We spend around £60 a week at the supermarket, then I spend between £10 and £12 Monday lunch time to get what I need for the week at work. Them we may have a takeaway at the weekend, so add another £20.

So about £90 between two of us.

We then spend around £20 a week on the cats food!

Used mine this morning – It’s a bit rattly, but has improved my roadrat no end (pannier rack and bag on one side + roadrat frame = noddle bike!).

You really need to tighten the clamp up, otherwise it rotates easily.

Fits all I need in it without being expanded, so have room for extras if/when required.

Awesome for £14.10. :D

Also I think the frame would double up for bikepacking duty nicely if you strapped a dry bag to it.

Perfect for my winter commuter. Cheers for that.

Grenowoods (across the road) trail centre should be open – I’ve not heard of any maintenance going on. Wharncliffe woods has no maintained trails, so is always open but will be very muddy.

Chris Froome

Professional Road Racing Cyclist

Christopher Clive Froome, OBE is a British road racing cyclist for UCI ProTeam Team Sky. He is the reigning Tour de France and Vuelta a España champion and one of the most successful riders in the history of the Tour, having won it four times – in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017. He is a bean pole.

:D

Lady at work once brought in a vegan un-cooked (must have been set somehow?) nut and seed cake thing. I wasn’t brave enough to try it based on it’s looks and smell, and the one person that was spat it out…

Would have been a bit less awkward if it wasn’t her birthday, and she hadn’t spent most of the evening before making it.

In the same boat here, did mine trials riding. I’ve been taking ibuprofen and applying heat/cold whenever I can and trying to keep active.

Wednesday night was pretty bad, had to get the mrs to pick me up halfway home – proper sharp, intense pain, spasms and struggling to walk, but now it’s just a slight ache.

Give it a few days to settle down before trying to stretch it, mine was a dull ache until I did some exercises similar to what’s mentioned above on Tuesday. That set it off and made things 10x worse.

Good job. :D

I’m scared of spiders, don’t mind them being around mostly, but wouldn’t be able to hold one. No idea if it’s learnt behaviour or not, but I’m genuinely terrified by them.

When we had a big wolf spider on the bedroom ceiling and I just couldn’t go to sleep with it there. The Mrs put it outside for me!

Strange thing is, I’ve owned a few (and still do own one) tarantulas. Don’t hold them as I think they don’t need or benefit from it (plus there a chance of hurting and/or killing them if dropped), but I’m not scared of them like I am of the big wolf spiders you get in the garage/shed etc.. I think it’s a speed thing, the tarantulas I’ve had where all docile, massive, slow lumps that barely move!

After the Losi I got this –

It wasn’t that fun really, it was big and fast, but the 4wd made it just go where you pointed it without much drama.

Are Losi still going? I had a xx-cr buggy when I was younger, remember putting a big 540 motor in it and an LRP Runner speed control. It was rapid!

One of these –

Do you think everyone gets angry when stuff doesn’t show up, or just people who are waiting for bikes/bike bits?

I’ve not raged in any normal life situation as much as I have when a new bike bit hasn’t arrived when it should have!

As a teenager I would even ride 7 miles to get to a BMX track (on a BMX)

That reminded me, we once rode our BMXs from Sheffield to Chesterfield (down a dual carriageway! silly kids…) to go to the skatepark. That was after riding 5/6 miles from home into the town centre and spending half the day riding. Wish I was that fit now!

Now I live next to Wharncliffe woods, so almost always straight from home, unless I go to Sherwoodpines or to a race.

It should be remembered, if not for the people who gave their lives or sanity to give us the life we all have, thinking we’re now too important or somehow above learning lessons from our past is unbelievably narrow minded.

IMO, those that remember the horror of war would do everything in their power to prevent it happening again. Those that don’t would risk it for financial/political/personal gain…

I got a lift home last night – it was pissing it down, and I’ve had a niggling lower back ache ever since I bought the trials bike (big surprise there!). Basically couldn’t be arsed dealing with either last night!

Did some stretches at home last night and something let go, getting some very painful spasms now. :( Still got a lift back into work this morning and intend to ride home tonight, hopefully a steady spin will help the back ease off…

Still going strong, need some new (smaller sized) winter gear though.

We’ve had the first load of grit put down on Sheffield roads this week, so I’m packing the roadrat up for the winter (I know the frame is pretty cheap, but it’s got loads of nice bits and alloy spoke nipples…) and digging out my old cannondale badboy – it’s heavy and slow, but it puts up with wet and salt really well.

I’ve got an old traxxas nitro rustler (I think that’s the model name?) in the garage – Its a 1/10 stadium truck with a 2.1 engine. At the time engines that big only went in 1/18 cars, so it was pretty radical to put it in a 1/10 RWD truck.

It really needed the wheelie bar, and went through back tyres astonishingly quickly!

Its not been started for about 14 years, wonder if it would run…

Im doing it on my Karate monkey, just fitted the 27 plus wheels today. say hello if you you see a purple one.

wilsation – I didn’t see your post before the race, was nice to have a quick chat though (before I was blowing too much to talk or keep up!) The KM looked well nice with plus tyres.

That headwind on the beach was a killer, I’m just glad it was on the shorter section of sand, rather than the longer one!

Was a great race, hope it comes back next year. :-)

Yea, I’ve watched him a lot, It was watching Ali C for the last year that inspired me to give it a go really. Used to love finding a random obstacles with riding mates and seeing what everyone could do on it, everyone had their own strengths and style so you’d always see something new and unexpected.

To be fair, you can get a proper 20″ trials bike for pretty cheap on eBay, I just had the spare cash and felt the N+1 itch. Also, Hans Ray managed pretty well on a bog standard hardtail with v-brakes. 8O

Had a good couple of hours on the bike this morning (yep, it were dark, but I wanted to get out!).

Good news is my body seems to remember a lot from my bmx days. 180 endos and hops are doable, as are roll backs and blunts/fufanus (? Spelling) on kerbs, trackstands ok, all once I was used to how twitchy the thing is. Managed a few 10m ish manuals, and back hopped from one kerb to another across a road (not in one hop!). It wasn’t pretty, but I managed.

Bad news is I’ve already made and ripped off a callus on each hand! Need my hands to toughen up…

Hope trialzone brakes are epic. Flat pedals after 10 years on spds are really strange, Still twisting my foot off the pedals…

I was eying up a half meter tall concrete block when the callus’s riped, prob shouldn’t try to run before I can walk though…

Hopfully hands will harden a bit and I can get back out later. :D

I’m with you SaxonRider.

I’ve had a lot of ups and downs to do with food and comfort eating over the last few months. Sometimes I finish eating crap that I was desperate to eat, and wonder why I even wanted it!

I’m trying to focus on keeping my mind occupied at the moment, bought a trials bike and have started doing a lot of DIY on the house, so I don’t get bored and eat.

I don’t know what the answer is to be honest, but just to let you know you’re not alone!

I have no idea what I’m doing but having a good time not doing it.

Sounds good to me! :D

I’ve already found a spot a few mins away from home with kerbs, big square concrete blocks, small and medium sandstone rocks and a few big logs. Even a large flat sandstone bolder, in front of a waist high concrete block, in front of a chest high square rail – dreaming big there, but one day I’ll get over it with no dabs! Most importantly, it’s very quiet so only the odd squirrel will be able to laugh at me when I fall over!

Haha, that’s a blast from the past! My brother had that on VHS. :D

One of these –

Yep, Trials. Hopping’n stuff. I went for a 24″ bike as it’s a mix between BMX and trials bike. Will hit a few skate parks and jumps too.

Thanks Swillybey, will check it out later.

The blue one. :)

Applecross to Kenmore is a cracking ride, even if it’s wet.

We did it a few weeks ago and would recommend it. There’s only one small section of 5 to 10 mins of hiking (up the side of a waterfall), or you can ride it if your seriously fit and good!

Its all hard packed and rocky trails that drain really fast, so you do get a lot of streams and big puddles, but it’s not boggy at any point.

I’m dubious about hi-vis making you more visible in all situations, but I can see the helmet argument to be honest.

I know it wouldn’t make much difference if a lorry runs over you, but when you can easily travel fast enough to fall (even from a fall of your own makings) with enough force to crack your skull open, I don’t think it’s a bad thing to make it a requirement. Although as some one who’s always worn one, even when I was a teenager, I don’t get the desire to not wear one at all.

Either way though, this is victim blaming, and does nothing to address the problem – which is poor driving standards and lack of compassion and patience from some of the driving public.

I noticed the driving test has changed this year, but where’s the new section where they tackle driving around or near vulnerable road users? Adding this would have made more of a difference IMO.

By the way, the other day I got overtaken (in slow-ish moving traffic) by a woman watching the news on her tablet, which was propped up on the dash, and doing her makeup! How does me wearing a helmet and hi-vis stop that from happening!?

My worry with the new post/blog thing is it’s opened up the idea of new, unrelated things in the activity feed. How long until we get ads from bike manufacturers etc… showing up in there.

If you use strava more as a training tool than sharing tool, it’s rubbish.

The order will be back to chronological soon is my guess.

https://www.alpkit.com/sonder/sonder-vir-fortis

If mine died, I’d look at this frame and fork. I believe everything should swap over… although I’m not sure if its a 1x specific frame or not.

Me and my brother are in.

Probably a silly idea, but I’ve signed up for the fat bike class! Was just waiting for an excuse to race on the Dune TBH… Still feel the karate monkey would have been a better choice.

Lost 1.5kg over the last two weeks. :-) Good start.

I’ve just updated my Dune to Minion FBR and FBF 4.8s. It had Juggernaut 4.0s on it and they where rubbish in mud but ace in the dry and pretty fast rolling.

The Minions behave much more like a normal MTB tyre – No self steer or following cambers, and they grip well in mud and go where you want them to go. I don’t know if that’s to do with the lego brick size knobs or the larger tyre size, but they are a big improvement. I run 8 psi front and rear.

I’ve not tried tubeless on the Minions, I gave up on the old tyres and just injected the tubes with Stan’s sealant – tubeless is hard without really building up the rims with foam etc.. to keep the bead next to the rim wall.

Keep in mind minions are draggy and heavy, doesn’t bother me as I don’t expect a fat bike to be fast rolling.

Enjoy your new bike!

stop being such a **** to yourself.

Why beat yourself up about bouncing between 98 and 100kg. Phrase it differently…..

“I’ve lost 20kg this year and I’m managing to keep that loss pretty steady +/- a bit even though I’ve lapsed a few times”

You’re a **** winner mate, don’t forget it.

Cheers Jon! :D Your motivation is always appreciated.

Email sent. I’m in!

“I eat what I want at weekends” thing

I hate that thing!

May get involved with this Rob, I’ve been beyond slack with the extended chub club (sorry Jon!) and need a kick up the arse to get on with it again.

I’ve bounced between 100kg and 98kg a lot over the last few months!

Keep resisting upgrading my Dune frame to an ICT…

Still liking the Dune overall though, but think those stock tyres are ready to go, they aren’t the best in general mud. Good for deep, wet bogs, but not shallow slippery stuff.

I have a Pragmasis 22mm chain, lock and ground anchor for my motorbike at home. The chain alone is heavy enough to keep the bike safe!

Mighty bit of kit. Thumbs up!

Actually, I think most people are wise to the idea that it can’t buy happiness, and sitting around thinking of what to buy next would get old after a while, and like it or not you probably need to work to keep sane. Not that anyone would say no to it!

I’d buy some land, build a nice house and get some cool animals. Always wanted a hanger shaped garage (like half a barrel), would fill it with old motorbikes to work on, and every snap-on tool I could get. If the land had some woods I’d build a small trail centre and jumps etc… for me and friends.

Would probably buy a new build factory unit and do something with it (CNC Shop, classic bike restorations, skate/dirt jump park maybe), even if I ended up just being the land lord It would fill a bit of time and generate some money.

Other than that, see the close family right, help a local charity I support and then…. dunno! I’m not thinking about this anymore, it’s depressing!

I’d buy the company I work for now, and make my boss’s life a misery! :twisted: