Nah,

They do it so that you don’t take up valuable space in the terminal and so that other passengers can’t see it as well. Now your moans are contained to the plane in the terminal it would look a lot worse for them. Ba****ds did it to me when I had been on my way home for 30 hours once at least the chappy next to me had been on its way for 10 hours more such a joy intercontinental travel.

Golf Cabrio three people two bikes thats one sportsbag in the boot and me clinging on to two bikes on the tiny back seat.

Fiat Palio Two people two bikes and two big sports bags all inside the tiny car never thought it would fit.

OP

You mention Spain remember they are deep up sh*t street not much work about and if you get a job likely to be low paid. My company hires some of they they cost peanuts.

France? I moved there about half a year ago, are you fluent in their language?(else big problem almost everywhere) Also remember that the rural places are cheap cos most people don’t earn much down there not too sure how I will land a job one day. Live there now, don’t work used to work there 5 years ago.

New Zealand awesome place though cost of living wise VS earnings not good canned the plan 5 years ago as I would have too work that much just bymyself that I wouldn’t have enough time for the real outdoor lifestyle change.

South Africa could have been heaven on earth pity safety is such a big issue and the place is ran into the ground. Regular visito, have lived there have worked there and so.

Most other african countries well its a job what I do else I wouldn’t go there.

Remember visiting or holidaying in a country is often miles from da real life experience.

I am a foreigner and do this to cos quite some people are willing to open their auction to foreigners as more interest is more chance of a nice bid. Don’t see the issue as long as they are not from a dodgy country and fork out the extra postage.

You are too late should have done it in the big freeze as anti freeze.

I baught a barn old farm in France that I viewed once(I was on a house hunting trip though) But the house only pooped up un my one but last day viewed it on the last day rather briefly. Had to dash to get to the plane but then put an offer in whilst on a ships on its way to russia Just cos the weather is better for riding and its quite rural. Now busy draining all my savings to do it up and a year of work(day job) to make the work(renovating) mangable.

For africa you can bar everything but South Africa you might have some in other countries but South Africa is the only sizable market with people wanting to spend good money on it too.

Thick latex ones not the ones you get the benefits of latex flexibility and better pinch resistance but not the weakness then thinness of the supposedly top ones.

Or if you go for a normal one what with over dimensioning it take one for a size about 25% bigger(width that is) then what you should ride so that inflated stretch and weakness is low.

Seems he can camp in my backyard tonight

Grizedale Lodge does a three for two deal getting family of five (kids must be under 12) for about 400 for three nights lovely place very close to the trails. Gone there with the former missus and the dog and really loved it. You get a lovely breakfast and a roof above your head. 300 if you go mid march

See this as the opportunity to find the place with a perfect woman cave.

Don’t worry it can always be worse. My offer took three months to get verbally accepted(they couldn’t find one of the owners) then took another 4 months to get it in writing and have some land added. Then had to go to a judge as some minors owned like 2% of it meaning the would get peanuts in any case. Completed in 11 months by that time I had been waiting of work for two months waiting to be able to start renovating.

Camping in hungary at the time. As it was one of the few places east Germans coul go before it came down got to see quite some getting really excited.

M086 also came in black and white once borrowed a pair for the day they where great though they seem to have stopped selling them already quite a while ago newer colours and the m087 just look horrible

Horaires et Tarifs
Ouverture des Remontées mécaniques

Le Bikepark des Gets ouvrira ses portes en pré-ouverture les week-ends des 26-28 Mai, 2-3 et 9-10 Juin 2012 (tarifs spéciaux) puis en continu du Samedi 16 Juin au Dimanche 09 Septembre 2012

So les Gets open all above mentionned weekends and from 16 june onwards

below all lifts open from 29 june onwards
L’ensemble des remontées mécaniques des Portes du Soleil ouvriont du Vendredi 29 Juin au Dimanche 02 Septembre 2012.

Classic for camper van conversion. It can be doen just look at NZ ther you have quite some busses turned in to mahoosive campervans. Dreamed of it but never went that way in the end.

Playing in the snow, from riding 20 cm deep powdery stuff as going over 1m high windblown stuff. You are never sure with the windblown stuff if it will hold ,went throught the top crust on one most of my frontwheel disappeared did a nice front flip over the bars and not even a scratch.

Funny thing is I have ridden same windblown earlier old tire marks 5cm to right and cleared it will prob have another go tomorrow or tuesday befor eit melts away.

Ride on the sides the grass and some dirt poking through will give you grip. Don’t ride slow momentum is everything.

Have some nice stuff close to my house now snowdrifts up to 3-4 ft high constant freezing gave them a nice hard crust with momentum and balls the are ridable bu if you go through the crust its probably axle deep and it throws you off the bike. Its great stuff pitty some of the roads got cleared already.

Layout doesn’t only depend on dimensions but also on height and the position of the door.

Your 5 by 3 isn’t the handiest as its a bit of a narrowish corridor.

Assuming your door is on one of the 3m walls that is if its in the middle of the 5m wall you are lucky.

You will need a passageway all the way through so count on either in the middle or on one side a 1m corridor unusable(thats one third of your surface gone).

Am setting up a similar cave of 2.5 m by 5

Bikes will be mounted from ceiling wall in vertical position over the whole width of the 2.5 wall this is by far the most space efficient. Put your hooks not to high so you only need to lift the bike a little say wheel 10 cm from floor its the high mounts that people regret.

So your last 1m by 3m is all suspended bikes. The spot before them is an ideal working place say 2m by 3m in this space shelving will take up to much width to be on both sides but one side you can do or the above mentionned wal mounted boards.

If you insist on horizontal if sufficient height mount two above each other saves space of course the less used higher up as lifting takes energy. If so lucky to have a very high ceiling say 3m plus you can get a bike lift and suspend bikes from ceiling and save wall and floor space. My recumbent is about 15 feet up in my old cave.

Don’t forget room for spare wheels its not only bikes but wheels also plan for the future if you have 5 bikes design for 7 if no boyfriend husband bikes counted ad some.

Shelving very important you will want some open and closed shelves(for smaller bits or dust free storage.
The open ones are great but there are some but’s. Make sure your wall is flat and that they are attached to the wall else stuff might fall inbetween. VERY important shelve debth you will see lots only 30 cm or 40cm rubbish. get them as deep as possible its all extra space for and costs you no extra wall space. Make sure your shelving is strong enough( stuff is heavy). Yet you shelves high enough so you can make use of the top for not often needed stuff once a year big tools spare climbing rope you actually only get out once a year. The spare tent stuff you keep but should have actually trown away 5 years ago(at least you still have it and it won’t loose place.

Proper lighting several power points(as inevitably some will get inacessible or get a permanently attached iteam to it). For lighting think of shelves make sure they don’t take light away, Stronger lighting on the work spot think of you own shade when choosing where to mount.

Source of heating.

Think of safety ground or wall anchor so you can get your bikes nicely attached and less burgular prone.

Always nice to work on a cave though you will want another on or a bigger one soon. Currnetly have at 4 by 2.5 and high ceelings in parents place. A 4 by 5 utility/cave and then the 2.5 by 5 bikes only cave in progress I do have more then 10 bikes though and some extra wheels

Get better neighbours ASAP:

When I lived at mum and dads, retired neighbour often collected either rang the doorbell when I just got in or greeted me at door with said packages before I got in making a remarks about size another weelset?

When I moved to country side they left an extra note so I wouldn’t miss it. Some courier delivered to said countryside neighbour a year after I moved to Africa they had their granddaughter trace my cell number and call me. buddy went round to collect Frame.

I know live in France left just before Christmas elderly neighbour collect had her brother e-mail me as she was worried it was X-mas presents. There so nice I defrosted their plumbing today.

I would fly to Antwerp(Deurne actually) from Manchester. Am a frequent flyer and Belgian so regularly use Brussels and its a pain IMO you will loose a lot of time at check in and especially security. Antwerp is tiny so you will be out 5 min after you land and you can show up half an hour before the flight and still make it.
It is air france VLM who have a direct flight antwerp Brussels once early in the morning and once in the evening normally not expensive and dirt fast from arport by car about one hour to the race route.

Charleroi is also quite fast but its quite a bit out of the way to get to tour of flanders by car or train.

Have lived in Antwerp and also acouple of years smack on tour of flanders old race route. Don’t like the new route old one was ace taking shortcuts on the bike once saw the womans race 10 times.

Get a rear wheel drive for the gravel roads most corners are nicely cu in on the inside. My campervan cornered faster on gravel then on tar as the cut in inmproves balance and countersteer slides great fun.

Agree on the crazy truck drivers down south mind that they probably know the road by heart just scary when they fly past. Ad at least 50 to your time expectations single lanes and lots of corners make you loose time.

On the coner speed menionings my moterbike buddy said ad ten and they pretend its MPH its possible on a bike though very scary as the passenger.

But as above take your time amazing scenery and lovely MTB spots get the kennett brothers bible

most snow bikes

sandman’s

Surly pugsley

9zero’s

salsa Mukluk

Depends where you live and how good your shot is.

Have lived in South Africa for a while had several attempted robberies in that time whiles out riding. Most of them you saw coming and I used to rely on my kick to accelerate away or dive in between traffic on the road. When I got fatter and slower strapped pepper spray to my handlebars.

Have friends who got stabbed, have friends who lost several teeth or got nicely roughed up wouldn’t blame them to cary a gun.

Though the muggers will only bring out bigger firepower one guy got shot of his bike long range. Some others defended themselves and shot assailants biker did time for murder even if it was self defence.

Not everywhere is as safe as uk countryside.

-16 in mida france yesterday morning only -11 this morning still negative mid day

Headfirst.

Dirtopia is an organisation. Is/used to be a multi day MTB festival as well. The now specialise in trail development event ourganisation. The founder of this organisation owns Delvera Farm and put some trails on it last time around they where good but there is better around(often designed by same chap).

It was 23 with the wood burner going at 8, outside already minus ten by then. Taking into account that I have some ill fitting scrap wood instead of windows and the woodburner should be dead by now I guess below zero in the morning my guess for outside is just shy of -20 we had -16 this morning when I was digging out the car to go and get some bread.

Do you want to do mountainbike or also road?

Can get you many road routes as many moons ago I did almost a full road season down there.

I go back from time to time road and MTB.

The hub is your diary, locals def friendly.

Mountainbike:

Camps bay:
Camps bay itself shit to ride its a place for posh people or to sit on the beach.

Main option down there for MTB is Tokai its good and don’t worry and quite safe. Bit out of town go to majiek forest a nice passtime but not an all day’er IMO best views from at the mast at the top(jump the fence :)

There is not too far away new routes from Tygerberg club around contermanskloof and so apparently worth the visit.

You have Bottelary hills(see the hub)between Majiek and Stellenbosch

I used to love Stellenbosch with Jokershoek though it burnt down a bit not too sure how much has been rebuild since. Also around there eden valley. You have Delvera farm on the outskirts from Stellenbosch. There is a killer climb on the other side of the road called alp D Huez though its private.

More out of Town about an hours drive.

Oak Valley lovely ride
Lebanon forest also around that area.

For road from Camps bay:

Do chapmans peak wonderfull views.
Out of town Franschoek pass is quite a looker the side from Franschhoek is the hardest(watch out for the Baboons the might trow rocks).

Then there is two more wortwhile passes.

Bainskloof pass from Paarl side quite nice but pop over the top its so different on the other side noone ther small windy road as in a remote french mountain.

Du toitskloof easy ride but then at the top coming from Paarl look for about 100m of dirt road and jump the fench then you get a killer climb up to telcom masts.

Hellshoogte is not as special I liked old Hells Hoogte but its no so safe from time to time.

There are some routes in Wellington/bainskloof see on the hub.

Best place to stay IMO is http://www.nattevalleij.co.za no massive luxury but you pay very little money IMO for a lovely place.

Delvera farm routes will be accros the road. Bottelary routes also on riding distance. Stellenbosch on your doorstep for good food and entertainment. Owned by a cycling mad Family maybe dad will take you up Alpe D’Huez their son is a wine maker. All the good wine farms nearby.

Found some good places and rates on http://www.fzp.co.za when I had too arrange for my work when we had a project down there last time.

Though general safety note best to ride with others if possible and do not attempt a night ride.

Need to stop writing miss the place too much

Leggyblonde’s information not all true.

You can not buy tickets on raceday sunday but you can’ still buy tickets on saturday(also for sundays event)

I think its a shit decision announced way too late.

Was gonna be live stream in any case for me.

they just announced they will not sell tickets on sunday. You should though be able to buy subdays tickets still on the saturday

Looks real the trail he is ridng looks actually well used. There is a distinct u shape from wear from other users noticably in the snow but also in the first shots without snow.

Though do believe the sides ar not that bad a bit exagerrated by camera lense.

The site has gone live a few days ago.

Not all the models up yet.

Had my eyes an a Gobi frame but price put me of considering alternatives.

http://www.sandmanbikes.com

No worries

Its the pre sales that ended last friday as they need time to ship. There is two more places where you can buy the ticket pre race in person till next friday. And then there is the sales boots at the race itself on race weekend. Got this from their site in dutch.

Depends a lot on when you want to go as rates can vary quite a bit.

Also Calais Oudenaarde is only two hours Dunkirk another 20 less

Would take Dunkirk ferry saves you some miles in France.

Money wise its dover normally as best shot though its more tyring as longer drive and remember you are passing London when picking your ferry timle as the traffic can make you lose quite some time and create irritation.

done this many times but all the way to the lakes

The old farmhouse in Ulverston

30 PSI is more of a CX pressure to enjoy a smmoth ride with lots of grip. Though if your ride is stony put a bit more but 60? 65 thats rock hard and would only adivse if you do mainly tarred roads.

Welcome to Africa where the rules of physics are different :D

try rent a dent the cars aren’t new but the pice in my case was low.

also used Jucy once then best rate for camper but they also have cars

lucky man to go to NZ

just mailorder the book from these guys http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/faq/freight.php

They ship internationally and they charged me like 3£ to send it to Europe and it took ten days.

Would look you up some routes but left mine in Belgium and still in France for a while.

Karapoti classic is also quite renowned.

I went on the ferry and did the queen charlotte trail its long way in one day but there is quite a good stopover afther two thirds track is not open all year to cyclists but march should be fine.

NZ has great riding though I like south Island most

For the bike check at airport they check so do wash it properly don’t forget to scrub under your BB scrub your tires and the underside of your MTb and Walking shoes. On the other hand my bike had several years of abuse and got in so don’t panick to much for some grease they don’t like sand as it might have seeds or some small kreeping animal in it.

Get hte book from the Kennett brother to find routes the mountain behind the city isquite nice riding. Book is great to find some places

8 hours six days a week doing my house up.

My day job which is on hold is 80 ish 7 to 7 six days a week with regualarly a bit extra and some sunday work though I normally only work 8 months a year