I posted some advice one here a few days back:
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/sky-internet-any-good#post-1300008

btw my business is run from home and I need some redundancy – I've got both Virgin and ASDL (via O2 / Be Unlimited). Both are really good. When theres a problem Virgin are easier to deal with – it's just one company responsible for the cable, router, etc. Every ASDL provider has to rely on BT (but I've never really needed them).

http://www.speedtest.net is your friend!

You'll have seen this I guess which suggests the SLX is better in some respects?

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/disc-brake-systems/product/slx-brake-10-37523

I only got an SLX (2010) so cant help you directly – but ime it's not as good as a Formula Oro K24.

You could use http://www.speedtest.net to see what ISP is fastest for your area and how each ISPs customers rate that servive.

Sky buy broadband from BT and generally any non billing or home router related problem gets passed to BT Wholesale to be fixed. I wouldnt say Sky's IT support is the best :(

If you've got an O2 mobile then their broadband is really good value imo. It's also known as Be Un Limited for non O2 customers.

As an example here are the results for Edinburgh here:

I think this is Bike Radar's April Fool?

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/500g-barrier-shattered-by-groundbreaking-new-frame-25600

I run my MTB and tourer with an 11-34 and often use the 34 whilst in the middle ring.

Is this not a good thing to do?

My point is that to me the only real benefit is the lowest gear in the granny. The rest of the time I live with the bigger gaps ("liability" may be too strong a term).

mistook MY nuts

IME a 34 is a slight liability in the middle ring due to the bigger gaps / steps. Where it wins for me is that I hate (and I mean HATE) having to push steep hills so in the granny ring it keeps me pedalling when others are pushing.

If its too steep for a 34 tooth I'm at risk of toppling over backwards :)

That may not be your thing tho???

Maybe try Jury's Inn – near Waverly.

Or one of the Apex Hotels – sometimes have weekend deals. Grassmarket one is nicer imo.

Even the website is down now. Must be bad!

Ooops – big fail by me! Should have read the whole thing!

I had the same random deflations after initial success. Got out an old baby bath – filled with water and it turned out not to be the usual micro bubble leaks but proper gushers in the sidewalls. A good stans shake at those spots sorted it. Had to repeat twice over about a week and ever since its been fine. Touch wood!

Yah.

Well for the xc1s anyway. Mine get a hard life and don't grumble. In comparison my hope/4.2d combo on the other bike got dinged twice (2 rims £140). Don't pay anywhere near rrp tho. They're always on special and are good vfm IMO. Dunno about bearings etc. Sorry for abbevs. On my phone.

If your're truly stuck Ive got some Superstar sintered pads bnib that you can have for what I paid for them. BTW – SS pads are great ime.

My "weekends" over :( – off to work tomorrow but got a few hours at GT this evening.

Go on a course! Lasts for ever and it can tackle any fears or bad habits you may have developed. Of course you cant sell it second hand! Or go for a weekend away somewhere new to do some new riding.

Changing from Juicy to Juicy wont make any noticable difference.
Changing cranks may save you some weight but in use its not really noticable – but they may last longer.
Tora SLs are pretty good – again just a bit heavy. Moving to dual air is a noticable difference – but maybe not all for the better.

Anyway that's my 2p's worth!

The payer pays the fees unless he's got a positive paypal balance in which case it's free for both parties.

So the one review we have is that a Whyre 19 carbon makes you ill and compulsively build and strip bikes you wont use? And from Marks comments everyone will just keep asking 'are you ok?'

I'm glad I got the Alu version ;)

Well just to buck the trend (and keep Trout in a job) – my bastid is temremental. Changes mode all of a sudden like when I hit a bump. Also where the cables join has frayed/failed at both ends and had to be redone/soldered (spare cables are now available).

My 2 mode torch has gone from 4 leds to 3. Still works but just a bit dimmer.

The 5 torch mode driver failed and I had to modify it to 1 mode (off and full). Still – I aint complaining and I learnt early on not to rely on just 1 DX light at a time.

Am I just stating the obvious here – that cassette should never have been put near a Pro 2 hub. Not even in the same room ffs! Can you not bring it back to where you got it? Pro 2 instructions are clear on using cassettes with alloy carriers. If you didnt know better then you should go back to the shop.

****. Feckety ****. I do think they're serious. Only everyone else knows they're a joke. Should we tell them? Is it the new Eddie the Eagle(musical-ish)?

Strangely it brings me back to my childhood in Glenamaddy of which Wikipedia says:

It became the musical capital of Connacht during the 1960s when the Showband craze swept the country.

Wiki rubbish! It was c**p then and it's even worse now!

Isn't it just the same as the classic Whyte 19?

The newer ones are slightly different – certainly in the headtube area. Mine (an 06) has a narrowish headtube and the more modern 19's and trails have wider / gussetted headtubes. Apart from that I'm not sure what's changed.

Car tyres – big brand names worth the extra cost?

Or to paraphrase – car tyres – are my kids lives worth the extra cost?

You spent thousands on abs, tcs, airbags, child seats, shatterproof glass,…. and want to save £50 on the single most important thing on the car (apart from you of course).

Realistically – good tyres make a marginal difference. In particular circumstances they will help you stop a few meters shorter or get around a hazard without spinning, or save you some mpg, or be quieter, or less puncture prone etc.

Also note that when it comes to sell your car – one that's got cheap tyres just screams out: cheapskate and begs the questions – what other servicing / consumables has he skimped on?

btw – this is of course tongue in cheek but after I spent 9 days in hospital after an accident directly related to a brand new cheap motorbike tyre I'd never go there again.

Have you tried: http://www.etyres.co.uk/ (turn off your sound first)

Northwind – Member
Just put a set on mine with Oro K24s, very good so far- they perform just like any other disc and they weigh nothing.

I too tried Ashima rotors (Air rotors to be exact) with K24's and got a real pulsing effect under hard braking and overall power was down. I thought it's cause the formula pads are just bigger than the holes. I swapped them to my Juicy's where they work just fine.

Northwind – are your's these ones? :
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/mountain-bike-disc-brake-spares/ashima-disc-brake-rotors/ashima-rotors.html

http://www.nextdaytyres.com/tyres/Schwalbe/Nobby-Nic-2010.aspx

Due in stock in the next 24 hours.

cowboy outfits who charge extra for credit card purchases (yes Ryanair I mean you)

btw Ryanair now charge for all debit cards. This month you need a 'prepay mastercard' to avoid the "hidden" charges. But who knows next month?

I think it's noticable but you could try it yourself for cheapish by fitting some really light tyres & tubes which should give the same effect on accelerating etc.

Is it cause it looks like you've got a Halfords Apollo box in the trailer and everyone is thinking – sucker :)

Spent a few weeks there around 4 years ago. We travelled by train from North to South. Loved it! Lovely scenery, sights, food, people, …. For one week I'd try and stay in one area – but get out and see the countryside. If you decide North – then Halong bay is a must see on a boat trip. The harbour town itself is a real tourist trap and I wouldnt stay there unless you have to.

Dont hire motorbikes – there are no real rules of the road outside the main cities – we saw a few accidents. There are however millions of cyclists so I'd recommend hiring a bike. It'll most likely be a singlespeed too.

Only real downside is trying to travel independently. Officially foreigners cant buy train tickets – you need a local agent but most towns will have one. Some trains tho have to be booked far in advance. This may have changed since. Prices are great, and some French will help in some places.

Overall – if you've got a sense of adventure I'll highly recommend it.

An MOT only covers safety (brakes, tyres, windscreen kinda stuff) and emissions. It wont tell you that the engine is about to die of the gearbox is knackered or the battery is dead or the radiator is leaking etc etc.

Go simple. Bigger engined cars seem to last longer and as theyre 'unfashionable' are relatively cheap. Also cars that have had one owner or owned in the same family seem better looked after. Maybe a Vectra / Mondeo / Primera?

I had Tekro Augira (?) Comp once. Bacically copies of old Deore's – use the same pads / bleeding etc. Work well but mine squealed like crazy at the first sign of damp. Maybe felt a bit wooden in comparison the Juicy's. Occasioanally got one sticky piston (they had a hard life) – eventually a seal went in the rear. Replaced it with a Juicy which was a bit better overall.

Were you "self employed" through your own limited company? Hopefully the company name didnt include your own name(Binners Bin Cleaning Ltd)? See where I'm going? Further down the line who can give a reference for you? Your accountant would look a bit strange.

Here's one good reason to keep the pedals level. No so sure you should show her tho?

IME on canvas even 100 pixels per inch of print will look good. So I'd say 37×25 inches. You can get them done by Pyramid imaging in Leith.

You can go even bigger, but the result will depend partly on where youre going to hang it (how far back you'll be standing).

I'm sure others will be along with more sage advice, but IME running and bike ones are slightly different mounts / requirememts.

I had a cheap one that loose signals from the heart strap irratingly often. Running ones on the bike are ok but you have to take your hands off the bars the see the readings – or strap it on the bars.

In the end I'm happiest with a garmin forerunner 305 that's slightly bulky for running but great on the bike with the optional bike mount (download routes, shadow laps, totally waterproof, crashproofs, cadence, heading….). In the 18 months I've had it there hasnt been one dropped signal and lasts 8+ hours on a charge etc.

If I had to look at a new one now I'd stick with Garmin.

Indeed: a used i850 dropper seatpost £50, new £54 posted from leisure lakes?

Hi Mark – Me – I've got good ribs, no deliveries due and I work for myself ;)

But I'm looking at the weather. It might freeze (good), snow (good) or rain / sleet plus wind(bad).

Either way I'll be out tomorrow pm – the weather will determine what I get up to. What time you thinking of? Where to?

The instructions with a carbon post I got says turn the clamp so the open side is opposite the slot in the frame.

Edit -> Preferences -> Import -> Uncheck "Show Import dialogue when memory card detected".

If that's still not working and if you're on windows the LR install may also have told windows to start LR when it detects a memory card.

Also – until recently all items were shipped from USA – Carolina but now based in Norfolk UK. V strange.

ROFL at takisawa2. Brill!