Just to add to this thread. Having taken the advice given by "Sealskinz" above, I started to tumble dry my socks on a cool setting….. and they delaminated. When I sent them back, they were returned with a note saying that I had obviously hot washed or tumble dried them so it was my own fault.

Moral is, don't believe everything you read on this forum! And don't put your sealskinz in the tumble dryer.

Ooh – that's nice!

Sorry – doesn't really help you but had to comment 🙂

Go into your wiggle account and change your "newsletter" preferences.

You'll automatically get a £5 off £50 order.

HTH

Got a Use Alien (old style) one you can have for not much money if you want to try one 😉 – hardly used it really.

Email in profile….Sorry.

All signed up here too. Been meaning to do it for years but A group of us finally bit the bullet. Don't think I've ever simultaneously looked forward to and dreaded something so much in my life !

As for other stuff, probably just the usual mix of enduros and uplifts. Nothing else booked as yet. Quite fancy another avalanche enduro but I'm not convinced about Ae as a venue. Real shame Kielder isn't happening this year.

Edit: oops- just re-read the OP! We're planning on staying for another week and probably heading over to Les Deux Alpes for some xc & dh riding

Yum

Where does the bike go though?

If you're set on a Westie, get him/her insured from the outset.

They can be great pets but have more than their fair share of health problems!

Ah, the joy of crap exchange rates 🙁 . It's put me off going this year.

Not sure about the 19, but the E-120 comes with a shim already fitted to allow the use of "standard" BBs.

Well mine did anyway 🙂

If the pics I've seen online are legit the new XTR does look bloomin lovely.

All this "embargo" and leaking pics stuff is surely just marketing really – helps to hype the product before release.

Rockthreegozy – they certainly haven't shipped for free when I've bought stuff from them. Is that the case for more expenive orders?

I love my XO gear but XTR has come on a lot in the last few years. I was really impressed with a friends XTR setup I tried last year.

Can't go wrong with either really. IME – XO functions slighter better, doesn't last quite so long but is easier to service/repair than XTR

2nd vote for Aspire – excellent service.

Not sure about postage for a complete wheel though – I've only had spares off them.

Oops – guess I didn't look hard enough 😳

I agree – not so much trolling as getting people's attention in order to start a debate.

I think the op (of the original thread) made a valid point.

IMHO 😉

Working today and depressingly busy as everyone crawls out of the woodwork post ice age.

Hopefully out on the bike tomorrow for the first time in far too long 🙂

I was just looking at this earlier today – the format doesn't really grab me (I've raced on the old Red Bull track before and it's blooming hard work, especially by the n'th lap).

The fact that it's raising money for the Welsh Air Ambulance may well tempt me to come down and enter though 🙂

Yep – working dog food tends to be higher protein & higher calories. Not needed and often detrimental for your average pet.

anagallis_arvensis – I wouldn't get too bogged down with the specific ingredients unless you're trying to solve a particular problem. All those are fine foods. When I say cheap stuff I mean the £15 for a 15kg bag types. I get a bit worried when ingredients like "meat derivitives" are mentioned – floor scraping generally! Also, the required amounts per dog are often less with better quality food, and Fibre tends to be more soluble meaning less residue (Pooh)

As mentioned, it's really a question of finding a food that suits your dog and sticking with it – good body condition and healthy coat are a reasonable guide (and pooh consistency for that matter 🙂 )

Nothing wrong with a Good Quality complete dog food. Some good example above – James Wellbeloved, Hills, Eukanuba, Royal Canin. As with anything you tend to get what you pay for. Yes, most dog will find the cheap own brand stuff very pallatable (lots of salts/sugars help that!) but I wouldn't recommend reading the ingredients!

Dry food's easier to handle & store and tends to be better for dental health etc.

Cock!

It was very entertaining watching him on Nevermind the Buzzcocks. He couldn't have made himself look any more stupid!

MBR reviews talk complete tosh most of the time to be honest. I wouldn't take anything they say that seriously!

Did it last year – best event I've done in years.

You're only timed on the "special stages" which were all downhills. You just had to get to the top of the next one before your start time, or the clock started without you. Very relaxed atmosphere and plenty of time between stages to allow you to get to the next without going mad.

And no you don't have to be a DH god – a 4-5" travel bike seemed spot on for the event. The qualifying stage on the first day sorts out your start times for the main event so you end up racing between riders of a similar ability for the most part.

They're not running a stage at Kielder this year though are they – only Ae and Glantress according to the website?

Bizarrely Wiggle have 2 different Phantom II jackets. Both descriptions are exactly the same but one is £99, one £89. I emailed them and they reckone the more expensive one is slightly thinner material but just as warm!

FWIW, I got the £89 one for Christmas and it's fab. Plenty warm enough, even now, with a thin merino beneath. With the £20 off £100 spend it's a bargain (it's how I got it in their pre christmas sales 🙂 )

Hmm – I got that email too. Not sure where it's come from (ie where they got my email address from) though so I haven't bothered looking 🙁

Ah ok. That makes sense – Thanks for the info.

Ooh blimey. Is it that time already.

We're supposed to be doing it this year! Time to get organised then…

Well I don't agree with the sentiments shown in this thread so I'm not going to bother posting here!

I have to agree. Whilst I should probably mtfu and get the bike out, I have been doing a bit more exploring on foot in the snow and ice.

It's amazing the extra detail you notice and it is incredibly peaceful just me and the dog.

It's just a bit frustrating you don't really get anywhere. And the downhills are nowhere near as enjoyable-I'd have killed for some skis in Hafren forest last week 🙂

Blimey – I don't really fit into either of the above demographics! Does that make me "special" 🙂

Ah, hang on. I am male, white and a bit deranged….

Ade – love that Preston, esp the paintwork/decals 🙂

32 and you're being told off by your dad 😆

I'm 37, I've been night riding for a few years and I'm pretty sure my parents, along with quite a few other people, think I'm completely insane. I like it though 🙂

It's not something I often do on my own as that's perhaps pushing things a bit but, especially with modern lighting, I'm not sure it's any more "dangerous" than your average daylight ride? imho

Nope

We've just had someone out to replace the outlet fan in our combi boiler. 25 min job as he happened to have the right fan in his van (£75 + VAT for the fan). He's also coming back next week to replace the pressure gauge that hasn't worked since we moved in!

He reckoned the total price would be around £200. That's in mid Wales though 🙂

Real shame they don't seem to be doing one at Kielder this year – last year was fantastic!

And again, wow 😯

Bring on Halloween. That's what I say 😈

I've used the "fake" (Non-Nintendo) ones in the past and you can definitely tell the difference – I sent mine back and got proper ones.

The sound was tinny, the vibration feedback no where near as strong and the general quality wasn't as good. Get what you pay for I reckon.

imho 🙂

There was very little snow or ice around at CyB on Saturday but that was before the recent deluge.

Sorry – not much help really! 😳

Minion DHF single ply 60a on the front. Loads of grip and predictable sliding.

Still a bit heavy but no where near as slow rolling as a Super Tacky.

Still deciding what to put on the rear to replace the Kenda – between a HR, advantage or Ardent….