Geoff – did you get your stickers?

Just digging out my GoPro stuff for skiing and I have 2 stickers if you want them

My wise words of wisdom in a complex situation like this are that “forgiveness is easier to get than permission”

Unless you want to sell a bike, don’t.

If you can’t afford it yet, save up.

Most of the Connery ones Dr No followed by Goldfinger (best line ever : No Mr Bond, I expect you to die)

I have an Atera Strade.

Not the cheapest but very well made and still looking and working like new after 4 or so years now.

edit: Cheap is an interesting term – something that costs more but lasts a long time is cheap compared to one that costs little but is knackered soon

Whatever you play once they are all sugared up it will seem that anything by the Prodigy would be appropriate

We went skiing as a family for the first time about 5 years ago, mainly because Mrs Rambo wanted to try it. We joined 2 other families we know, one skiing forever the others only for a couple of years.

Sharing a chalet is good as it slits the cost, gives you more people to talk to / ski with etc.

Things I’m glad we did/wished we had done:

We all had lessons so in the morning we did our thing then met with the others at lunch somewhere. So glad we did this as the benefits of being taught properly paid off. Second year we went we stepped up to intermediate and the third year Ms R had individual lessons and came on so much faster.

If you go for a week, take a half day off around Tues/Wed. You will be needing it and the rest of the week is better for it.

If you’re hiring kit, make sure you go back if the boots don’t feel good. Don’t persevere. We ended up buying boots after 2 trips.

Buy a decent jacket and gloves and take a buff each – We bought decent merino base layers which were excellent and get well used.

We took some small bars of choc with us to help with tiredness.

We also had a chalet we could ski into and out off – so much easier after a long day to not have to walk in boots.

It can be expensive, but it’s such good value if you go to a decent resort and get out most of the day every day.

We’re off to Val Thorens this half term, I cannot wait :-)

+1 for Shimnao MW81 + merino socks

Wore my MW80 pair out over 4 or so years and the newer 81’s are just over year old and (after a wash) look as good as new

Also watching this as I’m just starting to man-cave my garage.

May do another in progress thread once it gets going

For the past 6 or so years we have been going to a cottage on a working farm in Pembrokeshire. Near the sea for walks on the coastal path, beaches are fab, St David’s has jet boat trips. Walks on the hills, pubs with great food blah blah blah.

We love it there, lots to do and as relaxing or active as you want. Big bonus (for us all really – teenage girl included) is there is no mobile signal at the cottage.

Edit: plus lots of natural trail riding and decent roads

Difficult decision.

If you’re not going to ride it and you’re getting your fix elsewhere, selling might be a good option. You can always buy another in the future… but you won’t.

Unless you really, really need the money you should keep it. Keep looking at it and at some point you will get out and ride again. Your MTB mojo will return and you will (or may) look back on this decision and thank yourself for keeping it.

Jase,

Just about to hop on now. Am somewhere near the founders world but will have a look at how far Lave is.

Edit:
I’m near Kunggi – 72 light years away

I’ve been playing since the alpha and after a time with just keyboard got an X52 Pro. It is easier than the keyboard but practise means I can do most things with either.

The thing to do is play all the tutorials. It really makes a difference. Play around with the mappings and see what effects they have on the flight control. Read the manual, but you don’t need a joystick.

I’ve managed to be sensible with not letting it swallow up my life – it’s a very big game and mainly solo play which I like as I can drop in and out for an hour here and there. It will evolve, and it needs to as trading, missions and exploring will become less interesting as you get to grips with them.

A good single pivot bike is better than a bad dual link one.

The underlying design itself is no guarantee of a decent bike so it’s to generic a question to answer, like saying apples vs pears.

I’ve got 3 on-one and one Endura BaaBaa.

The Endura one I’ve had 3 years or so and it’s been worn a lot and not treated that well – still looking and working very well.

The on-one tops are a bit thinner and less robust because of it.

When it’s cool I wear an on-one, cold Endura.

Howies stuff seems to last well and will eb the next brand I buy if and when one of the current ones becomes worn out. Might be a while then.

Just ordered a RoadID. Meant to do it ages ago and forgot so this thread prompted it.

I do ride a fair bit on my own so seems an obvious thing to make sure I have with me.

^ My tip on using silicon adhesive would be to be careful.

You’re welcome.

The Thermos stainless steel ones are good – I have a small one and it’s very durable and does exactly what you’d expect.

Cheap is an interesting word.

My Yeti ASR cost me £2700 5 years ago and given the miles I’ve ridden on it, the fun I’ve had and the fact that it’s still my go to bike when I’m doing an all day ride in Wales it’s been incredibly cheap.

But you probably meant low cost rather than cheap.

I have it via work and it’s compulsory (I think)

It’s an insurance and if I didn’t have it I wouldn’t take it out. I would self insure put the same payments into a savings account and use it if I needed it.£300 per month over 5 years is £18k enough to pay for most things and you have the NHS to back you up anyway.

If you don’t need to claim for a year or 2 you’re better off.

I never got baseball until we were in SF last summer and went to a game.
Made sure I read up on all the rules and got hooked as it was exciting at times. Have since watched a few games ont’ interwebnet and still enjoy it.

Can’t beat going to a live game of anything for it to get you involved and excited

I’m another who wears Shimano MW81’s, half a size too big so I can put a thick pair of merino socks on and still wiggle my toes.

It’s rare that I get wet feet these days but I had a few with the older MW80’s

I tried sealskins and they were OK but if you stand in water deep enough water gets into both.

I’ve got a Nomad. The 18V cordless one.

Not cheap but had it for 3 or 4 years now and it’s been great and still works as well as when I first got it.

The tank will clean one really muddy bike (think bad Mayhem year) and several bikes in normal mud.

I keep it in the garage with several 5l bottle to re-fill it to save getting the hose out. Take it with me most places and it has a car cig lighter for when the battery goes.

Not being one to miss an opportunity for hijacking a mate’s thread…

Lovely bike.

This is the one I was referring to

What you want there is a Ti framed HT with normal sized wheels…

I’ve been working with a leasing company this year and had never considered leasing myself before.

I’m still not convinced but I know a lot more about it (most has been already covered ^^)

If you want a specific brand new car and don’t have the capital (or 0% finance) it’s a good way to go.

They make money – lots of money – so it’s more expensive for you. If you take out any of the additional services they make more money.

They do base the payments on residuals – it’s by far the biggest factor – so you do pay for the depreciation plus their profit.

If you do lease, factor in a visit from chips away (other scratch removal companies are available) and a full valet before you hand it back. it will cost you £150 all in but will save so much more when being inspected.

A lease car with maintenance is a bit like insuring your motoring experience – it costs you more but it’s hassle and worry free with a fixed known charge.

However.

They can get some amazing deals from manufacturers. So certain brands / models can work out to be better value by using their discounts plus high residuals. Almost everyone in the company drove a decent BMW for this reason.

I know a chap who leases a T5 Sportline and it’s far far cheaper than buying.
He took delivery of a new one and his payments went down as it’s more desirable and expected higher residuals. He’s already ordered his next due for delivery in 3 years.

It’s always more expensive to drive a new car than one that isn’t.

My current approach to calls like these is to answer in a happy voice and say.

“I’m sorry but I don’t answer questions from cold callers”

They try and engage with you but I just keep saying the above line and they quickly hang up. Those that don’t usually get an polite explanation as to why they are a cold caller and a repeat of the line

I seem to be getting less calls but most importantly I don’t get wound up.

Same as above.

Been wearing lenses for many years on the bike. Always wear glasses with lenses to suit the conditions

Never had an issue.

Always have a spare pair or 2 in my pack, just in case and never needed them.

Sounds like the tyre isn’t seated equally all the way round.

May also be that it needs a bit of time to regain it’s shape if it was stored in a squashed way.

My advice would be to forget about the tyres and just ride your bike.

If there was a perfect do it all tyre that worked optimally in all conditions then we’d all have them.

You should just ride, IMO.

I have a North Face Thermoball jacket.
Very warm even when it gets wet and also very light and packs down small.

I have a blue one with hood. highly recommended

BMI is a crap measure – it takes no account of body make up so all it can tell you is the ratio of your height to your weight.

People seem to think it will tell then if they are under or over weight, which implies having too much fat, which it can’t.

Chris Hoy is obese by his BMI – says it all really.

Has it connected before ?
What have you done exactly?
You shouldn’t need to turn off a firewall – it’s just another device that wants to connect to the router.

Sure you entered the password correctly?

iolo said exactly what I was going to say – I love Penmachno so as I also like the Marin trail you’ll probably hate it.

I would also say head to Llandegla

I have times when I’m working from home a lot.

The best part is the flexibility, having a lunchtime ride, nipping to the shops etc.

I like being able to make my own lunch, drink my own coffee in my own mug (which tastes better at home even if you take them into the office)

I tend to work more, as I don’t have the distractions so often lose track of time which means I set alarms to remind me to have some lunch as I often forget.

I guess it will depend on your company / job and how you cope with not having to talk to idiots colleagues on a daily basis.

^ Gay.

I used to get wound up with all the cold callers but my latest approach is simple and fun.

I will verify my name but as soon as they ask me another question I politely tell them that I don’t answer questions from cold callers.

They will often try to tell me that they aren’t a cold caller at which point I either repeat that I don’t answer questions or I engage them in trying to define what a cold caller is.

They usually end up hanging up. I like to think I’m getting fewer calls but it may be that I’m less wound up by them – some are actually fun.

I’ve gradually been working my way up the price scale when it comes to shorts.

The more I’ve paid the better value I’ve thought they’ve been.
Most recent purchase was a pair of Asos 3/4 bib shorts. Fit and comfort is the best.

Most ridden is a pair of Endura MT500 bibs – had them 5 wears, worn weekly and still as good as new.

Anything less than £50 wears out too quickly for me.

I bought a 3-way fridge for camping a year or 2 ago. Brilliant things.
I keeps things cool in the car on the way to the S of France and runs off hardly any gas while we’re camping.

Gets cold enough on the element to make ice and no worries of how long things will last etc.

Having properly cold drinks and milk makes things all very pleasant.

The problem with the neurosurgeons argument is that there will be some crashes where wearing a helmet has meant the rider never becomes one of his patients.

He doesn’t and can’t know of these incidents so taking an assumption that helmets are useless is just plain wrong – but then that’s the Daily Mail for you.

I’d tell your mate to nip to a few local bike shops and see a few for himself.
Have a chat, see which shop he gets on with and do a deal.

If he’s got no idea at all then have a chat with some people who sell bikes for a living.