He might’nt’ve. I, however, have. 😀

I asked the salesman. He asked his boss. His boss said it should be OK. Nothing in writing, of course.

However, I did note that Specialized had already heli-taped the right hand chain-stay so I hopefully that’s a good sign.

Now I’ve got it home, can I resist riding it before I get the tape ?

AN absolute must are Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres.

This +1000. Indestructable and grippy. A total pain to get on and off, but you won’t need to do it on a freezing night.

@jamj1974 I so wish you were right. Maybe I’m in the wrong industry.

I presume this is your boss so you had no choice but to loan it. Stuff loaned to management always get returned broken, that’s what they do. To be a manager you have to be a user of other people, that’s what they are.

Stuff loaned to other engineers usually come back in a better state than they went out.

Sadly, in order to continue in an organisation, you have to lend stuff to managers.

riding a sander this weekend, the windows need doing before the winter sets in. if the weather had been rubbish I could have got out…

trail rat – I think you’d want to pilot them into something strong enough to hold a few bikes…but yes, the clug is dumbness incarnate.

Whatever time Eurosport shows the highlights of that day’s racing is when we sit down and eat…can be quite late…

I’ll try that on my electric mower, should liven things up a bit…

Mrs flap_jack has a Ruby in that white. It’d look too sad…

Seatpost, however, I am very much looking forward to.

No Smartwelds in 61. One carbon left in 61. Ordered ! I’ve totally fallen for the hype…

Now for some compass tyres.

Enterprise. Excellent IME.

Not Hertz. Well, I got what I booked after an argument.

This was after my car broke down in France last year so relatively recent experience.

You wouldn’t look like Alan Partridge in this lot.[/url]

Riding just a tiny little bit less hard allows you to ride much longer on your own (fat) resources. Also, less likely to give you CHD in older age. Wish I’d known this earlier…

Woburn 15 minutes from Milton Keynes Central station.

Whenever I try stuff on in M&S or Next I just look like Alan Partridge

One of the reasons that Partridge was such a brilliant comic creation. You can’t escape it. Embrace it.

I’m starting to wonder if tattoos are the only way to subvert it, but I suspect that’s not what you’re after…

Thanks for this. On iplayer now!

So regret R1 stopping the Nihal show.

Done exactly that on a house that sounds the same.

I used insulation rolls for the first room I did, complete PITA. I used the folded stuff for the others, much better.

3 years in seems OK still.

He’s a business journo, dear boy. But your point is well made.

White’s gopping.

Searching for a 2015 smartweld in 61 at the moment…failing miserably. Could stretch to the carbon but worried about that funny rear hub.

So, for completeness, what happens is that you can take your bike through the gates into the circuit and lock it up pretty much anywhere you fancy.

They used to say that bashing a wart with a bible would cure it. I had one on the top of my finger for a couple of years, then accidentally slammed a car door on that finger tip. The wart disappeared (not long after the fingernail…)

It wasn’t a pope-mobile, but I think it’s proof positive that a good thwack encourages the wart to look elsewhere for a safe home.

34 year old Raleigh Record Ace. Massive steel mudguards. Schwalbe marathons. Downtube shifters, no indexing, nothing to go wrong – Hopefully.

Can’t be doing with MTBs in winter. Too much expensive wear and tear…

cassie, where have you found to stay that’s dog friendly ?

thanks – jack

Unless you don’t have a big ring anymore, that is. Pity.

I agree. There is something special in spinning out a 48×11 on sketchy fire-road that seems to gone out of fashion. Not with me it hasn’t, I still like going fast, unlike these 1×9/10/11 modern folk on their safety bicycles. Not too fast, dears, you might scare yourself…

If the weather’s nice it’s worth stopping at the cafe at the top of the Joux Plan. View is fabulous.

Definitely needed the 34×25

I was on the lowest of my triple last year, 30×30 !

They look well ridden so new only to me I guess. Both were quite near the sandy lane car park.

Upgrading to a 720mm bar was a mistake, they are tight !

yep here in MK too

did this 12 years ago, looks as good now as it did then. envy.

do any tour companies still do it ?

fancy Cham to Zermatt one day…

timbur. me too.

20 years in 2 weeks time. Could not imagine life without her.

Top Stuff IMO. Now, where did I put those old tracksters…

hello bigjim -shame, I need an XL – only 6’2″ but oddly shaped.

I really have missed the boat here.

1998 XT cranks ?

That Commencal looks awesome, but push fit BB means junking XT cranks and 142 rear means junking a Hope titanium hub…

I’m not 29er or 650 phobic*, it’s the money.

*I’d love to go 650. I’ve recently got a 630 on my vintage road bike and I can feel even that difference.

Oh would love a Turner but XL needed…

This 650 frame thing works ? With a 26″ wheel fork ? Could be the answer !

I get less cramp if I eat beetroot every day. Steamed, not pickled. What works for me may or may not for you…

@Rob Hilton a spesh (though not an sx) would be ideal.

The commencal on CRC looks great but push fit BB and 142 rear are deal breakers.

The helmet thing – you signed a disclaimer before the event. Seeing as we used to ride motorbikes without helmets when I was a lad, it all seems very over the top. However, we wore helmets, some rather fetching foldable ones which look sort of retro….