not an oily old Merc, Mazda Mx5, serviced regularly. Well, OK, might have read an slightly misleading article that prompted this !!! but I’ll still be paying more and the “guarantees” in the article about not hiking up the tax stop in two years time.

And yes IMO running an old car is better environmentally than building new ones but then if we didn’t replace stuff we wouldn’t have lots of jobs so we have to replace stuff to keep the economy going.

Just a thought, the band the car is put in is based on when it was built. Therefore if you drop a huge gas guzzling engine in you still stay in the same band and get the cheaper tax?

tks, haven’t been to Keswick so might try there.

5’10” and ride a medium with Thompson layback post / 90mm stem – the stem makes the front a bit light which is good for techy stuff but would also use a 95 or 100 for longer XC rides.

I’ve found this useful if a car isn’t used that often and garaged to keep it all dry. You can fit it and it monitors the battery so won’t fry it.

http://www.accumate.co.uk/it010001.htm

You’ve seen them……you want one……tricycle 😉

Don’t know the model but I use 26″ slick Continental tyres on the commuter/road bike – which takes in road, tow paths to slightly rocky & muddy tracks. Done 5.5k miles on them and only had one puncture which was on the road so I second going for Continental ones.

if not tubeless then look at the inner tubes you’re running – the light weight ones could save 100g a wheel though they will puncture/tear more often so you’ll have to weigh up the risk with using them.

An ex g/f got some from Optilab and they were very good – well the styling/size was a bit large for her but they worked well as wrap around shades – this was 4 years ago so the styles may have improved. I think they also did lenses for other frames so worth asking about that.

Lancaster insurance – part of the MGOC but cover all cars
http://www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk/indexmg.htm

Adrian Flux
http://www.adrianflux.co.uk/%5B/url%5D

or the owners club usually has a deal with some broker and a lot of insurance companies will insure classics so worth trying a few.

I’m veggie and my cat is carnivore. I’m sure if you came round to mine for tea then he wouldn’t mind sharing some of his kity kat with you.

two out of two so far though only a quick jaunt to town and back today.

If you’re disputing it with your housemates then get everyone to sit down and talk about it rationally while you cradle a pair of bombers in your hands….

If you’re disputing it with Virgin then you have various choices. Pay up, they’re happy you’re not. Don’t pay, they send the baliffs in to get their money and disconnect you, they’re happy you’re not.

Adopt a cat…..well actually they adopt you. When you’ve been out all day on the bike they’re always glad to see you and you can say anything to them and they won’t get upset.

Rush were just getting going in the 70’s and have just got better with age* re their latest album Snakes and Arrows.

* well except for some dire stuff in the late 80’s

Thought you were off to Penmancho? Don’t know about the drop off but the other centre is open till about 3.30

Maybe watch a dvd, glass of milk then off to bed early so I can get a good ride in tomorrow.

Check your house contents insurance as you might have third party liability cover under that. The company I work for provides it for “private pursuits” which covers biking though I don’t know how the covers compares against the three you mention.

“Morgan have gone into administration now too..”

good grief, for a while I thought you meant the car company !!! Then found out it’s just a fashion chain.

Agree that Debenhams are likely to go. In the boom times they often had sales on and were open late at night when all other shops were closed. Couple that with the debt that the vultures, oops sorry the Private Equity firm left them with and the futures not bright.

Car sales are down the pan at the moment – heard an advert for a pre registered Renault Scenic (ie new but with a few miles on) and it was down from 16k to 8k !!! I expect a few car dealers to go under.

Generally small shops with large rents and non essentials are vulnerable. Maybe florists, gift shops that sell tat, all clothes shops (oh is it just me that doesn’t rush out to buy new clothes?). The shops that have been around for ages and own their premises/have a long cheap lease should survive better.

Bought a pair of Northwave Celcius and don’t think much to them. The top of the boot round the ankle is very stiff & hard so I can’t get it done up tight enough without it rubbing and being uncomfortable. And of course if it’s not tight then loads of water/pebbles get inside. I might try softening them up but IMO they’re not up to much. The Shimano design looks much better from a comfort point of view but then the neoprene might not last as long. But in the end wish I’d gone for Shimano.