Mine can be anything from about 35 mins to 1 hr each way depending on the traffic.

Although when working from our other offices (1 perhaps 2 days a week) it is 4 hours each way by combination of car, train, airplane and taxi. 🙁

IndyFab use XCR as well

Last demo bike I had cost me nothing, had it for a week and they didn't even swipe my credit card. I would not be happy having to pay anything. I realize this is probably the exception.

I can only infer that the dealers/LBS think that charging a fee is in their best interests and that most customers are happy with the principle. Otherwise why would they do it?

Enigmabikes use a mix of Columbus XCR (Stainless), Spirt, Life on their steel road bikes. Isn't the cove handjob also Columbus tubing

Ollie,

I also suffer badly from this. I also suffer from depression and anxiety.

I have always put it down to a side effect of the medication as it seemed to start when I started medication and stopped when I stopped taking the medication.

But now, I am not so sure and think it is just down to how my body (brain reacts to exercise) – doesn't differ significantly whether I exercise lightly for an hour or ride hard for 4 hours.

Never got very far with my GP or various consultants. Yes all down to dopamine and noradrenaline regulation but that is not much help really.

I would try to avoid Kava Kava and GABA. Anything that works on the GABA receptors in the brain whether natural or not is likely to be addictive and habit forming. Valium (Diazepam) and other Benzo minor tranquilizers as well as the non Benzo sleeping pills (Zolpidem etc) all work on the GABA receptors.

Gary

Windsor, Sunningdale or even Chobham would provide you with a nice commute (going via Windsor Park) – but not sure whether I would want to live in any of them as a single bloke. Nice places but family orientated. Windsor has good rail links to town.

I live in Kingston a couple of miles further down the river from Hampton Court where a lot more is going on but that would be right on the upper limit of 1hr assuming you did the most obvious commute.

In my mind Hampton Court is neither one thing or another, wonderful place to visit etc, but nothing much there if you were to actually live there.

Have you considered Walton-on-Thames or even Weybridge? Still quite family orientated, but huge mix of housing stock, from the relatively cheap stuff to the private estates of the celebs etc.

I suppose in the traditional "academic" sense I am highly educated. BSc (First Class), MSc (with Distinction), PhD.

But in many other respects I would consider myself pretty thick relative to my STW brethren. I guess average general knowledge, but no interest in politics or world affairs or anything remotely cultural – not read a book for years etc

I use SLR on all my road bikes – which is a pretty minimal saddle 135g or 125g for the Carbonio(?) version.

Some people swear by these on MTBs as well. I had the SLR XC on an MTB and never got on with it, but then again I have never tried an SLR on my MTBs.

To me the SLR XC was neither one thing nor another, didn't seem to provide any cushioning nor really seem to offer any support/hold you in the right places. I felt as if I was just always slipping off it

Not sure if that helps or not!

xherbivorex – I am bi-polar so no stranger to depression and there is certainly a seasonal element to it – once the clocks change at the end of Oct my mood worsens until Feb or so.

xherbivorex – Premier Member
the underlying problem is the lack of sunshine!

Yes, I did have a bit of a WTF moment – laughing about it with colleagues at work this morning. No prescription for 2 weeks winter sun on the NHS 😥

It is what pomona said in the first post. I work for a airline and next month I may end up being cabin crew 😆

James – I am looking to sell my sell some of my NAIM Olive kit in the near future. I have a NAIM CD3.5 CD player if s/h is of any interest. As EpicSteve says NAIM will sound very different to the warm, laid back presentation of Arcam kit. Gary

Paulscycles.co.uk always have a good selection of new older models heavily discounted

Waves NAIM willy 😆

Can't really add much, that Arcam looks very nice for the price. NAIM are launching their UnitiQute in March – would meet the needs but not the budget (Rumor says £1350 so not even close sadly)

Me too – barely ridden since October due to illness

I built up a new 2009 Whyte Carbon 19 on the basis that I had a new Thomson seat post, stem and XT front mech. It turned out the post was too short, the stem too long and the wrong bleedin' mech 🙄

CaptainFlashheart – Member
BA and a Gold Card seems to work well for me!

Seriously, though, where and when?

A management position at BA works equally well for me! Other than the obvious downsides for working for an airline at moment!

As CFH says where and when?

Daffy – Member
Second Rosa Mexicana if you're on a budget. They make Gauc right at your table and it's AWESOME!

FFS where do you eat when you are not on a budget. Rosa Mex.. is by far from the most expensive place but IIRC correctly it was certainly cost more than you typical high end local neighbourhood restaurant!

It is the best part of a decade since I lived there but the ones which seemed to be top of the list and top $$$ at the time were

1. Union Square Cafe
2. Gotham Bar/Grill
3. Gramercy Tavern

These are expensive places, but not unaffordable for a special occasion.

The other places I remember being very good are Mesa Grill, and Rosa Mexicana. A lot less formal but excellent food.

There is a bias in my "recommendations" in that 4 of them were pretty close to where I lived

Thanks – the insurer is Aviva or whatever they are called. Only been with them a year so will look around but I would be very surprised if I can find anything cheaper (ignoring the excess penalty)

As toys19 says a trip to the docs will no doubt sort it out very quickly. Either a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), the most effective drug (they pretty much stop the stomach producing ANY acid), or a H2 antagonist.

You can buy the later over the counter (ZANTAC – Ranitidine used to be prescription only) in lower dosages but quite expensive for a few days supply. But make sure you speak to the Pharmacist though if you are taking any other medications. Some "anti acids" and other drugs do not mix well or at least should not be taken at the same time.

It could potentially be weak LES but would probably (?) need an Upper GI endoscopy to confirm, which I doubt a doc would suggest unless the problem goes on for a couple of months and doesn't respond to quick course of PPI or H2 jobbies.

If it persists you really need to get it sorted. Left untreated for a long time acid reflux can result in to damage the oesophagus leading to cellular changes leading to a increased risk of cancer (Barretts' Oesophagus)

I suffered from recurring / persistent indigestion 12-18 months ago … I did quite a lot of googling. 😆

wonny j – Member
Drac, I don't think it's a myth. If I have some blue cheese in the evening I'll often have much more vivid dreams, but conversely wake up feeling much more rested.

May be something in this scientifically. Cheese contains tryptophan, a pre-cursor to serotonin which in turn is a pre-cursor to melatonin that helps regulate sleep. Drugs that act on the serotonin system, mainly anti-depressants, often list vivid dreams as a side-effect. A possibility but could equally be b*****ks?

Stress plays havoc with my stomach and digestion, with it becoming increasing acidic. Last time led to a severe case of gastritis that took close on 6 months to resolve.

Tell him to **** off and go and rent a room somewhere else. Life's too short for this sort of petty family sh!t.

What mamadirt said

Leona Lewis – The first time I saw your face

The The – Uncertain Smile
The Cure – Faith

CG – Exposure Therapy sounds like a reasonable approach.

Basic idea would be to cycle into the woods, not too far into the dense woodland but far enough so that the panicky feelings start. Then, stop, get off your bike, and just let the feelings wash through you until they subside, then cycle back out though the woods. Keep repeating going further and further into the woods each time.

I think that is the basic idea and I believe the key is not removing yourself from the "phobic context" until the anxiety has subsided.

Exposure Therapy 😆

Seriously, if you are not aware of it already it may be worth a Google – rely's on a program of steadily escalating tasks or challenges.

atlaz – Member
Agree about Ember Lane. It's on my road loop (Walton, Cobham, Esher, Molesey, Sunbury and Walton again) and it's more or less the least favourite part. Not sure why, it just seems like it never ends.

Same here. I hate that stretch from Hampton Court to Esher, even more so on an MTB trying to get to Littleworth Common. Could it be that it is a false flat, certainly always seems better on the way back than the way out?

Bushwacked – Premier Member
GJP – The role isn't suitable and its not being offered. Its not about having my cake and eating it – its about fair play and them ruining my Xmas and faith in being loyal to a company.

If the role is not suitable then it all seems rather academic. The point I believe several of us have made is that it is one option or the other and not both. A company can either choose to make your position redundant or provide you with an opportunity to take on another suitable role.

Cake and Eat It – WTF? And what makes you believe you may be entitled to any form of redundancy payout if the company have found you another suitable role, rather than making your redundant?

This 4WD Audi driver certainly is not of the opinion that "I need to get to work no matter what". Not been to work for 3 weeks tomorrow. Going a little stir crazy at home though 😆

2unfit2ride – Member
GJP, rates would need to move above +1% for 1 to be more expensive than 2, even then it would be close, it would probably take +1.5% to make an appreciable difference.
Banks are tightening up big time, & there are very few 'free' products around. As for my position regarding risk V's reward, I guess I'm conservative, so would rather pay in the short term to reap in the long term, but then if we knew what would happen long term we wouldn't have mortgages

Cheers.

Thanks – I was guessing with number of 0.25% rises that would be needed to make the monthly payments of 1 and 2 broadly the same. Makes option 1 even more attractive IMO and I would consider myself to be risk averse.

My deal expired at the end of December and I just went back to Nationwide's standard BMR at 2.50%.

Leaves me a little exposed as I will need to keep an eye on how the rates in the market place are changing even if the base rate stays the same, although I personally have never gone for a fixed deal and always a tracker. But none of the tracker/fixed deals I was looking at seemed very attractive in Nov/early December.

Again, I would never want to be tied in for more than 2/3 years, but other people are perfectly happy with this.

So of the options you have listed it would be option 1 were it for me and my circumstances.. It provides flexibility to review the position in a few months time, provides rooms for perhaps 3 quarter point base rate rises before option 2 would become cheaper on a month by month basis?

At the end of day – everyones needs and views on financial risks are different. My decisions are based on the fact that I really do not like upfront fees (opaque pricing), I want flexibility with no extended lock-in, I am prepared to float with the market within reason as I do not need absolute certainty over a period as to what my mortgage payments will be.

The deals you outline are all very different at different ends of the spectrum. Do you know where you fall and what aspects of the deals you like rather than just the rates and monthly payments themselves?

I live in a 2 bed flat.

Old mansion block style so fairly generous proportions by modern standards or those in some conversions. The two beds are 13"3' x 11'3" and 12'6 x 11'3". This provides plenty of space for standard doubles and bedroom furniture or more importantly bikes!

I think simon_g has it about right for the lower limits 10 by 8 or 9 by 9. But to me these are double guest rooms and would provide very little space for storage.

easy 2 + 3 . Amitryptiline will cure your neuralgic back pain and depression in one

withdraws wand!

If you were my GP and you prescribed me Amitryptiline I would put that wand of yours where the sun does not shine 😆

Of all the "psych" drugs I have taken (and trust me I have taken a fair few) it had the worst side effects I have ever experienced even at very low dosages (ie. 10-20 mg to aid sleep).

Just stopped in Teddington/Kingston area. About 1/2 inch outside at the moment

I would definitely choose a compact. A 12-27 cassette has the same ratios as a 12-25 for the first 8 gears so your are not loosing anything there.

I once had a 10 speed 105 triple groupset and found it no easier than using a compact and a wide ratio cassette. I sort of equated it to the laws of diminishing returns and I found it didn't really seem make getting up hills any easier, it just seemed to take longer and prolong the agony.

Quality of gear changes suffered as well – more like an MTB rather than a well set-up double road set-up.

The stumpjumper HT is at post number 23 now I believe. 🙄

Throughly hated Cairo, but at the same time I was very glad I went to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx etc.

A real eye opener for me to the third world and in truth probably a lot better than a great deal of places, but it was extremely chaotic, and even the locals didn't seem to know their way around.

I lost it with a Taxi Driver when he asked for Tip at the end of a ride after stalling his car numerous times in the centre of any number of busy traffic junctions and then dropping us off at least a mile from our hotel. Here's a tip "get your f*****g car fixed"

Luxor was much more laid back, although the 13 hour train journey from Cario to Luxor was a little uncomfortable. I flew back from Luxor to Cairo. It effectively meant 13 hours without food (see below) and it was a little off putting to have your train carriage guarded by a child (about 12-13 years old would be my guess) with a machine gun, as the trains between Cairo and Luxor were at the time often(?) subject to terroist attacks.

We did the usual Karnac Temple? Valley of the Kings on Donkeys etc, Hot Chicken Soup Temple (not its real name obviously) a few weeks before a bus load of tourists were blown up there. We did a trip starting at about 3am to cross the river, pick up our Donkeys and ride in the valley to see the sights and get back before mid-day before it was too hot etc. Fantastic.

If you are prepared to put up or enjoy a lot of hassle, the constant begging (Cario rather than Luxor), the inconvenience of not being able to eat anything that is not cooked to only brush your teeth with bottled water and having to check that the bottle is sealed etc before using it, then OK the sights are a once in a lifetime experience. But I wouldn't go back, on balance I am not a great traveller / explorer