I hope you all take your dog ends home with you.

Even when an enthusiastic smoker, I never felt the need to carry my ciggies on a ride.

Before and after races however, they were just what I wanted.

Modern disc brakes aren’t that heavy, I think I’ll carry an extra set around with me when I go to the Alps this summer.

Can’t be too careful.

Buy that man a pint!

Not Gazza, surely?

That’s very interesting indeed el_boufador, many of those links are close to my in-laws place in Holt Park.

Any chance of tapping you up for a ride when I’m in town sometime?

Simon – How are climbs easier on a hardtail? I find technical climbing much easier on a FS bike.

Seabrook salted crisps.

Fullers 1845 bottle conditioned beer – mmmmm!

Silence because baby asleep in next room.

Staring at computer, because it’s my turn to work Fri, Sat and Sun nights.

Got some very comfortable Altura 3/4 bibs from Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op in their sale for £33 (half price-ish). They may still have some.

Sorry to hear that mate, hope you qualify for a payoff and the company puts its hands in its pocket for more than statutory.

Was it a decision-making process or a "consultation period"?

Either way you are probably right to smell a rat – they’re supposed to make posts redundant, not people. but your evidence is pretty thin and you will probably never be able to prove the company broke employment law.

Are you a union member? If so, ask your full-time official for advice.

If not, you could still try to use your observation if you have the opportunity to negotiate your payoff at all. They’ll deny it, but you can still tell them how bad it looks and score a point.

Sounds like a 5in to 6in full-susser could be just what you need. So many good ones around, not much point singling one or two out.

Go to a couple of bike shops, try a few out, find a shop you trust and that will give you a good deal.

If I was doing most of my riding in the Lakes, one thing I would want is a bolt-through axle fork to help keep the front wheel going where I wanted it to over all those rocks.

Have your tried it on toast?

It makes THE best cheese on toast I’ve ever tasted.

I’ve got through my camembert mountain by making a LOT of macaroni cheese.

Make crack instead, the profit margin is higher.

Lynne Truss has so much to answer for, I’m glad to hear Stephen Fry has distanced himself from the amateur army of petty pedants who like to sneer at greengrocers’ signs.

I’m willing to forgive most minor typos and lax usage of English, but there are a few things that "boil my piss" (including that).

Me: "Have you got the remote control?"
Wife: "I do."
Me: "You mean you have?"
Wife: "I mean I do have."
Me: "No you don’t, you were trying to be all American."
Wife: "Shut up."

I love whisky of all varieties, but I have to say Middleton would be be my choice of all the drinks mentioned in this thread (that I’ve tried).

Bit pricey though, anybody know a good place to buy it?

I love Paxo in sandwich with coleslaw. Extra bready!

Also been known to snack on capers or gherkins straight from jar. Is that unorthodox?

That Cyclestore link now says it will be back in stock on 03/09/09.

You could almost have a new baby in that time, let alone a bike!

Glad I bought a Reign rather than climbing on the overloaded Pitch bandwagon (not criticising, looks like a great bike).

Andalucia.

I love it there. It has mountains, beaches, ruins, beautiful towns and several great cities. Great food and drink. Very affordable for Europe and very laid back too.

You can even sneak probably off to one of the bike holiday companies and hire a bike/join a group ride for a day and do some amazing riding.

Second Stratobiker’s suggestion of Bowmore.

The most approachable Islay as well, I think. If your mate likes Speysides usually, some Islays might taste a little too medicinal for his liking.

On this very site (pre-hack) "Singletrack is a mountain bike magazine based out of Europe".

Since you lot are waaaaay more anal than me, I’m sure I don’t need to explain why this is so very wrong.

Mine seem to have got a bit graunchy after a year or 18 months, but I’ll accept that for the increase in stiffness and security.

I know it’s too late now, but in case the CDs you bought don’t work…

The Go! Team – either LP, but Thunder Lightning Strike is better
The Pipettes – think it’s just called The Pippettes
Bonde Do Role – With Lasers

Can’t think of any more cheerful, upbeat music than those from recent years.

You should like that Cut Copy though, it’s lovely.

I’m sure Kaka will do his bit to keep Cheshire’s Bentley dealers and upmarket estate agents in business.

Yes it’s obscene, but as has been pointed out above, it’s money coming into the UK economy that would not otherwise have been here.

And while I think Honda make very nice cars, I don’t think they or any other car maker should be subsidised to stay in business at all. Not that you were exactly saying that.

Dream holiday to Colorado/BC/wherever?

Or – more seriously – a nice ti frame?

Maybe creating so much hearsay and uncertainty about their products is the new Rock Shox marketing strategy?

I like the Velvets and Leona.

OK, I like the Velvets a lot more, and I’ve only heard two Leona songs, but it would be difficult to argue she’s a bad singer.

btw Dezb – Have you heard Boom Bip? Don’t want to teach you how to suck eggs, but he’s very similar to Subtle.

Saw him playing Royal Festival Hall supporting Tipsy a few years back. Two more musical treats the US have given us.

I may be wide of the mark, but I assume some of the police’s disinterest in chasing up fraud claims via paypal is because its just as difficult and frustrating for them to deal with Paypal as it is for us.

Got my lycra on, but not going biking.

Did the Americans invent the word "pwned"?

DezB – Have you seen Subtle live? Caught them at ULU last year or year before and they were incredible. All-time top five, easily.

Does One (?) really knows how to work the crowd.

None for me so far with them.

I always use bank transfer if possible.

No fees and if you get scammed then I imagine it’s easier for the old bill to trace the criminal.

I imagine the GMTV demographic to be almost entirely chubby school-run mums anyway, so just see it as pandering to their lazy prejudices.

Can’t deny there’s a lot of crap cyclists about though – and I see more of them on the pavement than I do motorists.

Looks OK seat tube wise to me.

I wonder if it will be the first film since Shaun of the Dead in which he hasn’t got his head stuck up his bum.

Halifax let me overpay up to 10% of remaining value per 12-month period, before penalties.

Difficult to work out how much you can actually overpay at any given time, even they have to go away and work it out then send us a letter.

Non-alcoholic beer, wine etc is usually pretty desperate.

The only exception is non-alcoholic Becks. Try squeezing quarter of a lime into the glass before you pour the beer in. Actually very tasty, IMO.

I lasted seven days. Quite an achievement for me.

The paper is really irresponsible to print that, now mountain bikers will be too scared to go down the shops on their bikes for fear of the same thing happening.

Poor lad though!

Is your shock size 200mm eye to eye and 50mm stroke?

If so, I have a new unused Fox Float R shock with propedal that I need to get round selling.

Basic but light, plush and could be well matched to the Pitch’s neutral suspension system.

Looking for £90 posted. Email in profile if interested.

Name the company.

And it’s not goodwill, it’s just being mean, IMO.

Tell them to go round to your old house and get them.

If it’s a gift, you’re not buying anything though, are you?

I’ve been patiently waiting for my £12 Asda special to die for the last eight years so that I can buy a new one.

The thing that annoyed me last time I was looking for toasters is that there were no 4-slice toasters that had two long slots instead of four small ones. Anywhere!

It’s frustrating having your pitta bread sticking out the top and turning it over halfway as they get burned in the middle.