Is the route off the back easy to find? The VB guide just has you go up and then back down the same way, which I’d assume would be the front.

Thanks, that’s really helpful – hadn’t thought of Blencathra, but looks like a good walk! Will have a proper read of the VB guide tonight, pretty sure it gives 3 different options for Helvellyn.

What didn’t you like about the Bash?

Loved the techy bits, just felt there was a bit too much road. Will possibly just do it again, but don’t get up there much so fancied doing something different.

We look after our neighbours occasionally and they’re hilarious wee buggers. However, they also lick everything, shed all over the place and one of them eats poo constantly. Which doesn’t go well with the licking. They’re alright on walks actually, we’ve had them up hills in the Peak and they were quite happy with it. Wouldn’t have one personally but can see the appeal!

Went through a period of getting night sweats a few years back, was also concerned about cancer or something nasty. Had a load of tests which found nothing and they resolved spontaneously and haven’t had a recurrence since. Bodies can be weird things!

Given the amount of drugs you’re on I’d be surprised if they weren’t involved somehow.

Yeah, certainly won’t be using them again

Package finally arrived 3 weeks after I ordered it and it’s missing one of the items :|

Maybe adjust the reach on his brakes so he can one-finger brake? Also, might want to check the alignment of the levers, if they’re fairly parallel to the ground it can put your hands in an unnatural position which might cause pain. IIRC they should be aligned so that it’s a straight line from your forearms through to the levers.

Noticed sod all difference going from 175 to 170 recently. Wasn’t really paying much attention to them though and never had problems with 175. I’m 5’7″

Not West Manchester, but there’s a 40s weekend in Bury and ramsbottom. Lots of ww2 stuff, Lancaster fly past and spitfire displays, etc

Only bother when making ravioli or similar, otherwise good quality dried stuff is way easier and just as tasty. I tend to rest mine for a bit, seems to be a bit less sticky when you put it through the machine if you do that. Though there isn’t a huge difference IME!

Might not have time for it, but get your wrists strengthened! First time I went it was my grip which went first, my wrists were killing by the end of the day. Probably a result of poor technique and lack of fitness, but worth thinking about.

Just crap driving, I get it all the time. See cyclist in front and the driver is immediately “cyclist, I MUST overtake NOW!”.

Nope, the road was clear ahead when they passed, they just came round another bend a bit down the road and came upon another cyclist. And the driver waited for about 2 minutes to be able to pass the group safely – they were being very considerate. We lost sight of the Punto while we waited to pass the group, they just got held up on a twisty bit of road where they couldn’t pass safely.

OP will probably confirm if they were passing on the left in a cycle lane or just ignoring the Highway Code

No cycle lane, and they had to put themselves right on the edge of the road with maybe a foot or less between themselves and the Punto’s mirror. You’d get pissed off if a car passed you that close at that speed, so surely vice versa is just as bad.

Sounds like bad riding but the important thing is that you AND your parents learn not to tar all cyclists with a brush tainted by the actions of a few.

Do you lose “respect” for all drivers when you see one behaving like a knob?

Well, I’m a cyclist myself so I know we’re not all like that :D

My parents are very reasonable people and hopefully this hasn’t had a huge impact on their opinion of cyclists. But incidents like this chip away at the overall perception of us, and unfortunately people find it very easy to apply the actions of a minority to the overall group. It would be great if we could change that and have everyone judge each cyclist as an individual. Unfortunately it seems to be hard-wired into humans to make such judgements, hence we get stereotypes, etc.

You do know the car just overtook the cyclists and now has to be overtaken by the cyclist in this example and you are blaming the cyclist for doing what the car just did.

My point was that they performed a dangerous and inconsiderate move to then have to get overtaken a minute down the road. If it had been safe to get past, then fine, if there had been an amount of slow-moving traffic that meant they’d be able to filter through, then fine. But the only thing they really achieved was maybe a few seconds off their Strava time while convincing some drivers that roadies are tw*ts.

And that was really my overall point – I’d been trying to explain to my parents why roadies were riding as they were, and was making progress. Then the actions of 3 out of 30 makes them think that cyclists are idiots and that’s all they remember and will probably tell their friends about.

I know we shouldn’t all be lumped together, but unfortunately when you’re a minority it’s very easy for people to assume that the observed poor behavior of some of that group reflects all of it.

IIRC that is why we pass slower moving vehicles …what’s your point?

That they’re slower overall so they’re just going to have to get passed again? It’s pretty inconsiderate – for an example without any motorists, I sometimes get passed by proper roadies on my commute who I then catch at the lights. As I’m on flats, I can get away much faster than them and pass them while they clip in. But I don’t, because I know they’ll be faster than me overall and will have to pass me.

Makes life easier for everyone!

If you know the Punto is going to be repeatedly held up going up this road, why not pass so you can get on

The road was clear ahead of that one cyclist, and after we passed both groups we weren’t held up again. Equally, one could ask “why pass someone when you know they’re just going to have to pass you again because they’re faster?”

I don’t have screaming fits when motorbikes do it

The difference being, given a clear road, they’re faster than you 99% of the time

That “respect” shouldn’t be earned in the first place, it should be given by default to everyone, by everyone.

I 100% agree with you, but unfortunately that’s not always the way it works in the real world. I’ve enough experience of idiot drivers and punishment passes that I was almost surprised when the Punto didn’t give them one.

They squeezed through a tiny gap at about 20 mph to then cycle at 30 mph in a 50 mph limit. If the gap had been bigger, then fair enough, but it was tiny. I cycle to work every day and I undertake slow moving traffic every day, and IMO it was an incredibly risky and stupid move that could easily have ended in an accident.

Eggs benedict. Bloody autocorrect.

:-) I should have checked, the entertainment value for my gf was probably worth it though – not often she gets to rub my nose in it!

Went to Rammy for lunch anyway, very nice eggs bunny!

Doesn’t go down so well when you try and explain “it’s not my fault, some bloke on the Internet told me it was this weekend” :lol:

Note to self – always check the actual dates on the website before turning up at Bury station and confusing the hell out of the ticket man. Turns out the 40s weekend is next weekend!

Have had the piss taken mercilessly by the gf and the parents all day…

40s weekend sounds a good shout, they’d probably like that kind of thing. The coke and hookers will be for me to decompress after they’ve gone…

Trafford Centre for some new trainers and a pair of trackies?

Would rather stab myself in the eye with a rusty screwdriver than visit the Trafford Centre on a Saturday!

Mojo have said end of month earliest, so the shop told me they’d get me one by the weekend so I’d order one it seems.. If that’s the case I’ll not be chuffed, going to Wales on Wednesday

I’ve also ordered one from JTech, they said they were due end of the month but it would probably be a few weeks after that they’d have free stock. Also have a trip in June, fingers crossed but not really expecting it to arrive in time!

Possibly, and I don’t really mind that as long as they actually confirm they’ve accepted your order! Think this might be the 1st and last time I’ll use them…

Was a bigger ride than normal by about 50% so not too surprising, just annoying! Have real food during the ride, bananas, sandwiches, etc, but didn’t intend to do a long ride so maybe didn’t have enough – was just too nice a day not to keep going! Had a lot of water too, nice straw coloured wee so don’t think I was dehydrated!

I also get the warm legs after a big ride and the cold-like symptoms the next day, good to hear it’s not just me!

J-tech seems like a good option if you get mounts plus a custom tune for that price… *scuttles off to check bank balance*

Where was that from Poah?

What is the warranty on a Reverb? Had it in my head that it was 2 years, but might be wrong – got it as part of a complete build so don’t think I’ve got the manual kicking about.

Definitely too long to go without a ride in that case! Am I right in thinking I can just buy a cheapo seatpost in 30.9 mm (I think? Will have to measure) flavour and just stick it in? And switch the saddle over, obvs :-)

Buy a plunger. Might not need it during the course of the move, but boy will you be glad you’ve got it when you need it!

Would just be grids of spots, nothing flashy!

I’m not so concerned with the time, I’d rather have a good job. Just trying to figure out how long we’ll be sleeping downstairs for!

Should have also asked if anyone can recommend anyone for the tasks above in the Manchester area?

Thanks all, I suspected it wouldn’t be possible. Passport has been away for a week or two already, but just had to send off new photos as the last lot were apparently too light :oops:. Hopefully it’ll be back in time, if not the client might just have to be flexible!

Melanie di Biasio

I don’t have the patience to ride with other people so I doubt I’d have the patience for taking a dog riding!

Yeah, I think something with a bit of poodle in would be good too. Hadn’t heard of a cavapoo but they’re cute lil buggers!

I’ve told her she can have dogs or kids

what she heard:

I’ve told her she can have dogs then kids

I suspect that may be true. Told her (only half-jokingly) that I’d make her sign a contract that we wouldn’t have kids if we got a dog!