Could you get away with a waterproof gilet to keep your core dry and warmer, but without the sealed in effect of a full jacket? Pro-viz do one, and I think Endura too.

Reaching the top of Hautacam

If you head out North East-wards you’ve got Saddleworth which has some nice villages, and plenty riding on your doorstep. Salford 40-ish mins is away depending on time of day etc.

I’ve been using Shockz bone conductor Openrun headphones for a while as wireless headset at work, the fact they don’t sit in or cover my ears means I can wear them a lot longer than ‘traditional’ sets, and you can still hear non-headset sounds quite well too.

Don’t expect top quality music playback, or deep bass etc, but for phones calls, teams etc I’ve got no complaints.

is it possible temporarily widen the clamp to fit it?

I listen to one of the sister stations on the commute sometimes.

A while ago after someone answered with a “hello” and they played the requisite loser sound effect and told them they hadn’t won, there was a comment that someone would call them shortly to check they were OK…. Now, this could have been a producer or admin person from the radio station, rather than a trained mental health professional, but it did strike me there was a smidgin of concience in there somewhere.

Our two have Fire tablets with the “kids” subscription…. runs iplayer, netflix, disney plus no bother…. I would factor in a MicroSD card too if you’re travelling with it as lots of the apps will allow you to download programs/films to watch offline as the built in capacity is pretty restrictive.

I got a pair of these about 18 months back and they’ve been spot on, look and perform a lot better than the £24 suggests

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/pedals-pegs/boardman-mtb-team-pedal-357756.html

Stick my name down…. I’ll get the beers in!

We have a Springer called Jenson, I talk to him on walks, he’s a great listener. I like to imagine his inner monologue too, now he’s 11 he’s got the personality of an old man and likes to grumble about the state of the world/paths/trail snacks. He was far more optimistic in his youth.

Also, my dog is obsessed with me when I sneeze…. just me, nobody else…. won’t leave me alone for a few minutes afterwards. If I’m on the sofa he gets on and sits up right in my face. Anyone else experienced this?

I looked at S2000’s recently, prices are strong at the moment. They’re still a good looking car despite their age.

As mentioned above, a Toyota GT86 or Subaru BRZ? They’re supposed to be great drivers cars.

I’d say look at an Orange P7 29er, but I’ve just checked and it’s July at the earliest.

Having said that, I do love mine, I’m just under 6″ with a similar long body, shorter legs issue and ride a large size frame. Mine was 2019 model so 130mm forks, this years has gone to 140mm

Agreed – hp_source(jr) has been working his way through a few of the City and easier Technics sets for the last year or two. The only printed ones seem to be those that are available in multiple sets… generic “computer” slope sided blocks etc.

Yes, plenty times! It’s been too long since we did actually.

Hope you and NBT are doing OK :)

Some great memories from folks….. here’s my history.

I reckon my first MTB was around ’90/91 it was a Fluoro Yellow Al Carter Sidewinder, Shimano 200gs gears and canti brakes…. I was about 11 or 12 I guess. Rode that bike all over the place.

Next up was a ’93 Kona Fire Mountain Silver to Blue/Purple fade, that got some magnesium Manitou elastomers on it that probably weighed a ton but were the dogs danglies for a 13/14 year old.

Out-grew the Kona and got a ’97 Orange C16r in British Racing Green, gold decals…. something like a 10th anniversary model, STX RC on it. I loved that thing. :)

The latter two came from Aire Valley Cycles, not very close to us really, but seemed to be the best bike shop around for me at the time, a proper Aladdin’s cave of bike bling.

After that…. Kona Caldera, Trek Top Fuel, Santa Cruz Blur LT, and now an Orange P7 29er….. I have stretched the swapping intervals in later years! Though I do have a 91/92 GT Karakoram and 2004 Cannondale Furio in the garage for retro goodness!

I’m Saddleworth based and would expect you’d be able to find something to meet spec or tick most boxes around here for that. Or perhaps just over the hill in Marsden, Slaithwaite or Meltham. The housing market has been pretty keen around here though, so perhaps getting in touch with estate agents directly for properties before they hit Rightmove etc would be worthwhile.

Plenty of good riding around here too, and the commute from Saddleworth to Heywood would be about 40-45mins I’d guess if doing a rush hour commute.

Edit… just rightmoved the local stuff: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-96104384.html
This house would be a “project” I’d imagine, the outside looked negelected for years until it went up for sale, but it shows there’s stuff out there.

Also: Marsden: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73675504.html with seemingly all boxes ticked

I’ve just picked up a 2006 F600 Frame with a DLR80 headshok, air pressure was low when I got it, but seems to be holding OK (roughly a week), though it’s not been ridden, so I’m sure I’ll be back on this thread ;)

It’s pretty much a bare frame & forks I got for the next winter/lockdown project. Very impressed with the weight though.

Only just seen this thread – love it, can practically smell the turps soaked wrags from here….

I bought a 2019 P7 29er around April/May last year, I’d looked a few things, but never managed to get a ride on a Solaris.

The P7 has been great, very nice balanced ride, happy enough to pootle along, but more than a match for my skills on the rough stuff. I moved from an aging SC Blur LT to this and haven’t looked back. If I was to find a negative it’s that it seems to chip very easily, the good people of the internet tell me the bright orange mine is painted is prone to that, nothing a touch up kit and eventual respray to something more subtle won’t sort.

I went from a 26″ Santa Cruz Blur of similar vintage to your 456, to an Orange p7 29er…. initially it felt a bit unweildy but after a few rides it feels right. The ride and geometry seems spot on for my mixture of half assed bimbling, few hours in the saddle and occasional trail centre outing.

We have a Springer – he’s around 9 years old… he’s ace!

He was about 4 when hp_source jnr #1 came along…. then a couple of years later he met #2… the three of them are great together, regularily find them all squashed into a corner of the sofa or playing somewhere.

He’s not docked, but was never intended to be a working dog. Personally I prefer a full tail, being a Springer his tail and legs are nicely feathered when he’s occassionally smart/dry!

I do concur with the above post about a mixed excercise regime, and the difference between ‘regular’ and ‘regimented’. Weekdays we’re out good and early for a decent walk, but weekends he waits until later and benefits from a longer walk. Evenings can be a 15-20 min walk or a longer run out…. he doesn’t seem to mind or care.

We have a 1.6tdi ’14 place Estate with a 5 speed ‘box. It’s done nearly 100,000 miles without fault. Goes well enough, it’ll never win the traffic light grandprix, but who cares nowadays.

5th gear at 70-75mph is fine, not intrusive noise-wise and over longer journeys we’ve had 70mpg-ish loaded up with the family etc.

I’ve just got a 2019 P7s 29er, had it about a month and rode it a few times now, longest ride so far is about 28miles mainly off road, mixed terrain.

I’ve gone from 26″ to 29″ and have been very much enjoyng the ride…. as the weather warms up I’ll no doubt have a few longer rides. Most of my time on the bike will be 2-3 hour blasts, occasional trail centres, and the odd full day epic…. I expect it’ll cope well in all scenarios!

I looked at Whyte’s, SC’s, Nukeproof etc, but had a yearning for an Orange…

When I was made redundant a few years ago there was a clause on my contract to say that my employer would cover my legal fees up to £500 for handling the paperwork and netogtiations. I was re-interviewed for the same job (reducing team numbers) but never offered a new position. The employer made an ex-gratia payment and pay in lieu of notice to settle and see me and several other people leave quickly and quietly.

My solicitor claimed his costs back directly, pretty sure it happened to be the maximum he could get away with…. funny that.

Hope your friend gets sorted and is happy with whatever the outcome

There’s always someone going the wrong way down the fucheng road….

+1 for howies stuff, I’ve had a lot from them in the past and pretty much all are still going strong and looking good. They used to be a bit longer in the body from my experience which suited my body shape better, but it’s still the first place I look when I’m after something new.

We got an Ikea ‘besta’ unit and a one of their Uppleva mounts that goes with it. I’m just not a fan of wall mounted TV’s, they always look too high.

Ikea Uppleva mount

I also bought an adaptor from amazon to get our sound bar mounted under the TV, but so that it’s suspended with it and articulates with the TV

Amazon Soundbar mount

I have a 100hp…. it’s my second one, it’s great fun…. nippy not fast, not amazingly comfortable but it’s not about that. It just drives so well.

It’s the second car and does about 5000 miles a year. It’s been cheap to buy, run and maintain, does 40ish mpg or a bit less on a spirited B road jaunt.

For reference we have a new shape Golf Estate as car number one, and given the choice I take the Panda whenever I can.

I had a little Christmas project last year, after moving house and it being the dumping ground for a couple of months the garage got a make over whilst I was off work.

Before:

After:

It’s progress a bit since then with tool racking and a maintenance stand, but can’t find any pics.

How about making an account on pistonheads.com and asking if anyone’s used them? They’re a friendly bunch over there and the kind of target audience BMC seems to be punting at. You might get feedback from a past customer.

Another vote for Puky here – our son has just progressed from his to a pedal bike after 18 months of balancing, now it’s ready for a quick clean up and hand-me-down to our little girl.

Also possible with a bit of planning to vary it as you leave Ancoats to throw in Clayton Vale trails, Daisy Nook, Park Bridge, Hartshead Pike and drop into Saddleworth via Mossley…. not the flattest, but more interesting than the canal

Matty Fez’s route, but no road over the moor, carry on up the canal as far as Diggle, up and over boat lane-standedge cutting-down the trail on the other side towards Marsden Gold club, bit of road…. apply the brakes outside the riverhead, hop back on the canal to Huddersfield.

Yeah, great ride list night, nice to meet everyone.

Thanks!

Keith (Black Santa Cruz)

I had an Astra J estate and used these: MWay brand, silver alu. with T-Track compatibility

https://www.maypole.ltd.uk/rb1035-mway-m-profile-xl-universal-ali-roof-bars-135m-for-flush-roof-rails

Did loads of miles with a Thule Bike rack on the T-Track fittings and had no issues

Yeah, I’m in – got bike back on Friday…. :)

If my bike’s back from the shop I’ll try and get along for this, pretty local to me!

Keith

I had some M-Way brand on an Astra estate that I used the t-track kit on…. came from roofbox.co.uk IIRC.

As the owner of a small but nippy Panda 100hp, I am keen to see how the Up! GTi feels to drive as the power to weight is similar between the two. I’d fully imagine the Up! to be a nicer place to be, but is it as entertaining?

One I’m keeping an eye on for when the Panda gets retired for sure though.

Currently in this frame of mind myself, though I’d be going from my ageing 26″ Santa Cruz 130mm, and was hoping to negate some of the lack of rear bounce by going the 27.5+ route to get some give from the tyres. I’m far from the most gnar of rider, and long epic days out are few and far between, so the reduced cost and maintenance would be welcome.