thanks for the comments so far. The aim is to have something sportier and more interesting/ motivating than what I currently have. The tricross is fine, dependable bike but it isn’t quick and it’s so dull.

I suppose that I’m looking for something halfway between a tricross and a madone ;)

we’ve got a nespresso machine. It’s pretty good and the cost is fine. I like the ease of use and it is fairly clean.

i tried a roubaix a couple of years ago. Completely sold on the comfort.

Good call about Rose and Ribble. Will have a gander later. Ribble do the Gran Fondo, right? Any reviews here?

a girl at my work was taken out of school for four years. She was 8 and her siblings were younger. They sailed from France, all across Europe, then the Carribean, Central and South America, Polynesia and then finishing in New Zealand. I grew up on an estate near Hull. I am very jealous of her!

Sounds like the trip of a lifetime. Go for it OP

i’ve got a cougar joey mcloughlin frame. It’s got some clever colombous tubing and was covered in retro dura ace and suntour kit.

It’s now a fixie and I’m not sure what to do with the retro components.

welcome! If i was living in Ayrshire and not London, I’d join you.

which companies fly their staff in 1st class? where should I send my CV?

french or even belgian are great for me.

Some languages sound dire; finnish, russian and danish come to mind.

ah, Paris-by-the-Sea. How about Sunderland? Make it a mission to spend £500 on a single night.

I’ve been the “honorary best man” twice. I didn’t organise the stag or give a speech. I appreciated the sentiment but it felt like a cop out. I’m happy to help out during the ceremony, etc and didn’t need an official title :D

A couple of years ago, i went to a wedding where…
– Both sets of parents
– 2 bridesmaids
– 2 best men
– Bride
– Groom
… all gave 10min+ speeches. None were any good! Quality is always better than quantity

i’ve met a few apple suppliers through work and I’ve been impressed by the way they manufacture. Some of my windows laptops (read Dell, Lenovo, Sony) do appear to have been designed and bolted together in the dark, whilst for apple it does seem to be well made.

The problem for apple is that they partly advertise themselves on the basis of luxury, which is divisive in itself.

+1 for ted baker and farah for skinny blokes. Sales can be good.

Ted Baker quality isn’t as good as farah, but the designs are better.

:D My dutch is not as good as it used to be, thanks for asking :)

done! Good luck.

ps. there are a few typos in the questionnaire.

Giving the dog less of a run of the house can work too having all the doors open means the feel like the need to defend the whole place, closing the house down more – especially when you’re out – gives them less to be alert about.

This +1. So far as my dog is concerned, she’s only allowed outside the living room and kitchen if I’m there. It’s not her space to defend. It can seem cruel to confine them, but if your dog is stressed from trying to dominate the space, it’s worthwhile.

thanks folks. Any more?

my GT Hans Rey trials frame and Marin Quake are keepers. The time between consequent rides can be 3-4 months and I feel completely comfortable each time.

However, my liteville 301 mk10 will be moving on. Just can’t get along with it, despite 18months of fettling.

I’ll take the oasis and verve albums if you’re willing to post em. Mail in profile :)

sadexpunk – ygm

post em up OP!

Sadexpunk: can i take “Placebo – Placebo – without you im nothing”?

Birch Hall Inn was my local for many years. Great pub and great owners. The other pubs in the village are dire, except for the Inn on the Moor which was always entertaining.

Trillo’s is the local icecream company. It’s not too bad. As for fish and chips, the best place is on the east side and has a clown on the window. I can’t remember the name of it…

If you stop in Whitby, there’s a nice small skatepark on West Cliff.

i was skeptical about the raw diet, but my parents have raised their gsd pup to adulthood with it and he’s in great shape

I went to Pets at Home in Croydon yesterday for dog food and treats. We got her a 12kg bag of some James Wellbeloved food. The food was well priced, but the treats and toys…
She’s gonna get a stick from the park to play with when she breaks her new toys.

https://www.instagram.com/p/_MdQ7-N3BCfe6VInH3kkJJ-x-If0GQ8_4JF6k0/

Here’s another pic

thanks for the advice folks. I was looking for some higher protein content food.

Does anybody order from the internet and get it delivered?

As for pics, see below.
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Materials Scientist. Took a bit of a leap of faith last summer, going from academic research in surface engineering to the world of fashion. I’ve been surprised at the scientific and manufacturing possibilities in fashion.

Last month, I was invited to speak for the industry at big materials conference next month, and I’m now on a national technical advisory board. Not bad for 28! These opportunities would have taken another 20-30 years to appear if I stayed in academia.

i’ve only recently moved into a new flat and I’ve had issues with my car. Next door neighbour gave us her car keys on Sunday to jump start our car. I couldn’t believe that! There’s no way I’d give somebody the keys to my car if i didn’t know them really well.

… or is she listening through the walls?

I’ve cycled from Vilnius to Nida to Liepaja to Riga and then onwards to Helsinki. The highlight of the trip was the Curonian Spit and Lagoon.

I met a few people who were cycling round the Baltic sea and all had to go around Kaliningrad as they could not get visas to pass through. Saying that, I have heard of one person on motorbike being able to ride through it from Poland to Lithuania. If i remember right, it was easier to get a short-term visa and get through quickly on a motorbike, whilst it would be tight on a pedal bike.

The food and drinks in Lithuania were great. There were loads of Russians on the coastal tourist spots. Generally speaking, the folks in big 4x4s (and Russian plates) drove like maniacs.

Luckily, the coastal cycling route from Nida to the Latvian border was excellent. Once crossing the border, the cycle route suddenly disappeared and we cycled on sand dunes, with me on a road bike.

so looking at replacement batteries. I can do the change myself and the options available are…

– Halfords, Yuasa Battery with Lifetime Guarantee for £180. I need to collect and fit it.

– AA, Yuasa Battery with 4 year guarantee, Delivered and Fitted for £142.

Is the Halfords battery worth the extra expense?

Cougar – Yes… woops! Edited it

OK, battery is shot. Will replace it. Thanks folks!

Heligoland – Massive Attack
Around the fur – Deftones
Blues Brothers soundtrack
AM – Arctic Monkeys
Evil Empire – Rage Against the Machine

Saariselka in Finland is the best place to go to, for XC skiing. I’ve been once and the GF’s family have been dozens of times, as well as every other Finn i know!

The pistes are a little basic though. The snowmobiling is excellent. The local restaurants and bars are typical of Finland (expensive, poor quality) unless you get Reindeer (expensive, excellent)

I’ve got a bit of a bike collection and suggested to the GF that she tries a few of them to work out what she wanted. After trying my Tricross, with discs and drop bars she decided that drop bars are dangerous and preferred the sit-up style of my Liteville 301.

Fair enough.

She ended up buying an 80s Peugeot road bike with drop bars and rubbish rim brakes. :?:

OP: Don’t try to reason with logic! Just support her decision and be understanding if she wants to change/ modify the bike after a few weeks/ months

DT78, somebody’s SIDIs have been nicked from the changing rooms at my work. Was it you, seeking revenge?

Where she’s from, it’s called “Friends day”. So she’s playing badminton with her friends and I’m off to the pub with a bunch of italians and french.

Teacup cafe in Northern Quarter is a favourite of mine. Mr Scruff is a part owner, or something like that. Great range of teas and cakes. No idea about coffee

Lived in Finland for 5 years, moving back to the UK in June last year. Before that I spent 6 months in the Netherlands.

I’m lucky enough to work with loads of Europeans and comparatively few Brits. The culture shock was quite small.

OP, avoid the natives and you’ll be fine :D

For 2 years, I built up a strong business case for a major equipment and lab investment (close to 400k). Gathered a fair amount of support across the business and had it approved. I then set up the lab, quality systems and research programs. Only two people could operate the equipment (myself and a technician). There was a limited pool of staff available who were interested in actually operating the equipment. I was forced out 6 months later due to my salary and the responsibility went to the technician.

So far as I’m aware, it’s now mothballed because the technician can’t be responsible for the lab and they won’t hire somebody to lead it. So why build the lab??

In my new role, I’m being drafted in to fix a million pound device at a supplier. I’m the customer! I can change the job, but the problems are the same.

my marathon plus tyres have been on gravel tracks, rock, ice, sheffield roads, smooth tarmac, forest tracks and more. No punctures in 5-6 years and very little wear.

But they are slow and uninspiring. When they wear out, I’ll swap them for something else. That will be at the heat death of the universe.

i could join, available for the majority of the 23rd. Happy to ride around Swinley and meet some other riders. The only stickler is that I have no decent lights. MIP