They are more hassle than they are worth, Hora… This from somebody who lost a set of Mag21s a few years back when I thought the boots were a great idea.

They look shit too! 😉

Sorry, would have had more abuse in the post as per your request but there's a roast in the oven and I'm half way through a bottle of white – feeling good with the world after a muddy couple of hours…

39/23 on a decent hill is a workout if you're not 11 stone…

I'd stick a 25 or 27 on the back and there'll be nothing you can't get up…

I don't mean to sound patronising, but are you sure your wheel isn't moving? Every ride or two seems impossible (or you have thighs like Chris Hoy)…

Supermarket it might be, but the Duchy Originals Bacon is pretty good…

I think it's worth adding that Madison have been excellent with warranty claims. It's not the fastest turnaround (in my case because I was at the start and end of a model year), but there have been no silly quibbles from them. Top marks.

Sorry, it's wasn't a blatant ad (although reads like it in retrospect), I was just trying to point out that it must still structurally sound if it's in a shop…

Do you want to email me for details (address in profile) so I don't upset the mods?!

Don't do it on a hardtail!

It's no quicker or easier on a full suss but it's a damn site more comfortable. There are a lot of sections made up with small fist size stones (I'm guessing these are used because the natural soil is quite sandy, although I'm sure Col would put me right), and I find my back is breaking towards the end.

We bash round the red in about two and a half hours, if we're not hanging around – some of the blacks are worth exploring, some of them are a bit pointless really (probably the older black bits).

Overall, it's a pretty good ride. I hate the snaking, raised stone sections to get through boggy areas – there seems to be a few of them and they drive me mad. Personally, I wish it was about half an hour shorter. I'll bash out 60-100 miles on the road bike quite happily, but normally towards the end of the red at Dalby I want to sell my bike…

Despite the £7 charge, I reckon it's worth doing if you're close to passing.

I rode an 08 medium VIP which had no problems at all, in fact it's currently hanging up for sale in my LBS.

I replaced the 08 medium with an 09 large. Two failures in different places and not great QC; I'm currently waiting on a 2010 frame coming out to me. Apparently, as suggested above, they've changed the design and the manufacturer for next year.

I'm perservering because I think the bikes ride really well. I tried an Orange 5 a little while ago – I can't really tell you why, but I just didn't get on with it (think this was in 2007/8). Maybe it had a higher bottom bracket and I prefer them a bit lower – although can't remember now…

I'd agree with John. With feeds averaging 128kbps, I really don't understand spending much money on a DAB – they'll all kick out abiout the same output…

I'd pop into a local wine merchant and ask for a recommendation on a northern Rhone whine, which are generally shiraz based and not the obvious choice – Saint-Joseph might be a good place to start, Hermitage and Cote Rotie too, although might start to push the budget…

What a potentially brilliant, macabre idea for a post. 😀

Look forward to reading it as it develops…

The quickest onion gravy I do for sausage and mash is this. For two:

Soften a couple of finely chopped shallots in olive oil and butter
Throw in a few fennel seeds
As they start to colour, a tablespoon or so of plain flour
Cook the flour until nutty brown
Deglaze the pan with some Noilly Prat
Add some stock (I tend to use Marigold veg bouillon)
When it's ready, stir in some Dijon mustard
Season

I don't think I'm missing anything… If there are any nice brown sticky bits from the pan cooking the sausages I'll whack that in too.

There's an adidas retro shop on Spring Street, or just off Spring Street in Soho. Worth checking out…

I'd want something wide too, along with a couple of neutral density grad filters and CP too…

Is that Super Record on your winter bike? Mentalist… 😉

Mrs IATR is in Real Estate Finance (corporate) and really enjoys it, about 10yrs PQE now – working for one of the bigger ones.

Her first few years were in litigation for a small, private practice which she absolutely hated towards the end. The role she does now seems a lot more about negotiating with other lawyers towards a common goal (she mostly represents the banks) rather than the blood and thunder of litigation.

Have you considered a change in field?

I think it's £145 for an XTR middle ring…

EDIT: That's bollocks, sorry. It's only £110. Crackers.

The Rogues are pretty wide. I could sell you some, one ride old, lock ons with more than one ride old collars for a tenner posted if you want to try them.

I ride with either ODI Ruffians and Intense, both of which a thin…

Bourgeat. Their Excellence range is excellent value – mine have been bashed around for 10 years and they still look brand new. Tick all of your boxes…

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/products/ProductSubCategory.asp?TopGroupCode=C4&ParentGroupCode=S161

And for the first time ever, I'm going to write 'end of thread'; 'cause it is… 😉

I keep my phone in small ziplock freezer bags when I cycle, seems to keep it dry and they are dead cheap (plus, it keeps my money dry).

That said, I dropped my phone the other week and I've just left the Apple store today after shelling out £139 for a repair. Well, I say repair, they just replaced the fairly knackered looking handset for a new one – no it's almost decent value. Almost…

Some people are just really bad at selling stuff on eBay, and take forever to post stuff out and/or answer emails.

I wouldn't be worried just yet, reading your post it sounds like she will post it – she's just irritatingly slow… I sold an amp to a bloke in the Netherlands for about £900 – it took him about three weeks to pay, and he never answered any emails. I would have relisted it but I was happy with the money I got for it, so I perservered. He came good eventually…

Same happened to me so I just forced it round further until it popped out the other side. I snapped the small plastic lug in the process that is meant to stop it from going too far, but it's still completely usable – it just means you need to put the lid on with a *tiny* bit more thought…

Drac – Member
Seriously? I'd have told him to **** off at the top of the first descent.

Very serious, it didn't sink in until about the 3rd.

Did you then tell him to **** off?

F120s here too. 100mm is a bit short for the bike in my opinion, not nervous handling, but it seems to be missing the point of the bike a little

Ground Control or my current Big Earls (which seem about faultless, albeit they do drag on hardpack).

I'm sure you've just forgot to type it, but a handful of chopped coriander just before serving is a must for most curries…

Even though I'll use a lot of my own spice as above, I'll still often use a tablespoon of decent bought curry paste too if I'm making curry in a hurry.

Slightly OT here, but why does religion and race always have to go hand in hand?

When Anton off Stricly said his partner looked like a 'P*k*', there were people calling for an apology to all Muslims for the insult. Why was that? I totally agree the 'P' word is unacceptable, but what the hell's it got to do with religion?

With regards Nick Griffin, I was completely confused by what he trying to say. Does he say (in general) that he wants an indiginous England, or a Christian England – or both? Both are completely pointless positions to aim for.

It's much too late to worry about the current mix of 1st and 2nd generation immigrants to the UK, but I accept we can (and should) be tighter with regards immigration from here on in. Those who are already here are ours now, and we should work hard to integrate those who work hard to integrate themselves.

I do get quite pissed off when I drive around certain parts of the UK and see dedicated Polish street signs or multi-language signs in provincial local hospitals – it's an admission of failure and no incentive to fully integrate in my opinion.

I don't have time for deeply racist pricks like NG, but as the OP suggests I imagine there will be many people in the UK (most likely 50+ in age – please don't call me ageist) who like *some* of what he has to say. The other parties will have to listen more as a consequence…

P20 – Member
I anticipated the barrage of its crap

Last one… Listen Matrix one was excellent, I won't hear a bad word – including the liberal use of RATM in the soundtrack. Two was a shocker and Three just about finished it with some dignity.

One though, it really was a cracking film.

allthepies – Member
Looks "high maintenance" to me.

Well, for the sake of moral high ground – I'll do the maintenance.

I spent 10 minutes trying to write a (drunken) coherent reply, while trying to play Scrabble with the missus (I know it's a Friday night, but I am 34 now).

All you need to know is it's worth watching for Monica Bellucci in latex…

Well, you'd never get those shots without a flash…

You could have shot on a much faster ISO, given the focal length – maybe 1/15th to 1/30th shutter speed.

Microsoft are pretty good with this, and as long as the box hasn't been opened they usually extend the one year warranty to three – although not sure if it's original owners only…

Worth a call/email.

A simple Cat Steven's song:

If I laugh just a little bit
maybe I can forget the chance
that I didn't have to know you
and live in peace, in peace

If I laugh just a little bit
maybe I can forget the plans that
I didn't use to get you
at home — with me — alone

If I laugh just a little bit
maybe I can recall the way
that I used to be, before you
and sleep at night — and dream
If I laugh, baby if I laugh
just a little bit —

YOU'RE so vain, YOU probably think this song is about YOU

Well yes, he would. Probably because it clearly is…

But Terrahawk got in first with 'Toast'…

5thElefant – Member
Did you think people who work for charities do it for free?

No, I'd like to think I'm not that naive… But I didn't realise that Oxfam would effectively contract out to other agencies for collection – effectively adding an additional cost or commission.

I also think it should have one of the first things he told me, rather than not mention it at all.

Leku – Member
Suntour XC Pro or Campag (heavy but lovely)

XC Pro, especially in Microdrive, was a piece of shit. It never stayed in adjustment, and when it did, it didn't shift anyway…

EDIT: Not a dig at you, reads like one though 😉

Can I ask again, how does mains noise manifest itelf in a transistor based set up? Can I literally hear it, or is somebody here saying it affects the function of the equipment?

I can understand how a mains conditioner *might* effect something like a valve, but a digital front end or amp full of transistors? What are we thinking could happen with clean/dirty mains?

EDIT: Actually, I can't understand. But I could imagine… 😉

We had them in our pockets for 85 minutes… There are some Liverpool fans asking for a re-match in the spirit of fair play (they've offered to leave out Gerrard and Torres again)!

Whatever. It was a Liverpool ball and the TV clearly showed a fan punting onto the pitch on purpose. We NEVER get the rub of the green so I'll take that one, thanks very much…

Cana was just immense.

FTM.