally cheaper especially with the weak pound at the mo.

did you get a letter with something in it yet ?
( you are still in your penthouse apt ? )

enjoy
Cheers mate, thanks for the prezzie, much appreciated 8)

Hmm, not impressed, seems Madison have rims but will not supply to the public, so I would need to send my old rim to a dealer who then sends it on to Madison, only then will they post a new one out. They wouldn't even tell me the approx cost 🙁

Might just change both rims and be done with it 😥

Another old banger 😉

After trying almost all of them I've settled on Vitargo Electrolyte .

I wonder if I can be arsed to make my own 😕

Ingredients: Barley starch, acidity regulator (citric acid), tri sodium citrate, calcium gluconate, magnesium gluconate natural flavour, potassium gluconate, sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame-K)

Carbohydrates g 92
Sodium mg 360
Potassium mg 105
Calcium mg 140
Magnesium mg 55

Probably not 🙁

As the Micro Media player is sold out at Maplins there seems to be another version made by Cyclone. Worth a punt for 30 notes?

Guess the exact answer would be specific to a person as all our bodies are in different states of fitness etc.

For a general answer maybe the generic guides on carbo drinks could be of use? i.e. 750ml of energy drink per hour.

As always lots of info on the interweb, Mr G brought this up for me: Carbs info

Yep, been using SPDs on my CX/winter bike this year and everythings been ok whilst wearing my Dragon 2SRSs but must admit I would never fit them to my race bike, for that only the proper feel with Look Keos will suffice. I find climbing on a road bike with SPDs can feel a little odd, use to having my foot clamped in position with zero float, even more so when sprinting flat out etc.

Hmm, just read this about the Maplins player 😥

Frequently Asked Questions

Q- Will this play mac formatted USB drives? – Jason

Answer- No sorry this product does not support that.

Nice one Dave, that micro media player from Maplins looks like a nice cheap option, might give it a go before splashing the cash on a more expensive option 8)

But must admit, the Acer Revo option does seem a great choice.

Thanks for the replies, been considering the Western Digital Live and is quite cheap at £93 on Amazon. Just wondered if it was the best option for £.

I like the idea of a PS3 if it can be patched to run MKVs, but I never had time to play my old PS2 so I'm concerened I'm just buying one to watch films etc.

So if wireless could be choppy, I could just run from my memory stick.

The problem with the PS3 is that apparently it can't deal with MKV files (like AVI, WMV, MPEG, VOB etc), and this is what I want to play.

This has been recommended to me and looks a good option, I could link it to my router wireless or just plug in my memory stick.

Edit: and what was your average power output for the 8 minutes? That'll give you an idea of your W/kg.

316 watts and I weigh 80kg 😳

So if I've got one of these somewhere in the garage can I use it for power training?

Tacx Swing
Nope, you need the Fortius which has an electric motorbrake setup and the software to control etc.

Just out of interest, how hard were you trying on that session?

At the time I was trying hard for the 2×8 mins sessions but after I realised that the motorbrake wasn't correctly calibrated so this graph may not be accurate. It also was only a field test ride which took an hour and nothing more, it's quite a prescribed warm up, flat out, warm down method. I was also getting back on the bike after over a month off with a seperated shoulder injury etc.

Not making excuses honest, it's the only graph I have uploaded on the net to show off the analyser 😉 😆

lol at njee20, I actually quite enjoy the Fortius and have had no choice in recent months dues to large amounts of snow making training outside almost impossible.

PowerTap and the likes are certainly the better/best (or maybe proper) option if it fits with you. Would love one as an addition but the budget is already blown this year 😆

Anyway, I am very happy with my progress on the Fortius so far, I really rate them.

Interested in the most economical way into power training.

For me it was buying a Tacx Fortius and a copy of Chris Carmichael's The Time-Crunched Cyclist.

I do all the power related training on the Fortius and the general endurance training outside when possible. I find it makes for an ideal mix.

I couldn't really see the point of spending nearly 2k on a road bike setup when I train outside as much on the mtb as the road bike, the same with racing. Although I could buy 2 units for each bike 😯

Here is my field test graph from last Decemeber, this was my 1st test and whilst not really impressive on a willy waving front it just shows what information can be recorded and used.

Interstingly I did the same field test again 5 weeks ago before starting the full test program after edurance training and my average power was 10% up already which I was really pleased with.

I haven't calculated my W/kg yet, may see if I can work it out tonight after my VO2 max training.