maybe he cycles

Yes because in rural wales you can totally cycle everywhere to do your weekly shop or take the children to school or or…..etc ad nauseum.

xcept that a) cities can’t exist without countryside and b) you’ve no idea how he lives his life. Why not find out, and tell us what you think? Or you could carry on with silly knee-jerk labelling.

He’s going to have to drive to get anywhere right? Or does he lock himself in a dark room all day everyday to write his articles and procrasterbate a bit? Even if he owns a Prius he’s still going to pollute a sod load to get anywhere compared to a city dweller.

He’s an elitist who’s into green issues because he probably doesn’t like being surrounded by people and their dirty noise and pollution. In other words, it’s not about the planet it’s about his quality of life.

And yes, I find it hilarious to character assassinate George Monbiot for a variety of reasons.

Except that living in rural Wales is less environmentally friendly than living in a city…..so yes, he’s a hypocritical champagne socialist.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2011/jun/30/sustainable-cities-urban-planning

The environmental consequences depend on where you are. In the rich nations, urban living tends to have smaller impacts than rural living. Public transport requires a certain population density to be economically viable: otherwise people are forced to use their cars. The more widely distributed people are, the greater the resources required to provide their services. Most of the houses which, being off the gas grid, still use coal or heating oil in the UK are in the countryside.

ARRRHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA

Here’s a nice comment I’m going to quote as I’m feeling lazy.

If everyone moved from cities to the countryside, it would likely trigger an environmental crisis as there just wouldn’t be enough land to go round for everyone to live the “good life”. So this question must also raise wider issues of equity about the ownership and availability of land and other natural resources.

I assume you mean the UN HDI index in which Britain ranks 28th. TIMSS is a bit limited and doesn’t even include France.

Where can I find the specific education index ranking not the overall human development? Can’t find it, I’ve read a few articles that seem to state we are much higher up the ranking in terms of education than 28th on the HDI education index.

Not read the article cos it’s by Monbiot and he’s probably just tetchy cos his twee little small holding didn’t get a handout, but IIRC the carbon footprint of Western farmers is so large that importing stuff still causes less pollution – whether that’s justification for doing so is another matter.

Expand on this. Where’s the evidence? Arable farming in South America and Asia is often leading to vast swathes of tree’s being destroyed, then those farmers move onto the next patch as they’re unable to keep the soil fertile.

If European food production plummeted it would be offset by increased food production in countries that still have plenty of land not used for agriculture such as Brazil. This could perhaps lead to further desertification, habitat loss and a decrease in the amount of carbon capturing trees. Is it not better to intensively farm land that has already been changed beyond recognition?

Well what do expect of a ranking produced by Pearson education (about as nonobjective and biased as you’ll find) that doesn’t even include the best country, China.

Something a little more objective from the OECD

Just took a look at the OECD rankings….wow, that’s pretty bad even for the beeb.

It seems that some of the UN HID scores and TIMSS scores are better than the ranks given by the OECD though.

Hmmmm lol

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20498356

Or use Shimano

And get the equivalent heat performance by buying 30 quid finned pads every few months and expensive icetech rotors which you can melt on an Alpine descent because they use aluminium core rotors.

Real brakes don’t need any of that because they use proper motorsport fluid instead of mineral oil.

I am surprised no ones mentioned Avid BB7s….

Just ace brakes – even if they are heavier and cable.. but they dont suffer heat issues in the same way as hydraulic… trail fixable and easy to live with – other than that my retro xt 4pots….

paul

You don’t get heat issues if you bleed the lines with Motul 600 or Castrol SRF.

How much do you want to spend?

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Syntace-W35-MX-Wheels-Tested.html

1600 grams for a full set, 35mm wide. So barely heavier than Crests, yet it seems they can take abuse.

Don’t worry too much a bout spares, you won’t need any.

Yeah, you’ll need a whole new brake set!

There’s also the moral argument against Shimano brakes

1) They’re disposable items – Hopes are probably greener because you can make them last for longer.

2) You’re supporting the British economy instead of Japan/China’s.

Brembo actually made MTB discs.

http://www.oppracing.com/category/469-brembo-high-performance-mountain-bike-brake-systems/

They’re basically early Hope brakes but five times pricier.

I’d asked him about them, still hasn’t got them back! I thought he had by now! If you really want, I’ll post the paperwork when they come back through and see if he still has the Royal Mail receipt.

With old M810 callipers, not M820’s.

Yeah, does no one here actually wire their grips like MXers do?

So the Formula importer have sorted out their customer service? My old man still hasn’t got his 09 The Ones back from them yet after what must be getting on for four months. They told him about 2 weeks ago they had been sorted as well.

Wait till the seals go or you have to bleed them…..buohahah

For UK trails? Then Hope because the parts are easy to get and servicing by Hope is quick and relatively cheap. People will say Shimano but judging by how many people are whinging about them I’m glad I’ve used Hope all my life (bar a foray into Formula which included K18’s, K24’s and 09 The Ones…all of which were shite)

Soooo I’d say… a Hope M4 Race Evo front and a Hope X2 Race Evo Rear for the best all round power to weight set up.

cheap rubber dildo

Well seeing she was 12 when I met her she has had 4 long term boyfriends.

Multiply that by 10 for the number of partners. 😀

Two of which she didn’t sleep with.

Were any of those two recent, as in after she was 18? If so, stay well clear.

Buy Hope

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhahahaharrrrrrrrrr

And the Cube has a pressfit BB, so no BB mounted chainguides either.

Bionicon V2 chainguide.

The blonde birds arse is nice

That is all

You never know, you might meet someone who compares, but who wants to settle for second best?

There’s hundreds of people out there that are perfect for you. I’ve been out with plenty of women who were right but at the wrong time and place.

That is seriously depressing.

That’s why I always laugh when girls say “He’s just a sweet friend”.

Meh, having a girl who is a good friend did loads for me. She’s always someone I can rely on and talk to without all of the complications that come with being together.

I’d miss it if I lost it but hey. I’ll leave it at that.

This is not a stage in my life I’ve reached easily. This isn’t teenage moping it’s thirties realism. I’m not suggesting that I’ll never be with anyone again, I just don’t think I’ll ever be in any kind of traditional long term relationship. The experiences of the last ten years have taught me that and nearly resulted in suicide on one occasion as well as a period of serious manic depression.

Ooooh boy, okay sorry about that. But really, try to be a little more optimistic. Why don’t you think you will be in a traditional long term relationship? This really does sound like an issue of low self esteem to me or a fear of abandonment. If so do yourself a huuuge favour and think of yourself as someone that another person could live with and have a long term relationship.

Be happy go lucky, lots of marriages or long term relationships end….they are quite often a transitory affair but you can love them for what they are or what they once were even if you do eventually break up. You can be at one with this and let it slide, after all life is just a ride right? If one long term relationship ends then a new one can begin with someone else who may offer you a new and fresh outlook on life.

Okay, I’m not 30 but I’m 25 and have been through plenty of failed relationships but that doesn’t mean to say I lose hope of being with someone. Negativity drives people away and you end up in a self fulfilling prophecy.

I feel bad now, I hope you accept my apology. Fair play to having a life where you do all the things that you love like riding or buying bikes – as long as that is REALLY what you want and you’re not trying to cover up grief or pain because if so you’re dealing with it in all the wrong ways man.

All the best anyway and I hope things work out for you whatever you choose to do in life.

It is bollocks to an extent but I am quite pragmatic about this kind of thing….You’re one of the exceptions count… but I would never risk a good friendship with a girl. There are plenty more fish in the sea (there’s no one girl who is perfect for you, there’s quite a few) and having a girl who’s just a good friend is great. They help you deal with a lot of stuff that guys aren’t so good with.

Eg if you want deal with a breakup as a bloke…. without a girl who is a good friend to talk to… you have four options:

1) Go out with your mates, get blindingly drunk and make things worse.

2) Speak to strangers on teh internets

3) See a shrink

4) Kill your missus in a murder suicide.

Having a girl around that listens helps with all of that.

This. Probably.

But then I’ve reached the ‘I’m bitter and cynical stage in life’ and have accepted I’m going to die alone. At least it means I can spend all my money on bikes.

Shut up, make yourself look semi respectable, take a portrait photo and get on okcupid.

Quit your damn whining, there’s someone for everybody. I saw a stunning girl snogging a bloke with quite a considerable facial deformity the other day – puts everything into perspective. Looks do matter but having your attitude will get you no where.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7095134.stm

HAHAH!

I’m 27, she is 25, I’ve been friends with her for 13 years. We are close, i.e. she tells me stuff that she doesn’t tell anybody else (but she doesn’t tell me everything).

It’s not going to work. I’m assuming you already know just how hard it is to get out of the friend zone but this should put it in context. Forget it and find another bird.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=men-and-women-cant-be-just-friends

The results suggest large gender differences in how men and women experience opposite-sex friendships. Men were much more attracted to their female friends than vice versa. Men were also more likely than women to think that their opposite-sex friends were attracted to them—a clearly misguided belief. In fact, men’s estimates of how attractive they were to their female friends had virtually nothing to do with how these women actually felt, and almost everything to do with how the men themselves felt—basically, males assumed that any romantic attraction they experienced was mutual, and were blind to the actual level of romantic interest felt by their female friends. Women, too, were blind to the mindset of their opposite-sex friends; because females generally were not attracted to their male friends, they assumed that this lack of attraction was mutual. As a result, men consistently overestimated the level of attraction felt by their female friends and women consistently underestimated the level of attraction felt by their male friends.

Sorry man.

Okay okay, sorry guys. I’ll be nicer next time.

Chainguide = 30 quid from Superstar?

Oh noes. We’re eroding the hill – god the **** humanity – it’s not like sheep, walkers, horses and eventually precipitation isn’t going do that anyway.

But the planets so precious we should lock ourselves in our rooms lest we tread on too many poor defenceless worms or erode any mole hills.

Right in terms of geometry lets look at the 17.7 inch YT vs the 18 inch Cube.

* Wheelbase: The Cube has a longer wheelbase. This will be more suited to high speed runs than the YT. The YT will be slightly better in twisty terrain.

* Chainstay length: The Cube has a longer chainstay length. It will be more stable but less easy to manual and a little more difficult to jump with.

* The cockpit: The cube seems shorter, it will have a more upright position – it might help with lifting the front up I guess.

* Wheel size: The 650b wheels on the Cube should theoretically roll better and add stability but may be a little harder to jump.

Conclusion – The Cube will be a bit better for steep fast high speed runs whilst the YT will be a bit more playful in tight trails and jumps. However the 1KG weight difference should go a long way in making the Cube more poppy/playful off jumps than it normally would be.

That would be my analysis if I were trying to decide between the two bikes without riding them. I’d definitely go for the Cube – because of it’s light weight coupled with it’s long and low stability inducing geometry.

The sizing on the YT’s is weird as well, the next size up… the large has an 18.89 inch seatube. It’s wheelbase is a little longer than the 20 inch Cube – so this analysis doesn’t really play out for the larger model.

If I had the choice between the 18.7 YT and the 20 inch Cube – I’d go with the YT for the longer front end and shorter chainstay. I wouldn’t buy it with BOS forks in a million years though.

Why go for the YT for European Enduro’s, the geometries on both are equally suited.

There’s so much bollocks spouted on here it’s unreal.

An aluminium is robust? Give me a break. Durability is not the problem with carbon these days…carbon frames with enough flex designed into them to give trail feel is the main issue.

The Cube for sure. You can always have the 34’s fettled with to perform how you want.

1) It’s a bike you can actually buy from your LBS for a start…

2) BOS forks are a pain in the arse in terms of parts availability and servicing without having to send them back to YT if anything goes wrong with them.

3) I’d also be more worried about rocks hitting light almost coke-bottle thick Aluminium frames than I would with carbon. Although I’m unsure of carbon in terms of ride feel sometimes.

4) 650B MIGHT be better

5) The cubes is 1 kg lighter = more fun on the ups and downs despite what people say to the contrary.

I always ride better when I switch off and don’t worry about what I’m hitting…. fairly bleed obvious one really 😛

Yeah don’t they already use this idea on some of the GP bikes. They’re going to do it in Black…..ohlins gold would be awesome as well.

I’m glad some people are starting to realize that some flex is a good thing, mountain bikers have been hung up on stiffness to the detriment of grip and feel. The same could have been said for Moto GP at one point but they moved away from it and started designing flex into the chassis to give additional grip when cornering.

I’ll speak to the sisters at the nunnery my missus is staying at in the morning (don’t ask why she’s staying at a nunnery of all places 😯 ) so that they are on the look out for a room…. there are a few in Oxford with guest rooms.

The one I’m thinking of would involve a 5 minute walk to the bus station, followed by a 5 minute bus ride to get to the JR – or a 15 minute walk… or a 5 minute cycle.

All the best.

Need a place to stay near the hospital? I could link you up potentially with a guest room somewhere for next to nothing if you’re house isn’t in Oxford.