Really enjoy the Marin trail. I tend to ride up from Betws, so yes there is a long (long!) fire road slog, but some of the sections are great fun – especially the bits near the car park. I think I prefer it to Degla in the round.

Each to there own I guess.

Penmachno definitely messes with your head. To me always feels quite isolated and a bit….mean. Maybe it’s just because the weathers been absolutely filthy every time I’ve been.

Thanks Badllama, unfortunately that’s 5 miles away from me (according to google maps).

Hopefully will be able to use my car.

Also, guide to NQ here:

http://www.totalguidetomanchester.com/entertainment/nightlife-northern-quarter/#.U6w5m8tOWDZ

A Devon Bey eh?

A different option might be to mill round the top end of Deansgate. Get into Cask for a couple of beers, Duke 92’s if it’s a nice day, across to Knott Bar for a couple. Then Lock’91 on the canal (don’t touch any of the other bars on that row, but Lock’91 is ok).

You’re then playing knob head roulette trying to get into a club. But Revs de Cuba should let a big group in (though is a bit chainy). Liars Club is good, though again you might struggle (and it does have a high knob head ratio – bar staff included).

I’m hoping to join, work permitting.

Long shot, but is anyone planning on driving out from Manc city centre?

I’ve read some horror stories about over tightening bolts on the frame, so want to make absolutely sure before I do it.

Also I rang what I though was the Boardman’s helpline (it was in fact Halfords). After checking with their mechanic he said that for 4mm allen keys = 4nm and 5mm = 8nm.

Again, this sounded like a bit of an estimate (which may well be fine), so wondered where you got the 20nm and 5nm from?

andybrad – thanks.

Not that I doubt your reliability, can I ask how you found that out?

Can I caveat all of the above with: He’s not exactly tech savy!

So changing IP addressed and all that jazz maybe a tad out of reach.

He’s lived there for over 10 years, but I think he’s hankering for some English commentary (as yes, I suspect it is on Spanish TV)

I think we’ll head out to Cragg Vale and see what’s happening. We can always ride somewhere else.

I don’t doubt we’ll get caught in some sort of traffic and miss the whole thing.

Right, Day two it is then.

My mate is banging on about Holme Moss so might be riding out there.

B*llocks.

Holme Moss was another shout for day 1?

There must be some sort of STW informal event that we can just tag onto.

I want all the fun and perks without any of this organising lark.

Thanks for your patience torsonalake.

Is there a way you can share the bikehike link?

Don’t worry if not, thanks again.

Thanks Jambalaya, wine tour / tasting is a good idea, unfortunately I don’t drink.

I’ll have a good think about what I can in Cardiff in early February.

The problem with all the wine gifts, is that I’d have to fit it in my hand luggage / try and buy it when I’m there and I’m only visiting for two days.

Nope tried that. It won’t load up to basemaps (just freezes on the ‘import data’ box) and when I try and use a web based program (e.g. bike hike) I get the following message:

XML error: XML_ERR_NAME_REQUIRED at line 1.

This is after I’ve changed the extension to .gpx.

He lives in Southern Spain, about 20 mins from Estepona.

And no, he doesn’t ride bikes!!

Ok, thanks Rogan Josh.

I actually have a problem getting food in tbh. I cycled down to Bordeaux last summer and after 100km + a day I always felt nauseous. I had to really force food into my face.

Gels were just easier, but do see that they should be for emergency / booster. A bad habit I’ll have to try and get out of.

It comes up as ‘Save Target as…’ and then only let’s me chose XML.

Basecamp won’t open the XML file, and renaming it doesn’t work either.

I’ve got basecamp.

The problem I’m having is when I click on the file it just displays a HTML page with all the code on. I’m not able to save it in a GPX format.

I’m usually ok with garmin stuff, but this just doesn’t work for me! :cry:

Yea, I’m all over the chamy cream (or vice versa…)

I’m used to gels.

I think the plan is:

– Big pasta dinner and plenty of water the day before
– Porridge with seeds, nuts and peanut butter for breakfast
– Couple of gels, couple of flapjacks, mini-haribo bags (I have loads from xmas) and maybe something savory if I can get my hands on it.

No love for the fig rolls?

@Jambalaya – good thinking, plus it means I won’t need to shell out for something until next Jan / Feb :D

The tour sounds like a good idea, but scuppered by the fact he doesn’t live in the UK.

He likes his wine, but then again he lives in a wine producing village so difficult to know what I’d bring to the party!

Dad’s are tough to buy for!

Cynic-al – Thanks, well the ride is 140km so not sure if that comes under the category ‘Too long for gels’. What ‘low GI foods’ would you use instead?

Sam, is there any danger you could do the same clicky thing for the medium route (68 miles) http://agybr.eventdatasystems.net/media/520/AG-MED-01.gpx

I have tried, but turns out I’ve been blacklisted by the GPS gods.

I think the meal’s a given, but always a nice touch.

He’s old school, so signed autographs aren’t really his bag. Thanks any way.

Binners you mean you’re not a nutritionist?

I don’t even know what’s real any more.

Honey and date sarnies eh? That’s a new one on me.

Also, re: brekkie I’ll be driven by someone, so something I could eat in the car respectably would be ideal.

Rachel Atherton was DQ’d for receiving outside help when she was having trouble yanking her chain out of her chain ring. I would have though they would have known that would have done for her.

Danny Hart’s manual was ridiculous as was his whole top section. Amazing.

cheers, got it :)

I’m probably being a dummy, but when I either go to explore routes, or via the segment route as suggested I can see people rides but the GPX button on the map is greyed out and when you click on it the message “Upgrade to Premium and download new routes you like to your Garmin.” appears.

Am I doing something wrong?

I’ll pass thanks Bregante.

I do have some spiffing tan lines now. Razor sharp.

Me in the pool >>>>

“Yea, I cycle. What of it?”

Bregante – phew I was beginning to think I was really slow.

First time I’ve ever had saddle sore this week (didn’t get it after doing 1000km across France last summer). I’m assuming it’s just a case of breaking the new saddle in? It was my fourth ride of the new steed.

(Don’t really want to start a ‘Saddle sore’ topic, apologies for high jacking)

Would like to have made it tonight, but:
a) I’m working
b) It looks like it’s gonna piss it down :)

On the speed front, I did a pretty flat 70 miles / 110k on Sunday (took in Wizard but only 1752 ft / 534m overall) and averaged 15.5mph / 24.2km/h.

I lost my big ring halfway round so say that would have been 16.5mph. Basically 20mph is a ‘head down, take it in turns at the front, smash some gels on the hoof’ sort of speed. Well for me anyway.

Well that didn’t work….

http://maplorer.com/permalink.php?file=2014-05-30_17_34_11_b_124km Dids 2400m.gpx

I’m doing this on Sunday

http://maplorer.com/gpx-view/gpx_view.php

Given current fitness levels, I’m nervous already

If I can get away from work and cycle the 3 miles to Stretford I’d be keen to join.

Usually ride billy-no-mates, so would be good to have a rest behind somebody :-)

I think it looks great.

I’ve got a boring black bike and I wished mine looked like that.

Enjoy it!

Should’ve got the gold service…

Word.

Crashtest monkey.

1) No, I’m not suggesting the two are related, only that before there wasn’t any movement and now there is. The hose bodge is a separate issue.

2) Yes. There is objectively play in the frame and, having taken a before picture of reverb set up, there is no room for interpretation that the hose has been reattached and threaded in a manner which would lead to future malfunction.

Never had anything but good service from Evans tbh.

I knew it was too good to be true.

Took my bike into Evans for them to have a quick look at it.

– There is substantial play in the frame where the bearings haven’t been tightened
– The wrong hardware has been used to re-attach the shock to the frame which is causing some vertical movement
– They have routed the reverb cable hose by cable tying it to the shock (a moving part!) which has caused a horrible kink. There is now some movement when you sit on the saddle – difficult to prove it wasn’t there before, but trust me, it wasn’t.

Ahhhhhhhhh. Kill me.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee’s baaaaaaaack.

There’s always one ‘blow out your cheeks, blink twice’ move and I was waiting to see what it was. Definitely the front flip over the sign with the front wheel tap – outrageous.

I liked it more than the toy one, that felt a little gimmicky.

Re: juxtaposition of landscape vs. redbull drinking, if 2 seconds of cringe allow for the rest of the video, then I think that’s fair.

Though I must say, I don’t know the history, but I’d feel uncomfortable if people had died there and he was riding through there homes. Does anyone know if it was evacuated fully?