There was a really good spell about a year ago when Hunt for the Wilderpeople, JoJo Rabbit, The Way Way Back and Peanut Butter Falcon all landed for us at about the same time. My 12 and 9 year old love all of them.

Wonder is great too, although can’t be many people with kids who still haven’t seen it.

I consider myself really lucky to have three different groups I ride with, and some decent trails within 20 minutes in the van. Like Weeksy, my 13 year old has fell in love with it and can ride pretty much anything with more speed and style than I’d like.

I’m 49 this year, and maybe never enjoyed riding the steep trails in the woods more than I have for the past few years.

I’m definitely ready for the winter slop to end though, I’m completely fed up with washing bikes and kit after every ride – although taking a Worx Hydroshot to the woods has definitely helped over the past few years with reducing post ride hassle.

I reckon falling back in love with it takes one nice ride in warm spring sunshine, on a quiet remote trail somewhere on a well prepared/maintained bike (especially if you’ve kept half decent fitness on a bike in the meantime).

A friend of mine is about to step down as a Labour councillor, he’s done it for nearly 20 years, at one point was tipped for bigger things but I think he decided it wasn’t for him and remained as a councillor – I believe he is pretty proud of what he’s achieved.

He once told me he completely underestimated just how much time would be spent knocking on doors – at times it was relentless.

I’ve got huge respect for anybody who gets into politics if their intention is to make a difference to the local community, regardless of the colour. Good luck.

Another vote for the ME7. Spend years in Sidi, which I still like, but for the money the ME7 are the best shoe I’ve ever worn. Good protection on the toe box, comfy (enough) to walk in, very secure fit and a genuinely grippy sole. I’d buy another pair without hesitation.

The only odd problem with them is after their first very dirty ride and hose down they were left to dry in the airing cupboard and they stunk the place out with a very, very strong damp smell which has never really gone away.

I think I’m pretty close to HobNob.

I’ve got a Decoy and a Levo SL. I bought the Levo because I thought the Decoy was too heavy and I didn’t need the power it offered and I planned to sell the Decoy soon after. This isn’t as flash as it sounds, I bought the Decoy in C2W and the Levo was second hand.

The Levo SL is much better overall in that the weight is close to my Sentinel, and it’s really nice to ride but it’s not sufficiently different to mechanical and I often and easily put out enough power on the climbs that the motor doesn’t top up with much extra.

I think they are both compromised, one on weight, and one on power. The newer stuff coming out, around 40lb and 60Nm is where I think the sweet spot is. I’ll be getting rid of both for a new Orbea Wild when I can get around to selling them and can get a Wild as a replacement – or maybe the new Transition Relay when it comes out.

That said, for the last month or two I haven’t ridden the bike at all and I’ve really enjoyed riding the normal bike again, albeit annoyed that the bike has robbed me of the top end power I definitely had before I got lazy… After a few great years on an e-bike, I think I could easily return to a normal bike for a while – I’ve missed the lightness.

chestrockwell
Full Member
Any proof of that? Why are right wing people not held to the same rules?

The external activities and public comments, for example on social media, of staff, presenters and others who contribute to our output can also affect perceptions of the BBC’s impartiality. Consequently, this section should be read in conjunction with Section 15: Conflicts of Interest.

BBC rules. I’m not a BBC or Tory apologist. Not even close.

I’m off to drink beer and eat pizza. I have no idea why I’m contributing to the thread to be honest, I’m really not that arsed.

The “public handwringing” is about abusive political censorship of some rather mild comments. No one thinks that Lineker has been a victim who needs counselling, the incident has just become a lighting rod that exposes the populists propaganda machine.

I don’t know what to say to that to be honest. His employer set the rules, he broke them, they stand their ground.

I do find it pretty weak that the BBC have driven the story on their own platform, I also find it amazing that Braverman holds the position she does. I just don’t link the employment rules to the political agenda. Maybe I’m naive.

chewkw
Free Member
Yes, nothing wrong. In fact rather weak to be honest but he is earning money from BBC. Therefore, either he submit to BBC rules or go his own way.

Agreed. That’s pretty much what I said a couple of posts up. He knew the rules, and now he’s earned a few million and feels brave enough to break them, he has to go. He’s hardly a hero, just a bloke with an opinion with reach.

jaa
Full Member
However, he knew the rules that the BBC set when he accepted the role

Hasn’t he been doing the job since before twitter existed?

Yes. Not sure what your point is? Are you implying that GL is so stupid he wouldn’t think that Twitter would be included as a platform the BBC would consider to be of significance?

I’ll say again, I don’t think he’s done a great deal wrong, but feel #prayforgary is just around the corner. The public handwringing is just nuts.

Just wheel Guy Mowbray in, I’m not really arsed who the presenter is – I watch it for the football.

I like GL, seems like a decent bloke. Personally, I don’t think he’s done anything wrong and don’t agree with the BBC rules. However, he knew the rules that the BBC set when he accepted the role, salary or freelance, and I don’t think he can be surprised that he’s left them with little option. I can’t believe the fuss: he’s just a bloke who once played football to a very high standard, he’s hardly Nietzsche.

I enjoy the craic between him, Wright and Shearer, but to think that MoTD is about them and there are no other options is nuts. I watch it for the football, not the magazine part which when I think about it has gone a bit Jeremy Clarkson/Top gear for me in the last season or two.

oldnpastit
Full Member
Home made mayonnaise. Takes a few minutes and is way nicer than anything from a factory.

Posted 2 days ago

Respectfully, you’re missing the point. Love jars of mayo, love homemade mayo, love salad cream. Choose the right tool for the job.

Chips and salad cream is not better or worse than chips and mayo – just different. I’m an equal opportunity condiment user.

He can ride a 50cc showing L plates.

He can take a CBT to get on a 125 with L plates.

He can only ride a bike over a 125 showing L plates while under instruction.

Given the breadth of bikes and likely consumers a manufacturer like Giant has, versus say Transition (and therefore, likely competence and mechanical sympathy) you’d reasonably suggest that the bigger, broader brands might need at least two warranty policies depending on the product.

Equally, given the warranty applies to everything from suspension and wheels to frames, you could imagine why the the conditions and terms for accepting a warranty claim on a serviceable item like a set of forks or wheels could/should be much more restrictive than a frame.

One warranty policy to cover all clearly is flawed, which means really you’re relying (as are the manufacturer) on your dealer to support your claim where appropriate, and not submit claims where obviously not valid…

I’d have thought at the very least, you’d have been asked or thought to leave the seat post in when you dropped it off, it’s the only component likely to validate the claim. Hard to point your finger at the shop without knowing full circumstances, or the capability of the one person you spoke to, but I think that’s where I’d point my frustration – they should have told you stripping it yourself would likely invalidate the claim.

I can’t imagine the warranty terms for any of the big brands are much different – does anybody know?

Urgh. Just done my first race in ages. Went from a Kickr V1 to a V5 in the meantime and have gone from a FTP of around 300 (or so I thought) to struggling to average 205w for 50 minutes in the race – reckon my FTP will be around 230.

Either the new Kickr is underestimating, or I’ve lost a lot of power (likely, I’ve been messing in the woods mountain biking for a couple of months), or the old V1 was massively over-estimating. Suspect it’s a combination of 2 and 3.

Bollocks.

In 2002 a Gary Fisher Sugar 1 was about £3k which would be about £8.2k now based on currency differences, BoE inflation calculations and including adding the extra VAT. If there was an equivalent today (XTR, aluminium frame), I reckon it would be about that…

The quality of stuff now is, I reckon, much better than it was 20 years ago too.

Yet another Worx user, and wouldn’t be without it in the winter.

I have a heavy weight zip tied to the end of the hose to stop it coiling/floating up. Leaves all the mud in the woods, and not down the side of the house. Proper hot wash once a week or so.

I also do our shoes at the end of a ride with it too, cleaned in a minute and dry by the morning – as opposed to crusty all winter…

I had some HillBillys that refused to seal, only tyre I’ve ever struggled with.

I left it inflated at 40psi or so with a tube in for a couple of days and tried again. Went up straight away.

It’s going to be too cold for them soon, but I’ve ridden for the past 4 years or so in one size too small Mechanix and Mechanix 0.5 gloves. Cheap, grippy, and don’t move about. As close to riding barehanded as I can find.

I have Briskers for the winter, which in comparison, are slippery and loose.

Mine are generally in the first jacket pocket I check.

Sadly I only realise that after I’ve turned the house upside down and go back to check the first jacket properly…

The only thing you can ride on the road, without instruction, is a 125cc displaying L plates after you’ve completed a CBT.

To get on any other bike on the road, outside of lessons, you need to pass a two part test (Mod 1 and 2).

17-19, your pass gets you on a 125cc
19-24, your pass gets you on an A2
24+, your pass gets you on anything

To be clear, passing an A1 test doesn’t get you any entitlement to ride a bigger bike after passing by displaying L plates, unless you’re in a lesson. Completing a CBT doesn’t get you on anything bigger than a 125, no matter what your age is.

It’s not that confusing for most circumstances, but the rules are written for all eventualities and it sounds confusing…

If you’re over 17, doing a CBT gets you on a 125cc without further tests – but you display an L plate and resit every two years

If you’re over 24, you do a CBT and a full licence course and you can ride whatever you want

If you’re between 17 and 24 you can only ride a lower power bike after you pass you tests. To get on a bigger bike after 2 years or 24, whatever’s soonest, you sit the Mod 2 again. That bit is the only ass…

Jesus, I should put my reading glasses on. I meant FK2 up there, sorry. ^^

Edited now.

Sorry benny, it was a bit of a typo, I meant to write every one apart from the the FN2 but it was early and I was getting the kids ready for school…

I have done a couple of track days in an FK2 though, and had one on loan for a long weekend. The FK8 is noticeably better damped on a bad surface than the FK2, which in comparison is a bit trashy on a bad surface where the FK8 is pretty comfortable in standard, and like a magic carpet in comfort… On a track there was a fair bit of torque-steer and understeer on the FK2 that somehow just isn’t there on an FK8. I’ve not lived with an FK2, but imagine the FK8 is a much nicer place to be for just plodding around with the family.

I prefer the look of the FK2, but neither are going to win any beauty contests so a moot point…

I owned one for a while, hands down the best ‘normal’ car I’ve ever driven. Back in a Golf R estate now, which in comparison, feels like a Golf with a reasonable amount of power as opposed to something a bit special.

The good:
Chassis is amazing
Engine has lots of character
Zero torque-steer
Gearbox is a joy
Brakes have loads of feel
The adaptive suspension means you can have it set however you want, although R is nowhere near as hard as people suggest
Front seats are really, really good
Fuel economy was okay (24 around the doors, 35-40 on the motorway)
The boot is pretty massive for what it is
The looks

The bad:
The radio/entertainment system is from 1980 – so frustrating to use
Some of the interior finishing is not great
Daft things annoyed me – no lights in the rear door cards, no cupholders in the back and only a two seat rear bench
No fixings for a roof rack
The looks

My wife was embarrassed to be seen in it – I’d have another in a heartbeat. I’ve had every Type R, and have a deposit down on an FL5 (reservations not actually open yet so means very little) – although the red carpet on the new one means it’s another one that won’t be a biking car…

I’m just getting back into it too. A month or two of injury, long holidays and a lot of excuses has seen my fitness fall off a cliff. Did a Cleveland Wheelers 12 mile TT tonight, and I was knackered. Shocking how fast you fall…

I’ve moved to an Apple TV. So far, it’s been a lot less hassle than using a laptop or iPad, and I can leave it in the garage so no hassle carrying it backwards and forwards. Cadence from the Kickr so the two Bluetooth limitation isn’t an issue even without Companion app.

Less hassle = more likely to use it.

My wife has grown to strongly dislike her ID3. The first thing she does when she gets in is turn the overly aggressive lane keeping assist off, the other predictive driving assistance can’t be turned off and makes smooth driving difficult. It wallows in the corners and is not at all nice to drive with any urgency. Not the point of it I suppose.

The infotainment isn’t the best, but you kind of get used to it. Build quality feels okay but materials are a a bit cheap, and although the passenger space is excellent the boot is pretty small.

A LLS trail bike is pretty tight really and as pointed out, we didn’t realise roof bars were a no no.

I like VW generally, but wouldn’t buy another ID3.

We’ve had the Miele 7575 for about 18 months.

It does the job, is pretty quiet and seems to cope well with a lot of cooking, as you’d expect.

It sometimes doesn’t sense the pan quite as accurately as I’d like and the ‘heat’ turns off without you realising, but minor issue really.

I don’t exactly treat it kindly and it’s still unmarked, used nearly every night. Big roasting pans out of the oven shoved around while I’m making a sauce and no dramas.

Had a few marks that didn’t want to come off. We use BarKeepers Friend in it and doesn’t seem to be an issue.

Not sure what it does over a lower price unit really, I’d have rather have spent half the amount but it’s what was available from Miele at the time.

Happy enough with it, hard to get more enthusiastic than that.

Have you checked the quick link is definitely 11 speed, and definitely facing the right way. If yes to both, I’d be changing the quick link anyway to rule it out, they’ve caused me problems before.

Thanks asbrookes: perfect.

Every time I go somewhere hot with riding planned I think I’ll set the alarm and get out early. Invariably head out at midday after late night and a lazy brunch…

Too old to pretend I’ll be more disciplined this year.

Thanks for that acrider, I hadn’t realised that there was much riding heading off the tops towards the gorges and Siffret looks like it has at least some tree cover – looking more like I’ll take a mountain bike instead.

I love road riding in France, but think it could be brutal this August unless I get out really early, which doesn’t always go hand in hand with holiday beers.

Any intelligent person who thinks the audience on QT represents the average or typical view of the populace of the area in which the program is shot, really isn’t very intelligent at all.

I’ve got one (mullet), and don’t really have anything bad to say about it. They are a fantastic bike. The reach is a little short (455 on a large) and I worried about that before I bought it but I think it probably suits the heavier front end.

I got mine when it first came out, and haven’t had a single issue about 1,500 miles later. Mostly it’s used in the woods for winch and plummet style rides, but I’ve had 50 miles out of it doing Borrowdale Bash and Back of Skiddaw, in mostly Eco and some Trail and the battery died a mile from the end of the ride. Battery two years later appears to be full health still, no play in the motor.

I’ve replacing it with a Levo SL, I think, which I bought last month. When I ride the Levo with a mate who also has a Decoy I’m working like a dog in Trail to keep up with him. There’s a big difference in power between a lighter tune ebike and something like the Decoy, and overall I’m not sure which I prefer.

You can definitely just plough through stuff on the Decoy but it’s actually very poppy and playful once you get used to it.

On a ‘normal’ sort of xc route, compared to an unpowered bike, I’m a bit slower on a Decoy but a bit faster on a Levo SL (the latter not feeling like a brick after the limiter cuts out and quicker up the hill). Heart rate will be a lot lower on the Decoy. The bigger difference for me, and the reason I bought an bike, I’ll do an extra 500ft of climbing every hour on either bike when playing in the woods, and get about 30% more runs in through the trees.

On the Decoy, I can let the bike winch up the climbs and use them as recovery, on the Levo SL I’ll put as much effort in as a normal bike, but be faster on the climbs and maybe a bit faster on technical, longer trails back down where there’s some pedalling. Heart rate will be the same as an unpowered bike.

I’ve only had the Levo for a month or so and I’m only going to keep one, but can’t decide which. The Levo feels like me on great day, every time I use it, and it is very poppy, just like an analogue bike – I think I prefer it. The Decoy is a different thing altogether – lots of support, but doesn’t feel anything like as playful and just ploughs through everything….

Not my understanding? Thought it was when you were side by side and one rider edges slightly ahead (half a wheel) to push up the pace.

Only ever my understanding of half-wheeling too. An older guy I used to ride with used to get unbelievably aggressive with any body who did it. The younger riders would do it just to experience the full Basil.

You’re not holding up traffic, you ARE traffic.

Yes, well aware of that but I consider big groups as slow moving traffic holding other people up. Call it subservient if you want, but I don’t like doing it for four hours on a Sunday morning.

Love riding in the woods with a couple of good mates, don’t love it so much when the group gets bigger. Same on the road really, I enjoy riding with two or three mates, just don’t like it at all when the group is bigger.

Used to ride about 20 years ago with the Gosforth road club in Newcastle. Some really nice people in the group, and blessed with very quiet roads for as many miles as you want, but even 20 years ago when the roads were definitely quieter and drivers were more patient, I’d feel very conscious we were getting in other users way riding in a bigger group. I didn’t like that at all.

Nobody half wheeled or behaved like a **** back then, but there are a LOT of new roadies now…

of course I want the British teams to go through, but if they can’t, another City bottle job in the big games is never not funny.

+1

See 5lab’s post above which was pretty much what I did word-for-word, even the skidding rear wheel

And another. Descending back to Soller from Puig Major and had a bit of a moment after a week of riding the bike. After I realised what was going on I let go of both brakes literally just in time to get around the corner, before a certain high side over a 2ft wall and a steep drop. Closest I’ve come to actual death (that I’m aware of)…

My M1 Air is pretty much indistinguishable in performance from my work M1 Pro in Photoshop, Lightroom or Premiere Pro.

The M1 Air is a properly astonishingly fast laptop for about a grand in the refurb store – and there can’t be many ‘normal’ uses where you’d need anything faster or more capable; it made my stupidly expensive work Dell Precision feel 5 years old.

You’ll come for the speed, you’ll stay for the trackpad.

As above, I’m very happy with Qobuz or Tidal (I’ve settled on the former for their curations and integration with Roon) streaming through a Bluesound Node – my CD player hasn’t really been used for a long time now, a stupidly expensive relic on a rack…