One flapjack packed with fruit and sugar per lap! Drink often. Dried mango / wine gums and jelly babies in your pockets 🙂

TooTall I assume that is a joke?

Or would you rather I sit him in front of the TV and feed him sweets all day like a responsible parent should? Heaven forbid children being allowed to run around in the fresh air whatever next, cycling?

The biggest issue with this for me is small children. My two year old loves to run into woods at the first opportunity and of course half the time seems to come back with dog poo on him, its just a nightmare. Leaving dog poo anywhere, bagged or not, is gross and inconsiderate. Flicking it off the path just makes it harder to spot and avoid.

+1 for 5 10s, I think they are worth a bit of extra dosh.

Ah the old breast feeding mafia thing. Mrs ddmonkey tried very hard to make breast feeding work but after several weeks of tortue and constatnly hungry babies we got a breast pump and formula. I actually said that's it I can't take any more of this and went down to a 24 supermarket at 3am to buy the stuff, best decision ever. Don't flog a dead horse. My three top tips would be:

Don't feel guilty about it if breast feeding really doesn't work, it may do it may not, but either way express what you can and if you have to use a bottle do so and move on, its not the end of the world.

If your baby has great discomfort and crying after feeding and this perists then don't just accept "its colic nout you can do". Try a Lactose free formula and see if that helps. Our second was lactose intolerant and as soon as we moved him to lactose free formula he was a different baby.

Finally do work hard to establish a routine after the first few weeks, not in the horrible Gina Ford way but in a regular time for feeds and sleeps way. It will make life easier if you persist.

All the very best! Fatherhood is great and it gets better after the first 6 weeks, honest!

I very much doubt it. A one off IMHO.

Excited now! Can't wait for tomorrow, woot!

Not sure if cash is an option b r. Seems like either bike would be good.

Cheers for info that's sounds quite encouraging. I reckon I could pull it off…

Bump – anyone?

Is it possible to live in the French Alps and hold down a UK job? I'm looking at the possibility of making that lifestyle choice with a mix of working from home (is the BB good enough?) and some 3 day trips over the UK a couple of times a month (Geneva to London City £100 return). Main problem I can see is all the international phone calls being prohibitively expensive.

See you at the trailbreak on Saturday if you are going, I'll be the muppet on a barry white inbred 🙂 I'll be starting early so I've got a chance of finishing before dark!

A few Bluebells just starting to come out around my way, a few early ones peeping but main show still a few weeks off I think.

My SO / children asking "Did you win?" when I get back home from a race… did I ever? 🙄

Sorry to correct you Goog but the BBC says he was hit by an egg. It doesn't say what the egg hit him with…

(A bit like being stabbed by a knife, or shot by a gun. Its a pet hate of mine, why don't they get it right?)

How about "…because I'm worth it"

If anyone wants a Pastry Positive t-shirt please go to http://www.fingermycoulis.com, various designs available! 🙂

I'm pretty local to Wendover and would be interested in meeting up for a ride sometime. I'm doing the 65km enduro on Saturday so will be armed with a map after that!

Again can't help with the question but love the look of these, quite tempted…

I think we've had dusty trails this time of year the last three or four years running. Which indicates to me that July and August will be a washout again!

THIS WEEK I AR BEEN MOSTLY EATIN TARAMASALATA!

Depends if they like it, but my lad was riding without stabilizers by the age of 3 1/4. He's now nearly 5 and he rips! V proud!

Edit my youngest is nearly 2 and wants to emulate his brother, so he is now waddling around with a balance bike between his legs. He is just starting to get an inlking that he can scoot, but its going to be a while before he really starts to get it.

If she is used to pedalling she may find there suddenly being no pedals a bit off putting. I'd recommend a try without doing that first to see how she gets on. She can get the feel of balancing with you lightly holding the saddle to help. Good luck!

Ride to a nice big grassy area, local cricket pitch or the like, take the stabilizers off, then get them pedalling while you hold them upright by the saddle. when they are balanced let go and wait for them to realise they are riding a bike without stabilisers or fall off. Repeat until they are fed up. Say they did great. Go home. Repeat. Balance bikes help too.

Yep dusty round my way 😀

Yeah I was being a bit thick! 🙄

Sorry I'm being a bit thick but why does a diesel engine need a timing belt?

I have little disposable income but I have a very nice life so can't complain. Watch the latest episode of Tropic of Cancer for a reality check!

So thats a decent cereal bar an hour plus a few bits of dried fruit and winegums on top. Sounds reasonable. As you say not planning to do much different to usual ride but I'd normaly stop for lunch!

Vietnam?

The blue sky on Saturday with no clouds and no vapour trails was wonderful, so more of those please!

Absolutely agree joolsburger. The thing is just because you are strict on some things as a parent does not mean that your children don't love you or have fun with you in 10 mins time. If they throw a strop at not getting a treat then I say fine come and talk to me when you have calmed down and can be polite otherwise stay out of my sight. 10 mins later after a bit of a play / sulk in their room they re-appear and say sorry and its all smiles. You just have to set the tone from day 1 and stick to it.

Parenting is hard work, you need lots of will power to face down a demanding 3 year old believe me. When crap food is so available and money not an issue its not surprising that lazy ignorant parents will give in and let little Jimmy have a lolly for breakfast because at the end of the day it means a easy life…. its just lazyness.

Just because its hard to make a 3 year old eat something they don't want to, does not mean you give up and give then refined sugar instead.

Never has "Everything in moderation" been more true and more lacking.

Frightening levels of stupidity on display. All the parents talk as if they have no influence over what happens at all. IT MAKES ME SO ANGRY!!!!! Do all the lollies and bottles appear out of thin air?

Yes got sick of it a while ago. Got two cars and both are smallish modern diesels. Still gives me a pain behind the eyes when I have to fill up but at least it doesn't happen very often.

Hey good luck with the grand opening! Me and Mrs ddmonkey must come up to see you & yours and the shop soon! Be great to get out for a ride on some rocks for a change…. 🙂

If you are hitting jumps at good speed but getting no air it sounds like you are sucking the bike up underneath you as you hit the lip, rather than allowing the jump to throw you upwards. Try going a bit slower and standing up taller as you hit the up slope. Start small and work up. Pick the bike up under you and then point it where you want it go rather than being a passenger. All easier said than done but start small and keep working at it and you will improve.

Is it my eyes or is that a single pivot with a linkage? Is that what all FS bikes are going to end up being?

But you've got to be really fast..

I think fly tippers should be hunted and shot on sight by snipers who lie in wait along the counrty lanes at night.