Wow – someone must be really keen to build that retro bike.

Sitting in this office for 16 years and getting shafted on the way out the door in the next couple of months.

Bitter? Na – not really – fed up with it now but disappointed with my decision making when younger. Career change and new life on the horizon soon so something to look forward to I hope.

Anyone scan me a copy of the Nicolai article? Would be interested to read that. Email in profile and would be very grateful/offer beers etc.

Daughter is 5 and started this at 3 and has been doing the same – doesn’t take much to set her off! +1 for the patiently explaining then ignoring route. Requests only considered if delivered in a polite manner – any nonsense is ignored.

Wife consistently gives in to the whining and gets it much harder than I do – daughter knows I won’t stand for that crap.

Fascinating reading – in exactly the same position as the OP. Turned 40 – fed up with current job and have half filled in my teacher training application for August for secondary. Would actually prefer primary though although that won’t be until next August. I’ve been speaking to a couple of teachers and getting mixed feedback about workload/hours, although they both love the job and get a lot of satisfaction out of it. TBH that is key for me – I’m coming to the conclusion I’d rather work 60 hours a week at something I love (and earn about 50% of what I’m currently on) than 36 hours at something I hate.

What the…..?

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Oh dear. Love my 7D and have a fair number of EF-S lenses, but this is very very tempting.

hydraulic splitter (essential for speedy splitting!).

+1

Dunno where you are, but we buy wood from Forestry Commission – speak to you local office. Bought a load early Dec – about 7-8m3 for £105. This is fresh though so will be next winter before we can burn it. Comes in big 3m lengths so you need to be able to collect, transport, cut, split, store and dry it. Not a quick fix!

Can also get a scavenging licence for £50 to go in and collect your own after they’ve been felling. But that’s a pain in the hoop for sure – not allowed to use chainsaw on FC land unless you are qualified to do so and carry £1m public liability cover.

I think you may get taxed on them as a benefit in kind

Had them for years now and certainly no tax as Benefit in kind here.

There’s absolutely no way I’d introduce a fully grown animal with an unknown history to a household with a small child.

Sweeping generalisation there of course.

We got a 6 y.o rescue black lab – victim of a divorce – when our daughter was 6 months old. Best move ever and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

EDIT – I see you say “unknown history” – I would be wary if it was completely unknown, but then again who adopts a totally unknown/unseen dog?

The man was a legend to anyone like me who grew up in NI in the 70s. Hadn’t thought about or heard of him in years yet so sad to see him go.

RIP Frank.

just people aren’t in favour of yet another war/invasion for some strange reason.

Think you hit the nail on the head in your post – they’re great mates with China and Russia – and no-one, not even good ol US, wants to upset them.

RIP Marie and Remi.

40, loving road biking at the moment (hence haven’t been round here for a while).

Road biking is low faff and easier at this time of year (for me). Fits with my routine and has given me momentum when I just couldn’t be bothered getting geared up and muddy and cleaning etc etc.

MTB will be back I know when the weather improves!!!

Have signed up for this year’s one. Tried to get on last year’s but missed the cut but we rode 99% of the trails anyway. Keen to do as a “tick” but the idea of queuing to ride trails you can ride when empty the following day is a bit odd.

Running 1×9 with a 32 front and 12-36 rear. Can ride everything I could with a granny ring and I’m no hero. Have to push hard sometimes admittedly!

Tried using a roller type Blackspire Stinger chain device from my bigger bike – bottom only – and this was the biggest failure ever – chain was coming off every other minute – waste of time. Have just fitted a new E13 XCX and problem solved.

Chain device is essential imo otherwise major faffing.

Don’t get me started.

See my thread here

Frame away 8 weeks before any costings received (over Eurobike to be fair so no-one around). Have been back and forward now several times and I’m STILL not clear what is included for the 2 prices I’ve been quoted. I’m a bit of a fanboi – 3 Nics, well, 2.5 – but we still haven’t agreed a spec of work and there is no end in sight. If this was my only bike I’d be raging. As it is I don’t need the bike but if you were gagging to get it back you’d be sorely disappointed. They seem to be stop start – I’ll get furious activity and a few emails followed by radio silence for days/weeks. Not sure what to make of it. Would I buy another? Maybe but I’d think hard next time.

May well do that – thanks. Going along tomorrow morning to check it out. Slightly nervous about the “parents (us) don’t speak a word of Gaelic” side of things but I’m told that’s not a problem – would you agree?

Resurrecting an ancient thread here, but any update on your findings SBZ?

We’re in exactly the same situation ourselves, and are applying to the Gaelic medium in order to get away from crap local school – how do you feel you’ve got on?

If I was paying someone for a day’s guiding, got an hour’s riding, and was then told to fend for myself, I’d be fuming

+1.

And the “like it or lump it – I couldn’t care less” reply has only made it worse for them imo.

Had them all – Le Chameau ftw.

Know any good sodium jokes? Na.

:D

Brake adapters ordered yesterday – arrived today – all good here.

Plus UK Bike Store – ditto. Top service from both.

4 sets of Louises as well – must say the kevlar ones above seem to be among the best. Sintered worked ok but could be hellish noisy at times. Didn’t seem to damage anything though (that I could see anyway – hope not)!

No sintered? I have in the past without problems – why shouldn’t I? No mention of them in my manual.

Currently running kevlar pads in my Louises and they seem to be very good – not sure about longevity yet but sharp stopping and quiet.

Search ebay for user bikefridge

The Urinal Game addresses this issue perfectly.

Nothing constructive to add, other than that Esme’s defense was quite eloquent – I’m convinced!

Thankfully never been in this situation but have 2 close friends/work colleagues who have and I’ll re-iterate what has been said above.

Don’t move out. If you do the chances are high you won’t get back in again. If you do go on holiday, take the kids.

I hope things work out for you, but guard against the possibility that they don’t – don’t make any moves now that will prejudice your position with your kids at a later date.

Bought 2 sets of brakes on Saturday – won an auction to buy a front brake (which I needed) then had to win the auction to buy the matching back brake – same seller. Then 2 minutes later spot a set of front and rear new for the same money. So have to buy it as well.

So now have to sell the first pair back on ebay. The perils of bidding!

+1 for Mull – also ferry to Western Isles from Oban. Quiet roads and awesome scenery.

Wow – all sounds very stressful – the opposite of what I’m looking for when I go biking! Is this a local issue or are people seeing the same everywhere? I can’t recall any unpleasantness at a trail centre – good natured banter or a friendly hello is about it. Lots of posing in the car park but never aggression as far as I recall.

I’m from norn iron. Everything gets salt. Don’t even bother tasting it first – just pile on the salt. And everyone I meet from norn iron does the same – in the genes.

where do you think the extra traffic wil go

sorry I’m still not with you here – what extra traffic?

its what always happens with new roads.

But is the new bridge generating the extra traffic or some other factor?

Could be, among other things, crap public transport links; rising cost of public transport; lower house prices in Fife – you name it.

I’m not sure the argument of “it always happens” is much of an argument tbh. Maybe the traffic will rise, but could be due to a hundred reasons.

Totally different mentality in other EU states

+1 – why is everything new like this “a bad thing”.

Back to horses and carts all round?

extra traffic generated

How do you know there will be extra traffic generated? Or are you just assuming?

it will cause great congestion

How’d you figure that? Why should it be any more congestion than current setup?

EDIT – agree with you on the expensive bit BTW.

well, just ordered – slightly randomly but as an educated guess – so we’ll see if what arrives fits.

I’m not sure we’re getting any closer! What you say mboy makes perfect sense to me.

But why in that case are there both 7″ 203, and 8″ 203?!