Many thanks to M1kea for his combination of tour guide/Mr Motivator/enthusiasm/patience today. It was a big help and am sure helped me get to Eastbourne quite a bit quicker. Riding with people who are so fit makes me think/want to get out more.

Also to anyone whom has not done so, if you are having a crack at the SDW I recommend even a basic GPS, it was very helpful following a line and meant I got the map out a lot less. I used M1kea’s route as posted above and it took the stress out of missing turns etc.

Fantastic ride all in all, lucky with the weather on both days and almost 0 bike issues – ‘chain device’ (Bionicon v.guide), fell of yesterday when it was supposed to be keeping my chain in place and very slow puncture late into the ride on Sunday – pumped it up and it took me to the finish. I worked out I ate 2 breakfast and 3 lunches yesterday, so probably have undone the calorie burning that I so needed! :mrgreen:

Only thing I would change is to carry less rubbish and use the lightest bike I had.

Dr P, Upper Beeding.

ibnchris – decided creaky hard tail to be left behind, although more suitable for the job it has a knackered set of bearings in back wheel and I am worried the seat rails will give out on my tubby ar$e at any time. Will be on a silver and bile green bouncer instead.

Will look out for you on your Singular.

Weather looking slightly cooler I think, which works fine for me. Hope the rain holds off though – rained hard here (S.W. of Guildford) this morning.

Thanks all. Mike, have emailed. Am happy to meet up, but need to get out early on Sunday (aiming for just after 6am), so if you fancy an early morning ride, let me know.

I remember last time missing a turn or two, so hopefully the GPS will help some.

Bart,

I have actually booked a place just past half way point, just before Truleigh Hill. My thinking was that this time around I would try and get the miles in early, with proper food stops maybe every 20 miles (QECP 2nd breakfast, Bignor/Amberley lunch, another 20 ish miles to the end of day).

I stayed in Amberley last time and it is a really nice village. I had forgotten that there was a hard climb the other side, so that will be my last climb of the day.

This time there will be another 40 odd miles for day 2, but hopefully I can get on the trail early and get on with it. I have asked the Inn I am staying at to do me a take away breakfast so I can bust a move early as possible, before breakfast and newspapers stop me from getting going.

Mike, have looked up the bikedowns site and it is very useful – thanks.

Good to hear trails are running so dry, hope it will stay that way. Up early Saturday and planning to stop overnight just over half way along and hit the road/dirt early Sunday morning to finish off, longish train ride back for me.

Will try and study map a bit more before I leave and lay off the beers Friday night…

Apparently the twinair model comes with 6 gears, diesel 5. I usually would always plum for a diesel, but the twinair is £1k cheaper and I would like the 6th gear for longer runs.

Looks awesome though, Fiat make great small cars and they look pretty capable offroad. If I didn’t do so much motorway time, I would definitely look at one.

Have Sektor dual position coils on my trance x. The bees knees, really like them compared to some 2007 Reba Airs at 115mm which I have on my hard tail. Probably partly because I thin I ran them with too much air pressure…

I can lock Sektors out completely or reduce travel to 120mm, so they are quite versatile.

Would definitely get another pair.

thanks mike and dr p – have downloaded one from Garmin connect, seems to be ok. will try that.

Does anyone know if you can upload a GPX file (of the SDW route) from a mac back onto a Garmin? I was half thinking of giving this a go, but I only have an Edge 200, which is a pretty basic model. Nothing of use in the instructions…

Kevin, thanks. Know what you mean re: loose chalky dust, I have sometimes fond when riding at QE2 Park the dust is lethal as it almost provides a kind of dry lubrication to the polished rocks…

Only have one Ardent, as I lent my brother the other, so will use that as a front and put a 2.1 Crossmark on the rear probably.

Thanks all for your weather updates. Looks like the sun may be coming through later in the week, so fingers crossed. I am not that fit (small baby has slightly limited riding), but I am hoping riding solo will reduce the faff factor of riding in a group.

Obligatory what stuff to use questions below:

I have the choice of riding either my hardtail (which I rode last time), but it has an annoying creaky seat post/saddle, very poorly lubricated wheel bearings on the rear hub and a slight skipping of the gears on occasion.

Or

Full susser (giant trance). I can reduce fork travel to 120mm on the front and the bike is generally in better condition as it is newer, but it is heavier and obviously less efficient on the climbs.

And for the cherry on the pie, what tires (from the Maxxis garage pile):

Ardent 2.25
Crossmark 2.25 or 2.1
High Roller 2.35
High Roller 2.4
Ignitor 2.1 (really a 1.8 it seems)

I am guessing the high rollers will be too draggy for this and was thinking risking crossmark (on the back anyway) as a balance of speed/grip.

I have the opposite dilemma. My CD player is playing up and I am just left with a decent amp. Plug my iPod in at the moment but am thinking of getting a wireless streaming receive, like an apple airport express and not bothering wight the cd at all.

For your situation I would definitely look at Denon’s mini hifi range, I think they do something cAlled a Ceol or similar which will stream from Internet, spotify, iTunes etc and act as an iPod dock. Seems flexible enough to work with non apple products. There systems are usually very good sound quality and certainly they are neater than a separate amp.

http://www.whathifi.com/review/denon-ceol-piccolo

Have a look at the link above. I think they are between £250 and £300, so a bit more expensive than just a budget amp. Other option is to go for an av receiver as above, thus can often now stream Internet radio and play music from iPods etc, as well as havin plenty of power/flexibility.

Thehills – how long does it take to get into Bristol and is commuting easy from Clevedon into the town centre?

I liked the atmosphere a lot – but both travel and school are unfortunately priorities that need to be added into the mix.

Well, had a good drive round the area last weekend. Went to Portishead, Clevedon, Abbots Leigh (not in that order) and back round (plus some other villages I can’t really remember).

Clevedon looked really nice, but I wonder if it was because we had a coffee on the front, looking over the Bristol Channel…I was probably not being objective, but it looked really nice. Other villages/areas had good ranges of shops.

Also had a look around Henleaze, W-O-T, Redland, Stoke Bishop, Sneyd Park and Clifton. Probably all outside my price range, but there are some parts of the city that made me think it would be nice to be city based and avoid a commute of an consequence (for the wife, I would still have to travel).

Still pondering the options but am re-reading posts, as they have a bit more meaning now. Thanks all for the opinions and tips.

Bike bouy, many thanks. Do you mean the Eastbourne end or the Winchester end? It looks likely that I will only be able to get the opportunity this weekend, so it is kind of this weekend or bust (just had a small kid).

Just want to know if it is ride able, as when I had to bail last time the chalk was lethal round Lewes because of the heavy rain.

Oxford products motorbike cover. Good sized one will cover 3 bikes easy and they have holes in which to lock the cover to the bikes. Lets the bikes breathe and relatively weather proof. Only good if you combine with a big ass lock and chain.

Well, good question bandito. I wish when I bought our car I got one with tinted windows in the first place, as even though the car was second hand, there were loads of models on offer (but we got ours from family).

The shades are well made and plenty above seem happy with them. I am just trying to sort fixing mine in place properly, but they do add to privacy, shade the car loads and look better than the stick on shades with mickey mouse etc on. They are also designed for each model, so look neat when in place.

If I bought another car, I would make sure I had the tinted widows option (just think it makes sense to keep the cabin as cool as possible, helps keep sun out of kids eyes etc). Also was helpful when I had my Nissan Juke – could just leave my bike on the back seat and it looked very unobtrusive.

Rob, yes I believe they all do.

Thetallpaul, sounds like the blinds for the Passat perhaps fit a bit better than the BMW. It might just be the strange window sill design. The actual cut if the blinds look good and hey do cool the car.

I have asked for some direction from palm automotive.

Further to my post above, my shades are called uv car shades and were sourced from palm automotive, as recommended on a BMW forum. Maybe not the same thing as van shades, so hope I have not misled. Having said that, the website is van style dot co uk

Wish I had done some more research as I think I could have got either a window tint for circa £200 or shades that were better quality. Shades cost me £80.

Buttonmoon, bottom of the shades on the rear passenger doors fix to the car with metal clips that slide in behind either the window rubber, or window pillar. The top has a small plastic adhesive clip, which affixes to the top of he car door frame. The position of these adhesive clips is hard to get right, as the instructions do not show where they are supposed to attach.

If I did it again I would probably pay for someone to do a tint of the windows, as at least it would not fall off. Funnily enough the blinds usually hold in ok with window open at speed, but just don’t stay fixed in place when door opens/closes.

I have exactly the same issue and ordered fitted van shades for a BMW touring (3 series).

I don’t know if it is me, but I can’t get them to stay in place very well. The two that sit in the rear boot space windows are fine, but the ones for the back two windows don’t seem to stay in place. I have ordered new adhesive clips, but he shades don’t tend to stay on. I have followed the instructions.

Any tips from anyone appreciated.

I have been lucky flying with BA, always found them pretty good. Have taken bikes to the US twice, but always made sure we did not have to transfer to an internal flight, to try and avoid the additional hassle.

Sorry to hear about the damaged bike and inconvenience on holiday, but I am definitely in agreement re: being polite but firm, rather than rude – most people in the service industry want to help where possible, but sometimes the situation is hard to manage. I have worked in the service industry and know the front line feeling.

I did have an unfortunate experience recently where a BA (work flight) back from Chicago was delayed, by 24 hrs. I rang my 8 month pregnant wife from the lounge (as were allowed to use the BA club/1st lounge), all seemed ok. Got on the plane (by this time a day late), went to sleep. On arrival at Heathrow I turned my phone on and I received a text to say she was not going to be able to pick me up from the airport and then immediately after another saying she was in the delivery suite. By this time we were taxiing on the way to the terminal and I was right at the back of the plane. When we stopped I asked the stewardess if she could help me off the plane quickly and she was great – she rang ahead to the front and literally walked me through everyone and I was first off. Taxi to Guildford hospital £120, but at least I arrived only just after the event, rather than another hour in security etc.

Wrote to BA re: compensation and have got the standard fee due, which is €600 for a delayed international flight of over a certain time and distance (regulations are on the Internet). Would rather have been at the birth of my first child, but instead I have a small savings pot to start her off (that should buy her something ‘useful’ like a mountain bike).

Have not read all he posts, but has anyone mentioned saving up and paying for what you can afford?

I have only owned 2 cars, both of which were bought with cash and not credit. First one cheaper than the second, but simply a matter of applying available cash at the time to search criteria. If I had less cash I would either live without or buy a cheaper car.

Thanks Moses and Nick. Thought that might be the case.

Sailing – well I have been known to sport red canvas trousers :D. No, in all seriousness it would be nice to be near water, even though I can’t imagine the Avon is super clean.

I would try and remain on good terms, regardless. Have never managed to wangle gardening leave myself, such a shame, would be the perfect time to ride the tour divide, or eat cake.

I know someone who had 9 months gardening leave. I would find it hard to go back to work after that!

Can’t really go wrong with a Golf, but Seat Leon offers similar. I think TSI engines are the way to go unless you are pushing out the miles.

Drove a basic Mk7 tdi 1.6 hire car last week, really nice drive and even the basic model was pretty smart inside. I have not driven a MK6, but loved my Mk5 TDI. Best car I have ever owned/had as a company car (including the BMW 320d automatic we have now).

What are Ham Green and Pill like? Again seem to have easy access to M5/town centre.

I saw someone else posting yet again re: bike theft in Bristol. As much as possible I just want to avoid moving somewhere that is bike theft central.

Many thanks to the contributors who have posted above. I have a tour of the area planned in the next 3 weeks, so will be drawing up a short list based partly upon the above.

I have a few old consoles, with lots of games, that the wife wants me to sell. She is right, they take up loads of space, but I remember playing Goldeneye on the N64 during many long student nights.

I have an old gameboy, N64, PS2, GameCube and Wii that all sit in the cupboard getting little use. I don’t pretend to be grown up though.

However, we sit down in the evening and watch a load of kak on the TV, which I also think is not that healthy.

I am no camper van expert, but definitely worth looking at the cricket trailer tent. It is obviously a different concept than a sprinter conversion, but it incorporates some great ideas and uses some equipment you might see in a small boat (storage ideas etc). Small, but clever.

Also worth googling sports mobile.com they are a printer conversion specialist with loads of cool designs for outdoors enthusiasts and motor sport nutts. If I have the address wrong, just do a search for Brian Lopes van. They look proper pimp and there are some good ideas for floor plans and details.

Hope you get some inspiration.

Verbalize. Unnecessary Americanised jargon, taking the verb to talk and making a longer alternative for ( as far as I can see), no real purpose.

Love to throw that into a conversation with a straight face.

Things happen for a reason (not sure what that reason is though). Look at the bright side, better these things happen early in the process, rather than later on when you have invested time/energy/money in the sale/purchase.

Happened to us on a sale and purchase, pain in the Victor Hugo, but hope you manage to proceed in the end with a reliable third party.

Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont and Carolinas are all really scenic and different in their own ways. I am spending time in North Carolina this summer. Really friendly vibe, mountain scenery and couldn’t be more different to bug city US. No mtb biking for me this time, going with our new baby. I had a great holiday cycling and hiking in and around Lake Tahoe a couple if years ago, but generally found that NC was much more friendly.

Would really recommend posting on mtbr, there are loads if forums that are state specific and people will be happy to point you in the right direction. Have posted before and people have always come up with useful suggestions.

Ha ha. My thoughts exactly. Not a huge interest for me, but each to their own.

If you have a really posh stereo, and fancy spending mega bucks, QED make one. I think ARCAM might do too, but best to rely on hi-fi trackworld experts.

If it is Apple compatible, you can also use an airport express/Apple TV, which plug into the back of a hifi/HDMI TV respectively. Use an Apple TV myself for music/photo/video streaming, really good and seems reliable. Works with ipod touches/ipads/laptops etc.

EDIT: Logitech looks really good value.

Sorry to hear so many bad experiences. I used to work on the shop floor in retail, these experiences were always the opposite of the service we tried to give our customers.

I have been fortunate to use the small Cycleworks chain, Leatherhead, Guildford and Haslemere. All have been really good and happy to service bikes, order in parts and complete my recent bike build. They are always friendly and don’t look down on me because I can’t justify a Whyte or Orange.

They always seem to be friendly to the young Mums and Dads buying bikes for kids, as well as the ‘can you repair my puncture’ brigade. Always service with a smile and would always recommend them to others.

OP. you may have suffered an injury, but be glad you are not wasting your life away on a golf course and are instead keeping active on your bike.

There is a smug satisfaction in knowing that however much of a chopper we look like on a bike, it is never going to be as bad as on the golf course.

Can’t believe no one has mentioned ‘ribbed for her pleasure’. As Westwood said on the Radio One safe sex campaign, ‘you gots to strap it up before you slap it up’. Could have applied to cycling in the Alps just as easily.

Get your solicitors to document this properly, so it is recorded and both parties know what is going on. Your solicitor should be advising you of how to handle this, as that is what you are paying them for.

Tomorrow’s commute is Haslemere to Milton Keynes. So unfortunately not. :cry: