Get back in your cave SBZ. I think The fact DS mentioned it was “20 years ago”, “illegal” and “dangerous” would suggest he’s not condoning it. There was a case a few years ago when two lorries were doing the same and someone pulled out and was killed – not good. We all Some of us did daft/fun things in our youth, that we look back on and perhaps regret.

PS My car does have radar although I’ve not bothered with a periscope as I don’t go under water much these days. :D

Sailor74 +1

However…

I sometimes think a 1×9 Five with 36s etc might do much of the fun and be slightly better on the ups. Not sure it would feel as do-anything as the Blood right enough.

Sailor74, do you have any hassle with the rear brake hose routing? I find it kinks under severe suspension movement, and mine eventually burst. Also anyone (Orange employee above aside) have a CCDB fitted?

I find mine a slight chore on the ups, but as said above you can just sit and winch away. Everywhere else I love it though. Bulletproof and big fun.

A3 S Line (1.2 40bhp)- Northern sales territory, I’m a Tiger!!!

You’re right, sorry. I’ve got heated washers, they were fine.

:D

I was pleasany surprised, was dreading it so left work early. Went up the M6 (Manchester – Glasgow) yesterday afternoon. Very quiet, fairly empty outside lane, 100mph the whole way. Fuel economy took a bit of a pasting, what with the car so heavy with the missus, baby and presents all on board. Visibility was awful as well as the washers had frozen by Preston.

:D Few of the lads at work have got them on their vans.

I’m in no way claiming it’s anything like the real thing, those videos are absolutely amazing, but it’s ridiculous how accurate the GT5 Nurburgring track is. I literally knew every corner through that!!!

Eh, 50:50 when there’s nothing in the boot per chance? I don’t think they’re suggesting it’s the case whatever the configuration of passengers and luggage; although if they are that’s impressive engineering, even for the Germans!

What about the new Subaru STI saloon. Quite pricey, thirsty, fairly coorse looking; but supposed to have ironed out all the negatives of hatchback.

It’s a Haldex clutch so not full time 4wd (I think). I found it a bit of an uninspiring drive tbh; very fast and plenty of grip but not much feel. Other thing to consider is S3/A3 is now 7 odd years old and due for replacement very soon, although I suppose that’s the reason for the competitive pricing just now.

RS3 with 5 pot turbo will surely have a bit more about it, lovely engine! Lot of cash though.

I’m a diehard fast Golf fan, but there’s a ’60 plate Golf R in the dealer up the road with 2000 miles on it; it’s £36,995!!!! Thats ridiculous. Standard car is over 30k, has a cloth interior, no satnav etc. S3 would be considerably (6-7k) cheaper than similar spec Golf R (same engine), due to outgoing model.

Guy at work ordered a Sportback in October, late April delivery!

“Uptalking? Pendulum and “stoked” all make me glad that Australia is such a very, very long way away.”

You’ve gone to the wrong place to avoid Pendulum… :D

Stella 1st, Chris 2nd

“You’re not a brand.”
“I think I might be…”
Priceless!

Stoner, defo mate, I’m not slagging the Unimog as a concept. Kitted out with the relevant winch, Hiab, snowplough, Artic living module they are the business.

Perhaps missing the point as a Chelsea Tractor though :-)

Did someone mention tasteless 4x4s?

http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3300.asp?id=12779%20

Cheers schrickvr6, that other Ford dealer on ebay is similarly cheap and defo the 2010 model which I was wondering about. Going to order now.

Two silver Golfs; one with winter tyres, one without. But which is which (clue the one in the ditch is the without)? :-)

Wouldn’t mind so much if my mate hadn’t spent the whole night in the pub banging on about his new tyres the night before. There was no snow at that point so he was getting it fairly tight. Very impressive though, hill starts, full steerage, no fuss. Mine on the other hand…

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Standing about wondering what to do next…

Cynic-al, my work hires cabins. Think they’re about £30/week if you haggle, and you can keep them as long or short as you like. I wasn’t suggesting they built a high-rise.

Not sure Inners actually needs a 40 year old Portakabin selling very nice cakes, bog-standard beans on toast, and toasties with fizzy coleslaw for double figures; not to mention a 50 year old Porakabin with a bog in it that’s colder than Siberia. Pieces out of the boot of the car is absolutely fine between uplifts.

I think the Hub has given a great deal to GT, and is undoubtedly partially responsible for it’s current success. Maybe investing some of that “success” in a bigger, nicer cafe (even just another cabin) would have swung it? Maybe not.

Cheers both. BMW bars, adapter and Thule carrier sounds like the way forward right enough. Anyone done this on new 5 Series (F10), presume principle will be same as other modles?

” People like this have no commercial awareness and are just a cancer to a thriving ecomomy, spreading their poison!”

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha (at you not with you SB – you seem the type that would need that clarified!)

You’ll be more than capable technically if that’s what you’re already riding. Both the qualifier and main track are straigtforward, just long! I did it for the first time this year and bloody loved it. I’ll be back this year for sure.

Key is tough 5/6″ bike (if you really want to race a DH make sure it genuinely is rideable up a few hills) and fitness. Of course you could ride it on any bike at your own pace and still have a blast.

I’ve got a Thule Euroclassic on a Caddy. Bars touch back window on the odd bump, a rag wrapped round the end stops any damage.

The Cowal end of Argyll has so much potential, there are about five Glentress size and shaped Glens within 10 mins of Dunoon. The majority is forestry road and cheeky trails, it’s too off the beaten track to atract biker numbers that would justify developing anything beyond that (not that the FC are developing much these days anyway), but it would rival anywhere if anything was done.

Lochgilphead Firetower is great for the locals, but not worth a medium/long journey. IMO of course.

Thule Euroclassic. Expensive but quality bit of kit and fully tilts at flick of a lever to let boot open.

Still waiting for the joke…

No. I’m freestyling with virtually all my posts on this thread (except the ones about Uplift Scotland being a good service, and you miserable and negative – they’re beyond doubt).

I’d imagine the driver thought the road was empty and that any bikes would probably move in to the side rather than send a 20 tonne bus and 40 passengers slithering in to the ditch (it wasn’t a high speed incident).

The last thing he was probably expecting was a 40 year old IT consultant on a Stumpjumper dressed head to toe in Lycra with a set of Audi keys dangling off his belt to be standing triumphantly in his path. I would have changed down and gunned it*

*Brycey in no way advocates the deliberate murder of another human being using a Public Service Vehicle, before Sir Surrounded comes galloping in.

On a serious note, Tally runs a cracking service that really makes you question the need for a chairlift. The odd day of poor weather, and broken down bus aside, uplifts and races generally run like clockwork. I really can’t see why you’d want to ban them Zulu?

” I wouldn’t fire someone based on a phone report like that…”

You’d be doing well to.

I believe the only real incident they’ve had in recent times is when a rider coming the other way refused to move to the side of the road and the bus went in to the ditch as the driver avoided him. I’m assuming it was Surrounded By Zulus, although rather than a bike, it was perhaps a tall horse he was on.

I’ve been on the receiving end of those calls as the 0845 number on our vans goes to my mobile.

We always pursue it with the driver, though it’s usually no more than a, “remember you are driving about with our company name and number on your van, so please behave”, as it’s your word against theirs.

Usually makes the caller feel better to know it is being taken seriously though.

There isn’t currently a problem.

Ah, the penny drops! SBZ is one of the mincers that stands at the side of the forest road tutting as the uplift bus goes by. Why don’t you go and ride one of the thousands of other forestry roads in Scotland that doesn’t at that particular time have uplift busses/cattle lorries/wood lorries/etc driving on it.

PS Inside an uplift coach is pretty chilled place rather than this den of adrenaline fuelled anarchy you describe. In fact the only time there’s any excitement is when everyone gets an opportunity to point and laugh at the odd mountain biking finger wagger (most non-DH bikers give a friendly wave by the way).

Because it’s not the case. Generally.

Been on it a lot have you SBZ?

“That’s because the bus drivers are amongst the worst i’ve seen anywhere.”

Eh? They fire large busses up and down forestry roads all weekend and hardly ever crash :D

“…and yet, during the 6hours or so the uplift runs, you didn’t manage to muster up the confidence to actually bring it up with anyone in charge?.. oh well

You’re so cool GW! Does this friendly, positive approach to all things downhill ever get boring?

Sounds good, thanks. Just a bit concerned by lack of dispatched email.

Mk2 Golf Driver, 000s of miles – brilliant car aside from usual issues on that vintage of warm hatch (disks, pads, etc). ’02 Passat, 120,000 miles – nae issues. Mk4 Golf GT TDI for two years and 80,000 miles – loads of hassle. Mk5 GTI, 3 years and 90,000 miles – some hassle at very the start with various engine management sensors. Mk5 GTI Ed30 DSG, 2 years and 60,000 miles – not missed a beat (touch wood).

Putting the mk4 down as a ropey vintage, and the first GTI’s early problems as teething trouble (it was among the first in to the country).