revs – nice, needs dry ice too for when the doors open on bike retrieval.

Bolehills is open, up and running.

Most of the jumps more dirt jump than DH style though. Greno good for getting into it, a few medium sized tabletops at Parkwood too.

Chesterfield BMX track, Staveley, used to be great but not been for years.

I’d love a garage with a pit. Possible valuable feature for resale. Can’t you just board it over?

Definitely swap all bulbs for LED – interior especially in case you leave them on. I did front console, sliding door footwell and interior overhead and DRLs as well, cool white look much better than poor halogen yellow.

Swap headlight bulbs for Osram Nightbreakers – getting into the bulbs is tricky, reach behind, find the wire and push towards the bottom of the van.

I also swapped my orange indicator bulbs for chrome for a clean look.

Small subtle and cheap tweaks to make it ‘yours’.

Tailgate downlighters are superb, had them on my Vito, not done it on the Kombi yet but miss them. I’m getting a 3 way switch in the head lining so I can have the tailgate off/on/switched, same as the interior lights. Put the switch out of the way so a load doesn’t knock it.

Caravelle is lowered 20mm already I think but something like H&R’s can improve look/ride for not much.

Bird Zero AM here. Been at the BMX track this morning, pumptrack and off to the dual track this afternoon. Also surprisingly rapid down rocky Peak descents. Not as fast as a dedicated bike for each of these but way more flexible. I have a new 155mm travel bike too but love riding the Bird. Just loving riding at the moment!

The only reason I can think I’ll watch it is being on a long haul flight with nothing better to do…

I flew Trans Atlantic recently and this was on. I was bored so had a watch. Then turned it off again. Awful!

Interesting, thanks.

I usually hire from the French side for skiing but this going to cause problems..

It’s almost as if they don’t want the cars back, the French car hire return is (or used to be) so well hidden with no signs. The airport is a rabbit warren too and not easy to get to the French side.

Also worth noting the route through Geneva without using the motorway is torturous.

Swiss hire cars seem more expensive at first glance but on checking, in winter they come with winter tyres and a motorway vignette too so no additional costs needed to take the easy route or add chains etc.

I’ll watch how this one develops.

My mate recommended XM481’s – he’s a shop owner and podium downhill rider who puts them on all his ‘rowdy’ builds now – Orange Alpine, Transition Patrol.

I’ve only got 3 rides on them so far on a new bike but starting to push them on rocky downhills and got a few PB’s today. They are stiff, wide and give a great tyre volume. I’m down to 26psi rear on a Patrol for fast rocky DHs (bad line choice, bashing through stuff and launching drops) and seem good so far.

Having had Flow EX’s I’d put the 481’s as similar.

Our boy certainly didn’t sleep that much. And he was rarely quiet when awake. Unfortunately didn’t seem to come with a warranty. They are all different though, good luck!

He’s brilliant now!

That’s what I’d do too. You get to walk it up past Small Water and see what you are in for. If you are up for it after the ride you could take the left up Harter, or just carry on down a fun but straight forward blast down to Haweswater directly.

Rick Keates used to do this kind of thing, he also works on Manon and Sam Dale’s bikes so is very good.

I found a really old advert, his mobile still current, so he might be able to help – rather than post his number here, scroll down for the flyer.

http://www.gravity-slaves.co.uk/?a=508

I’ve not seen him since last year though so don’t know if he’s still for hire.

Could the local “authorities” (whoever they are of the area) think about making “BBQ Safe areas”

The problem is the people that would use this expensive investment don’t need them supplying in the first place, as they are already the responsible ones.

As above, after a few unscrewing sessions and lots of swearing you have 3 choices
– loctite valve cores
– carry a valve core tool
– buy something that doesn’t screw on
Last time this was raised I was told ‘you are doing it wrong’, I suspect designing a thread that relies on greater friction than the other thread to function is actually doing it wrong…

I have bought another Mountain Morph (great) and dumped my Lezyne Alloy Drive.

The birzman adaptor is great, I have a brilliant tiny roadie pump with their click on system so would look at an apogee pump too.

And CO2 (push on) for when it’s cold, dark, raining, midgy or combination of the above! With a spare micro pump of course.

Which card model and speed?
What format/resolution were you filming in?
All firmware up to date?

Blooming weird , I tried to type ‘love mine’ above, not mine mine!

Under £50 if the above price match works for you, it did for me.

True, there are many lighter or more flexible cook systems or there. Jetboil wins on stability and integration, for me. You can hold it like a mug while it boils if you need. The pot can’t slide off. You don’t need a separate mug. It’s insulated. Very neat complete system. I’ve not used my msr since I got my Jetboil.

Mine mine. Simple system, lives in my van, brilliant for a fast brew after a ride, stable and all in one. Can be stood or hung. Will do noodles, but simmer control isn’t great. I use it camping to get a fast brew on then another stove for meals.

Got mine pretty cheap, Go Outdoors offer a 10% price beat promise of you find it cheaper. Dechathlon have the Zip cheap, needs a lighter or flint but you can stash that in the base.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/jetboil-zip-camping-stove-id_8248843.html

Salice glasses are a nice lower priced alternative that worked better than Oakleys for me. Grip well and have a spare clear lens. Mine came with photo chromatic ones for about £60.
As with anything, fit is personal, try with your helmet to make sure.

http://www.salice.co.uk/category/bike-sunglasses

Last time I emptied jelly babies into my pocket it rained. Messy!
Another tip – load your back pocket in reverse layers. I had fig rolls for ‘breakfast’, flapjack for mid morning and jelly babies as a snack and a gel at the bottom for emergency energy.
Little and often though, 3 fig rolls was enough per go. Something like 35g of carbs an hour. Eat 20 mins ahead of when you need it.

That was my strategy and it was great. I managed to ride twice as fast as I’ve ever ridden, kept my pace higher than usual and was still walking around all afternoon.

I’d say hydration and skills riding in a group are more important than food.

I did the TdY Sportive as my first road event and was nervous and wondering about gels.
I had 2, near the end.
My mate had about 12 and it was messy!
I tucked one in my short leg at the feed station, was easy to retrieve and had a jacket covering my jersey pocket. I also tuck the empty wrappers up there too, saves getting the rest of my pocket contents sticky.

It’s not technically a speaker. It’s a DEWALT DAB radio.

Yes, powered mine off a battery speaker/USB socket as a portable wireless streamer.
I also ran mine off a backup battery and plugged my headphones in. Worked a treat, sounded great.

Cheers

I was advised the Reverb ‘just fits’ but last night found there’s a linkage that pierces the seat tube, orientating this correctly lets the barb clear a groove.

So short answer is Reverb fits, no need to remove connectamajig. Sorted. I found an old barb so may remove itnin future anyway, can’t see the need on my setup, adds complexity and weight.

It’s better to spend too much and waste a little than spend too little and waste the lot.

Or perhaps kids just have wilder imaginations than (most) adults

Last week:

Him – Daddy, tell me a story about the ninjas. The fire ninjas. Cooking bacon. On Lego.
Me – The fire ninjas cooking bacon on lego?
Him – Yes. Not the turtles under the bed. They eat sausages.

He’s 3 1/2 and we’ve never spoken about ninjas before.

Gentle rides:

Round Ladybower, start/stop at Fairholmes
Drive to Hassop, food at the station lovely, ride the Monsal Trail
Endcliffe Park for a couple of miles, check out Shepherds Wheel then ice cream at Forge Dam cafe, very easily rideable from city centre

Museums with industrial stuff:
Weston Park
Kelham Island – see the River Don engine running
Abbeydale Indistrial Hamlet
http://www.simt.co.uk/

Magna – https://www.visitmagna.co.uk/

Love the Vaults to ride but the sealing is poor in my experience too, I have the same issues, need frequent rebuilds with thick waterproof grease and eventually an axle. Not high mileage either and bike often dried with dehumidifier and then mud brushed off.

I’ve just bought another set though – Mg Vaults, 18 bikes have them at a good discount. Standard ones can be got for £68ish.

Average speed for a Tour de France rider on flat terrain is 25 – 28mph

TdY Stage 2 – not much up and down – 26.8mph with some fast mates and closed roads : https://www.strava.com/activities/561136295

I rode part of the Tour 2 years ago and created a segment that takes in 2 big climbs, Buttertubs and Grinton Moor. The KOM was 25mph over both climbs! I was utterly blown at a mere 15.9mph, which put me 140odd from 4540 folk so over 20 is solid!

https://www.strava.com/segments/7581128

My postman in Sheffield is ace

Is he called Ian?

Used to drive an old landy. The hard top was in my girlfriend’s garden. Summer storm overnight meant I drove through rush hour traffic in a topless ’72 plate Landy in a suit and my housemates postie jacket. Turned up like a drowned rat. Didn’t get the job. Married the girlfriend though!

The idiots that didn’t read my CV and assumed I’d had a year out in industry and asked random questions about my ‘year out’ I hadn’t done.

The interview by wrote from a tick box psychometric test that was surreal. He passed it to me at the end and said ‘read it and weep’.

The one where I sat in the MDs chair…

Fortunately all 20 years ago, not had one in 10 years now. Might get some more practice in.

Brentacre
A Plan
NFU Mutual

Was with the last one, now with Brentacre. Cheapest. Brilliant and no charge for most basic mods, just drop them a mail to update policy.

Menu, Training, Courses

I think you mean Six Sigma. Rather than 5S.

I think he means 5S – good guide for work space optimisation.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/5S_(methodology)

If it’s just for a shifter a skate shop might have some off cuts in the bin. I asked and got about a 6″ strip.

I use Linux and an Edge

Just connect with cable, mount as drive and access activities, copy on routes and upload firmware.

I can’t remember off hand but there are instructions online which folder to place files in and there’s a repository of firmware you can download and copy.

I looked into this briefly but don’t know much either, we only have a Chromecast and no rears, partly as the TV doesn’t pass 5.1 and we are not ready to replace that yet.

First you need to ensure you can get 5.1 from the TV to Sonos, can you check a broadcast and tick that first.

Once you know the playbar can get 5.1 you can work upstream.

Another option I have seen on the Sonos forums is an HDMI switcher with an optical out. HDMI from each device will pass 5.1 audio to the box and the box passes optical to the playbar, no other optical input needed.

Local bike shop?

Elite Custom Race on the road bike

Elite Cannibal on the MTB

105 if you are sensible, Ultegra as a treat. Dura Ace if you have cash to blow.

Even the pros don’t often run dura ace as they don’t need to save the weight and it’s a good unbranded place to add a bit without running something heavier than sponsor provided and promoted branded top end kit.

The cut off is the big road from Grenoside.

The car park is on Wharncliffe side, which is usually terrible in the wet and largely unmanaged and unsigned trails which are awesome in the summer.

Over the road is Grenoside where there are the 3 man made surfaced mini dh tracks and fire road climbs.

From how you describe your riding, which is just kind mind, I’d say lightweight fast road bike.

Shop around if you can. I bought a very reduced Focus Izalco last year, over a grand off. Carbon, full DA9000, decent wheels, under 16lbs with cages and Garmin mounts. Not bad! Compared to my decent aluminium Cube before, it’s a stunning ride, so fast and fun, I grin every time I’m out on it.