There’s some good advice on here.

Socks – as above I prefer thin ones, so whatever’s on offer at Sports Direct/Decathlon etc.

Shoes – everyone’s different, but I did find as I got faster (and lost some weight) that I didn’t need as much cushioning, so went from an Asics cushioned shoe to a less cushioned (and lighter) Mizuno.

My mate likes Saucony – they gave me blisters on my arches so bad I needed treatment from the nurse at the local surgery (infected). Everyone’s different.

I’ve got the optical to phono converter above for my TV to amp connection. Works well.

Running has taken over a bit from cycling this winter, and I’ve been getting much faster as a result – much nicer to run than cycle in the weather we’ve been having.

Cycling will resume it’s rightful place once the weather improves though.

The NHS has it’s faults, but on the whole it’s a darn sight better than what a lot of the rest of the “developed” world has, let alone developing countries.

Totally agree. Two babies on the NHS, the first of whom had a challenging birth (though nothing like the scale of things above). After the second birth my wife was bleeding heavily, so off to theatre she went (with me literally holding our new baby) – a worrying hour or so that was. All now healthy and happy 10+ years later.

Daughter was ill once on Christmas Day. We were in and out within 30 minutes or so, armed with free medication. Can’t grumble at that at all.

Great news. Kids bring out the best and worst emotions (as in they bring you such happiness, and occasionally they worry the hell out of you).

Pop some photos on when you get chance!

Agree, everyone loves a baby picture

We’ve got three Kindles in the family. An original one with a keyboard, a Kindle Touch 3G and a Paperwhite. The Paperwhite is the nicest one, and the one I would buy now for myself.

Now with a more comfortable saddle. My winter road/summer bridleway bike that requires as close to zero maintenance as I can think of.

We’re off to Florida at Easter. Direct flights from Manchester were around 1500 pounds each. Via Chicago (all with American Airlines) was 700 each. That’s a lot of meals out/Mickey time etc., and we’ve paid for a lounge in Chicago so the stopover is more comfortable.

Once you’re done, install Teamviewer or similar on their PC so you can log in remotely and sort out the problems that will inevitably occur without driving to their house (although they may be next door for all I know).

Back to the original thread. Adidas tights when it’s cold (from the local Adidas outlet). Rest of clothes from Wiggle sale/Sports Direct/Decathlon. The one item I did think was worth spending a little on was a Montane Pertex top for when it’s showery. When it’s raining hard, I just use the GoreTex cycling top.

I also wear running gloves (from Sports Direct I think) and a hat when it’s parky.

We went a couple of years ago. Wife is a physicist, and I’m an engineer, and if the kids hadn’t have been with us, I think we could have spent a week there. Take the full tour, it is brilliant, and what made it more special was the 2nd to last shuttle was on the launch pad at the time. The Saturn 5 exhibit was awesome, and I just loved all the engineering excellence and attention to detail.

The lunch with an astronaut was great; we had this guy, who just seemed like an absolutely top bloke. Balls of steel obviously, but also a very smart guy (was 2nd in command of NASA, and briefly in charge).
Fred Gregory

MTB is 2006, road bike is 2003, both with 9 speed at the rear. Both fit perfectly, and everything works. Don’t feel like changing them. I do fancy a new set of handlebars on the MTB, but the over sized standard means I need a new stem as well.

Most modern bike is a 2 year old Pompetamine. Not exactly cutting edge.

I do quite fancy one of those new disc braked road bikes though.

As a former chubster – 5’9″ and over 17 stone, I can speak with some experience. For me it came down to a realisation that I didn’t want to look like that, and a small health scare. I wanted to be around for my kids.

Bought a bike, and started riding short distances. Being a competitive person I bought a bike computer and tried to beat my best average speeds and longest rides. At the same time, started to cut out the crap (crisps every day) and the weight just fell off.

Now sub 12 stone and running around 1 hr 35 min half marathons. Fitter than I’ve been for 25 years. Sadly it does come down mostly to self control in terms of eating, combined with some gentle (and increasingly harder) exercise.

I’ve kept a pair of size 42 inch waist trousers to keep me motivated. 12 inches bigger than current trousers.

SDG Bel Air on MTB, ‘cross and road bike (titanium rails on the road bike, mainly because it was cheap at OnOne).

Comfy for me

I’ve got the Gore Fusion jacket, and in the best tradition of STW, I think it’s excellent. Completely waterproof, and seems to breath very well, despite having no pit zips.

I’ve used it for running when it’s been chucking it down and blowing a gale, and it was even pretty good for that.

Thanks Gents, looks like I’ll just bite the bullet and upgrade to oversized.

Happy New Year!

This one. Mainly for running, but useable on the bike (you go into Garmin Connect afterwards and change the activity type to cycling)

Almost 4kg (net) of quality street, celebrations, biscuits and toffees – oh dear. We don’t normally have choc or snacks in house.

Chapeau

The problem with chocolate oranges is that once you start, there is no end point apart from finishing the whole thing. Just the one this year, and I can almost smell it from where it’s sitting in the fridge.

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WP_20131225_001[/url] by paulcheshirecat[/url], on Flickr[/img]

I also thought this was appropriate

One of these with heart rate (75 pound discount from list price with Wiggle matching the Garmin30 offer :-))

Garmin Forerunner 220[/url]

I’ve had a few automatics, and currently drive a diesel with a traditional (though very modern) 6 speed automatic box.

Much prefer auto to manual for the kind of driving I do. Most modern autos don’t have the kickdown button on the floor, they just sense the position of the pedal and change gear accordingly when you want to overtake.

For country roads, I tend to switch across to manual control, and as someone has said above, modern automatics change down a gear or two when going downhill to enable engine braking. I wouldn’t have a manual now (though the wife has one so I’m not totally out of practice).

American automatics, on the other hand, are absolutely rubbish in my limited experience of rental cars. No torque from the engine and utterly gutless.

EDIT: to the OP, unless the hill is very steep, they just hold themselves on the hill or creep forward slightly if you don’t have the brake on. Right foot does everything, and it takes minutes to get used to.

Wiggle did a price match for me with a screen shot. Forerunner 220 for 175 :-)

Hmmm…
Having been very overweight 10 years ago, and now having lost 5 stone thanks in part to taking up cycling (and living a healthier lifestyle), I suspect cycling has helped me in ways more important than my career.

I have a well paid, responsible job, but I have no ambition, as this would eat into exercise and family time. I plan meetings around bike rides, so I guess it does affect my career, but I don’t care.

Holiday for 10 days, so more opportunities to get out running and cycling. Sorry..

1

I run Magura discs with Shimano brakes, for the simple reason that I prefer the look of the wavy Maguras rather than the boring circular Shimanos

14 years in here. The way she’s turning into an intelligent, funny and beautiful young woman makes me incredibly proud. Son isn’t bad either :-)

Kids are great (most of the time).

Running about a week later (in v tight pants), and on the bike for gentle road rides around two weeks afterwards. This was with no infections (which can happen 8O ) or complications. Sunday is extremely optimistic, imagine if you smacked the boys on the nose of the saddle…

Wasn’t given any drainage advice, beyond the “empty them xx times before the post snip tests”. Followed the shaving/VEET advice though.

As someone said above, not especially painful. Worst part? The smell of bacon as they cauterised the tubes. Take an iPod and zone out for the duration.

EDIT: Female doctor and female nurse for me – and as someone else said, leave any pride at the door, and hope you don’t know the staff personally

I had a 1983 Y reg Capri 1.6GL during my university days. Acquired it almost by accident, but it was a decent reliable car for many years afterwards. German built, so Bosch electrics and decent (dark metallic green) paintwork. Was running many years after I sold it.

I was however rather jealous of friends with Astras etc, who could actually go round corners and roundabouts at sensible speeds.

Halo sports wash is great, and they sell it in my local Sainsburys

Adidas tights (cheap from Sports Direct), thin long sleeved base layer (also cheap from Sports Direct) and a t-shirt on top. Buff and running gloves when it’s cold, and hat when it’s really cold.

For rain I ditch the t-shirt and add a Montane Pertex top.

HP Officejet 6700 here. Works pretty seamlessly. Different room to the router, but just works really well. It even works from our desktop PC which is hard wired to the router.

I have mine mounted on the passenger side, near the gearstick, using a Brodit mount. Basically where mobile phone car kits used to sit. I can hear the instructions, and it doesn’t obstruct the field of view.

And I like Garmins, but I suspect TomToms are just as good, if not better.

EDIT: And no circular marks on the windscreen!

5 days here

Sorry… running tights, skin tight base layer (Nike, skins etc.), t-shirt on top, running gloves, buff and hat if it’s really cold.

My standard watch

My weekend watch (I know some will hate this, but I’ve just always wanted one – my Dad has a Seamaster from the 1960s, so I like the connection)

It’s the one American city (that I’ve been to) where I would consider living. Nice compact centre, and everything from beaches to mountains within a short drive. I was there in November a couple of years ago, and walked up Mount Si in the Cascades.

My wife teaches 11-18 year old girls, and she tells me that year 8 is the worst (ages 12-13).

With my own 14 year old witch daughter, that was indeed the case. We get on fine now (most of the time)

£525 a month here, plus insurance and all fuel paid via petrol card. Claim back tax relief on about 10k miles per annum, which offsets the tax due on the fuel.

If I remember correctly it needs to be <6 years old, with 4/5 doors. This is widely ignored.

I buy a 6-12 month old car every few years.