http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/nw/

"The exposure of NW England to westerly maritime air masses and the presence of extensive areas of high ground mean that the region has some of the wettest places in the UK."

Interesting comment from Trail Rat!
Without this turning into a North/South debate, do folk find drivers in different city's/areas have different levels of tolerance?

As an example in Leeds when driving, most people seem happy to leave a gap for you to join their queue of traffic if you are joining from a side road (alternate filtering). Was in Cornwall the other week, and no sod lets you in (well very few).

I also notice that in Harrogate drivers are either VERY accomodating and leave lots of room, or are complete speeding tosspots, whereas Leeds is more typical. Bradford drivers tend to think bikes are fair roadkill.

I think I would have been in the RH lane too.
If I need to cycle in the RH lane on a dual carriage way I do three things:

1. cycle like a demented fat man…if car drivers can see you are trying to go fast they understand that you know you are "in the way" and are trying to get out of the way and back to the left side ASAP.

2. If I need to be in the RH lane for more than 50-100m then I try to keep to the RH side of the RH lane, this gives drivers the chance to undertake easily if the LH lane is not busy ( I tend to do this only on one roundabout in Leeds …Skyliner roundabout coming from Sainsburys, turning towards Crossgates)

3. Be confident and exagerate your hand gestures. Let drivers know that you know what you are doing.

….oh bugger…number 4: try and find a friendly driver to use as a sheild. If you are in the LH lane and have plenty of time, stick you right arm out and keep an eye out over your shoulder. Once a friendly driver flashes or hangs back to let you move lanes use him/her to sheild you while you repeat the exercise to get into RH lane. Any driver that has made a choice to give way to a cyclist is on your side and will not mind being "held up" for a couple of hundred yards.

Leeds is nice, thats my home town. Good riding, excellent shopping, good curries.

Also consider York, is is a good cycling city, lots to see and do there and good links back to London. Chester and Derby have a pleasant feel too, but not to sure about culture there?

I have a pair of 2002 SIDS, weigh 14 stone and find them fine.
I had them appart once, 4 years ago and the oil was like new, so havn't bothered since. They also hold their pressure for over a year at a time!
I am fastitious about lubing the stantions and cleaning around the seals though. I believe that if you stop crap from getting in then there is little to worry about inside.

Yes you can see a little flex under braking, but it is nothing to be put off by. Compared with Toras you will see a huge difference in weight and performance.

bassspine….I am into steampunk, but never realised!

My fave bits of kit… an original cooltool, still use it!

Hope brakes and wheels are the only other bits I get atached to.

I get the camera jobby every 3 years or so as both my brother and grandfather had bowel cancer.
The picolax thread still rests in my head!

C64:
Elite
Raid over moscow

PC:
Max Payne

Console:
Motorstorm 2 (PS3)

Handheld:
Mariocart

Sounds nice. I have a 2.0CD V40 (1998) with 156,000 on the clock.
If you change the oil regularly for good synthetic stuff then the car will look after you.
Promised myself (and the family) an XC90 when the V40 eventually dies, but that might be some time!

Give us some more detail? Age, colour? Price? Leather heated seats? Milage etc etc.

It's not standover that matters so much. It's reach.
Are you able to sit on the bike before buying?
If so and the reach is right then you will be fine.

Normal caveats apply: not all 54's are the same actual size.
I am 5'11 with a 33 inside leg and ride a medium PX Sportive. That apparently is the same as a 54. On treks and other bikes I come in at 56.

Sounds like you might be OK with 54, but my guess is a size down. But it is only a guess based on the scant info above.

great cars, but as flash said, they eat front tyres.

done (yesterday)

concur with coffeeking on the decoding, but thats a flippin weird resistance spec, I always thought they had even numbers (could just be my naivety?)

Stoner, have a look here for the theoretical value of the resistor:
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scots_Guide/info/comp/passive/resistor/colourcode/colourcode.html

The sportive will take full length SKS Chromoplast guards.
I had some fitted to mine in the winter.
There are threaded guard/rack mounts above the rear wheel dropouts, there are no threaded rack mounts on the seat stays for an upper mount.
I managed (just) to fit a full length SKS front guard to a standard PX carbon fork. I bought my sportive before they had sourced the mudguard compatable fork, but though the clearances are not great (23 Ultremo tyre) they are good enough.

There is plenty of rear clearance for a bigger tyre, not so much on my front fork, but the current forks used for the Sportive are more suited.

Never felt a need for a fatter tyre though as the frame/fork combo is very comfy as is, and is stiff for climbs.

http://chb.fotopic.net/c1505118.html

No harm in a quick call to see if the email reached the right person. Shows you are keen and gives you an opportunity to find out who the right person is (if you don't already know).

175 cranks will be fine. It's my son at the top of the on-one size chart and he rides with 175 Hone cranks with no problem.
A fleegle bar is also ideal for that bike.

Thats lovely, very similar to my PX sportive. Treat yourself to a carbon seatpost though, I got a fab one (similar to the superstar ones) from ebay. Full carbon/Ti for £45.

Mark, your post crystalises those fears that anyone touched by cancer will always harbour.
I am lucky to have an extended family that is reasonably healthy, but 15 years ago my brother had bowel cancer and it changed how I view health. I now take very little for granted and appreciate life more as a result.
Sincerely hope for the best possible diagnosis and outcome for you.
All the best.

go-outdoors have great offers on from time to time.
I bought a gorepacklite jacket for £50

get a PIR with an indoor door chime.
Tape over the bottom of the sensor so that the cat doesn't trigger it.
If the light comes on then you get a chime in your bedroom so know that the light is on. Great invention.

trout, nice summary. Your open approach is very refreshing. It also shows the ridiculous profits made by the likes of Lupine.
I still plan to get one of the new lights from you later in the year.

I loved "that green", probably my fave on one colour.

I got some hope lights (twin) from the Chain Reaction flood sale, never had a box with em so didn't see your handywork.
I work for a small tea and coffee company in Harrogate.

Hi Ruminant, yes it is.
Never knew the group did boxes for Hope!
Might have to ask Ken or Geoff for some packed samples for our christmas auction.

If thats not good enough, I supplied a load of decaff tea to On-one late last year. Anyone getting a free cuppa has Daves cheek and my delivery skills to thank.

Ok…even more tenuous link building on Ruminants.
I buy boxes from a sister site of the one that Ruminant works at.

Surely that is the most tenuous yet?

taka, you miss the point.
If you are gonna get done for shoplifting, it might as well be for a £300 jacket.

i kin tarp pruperly

steel frame + rohloff does not equal fairly light!

definately not large.
I am 5'11 and have a 19" 1992 Clockwork that fits fine. I have a large 2005 FSR that if anything is a tiny bit on the large size of perfect for me (I fitted a shorter stem).

ton thats easy.. a burly 29er, you told me on sunday!

hmmm nearly worked!

The welding on that is similar to my Merlin Rocklobster Ti frame. Big fat but very neat fish scales. The Lynskey and merlin frames have much smoother more subtle welds. Both look nice though.
Hope you get sorted on a warranty.

alan, depends. Does the dog have a bone?

on one…not the lightest, centrelock is a faff. But the tyres alone are over £50 worth…wheels are almost free.
Plus they have nice skewers.

think its 8pm