@MSP
I meant why does a guy senior to me who’s definitely being paid more than I am care what I’m earning?

Why would you care if you knew you were better off anyway?

But aren’t you better off if you already have a mortgage and a good accountant?

What I don’t get is, why do people who are obviously on more money than you asking what you get paid?

First time my partner and I rode together, it ended in tears. We got lost, she was unfit and couldn’t climb and she had a crap hire bike. Culminated in her slogging up a climb, having a tanty and hurling the bike down the hill. Still made her go and pick it up and we laugh about it today.

First thing we did when we got back, she bought a little single speed to commute to work. Built up some fitness and then bought a nice Whippet on the C2W topped up with some borrowed cash from me. We then rode a few trail centres. I won’t lie, I was hoping she would get bored of both bikes and I could add them to my collection.

Fast forward a few years, she now has as many bikes as me. She gets out on the road mostly, but enjoys MTB a lot. The turning point for her was a skills course. Women need to feel more in control according to the coach. I won’t disagree with him on that one.

In all this time I have done all what people advice you not to do:
– Ride off and leave her all alone after a tantrum? Check.
– Buy a bike hoping she will not like it and I will get it? Check.
– Make her use my cast offs? Check.
– Cajole her into riding clipless when she was probably not ready and make her fall off? Check.
– Laugh when she’s fallen off? Check.

The one thing in my favour is the woman’s sheer bloody-mindedness. If your missus is similar, then you’ll be fine. I’ve also never let her use anything I’d not be comfortable using.

No.

It’s better to save up the money and buy it when you can afford it.

Ingrown hair most likely! Perhaps try exfoliating the area after you shave and after each ride?

My condolences by the way. It’s the stupidest thing to get you off the bike.

Congratulations man. It’s a great feeling isn’t it? All the best with the new job.

.

On gardening leave. Almost finished reading The Secret Race. Wondering how I’m going to kick off the training plan for this week.

I despise the velcro fly on the TLD shorts. Not buying another pair of shorts with velcro flies ever.

Bib wearers know what I’m talking about.

Hopefully old 10 speed 105 kit will fall in price for a short while in June when everyone starts to dump stock!

When I get on the bus or train on the way to work I am already thinking about work, but when I get on the bike to go to work I am going on a bike ride.

Commuting is still fun.

How on earth do the police manage to be so incompetent?

Is it just a matter of the person you spoke to not knowing the law and making something up? Absolute disgrace. Maybe you should get in touch with someone like road.cc or even Singletrack to get some publicity round this if you have trouble getting them to play ball?

It’s all relative isn’t it? A Cat 1 I follow on Strava is on around that this year. He is in a completely different league though.

The pros average over a 1000km in a week. So using pidgin logic, a pro trains 4 times as hard as a Cat 1?

In a good week I used to manage 275km, this included 2 club runs, a Sunday solo run and 90km of commuting.

Last week I managed nearly 70km offroad which is a new record for me (not counting riding holidays). I have 85km pencilled in for this week. Would have been 170km but I have plans at the weekend. I’d be very happy to hit 800km (500 miles) total for this month though.

It needs to be part of a training plan. I can’t just go out and go hard every time, and it needs to fit in with life. For example, I was supposed to ride 45km this morning, but I’m not feeling 100% after some broken sleep and I have to meet some friends this evening so I’m resting instead.

It is easier if you commute and ride road. 800km off road a month would very likely break me, or be unsustainable.

I don’t regret buying the Garmin (Edge 800), but I resent them for:

– Shitty interface compared to what’s available on a smartphone.
– New Edge still doesn’t address the basic issues with visibility the old one has.
– Not enough guidance on what the device is capable of.

I thought about buying the new Edge 810, but then I realised the philosophy I’d be buying into technologically. They don’t address the current problems and they’ve got no intention of fixing the ones users flag. So why would I give them my money?

When you’re the best of a bad bunch and make no effort to improve then it makes the consumer think they’re just phoning it in. I’d love to see a competitor come along and knock their socks off the complacent gits. I’ll use my Edge until the damned thing falls apart otherwise, or only ever buy them second hand.

Can you tell I’m bitter?

What you talking about homeboy? I’ve had my Charge LR for a few years and it’s awesome! Great for running too!

Any pictures? What size did you get and what height are you?

Please, thank you.

Cheers. Just put a little 45km loop together. I will have a go tomorrow morning.

Do you find a specific window during the day to be better to go out? In London I’d be fine if I got out for 0800, or right after noon for a couple of hours at the weekend. In Berkshire it seems quite changeable.

YT Capra. Do it.

If I had £500 and nothing at all to add to the build I’d be on the lookout for a hardtail on Pinkbike, the Classifieds or eBay.

I think On-One were doing a Middleburn, Reba SS version of the Whippet for £800 in a limited run a long time ago. The frames were an awesome lime green and yellow. You see them pop up now and then 2nd hand.

@mrblobby

Where are these routes in Berkshire you speak of? I have a 30km loop mostly on B roads that starts near Swinley Forest, up to Windsor Park and back. I have a short bit on an NSL B road which is a nightmare. If you have any quieter routes you’d like to share then I’d be very grateful.

My e-mail address is mailtocuriousyellow at gmail dot com if you’d like to help me out. Advice gratefully received!

– Calling in sick when I’m sick.
– Realising there’s no virtue in working hard for the sake of working hard, but there can be meaning in work.

But most importantly, shutting the fridge door when I take the milk out to make the tea. WHY DO PEOPLE INSIST ON LEAVING THE DOOR OPEN WHILE THEY ADD THEIR MILK? IS IT SO HARD TO OPEN AND SHUT THE DAMNED DOOR TWICE?

Mailed you.

Some days it’s easier than others.

I get more stressed if the missus is with me. Simpler to accept and get on with it if I’m on my own.

It’s strange. In London I felt safer though there was more traffic. In Berkshire, there’s less traffic, but it’s faster and people overtake like arseholes, hence I feel less safe. There’s a sweet spot when traffic is low and the light is still good, but I really hope I’ll find it soon.

Every ride I don’t get clipped, or ploughed into by a car is a win for me.

Nukeproof lover here too.

Cheap enough to destroy, reliable enough to get the job done. Wash well too.

I’ve snapped a 105, 2 weeks old, standing start but had forgotten that I’d shifted.

Swapped to a KMC and no problems since. Easier to clean as well. I do try and pay more attention to my shifting and maintenance these days though.

Does it feel better when you’re out of the saddle?

Don’t know why no one makes a helmet that has entirely washable fabric bits. Eventually the stink will get to the mesh as well. I’m lucky I don’t sweat a lot!

Looks like a good deal if you managed to buy it!

Frame, forks, seatpost, clamp, headset, BB, spare BB, geared dropouts and spare headset: £265
Saddle: Free from a friend
Cranks, pedals, brakes, front wheel, tyres from spares bin
SS cog, front chainring, bolts, chain and spacers: £90 from Charlie The Bikemonger
SS specific rear wheel (Arch EX on Hope Pro 2) from Classifieds: £90
Easton Havoc DH 15mm rise 750mm bars: 32.50
Headset spacers: 2.99

I make it £480.49?

Could have built it cheaper if I wanted I reckon. The bling makes me want to ride it more though!

May have been interested if they were straight 1 1/8. My frame is old school unfortunately 🙁

@Northwind
Got the cheekpads out. But there’s still the giant white mesh bit on the inside which isn’t detachable I think?

@psling

You just made me cry 🙁

I have a compressor. If you live close by then I can help you.

Compressor is the way forward man.

@Northwind

The cheekpads and the pad at the rear which the detachable ones attach to as well?

I think there’s a statistic that says 50% of men will have a haemorrhoid in their lifetime? You can get Anusol suppositories which work quite well. Good luck.

I’d have said Urge Down-O-Matic last year, but this year I will say something with detachable, washable pads if you’re going to use it more than once a month for a few hours at a time!

Thanks man.

What do these bar ends remind you of?

I’m worried I’ll be made redundant if the wife sees these on the bike.