I have one, but I’m in mid France. I have the large, a perfect fit. I’m 6ft with 33″ inside leg and a ‘mature’ chap but find the more laid out reach fine. Mine has a left hand bar ‘gripshift’ for locking both front and rear suspension. Works well. Not much bob if seated climbing and none if you lock it obviously.

Certinly one of the best I’ve seen. Well done to them….he’s a real grafter.

Close to Ullswater. Good pub on site. A great site (well, it was when I last camped there 10+ yrs ago)

https://sykeside.co.uk/

GCN bod gave it a go…in a day

Thousands of them…and thousands of butterflies (and lots of hummingbird moths). The joy of living in rural SW France in a department mainly comprising of small family farms; not the huge endless fields of wheat/barley etc, seemingly little use of pesticides and lots of smallholders with a beevive or two. Wonderful

No.

There was that terrible crash recently that wiped out a family of four & a married couple on a motorbike. The last I heard was that the driver of a grey Porsche had been arrested, then the story got lost in all the noise of the Southport stabbings and rioting.

The inquest opened and adjourned the other day. The Motorcycle was overtaking when it collided with the car head on. I’m presuming it was overtaking the Porsche but it will all come out ‘in the wash’

Re the ‘misleading’ Time article….the below is on the article cited….before the confused stuff from a member of a theatre group….seems quite clear to me.

The 17-year-old suspect, who had moved from Cardiff to Southport, “turned up one day in class, and they said ‘make him welcome, because he’s just moved from quite far away’,” the friend said. The suspect’s Rwandan parents came to the UK in 2002.

There is a decent likelihood that the 2 will plead guilty when all 5 witnesses turn up at court. You may be surprised at the differences that 5 people who observed the exact same thing can actually produce. The statements may all be close to identical but in court, the lawyers may ask differing questions of the 5 to build a fuller picture. She’ll be fine, as I presume you’ve reassured her. It is normal to be ‘bricking it’ prior to court as a witness…daft as that is as you can pnly state what you know and saw/heard. Best wishes to her, hope she doesn’t get too wound up by it all

I’ve struggled to find one recently…and where I live there are millions of bugs and insects (brilliant…except when cycling)

How about Porto and Northern Portugal ?
Have used this firm just for a rental bike…they were great and I’d happily use them again. (Might be just me, but I love the planning aspect of a trip…dead easy with google maps, booking/airbnb etc)

Home

What is the ‘insight’ for those of us not on twitter/x ?

There must be someone on here that knows correct protocol. If someone is refusing to comply, and even a taser doesn’t work, at what point are you allowed to kick someone in the head or shoot them ?

Correct protocol..is using the Use of Force Continuum. The problem being that in a nice cushy office when they’re writing these things…there is none of the stress of an actual situation and telling cops on a training course “if that doesn’t work, have a rethink, and come back in at the next level up” doesn’t tally with the reality of it kicking off within a second. 3 cops on their arses within 3 or 4 seconds, noisy chaotic and not knowing where the next assailant is coming from with 7 or 8 seconds….tazer deployed…less effective than they’d like…and we are at 10 seconds. Reading this took longer. Next step up from tazer when control is being lost could well be the firearm….the violent thug on the deck may be sat alone thinking ‘Thank f### he didn’t shoot me…’

https://www.college.police.uk/app/armed-policing/use-force-firearms-and-less-lethal-weapons

“I heard/read elsewhere that Cavendish’s time up the Plateau de Beille was also pretty close to Pantani’s record.”

He rode with several team mates including Cees Bol. Cees Bol did the climb in 56min 11s. (No idea how to quote the message from above)

Hiding in the woods…

I went for a BMC FourStroke in the end. Heck of a discount and delivered today. Looks superbly made as I’d expect from BMC…hopefully it will suit my riding/the local trails here. Thanks for your input folks.

An alternative route goes into Belgium, down thru Luxembourg (cheaper fuel) and into Germany earlier than down thru Reims. It is likely to be a bit cheaper due to tolls too.
You could stay the first night in Dinant. Lovely place

With a shortage of brickies, labourers, plumbers, roofers, sparkies etc….who is going to build all these new houses……or if the local builder types all get ‘bought up’ by a few of the big housebuilders…how are the rest of the Uk going to get their bathrooms/kitchens, extentions, re-wires etc completed?

The commentators on Eurosport occasionally appeared surprised that a team can be that much better/more switched on than others….have they forgotten the Armstrong days, or Team Sky or JV last year…it is just UAEs turn….next year, 5 yrs, 10 yrs, it’ll likely be someone elses turn.

What a bas#### of a first stage. Wow, some recovering to be done overnight. Superb win, what an edge of the seat finish.

Select a car from what you fancy the look of. Find it on lease deals and tally up the totals over the period….say 4 yrs. Do the same with PCP figures. Do the same with buying outright (perhaps with a nearly new one too) using a loan. See which best suits.

PCP/Lease are fine provided you accept that after the 3 or 4 yr period you either hand it back or give a chunk of cash top buy outright (or use whatever ‘cash’ is left in the car to start a new PCP deal)
Sportage GT-S 1.6. PCP £8k deposit. £468 pcm x 36 mths. (10k miles a year) total £24848..hand it back
‘Leaseloco’ £3.5k deposit. £388 pcm x 36mths. (10k miles a year) Total £17500..hand it back
2nd hand 2023 model £28k. £8k deposit. £608 pcm (sainsburys bank loan over 36 mths) Total £29900….then own the car outright with 3 yrs of Kia warranty left.

Dutton Phaeton ? (Crappy 70s or 80s kit car)

Thanks people. Offers within the UK are no use to me I’m afraid. I’d get stuffed for import duties after delivery. (Germany and especially Spain seem best for decent offers and I really aren’t bothered about either a 2023 or 2022 bike if its a €4500 bike at €2500)
I’ll look at the Spark and see if anywhere does the Specialized at reasonable money

I has similar 30 yrs ago. Saw my GP, got physio..never got to the bottom of it. 5 yrs on I went and saw a back specialist (privately, paid for by me as had/have no Private Health Care policy) He was wishy washy too. About 20 yrs ago I saw an osteopath who told me what he believed it was within 5 minutes of having me doing all sorts of movements. 4 sessions with him sorted it for a couple of years but then it ‘went’ again. A few more sessions during which he said he could get me a discounted MRI scan if I wanted to certain it was what he stated. I had that MRI scan and it was a bulging disc between the 4th and 5th lower vertevrae….precisely what he had stated a couple of years earlier. It was well worth the money to know precisely what it is. I manage it fine now. It only very occasionally flares.
As others above have said, be careful taking the advice of what to do, from others on here. What may work for one with a specific issue may well aggravate yours.
I wish I’d been able to have an MRI scan 25 yrs ago rather than chuck a similar amount at a ‘specialist’ who was useless but had lots of letters after his name.

I had thought of that….but am happy on the road for the next couple of days…knowing we’ll definitely come back, either later in the year or next Spring. Thanks for the suggestion

We had 3 nights at Gavarnie (stunning location for a campsite), 1 full day of decent weather…then it changed at about 6pm….and rained for 24 hrs. We drove over and thru the Bielsa tunnel yesterday before setting up camp at Ainsa for 4 nights. Had a great road ride today (should have brought an MTB as well) south alongside the dam, then turned east at Meson de Liguerre and climbed about 1000 feet up and over towards Tierrenton and back to Ainsa. Only ever ridden thru the area on a motorbike before. Great to be based here and to be able to pick and choose a couple of rides. (Need to come back with an MTB though….wow, there really are loads of great looking trails and the Zona Zero girl in the Tourist Info was very helpful)

A great ‘eulogy’ Chipps. RIP Merlinman.

How is Spring shaping up on the South side of the Pyrenees, Spekkie ?
We’re hoping to have a long weekend somewhere around Ainsa in a fortnight in the moho after 4 nights on the French side. Recommendations?

An e-bike ?
You’re probably way younger than me….(I’m rapidly closing on 60)…..I’ve just got back riding after just 6 weeks off due to health issues (for the umpteenth time in the last few years and where I can lose 10kg ina fortnight and pretty much all my fitness) I was sort of dreading the slog of the first few weeks of rides so went out and got a 2nd hand e-road bike. It has been a game changer for me. I no longer have that ‘Oh not another bloody hill’ feeling and after about 10 rides, I’m ready to go back to my none e-bikes. (It will sit waiting for the next drop in fitness)

Land Cruiser ? It’ll likely run forever.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202405280168216?sort=price-desc&advertising-location=at_cars&make=Toyota&model=Land%20Cruiser&postcode=BD22%209QL&price-to=9000&fromsra

There’s always the Southern 100 in early July….’The friendly races’
The Manx is quieter than the TT and has a different feel to it. The good thing about both is that there are loads of great roads to ride that are pretty much deserted as most folk are sheep and just stick to the TT course route. Loads of village halls and church halls open for the fortnight and do tea, sarnies and cakes for peanuts. With not much effort, you can be 3 or 4 miles from the ‘event’ but feel like you’re on another Island.
Dunlop is the man this week. Hats off to him.
Shame a shower on one small part of the Island did for todays Superstock, so tomorrows rest day is now a race day.

£800 for me on £40k. That’s £1525 since March (Got them in Jan, they miss the first draw of Feb) Impressed so far….I’ll no doubt get bugger all for the rest of the year.

Do you need to carry anything with you to work? If so, I’d go e-hybrid with a rack and either panniers or a rackbag. If not, I’d go with an e-road bike. (or just road bike it and use a rucksack)
I’ve had one of these (2nd hand) for the last month. It did 110 miles and 9000ft ascent on one charge in the low setting. Now at 57miles and 5000ft on medium. For you…Medium would make the commute a breeze and you’d get 2 days out of 1 charge.

Specialized Turbo Creo SL Comp E5 – (ON SALE)

Indeed. Stunning footage being provided by the Liveplus compared to how amateur it was just 2 years ago..(commentary is a bit of a giggle at times…Setting off the 2024 Superbike TT is John McWilliams…oops, I meant John McGuinness……)

I’m now halfway thru the 2nd charge on this Creo. In the least assistance setting the battery gave me 110m and 9300ft of ascending. I was a bit astounded to be honest. Mid setting is currently at c 48miles and 4200ft with 37% left. Impressed with the bike but reverting to a ‘normal’ bike in a week or so (until my next medical ‘episode’ and I need the leg up this bike gives)

See the Millau Bridge from the side is way better than driving over it. I’d recommend a stop in Le Mont Dore, lovely spa town, a couple of KM up the hill is the base of the Puy De Sancy, a great walk up and back in c 3 hours (or cable car ride)

Seriously…a detour to Luxembourg? That’d make an 8 hr Calais to Grenoble journey take at least 2 hours longer and add 60+ miles on…but I might save a tenner on fuel…I can’t imagine what it would add on to a journey S, SW or W ?
Going off topic now but the viamichelin app/website will show tolls on the autoroute. and there are many apps for fuel prices (which can be extorionate on the autorute or 50c a litre cheaper 1 km off at a junction)

Where in France are you actually wanting to go to? If you’re going to the Jura or Vosges, a Portsmouth to St Malo ferry would probably be unwise while the Dover-Calais would be most convenient.
I just book direct with the ferry company. The prices below are the same whether direct or via DirectFerries.com. Takes about 3 minutes to check the respective companies..Irish Ferries, DFDS and P and O…although we now just use Irish Ferries (used to use Eurotunnel 5 times a year)
If you’re travelling from Northern England, the UK side of the journey down and back times are more critical than the actual ferry.
(I did a quick random check. 11am Wed 12th June outbound, 5pm Wed 19th June inbound.
Irish Ferries…£202
P and O………£204
DFDS…………£212
Eurotunnel……£323

It will be a great year of racing and the TT Live Pass is really good value. Watched a few hours of Practice and Quali last night. Nice and ‘steady’ start. I am hoping for a spread of wins…Davey Todd, Michael Dunlop to match and then beat his Uncles long standing record, Jamie Coward, one for Dean H and one or two for Hicky. Podiums for Conor Cummins and Dom Herbertson amongst others…spread it about a bit.

Lots of good advice on here…and you’ve sussed the ‘stress’ of being at a biker location when it comes to getting back on and leaving…which leads me to Sharkattacks great comment on finding an empty car park. Most riders want to improve their speed based riding and very few look at the fact that very slow speed stuff is generally where the little hiccups (expensive drops at walking pace) happen.
Try an assessed ride but I’d first get loads of miles under my belt. Go out when others arent’. Find the B roads that few venture down, even the ones with a bit of mud on them, tractors pulling out etc. All good for honing observation skills. Don’t be afraid of going out in the rain, there’ll be few other bikes out then but you’ll have to learn a nice smooth throttle and brake action and stuff you don’t really need to look at when riding in the dry, you have to take care on in the wet (white lines, metal drain covers etc etc)
Track days are fine if you get some instruction…otherwise you’re just going round a one way street at speed with little real aim. I’d look at something like a Hopp Rider Training day at Cadwell. Proper riding instruction with bots of the theory behind it. Some little nuggets of information will stay with you throughout your riding ‘career’.