I bought mine from dogcamsport.co.uk with a 10% voucher.
Next day delivery and helpful over the phone beforehand.

hammerite – Agree on the off-piste on your own. Not sure if I’d do it myself as I’m like you – I wouldn’t recognise where not to go.
In Val Thorens though it was easy to find stuff just off piste.

I’m apparently at a level where I could do an advanced course. I’m not sure mentally (or physically) if I want to do it. I think it just means I can come down reds and non-mogul blacks with confidence which is really all I want to do I think.
Similar to MTBing – I like to descend at a reasonable pace but have no desire to do proper downhill.

just turned 45 here.

I have times when I lack motivation but I have a mate who I ride with every Sunday that gets me out of bed and out of the door. Once I’m riding I really enjoy it and if he can’t ride and the weather is crap I have been known to miss a week.

Entering an event is a good motivator for me as well – particularly if it’s something I know I need to train for.

Building a new bike also works – especially if you do the build yourself.

Failing that just do something else for a while – you’ll come back to it.

A powder day would be wasted on me. Just a veteran of 6 ski holidays so I’m still trying to master the art of piste skiing. I can ski most pistes safely, with varying degrees of style

We skied with friends on their 5th holiday who are self taught and are reasonable skiers.
First time we went (2 yrs ago) I had beginners lessons and could parallel ski by the end.

This year I took intermediate lessons and can now ski any piste at any speed with confidence. We did a few black runs that had light moguls but anything more will be done in advanced.

So I’m in favour of lessons – not cheap but I progressed so quickly I’m now way more confident and able than our self taught friends.

The powder was the first I’ve ever skied on but with an experienced instructor I got it quite quickly.

Back from Skiing…

Pics on this thread

It’s the fastest thing I’ve ever ridden and I love it.
Mine is a 2010 model – bought cheap from On-one before they tweaked the tubes and, IMO, ruined the looks a bit.

I did a modest build and it comes in at 23lbs with pedals – the ride is engaging and while it has that immediate acceleration you get from a hardtail, it isn’t as hard on you. I don’t notice and flex but it seems to be there

Not aware of any weight limit but I’m sure the Van Nic website would say if there were – you could always ask them

One here as well.

I’m in Val Thorens at the moment and we’ve had an amazing week.

Sunny days until Wednesday when it snowed all day, not too bad in the morning but we took the afternoon off as it was very heavy.
Yesterday was fantastic, lots of powder and all the runs were brilliant in the morning, today it’s going to be blue skies and with prepared pistes a real fun last day.

This is only my second time ever skiing and I can see why people get hooked, already planning next years visit back to do the exact same thing. I found myself saying yesterday that it was the best outdoor thing I’ve done, ever.

D

This site is exactly why the internet was invented.

Top stuff.

It’s clear to me that this list is saying to:

1. Throw a sickie – hence achieving No 2.
2. Arrange a biking trip with mates – No 4 and 5
3. Discuss trails on trip in pub – No 3
4. When you get home realise you’ve done No 1.

We had the same ‘problem’ as binners.

We got the box sets out in order and come 11.30 after 2 episodes and you really need to get to bed.

MrsDrambo: “another ?”
DRambo: “Aye’t”

Currently on the series 5 and half dreading coming to the end as it’s pretty much all we’ve watched for the past few months

Don’t ever read the blurb before each episode and watch them all in order. See you in a while when normal life can resume.

I recently arranged a weekend in Betws-y-coed which was great
2 decent trails in Penmachno and Marin Trail

There are quite a few decent places to stay – we stayed at the Courthouse B&B.

Another option.

Forget all the coffee, magazines, place to chill stuff; its a business, to make money not a place for time wasters to hang about in.

That’s the approach a lot of bike shops take – and IMO they offer nothing I can’t get cheaper online.

OP asked what we would like to see – I’d like to see a shop that gives customers a good experience not just a place that takes your money then kicks you out.

If I’ve got time to waste, and I spend a lot on bikes and kit and enjoy planning the next ride/purchase why wouldn’t any business want me hanging out in their shop if it increases the chance of me spending with them.

I can’t/don’t fettle inside so it’s mainly in the garage or on the drive so …
if the weather is nice and the sun is shining and I have a cup of decent coffee and some decent music on and all afternoon to fettle then it’s all good.

If it’s wet/cold etc and I’ve little time then it’s all bad.

This year the plan is to clear out the garage and turn it into a bike fettling heaven and nice place to be.

Given the number of decent on-line options an LBS has to offer excellent customer service IMO.

You need to make it a nice place to go – somewhere to talk bikes, hang out, stop off at etc. A friendly place with a decent workshop.
If people pop in for small workshop jobs they may stay for a coffee, look round, buy something else.

If we had an LBS that did local rides from the shop, decent coffee, a good range of clothing, TV with biking vids playing, magazines around etc I’d be there a lot more than when I want to buy something I need now and can’t get online.

My LBS was excellent at getting me a test ride on a Yeti – which I then bought, but communication was very poor. They are very good now though at phoning back on workshop jobs and the main mechanic knows his stuff. They don’t however make a note of the details of what I want doing/checking so things get missed.

IMO you need to try and develop a community – something an online retailer can’t do.

I’m with ART on this one.

I’d refuse to be a passenger and if he’s offended then he’s offended.
If you have a serious accident, which seems to be just a matter of time, then you’ll kick yourself (assuming you still have your legs :-) )

Isn’t the stock answer

Kids + new bike = Islabikes

good ideas – I think I need me spanners and a hammer :-)

I tighten the skewers up pretty tight and it only happens when I freewheel – and it does happen when riding smooth surfaces in a straight line.

I’m stumped.

Very nice.
I do a bit of baking myself and I have dabbled at blogging on a mates site and quite enjoyed it so I should really set one up myself.

Looking forward to seeing what else you decide to bake. I prefer eating savoury but baking sweet things.

D

You should tell her that you’re not ‘playing around’ on bikes but ensuring you stay physically fit and healthy and relieving the mental stress of modern world to allow you to spend more time with each other as you get older. You have evolved from the traditional grown up man who goes down the pub at night and beats his wife upon his return.

Then phone your brother to ask if he wants to come out and play on your bikes :-)

I use a Nomad which is similar to a mobi washer I think.

Doesn’t seem too big for me – will fit behind a seat in back of the car and isn’t that big in the boot.

It’s got a decent battery life and a decent adjustable spray. 5l wouldn’t be enough for me I don’t think and I wouldn’t see the point in buying another smaller one.

I never used to check my chain and just replaced the lot when it needed doing. It was annual-ish for me as well and ended up not being that cheap.

The past few years though I have used a park tools chain checker and changed chains at 0.75 wear. I’m on the same cassette as it’s lasted and doesn’t need changing yet.

I guess if you run cheap bits it can make sense to change the lot. I don’t (XT) and it’s far far cheaper and easier to change the chain when it needs doing – I’ve also been buying multiple chains from CRC etc when they are on offer to make it cheaper.

How many siblings are we looking at here?

a 24hr race like Mayhem has to be an option.

I’ve been wearing soft lenses for years and always wear glasses of some description with yellow or clear lenses if it’s dark.
Tried several types and most seem to wrok OK for me, I find that close fitting ones are the best to stop mud getting under the lens but it rarely happens on those glasses that aren’t so close

I always take a spare pair of lenses with me but to date have never needed them

Lovely 20 mile loop in the Warwickshire mud this morning.
It was rather warm and exactly what I needed after a long old tiring day y’day.

Going to try and get out every day over the next week – let’s see how it goes

It’s a tricky situation to change things without being seen as a troublemaker or the one in the wrong.

+1 for headphones.
I wear them with no music on a lot of the time – just to send the message that I don’t want to be disturbed.

If I do get interrupted I tend to respond with “give me 2 minutes to finish this…” they usually go away and forget.

Let us know how you get on.

I remember waiting eagerly, or is that impatiently, for every new episode of Blakes 7.

and going back a bit further, Mary, Mungo and Midge

+1 with freeagent.
My wife also had an emergency c-section. I was told it would take 10 minutes but after being left on my own in the delivery room for 40 minutes was convinced that one or both had died. When a nurse walked in with a small baby in blankets…

I also get a huge amount of joy being with my daughter and now that she’s 11 when she winds me up in the ways that I’ve been winding her up for years. She can also throw a ball properly so I feel my job as a father is almost done.

Buys some new padded gloves ? £25
Don’t put so much weight on your arms? £0

Saved you £75 there :-)

I’m lucky enough to have both – a Yeti ASR and a Ti Van Nic Tuareg HT.

Tuareg is 23lbs and Yeti 25lbs so not a massive difference weight wise
Tuareg is 7 months old, Yeti 2.5yrs

I love both for different reasons but if I absolutely had to choose one, with a gun to my head, I’d probably choose the Tuareg.

Can’t believe I’d not choose the Yeti as I love it but the Ti HT is faster and at the moment makes me smile more. I lose the instant acceleration, nimble handling and it just feels more connected.

It may be a bit of new bike syndrome and the Yeti needing a decent service though.

I’m amazed there are so many people who hate mud/won’t ride in it.

I’d prefer fast dry trails but some of the best rides I’ve had have been in the wet and mud.

The hardest part is getting out of the door, once I’m riding it’s all good. I try and make sure I wash the bike and my boots as soon as I get back – when I do it’s a doddle, when I don’t, it’s a pain. The knowledge that my bike is sat in the garage covered in mud is not nice, knowing it’s clean and waiting for the next ride is far better.

I wear leggings to catch most of the mud, let it dry outside when I get back, rub off most of it and then throw all my kit in the machine.

It’s not really much more effort than most rides and while the riding can be a lot harder, you gain much more strength, endurance and bike handling skills than in the dry. Come the dry days you can tell the difference after a month or 2 of mud.

For me it’s one of the joys of living in the UK, we get such a mixture of weather and if I wanted a hobby where I didn’t get wet,cold, or muddy I’d take up knitting :-)

That’s not a bike that’s going to be easy to ride or sold without it being spotted.

Fingers crossed and eyes peeled…

Giant Escaper 1990
Team Marin 1993

Yeti ASR-AL 2009
Van Nic Tuareg 2010
Boardman Team roadbike

Not that many really – must mean I need a new one :-)

I did put the puncture towards the bottom – you could see the fluid bubbling out. I reckon it took 4 stops afterwards to keep topping up with air before it seemed to be OK but we were quite close to the end of the ride by then.

It does seem to have sealed but it still makes me nervous to do a long ride on it. Maybe after a few shorter ones with no issues I’ll feel better about it.

and there was me thinking tubeless means less hassle…

This is easy

Panasonic SD255

We’ve had one for years, makes consistent loaves, always gets rave reviews.

There is one without the nut dispenser but we use ours every so often and it’s useful.

One tip if you do buy one is to keep it out on a work surface all the time. It only takes a few minutes to set it up to make a loaf once you’ve done it a few times but if you have to get it our of a cupboard it’s a real pain – plus we use it every day or 2.

Ta all,

So far so good – not lost any more air.

Looks like I need some of these repair strings – the tyre is a very tight fit so I don’t fancy trying to put in a tube on the trail.

My 2p.

I went skiing for the first time 2 years ago, to the French Alps with some friends who already Ski.

We travelled by train and it was easy, relaxing and I’m doing it again next Feb.

We booked our ski hire, lessons and passes from a single company that operated in the resort – the idea was it was a single place to get everything to make it easy. Booked on-line beforehand and everything was straightforward
We had a lesson on Sunday afternoon then one every day 9am until 12.
We then met friends for lunch and then headed out together in the afternoon.

It worked a treat – friends did the harder runs in the morning while we did lessons.

I’d avoid school holidays if you can but I enjoyed skiing with people better than me in the afternoons.

I think being a mountain biker helps quite a bit in that you are used to going at speed over bumpy ground and being in semi-control. The one thing I found odd was that on a bike you keep you weight back while skiing you need to keep your weight forward – so speeding down a run your instincts stay lean back while you head reminds you to lean forward.

I have 2010 XT shifters with indicators and it’s a bit of a pain. I have found a set up that just about works but I want to remove the indicators as it will be much easier to find good positions for brakes/shifters

One thing I really like is that they have 2 bolts to attach to the bars – this means you can take them off easily and change positions (in or outbound of shifters) without taking grips/shifters etc off as well.

Without indicators it will be fine.

Did I mention they look lovely :-) + Get braided hoses

Let’s face it pook I’d rather be sacrificing buying a posh bike to marry a great woman.

Most STW’ers are single or angry in their relationships and own many bikes.

Sod that if that’s the option!

It doesn’t have to be a choice of one or the other.

I have several bikes and was riding many years before I met my wife. It’s a part of who I am and I don’t have to choose either a new bike or a decent wife – I have both. If she didn’t understand that biking is very important to me, then we wouldn’t have got married, but equally I don’t go mad (or maybe as mad as I could)

I have to agree that getting into debt to buy a bling bike is not a good thing to do – If you can’t afford to buy it you can’t afford to run it.

If you’re about to get married the correct answer is

d) buy a bike because you want to and don’t need permission from the gf

and remember it’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission