Nice result – personally I would have ordered some gaffer tape off the internet so that I didn't have to support my lbs for doing some work.

I have given up and no longer wear glasses. This has the advantage that the singletrack doesn't look so rough in places, it has the disadvantage that I keep getting surprises…

Snap. And I hate contacts so much that I've recently cancelled my monthly lenses.

Maybe, but I'm not particularly a complaining type – I just needed clarification on TLR and what it meant – and I love my EX8, so Trek are still ace in my book.

As for the tyres – I'm too slow to particularly notice bad tyres. What I do notice though it that they are so very hard to get off the rim, which is why I thought of going tubeless. I even had to have a rest once – I've never had this on any previous bike.

Rim tape, valves and sealant ordered. As a mechanical muppet, this could be interesting and messy…

Cheers fella – that makes more sense – wish the bike shop could have told me that.

That was my first ever proper off road ride so it has a 'special' place in my mind – I'd also say don't bother with the freeride bit at the top – the other bit of trail is better imo.

I'm 5'10'' – not sure on leg sizing (I'm tubby, but not so much in my legs) – I wear a medium

Team of 4 for me.

Aim is to not be quite so obviously slower than the rest of my team.

I'd like the course to revert back to how it was the year before – much more enjoyable – last year they did some crazy magic trick and seemed to devise a course that had more ups than downs!

As for bike, I'm going for FS this year – just a little more comfortable over such a long race. Though if you're serious about racing I think hardtail makes sense as the main hill is quite long and you'll appreciate the drop in weight.

Yup – team of 4, hopefully not slowing down the other 3 too much

"You're riding this the wrong way"

It is indeed an open bath damper. Weirdly it locked out fine last night.

Thanks for the advice

borwens – Member
threshold adjuster for the lockout???

I can imagine what one of those is, but you've lost me here

only for changing brake pads

cheers people. Apparently brute force is the key – giving them that extra little push with the end of a blunt instrument to get them to click in.

Just hope I didn't damage anything……

that's a great t-shirt

I have around 50 after my (forced) clear out

Thanks for the offer Rochey – what have you got and what do you want for them (email in profile if you'd prefer)?

I am a bit intrigued by the Arkle one for the minute though. Might have to give that some thought.

Ta, I shall take a look.

DT78 – like your thinking – turning your bars parallel with top tube. Just trying to envisage how it would hook on. Is it that the forks won't be able to turn as the wall gets in the way?

My bike room is about to be merged with the kitchen and apparently I need to find a new home for my bike. It can't go in my other bike room as that's the loft room with my turbo trainer in – not taking a bike into the loft after every ride.

Is it just solo entries that are tough to get in or is it all categories?

>The only slight down side is the weight at 6kg

Crikey – my tent is 36kg!

Steel poles. 5 man. Coleman Sector X5. £180 I think. Great for events when you ideally want to be able to have plenty of room when you're too knackered to keep everything neat.

When is was peeing it down, we had 6 people sitting in the living space no probs at all.

Do need 2 people to put it up though

>they threatened to increase account fees accross the board if they couldnt keep ripping off the poorest people in the country

The UK is one of only a handful of countries in the World that offers free banking. They have to make their money for their shareholders one way or another. Shareholders are often pension funds so just think of it as an investment ;)

Crikey, leave me out of this ;)

I got one for christmas. It's great

to the turbo trainer I go

I regret every minute I didn't spend with a GF before she passed away. You just don't expect these things to happen when you're only 23.

Still – several years later and I'm happily married. Not many of my friends are allowed to keep up pictures of previous GFs in their house.

Oh, and congrats

I went White water rafting in Bala. Trails are near by if that way inclined, but we didn't. Couple of small towns for drinking lots as well as back at bunkhouse. Walked up Snowdon on the Sunday. Not necessarily the most drunken or messy stag, but was right up my street

Bill and Ben in bed. Bill says 'flobbadobadob'. Ben says 'well if you loved me, you'd swallow it'

*makes a note to check my Trek later*

Have to say that dust devil is aweful! Easily in my top 5 worst films along with Mullholland Drive and Kalifornia.

Zatoichi that someone mentioed was great. Blind swordsman and a tap dancing finale. What more do you need?

I think we should move to the 'Flintstones' model.

As with everything it's worth spending more money. Mum has a crap one. I have a pan 254. It's great for the following reasons

– cheaper than buying quality bakers bread (not taking into account the cost of machine)
– putting ingredients in machine is quicker than the 3 minute round trip to bakers
– consistently great tasting bread – though brown loaves has been lob sided
– bread lasts well
– pizza dough is great, but not tried other breads yet
– can have fresh bread to time

downsides

– you get a small hole in middle of loaf
– anything other than the smallest loaf just makes the bread taller, meaning it doesn't fit in toaster well
– if you plan to get it out of a cupboard for each use, you probably won't

Overall – one of best kitchen appliances I own

Flat for me, despite a couple of sessions on the turbo trainer and a proper ride too.

Still on holiday till Monday so a few too many pints being consumed.

Cheers julian

Highjack – can you use a 9 speed derailleur on an 8 speed cassette if you have 8 speed shifters? Or else do people still sell, for example, 8 speed XT derailleurs?

Ta

Bit late, but can you please add me to the list. Would like to be 10kgs (22lbs) lighter – got to be more efficient than spending money on shiney new light-weight bike bits.

email in profile

If you are camping, I'd say an inflatable mattress to keep you as far off the cold floor as possible. And a hat to sleep in (not just a hat, obviously).

GPS is the real battery killer. If battery life is a problem (eg away at weekend and can't charge it) you can get a battery case for it. A bit bulky for going out at night, but as it works by running off the extra battery first, you can leave it for the night and re-attach when get back (it then charges the phone from the spare battery). Weekends away are full of battery then.

The phone is awesome, but in my opinion the signal is not as good as the other networks I was on before.

Was getting back pain on longish rides. Then at Bristol Bikefest this year it was pretty sore. I got a massage from the massage people (MyLife I think) who said it was coming from from hamstrings.

I've altered my saddle height and have started riding with a saddle bag and bottle instead of camel. Not had same problem since (even at Twentyfour12 where I spent longer in the saddle).

Take a quick look here http://www.bristoltrailsgroup.com/Trail_info.htm

I'd given loads of presentations and spoken infront of 100+ people a few times, but I was still nervous. Then it suddenly dawns on you that this is one of the only speeches you'll ever give where people are on your side. Everything will be fine.

I planned to write it down, but never had time due to excessive work so I made it up on the day and it went down fine. Just have a structure similar to yoshimi suggested and you'll be fine. A nice anecdote of how you met/got engaged will go down well, even if loads of people already know the story.

I introduced my best man in the way Clarkson introduces the stig – thought that was funny – not everyone did