Most humans have 32 teeth, 8 in each quarter of their respective mouths.

My mutant superpower was to have “nines”, an extra pre-molar in my right mandible.

I say past tense because it was cruelly removed by my arch nemesis, a villainous NHS dental surgeon. I shall be avenged.

Slightly off topic, but is it possible to rehydrate by reabsorbing water from a full bladder? I’m sure it’s happened to me in the past. Set off for a long run on a hot day. Start needing a piss, then desperate for a piss, hold off, sweat buckets, then you don’t need a piss anymore.

Is this possible or did I just imagine it?

How has this job affected your enjoyment of mountain biking?

What’s the life expectancy of the the mag specifically and print journalism generally?

Is mtb’ing’s lack of diversity the greatest threat to its future viability or is there a greater one?

How is it? Thinking of heading down tomorrow. It aint been raining but it’s cold and still so not much drying I suspect?

Bearings ordered. Thanks for the help guys. :D

Right, new headset bearings time.

LBS is suggesting a new £70 headset, but without a great deal of conviction. Can that be right? Really don’t want to shell out that much every time the bearings go.

What’s the collective wisdom?

I use front and rear blinkers on winter road rides during the daytime when it’s overcast and/or raining. Hugely improved visibility.

Hmm depressing stuff. The bike is sufficiently nice that everything on it would be nickable. The threshold for nickability doesn’t seem to be set terribly high, and current locks/security measures etc are so easily circumvented.

I’ll have to either drive or buy a really crappy rat bike from somewhere.

I’ve just tried to cancel my sub so that it doesn’t auto renew after the six months is up.

They said if I want to cancel now I’d have to send the free gift back, alternatively if I want to keep the gift I have to stay on for a year!!!

I’ve asked for clarification. I can’t see any chat/small print about having to stay on year.

Has anyone else been through this?

Yes it’s an e13 1x specific crankset which came with the bike, a Canyon Spectral 29er.

Nevertheless, it does make one think. The grinding was caused by burrs on the ring which a mechanic filed off for me, to temporarily good effect. The burrs will have been caused by the chain arriving and departing from the ring at a violent angle.

Hmm.

Star Wars Ep VIII

Ren (for it is he): “Ray, I am your second cousin once removed, search your feelings, you know it to be true”

Ray: “Noooooooo!!!!”

Yes, we have a Tesco hudle and soon to get a kindle fire (neither of which leave the house) so that should be fine.

I had a chromecast plugged into the sitting room hifi but it was a v. poor experience. The connection between the hudle and the chromecast kept dropping out and sometimes wouldn’t initiate in the first place. I replaced it with the good old CD player!

I have used Sonos at a friends house and it was flawless.

Is £300 a good deal for a pair of 1s?

Sonos 1 x 2 actually a pretty good shout, as I have an 8y/o too.

Any better deals than £300 for a pair at John Lewis?

The style of offer and counter offer where both parties meet in the middle is perfectly normal. However in your case the other side stood their ground. When you find yourself making all the running then don’t expect a fantastic result.

Sigh… He had a phone (£50 Nokia) and lost it.

Big bonfire. Think Darth Vader at the end of RotJ. Then the ghost of your hummer will give you top tips on riding technique as you descend the trail. Use the force.

Fiddling with the fabric “pull tab” on the back of a RM William or Doc Martin Chelsea boot.

They’re quite firm/starched to begin with, but after a while they go soft and feathery, which is pleasantly tactile.

What’s tyre clearance like out back?

Would you fit a 2.4″ Ardent on a something like an Arch EX which gave it its full width?

Also, anyone know when the next XLs are coming in and if they’ll be green? First batch of XLs sold out very quick. I know I could e-mail Cotic and ask them myself but that’s a step down the path of committment which I’m not ready to take just yet!

Cheers.

Have you got any green/turquoise items on the Halifax map? They’re of strategic or military importance – me? Crosland Moor Airfield (flat piece of grass).

On the Edinburgh map Redford Barracks is definitely blue, but strangely Dreghorn Barracks is brown (residential/commercial?). Elsewhere on the map, the blue and the black (industrial) are near indistinguishable. Indeed I think I might be just imagining a difference. The old Ferranti offices (defence electronics) at Crew Toll I think looks blue but I’m not sure.

Can anyone translate the map key? What do the numbers next to the buildings refer to?

Are the 1:10k city maps of a sufficient scale to state street names? That’s the real attraction.

I’m looking at Edinburgh by the way.

@StirlingCrispin: what sort of headtube does the Scion have? What’s the weight/feel like compared to your old Soul?

I’m prone to getting a bit emotional on the bike. Last week in Torridon I had a totally unfair OTB, hurt my hand and for about an hour decided that I was giving up mtb’ing, I was in a massive huff. Then did a totally awesome descent which I loved, and managed ok, and felt like the cock o’ the walk.

Then two days later I did an Applecross cross country out and back. On the way out I bottled a couple of rocky chutes and was full of self-loathing, decided I was giving up mtb’ing (are you spotting a pattern yet?), but on the way back successfully sessioned and cleared them, confidence restored.

Yes, I need to get a grip.

Is £288 for a Pro 2/Flow wheelset not pretty good?

I did the Circuit as set out in the guide book today.

From the Coulin Lodge turn-off through Achnashellach to Coulags was 90 mins, scenic but unchallenging and I’d say a ripper of a ride on a CX bike. From Coulags to Loch an Eion is spectacular but the rideable stuff is “nadgery”. I had an OTB just before the bothy on a pretty innocuous stretch. I stared accusingly at the trail but couldn’t see what I’d got hung up on. I hurt my hand, which worried me, and put me in a huff for an hour or so. Once over the Pass the trail is boggy in places but I don’t want to be churlish, it’s a stunning landscape and great, great riding. The best I’ve experienced this hol’s.

That’s the one!

I now feel the need to double-check everything in the guidebooks on here.

Apologies, I mean caught out by lengthy stretches of hike-a-bike. I had a 3-4hr marathon bog-trot last week which I’m not keen to repeat!

I’m happy with steep uphills if they’re pedalable, I prefer not-so-steep descents as again I’d have to walk anything too drastic. I’m on my own and there’s zero mobile signal.

Hope this clarifies, any advice welcome!

I did an out and back today from Invermoriston. I got as far as Corrie Yairack itself (3hrs from start point) then turned around.

It was lovely weather and a good workout, but unfortunately I took the pylon road up to the top of the Pass, where a workman pointed out the error of my ways. Thankfully I was only about 10ft away from Gen Wade’s road at this point. The workmen were in the process of removing their road. It looks to to be filled in all the way from Laggan to the summit and now they’re working their way down the north west side. Get your Strava runs in quick!

I’ll be doing an out and back from Ft Ogs. I’ll see how far I can get in c.3hrs then turn around.

If I can actually turn the pedals that will be a massive improvement on Glengarry, which was at best a dreadful advert for Scottish mountain biking and at worst a dangerous recommendation.

Those water bars sound like good practise for bunny-hopping on flats rather than cheaty spds.

Not an MTB I know, but there we go.

What’s the name for the style of race exemplified by GT7?.. and what other events are there in the same vein?

I’m reassured by not having disgraced myself in the results, and interested in doing more.

Loved it. First time doing anything like this. Squeeked 9 laps as a pair. Legs now like two strands of overcooked spaghetti.

The weather absolutely made it. I’d imagine that course would be a total nighmare in the wet what with all the highly polished roots?

EDIT: when are the results out?

BC sent my son a poster of Annie Last at the Olympics when he joined the local bike club (and hence BC).

I know it’s bad form to bump so apologies, but has anyone bled their HY/RDs and if so which kit is appropriate?

Yes mine went agfter 6 months too.

How long do the low friction ones last, and are they noticeably better that the heavy duty kit?

I’m just consious that if I go heavy duty then all I need to do is change a £4 bushing once every, say, 9 months. All else being equal that’s an attractive proposition.

While I was in the garage my neighbour popped round, saw the pickle I was in, and brought around a G-clamp which did the trick.

I don’t have a vice which is why I went for the nifty little BETD tool. I’ll see what I can do with a hammer, without somehow taking the hula hoop with it.

This is growing arms and legs!

Here’s the snaps. By the way can you let me know what each part is called so that I’ve got my terminology straight.

Cheers…

I’m 8 days into it and still suffering. Lost voice and producing dreadful green slime. It’s like a horror movie.

Days off are so precious and I’m pissing them away being ill.

Do people wear shin pads? If so what type? I’m not seeing much online and I’m thinking football ones look better value.

I’m flat-curious but don’t fancy punctured shins.