The spring could just be jammed up with gunk. Strip it out, clean, soak the bits in oil and re-assemble. If the spring is missing one of the 90 deg bent ends, it’s fooshed.

Deviant – are you guys coping without Woody?

Jacket for Christmas so you can ride the MTB more comfortably during the winter and save for a proper road bike in the summer.

I’ve got a 1973 Leyland bus, would it go dead fast if I took the little emergency window hammer out?

He’s testing you. If you don’t ride the bike he’ll ask you to look after his missus next time he goes away so if his taste in bikes in like his taste in women, ride it quick or you’ll wind up under a fat lass. S’all true I tells ya.

This can work out a little expensive but you get to ride some great trails while you’re there and fritter away a few days in a casino to boot. Book a holiday to Vegas and head for one of the outlet malls. I’ve got more thigh and arse than most ladies football teams and found plenty to fit in the outfitters aimed at the outsized gentleman.

I bought Oakley jeans at $10 a pair and some gap ones at about $20 a pair. The Oakley outlet was amazingly cheap. I went in looking for new lenses for my old race jackets but ended up buying 2 pairs of jeans, 2 t-shirts, a full set of new race jackets and a few odds and ends for less than £100.

As above, flappy fire shifters on a rapid rise rear mech. Just works perfectly for me and I’ve never struggled with shifting accidently whilst braking.

Had 8 weeks off once recovering from an operation and subsequent hospital induced infection. No co-incidence that I got divorced pretty soon after as I was like a really really obnoxious bear with a drill in his head. Still, wife 2 is far nicer!

Mountain biking can clear my head in a few minutes any time it needs clearing. Out the door, on the bike pedal away down the canal and 2 or 3 minutes later I’m on twisty singletrack in the woods and free as a bird.

At least you weren’t washing bits in the HER dishwasher

Put the camping stove in the garden. That way she can stay warm while she cooks your tea and she’ll think how thoughtful and caring you are. Everyone’s a winner.

Apparently the same driver was seen fleeing the scene of both accidents wearing a beret and driving a 2CV with baguettes sticking through the sunroof whilst shouting ALLEZ LES BLEUS!

There were several minutes of the discussion before anyone mentioned unfit people in lycra not paying road tax. Radio 2 standards are slipping.

Got shot by a tank driver outside a power station apparently.

Good job it’s coming down or imagine the embarrassment your family would suffer when the emergnecy services dug your body out of the rubble to find you were part way through building an Orange 5 at the time of your demise.

Working all day tomorrow, then off to my mate’s 2 year old son’s birthday party, big extended family meal tomorrow evening and a Christening on Sunday morning/early afternoon.

Looks like I’ll be riding in the dark at daft o’clock on Sunday morning then. Hey ho.

will I be able to buy anything?

Yes – bobbins rubbish coffee.

Thanks for the advice, and the offer Tinsy. We’ve got a suitable drive to park on. Bike people are just the best 😀

some things actually make things better

mikewsmith – get that printed on a t shirt and you could terrify ludites from down the street.

IT’S

JUST

RAIN

Depends what your legs are like i suppose.

Sadly, I measured my thighs against Sir Chris Hoys at the Manchester Sky ride on Sunday and fell a little short at 25″ compared to his 27″.

Cheers freeridenick, I think we’ll probably end up doing the same and just setting up deck chairs, cool box and plenty of noise making things. Plus umbrellas, wellies, snorkels etc.

You spent much time racing in Belgium Thisisnotaspoon?

Steve, I reckon you’re in for a bit of rain at some point but that’s good as it’ll stop you overheating. I’m glad you want me in front of you if you’re going to poo yourself, the thought of watching your shorts go brown is about as appealling as it sounds.

Generic aluminium taiwanese frame that could have been sold under dozens of names.

Who doesn’t enjoy a poo with a view every now and again?

There’s a good site near Fenny Bently just outside Ashbourne too, seem to remember talk of building a pool on site last time I was there too.

Greenhills between Bakewell and Ashford ticks all your boxes and has a bar (or had when I was last there) but will relieve you of all your pennies. Few nice sites along the Bakewell/Monyash road with all the basics and better value. Youlgreave has a small basic site near a nice pub. Couple of pub sites on the A515, Newhaven on the A515/Cromford road junction has the basics and a small shop but no decent pub within a nice stumble home. I think Lathkill Dale site in Monyash is my favourite and it’s closest pub is very good.

He did it for us all and we should salute him. So long as he wasn’t thinking of us while applying it.

Poopsies – You’ll be gutted to hear that your old local trails are in the best condition for ages right now. Lyme Park, Goyt Valley and some nice Marstons Pedigree on Tuesday night. Over Chinley and Lantern Pike this morning. I’ve lived within a short ride of the Peak District on 3 sides and this area is still my favourite.

There’s a car full of us going up, sounds like a grand ride.

I had this very dilema forced upon me a couple of years ago when some useless waste of flesh set fire to me much loved SWB mid hieght top transit van. I ended up buying an Octavia VRS 1.8 petrol and 4 Thule fancy roof carriers. I’d had 2 extra seats put in the back of the van so it would seat 5 and take 5 bikes at a squeeze but it really was a squeeze without dismantling them. It drove like a van, was noisy and cost more to run but it was my van and at the time I loved it. Since buying the Skoda, I can carry 4 bodies and 4 bikes with ease and in comfort, a fifth bike in the boot and 5 people if needed and still have more useable space for kit with the boot. I wouldn’t say it was an economical car to run but it’s a huge amount of grin and I’d check your tax figures because unless it’s changed dramatically since the 04 plate model I have, a tax disc sets me back £245 a year. Sometimes I do miss having the van but those times are the exception as the car is better 99% of the time. Plus you don’t get asked to do all your mates errands when you don’t have a van.

Sherwood Pines jumpy bits have the same problem. I went down just after Christmas once and the ground was liberally decorated with empty selection boxes. I guess that confirms the age range of the litterers.

If you think it’s pilot error and it really does work, plus you don’t want the negative feedback then you could allow him to return it and sell it again.

It attatches to your Prince Albert for carrying that troublesome third shopping bag home from Greggs.

Brilliant, I regret selling mine but I was skint so it had to go. 2 of my mates have them and love them too. A really well balanced and confident ride, the pivoting back end never moves and it’s great geared or singlespeed.

Crispo, the one you’ve describde is a bridleway and it’s a great descent.

So, you’ve got 2 bikes and prefer the ride of one over the other? Not sure that’s a massive problem really, just ride the one you like.

Thats happening, there are a few spy shots online of the prototype Hydraulic STI lever. Looks like a Campag esque shape with an even more crazy leaning tower of Piza extension on the top.

joemarshall – Mansfield is a great town for mountain biking buying smack, crack and any other class a’s.

I used to pedal an extra 4 or 5 miles on my commute to avoid going through the depressed hell hole that is Mansfield.

As for Ravenshead – smackheads with more trees.