I'd previously said on here that I was very happy with my Strokers but I'm going to have to take all that back…..

I'd now say I was very happy with the performance of my Strokers…right up to the moment when I replaced pistons/seals and needed to bleed.
I failed. My freindly LBS faired better but nowhere near as good as new.

Flogged 'em on fleabay and bought XT instead. Happy now.

Sorry, hope you have more luck than I did.

Turning 40 (almost 3 years ago now) was the spur I needed to get back on a bike and make a change for the better.
Now three stone lighter and a damn sight fitter… but not any wealthier 'cos now I'm keeping CRC in business rather than the local pie shop!!!

Cheers.

Both mine are very tight connecting battery to head unit – a bit too tight to separate sometimes with cold hands.
I found some silicone spray helped.

The fit between cells and chargers is a good snug interference fit but noticably slacker, as it doesn't "click" into place in this case.
If your charger to cell connection is tight, chances are that the head to cell would be too tight and consequently not positively engaging.

Hope that helps.

Kaiserschmarrn – best pancake recipe imho.

Kaiserschmarrn

Yummy

Leisure Lakes do – I spent my Halfords voucher there.
Mainly because I could at least get a load of useful bits there with the balance of my £1k (after buying a cheap bike)

Only trouble is that, as the bike chain says, they appear to have been restricted by Halfords to only supplying at RRP and no-way were going to allow a "top-up" over the voucher value.
Got the impression that they were under strict scrutiny. Shame.

I'll try the Apfel Schöller first…

Glad to be of service Travis.

I always try to have a carton of applejuice and some sparkling water in the fridge and my only problem is when the kids have the same idea… and they get home first :cry:

Apfel Schöller – 50% apple juice/50% sparkling water, over ice.

if you enjoyed Catch 22 don't read 'Something Happened' by same author (Heller). Unmitigated dross.
and approx 700 pages too long

Same reason here for picking it up … and same reasons for never bothering to finish it.

I've been happy with 2.1 TRs on my H/T for most of the past 12 months, even on the rockier stuff ….BUT…. the sidewall gave up at the weekend on my back tyre "in big style" and I was faced with a walk back from the foot of Dubbs to Ambleside :oops:
TR sidewalls in std form certainly would not inspire me with sufficient confidence to go tubeless.

2 off MudX currently on order – will try these as ghetto.

I was experiencing regular spoke failures on the back end of my Meta 5.
After about the third day in a row being blighted by the same thing, I got it rebuild by a highly respected local wheelbuilder (and author of a certain book).
Needless to say, the wheel has been perfect since.

y'all need (not want) the park tensionometer

Interesting thing was that whilst he built it by pitch, he then showed me three different tensiometers to illustrate that, whilst they'll show you've achieved some consistancy, you certainly can't believe the absolute numerical reading they give… 'cos they all showed considerably different readings on the same spoke!!!

What's your email?

Cheers,

ian<dot>scarborough<at>gmail<dot>com

pintofbestbitter,
The boggies site (SFB's link) is about the best repository I've found of routes in this area.

Shibboleth,
I'm in Grimsargh and could be tempted to join your Chipping outing one Tuesday night if I may. Whats the distance/beer time ratio like?

ccleaner :wink:

I'm not a plumber but have played with similar shower.
Is it a thermostatic valve (holds steady temperature – when working)rather than a basic mixer.
As its surface mounted, it should be easy to dissassemble and check.

Shut off the water; break the joints at the wall and blank 'em off with lightly tightened compression end stops.

You can then strip it down at your leisure.
Likely parts for replacement would be either seal kit – in which case you should notice the dials feeling slack/stiff/notchy (just not right), or thermostatic valve.
If seals, then buy a seal kit off the web for your shower model (circa £15)
If thermostatic valve, no idea of price but may be expensive.

As yours is surface mounted it would be easy to replace the whole mixer body if all else fails.

Hope that helps

Lifetime guarantee

Worth checking the wording of that though.
A while ago I asked in store as I'd killed one of my 3/8 ratchets.
They said it didn't cover the ratchet mechanism. I haven't challenged that but probably will.
Otherwise they've been good to me and certainly have a quality feel too 'em.

Who's it with? My 0.49% with Woolwich was the best I could find a few years ago

It was Woolwich (AKA Barclays), so now you've said that I'll have to double-check that it wasn't 0.49 too.

I'm naturally cautious about stuff like that but whilst I wouldn't go posting that kind of info on a forum, I would be comfortable providing it to someone for the purposes of transfering money to me (and frequently do).

My current mortgage is 0.25% above base rate.

What kind of deal is that – a tracker?

Yep, I guess I changed at the right time. You certainly wouldn't get that anywhere now.
But that's the point of nerds like MSE, to crunch the numbers for you so that you can make informed decisions… or not.

Cycling Proficiency

Hey, I failed my cycling proficiency!!!!
Hardly surprising really.

How can saving a bob or two be wrong?

I've never seen him on TV but followed his site/newsletters for about 4 years I think.

I started using Quidco for all my big purchases at his recommendation. My savings balance on there stands me at about £1000 now.

I had a go at stoozing when credit card rates were good a few years back. At one point I had £25k of the card companies' money sat in my account offsetting against my mortgage for a year. Not done the maths but that's a big saving.

My current mortgage is 0.25% above base rate.

I complained about endowment misselling and got a wodge from that.

I shift my utility suppliers regularly and usually get a bung to switch each time.

My last 6 mobile contracts have cost me ZERO and I've flogged the unwanted free phones for about £100 each.

These are just examples of good practice I've picked up from that site. If I ever meet him, I think I owe him a beer.

Eckythump, how do you get a post-grad qualification without a degree? This is something I'm looking into at the moment.

You can often leverage "significant professional experience" as an entry qualification. Mine was through Lancaster Uni Mgt School and I believe my employer had contributed to the development of the course, which may have helped too.

Welding Certificate

Any good with Commie seattubes Mary Hinge?

I don't have a degree but I still managed to get myself a post-graduate qualification, which p!ssed my Mrs off so much that she did an MBA to get even :twisted: (and which I had to finance :roll: )

I love the cliff path at Arnside.

it is spectaclear in a rocky-drop-of-death kinda way

Probably just as well it's a night ride – didn't realise it was so far down 'til someone told me afterwards! :lol:

They had one of last year's P7 singlespeeds in Leisure Lakes that would come in at about that price.
No personal experience of 'em though. Sorry

Just one minor observation about protective equipment in general… The law of unintended consequences… It will probably make you ski faster… and therefore need it ;-)

I decided about 5 years ago that I should buy myself a ski helmet (having always insisted the kids wear one, I thought I ought to too)
I'd pay good money just for the effect that the (false) sense of invulnerability had on my skiing.
I might give a spine protector a try this year. Thanks for prompting the thought.

> 60 mph on a piste really?
Why not, I thought we all enjoyed hurtling down hills, pushing the envelope, on the ragged edge of our own abilities, etc.,
Like the biking, you just need to be careful around others and not endanger them.

Google "office 2007 blue edition"

I'd still take the Corolla if the ages and mileages were reversed.
No contest.

I think you're going to have to watch the weather and play it accordingly.

Longridge was crispy underfoot a few days ago but new snow and freezing due before weekend. Does benefit from some tree cover though.

Darwen Tower was crispy and well trodden at new year. Lots of new snow over there yesterday/today though.
Rivi = probably similar.

Not heard anything from Gisburn Forrest but don't expect it to be much fun getting there even if it was ridable.

Would like to get a Wed night ride in and Longridge is probably most likely for me (i.e. local)

Any news from other locals?

Now I know why the prices of army MVP camo trousers is steadily increasing on fleabay… Its the STW mob all bidding against each other. :roll:

Cheap; comfortable; effective.
Buy a size smaller than you'd normally expect though, would be my advice.

Extra 10% off at Merlin Christmas sale.
Both SLX and XT looking attractive buys.
I've now officailly fallen out with my Hayes Strokers on my HT so I'll be dropping in there at lunch time today to get some XT ones @ £180.
….Unless anyone can beat that price at the moment.

I think therefore I am;
I'm pink therefore I'm Spam;
I'm yellow, therefore I'm a banana!

I've had both Juicy 3s and Rydes on my XC hardtail.
Personally, I prefer the shape and feel of the Rydes for 1 finger braking, so consequently they're still on it. The Juicy 3s went on my son's bike and he's been happy with them.

Ryde's are certainly more on-off but I prefer that to the Juicy 3s which I thought were too spongy (possibly just need a bleed though).

Rydes do seem to wear the pads unevenly (no matter how well adjusted). Otherwise, they have performed faultlessly and never needed bleeding throughout two years & about 7 or 8 sets of sintered pads.

Pad return is magnetic (no spring) and this works realy well.

Hope that helps.

You can use a console (say Wii or 360, etc) already connected to TV and to your wireless network.
You'll need software (free) to allow your PC to act as a media hub and then access all the video/music via the console.

I tried it a couple of years ago with limited success. Worked but was a bit clunky so it fell out of favour with me. I will have another go when I get my next PC.
Can't remember the package I used, suggest you google "free media hub" or similar.
I'll be keeping an eye on this thread to see if the solutions available have moved on a bit since I played at it.
Cheers.

Index finger only (XT on bike 1 and Hayes Stroker on bike 2).

…oh and mounted as far inboard as I can get away with.

Sizing on the army goretex is "generous".
I think I'm probably a 34" waist in reality (on a bad day) but found the
80cm waist trousers fitted best over lycra shorts.

Sizing is expressed in three cm numbers: leg length; waist; ass.
I ***think*** that's the correct sequence but you should check a few adds.

The army ones are without pockets or pocket/fly oppenings. Plain; simple; waterproof :D

The fact that there's a membrane in there means the cut edge doesn't fray when you cut 'em down.

Very happy with mine. Now when I get back home I can just hose myself down with 'em still on. Jacket + shorts + shoes … all nice and clean.

I got myself some of these following a recomendation from another rider:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-PAIR-OF-MEDIUM-MERINO-WOOL-HIKING-SOCKS_W0QQitemZ160369750632QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Sporting_Goods_Sports_Clothing_LE?hash=item2556c83268

Quite impressed with 'em as I'd previously suffered badly once wet and these are definately an improvement over std wool.

Can't draw a first-hand comparison with woolie boolies though as I've not tried those.

Got me thinking about how many times we must all pass each other on the moors anonamously.
A guess the best clue is whenever you here someone say " are those them bastid lights?"

Hey, not so fast, I claim my bit too.
Though I've now migrated North a bit, I spend ten years in Horwich looking out my window at that Pike.
I want the climb up from the school to the gardens and the Wilderswood tracks.

Got two of em now (bar and head) and can't fault 'em for the money.
I got two of the bar mount version and bought this to mount on lid.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12000
Really firm mounting with a bit of "give" in the rubber block for when you inevitably clonk it on a low branch :oops: