My dad’s got a Yorkshire Wolds accent which has been getting stronger. My mum is from Beverley and apparently it’s different, not that I can tell.

My brother mostly grew up in North Yorks, so has got a strong Whitby accent and picked up the local phrases.

My sister lives near Sunderland, so it a proper Mackem.

I’ve travelled a bit, so I’ve got Hull, South Yorkshire, North Yorks and RP. When drunk, i supposedly sound like i’m from Wakefield :D

If you put me and my siblings in the same room, you’d think that we were adopted and shipped to different ends of the country

i’ve got Schwalbe Marathon Plus (35s, i think) on mine. No punctures in 5years on the same tyres.

But they are very slow rolling

happy new year!

thanks NSN and DB. I won’t bother with the masks then!

was supposed to be in Greenwich… but the gf is now ill after catching the flu from me.

i rode at Brockwell Park this summer. Nice little track, though it does need fixing up.

What are the contact details for Merton? I wouldnt mind joining at a beginner level

OP, YGM

I live with somebody who works for a mega corp and have had the opportunity to meet his colleagues. It’s obvious that a certain type of person works for that company. Boorish middle managers bickering about the minor differences between BMW, Audi and Mercedes. Other subjects include which brand of pen they have, how many suits they own and which airline provides the best lounges and in-flight Business Class perks. I think that the constant competition is what fundamentally irritates me.

I avoid talking about cars, pens, the rugger or holiday destinations.

I’ve found this to be helpful. http://www.atrixnet.com/bs-generator.html

post up your clothes sizes and I’m sure STW can have a whip-round. Sorry to hear about the break-in

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2011-Nissan-Micra-1-2-12v-Visia-5-Door-Petrol-Manual-DOG-WALKER-DOG-GROOMER-/232117966525?hash=item360b4f16bd:g:~UYAAOSwNphWZali on the subject of modified cars…

“chortles”

14 houses and I’m 28. I move again in two weeks. Crikey

i’ve got two sets..

Logitech UE 9000. Great sound, very comfy. No longer in production…
Marshall Major II BT. Good sound, comfy for 5-6 hours and battery life of over 30hrs. Great for commuting.

Marshall have a new model coming out, which looks to be over ear. The sound isn’t perfect, but great for £120. They usually have a 10% off deal if you buy direct too.

Poolman – thanks for the good advice. If you see/ here of anything, would you let me know? I think i know which is the Elton Road house. Nice garden IIRC.

Unfurnished is ideal

Any thoughts on Haygreen Close in Kingston?

Still running your Marin Quake mate?I have always fancied one.Proper mtb.

May be selling it soon. Haven’t ridden it in 6 months after having the suspension tuned. It’s a nice ride, but heavy.

Access to Richmond Park is great for my gf and the dog. The gf will want a bit of peace and quiet after moving from Finland. It seems like the best compromise and i reckon it’ll be like the central park in Helsinki. Ticks and deer shouldn’t be any more of an issue than in Finland. She does chase, but has improved massively as she’s grown out of the puppy phase.

I don’t live there anymore but own flats there, rents only ever go up and I think are very expensive, 2 bedder c 1400 pcm, council tax 200 pcm, starts getting expensive.

This is the concern. But we can get a terraced house in Kingston/ Surbiton/ Norbiton for the cost of a basement flat in Balham/ Wandsworth. Realistically, where can i rent a place with a garden that is close to a park for less than £1300?

There’s rough parts of Kingston (and Surbiton)

Ooo, any postcodes or estates to avoid?

live in Italy now though!!

Lucky so and so! That’s the dream :D

i rented a car for UK holidays when living abroad. I flew into Manchester so usually hired from Arnold Clark as they were the cheapest.

Since moving to London, I’ve been amazed at the hire costs. As an example, it’s cheaper for me to book dinner in London for two then travel to Manchester by train in 1st class and hire a Focus-sized car from Manchester than it is to hire a Fiesta sized car from London area.

(i was once upgraded from an Insignia to an Audi A6 with Arnold Clark. That was brilliant :D )

nothing to add, except that I’ll be checking my bearings tonight!

I’ve heard too many stories of people peeing/pooing in hotel kettles to make me consider cooking in them.

Small microwave is a great idea.

Is there a corby trouser press? You could make a baguette toastie or cook bacon? :D

+1 for understanding the product. If you’re interested in a career in fashion/ retail, get in touch. There is a lot of manufacturing and engineering, and it’s surprisingly high-tech. My employer is hiring now.

I’ve got a Swiss Shepherd. We asked for the most confident puppy as relatives have young children and we live in an apartment. She’s very chilled at home and whilst walking/ searching/ jogging. The confidence helps as she’s not spooked by loud noises or sudden surprises, which inevitably come with small children. On her first NYE last year, she wasn’t bothered by fireworks. We trained her by firing gun blanks on the farm at a distance.

Of my dogs litter, the range of temperaments was surprising. At a puppy meetup (4 months old or so) we saw boisterous puppies, dominant behaviour, one was very aggressive and the other completely afraid other puppies. I know a couple with the cousin of my dog and it is extremely territorial and protective of its owners. The difference between my dog and their dog is night and day.

My sister-in-law has three working black labs who are easy going. She uses them for retrieving birds on hunts and her dogs are national champs. By stimulating them with an activity (retrieving dummies and birds) she keeps them content. They’re happy snoozing at home for most of the day.

My sister has a little yappy terrier and a ginger labrador. The terrier is bonkers, but the labrador is the most chilled out and dopey dog I’ve met. It’s brilliant with my nephew and very sociable. It would make an excellent gun dog.

My advice would be to get a labrador of some description, with a gentle and confident temperament.

Started out as a materials engineer working on materials modelling and characterisation. I now work in fashion, with models and some right characters.

Whatever your transferable skills are, use those to help you decide your next step

130mm fixed hubs can be bought from BETD/Goldtec. Fantastic quality and adaptable (just change the axle).

i’d love to go to Iran with a snowboard/ splitboard. If anybody is thinking of going… MIM

how about an aeropress?

Or take a thermos to work?

found one on ebay… http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NOS-Vintage-Campagnolo-brake-adjuster-tension-bolt-/351843754871?hash=item51eb85a377:g:MxoAAOxy14VRWavE

£12.50!?

Doesn’t need to have the branding, it just needs to fit and to be ordered off the internet.

Mr Scruff has a cafe in the northern quarter. Does excellent tea and presumably coffee. The eggs are great.

I appreciate that my response wasn’t helpful :D

from what I’ve seen, it’s quite common to have CC tax included in the rent in London when all bills are covered.

Never saw this is in Sheffield.

I’ve been to Aland many times, to a few Islands around Jurmo. If I were to go on a cycling trip from the UK, I would fly to Helsinki and take the overnight ferry to Mariehamn. Silja Line are a little more refined, whilst Viking Line are cheaper and known as the “Love Boat”. Either will be an experience :D

I wouldnt go for a cycle tour on mainland Finland. The distances are vast between towns and there is little to see or do between. Road safety is an issue too. I’ve felt safer in Lithuania, UK, NL and Estonia than on Finnish mainland A-roads.

Aland is Swedish speaking, so the lingo should be easier. Most people speak excellent English, even the elderly. The people are friendly to tourists, the fish is fantastic and they make the best beer in Finland.

At this time of the year the bugs shouldnt be a problem. During the summer, the midges, mozzies, horseflies, ticks and mooseflies are irritating. Autumn turns to winter quickly over there, so I’d book quickly if you were going to travel this year. Mail in profile if OP/ anybody else wants to know more.

Following in interest.

Based on my experience, I wouldn’t cycle in Calvin Klein shirts. Their colour fastness to perspiration isn’t great. Can you wear a polo shirt?

—-

Just noticed that you’d cycle in road kit. Without showers, sweating might still be an issue for the first 15 mins.

M&S do nice clothing for travel at a decent price. The benefit being that the creases fall out when hung. TI would presume that the same happens when being worn after unpacking from your rucksack. The prices are generally good, compared to what it cost to manufacture (lower profit margin).

just collected the wheel build from Brixton Cycles.

Goldtec track hub laced up to a DT Swiss RR465 rim. Light enough for a 32h rim and low-profile. Functional, but I won’t look like a tart!

White Industries free wheel on its way from CharlieBikeMonger next week. Looking forward to getting out on the bike soon.

craigxxl, yep same for me. My bike was static for 3 months, then joined a new riding group. Coupled with a hope hub, i didn’t need a bell.

also, hello Ned! Fancy meeting up/ going for a ride in the slop?

brixton cycles are the most local bike shop. I’ll go there, thanks folks!

for those who have hired… where have you hired from? Is there anywhere recommended nearer to London?

Sheldon Brown’s thoughts make sense to me. When living in Finland, my bikes which I built up myself were RH Front, LH rear (moto style). Except for one complete bike bought from CRC which was delivered as RH Rear.

I’ve hired downhill, trail and bikes with RH Rear and it took me about 30mins to get used to the brakes being on the other side. Likewise, Estonian and Finnish friends have borrowed my bikes with moto-style brakes and have adjusted similarly quickly. I’ve not yet met somebody who can’t make the change…

willard – There isn’t anything advertised for information security. That doesn’t meant that there isn’t a need for it.

“Everyone”, I’m a materials engineer too. Good luck for the search.

Fyi There’s a major software/ data company in Cambridge near the station who are hiring.

So, the Surly UltraNew 32h rear track hubs are looking promising. Would prefer something with a lower spoke count, but otherwise they fit (the bill)

My first bass was a yamaha, when i was 12. It was tough as boots. Looking back, for a careless teenager, that was great.

I then moved onto an electric ibanez sr300, an ibanez electro-acoustic (poor electrics..) and now a warwick 5 string.

The Ibanez SR series are very good for the money, especially the cheaper ones.

a few years ago, I spent 2 weeks in surfing in Florida, in February. The weather was beautiful, the water was warm and the people were very friendly. Going back home to dark, wintry Helsinki was devastating!

When Hell freezes over, it will be renamed Helsinki.

Why o why didn’t I stay in Florida?!