There is a certain ghetto-camo charm about it now. What about one of these to help with the removal? Wap it in your drill and keep the settings gentle, it could make the last step a lot easier:

:?:

If you’re considering a 456 and a PA, may I add some confusion by suggesting a Ragley?

I had 2 PAs (mk2 followed by mk1 after I missed it) and have spent a bit of time on a friend’s 456. The PA feels better to me (solid but comfy). Now I’m on a Blue Pig X and it’s distinctly above the others; lots of features combined with a pretty slack HA and versatile head and seat tubes. The more affordable Blue Pig is bound to be similarly splendid or even a Piglet if you don’t need loads of fork. The back end is more compliant than the 456 or PA but yet it feels more stable from the seat tube forward.

I have an adjustable 150mm Rev in the front, had 140 in the PAs. All with droppers and 2×9.

Keep your eyes peeled for a 2nd hand complete (try the wanted section?) or frame only. This counts for whichever you go for as you can get a better spec for your cash.

Nothing wrong with a 456, but some steel is a bit more real.

Sand/lightly file the rust off and use a bit of lacquer or the missus’ clear nail polish to seal away from the air. Helitaping on the main rub areas helps loads (the top-tube gets rubbed by shorts etc more than you might assume).

A little bit of rust is fine. I have some on my 5finger bridge thingy bob from the previous owner’s chain suck. It annoys me to look at, so I just keep track but try and ignore it.

I really liked them when I had a pair, however I’ve heard/read that they don’t like rocks much due to the sidewalls which may be an issue with some of the more bracing Welsh trails.

Grippy, predictable and light but of a delicate disposition.

I need to find a head set frame that will fit

SRAM 990 cassettes for £39.99:

http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/CASRPG990/sram_pg_990_cassette

Stay with 9 for now, a KMC chain could save you a smidgen and it’s from the same factory as Shimano. Move to 10 when this replacement dies. It may be worth doing getting 2 chains on rotation to get the most out of the cassette.

Platypus do them in 1 & 2 litre too.

I think Cotswolds might do them but not sure.

It’s a hard question to answer; budget, terrain etc etc.

I think the Titus El Guapo (26″) is a great deal: http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FBTITEGV1/titus_el_guapo_x9_lyrik_reverb_ccdb

Under £2k with an excellent fork, dropper, shock, X9 transmission etc The only fly in the ointment for me is the Avid brakes as I prefer Shimano but they can easily be sold and replaced. It’s had good reviews and does a bit of everything with a bias towards descending.

Only some sizes are in stock, but they’ll get more in. You can look in person if you’re near Rotherham.

Try some Bonty Mud-X. I was averse to the smaller volume at first but I really hate clogged tyres, which they prevent due to the curved gaps between the lugs to aid release. They’re tubeless ready, seal well and aren’t too draggy on harder surfaces.

Geax Datura are very grippy in the mud but I found them a bit cloggy and skittish on roots.

For 27.2 droppers you’ve got Gravity Dropper (high price £180+, high quality, low weight), X-Fusion Hi-Lo (£130ish, medium quality), and the unknown brands like Forca, Traildrop and some others for under £100. Oh and the KS i7 post which is similar to the Hi-Lo in that it’s hydraulic and mid quality.

GD and the last bunch operate with a sprung pin which engages in drilled holes: simple but you have to click it into place for any position between up and down if it has them. The Hi-Lo is hydraulic and stops anywhere in it’s travel.

Having a setting of only 1″ drop as well as all the way is far more handy than you may expect. I wouldn’t bother with a post that either is dropped or up. Also get a remote, levers aren’t all that.

Radspeak ages poorly, it could be a millstone to have a very current sounding name.

Sometimes numbers or places work very well (661, Santa Cruz, Hope, Dartmoor, Ragley) equally initials do the job and are more ambiguous allowing you to adapt to your growth.

“Flowtography” just popped to mind, you could put your name or initials in front of that for something unusual but simple or use it on its own.

Or radsnaps.

Contra-adjective? Double speak?

You’ll love it, give 140mm a consideration; it’s reet good.

That’s a mk2, it has those lovely dropouts, price aint bad.

Edit; looks like it’s been bought!

Obese-Boy points at the fairly traded coffee, admiring it’s upstanding sentiments.

Similar but the PA feels sturdy and looks more refined to me. I had a 525 mk2 PA which was great (I got a mk1 some time after I replaced it too) and think the 725/853 will be even better.

Mud clearance is ok, not tight but not particularly generous if you’ve got chubby tyres like a big 2.2.

Haven’t owned a 456 but helped a friend build one and ridden it a bit.

If you get the chance to try a Blue Pig X I really recommend it. I loved my PAs but my BPx is in another league. More room for clagg, slacker and more twangy in the rear as well as having 30.9 dropperability and a larger head tube.

Which version of the PA are you being offered?

Few Cratch and a tiny wear and tear

It’s even got LED valve caps. BO$$!

Had a crap day being taken for granted in a challenging care home (by my colleagues, not staff). A few extended incidents of challenging behaviour, unable to eat lunch until after 16:00 (started at 7.30) and have a headache. Bah. But it’s over now!

Sort your phone out yourself, it’s easy. Get a digitizer (if the glass is cracked but LCD is fine) for under £10 on ebay and some tools for the job for less than £5. Youtube vids explain the process, I did my Missuses’ HTC. Get a silicone case; again not many monies on ebay.

Looks great but sort that Maxle lever, it’s all hanging out like a burger in a slippery bun :wink:

If I’m in a situation where I choose the people I interact with and how and when I do it, can do it on a one to one basis and can choose my own workload and pace, then I can produce some really good work. But work life’s not like that IME… certainly none of my employers have been willing to give me that flexibility…

Is there another field of work you would be interested in? It strikes me that working for yourself or being the one deciding things in an environment are better suited to you.

Maybe you’re not bull**itting enough? As you’re taking things directly and thinking about them, others may be riding the wave of momentum in the conversation to look good which would leave you behind if you’re less abstract. The answer to my assumed hypothetical situation would be to preserve your approach and not cave to being like them, but this is difficult in a ‘team’ work environment; hence move to something more suited to you.

I get the feeling (from my non-qualified stance) that you’d show as a bit Aspergers, but not strongly. I might be projecting but I can relate to receiving similar critique, which comes back to my point of being more on the spectrum than average but not high up.

It would then be worth considering the change in direction as mogrim says. What about a teaching/training role? With an interview the objective is clear, with a meeting this is not so much as discussion can meander while you consider the hypothetical impacts of each variable. With teaching/training you’d be the one controlling the interaction, it makes use of your experience and depth of knowledge and attention to detail is key.

Christ that’s a long response! :oops:

I’m already planning to get my GP to get me a referral.

Great! This is indeed the right start.

I support adults with autism among other diagnoses and as a result have attended training/learned a bit about it on the way. A friend’s ex was diagnosed with Asperger’s in his 40s, it was a huge relief for him as it accounted for previously frustrating patterns of behaviour.

Excuse me if I repeat things from SBH’s book, I’ve not read it. Asperger’s refers to part of a spectrum which we all appear within. Autism & Asperger’s have been strongly linked with male brain development which is partly associated with gender biased handling of data (male and female social behaviour, multi/mono tasking, appreciating numerical data such as grams, sports scores, formation, fork travel etc). The interaction between the hemispheres is part of this too.

I digress, but what I’m fumbling at is that you may or may not fulfil a complete diagnosis but could still benefit from understanding more of the Asperger’s characteristics of functioning. I personally have learned that I’m a little more towards the ASD end of the spectrum than average, but also know I don’t fit with autism or Aspergers. I did some digging and found that I scored medium-high in a number of valid ADD tests. ADD and ADHD are within the autistic spectrum. I went to my GP to request a formal test and due to the fact I was managing ok in my day to day life it was said that assessments are prioritised for those in some form of crisis/clear and obvious distress (I live in Brighton, there’s lots of mental health stuff going on here; drug misuse, homelessness, etc etc). On the scale of NHS mental health priority I appeared insignificant so was encouraged to pursue this myself if I really wanted too. The Dr wanted to know what benefit the piece of paper would give me, I was thrown by this and “peace of mind” didn’t cut it.

I go through phases where things get on top of me and the recurring frustrations I have emerge and keep me in a mental funk; they are strongly connected to time management, organisation, internal noise/chatter, focus, attention to the different aspects of my life, self esteem and therefore confidence also directly slump with the funk. I know these are also normal issues for many but it’s the lack of ability to “grow out of it” that frustrates. Equally learning about hyperfocus and tapping into behavioural predispositions appears to have helped. I will probably pursue a formal diagnosis at some point but in the short term I have been reading up on lifestyle coping strategies for adults with ADD which have been working. There is bound to be a wealth of these resources for Asperger’s specifically and I suggest you do some reading.

The personal qualities you’ve identified are particularly useful for a number of things. You don’t need to declare a diagnosis if you don’t want too and it’s illegal for you to be discriminated against for the ignorance of a potential employer if this was to happen.

As mac ^ said, what specifically are the problems you feel congruent with an Asperger’s diagnosis?

Nice one Butcher.

Bauged your way out of that one:

Ah balls. I misread the model and it’s the more recent 307 that sneaks into band C. I got too excited :oops:

I’ve also learned that mpg is not a single thing (it seems obvious now) but there is a motorway and urban rating.

I’ve think I’ve decided to go for front wheel off, bike in the car but still feel an estate is a bit too much car for me.

Thanks for all of the advice so far :-)

Peugeots keep popping up, a 2002 307 works out pretty good; £795 price, £901 insurance and tax is only £30 due to low emissions/good mpg (or however it’s worked out) putting it in band C. 62mpg too, nearly twice that of the Focus.

Cheers for the pointers NW *mind wanders to modding an estate for teh lolz*

Ah, I’ve just read a bit about insurance. I think 3rd party etc sounds better, the quotes are getting closer to £1k.

Joe Bloggs from next door (it’s surprising how similar we are!) has been quoted £1209.46 (annual) or £184ish a month for the Focus in rob jackson’s link.

That seems lower than I assumed I’d be charged, is this good? I guess a dealer should be a bit more secure, although used car salesmen are a bit of a cliché. Hmmm. Also, it is kosher to remove the back seats of said Focus and leave them out to free up space?

Tiboy, how far from Brighton are you?

Hmmm:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-SKODA-OCTAVIA-AMBIENTE-MOT-TAX-GREAT-CONDITION-OFFERS-/121063180296?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1c2fed8808

His parking’s a bit off but it looks ok to my carnoob eyes. Whatever I go for I’d take a chum to check it over.

I quite like the word “ambiente” it just screams snazzy :wink:

Some handy hints RE insurance Thrusty, fits with mrmo’s comment.

shared Renault platforms…

I know some cars share internals (VW/Seat) and apparently the above too. This is a good thing right? I’ve assumed it means easier to get parts and more places to get the thing repaired or serviced. I’ve had some friends recommend Fords for their relatively cheap parts in large supply. I’ve also heard Fix Or Repair Daily sums them up too.

Any more opinions on enclosed estate snugness vs rack and hatchback?

Ah ok, so I need to get something they think I can control and won’t be prime pickings for pinchers. I’m after practical, not flashy so I reckon that should be ok.

Any tips on age? A lot in my budget are 10-12 years old and I’ve read about some engines becoming less efficient and struggling to pass on emissions tests once old.

Cheers for the recommendation, excuse me for being dense but what would cause me to not get insurance for something? Or is it that the insurance on some is going to be prohibitively expensive?

OP are you familiar with the handlebar/front hub fit thing? When seated in a neutral riding position the bar around the stem should obscure the front hub when you look at it in olde bike fit rules. Too much bar in front is likely to be uncomfortable and slow steering, too much behind will not be good for climbing and likely to be a bit twitchy. Spacers and saddle position will have an impact on this too.

It’s a rule of thumb, not a hard and fast but still appears relevant. I think this originates from road but it works for MTB too.

I use 711mm bars with a 60mm stem, any wider and I’d lose fingers from punching trees and the stem feels a good compromise for climbing and playing around.

You’re going from pretty tight bars, maybe give a 700mm flat bar & 70mm stem a go? I don’t know how your controls are spaced but you may have a bit more room on a wider bar to have more of a 1 finger braking position than the older 2 by moving your brakes inboard of the shifters (you’re probably aware of this, but it helps if you’re not!).

Petzl Spatha (no laughing in the back there) knives are easy to use, cheap at £12ish and designed for Touching the Void style rope cuts. It can be put on a caribiner and opens easily.

Dunnit. It’s something that’s undergoing another push due to the polypropylene sheet style like Mucky Nutz, the Full Windsor guards look interesting but are more of a road bike rain guard than a MTB mudguard.

I reckon something seatpost, not saddle mounted that functioned like a butt fender/full windsor would be the ticket for a lot of riders (well, hardtail riders).

Mine took about 9 days to arrive from the US as Billy didn’t have the right size, try a post in the wanteds.