You can cycle to Friston, but it’s a fair old trek there and back. Not much out Ringmer way as far as I know! Further afield there’s Bedgebury and some good stuff out at Steyning.

Yeah, same! Found some videos with crossers on there, which don’t look super promising, but may have enough for an super quick blast from town. May stop being lazy and investigate!

@kcal no rush, won’t be up there for a few months anyway. Cheers!

@kcal would you happen to have a gpx file of this route? My Mum still lives in Forres and I could do this route from her front door…

@eskay – legend thanks. Couldn’t remember the name Blahzay Blahzay. Love it, will give the other mix a listen too.

@eskay did you post that mix last year? Feel like I might have listened to it before. Is there a track list?

Also pretty sad that listening to Afrika Bambaataa is pretty difficult these days (I know he was more 80s, but still)…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7L7HXSF_Eo

YESSSSSSSSS, this is my sweet spot. Used to love getting up at the weekend to watch Yo MTV Raps, which was probably terrible but perfect for 13 year old me. Remember hearing Headcracker by Double XX Posse and falling in love with it. Still maintain they’re one of the great (mostly) forgotten groups.

Interesting! I knew nothing about that, must have been a brutal storm.

I’m still traumatised by getting to the final in 4 leagues and getting absolutely destroyed in 3 of them. It still hurts..

Done. Will do another thread nearer to the time. Winner can get a Christian Okoye jersey maybe ;-)…

Bit early but does anyone fancy a STW fantasy league next year? Just had my first year of doing it, and it’s genuinely enhanced my enjoyment of the game.

I believe the lad with plasticuffs is a retired Lt Col, which may explain the military gear. Not sure if that explains the cuffs though…

I’ve told my missus NOT to get me turntable as I’m well aware of how deep into hobbies I get and know it would instantly get expensive and space consuming. Not helped by a mate at work who is very into record collecting and is constantly showing me his latest purchases. It’s like a middle-aged. middle-class siren song to my geeky ears…

That looks gorgeous. Take off the wheel decals and it will be perfect.

Door needs to be sanded down and repainted though.

My Paramo Alta III is by miiiiiiiilllllles the best jacket I’ve ever owned. To be fair to the comments above, it’s the only one of theirs I tried on that wasn’t boxy (I went to their Wadhurst store to try before buying). In terms of quality it’s so much better than the North Face and Haglofs jackets I’ve owned.

Hah, Breninbeener, is that the one I sold you years ago?!

Mowgli! Was just reading this thread hoping that someone had a solution for Fabric bottles. If you’re able to make some more I would LOVE to buy some off you?

I posted a similar topic a few weeks ago and got a couple of gilets from Endura and Madison which are nice and bright and breathable. I have a ProViz gilet too, which is incredible at night but is probably the most boil-in-a-bag bit of clothing I’ve ever had the misfortune to use. It’s now relegated to just above freezing temperatures only.

I did look at Vaudes, and like the green credentials. Semi wrote them as off as expensive, but looking again they’re about the same as the Evocs…

I looked at the Alpkits. They do look very food but only take a wee bladder, I need something that can take 3l.

Joe – I did look at the Lomo stuff, but I want something which can take a hydration pack on the trails too.

Geomick – Totally agree, I’ve got a rack and pannier on the road bike for this reason. Don’t fancy it on the MTB though!

Yeah it looks massive on the site! Presume it fits a 3l bladder as well?

Interesting, was looking at the Osprey but thought it may be too much. If it can be collapsed down though..

Also looked at the Evoc bag. I like the idea of the back protector too…

I noticed a trail from Shoreham to the North Downs

That’s the Downs Link, I think? It’s quite scenic at first, but then is mostly fairly dull. Doable on a road bike for sure in the dry (doesn’t get anywhere approaching ‘technical’ until the ND) but it may be a bit grim at the moment. There’s lots of fairly quiet roads north of Brighton which I’d personally prefer to do at the moment

When it’s a bit drier you should definitely investigate Stanmer just outside town. Lots of purpose built trails. Not great in the wet, but when it’s a bit drier I’ll be happy to show you about and lend you a bike if you want to “try-before-you-buy”?

Bah, one of the ascents of Ventoux is the Sault side. Super easy. Real men like me do the Bedoin and Malaucene ascents in the same day for the sole reason of bragging about it on MTB forums 5 years later.

Matt – you are, as ever, a prince among outdoor enthusiasts.

…Gah, Madison don’t do that colour any more!

That Madison gilet is the sort of thing I’m looking for, I think. That Rapha one is cool but my masculinity is too fragile to wear aggressive pink.

The Castelli gilets look pretty good (if not cheap, as you say).

IHN – you’re completely right, I’m just a tart.

Thanks, that looks immensely practical, if not quite fulfilling the nicer looking criteria…

Drink the Elixir by Salad? Doesn’t really sound similar but for some reason I thought it was by Mazzy Star as a teenager.

Huh, Molgrips and TJ disagreeing on a thread. I’ve seen it all now…

I work for a essential oils / wellbeing company, and my mate runs a cosmetic oils start up. We do lots of business with massage therapists. I can give you some insight to start with if you’re interested? DM me.

I have a 19″ Rock Lobster frame that’s never been built in 10 years you can have if you want to come to Sussex to pick it up?

My anti-Aru prejudice is completely based on the fact that, although I’m not really into the whole ‘souplesse’ side of road cycling, he is f-ing appalling to look at when he’s climbing. Looks like a traumatised Tony Hayers (from Alan Partridge) doing an impression of the rubber shark in the original Batman film. Horrifying.

I’m just now getting my mojo back, having started riding again in June, following a innocuous slide out (on a stupidly easy trail in Stanmer) in Aug 2018 that basically destroyed my left shoulder blade, shoulder joint and collar bone. By contrast I once crashed down a ravine in Morocco and got nothing more than broken thumb and some cuts.

They’re pretty close. You can walk from Clapham to Brixton in 20 mins. Acre Lane-ish area.

Ah, great shout. I’ve had Liteville longings for years…