god forbid if a car should come up behing you with a quietish engine……

….A car wouldn’t be sitting a couple off inches off my back wheel….well I’d blooming well hope not.

plus it wouldn’t be right behind me, they are pretty wide cars, you don’t have to crank you neck right around to look directly behind you to see them….

If you’ve got a slight head wind, or you are going at a decent pace, the wind noise in your ears makes it very difficult to hear a bike behind you, unless he changes gear or is puffing a bit.

Exactly a safety issue, if you are group riding, you know someone is going to be on your wheel….stealth drafting is a bit risky to say the least.

ohhhhhh, and I forgot to add, the geezer on Saturday kept changing his gears…..but oh no, do you think that was the end of it, was it heck, the chain kept jumping and crunching…..

Jesu, I nearly had to pull over and adjust his gears for him….

Problem is, when they come up stealth and sit on your wheel, if you are not aware they have come up, bloody makes you jump when you turn around to find something right on your wheel out of the corner of your eye.

Seems a bit annoying when you are tootling along at a comfortable pace to slow up just to make a point…..think the nose blowing may be the way forward.

You said it. It’s not a race, so why does it matter?

If you’re out riding on your jack anyway and not trying to beat any land speed records, what difference does it make? They’re not slowing you down by riding behind you.

Because I know how much easier it is when you are sitting on someone else’s wheel. When you are group riding, you take your turn, you work together.

When someone reaps the benefits, but doesn’t offer to work, in my book that’s a pi$$ take.

In it’s rawest form, it’s parasitic, no?

You must have a nice bum.

The thought did cross my mind…..maybe I need to wear something else than those arse less chaps!

Boats, don’t talk to me about boats. Money sink holes. Luckily mines small enough to keep on a trailer. If it’s your main hobby and you are good with your hands they can be fun. But as you’ll have to go many times just for maintenance jobs you don’t want to be travelling hours.

Unless you do the jobs yourself you might as well stand there and set fire to 50 pound notes….

Essex born and bred man and bwow.

I had a bloody fantastic childhood playing in the woods. Riding to the sea side, so I’m really glad I was born there. Love going back and walking along the sea front.

Would I move back there?

Not on your nelly!

It doesn’t mention it but I hope she was banned from keeping pets too.

Cunliffe was banned from keeping animals for life and was told she cannot apply to have this ban reviewed for five years.

Unless they edited it after you had read it.

Horrible yes, but I think she’s not exactly firing on all four cylinders. She’s been sectioned 20 times……obviously she’s far from well.

Pilot was 87

It might not be too long before he’s an Angel.

Thanks for that. I’d told her to eat before she was hungry and to also take some energy drink/ electrolytes to help reduce cramping…..but didn’t think about ear plugs, good idea that as I’m sure one or two of the hotels/hostels could be a bit noisy.

I was quite surprised when I found out the date as it doesn’t give her much time to train, but she’s fit and sporty so I’m sure she can cover the distance given the whole day to ride.

I’m a little envious, I should imagine there will be some good sites on the way.

Just gonna bounce this once, just in case anyone has any words of wisdom with regard to multi day events.

Cheers,
GL.

Yep, another one out of Blighty now but did a few “races”, good fun event.

Even though it was a race, I always felt as though there was a really great atmosphere of we’re all in it together and I’m competing against myself rather than I must beat everyone else at all costs.

Ah, those were tut days!

It’s not just a British roadie thing….Here in Switzerland the ratio between those that say hello and those that don’t is high.

I won’t say it’s every rider, but it’s enough to notice.

Oh well, I always give a nod and a smile, if it doesn’t get a response I’m not going to let it ruin a ride……

……but don’t get me going on the drafting….that really gets my goat!

Edit…

I couldn’t care less, I ride my CX with slicks wearing longs and a soft shell and my peaked helmet (oh the horror)!

Ah, yes, that’s me, there lieth the answer.

hmmm, okay, I’ll give it a whirl. I had assumed they had bent and that was that….worth a try to straighten them.

I’ll say they stop okay, but I’m surprised they have bent/warped. I wonder if a lot of it is getting very hot on the descents and then cooling quickly (I’ve been riding all winter and quite a few times in snow)…..that’s my uneducated guess.

Must admit, they came with the bike, I’m a boring ol fart and would normally stick with Shimano given the choice!….I’m just that crazy!!! ;)

Cheers for the advice.

Cheers for that.

Actually after I’d posted I thought a bit more about it and thought I’d try something with the disk from my cross bike which is shimano, but the same size. Put the cross disk on my MTB wheel and worked like a treat.

It can’t be any worse than the last one!
Cheers,
GL

Use a Mule all the time.

Never thought about blowing it back in, I’ll have to try that next time.

I’m a thirsty bugger, nice to keep sipping away whilst on the lifts on the way back up.

Plus it always gives you a little more back protection. I don’t wear the full back protector as I wonder where you’d stop with protection equipment, but quite a few years ago, I had a silly off on a t-bar with my Dad. Somehow, to this day I can’t work it out, one of his ski’s caught me in the back. Bashed me up pretty bad. I know with a back pack I wouldn’t have had a problem.

Just keep water, my shades, spare fleece, bobble hat for when I stop for lunch and a bit of sun cream….although I will say you find yourself a little forward on the ski lifts.

Brilliant, good luck to the young fella!

Going by a few roadies I’ve seen poncing around, it wouldn’t surprise me if they minsed around in something similar..

Google blue sky CV’s Cost’s a few sheckles to download…but it’s very good guide

Had all four of mine out in one go under GA. First time being under and I came around like a rocket, scared the life out of the nurse. Bloody loved it, live being drunk without hangover!!!

Must have been fine as I had no pain and was eating sausage in batter and chips that evening…..think the lack of food before the op gave me bit of a graving for “dirty” food.

hmmm, I’m a techi and I’d say you need at least 3, probably 5 years before you start to know your stuff and earn some good cash.

In your situation, I’d be tempted to try and do some Prince stuff and look at IT project management.

Just my two pence worth.

Were they running studded tyres?

I’ve ridden a fair bit on Ice and Snow the last year and a bit, some of that looked very smooth and slippery, I’d be surprised they were on just normal rubber.

Google the video. Incredibly easy using a Stanley knife blade. Amazingly no need to bleed. Which I didn’t quite understand.

+1

Check out youtube…tis a piece of piddle. As already mentioned, just don’t touch the button whilst you are sodding around with it.

Twice, Greece from 2003 until 2012 (because we wanted to) and Switzerland 2012 until now (because we had to)….maybe after the vote last Sunday maybe on the move again :)

Best thing I (we) ever did. Changes you as a person. But I always say, when in Rome…Don’t expect everyone to change to your British ways. You have to be willing to adapt to differences.

Think moving to a country where you speak the lingo is a massive massive bonus, unless one of your speaks the local. For me it’s been a case of learning new languages…good, but a pain in the harris…although now I’m fluent in DeutschGreeklish.

Just for future readers if they do a search. I bought a pair of the Endura single track knee pads. I like the fact you can fit them without having to take shoes off ect.

I’m riding cross country, so put them on, ride, 10 – 20 km’s including a fair bit of climbing and take em off when I get home.

They are comfortable, keep your knees nice and warm in the cold. Not sure if they would protect you in a big off as well as hard shell ones, I haven’t had an off with them (nor do I plan to), but tested them by dropping to the floor and they feel pretty good.

Think if you are looking for a pair to put on and ride that are comfortable, these seems good. Not sure how you can wash them though come summer time…will have to check with Endura.

oh glad I’ve found this thread. I put some Rubber Queens on 2.4….First proper ride last night on trails that I ride a fair bit….couldn’t get over the grip in the mud..fantastic.
Dealt with the snow and ice too. They are the cheaper version ones, so don’t know if the more expensive ones handle tree roots better.
But they get the big thumbs up from me.

F me duntstick.

Rather you than me. Wild Boar is blooming tasty….but they can be proper ard barstewards….especially with young.

Just tell her your car is sulking because it’s missing you….it should buck it’s ideas up in a day or two.

Normally it will be someone else doing the interview, so they get a different persons opinion of you.

If it’s HR, make sure you brush up on the company and what they do….that seems to something they pay attention to….oh and that you aren’t some mad axe murderer type.

Is it via an agent or directly, might be an idea just to ask a couple of questions so you are prepared for the rough format of the interview.

Have you discussed money, it might be where they get a few people who they think are ideal for the job and see which one has similar expectations with the company with regard to dosh.

Thanks, I’m due a bill soonish so will keep my eyes peeled.

A quick google revealed a thread where some guy had 1.98 Euros on his bill, which was actually something to do with credit card authorisation and not an actual charge. Have you recently set up the account or put a new card on it?

Cheeky Barstewards….top man!!

Yep, for some stupid reason my itunes account keeps reverting back to Greece where I set up itunes, but I’m now in Switzerland, a couple of times I’ve had to move it back to Switzerland and re-enter card details.

I had to do it the other day…plus I seem to remember I had something similar a few months back….it seem to remember I saw similar amount but didn’t pay it much attention.

no wonder apple make so much money….think I’ll be contact support about that!

Thanks very much for the info.

Eagle. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Dan Dare but Charley’s War and Death Wish made me wait by the letter box for it every week.

+1 My Dad and I used to fight over who would read it first.

Bloke at work has a fancy T5, he’s had Merc’s and BM’s in the past…reckons it’s one of the most comfortable cars his driven.

We have an S-Max, I don’t really get too excited about it (Mainly used for carting the kids about), but I will say it is very comfortable.

Absolutely nothing going by the amount of ear ache I get from the wife…..

Oh I suppose there is something I’m good at…..

……winding the wife up!!

In seriousness, fixing things and problem solving….which is what I do for a job, so that’s nice…

Riding my bike, not bad at that….I’m **** great at having some big pile ups…I have medical records and scars to prove it!!

Being a Dad….my kids don’t know how lucky they are…. ;)

Saw that yesterday…..very cool!!

Yep, think you may have had to share the happiness boriselbrus, as I reckon it was the same year I got the same….kept me quiet for the rest of the Christmas holidays.

I had it shipped over when I lived in Greece with some other bits and when it arrived it was all broken….

…que, bottle of wine and an evening on the floor, but now with a bit more body hair.

Now sits on the book case and my kids constantly ask if they can play with it….give it a couple more years yet, least then they can put it back together after they have taken things apart.

thanks for all the posts….always extremely helpful to hear everyone’s views.

Hmmm, I started looking at some smart cameras….but the customer reviews didn’t set my world on fire…

although I came across this normal camera which seemed to get the thumbs up

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-Lumix-Camera-LEICA-Summilux/dp/B008N8NZDK/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products/bikes/race/cross-bike/pro-dx-cross/

That was interesting. Thanks.

Holy Crap….photo’s just after the accident are good’ens.

Speedy recovery and I hope you don’t get a cold for at least a month or more….blowing your hooter is not goona be fun!

Get well soon!

i dont think those knee pads were going to help with that one!

:D :D