Got an email off them saying the upgrade would be available but don't know when.

Was about to have a rant about the youth of today having no moral decency at all but then remembered a couple of my ex's who sent me some "artistic" photos via phone. Oh happy days 🙂

It's a numbers game. Contact as many as you can. Meet up with as many as you can (friend of mine saw three in one day). If you see someone more than once then it's up to you whether you decide to keep on meeting as many as you can or not (again, my friend is a serial dater so just keeps on multiple dating). In my experience both blokes and girls do it this way.

Oh, and get a good photo of yourself – all you're looking to do is get a reply and then a face to face meeting and take it from there so say/do whatever it takes in your profile.

BTW, not condoning the above approach it's just the way life works. I got fed up with the hypocrisy of it all so spend my time riding my bike instead 😀

Bought Lumi Led's this year and they're superb. I like the fact you can run your own home made batteries or older Lumi ones, the LED's can be changed in the future, multiple power settings, long run times and excellent customer service. Only downside is the cost if you want a flood and a spot but that looks the same with other LED's.

If memory serves, Schumy was "retired" from Ferrari to make way for Kimi. Should make for an interesting partnership. I wonder if they'll send Schumi out on wets when it's not raining !!!

Can't be rocket science to design a system that works

it's a system that's
– cheap to produce but can be sold at a premium
– quick / easy to fit so reduces cost there
– doesn't last as long as older BBs so they can sell more replacements (see point 1)

looks like the system "works" in that it produces more money for the manufacturers just uses more of our limited Earth's resources and isn't very good for the consumer.

I really don't believe STWers are jet-washing or spraying GT85 on their BBs, but what are you doing wrong??!

I've sometimes fitted them, sometimes it's been the lbs and on more than one bike but they still don't last long so don't think it's the fitting. I think it might be down to the length/type of riding I do – long weekends riding 16+ hours or 12/24 solo races could mean that there is a build up of crud that slowly works it's way in rather than being cleaned each time after a short ride.

Might also go away from the Hope style large bearings and back to the Shimano ones as I've had marking on an axle when the bearings have stiffened up during a long race.

But then again the square taper on the SS just keeps going and going…..

Google her stage name "Amileannya Carmichael" and it's interesting reading !!!! Don't think looks came into it.

and even the ladies who gave my pink horn a little squeeze

no wonder you were so keen to keep going you rascal 😯

Thought it was a great event – did the one at Cotswold Park 2 years ago which was lacking in basics like non muddy access to the site / working toilets so a bit worried this might be the same – but they seem to have pulled it together well.

Course got better as it bedded in, some rooty sections I struggled with but fun descents and overall a tough/interesting course for a 24 hour race – though not sure it would cope with larger numbers as that might put more pressure on the overtaking.

And to cap it off, warm showers AND the toilets were still working on Sunday !!!!

Tried 2 ceramic Hope BB's and neither has lasted very long before needing stripping/cleaning – last one was five rides/24 hours and no pressure washer used – so IMO they aren't worth it. Shimano XT lasted a bit longer @ 20 rides/80 hours.

I reckon there must be some bearings available from a non bike related supplier which will do the job at much less cost.

Was recording it to watch when I got home when a couple of people at work started commenting on live coverage from some web site !!!! They didn't even have the decency to say "spoiler". So I quickly threw the lap top in the drawer and headed off home early. What a stage 🙂

Indesit/Hotpoint are the same company so underneath may be the same machine. The cheaper Bosch are not made in Germany if you're expecting it to be put together in an efficient German manner.

But looking at the Which website[/url] might be interesting reading.

ITV web site

Had a temperature earlier this week which put me in bed to sleep it off and sneezed a few times but it's all been so mild I feel as though I've missed out if I have had it.

Baked Alaska merino top from Ground Effect in NZ. Good for Spring/Autumn and have also used it thruout the winter.

Cav only has a few more chances to gain points in the green jersey comp so expect him to go for the first two sprints today and then the stage win to set up a show down on the last stage.

Also got We Choose the Moon

Landing in just over 70 hours. Hope they make it !!!

Where is the cheapest place to get a Hope BB of either variety

Having owned two and both needing to be stripped/cleaned after the first 3 and 5 rides respectively I'd suggest another make.

I was described at work the other day as an "Eco warrior" and then asked if it was for financial reasons. I said both – driving my car less and biking more saves me money and reduces the drain on limited resources. Saving electricity/gas at home does the same.

Unfortunately the majority of people at work don't see it this way and whilst moaning about the cost of petrol, gas and electric they don't want to change their lifestyle and if the Western World doesn't want to change it's high use of limited resources how can we tell the emerging World not to do the same as us.

IMO our current Western lifestyle is unsustainable and we should be looking at the basics of life – water, energy, food and shelter – and be as self sufficient as a country (or continent?) in them as we can .

Got interesting with the discussion about what to do about their demands – I could suggest quite a few kids and adults that would be ideal candidates to go – then it all went "Russell T Davies" at the end. The "Eastenders" influence is all a bit over the top. Could be more subtle.

Email Paul at Cotic

Crank v Brookes (1980) has something about pushing a bike across a crossing and you being a pedestrian and not a cyclist thereby letting you push your bike on a footpath. Haven't read it all but this thread has some debate on it

Bikes, red lights and dismounting

And this site might be useful especially the "Giving your details and carrying ID" bit but again you'd have to know when as a cyclist you come under the Road Traffic Act or not.

http://www.freebeagles.org/index.html

but the best bit of advice if you're out in a group and someone asks for a name. Just shout out "Don't tell 'em Pike" 😀

I have Revelations and Rebas. Usually I run the +ve and -ve the same but occasionally run -ve 5psi more. This reduces the available travel marginally but means they react quicker to small bumps. But TBH the difference is small. Better IMO setting them the same to start with and setting the sag and playing around with the rebound. Once you’re happy with that then start playing around with -ve pressure differences.

if the trails are dry and dusty I might give it a go….

IMO too fat to have trained enough for that type of event but well done to him for getting to the start line and finishing it – looks like he picked the pace up towards the end. Not sure if the backup crew were “bought in” from America. Don’t believe it’s the toughest bike race in the World as it was roadie with a Winnibago in attendance. Think there was a documentary a few years ago about a Joe Public joining an armed services team to do it. He never started as he wasn’t good enough on a bike??

Try The Cycle Studio[/url] in Stratford. My wheel build has been great.

Always pop into the LBS (The Cycle Studio) for a chat and maybe buy something – sometimes they’re more expensive, sometimes cheaper than on the net. But when I was off to Wales for the weekend and noticed on Friday evening that a bushing needed replacing they did it Sat morning when I popped in. The internet wouldn’t have done that (And yes I can do 98% of maintenance myself but not this time). Not everything comes down to pounds, shillings and pence*

* Roger Waters reference if you were wondering as I’m listening to Pink Floyd at the moment.

Not sure if they’re phasing out the rocket but there were some deals when I bought a replacement a couple of months ago. If it works then stick with it.

Cube AMS, 100mm or 125 rear. Some options have 90 – 120 mm U turn rebas on the front.

3rd Tyreinflators though the box they came in was stamped “Whip Inc” which could have caused a few sniggers in the office if anyone had spotted it ……

Not a HT but I’ve a Cube full susser and it’s superb, others I know have Cubes (inc H/T) so I will recommend any Cube bike based on ….. Ridden my bike hard all year culminating in Mayhem solo and the only problem was the rubbish Hope BB I put on a few weeks ago. So well specced, well priced, fast and above all tough. If you’re near the Midlands phone The Cycle Studio as they’re a good lbs (yes, shameless plug for them as always)

Would have made it but now Mayhem is over I’m having my bi-annual night out on Saturday (the other is Xmas day) so with luck I’ll be safely tucked up in some flat in Leamington come Sunday morning and wondering how far it is to get home…….

Then training for next year starts on Monday ….. 😀

Dave, do you still have the Exposure light? as I can replace the battery inside if you want it repairing.

Will be in touch – I made sure it was charged up for Mayhem and then it went down to flashing mode really quickly suggesting a duff battery not holding charge. As a soloist not ideal but my Lumi lights never let me down.

Having just bought LED’s off Lumicycle then I think they are the best commercial brand though not cheap – the 2.6Ah will go for 4+ hours. Dealextreme looks superb VFM. Trout looks like the best overall for performance v cost.

Second hand?? You’ve no idea what the battery will be like – the one in my joystick has given up the ghost within 2 years – absolute rubbish – won’t buy Exposure again.

Rode the “hard” descent on the Friday kicking up clouds of dust and thought it would be bad in the race purely because there would be people walking and other race snakes trying to overtake. So gladly took the easy route and actually enjoyed it more with the bonus I overtook some people 🙂

At some point in the 24 hours I rode all the course apart from one small rooty section in the Somme woods before the watery downhill. But if you had good enough bike handling skills then it was ridable – I don’t so accept I might have to walk some if it rains.

And as I ride in team kit for the lbs does this make me semi pro ??? Wohoo, mid 40’s and I’m on the way to being a pro bike rider ….. maybe.

I work in a variety of buildings but where I usually work – bars you can lock the bike/wheels to in underground car park. CCTV but as we are in the countryside crime is low and my bike in insured thru the company anyway. Shower. No where to hang clothes but people are used to me hanging clothes over chairs if needed.

At head office we have same style bars to lock the bikes to – the building overhangs these so are fairly weather resistant. Showers and lockers in the changing room for the swimming pool (honestly 🙂

Just remembered why I got out of insurance. I am already bored

I find it a really interesting subject. Especially at a crowded bar. Start talking to someone about holidays, enquire if they have travel insurance and if they don’t then go on about how they need it as soon as they’ve booked the holiday. You’ll soon find people make way for you and you’re at the front of the bar being served !!!!!

not quite. If an insurer pays a claim then they look to see if they can recover their costs off someone. In this case the owner claims off his insurance. They pay. Then the insurance company goes after the person who was riding the bike to get their money back.

insurable interest Wikipedia which has quite a good first paragraph.

Now, if I’m out riding with a group of people I have an insurable interest in my bike but no one elses – I will suffer no financial loss if they crash/have it stolen. However, IMO, if I have borrowed a bike and am using that then I have an insurable interest in that bike as it’s in my control and I’m responsible for it – if it’s stolen then I can face a financial loss. It’s the same if you hire a car. I don’t think you need to have anything formal in place.

But, now comes the tricky bit and without reading the policy wording(s) it’s difficult to give a definitive answer. Your policy might cover you for “your possessions” while away from the house which obviously negates you borrowing something off someone and automatically having it covered but it might cover items “you are responsible for”. But, you could insure the bike you’ve borrowed as you have an insurable interest in it – ie. you could specify it on your policy and have cover but in the above example you couldn’t specify a friends bike that they were riding.

I would suggest …

your friend who borrowed the bike “might” be covered under their household policy as they have an insurable interest

the person who owns the bike “might” be covered under their policy but if their insurer pays up then they might claim off your friend who borrowed the bike as they were in charge at the time.

EDIT – I think this corresponds with the above post which got in first as I was typing this up !!!!

I tried Middleburn hard coat slick shift last year and got loads of chain suck (especially at HTN but no surprise there). Changed lube (fenwicks instead of Purple Extreme) on the new bike which has XT rings on and only had it on one lap at Bristol. Thought it was the lube but maybe it was Middleburn??

Anyway, latest XT have done over 100 hours of hard riding this year and still going strong so happy with Shimano for a change.