The weather was so uninspiring we didn’t even make it up Foinhaven. Just did Ben Stack then cruised on over to Sandwood Bay.

Thank you all very much for the advice though, I will keep it for my next trip up there, at least I’m relatively close 4.5 hours away in Oban! Really want to try that Arkle loop.

Chris

double post

Hi guys,

Fear not, we got pies before it closed for holiday and it was very worth it.

Did a wee ride today from Lochinver just around the coast to the North and back and then the 6km loop that descends next to the river.

Tomorrow my mates are going to do Foinhaven but I’m very keen to do more biking and the Arkle loop is the obvious choice. The weather is looking OKish tomorrow but obviously would be super wet – Juggins, is it worth it?!

Cheers,

Chris

Thanks very much for the info, guys. The Arkle loop is winning so far but Drudh, what is the loop that you suggested like?

You got a bloody 5ive, Sam?! That’s wicked!

My Dog, this is exciting.

Very valid point about access to kettle though. How are you coping on that front?

Loving this thread!

My one is the gw-m5600, which I don’t think can be faulted. Never loses a second, is powered by light and the light comes on automatically:

Enjoying bawbag’s and andeh’s version too.

BikeVillage.

Cheers James, I don’t know why I suspected there would have been a ‘neater’ way.

Using the \include command seems to work quite well too, as .aux files are created for separate file so when you compile the master document, it is as though those are included (in contents, eq. references etc.).

There really is only 1 crisp:

Walkers Salt and vinegar extra crunchy. It is so intense and amazing.

Terry, you’re such a jetsetter.

I did mean the one in Portugal, just to clarify.

Cheers smudge, that is perfect.

The Ben is 11km up and then 11km down, and it looks like there’s only one path up there.

You’ll take the hill race route, which is basically just a straight line from the waterfall to the summit cutting out all the zigzags. They’ll have buddy runners there to relay you up the hill in the right direction. Sorry if this information has been posted before.

Also, practice running downhill for sure! Cyclists are good at going uphill in my experience but I lost 40mins on that decent alone to a friend that had done more downhill running than me. My training consisted of driving an uplift to a high point in the Alps, guiding to the bottom and then running up to collect, hence no downhill practice and it hurts.

Best of luck though! May see you there.

Guys, so just to be sure, all you need is that yellow tape and that is it?

I really need this to work by tomorrow and don’t have yellow tape. Here is what I do have:

1 x green rim strip (definitely not airtight)
1 x joe’s no flats rim strip (basically a 20″ inner tube cut open)
a load of sealant.

Will this work?

In the future is this all I need

1 x yellow tape
a load of sealant?

Many thanks

Hi, what exactly is the yellow tape? I’m only using PTFE tape because I don’t have any other options! It is just unbelievably tight, the tyre is a LUST one. Am I trying to do something impossible?

My apologies for saying tire instead of tyre, I can never remember what I’m meant to use as a British person.

link to thread?

It’s in the original post. Hidden under CILLIT BANG.

Seriously though, if your surname was File, would you call your son Peter?

I think it looked great. Sadly I put a flatspot of the rear so now it’s got a black rim. Which is now a pringle so I may go white again.

For guiding I ran a 2.35 high roller front and a 2.25 cross mark on the back ran in reverse (i.e. the opposite way round to what it says). Seemed to work a treat.

+1 for BikeVillage

They will show you as much flowy singletrack as you could ever wish for. And a bit more.

Lovely reading that group riding link.

Also, how about this:

A road wide enough for a car to safely pass single file riders with a vehicle coming the other way, but not if the riders are two abreast. Is it rude and a hindrance to the car to be riding two abreast here?

Then it is settled.

Thanks all, now I need to speak to the policeman again.

chamley, that is exactly correct.

However upon reconsidering my original post, it seemed that the policeman was more concerned for all cyclists to be single file because of safety, not because we hold people up. He said it is much safer to ride single file than two abreast. I think we’ve gone off topic a bit talking about car drivers who get mardy.

Ultimately the question should be: what is safest for the cyclist? Two abreast to stop bad overtakes and half the length of the chain or single file to keep us out of the way and ensure we can all jump into a ditch if there’s a proverbial fan involved?

Done the lot, but never once viewed myself above giving way to other road users once in a while

The impression I get is that no one here views themselves as being above giving way to other road users. Everyone rides single file where they’re holding cars up or it’s just courteous to do so even though the car can’t overtake.

The point is that roads aren’t so narrow that cars can’t get past when riding two abreast but are wide enough that if we were single file a car could dangerously squeeze past at bad times.

someone who will try and squeeze past a single cyclist will try and squeeze past two just as readily when the opportunity arises.

They won’t though, because of the laws of physics.

Also, what does IAM and MSM mean, cynic-al?

Wallace, I think you’ve helped me close the argument.

The way I see it, there are two kinds of roads:

Narrow roads where it is impossible for a car to get past two abreast. In these situations just ride single file when a car approaches (from rear or front) or pull into passing place if it’s a single track. This is something I’ve always done and is basically common sense.

Normal road (like most A roads IME) where it is easily possible for a car to overtake cyclists riding two abreast and also possible for two cars and a cyclist right at the side to pass. In these situations where it is quiet, two abreast is fine because there’s plenty of room for overtaking when it’s safe and the car will never overtake when a car is coming the other way (due to two abrest). However, as common courtesy in busy periods as wallace pointed out, one should ride single file out from the gutter to show we’re not being dicks but that we don’t want them to over take then cars are coming the other way (surely this is fair).

Further to this, I believe the policeman was trying to point out that riding two abreast round corners is silly because what happens if a car is coming the other way on our side of the road, you’re better prepared in single file.

I hope I’ve not come across as arrogant / inconsiderate because I certainly wouldn’t think of myself this way.

Two abreast is inconsiderate and bloody annoying.

How? Surely not in all situations? If the road is so narrow that the car can’t over take then yes, I agree with you and I’d never cycle two abreast in that situation. If the road is wide enough for the car to overtake, then what is the problem?

And if you don’t mind asking, how old are you…

I’m 23.

Maybe he was just bored?

It was a Sunday morning and the roads south of Oban are mostly not busy.

Unless it’s a quiet road – ride single file. If it’s a busy road and you’re not riding single file then you’re not really being considerate to other road users.

What is a road? The road we were on had 2 lanes and there isn’t enough room for 2 cars and 1 bike to be side by side comfortably/safely. Is it holding up traffic therefore by riding two abreast in this instance? Riding two abreast isn’t holding up the traffic since it still wouldn’t have been safe to overtake if we were single file, right?

Back to the original post.. I’d be pretty pissed off too if you were riding two abreast on a narrow road holding all the traffic up.

On a very narrow road I’d never ride two abreast with a car behind.

What is a narrow road?

BikeVillage.

EDIT: And get to ride Les Arcs, La Plagne and the Beaufortain.

Hi,

I’ve done this event twice now. There is a lot of fire road and road climbs (and a few descents) so I would definitely recommend your hardtail.

If you can, spend at least a few days before hand practising going uphill for long periods of time as this is the gist of the race. In terms of the actual altitude, it’ll be barely noticeable, even at the Pas de Lonas (sp.?) at 2785m if my memory serves me correct.

Definitely worth doing, just for the shear length and amount of climbing involved. I won’t be doing it again though, just because there’s much more technically enjoyable events out there. I wasn’t pleased with my first time so had to get out for a second attempt and get below the target I set.

Hope that helps.

Chris

Just to say I’ve reached my target today and have ordered the football so will post pics when it arrives.

A big thanks to everyone who has contributed, I was overwhelmed by the response.

Chris

Cheers everyone, I’m now up to 88 and back to regular internettage. Only 12 left to go and I think I can see a few in the recycling bin here!

Cheers to everyone who’s contributed, especially muppetWrangler for the last 7.

ericemel – luckily noone had stolen that so it made it in.

z1ppy – cheers for the reminder though! Most have been stolen when posted in public.

Cheers,

Chris

Cheers guys! I’ve just put in all the codes emailed to me (and replied hopefully to all of you) and now I’m up to 74, just 26 left to go!

Keep them coming (to my email) if you can.

Thanks for all your help,

Chris

Cheers squiff! I’m going to be away from the internets for a little while so posting codes on here probably won’t get used by me. If you’re feeling kind like quite a few of you already has, my email address is in my profile, I’ll reply personally to each one and put them in as and when I get to the interweb.

Many thanks,

Chris

EDIT: p.s. I’m up to 64 now. Only 36 before I reach my target and I can post photos of my football.

Cheers guys for the personal mail, that’s brillaint 😀

Sorry guys, I got here too late again, seems that someone else is collecting these too and nabbing them before I get here. Thanks for all the support though, I’m only 43 away, I’ll keep adding my own and any I find around. If you can be bothered, fire away to my email but don’t panic if not – you’ve helped me a lot already.

Cheers,

Chris

p.s. I won’t forget to post the pictures when it does arrive.

I made a beer batter on Friday for my fish and there’s some left over, which I’m going to use to make beer battered chips and serve with some steak for my tea.

Cheers ChristoGinger. I’ve got 57 now.

Thanks psychle for the email!

No worries portlyone, hope he gets some good things.

Thanks very much infidel that worked.

Sorry LabMonkey I didn’t get there in time – someone else must have used it 🙁

thanks muppetwrangler, they all worked perfectly. Up to 54 now!