If I can borrow a van from work for the weekend, I’ll be there. 🙂

It was his risk to buy it without proof that it’s not stolen, not yours.

I’d ask him to contact the police and take it from there. If he’s out £220, that’s his problem.

My recommendation would be an SV650. Great little bikes and fast enough to grow into, also the engine is nice and has a definite character that the parallel twins (CB500 etc..) don’t have.

Don’t be afraid of all big bikes by the way. BMW boxer engines in 1100/1150/1200cc are big, but far from scary. All my favourite bikes have been big boxer engines – torque is king as far as I’m concerned and they still have enough top end to be fun.

@ jambalaya, I’m not your friend anymore! 😛

Your right, not much point but its a bit off and the bits all add up by the end of the week.

Plus if you add light mayo to something its automatically a healthy meal. Like having diet coke with MacDonald’s, right? 😛

I feel like todays antics are going give my weight loss a boost!

Starved MTB ride this morning, got home, not food in. Bugger.

So set off to my parents for dinner as we agreed a few days ago. Not in, forgot. Bugger.

Stopped by a mates garage for a chat. Spent 4 hours stripping a motorbike down while chatting and drinking tea. Still no food. Bugger.

Just got in and have some chips and chicken burger in the oven, to be eaten with thin granary bread (cut round to be burger shaped), lettuce and extra light mayo. I can’t describe how much I’m looking forward to this food!

I’m all for drivers having to learn to ride a bike safely, and pass a cycling test, before getting a car licence. In fact they should do that before being allowed to even learn to drive.

Don’t pass your car test within a year of your cycling test, and you have to take the cycling test again.

Don’t want to learn/experience cycling on the roads, then you don’t deserve a car!

Down from 118.6 to 115.1 kg. That’s 261 to 254lbs in chub club money.

Happy with 7lbs loss in two weeks, and think my diet is easily sustainable and not at all extreme.

Roll on 100kg (and under!) 🙂

Awesome photos!

My commuting bike has 26″ hope pro2 hubs, butted spokes and DT xr400 rims. £160 off ebay. 🙂

I randomly found this picture on the web –

Discuss how quickly you would die trying to ride it on your local trails?

My tips –

I keep my jeans, shoes and a few jumpers at work, so I just have to carry underwear and a shirt with me.

A bike set up for it helps with motivation – mudguards are essential to keeping you happy on the bike, and I’d recommend a rack and a pannier over a back pack. I’m more towards sturdy than fast, rigid fork, 8 speed shimano gears, disc brakes and 26″ puncture proof 1.9″ tyres mean I can get up and be confident that it’ll work, even if I haven’t washed or serviced it in months!

Sealskins waterproof socks are also great!

A back up cheap Decathlon plastic jacket in the bottom of your bag is also a good safety net for staying dry and warm if the weather turns really bad, or you have to fix a puncture.

Also, get a few gels to keep in your bag, they’re a lifesaver if you’ve overdone it (as we all do sometimes) and bonk on the way home.

Either have a separate set of shorts for the ride home or use some chamois cream, otherwise you asking for sores.

Enjoy it! It’s the best part of your working day. 🙂

Eurostar?

Rustoleum is often used for roller painting vans. It’s slow drying and self-levelling but reacts badly with other paints apparently, so can only be re-painted with rustoleum unless you remove the lot.

I’d check that your van hasn’t been painted with it and will accept spray paint (do a small bit first) before going for it.

I’m no expert, but this is what I learned when approaching this subject myself when I had a money pit, I mean T4. 🙂

Talking about eating less than 1000 kcal a day, it’s surprising how much you can eat if your goal is 1600 kcal and you eat the right stuff. My typical day –

Wheetabix and semi-milk for breakfast, mid morning goahead bar, one wrap with chicken and lots of salad for dinner, mid afternoon protein bar (on days I’m riding, fruit otherwise), and something like breaded cod, oven chips (125g only though!) and peas for tea.

That’s not a bad days food really and I haven’t been hungry at all.

By the way, 125g of chips is a pathetic amount when you see it on the plate! 😉

I could drop the wrap and mid morning and afternoon snacks to get towards 1000kcal, but I’d likely get hungry and eat something I shouldn’t, plus I think it’s better to keep my blood sugar stable and metabolism up by (healthy) snacking. That’s what I’m going with anyway!

115.8kg this morning!

Was 117.2 Friday morning. This morning I’m 116.1! How did that happen! Happy though, as long as it keeps going that way.

I’m really craving a sugary snack this morning though, and we still have a mountain of left over chocolate at work. Going to resist though, I want to maintain my record of not eating any chocolate/sweets in 2017!

Down from 118.6kg to 117.2kg 🙂 having a good first week.

Out for a pub meal tonight though, wish me look picking something healthy!

I’m not a fan of “diets”. I’m using MFP to log all my food because I really want to re-train myself to eat right, not just loose weight fast then go back to how I have been eating.

Plus –

Edit – don’t know how to embed vids. 😳

Link

I’ve got some good motivation to keep me on track, my brother was my size around 18 months ago but now he’s a proper racing snake (I think he’s under 12 stone now, and about 6ft tall).

He’s got an FTP of around 350, came 7th in the last kielder 101 (!!) and has just started with a proper coach.

I’ll get severe abuse from him if I fail! Plus he’s really supportive, even gave me a better garmin than the one I had.

It’ll be nice to do some epic rides with him again, at the min on our 2/3 hours rides he gets bored and I’m struggling by the end.

My other goal for this year is to do a 100km ride. Been about 8 years since I’ve done that…

Did 30km of commuting on Tuesday, 45km of (hilly) commuting yesterday and have eaten under my calorie goal all week.

This mornings commute was very slow and steady!

I’ve even resisted the mountain of unwanted chocolate and shortbread that everyone brought into the office!

Doing well so for in 2017! 🙂

Not sure about hitting the strava climbing challenge this month though, I’m sure it was 4500m last year, it’s 7500m this year!

First thing in the morning is standard?

All stuff to go wrong and cost a fortune to fix?? That’s my take on electrics in cars/bikes, but some day I wont have a choice.

I started using my fitness pal in November. I wanted to loose some weight before Christmas and try to come out of the other side the same weight as I was mid December. Not easy when you have works do’s and big meals with family etc..

It almost worked – I was 120kg in November, and 118kg mid December. I’m quite happy I only put on .6 of a kg over the two weeks of Christmas, and I’m sure after commuting all this week I’ll be back to 118.

I would advise everyone to try if for a week or so. I don’t weigh food or go too overboard with it, just take an educated guess based on the packet sizes etc… It really opens your eyes to what’s in food.

I learnt that a nice tea (roasted pepper filled with couscous, a Cajun seasoned roast chicken breast and a dollop of mint raita) has less calories than a flapjack from the local café – that I’ve had with my dinner every working day for the last 5 years!

To clarify.

Now – 118.6kg 😳 (261 lbs)
1 month goal – 115.6kg (255 lbs)
3 month goal – 109.6kg (242 lbs)
6 month goal – 100.6kg (222 lbs)

Is that sill optimistic? I thought a couple of lbs a week seemed ok?

Ok, I’m in. Email on the way.

1 month – 3 kg
3 month – 9 kg
6 month – 18 kg

I’m already strava-ing and my fitness pal-ing, so one more way to stay motivated can’t hurt.

Always found this to be a great idea.

I’m tempted to join, but after a 6 months of work stress and a bit of depression last year, and based on the replies so far, I think I’d be the chubbiest in the chub club! 😳

Potential to loose the most though! 😉

I had a Vauxhall Agila that could fit 2 bikes in with the front wheels off.

Looked like postman pats van though!

I’ve got a 2014 multistrada at the min, it’s a very, very, very silly bike! 😈

Hoping it holds up well over winter, it’s the first ducati I’ve had and am a bit worried how it will handle the salt!

I would go hydro if possible.

I’ve got trp spyres on my road bike with campag levers, they’ve tried to kill me a few times on steep decents – they get really hot really fast and then go soft enough for the lever to touch the bar! (my beloved 7 year old sidi’s paid the price of having to stop me the last time – wore half the sole away and the cleats got hot enough to burn my foot through the sole of the shoe and my socks!)

I’m guessing the calliper goes soft or the cable expands with heat… either way, I wont ride it anywhere steep anymore and “I’m out” as far as road cable discs are concerned.

To be honest, lately it’s been “business guys”. You know, big saloon car, jacket hung in the back, wearing a white shirt and tie.

They flock in and out of the city at rush hour using every small back street possible to avoid a lights, and enjoy jumping out into the smallest gaps, even if I’m there on my bike!

I’ve got a cambium on my road bike, it’s the best saddle I’ve ever had.

Cant bring myself to put one on the MTB though… Maybe the new carbon one eventually…

From what I’ve read, I think a traditional brooks is better for people with one bike who do a lot of miles. The bedding in period is quite long and takes time, but once it’s bedded in, they are supposed to be super comfy.

It was the one bike I really regretted selling, luckily it was just to my brother, and he’s sold it back to me to buy an XC race bike.

I’d love an ICT, just haven’t got the spare cash or room at the min, even now when Charlie has them for £1.6k.

I’ve just bought back my old Karate Monkey (full M875 XT bits – wheels/brakes/groupset) from my brother. Thinking I need to try 650B+ or 29″ x 50mm rims with a 2.5 on the back and 3.0 on the front….

Love surlys though, they make great bikes, enjoy the Truck!

Guys, this all sound great!

Can I use zwift with my rollers and a Garmin edge 500 (with HR, speed and cad sensor)? Would I just need a Ant+ dongle for the PC?

When I’m depressed (it doesn’t go away completely, and I still have some down spells, but not too bad now on the whole), I like to hide away.

I shy away from public places and hate doing anything that draws attention to me.

Suggest going out for a ride somewhere really quiet, at a quiet time, and point out that it’ll only be the two of you and you can have steady ride and a chat. Also make it easy for him, offer to load his bike up in your car, and wash it for him when you get back – All he has to do is get up and get in the car. May just convince him to get out?

It’s safe to say us lot aren’t getting any work done until you open it up!

Sounds ace, and snowy, but photos will be required!

Almost bought a GS a few months back (they really are great bikes), but because everyone has one I went for Multistrada instead. 😈

All going very well (fast!) so far, but once I stop giggling at how stupidly fast and fun it is, I suspect I’ll want a sensible GS again!

Good luck with the trip.

Any tales from Bimbleton this week?

Not lived there, but cycled and rode my motorbike through many times. Seems a really nice place with excellent access to trails.

Driving into Sheffield along Penistone road could get old quick though, it’s always busy and backed up at rush hour. A lot of people cut through Grenoside to avoid the traffic lights, which I wouldn’t recommend because it blocks my road up! 😛

And here’s me getting 28/29 MPG from a motorbike every day (city commute)! 😯

I’m sure my T4 was better on fuel than the bike.