Echo maxtorque above. Sadly it’s quite fragile. I do wonder if fatbikes would be the answer, do they cause less erosion ? Also, they’d be ace on the (pretty extensive) sandy parts…

Crikey! I just seen him in the local newspaper. He must live about a mile from me! I really hope I bump into him (early) one summer sunday to wish him well.

It’s the variety of stuff that happens here – and there’s always a great vibe whatever the event.

Mrs flap_jack loved it too, mumbling something about if she was 30 years younger she’d love to have given it a go.

Today, off for another of MK’s hidden gems – the wonderfully quiet road riding to the west of the city, having enjoyed endless singletrack up at Woburn on Friday – as the posters said, no better place to live if you’re a cyclist.

We had it all day yesterday. And it’s just come out today. Forecast was grim so lined up some DIY which now doesn’t look so tempting…

It’s the number of folk who sit stationary in jams for ages with their foot on the footbrake with their 2 million lumen LEDs burning out my retina…

Fabulous. And being able to walk there…I love living in MK.

Some observations.

I think the host requirements have a really dry humour running through them. I wish I could help, but I don’t have a spare room.

I have a (post-war) Record Ace. I’d rather ride it over 200 miles than a carbon bike. caveat – I’ve never ridden 200 in a day, although I have done 140.

Personally I’d do as terrahawk suggests, but work out half a dozen routes. I did 100 a day for 2 weeks once, point to point. I was weeping for my own bed by the end.

The very best of luck to him.

we had to ram a screwdriver in when the ‘tool’ got left at home. worked fine…

Could be the saddle is too wide and she’s riding too far forward so that her legs can reach down. Mrs flap_jack went to a narrower saddle which cured all such ills. Now uses a Spesh Riva at 155mm, the sit-bone machine said 168 but the 155 works much better.

Lovely. Did it in 2003, had similar weather to you.

vikeypea, mrs_flap had serious spine surgery 17 years ago. She was told she wouldn’t be able to run or cycle. She regularly runs 10k and has done three (road) centuries this year. Good luck !

Yep I just had a good experience too. Ball joint broke on way home from Morzine two saturdays ago. Lyon control got us to a hotel, hire cars, fixed the car in France, I went out last weekend and got it fully paid-for.
Just under the £500 limit for car fix. All good. Car 20 years old, no limit to age !

Their website looks great, but is actually rubbish if you try to do anything. Couldn’t do a roaming data top-up last week whilst in Morzine, which tied us to the chalet wi-fi instead of being able to work whilst out cycling. Total RUBBISH.

well, the bar’s (obviously) closed so I can’t actually say which one…

BTW, wall to wall sunshine so far this week.

If I were in Scotland, I would vote YES for sure. Whatever happens has got to be better than the blind alley that the UK has been led down for the last 35 years. I’d vote to leave the ship before it sinks.
I hope the Scots then throw their considerable intellectual muscle into Europe and strengthen the anti-anglosphere coalition there.

What is the point ? You’ll blind any of your mates whoa are following, and burn a bike-sized blind spot into the retina of any car / lorry driver behind.

oooh, interesting, coatesy. The bike’s been a right faff to get the shifting smooth since new.

Why not keep the old 105 mech ? It’s been a load of hassle for a 36 tooth gear, but we want to ride up the Joux Plane next week when we go to Morzine, and for mrs flap having the ultimate bail-out gear will make the difference.

I will try and get a hanger, although the bike is nearly new and never been dropped. ALways worth having a spare even if it’s OK. I’ll report back findings…

Oddly, considering my username, they make me ill. Gliadin intolerance. I thought you’d said you were gluten intolerant, CG, so be careful.

I try and put my bike in the sun for half an hour before the ride to cheer it up. Always seems to ride faster.

Thanks all.

I nicked the mech off my MTB and that worked. Well, a bit rough but usable. The MTB mech is and older generation of XT and seems to have a slightly shorter cage. The new XT mech works fine on the MTB (which is 9 speed). I think it’s all about tolerances.

I have now re-used a 10 speed chain-link about 6 times, which I believe means I shall burn in hell…

Thanks – didn’t shift properly when I put the old cassette back, nor with the original SRAM chain.

Putting the old 105 cassette back sorted it, but we’re back to the 12-28 cassette…

Meribel, as long as you don’t mind pedaling.
Chamonix if you don’t go July/August and you don’t mind pedaling.

Due over the Forties festival at the MK museum today at 1540.

One only, and it flew over at 1515.

I saw it, but many folk were inside looking at stuff, expecting it to be on time and missed out. It was supposed to be the highlight of a big two-day festival.

A bit shoddy really. A few minutes, well OK. Half an hour early…

Weather too unpredictable, too many walkers, too far (even from Milton Keynes I can get to the Alps for a couple of extra hours at the wheel – last time to Lakes was 7 hours, I’ve got to Chamonix in 10)…

hmm the battery’s shot on our PD Golf but it still (just) starts. I think the OP has eliminated that.

Good luck, there’s a billion bits of trickery to go wrong…

Underworld’s Dubno… coming soon.

I experienced some right idiots banging out a chain line out of london squeezing past amateurs and street furniture. Not only that, but then swearing F and C words at anyone who came near them.

Had a lot of that last year. Shoulder charged a few, after I’d had enough of it. At 105 kg I was always gonna win !

ever had the power shut off issue.

left in the backpack or back pocket

Caused by vibration on bike mounts. Never had one shut off in a backpack either.

Glad they’ve sorted it now.

Just like mine. Indestructible.

ETrex shutting off

Have they sorted out the problems with the eTrex whereby they randomly cut out when on the trails ? There used to be a press fit electrical connection between the batteries and the unit which vibrates open circuit when the unit gets a bit worn (a couple of years of use). I’ve had two eTrex units with this problem. No problems when hiking, but a PITA when riding.

My 800 has been perfect, however.

Foolishly I’ve a load of rides only stored on GC. Can I get them back ? I see you can export TCX and GPX, but they were uploaded as .fit.

I just don’t get why wider tyres feel so much slower yet the tests say they’re faster.

I’m looking for a flaw in the testing mechanism. Could be that there’s some difference between power as measured on the rolling road, and power on a ride ? The rolling road is constant, the actual ride is lots of constant accelerations and decelerations with each pedal stroke ? Don’t know why, but my legs tell me that narrower is faster, and I’ve tried 28 /25 /23.

Anyone 6′ 5″ running a 60 ? Can you get the bars and saddle at the same height ?

I got wrestling. Then Squash. Both of which I hate with a passion. I do hope no-one in the wider world is taking it at all seriously.

Dragon has it. (Very approximately) 40% in cycling, 60% running according to Dr Colgan.

I’d just like to point out that, naming vehicles aside, I’ve not used the diaries as a manual for life.

He did us a great service, however, by detailing what a nasty bunch of Nazis the Conservatives really are.

All named. As are the cars. And the house.

I think it started when I read Alan Clarke’s diaries (he named his cars).

why no 63 in the ATR ?